City of Norwich AC enjoyed a double success at the Trowse 10K with Ben Spratling and Mabel Beckett taking victories in the men's and female's races respectively.
Spratling retained his title from 2018 in a time of 32:55 but Dereham AC's Callum Bowen-Jones ensured CoNAC didn't fill all the podium spaces with a fine run of 33:06 to take second place with a new personal best. George Gay, who took victory at the Valentine's 10K earlier this year, was third in 33:15.
The top three were in a leading pack from early on but Spratling managed to open up a gap coming down the hill back towards Whitlingham Broad and it was an advantage he never gave up.
"It couldn't have gone much better today," he said. "The three of us were in a good little pack from the start up until about halfway and then I think coming down the hill the first time I built a bit of a gap and then I managed to build that along the flat and then up the hill again.
"I really wasn't too fussed about the time today - I think it was about a minute slower than last year (31:44) but it was just about getting the win."
MORE: Love running? Join the Run Anglia Facebook group hereSpratling will now head into the cross-country season with a longer term goal being a half marathon in Spring 2020. However, he admits he isn't relishing the thought of another cross country campaign.
"I don't really like cross country to be honest as I'm not very good at it!" he said.
"I think I'm too skinny and not powerful enough but it's good for you and can enable you to get fit really quickly. I do it reluctantly but I feel the benefit of it in February/March time. I think a combination of hard races, all the hills, longer miles means I'm always at my fittest then and it's then about trying to hang on to that towards the summer."
Beckett followed up victories earlier in the year at the City of Norwich Half Marathon and the Dereham 10M with another impressive performance to take first place in 37:21. Bungay Black Dog RC's Jo Andrews was second in 37:51 whilst Amy Beck (Norwich Road Runners) set a new personal best of 38:15 in third.
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