This Sunday sees the Wymondham 20 mile Road Race take place 34 years after the very first one.  

At the time it was advertised as Norfolk’s only 20 miler and, as far as I’m aware, it still is.  

It is a race distance like no other in many ways; much further than a half marathon, but still not quite as far as a full marathon. 

In my day we all talked about our PBs over distances such as 10k, 10 miles, half marathon and of course the marathon, but 20 milers just never seemed so popular. 

More often than not they were used as part of race preparations for a marathon and that’s still the case for many. 

However, it is a great distance to race over and whilst I myself have regularly said it is too close to the marathon to be run really hard, especially if you have a marathon to run just a few weeks later, it was a distance I raced four times; The Bury St Edmunds 20 twice, as mentioned a few weeks back, The Stafford 20 (and what a hilly four-lapper that was) and that very first Wymondham 20 in 1989. 

Back then it had just 250 runners entered with the race starting and finishing at Wymondham College in Morley, just outside of Wymondham. 

It had rained quite heavily overnight so there were plenty of puddles to be dodged during what was a two-lap course. 

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I had also run in the Malta marathon just four weeks before so wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to perform. However, by the first mile, which I remember being reached in 5 mins 20 secs, I was already well clear of the bunch behind me. 

What with a stiff breeze out on the course and having built up a lead so early into the race, I had mixed emotions as to whether to just carry on running at that pace and see what happens or slow down and wait for the following runners to catch up so I could sit in. 

I went for the former going through 10 miles in 53 mins and 40 secs, but being so far ahead, the second lap, and a lonely one at that, just saw me drop off the pace. Not because I ran out of steam, but more due to a lack of enthusiasm. 

If a PB had been on, then of course enthusiasm and focus would have been in no doubt, and it was also too easy to tell myself that it was okay to back off as I still had Malta in my legs. I was also pretty confident that I was not in danger of being caught.  

Not a good attitude, in truth, but going through 19 miles in 1 hour 44 mins and 35 secs, a time which was only marginally quicker than what was my 20 mile PB, and what I had gone through the 20 mile distance in during previous marathons, I suddenly realised that I needed to put in a fast last mile if I wanted to post a sub 1 hour 50 mins. 

It was a bit of a wake-up call and I just stuck my head down, running the fastest mile of all 20 (5:00), crossing the finish line in 1 hour 49 mins and 35 secs. 

A race time (not current course record) equalled by Bury’s Antony Pooley four years later, but still not beaten as yet.  

Will this Sunday’s race see that time improved? I really do hope so and I have a feeling that it might. 

Ironically, I have been having dialogue with Wymondham AC’s historian James Heaney this week about races which their super club have staged prior to documentation of their events with the first Wymondham 20 being one of them. 

During the 1980s, they also had a mid-summer Wednesday evening 10 miler which was very popular with local runners. A race which I took part in three times.  

In the meantime I have told James I will go through all the old records and race results which I have to try and put together some of their missing data. 

I am sure James would love to hear from others too, who can perhaps help on this front. 

Oh and going back to that first Wymondham 20 miler, the ladies winner was Sally Easthall from Bury St Edmunds Pacers in 2 hours, 4 mins and 54 secs. Whilst Sally was very well known on the local race scene, she was also just a year away from bursting onto the international race scene too, going on to represent GB in major championships. 

All the very best to everyone competing this Sunday and of course to all the hard-working officials at Wymondham AC after what I am sure will be another excellent event in the road race calendar and also part of the Sportlink GP Series.