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Norwich AC’s Dani Nimmock smashes her record in Freethorpe 10 anniversary victory

Pat Brightman

Published: 5:28 PM January 29, 2018 Updated: 3:04 PM October 10, 2020

Start of the Freethorpe 10m race.Picture: Nick Butcher - Credit: Nick Butcher

A record breaking entry of 837 runners – including 111 from Norwich Road Runners – turned up at Freethorpe Village Hall on Sunday for the 10th running of the Freethorpe Ten.

Start of the Freethorpe 10m race.Picture: Nick Butcher - Credit: Nick Butcher

The race – the first in the Sportlink Grand Prix Series – takes runners 10 miles through the villages of Southwood, Limpenhoe, Reedham and Wickhampton before returning to Freethorpe and is organised by the Great Yarmouth & District Athletic Club (GYDAC).

With £200 in prize money for the first male and female finishers plus a £50 bonus for anyone breaking the course record, the race attracted the very best of Norfolk runners, along with many others from outside the county, including a 2:m9 Marathon runner, Alan Darby from Cambridge.

With a quality field, race director Pat Brightman was not surprised to have to write out some cheques. The winner was Alan Darby from Ely Runners, who won in 54:26, at his third attempt, after a hard-fought battle over the last few miles with Daniel Middleton from Norwich Road Runners who was second in 54:30 and third-placed Dominic Blake, of Reepham Runners, in 55:12.

The outstanding performance of the day, though, was from the women's winner, Dani Nimmock, from Norwich AC, who smashed her previous course record by over 2½ minutes, finishing fifth overall in a time of 56:42. Second was Charlotte Rose, another City of Norwich runner, in 1:00:25 with third place going to GYDAC's Colleen Nicole Mukaya in 1:01:19. The fast racing seems to have filtered throughout with many runners gaining PBs.

Start of the Freethorpe 10m race.Picture: Nick Butcher - Credit: Nick Butcher

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A presenation was also made to Tim Woods from Norfolk Gazelles, the only runner to have completed all 10 races.

City of Norwich AC won the Senior Ladies team prize, Norwich Road Runners won the Senior Men's team prize and Wymondham AC won both the Masters Male & Female Team prizes.

All the finishers received a goody bag and a medal celebrating 10 years of 10-Mile races. All age category and team prize winners received trophies from Sportlink boss Neil Featherby.

The race was sponsored by BAM Nuttall, Booker Cash & Carry, Sportlink and Sainsburys Great Yarmouth.