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Run Norwich 2019: A day to savour for City of Norwich AC as Logan Smith and Iona Lake claim overall victories
The winner of Run Norwich, Logan Smith, centre, with Ben Spratling, left, second, and Piers Arnold, third. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2019
It was a day to savour for City of Norwich Athletic Club at Run Norwich after locking out the men's podium whilst also taking victory in the female race.
CoNAC's Logan Smith put a disappointing month behind him to claim overall victory in 31:41 whilst club-mate Iona Lake, back from a recent illness, won the women's race in 36:23. Ben Spratling (CoNAC) was second in 31:57 with Piers Arnold (CoNAC) third in 32:21.
Fulham Running Club's Rose Penfold was second female in 37:13 with Philippa Bowden (Aldershot Farnham & District) third in 37:33.
The winner of the men's race was always likely to come from one of Smith, Spratling and Arnold once Ash Harrell revealed on Thursday he would have to miss the race through injury.
The CoNAC trio are trained by James Senior, who finished fifth overall himself in 32:30, just behind Adrian Mussett (Colchester Harriers AC), winner of the Grand East Anglia Run earlier this year, in 32:30.
MORE: Love running? Join the Run Anglia Facebook group hereThe female race was expected to be a battle between Lake and Dani Nimmock but last year's winner was forced to drop out over the weekend due to a foot injury. The 29-year-old will be hoping to recover in time to take her place on the start line for Great Britain at the IAU 50K World Championships in Romania in September.
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Lake has been sidelined by an illness recently but was in a class of her own on Sunday to take victory.
A total of 6,198 runners tackled the challenging event, which is organised by the Community Sports Foundation (CSF), and passes some of the city's most iconic landmarks including Norwich Castle, The Forum, Norwich Cathedral and Carrow Road.
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The route is notorious for having several difficult hills to tackle including running up Rose Lane just after the halfway point whilst the last mile is mostly a steady incline through Tombland and Castle Meadow before finishing in front of City Hall.
However, it didn't stop thousands of runners completing the event, with thousands of pounds being raised for charity in the process.
The main charities for the event this year were CSG, The Nancy Oldfield Trust and Headway Norfolk & Waveney.