On Sunday, Newport & District Running Club were well represented at the Market Drayton 10k, a popular annual road race which takes place around the “Gingerbread Town”. Starting and finishing on the playing fields at The Grove School, the course is an anti-clockwise loop which covers most of the town, including a pass through the town centre just before halfway, then again in the final kilometre. 

Some of Team NDRC at the Market Drayton 10k!

The route is well supported by local people, and the race has a lot of local sponsors, many of whom provide goodies for finishers, with offerings this year including protein drinks/yoghurts, pork pies, vegan rolls and a gingerbread man, as well as a medal and t-shirt. The weather this year was a lot cooler than in 2025, when runners struggled with the heat, and the sun came out, making it a bit more pleasant for the many spectators!

(Left to right): Emma Glanville, Helen Mason, Ola Zbroszczyk

This year, nearly 1,700 runners completed the course, and Harry Wilmot was the first NDRC finisher, taking 36th place in a time of 38:24, as well as 2nd place in the Under-18 male category. Alex Cochrane was next, running a time of 39:51 in 65th place. David Brown took 98th position with a time of 41:33, whilst Harry Stokes was 135th in a time of 42:58. Neil Fairbrother finished 216th with his time of 46:04, followed by David Evans, who was 279th with a time of 47:13, just two seconds and three places ahead of Andrew Wilmot. 

David Thomas seemed to be enjoying himself!

David Thomas clocked a time of 47:34 in finishing 297th, whilst Phil Dolding, running with his daughter Emily, was 422nd in 49:52. Emma Glanville’s time of 51:06 secured 465th position, whilst Oliver Stokes ran a time of 51:21 to finish 478th. Ola Zbroszczyk in 616th, and Philip Hardy in 617th ran identical times of 54:01, whilst Helen Mason clocked a time of 54:33 in 657th position.

Louise Heath and Sally Morgan

Vance Heath finished 711th in a time of 55:38, followed by Maff Wellman, who was 824th in 58:43, and Ralph Humphries, who clocked a time of 1:00:17 in 972nd position. Gary Mountford stopped the clock at 1:02:34 in 1,069th, whilst Selwyn Plant finished 1,325th with his time of 1:07:46. Sally Morgan and Loise Heath ran together, finishing 1,445th and 1,446th respectively, with times of 1:11:42 and 1:11:43.