On 17th June, The Malvern Joggers held their inaugural 10km race. This was a scenic summer evening run against the backdrop of the Malvern Hills around Welland, Castlemorton Common and Little Malvern.

prize winners were:

1st Male:
Jon Newey, Malvern Joggers, 38:00
Richard Walsh, Worcester AC, 38:48
David O'Brian, Worcester AC, 39:01

1st Female:
Laura Kent,Cheltenham and County, 41:48
Ruth Johnston, Malvern Joggers, 45:20
Sarah Armstrong, Amazing Feet, 46:21

1st MV 40
Mark Pittaway, Royal Manor of Portland AC

1st MV 50
Andrew Norman, 43:39

1st MV 60
Dryan Davies, Croft Ambrey, 51:36

1st FV 35
Sarah Armstrong, Amazing feet, 46:21

1st FV 45
Sarah Coggins, Ledbury Harriers, 53:19

1st FV 55
Lynne Hiles, Malvern Joggers, 56:16

What people said:

From the Amazing Feet RC web site:

This was the first attempt by Malvern Joggers at race promotion, and I know from chatting to Chris Barker and Julie Caseley before the race that they were nervous about having got everything right. They needn't have worried - this was, in my opinion, one of the best multi-terrain races that I have EVER taken part in, and you will know how often I race. Fantastic, testing course; thousands of excellent friendly marshals, views to die for, wonderful weather, race memento AND local sausages - an d all for £6 ! Race HQ was at Welland Village Hall with excellent parking and facilities, with the race start 500 metres away on the wonderful Castlemorton Common. We were off on time, running across the common to Hancocks Lane, a quiet tarmac road which enabled everyone to get into their running, before the hills to come. Through woodland, fields of rape seed and open grassland to the highest point of the course, where the views across the valley bathed in evening sunshine were fantastic. Then a tarmac downhill stretch led to a water station (with canopy !), before we were sent back uphill. A downhill grass section led to the ford (yes of course I took the bridge) before the final mile along Hancocks Lane to the finish. We all received a bottle of Malvern Spring water, a Malvern Joggers water bottle, and a double sausage burger back at the Pheasant Inn, where the pint of Bankers Draft went down a treat. I feel privileged to have taken part in this first MJ10km, and I strongly urge everyone to give it a go next year. Leave your watch off (time doesn't matter in a multi-terrain anyway) as the three stiles early on will wreck your pace planning anyway and just ENJOY !

RICHARD BAKER

From the Runners World web site:

Congratulations Malvern Joggers on the excellent organisation of your inaugural race!

Seven of us travelled over from Amazing Feet RC in Kidderminster, and were very glad we did. This was a very friendly and extremely well organised race over what turned out to be quite a tough course, which included two long climbs. Great value also with a Malvern Joggers water bottle as a keepsake, free post-race massage and a free hotdog / burger at the local pub.

Well done Malvern Joggers - see you next year.

Ian Hall

From the Runners World web site:

Great first time event, challenging but rewarding

The Malvern Joggers have put on a top first event here. More hilly than undulating, this course travels up the common's tracks, then down and around a bit. The weather perked up during the race, affording us beautiful views across Worcestershire, and a quick circuit of the Priory also. A cheap entry fee meant it was a surprise to be given a water bottle, as well as the offer of a free burger (sadly I had to leave before they were ready). Perhaps the best part was the now rare fact that most runners stayed around at the finish to cheer on others, rather than leaving at the first opportunity. Well done Malvern Joggers, a top thumbs up!

Ritch

From The Royal manor of Portland web site:

This was the first running of this race, organised by the local club, The Malvern Joggers. I was tipped off about it by a member of staff at our Worcester office who is a member of that club and when she mentioned it to me it seemed likely that it would be a very pleasant way to spend a mid summer’s evening. Despite the less than perfect weather it still attracted 246 runners, not bad for a completely new mid-week event. The start and finish of the race is on Castlemorton Common at the foot of the Malvern Hills.

According to Wikipedia:
The Malvern Hills are a famous beauty spot, with scenic views over both Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The Hills run north/south for about 8 miles (13 km), in between Great Malvern and the village of Colwall, and overlook the River Severn valley to the east, with the Cotswolds beyond. The highest point of the hills is the Worcestershire Beacon at 425 metres (1,394 ft) above sea level, though they give the impression of looking considerably higher because of the low level flat ground that approaches them. They are therefore about 3½ times higher than Portland rising, like it, from just about sea level

The course was billed as follows:-
multi-terrain - mostly hard tracks and tarmac but there are long stretches across fields and uneven ground. Depending on the weather, it may be boggy and wet in places. Unfortunately it had been raining most of the afternoon and as we approached Malvern from Worcester the Hills themselves were completely obliterated by the cloud cover, but as we drove into Malvern itself it suddenly showed signs of brightening so that the race itself was run in glorious sunshine.

For those with Google Earth or the like
The start of the race is on open common and then passes on to a tarmac road (Hancocks Lane) after 200m. The first mile of the route is mostly flat. After approximately 1 mile the route turns off the road onto a track to pass beside Millbrook cottage. It then passes over 2 stiles and by a path through a rape seed field to head uphill towards Little Malvern Priory. There is a very short section on the A4104, before the route turns left onto a track to pass Malvern Court. The track undulates for 0.5 mile to Underhills Farm. After the farm there is a climb of 0.3 of a mile to the highest point of the course. After this the route continues by track and then across open ground for 0.7 mile to the Swinyard car park. The route then turns left and downhill for 0.4 mile to follow the tarmac road across the common. At a crossroads (Drinks Station) the route turns left to pick up a lesser road/track back uphill towards The Nook and the high point of the course. After this the route follows the line of the Worcestershire Way link and heads down hill through 1 stile and across fields and rough track for 1 mile before reaching the ford at Hancocks Lane. (There is a footbridge so you don’t need to run through it unless you want to!). The route is then fairly flat for 1 mile back along the road and through the start to reach the finish point on the edge of the common near the B4208.

As a description I would say this is a fair representation of the individual features of the course, and undoubtedly encouraged many of us to enter. The sum of the whole however far exceeds the total of these individual components! It is without doubt the hardest 10k I have done and was close to being a PW. Things were not helped by our chaotic arrival the first time that I have ever come close to missing the start - but even had I been properly psyched up and ready I would have struggled to get much under 39 minutes (although that might be saying more about my aging limbs and my increasing inability to recover quickly from one race to the next, this one being just 3 days after Puddletown). As it was the winning time was 38minutes exactly. It was nevertheless excellently marshalled with a great turnout by the local Army Cadets (note for race organisers’ future consideration) and in consequence the course was easy to follow and well populated with support, including one chap who shouted Come on Portland. My next race is the Portland10, so I shall be looking out for him on 5th July. The late finish and the length of our journey home meant that we had to miss the social part of the evening to get Harry to bed but for those that could stay there were complimentary hotdogs/burgers at the local pub to follow which will no doubt have finished a very successful first event perfectly.

Well done Malvern Joggers on a great event even if it was one with which I struggled. Will I do it again if it becomes an annual event? At 8.30 last evening the answer was a resounding No way!. This morning, as I type this, I would not miss it!! 4th overall. 1st vet 40 (first oldie of any sort) 39.33

Mark Pittaway

Here's how RW members rated this race (4 votes)

Overall score: 100%
How many would do it again? 100%

Details:
Scenery: 100%
PB potentia:l 50%
Atmosphere: 80%
Organisation: 90%
Value: 95%
Beginner-friendliness: 85%