Race Date: Sunday 6th September 2026

Aaron Francis reports from his home town. Firstly with a look at events at the front of the race then turning to his own efforts.

Now in its 11th year, much of the focus (at least at the elite end) was on Holly Archer returning to defend her title from 2025, along with local boy and On athlete Logan Smith looking to add to a hat-trick of victories. The day ended up being far more exciting as relative unknown Daisy Glover of Framlingham Flyers set a new female course record to win in 33:26. Archer was well beaten in second running 35:06, and the podium completed by City of Norwich AC’s Ellie Grubb finishing in 35:38.

On the men’s side, Logan Smith and Jonathan Escalante-Phillips found themselves in a dust up from the outset. Footage appearing afterwards shows it to be a spectacle of pure racing, which Escalante-Phillips edged by setting a new course record and winning in 29:59. Logan just behind in 30:02 and Marshall Smith from Ashford AC took 3rd with 30.50.

Having been born in Norwich, this is a race I aim to get back to when I can. It’s far more runnable in its September slot rather than late July/early August. Conditions were ideal with almost zero wind, mostly overcast but bright with temperatures in the mid teens.

The race is organised by Norwich City FC’s charity partner, the Community Sports Foundation, and is a key fundraiser on their calendar. The field size has grown from just under 4000 entrants in 2015 to just over 8000 this year. It’s an event which the whole city seems to turn out for with crowds lining the route, barriers stacked deep with spectators.

The course is compact, twisting, turning and rolling with about 200ft of elevation gain. The first 5K is net downhill but not without undulation, beginning at the Theatre Royal, dropping into the city centre where the crowd volume lifts, before tracing a route in the shadow of the castle (one the best preserved Norman keeps in Europe, no less) and heading out for a loop of Carrow Road. At 5K there’s the ‘Rose Lane climb’, which isn’t a massive hill, but it feels rough if you’ve gone out too quickly – or can be a strategic point to press from your group if things feel ok. Then comes the drop down Prince of Wales Road running parallel to Rose Lane – what elevation just gained is lost. After the course’s main rise and fall comes a flattening out overlooking the river before entering the cathedral grounds – very picturesque. Before 8K the course asks more from you as a gradual rise to the finish begins, the crowds here are hectic which always helps massively. By 9K you’ve taken a short hill, rounded a bend and headed past the castle again, before swinging right for a long drag up the amazingly named Rampant Horse Street towards the finish outside City Hall.

It’s a race which always feels electric, and the organisation can’t be faulted. Norwich is very much a destination given the geographical location, but I’d recommend the race if you’re looking for an early autumn tester. It’s clearly not the quickest course, but the more difficult sections are offset by the energy the Norfolk crowd gives back.

My result was 39:34 which is not a time that’ll live long in the memory. This year was about going through raceday routines again for the first time since March, figuring out how the body would behave after a summer of little running and spending a long weekend in a city which is still special to me.