The Running Times – September 2026 edition
Inside this issue:
- Welcome to the latest newsletter
- Coaching Team Update
- Chair’s Update
- Coastal 10 is almost here
- Run Bike Run
- Colchester Friday Night runs
- Two Rivers Run
- Meet your new social team
- From the captain – Grand Prix update
- Juniors update
- Stuart’s parkrun RD role
- Volunteer Spotlight
Welcome to the latest newsletter
Welcome to the second edition of The FRR Running Times!
As this is still a new venture for FRR, we’d love to hear what you think. What have you enjoyed? What would you like to see more of? And, importantly, what would you like to contribute?
We’re looking for race reports, stories, photos, training tips, achievements, volunteering stories, or anything else you think fellow members would enjoy.
Our aim is for The FRR Running Times to be a newsletter created by members, for members — so please get involved and help us make it something the whole club can be proud of.
If you’ve got an idea or something you’d like to share, send it to our newsletter editor Dom Bareham for consideration in a future edition.
Coaching Team Update
Daytime sessions resume from Thursday 3 September 2026.
From Tuesday 8 September, hi-vis will be compulsory for Tuesday evening sessions. Unfortunately, autumn has arrived and the evenings are getting darker!
This is for your safety, helping to ensure you can be seen by traffic and pedestrians as we use the roads for our sessions.
As the weather gets colder and wetter, if you are wearing layers and intend to remove your hi-vis jacket, please make sure you have a hi-vis top underneath.
If you use lights such as a head torch or chest torch, please still wear a bright or hi-vis top to help increase your visibility.
For newer members, you can view and/or purchase examples of hi-vis tops via the club website’s or via The link below https://www.frr.yourshirts.co.uk/shop
We also have a few of our commemorative club T-shirts remaining as styled by Lucy all the way in Australia. If you would like to purchase one, please contact our Kit Officer, Chris Boyt via email kitofficer@frr.org.uk
Chair’s Update
A busy summer for FRR
What a summer it has been for Felixstowe Road Runners.
It has been a packed few months, with strong turnouts at races across the county and beyond. Members have been out in force at the Twilight 10K, the Friday Five Series and the Ekiden Relay, as well as at two events unique to FRR; Run Bike Run and, most recently, the Two Rivers race.
And that’s just the headline events. We’ve also celebrated members completing 100-mile ultras, marathons as far afield as San Francisco and around the lakes of Sweden, countless personal bests, and the discovery of a few of East Anglia’s hidden gem races.
FRR Gives Back
Our recent FRR Gives Back parkrun takeover and litter pick was another great example of what makes this club special. A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered, marshalled, paced or simply turned up in FRR colours. It was a fantastic turnout and a great opportunity to showcase our club to the wider community.
It was equally good to see so many members stay behind for the litter pick, helping to look after our coastline and give something back to the community we run in. The amount of cigarette litter we found was a little concerning, but hopefully our efforts will have made a difference.
A big thank you to our Social Team for organising the event, and to everyone else who helped make it such a success. And, of course, thank you to Felixstowe parkrun for allowing us to invade!
Racing
The Suffolk Grand Prix has also given us plenty to be proud of. FRR is currently sitting at the top of the table and, with the possibility of a ninth consecutive title, it would be good to see as many members as possible taking part in the final two races.
Thank you to everyone who has represented FRR at races this summer. Whether you have been chasing a PB, taking on a new distance, supporting a teammate or simply enjoying the atmosphere, it has been great to see so many red and white vests out there. A special thank you goes to our outstanding coaching team. Week after week, they deliver a varied programme for adult and junior members on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, as well as our popular Thursday daytime runs. Their enthusiasm, commitment and willingness to share their knowledge make a real difference to runners across the club. Quite simply, we could not do it without them
Strengthening Our Club for the Future
The committee has been reviewing the club’s constitution, committee roles and key policies to make sure they reflect the latest England Athletics guidance and provide a clear, strong foundation for the years ahead.
The updated constitution and supporting documents are planned to go to our next AGM for approval, with drafts shared with members at least one month beforehand.
We are also looking for a few volunteers to give the documents a final review before they are shared more widely. If you have experience in governance, policy writing or legal documentation — or simply have a good eye for detail — we’d love to hear from you.
Looking ahead
As we head into autumn, there is plenty on the calendar, including the A14 Track Challenge, our Richard Bennett Felixstowe Coastal 10 on 20 September, and the next Suffolk Grand Prix race, Capel 5, to name a few. Whether you are racing, volunteering, supporting or simply turning up for a club run, thank you for continuing to make FRR such a friendly and active club.
Happy running,
Alastair Read
Chair
Felixstowe Road Runners
Coastal 10 is almost here!
The biggest running event of the Felixstowe calendar will soon be upon us when athletes participate in the annual Coastal 10 along the seafront.
Many people have registered for the race, but there are still places available, so if you know of anyone who would be interested in giving it a go, please encourage them to join in the fun!
Please feel free to share any messaging via social media, while the link to join is here: https://my.raceresult.com/393658/registration
Last year’s event saw a record turnout of runners as 554 completed the route along the promenade to Landguard Fort and back along the promenade to Felixstowe Ferry, before finishing at the pier.
Benjamin Carpendale set a new male course record, while members of the road runners volunteered to ensure the event ran smoothly. The race will be taking place on Sunday, September 20 starting at 9.15am
Run Bike Run
Wednesday July 1 saw the occasion of this year’s staging of one of the annual club social events that is the “Ben Jacobs Run-Bike-Run”.
Named in memorial to former winner and course record-holder, Ben, we actually saw a new record time set in the shape of the club’s most promising improver of the moment – Ryan Davidson.
Ryan’s time was a total of 41:10 for his completion of the three elements together (run of 1.5 miles, cycle 6 miles, run again for 2.4 miles).
The event takes place with each portion starting and ending on The Prom, close to Bath Hill, with the component parts going off in three different directions.
In total, 25 club members took part, operating either as individuals or pairs.
Our winning lady was Nikki, in a time of 1:04:00, and the pairs were led in by winners Becky and Stuart at 55:00. The evening culminated in a bite to eat in the shape of home made chilli, kindly served up for us at The Hut by two of our members – Nic and Sally.
Colchester Friday Night runs
Three road runners took part in the Active Training World Colchester Friday night 5k runs on August 7.
The race comprised of waves depending on expected finish times. Debbie Catling and Sam Linassi entered in the 20-23 minutes wave.
Sam had only raced one previous 5k and achieved a PB of 21:25. It was Debbie’s first official 5k race finishing in 23:07.
Her son Henry Catling decided to be bold and went in the elite race, which started at 9pm. He was hoping to get in in under 16 minutes.
He ran a perfect race and finished in a fantastic 15:34. Another Road Runner, Spike Adams, completed the course in 28:08
Two Rivers Run
On the night the sun disappeared behind the moon, some runners eclipsed their previous bests when they participated in the annual Two Rivers run.
Nearly 50 runners were over the moon to take part in this stellar event, which involves a run of nearly five miles from Landguard Fort to the Ferryboat Inn at Felixstowe Ferry.
Runners can choose their own route to get to the ferry and there is a handicapping system in place. The overall winner was Debbie Wargate (pictured).
Our thanks go to organiser Ali Ostler and the many volunteers who enabled the event to take place on a very busy night on the seafront!
Meet your new social team
We are a group of six ladies who first met through Felixstowe Road Runners and, somewhere between the training runs, races and post-run chats, became great friends.
Having seen the incredible work of previous social secretaries, who have given their time and energy to organising everything from much-loved annual events to exciting new ideas, we were inspired to take up the baton. We know we have big shoes to fill, but we’re excited to build on those fantastic foundations while adding a few ideas of our own.
One of the strengths of our social committee is the variety of skills we bring. Some of us are highly organised and love planning and coordinating, others are full of creative ideas, while some are practical and great at making sure everything runs smoothly on the day. Can you guess who’s who?!!!! 😜
By combining these different strengths, we can support one another, play to our individual talents and organise enjoyable, well-run events that appeal to as many members as possible.
As we’ve been planning, one theme has kept coming up – how can we create social events that not only bring people together but also give something back? As runners, we’re incredibly lucky to enjoy the beautiful places around Felixstowe and beyond, so we’d love to incorporate opportunities to support our local environment and community alongside having fun.
Our first step is introducing the Felixstowe Road Runners Giveback and litter pick, giving members the chance to get together while making a positive difference. We’ve been talking about sustainability since before we officially became social secretaries, so we’re delighted to launch a running kit recycling initiative at 1Lap2Ultra. If you’ve got race tops, club kit or running gear that’s still in good condition but no longer gets used, you’ll be able to pass it on to another member who can give it a new lease of life. It’s a simple way to reduce waste, support fellow runners and keep great kit in use.
Of course, we’ll also be bringing back many of the socials that members already know and love—but with our own little twist. We have some exciting ideas in the pipeline, including fresh takes on the Christmas Social and the Annual Awards Night, alongside a few new events that we hope you’ll enjoy. Our aim is simple: to bring members together away from training and racing, create opportunities for new friendships to flourish, and make sure there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’ve been with the club for years or have only recently joined, we’d love to see you at our events. Here’s to a year filled with running, laughter, friendship, giving back and making plenty of memories together. We can’t wait to get started!
From the Captain – Grand Prix update
Grand Prix Update. With two rounds remaining (Capel 5 & Scenic 7) we sit in a commanding position at the summit of the table again. If we can win the competition this year it will be the ninth time in a row that we’ve achieved the title! It’s got me thinking how brilliant it would be to achieve a decade of team titles.
So, an early heads-up, here are the GP rounds for 2027, because there’s nothing like being prepared! Tarpley 10/20, Bungay 10K/ Half Marathon, Framlingham Friday 5, Stowmarket Friday 5, Twilight 10K, Coastal 10, Hadleigh 5/10.
A huge well done to everyone involved in our success to date, let’s try our best to keep it going! Cross Country. In other news, I know we’re battling heatwaves and drought and it’s a little way off, but Suffolk Winter League cross country will be upon us before we know it. There are no dates/ fixtures laid out yet, but I’ll update as soon as I know them. We will be, in the usual fashion, funding race entries for our members so you have some FREE racing to look forward to.
Juniors update
Our Juniors have continued to be really well attended throughout the summer holidays, even with some very hot weather to contend with! We’ve been enjoying a good mix of off-site sessions alongside training at Brackenbury Sports Centre, making use of the equipment, building running and athletics skills, and keeping plenty of fun at the heart of the sessions. There’s still room for more juniors to join us, so please keep spreading the word! Anyone interested in joining or finding out more can email juniors@frr.org.uk
Stuart’s parkrun RD role
Congratulations to Road Runner Stuart Ward, who on a sunny 22nd August took on his first ever Run Director role at Christchurch Park parkrun. Stuart can be seen here delivering the pre-run briefing. A great debut- well done Stuart!
Volunteer Spotlight
This edition’s Volunteer Spotlight goes to Dylan Pomietlo, whose commitment to coaching has made a lasting difference to our junior runners.
Dylan has been a coach with FRR for many years. Around 2019, he shifted his focus from coaching adults to becoming the lead coach for our juniors. Since then, he has delivered countless training sessions, helping our junior members develop their running skills, confidence and enjoyment of the sport.
Much of the work that makes our junior training nights possible happens behind the scenes. Dylan’s ongoing commitment, reliability and willingness to give his time week after week plays a huge part in ensuring our juniors can continue to enjoy regular training and all the benefits that being part of a running club brings.
His contribution over so many years is hugely appreciated, not only for the sessions he delivers, but for the welcoming and supportive environment he helps create for young runners at FRR.
Thank you, Dylan, for your continued support and for always going the extra mile. It is greatly appreciated by everyone at FRR.
Know a member or volunteer who deserves recognition? We’d love to hear from you. Please send your nomination, along with a brief explanation of their contribution to our newsletter editor for consideration in a future edition of The Extra Mile
