Story added: 10th September 2024

A record breaking day in NR1

The streets of Norwich were alive with excitement and energy on 8th September as our yearly running event, Run Norwich, celebrated a record-breaking event.

With 6,923 finishers, this year’s sold-out race not only saw the highest number of finishers in its history but also two new course records set at the front.

The 10k race was officially started by Norwich City FC Head Coach Johannes Hoff Thorup from atop the usual open-top bus.

In the men’s race, debutant Jonathan Escalante-Phillips of Cambridge & Coleridge emerged victorious, crossing the finish line with a new course record of 30:41. The women’s race also saw a new course record set, thanks to a stellar performance from another debutant, Holly Archer (Cambridge & Coleridge), who clinched the top spot with a time of 34:38.

The day began with the debut of a Junior Run, where over 200 young runners, accompanied by their parents and guardians, took to the course for a 1-mile run. This new addition brought an extra level of energy and excitement to the day, allowing the next generation of runners to experience the thrill of race day while contributing to the Foundation’s charitable initiatives.

The Foundation fundraising extended past just the Junior Race – the race once again had hundreds of runners in our 10k race raising money for the charity. Our fantastic fundraisers – all in their electric green charity t-shirts – worked tirelessly in the weeks and months leading up to race day on their fundraising initiatives, all helping to make a difference to the community work we do with the disabled and disadvantaged across Norfolk.

In additional to our co-main race sponsors Norse Group and Anglian Home Improvements, thanks to Riverside Leisure Centre for their sponsorship and support of #TeamCSF in the months and weeks leading up to the race. Thanks also to Banham Zoo for providing all our first time junior runners with a complimentary ticket in recognition of their achievement in Run Norwich Junior.

Alongside their fundraising efforts, all proceeds generated from the race will go to support the charity’s work, once race costs have been met.

Ian Thornton OBE, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Sports Foundation said:

“We are absolutely thrilled with the record turnout and the incredible enthusiasm shown by everyone involved this morning.

“Run Norwich is about more than just running; it’s about coming together as a community to support important causes, including ours, and this year was a perfect reflection of that spirit.

“We are deeply grateful to our volunteers, staff, participants, and sponsors – especially our main sponsors, Anglian Home Improvements and Norse Group – for their unwavering support. Organising an event of this scale in the heart of a historic city centre, with 8,500 participants, inevitably causes some disruption. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the residents and businesses not involved in the event for their patience and understanding.

“Run Norwich is truly the people’s race, with countless inspiring stories of fundraising for charity, personal triumphs, and the incredible support from the sidelines. On behalf of the Foundation, I want to thank each and every one of our volunteers for their outstanding efforts this morning – their goodwill, energy, and commitment made this event possible.”

To view the Run Norwich provisional results, click here.