Lowestoft’s seafront was filled with runners, supporters and club colours on Sunday morning as the town hosted the second Lowestoft 10K.
Those taking part were roared on by a large number of spectators packed along the sea front.
Billed as the UK’s most easterly run, the race started and finished at Denes Oval before taking runners out along a flat two-lap route through North Denes, parts of the sea wall, Ness Park and Ness Point.
The weather was almost made for running. Overcast skies kept the temperature comfortable, with enough breeze from the coast to remind everyone they were racing in Lowestoft rather than on an indoor track.
Before the start, Denes Oval had the feel of a proper community sporting morning. Runners from Lowestoft Road Runners, Waveney Valley AC, Beccles and Bungay Harriers, Bungay Black Dog Running Club, Worlingham Road Runners and other clubs gathered around the race village, warming up, checking watches and preparing for the 10K ahead.
For some, the race was clearly about chasing fast times. Around the start area there was talk of 35-minute finishes, personal bests and carefully planned pacing. Some Lowestoft Road Runners were understood to be aiming for times around the 47-minute mark.
But the event was not just about the serious end of the field.
Across the course there were club runners, first-time racers, steady finishers, family supporters, volunteers and spectators all playing their part. That mix gave the race its character: competitive at the front, determined through the middle, and full of encouragement right down the field.
On the sea wall, runners faced one of the most distinctive race backdrops in East Anglia. With the North Sea on one side, the Gulliver wind turbine and the Birds Eye factory on the other, heavy clouds hanging overhead, the route gave the Lowestoft 10K a setting that felt unmistakably local.
At the finish, the atmosphere shifted from concentration to relief. Runners crossed the line tired but smiling, collecting medals, greeting clubmates and being met by friends and family. Some had clearly pushed themselves hard. Others looked pleased simply to have completed the course.
The medals were handed out by Councillor Nasima Begum, the Mayor of Lowestoft, adding a civic touch to a morning that had already felt like a strong community event.
At the front of the field, Rob “The Rocket” Thompson, running for Hillingdon Athletic Club, was first across the line and the men’s winner in 34:07.3, producing an eye-wateringly quick finish. He came home almost three minutes ahead of second-placed Owen Smith, who finished in 37:04.9.
In the women’s race, Stacey Baker also delivered a blistering performance, finishing first in 42:18.0. Claire Hatton, running for Lowestoft Road Runners, followed closely behind in second place with a time of 42:58.2.
The event also showed the strength of the local running scene. Lowestoft Road Runners were highly visible throughout the morning, while clubs from across the wider Waveney area helped give the race a strong regional feel.
For Lowestoft, events like this matter. They bring people into the town, make use of the seafront, encourage fitness, and give residents something positive to gather around. They also show how much local sport depends on volunteers, marshals, organisers and supporters who make the day work behind the scenes.
The Lowestoft 10K may only be in its second year, but it already feels like an event with room to grow.
With a flat course, a distinctive coastal setting and a strong turnout from local running clubs, the UK’s most easterly race looks well placed to become a regular fixture in the town’s sporting calendar.
