After a week of fun events, including the famous egg throwing (and sometimes catching) contest and a colourful carnival procession, Clacton's Carnival Half Marathon and 10K closed the annual summer festival with yet another procession – of 700 brightly dressed athletes – on Sunday (21 August).

Pictured above in the 10K, with a memorable number 1234, is Julie Branch leading a group on the seafront on her way to a fine 48:45 and sixth place in the women's 10K race, held over one lap of the predominantly flat course that includes both the upper and lower promenades of this popular Essex resort. There were 254 finishers in the 10K and 399 had completed the half marathon in 3:10:10, a healthy increase from the 500 runners of last year.

With everyone starting together, once the earlier Fun Run Mile had been completed and the youngsters had collected their lollipop rewards, it was the 10K runners who returned first to the inflatable finish gantry opposite Fourth Avenue, situated right on the magnificent seafront.

On a very warm morning, there were no new course records. The leading men were M40 Dan Tate (Selby Striders, 33:55) from a trio representing Colchester Harriers: Tom Cresswell (34:50), Andrew Jobling (35:50) and Harry Swinbourne (36:36).

The women's 10K was won by Anna Keeble (Ipswich Jaffa RC, 45:02) ahead of unattached runners Natalie Simmons (W40, 46:06) and Roseanna Allen (46:04).

Spending a bit more time working on their suntans were the half marathon competitors with two laps and a bit to negotiate as the temperature steadily climbed. The top two men were unattached runners M40 Wayne De'ath (1:14:48) and Gareth Carey (1:17:32) with Charlie Pridmore(1:18:31) of SMD Running home in third.

Unattached runners also headed the women's results with Rosie Wild (1:25:07) nearly 10 minutes clear of W40 Sadie Bradfield (1:34:27). Saint Edmunds Pacer's Wendy Smith (W50, 1:36:11) was third overall and first of the higher age groups to finish.

Full results are available via runABC South's comprehensive race listing here

Image courtesy Clacton Carnival on Facebook