The superb medal pictured above was among the incentives for the 500 competitors at the Remembrance Run Essex by Active Training World on Saturday 11 November 2023. However, perhaps the greatest reward was to be found in helping to honour our fallen heroes in conflict while raising funds for a fantastic military charity – The Felix Fund.

The perfectly flat and fast course was laid out in the shape of an aircraft on the disused World War II Debden Airfield at Carver Barracks, near Saffron Walden, which was opened by the RAF in 1937 and finally closed in August 1975. 

There were three main events – half marathon, 10K, and 5K – plus a family fun run over a mile that was first off at 9:30am. It was chocks away for the half marathon at 10:00am and then 45 minutes later there was the combined start for the 5K/10K runners.

With this year's events coinciding with Armistice Day, there was additional poignancy for the runners who were in action. Remembrance Day is commemorated every year on 11 November to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War 1 and Germany at Compiègne, France at the end of the First World War, which took effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918.    

The convincing winner of the half marathon was Army runner Dean Williamson (Colchester Harriers, 1:11:03) who was more than a mile clear of Aaron Graves (Tiptree Road Runners, 1:18:36) and M50 master Craig Dyce (Safron Striders, 1:19:16). The leading trio in the women's race were W40 Louise McDonnell (Wymondham AC, 1:25:30), W40 Anna Eddery (Walden Tri, 1:32:27) and Danielle Mallows (1:33:29).

The 10K champions this year were Gareth Carey (Springfield Striders, 34:18) and W40 Sharon Wright (Harlow AC, 40:08) while the top finishers in the 5K were M40 James Lawler (Eastern Masters AC, 16:18) and Victoria Suett (Halstead Road Runners, 18:53).

Carver Barracks is a British Army base that supports the Felix Fund Bomb Disposal Charity that aims to assist with the well-being of individuals within the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search community. 

Full results are available via the runABC South race listing here.

Photo of this year's medal courtesy Active Training World