Thanks to Malcolm for putting together his report of the Worstead 5 Mile Road Race:
This village is the original home of worsted – a woolen cloth woven by Flemish weavers who settled here in the Middle Ages. Attracted to England by its abundant supplies of wool, a large number of weavers settled in and around Norwich where Norfolk sheep produced the same long wool as they had used in Flanders. This was made into the cloth called Worsted. Today, Worstead is famous for its annual Worstead Festival taking place on the last weekend of July every year. This year was the 34th edition of the Worstead 5-mile race! The race kicks off the celebrations of the Worstead Festival with live music, food and beer/drinks at The White Lady after the race.
After a warm week the temperature was forecast to be 22 deg at 7pm with light winds. When we arrived preparations for the festival were well under way with marquees, catering vans of all descriptions in the field adjacent to the community hall.
The start line is in the small village square and it was a squeeze to get the 650 runners behind the start line. The route takes you out on country lanes, thankfully shaded in places via over hanging trees. The first mile is downhill, before turning towards Sloley where you complete a loop before and inevitably heading back uphill to the village across a little green and across the car park onto the field and the finish.
I found it a tough race, only my 2nd since end of September 2023.
A great turn out for Runners-Next-The-Sea with 19 finishers from the 645 finishers:
| Position | Forename | Surname | Category | Tag | Gun Time | Chip Time | |
| 23 | Tim | Mardall | M | M50-54 | 413 | 28:44.5 | 28:42.0 |
| 73 | Anthony | Cude | M | M45-49 | 416 | 31:53.8 | 31:48.3 |
| 84 | David | Coslett | M | M40-44 | 39 | 32:27.6 | 32:22.3 |
| 158 | William | Ayley-Dodd | M | M45-49 | 155 | 35:55.4 | 35:29.7 |
| 159 | Rob | Jackman | M | M45-49 | 213 | 35:58.0 | 35:33.2 |
| 171 | Ellis | Samuel | M | MO | 403 | 36:15.1 | 35:56.6 |
| 305 | Paula | Smith | F | F50-54 | 405 | 40:07.6 | 39:41.6 |
| 442 | Marie | Pacey | F | F55-59 | 397 | 44:39.4 | 44:09.2 |
| 479 | Malcolm | Senior | M | M70-74 | 630 | 46:20.0 | 45:47.9 |
| 495 | Lucy | McCallum | F | F40-44 | 400 | 46:50.6 | 46:20.9 |
| 513 | Nita | Jackman | F | F50-54 | 212 | 47:52.1 | 47:16.7 |
| 549 | Nick | Loades | M | M55-59 | 1864 | 50:07.0 | 49:13.8 |
| 555 | Debbie | Moore | F | F55-59 | 404 | 50:36.1 | 49:41.8 |
| 621 | Allison | Graves | F | F55-59 | 411 | 58:19.0 | 57:26.3 |
| 624 | Francesca | Iaccarino | F | F45-49 | 154 | 58:29.0 | 57:34.4 |
| 625 | Catherine | Thorpe | F | FO | 401 | 58:29.3 | 57:36.8 |
| 629 | Vicki | Armes | F | F40-44 | 402 | 59:46.1 | 58:51.4 |
| 631 | Kerrie | Coslett | F | F45-49 | 41 | 01:00:04 | 59:10.3 |
| 632 | Denise | Leeder | F | F65-69 | 40 | 01:00:04 | 59:10.7 |