Sunday double: course records in Norwich, McColgan’s fourth Big Half
Two sold-out city races landed on the same Sunday. Run Norwich, a 10 km not a half, produced the first sub-30 on the course. In London, Eilish McColgan won The Big Half for a fourth time on her first start in five months.
Run Norwich is the Community Sports Foundation 10 km through the closed city centre. The London race was The Big Half, from Tower Bridge to the Cutty Sark.
Jonathan Escalante-Phillips (Cambridge & Coleridge AC) won Run Norwich in 29:59, the first man under 30 minutes on this course and 42 seconds inside the record he set as a debutant in 2024 (30:41). Logan Smith (City of Norwich AC) was second in 30:02. Marshall Smith (Ashford AC), the 2025 champion in 31:28, took third in 30:50.
Daisy Glover (Framlingham Flyers) won on debut in 33:26, taking 1:11 off Holly Archer’s 2024 record of 34:37. Archer was second in 35:06. Ellie Grubb (City of Norwich AC) was third in 35:38.
The field was a record 8,047 starters, up from 7,798 finishers in 2025. Philippe Clement started the race. About 20,000 spectators lined a route past the Castle, Carrow Road and the Cathedral. Official results are on runnorwich.co.uk; treat day-of times as provisional until queries close at midnight on Tuesday 8 September.
In London, Eilish McColgan won in 1:10:54, her fourth Big Half title and first race since a fractured toe at April’s London Marathon. Jessica Warner-Judd, the 2025 champion, was second in 1:12:13. Emma Pallant was third in 1:12:59.
The time was a win, not a raid on the clock. McColgan’s course record remains 1:07:35 from 2022. She won here in 1:09:14 in 2024. Next start: Great North Run, 13 September.
Kadar Omar Abdullahi (Birchfield Harriers) won the men’s race in 1:01:51. Jack Rowe, chasing a fourth straight title after 2023–25, was second by 14 seconds in 1:02:05. David Weir won the men’s wheelchair race in 46:13, a course record. Eden Rainbow-Cooper defended the women’s wheelchair title in 52:47. A record 17,876 finished the ninth edition.
Sources: Norwich Evening News; Run Norwich results pages; BBC Sport and Evening Standard Big Half reports; London Marathon Events. Elite times as published on race day.