Ekiden 2025 – 06 July 2025

22 April 2025 - By Jodee Mayer

Our next big team race is this year’s Ekiden Relay, an annual race held by Ipswich Jaffa.

Originating as a popular race format in Japan, Ekiden involves each team of 6 people taking on legs of different lengths which add up to a marathon. One runner will tackle 7.2km, three will complete a 5km leg, and two will take on 10km legs.

Venue and Course information

Ekiden this year will be held on 06 July 2025 at Ipswich High School, IP9 1AZ, with arrival by 9.45 am, for a race start of 10.20am.  

The course is off road, mainly on a flat lawn course.

There will likely be food and drink on sale, and we will also do a (with, as requested by our Chairwoman at the recent AGM, Mick Conroy bringing far less food….) picnic again.

The day should be good fun with the team members not currently running being able to support and cheer on their teammates throughout the race. The write up of the 2024 event is here for anyone not quite sure about taking part – it really was a great day!

Sign up

We have reserved some teams based on last year’s participation, but need to confirm and pay for the teams 2 weeks in advance of race day.

Teams are, as usual for this type of event, based on age on the date of the race.  Therefore, if you wish to take part please complete the below form, with the category you will be in on 06 July 2025 (open is for women aged under 35 (34 or younger) and men aged under 40 (39 or younger) on race day) before 5pm on Friday 13  June 2025.

This will allow us some time to search for specific runners and complete any teams as needed.

If you do not have an EA licence, you can still run, but please add a comment when you sign up to advise of the same so that we can try to create the teams appropriately. You will need to have a WRC race vest (black and gold) to run in on the day.

Cost

The race is free for members, and we absolutely encourage anyone that would like to run to do so.

We understand that injuries and emergencies do happen. However, as Jodee probably made very clear in the last few years, organising the teams for Ekiden is more stressful than planning a wedding, particularly when there are (arguably avoidable) drop outs in the few days leading up to the event. Therefore, if you sign up please put the event in your diary/calendar/filofax and let us know ASAP if you can’t run.

Please note that, at the discretion of the captains, anyone who drops out after 20 June 2025 will be deducted 100 club champs points.

Let us know below or on Facebook if you have any queries.

Will and Jodee

• Rupert Bulgin – Men’s Open
• Karen Flowers – Ladies Super Vets (45+)
• Liz Prior – Ladies Open
• Joshua Maleary – Men’s Open
• Lisa Leader – Ladies Super Vets (45+)
• Nat Lilley – Ladies Super Vets (45+)
• Daniel Griffiths – Men’s Open
• Jodee Mayer – Ladies Vets (35+)
• Celine Elson – Ladies Super Vets (45+)
• Annalise Etherington – Ladies Open
• Rachel Sharp – Ladies Super Vets (45+)
• Samuel Hajder – Men’s Vets (40+)
• James Attenborough – Men’s Vets (40+)
• Sian Tate – Ladies Vets (35+)
• Irina Ashdown – Ladies Vets (35+)
• Andrew Read – Over 60 (any gender)
• Craig vernon – Over 60 (any gender)
• Colin Short – Over 70 (any gender)
• Graham Eyre – Over 70 (any gender)
• Ian Cuthbert – Men’s Open
• Graham Eyre – Over 70 (any gender)
• Glen Waller – Men’s Vets (40+)
• Ian Lucas – Over 60 (any gender)
• Terry Alabaster – Over 60 (any gender)
• Seyed Ghazi-Nouri – Over 60 (any gender)
• Joe McEwan – Over 70 (any gender)
• Mark Austin – Over 60 (any gender)
• Geoffrey Reddin – Over 60 (any gender)
• Clive Smith – Men’s Open
• Mick Conroy – Men’s Super Vets (50+)
• Andy White – Men’s Super Vets (50+)
• Paul English – Men’s Open
• Claudia Baba – Ladies Vets (35+)
• Owen Dare – Over 60 (any gender)