The following is adapted from the June/July 2026 issue of the Titchmarsh Times.
This year’s Titchmarsh 10k delivered a day to remember — not quite the scorcher of last year, a little breezy perhaps, but by all accounts about as good as conditions get for a May run. As the organisers put it, those Goldilocks running days are few and far between.
A total of 213 runners took on the full 10k distance, with a further 126 tackling the 3k — no small feat given the wind on the day. Between them, they helped raise around £2,500 for the continued upkeep of the Playing Fields, Play Area and Pavilion. The money will be used to fully redecorate the function room and replace the AED — a fantastic result for the village.
The Results
The 10k was won by Jack Chennell of the Higham Harriers in a time of 33:59, with the 3k going to Roman Jones in a stunning 10:47. Fastest male and female villager honours went to the Rouwenhorst family — Sam finishing the 10k in 42:17 and Nicole in 46:39. Hugo Sainsbury picked up The Wheatsheaf Award for his impressive run in the 3k. Well done to all.
Two Young Titchmarsh Lads Steal the Show
Some of the most heartwarming moments of the day came from two young local runners.
Harvey Starsmore took on the 3k to raise money for Thrapston Food Bank — and what a response he got. His mum Sophie had set a JustGiving target of £50, but Harvey ended up raising an incredible £450, smashing the goal by 900%. Sophie captured it perfectly: he ran his little socks off. Full of cold, tired after a week’s holiday — but he didn’t give up. His determination was something special to see. A special mention too for Sophie herself, who also ran on the day, finishing just behind Harvey. Donations are still being accepted at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sophiestarsmore.
Meanwhile, Theo Pryor (11) continued his impressive record at the event, finishing 2nd in the Male U12 category in a time of 13:02 — and an outstanding 5th place overall out of 126 runners. Remarkably, this makes Theo the fastest Titchmarsh finisher in the 3k for the second year running. A tremendous achievement that deserves a proper village round of applause.
Thank You
Events like this take months of planning — usually starting the previous September — and none of it would be possible without the playing fields team, the volunteers, the sponsors, and the famously friendly people of Titchmarsh who make it all work. The whole event was packed away and the village returned to its pristine condition within an hour of the last runner crossing the line.
If you have any ideas or suggestions for next year, the organisers would love to hear from you.
Save the date — Sunday 9th May 2027. 🏃
