There was a rare overall victory for a female runner in the Ware Festival of Running on Sunday, 6 July 2025. Tabitha Woodhouse, an under-20 junior athlete representing Herts Phoenix AC, stormed home almost two and a half minutes clear in the Ware Festival 10K.

Tabitha took nearly eight minutes off her best road time, recording 36:31, as she swept all opposition aside on the single-lap, multi-terrain course from Allenburys and County Hall Cricket Club in Ware, Hertfordshire.

The men's winner was Will Edwards (Hertford RC, 38:55) from James Whiting (unattached, 40:53) and M40 Jamie Higgs (Ware Joggers, 41:31). The women's race runners-up were Christina Tungatt (W35 Ware Joggers, 44:57) and Ella Taylor (unattached, 46:19).

A tidy 50 runners beat 50 minutes on a course with around 50m elevation. The route covers farm tracks, parkland, a short residential road and towpaths, making road shoes suitable in dry conditions.

The Ware Festival of Running features a two-race format, with a 10-mile race that starts before the 10K, utilising the same route but adding a second circuit. This race will live long in the memory as the top three men finished close together in 61 minutes.

Harry Kutner (Ware Joggers, 61:16) took the win from M40 James Akerman (Edmonton RC, 61:29) and Iain McMurray (Ware Joggers, 61:40). The women's race was more clear cut as W35 Emma Cowper (Bishops Stortford RC, 65:17) won comfortably from Elin Anderson (City of Norwich AC, 68:38) and W45 Rachel Dervish (Enfield Chasers, 1:12:40).

A total of 549 runners finished in the two main races, and there were several free-to-enter fun runs for children within the cricket grounds. All profits from the Ware Festival of Running go directly to the chosen charity, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust. Last year's event raised £9,500 for this worthy cause.

The event is promoted by Ware Joggers, who are based at Wodson Park Sports Centre, Ware. The club was founded in 1987, has grown to around 300 members, and is the inspiration and driving force behind the Ware Festival of Running.

Full results can be found via the runABC South race listing here.

Race details at the Ware Joggers Festival of Running website here.

Image courtesy of the Ware Festival of Running on Facebook