Nearly 300 runners took part in Sikhs In The City’s sixth annual Dawn to Dusk race comprising of 10km, 22km, marathon and ultra marathon distances.

Ilford Recorder: Nearly 300 people took part in the Sikhs In The City annual Dusk till Dawn race. Photo: Jag Bassi SinghNearly 300 people took part in the Sikhs In The City annual Dusk till Dawn race. Photo: Jag Bassi Singh (Image: Jag Bassi Singh)

Runners set off at the sun rose at 8.04am and took part in either five, 11, 21 or as many laps as they could of a 2km circuit starting from the junction of Roding Lane South and Woodford Avenue in South Woodford - and had till sunset (3.54pm) to complete as many laps of the course as possible.

Run on the famous 2km course where the world’s oldest marathon runner (Fauja Singh) trained it provides a challenge for even the best club runners in the country.

Ilford Recorder: Nearly 300 people took part in the Sikhs In The City annual Dusk till Dawn race. Photo: Jag Bassi SinghNearly 300 people took part in the Sikhs In The City annual Dusk till Dawn race. Photo: Jag Bassi Singh (Image: Jag Bassi Singh)

Only once has anyone managed to break the three hour barrier - and that includes members of the 100 Marathon Club.

However, this event is for runners of all abilities who want to beat a personal goal, alongside the friendliest volunteers who provide refreshments including tea/coffee, onion bhajis and samosas - and this year channai paturai were also dished out to runners.

Ilford Recorder: Monique Doig(left) and Grace Agate-Bacon (right) who came first and third in the women's 22km race. Photo: Jag Bassi SinghMonique Doig(left) and Grace Agate-Bacon (right) who came first and third in the women's 22km race. Photo: Jag Bassi Singh (Image: Jag Bassi Singh)

This year, the race HQ venue was again generously provided by Mulalley & Co, and other major supporters included Amish Wholesalers, Atam Academy, Sira Motors and Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha (Karamsar) UK - the Gurdwara on High Road Ilford.

This year the Men’s Marathon and the Men’s 10km course records were broken (Jay MacDonald, three hours, four minutes and five seconds and Joe Watts from East End Road Runners, 39 minutes and 45 seconds) and Maud Hodson from East London Runners took first place in the Women’s ultra race having finished third and second in previous years.

Three clubs - East London Runners, East End Road Runners and the 100 Marathon Club - dominated the podium places but other unaffiliated runners also put on a great show .

Winner of the mens ultra race was Jason Brunt who completed a mammoth 42 laps of the course in a time of seven hours, 35 minutes and 41 seconds - in second place was Colin Jones who completed 41 laps in seven hours, 51 mins and 45 seconds.