A back drop of elephants, zebras, rhinos and giraffes greeted Samantha Pollard of Saffron Striders as she took part in the Colchester Zoo 10k Stampede.
And the unusual menagerie of spectators didn't faze her either as she roared to a new personal best and broke the one-hour barrier in the process, completing the course in 59 minutes 39 seconds.
That was exactly the plan for the Strider and she was delighted to "completely smash my PB" in the annual event that raises money for the Action for the Wild charity.
There was a milestone too for another Strider as Kate Holden completed her longest race so far, finishing the 18-mile Bury St Edmunds to Clare trail event.
The event is held each year in support of St Nicholas Hospice Care, a charity that supports people and families in West Suffolk and Thetford who have a life-shortening illness.
She came home in a little over three hours and said that during the last couple of hard miles, she drew inspiration from former Strider Steve White who died last year.
Steve was a much loved member of the club whose great love was trail running.
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