Report by Dot Kesterton
Race date: 29 December 2024
Buntingford Year End 10 incorporating the British Masters 10 Mile Road Championships
Between Christmas and New Year the British Masters Athletics Federation, BMAF, sneaked in a championship race. It was tempting to ignore it as it was a) down south and b) a long distance to run in the cold. It also meant I’d have no Sheffield companions to hold my coat.
I went anyway. Hertfordshire Royston Runners organised well, giving us a warm space to congregate and leave our bags and lots of home-made cake to enjoy at the end.
The race left the village of Buntingford near Letchworth and meandered through the streets and away into rolling countryside on quiet lanes. I have been preparing to up my race distance in recent months so a 10mile race was good preparation for my next half marathon in February.
Nine W70 runners entered the BMAF championship so I had to work out who to use to keep my pace steady whilst going off neither too fast nor too slow. Friend and rival, Yuko Gordon, a 1984 Olympic marathon runner, pb 2:45.29 set off at a good pace so I tucked in behind her hoping for a pacing master class. Yuko, like me plods her races through like a metronome. She understands intrinsically how to set and run at a pace to give her the best chances. I stayed close. At four miles she snatched water but dropped it. She continued on with me in pursuit until the end of the eighth mile where she slowed again to take water. I seized the opportunity to ease past and press for home. It meant I had no one to follow so had to push through the pain, heart rate at 191bpm, knowing she would be on my shoulder unless I maintained the set pace, around 4:48km. The plan worked and I crossed the line in 77:47 mins, around 30 seconds ahead of her to take the W70 Championship 2024. Coach John Rothwell confirms that puts me at 6th on the UK all time W70 list.
Yuko and I shared cake, coffee and chat back at race HQ. She’s about to embark on London marathon training for 2025. I’ll leave her to it.
My thanks, as ever to coach John Rothwell for his continued support throughout the year. Also to personal trainer, strength and conditioning, Donovan Blake for his tailored programme to support my running; to Sally Fawcett for her excellent work on running rehab and to Matt Rimmer at MyRacekitNorth for his support with kit. It really does take a team to produce the runner.
Yuko Gordon GB athete and Dot enjoying a moment after the BMAF 10 mile championship race.
Dot’s fantastic haul!
525 runners took part. The race was won by Alex Milne of Hercules Wimbledon in a time of 51:29 and Tabitha Woodhouse of Herts Phoenix AC in 58:44.
Striders results:
Position: 193
Name: Dorothy Kesterton
Category: F70
Time: 01:17:49
Full results: Here