By: Karen Clark

Race Date: 28^th January, 2024.

This race was in its 3^rd year. I hadn’t managed to participate in 2022 or 2023 due to other commitments. This was to be my first 10K race, post-injury. At the point of entering the race, I had only just started running again, at a gentle pace. I was still having physiotherapy and speed work wasn’t recommended. I wanted to opt for a race that I hadn’t taken part in before as I didn’t want to compare my performance to a race that I had run injury-free.

The race starts on Jackson Lane and is run on closed roads. Free parking was available in a local school. The local farm shop was open for pre-race coffee and food and drinks for spectators. Bathroom facilities were available as an alternative to the portaloos at the registration point.

As I lined-up in the starting area, I felt somewhat anxious, questioning whether I could still run 10K. This should have been a PB course. The weather conditions were perfect for running. It was dry and not too warm. My husband had driven me to the race and was reassuring me that I should aim for sub 50 minutes. I knew this wasn’t a realistic target, so I tried to focus on completing the race in under 55 minutes.

The course has a flat start with plenty of crowd support, before heading downhill through a pretty village. The crowds thinned-out, but there was still support from local householders. I completed mile 1 in under 8 minutes and at a faster pace than I had run, in the previous 5 months. I reassured myself that I could still run at a race pace.

After this, there is a gentle climb before turning along a narrow gravel path and then heading down a grassy and somewhat muddy embankment leading onto the A555. At this point, I had completed 2 miles. The second mile had taken 8 minutes and 25 seconds. I panicked. This second mile had taken too long!

The route continues out and back along the A555. This was the perfect opportunity to pick up the pace. I started to panic that I was becoming breathless and that I couldn’t maintain the pace. I gave myself permission to slow down and aim to finish injury-free. The route doubled-back on itself just before the 5K point. I stopped briefly at the 5K point to take water and a gel. (I had never taken a gel during a 10K race before, but I didn’t think I could complete the race without a top-up).

The route continues along the A555 towards a roundabout which marks the next turning point just after the ‘4 mile’ marker. The route doubles back before veering off the A555 back towards the village. I reached mile 5 and realised that I wasn’t going to finish in 50 minutes. I told myself to be grateful that I was able to take-part and enjoy the freedom of being able to run.

There was more crowd support during the final mile, as the route returned through the village with an uphill finish. My husband met me as I crossed the finish line with words of encouragement, ‘well done. I honestly thought you were going to be 55 minutes’.

It took me 52 minutes and 19 seconds to complete the race.

All runners received a wooden daffodil medal, a finishers t-shirt. (This is optional for 2025), a pair of Hilly socks (choice of colour) and a generous goody bag containing chocolate bars, gummy sweets and shower gel.

I was invited to sign-up for the 2025 race, with a discounted entry of £16:00. This was too tempting. I signed up, straightaway.

Entries are still open for the 2025 race. I would recommend this race as it offers value-for-money, with a PB potential.

The race was won by Kadar Omar (Birchfield Harriers) in 00:30:59 and Sophie Wood (Sale Harriers Manchester) in 00:35:03 .

Strider’s Result: