Race Date: Sunday 30th November 2025

Richard Carter-Pearson reports on the always popular Leeds Abbey Dash.

Previously supported by Help the Aged, this fast 10k is now run under the aegis of Run for All. Starting and finishing on Wellington Street in the centre of Leeds it heads towards Kirkstall Abbey on an out of back course and whilst the first 5km has some climb the second half is therefore all flat or downhill. (Editor: Looking at the results, Richard ran a negative split of 17 seconds and faster than his existing 5k pb). Richard advises that conditions were good being chilly and with some light breeze but very much “no excuses” weather.

Training and racing well at the moment, Richard’s goal was to shave a decent chunk off his previous best of 34:17 set at Leicester back in April 2023. Having taken anything under 33:30 he was delighted with his 32:45 but was brought back down to earth with a bump to discover that, excluding the thirty elites who started in the first wave, he had finished in 133^rd place. A demonstration of the quality that is about and with the race being selected to host the England Athletics 10k Championships in 2026 the pace can be expected to be even hotter next year.

There were four other Steel City in the field including Jennifer Harvey who brought her existing pb of 42:00 down to 41:41 together with Rachel Hyman who reduced her 2019 Percy Pud effort of 55:31 down by over two minutes to 53:08.