With the start line being roughly a two-minute jog from my front door, and the guarantee of a decent bit of race memorabilia (tea towels, buffs, and this year it was beer) the Marsden 10 Mile has become a must-do event in my running calendar.

The route is a bit of a killer; with more than 1,500 ft of ascent over the 10.2 miles, and a course that essentially climbs Deer Hill twice; first heading up to the reservoir and then down the other side, before a second climb up the road to Wessenden Head. From Wessenden Head, it’s a fast three miles down the valley to the finish, to be rewarded with tea and cake in the Con club.

Taking place on the first weekend in June, the weather is always going to be “changeable” and you can never quite tell what you’ll be in for. Two years ago it was 37c in the height of a heatwave, last year was torrential rain, but this year it was the sort of nice unremarkable drizzle that feels nicely refreshing when you’re pushing yourself up seemingly never-ending hills.

The course also comes with a footwear debate, as the race is roughly 70% trail (the sort of trail that can be bog on a wet day or skiddy and gravelly on a dry day) and 30% road. From a look at the feet of fellow runners, everyone had been a bit torn; as between us half had gone for battered-old-road shoes and half had opted for trail shoes. No doubt many of us will be having the same debate in a couple of weeks’ time for the RSR (old road shoes all the way!) as we try and figure out how wet it’s likely to be underfoot.

Despite living in the hills these days, I still find the Marsden 10 a race where I struggle to get properly going at any point – aside from a flattish half mile around the reservoir – as you’re either pushing up a steep hill trying not to overcook it, or trying not to fall over as you’re coming down a rocky trail. It’s on days like this that I remember I’m definitely not a fell runner, as I was overtaking people on the way up but being left for dust (quite literally) as they flew past me on the downhills.

It felt like a bit of a chore and nowhere near as fun as my usual morning runs on those very same hills, but I was really pleased to run a course PB this year (about 30 seconds faster than last year!) and finish sixth lady, in 1:27:20.

More importantly, this year’s themed race merch was a bottle of Marsden 10 branded booze – stout, blonde, or cider – a delicious bonus

The men’s race winner was Marlow Upton of Manchester YMCA Harriers in 1:05:42

And the women’s winner was Margaret Beever of Stainland Lions in 1:16:16