Race Date: Sunday 9th September 2018

Race report by Letty Hancock

Location: Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield

I chanced upon this small 10k because a university friend is a member of Boldmere Bullets, so it seemed like a good excuse to go and visit him, and also get a run in at the same time. The race is a largely off road, undulating course, with the option of a 5k too. It includes a nasty little hill in the very last mile, as well as a path through the middle of a field of cows, who thankfully were entirely disinterested in us as we ran past. Well marshalled and well organised, with plenty of sweets and an impressively heavy medal at the finish, I couldn’t fault the race at all.

I had no expectations for my finish time, and was planning just to treat the race as a fun morning out with my friend. Then, on the morning of the race, he informed me that last year he had come faster than the first lady. I wished he’d told me this before, so that maybe I’d not have run 10 miles with Strider friends the day before, and had a few glasses of red with my tea… not the best race preparation for what might be my best ever chance of a win!

I saw three women immediately stride out ahead of me at the start, so I quickly dropped the idea of being able to win, and set out to enjoy myself on the varied and undulating course. Sometime around mile 4 or 5 however, I spotted two of the other women ahead of me, found a little bit more energy from somewhere and managed to pass them. I was actually glad of the hill in the last mile; plenty of hills run in Sheffield meant that I was able to keep ahead, and somehow finish as second lady and first in my age category, my best position ever. I might go looking for more small races to take part in…!

Race winners:

Male: Mark Williams, 38:45

Female: Carli Baldwin, Birchfield Harriers, 40:44

Solo Strider: Letitia Hancock, 47:35