Race date: Sunday, 8 October 2018

Race report by Sam Keen

The Endcliffe Park TenTenTen, dubbed the quintessential 10k running race, is now in its 8th year. Nearly 940 people taking part in 2018, a steady rise from the field of 694 back in 2010. A little bit of trivia for you, the first one of the series was run on 10th October 2010, hence the name.

The course itself is an exciting multi-terrain 10k and goes through both Endcliffe Park and Bingham Park on a 5k loop. It’s not your regular road race, it incorporates grass, road, paved paths and wooded trails with a fair few lumps and bumps added into the mix. We’ll not discuss that hill just yet.

On race day, there’s plenty of support from family and friends and they didn’t disappoint. A Steel City Striders family photo at 9.30 and then game faces commence. I set off with the aim of trying to get as close to 50 minutes as I could and knowing the course, I thought it would be a tough ask but you have to set yourself a challenge right?

I felt good after my first 5k loop and headed back into Endcliffe Park. With my time slightly off schedule, I knew I’d either have to pick the pace up significantly or kiss goodbye to my 50 minute aim. I got back onto Rustlings Rd and I just couldn’t take in a deep enough breath to steady myself down, I had to reduce my pace to a near enough walk as I knew I’d need to pull myself together to get back up that hill for a second time.

Luckily the photographers and the videographer had left the incline and I felt less pressure to get up there in one fell swoop. Once up, I kept pace with a group we had formed and kept a sea of Striders in front of me as we all picked up the pace back to the finish. Once we had got back into Endcliffe, my average pace had kept coming down and I thought I’d be there or thereabouts.

Thankfully, on the home straight, I noticed the clock was still showing 40-something minutes, I tunnelled all of my remaining energy and overtook 6/7 people in the finish tunnel. I thought I had done them all until one pipped me back on the line.

All in all, the support you get form the Striders family on your route round is unbelievable. At times you don’t think too much about it but it’s fantastic having somebody encouraging you around in times of difficulty.

In the end, I managed a Course Best of 49:13. A great way to end the day for me personally.

First male across the line was Stephen Schubeler (Heaton Harriers & AC) in a time of 36:30.

First female across the line was Emma Parkinson (unattached) in a time of 39:06.

First Strider across the line was Stuart Carrack in a time of 37:18 who must have caught a bus or something but managed a 3rd place finish!

First female strider across the line was Victoria Barradell in a time of 45:29.

Striders results: