Report by Tony Bell
Race Date: Sunday 20th August 2023
Sunday 20th August I returned to my home town of Warrington to run the Birchwood 10km. This excellent race is organised by my first running club Spectrum Striders, I competed in the inaugural Birchwood 10km in 1984. Since then I have either competed in or volunteered at most of the Birchwood 10km races.
I got up ludicrously early to drive over the Pennines to Warrington, I got there in good time and found a free electric car charge point in the car park 🙂 I got to see some old friends from my running past, my father and brother came to watch me run. 1500m pre-race to warm up down a familiar old running path.
Then it was time to line up in the Birchwood shopping centre car park, off we went on the familiar old roads and paths. Gradually worked my way through to about 4km, after that I was passing and being passed to the end. Halfway in 24.12, which is a pretty good parkrun for me these days. This course is flat, if a bit twisty to 7km, then there are 3 motorway bridges to cross before the finish. Over the first one OK but the second was a bit of a struggle. I managed to keep going in to the finish after the third bridge, for once nobody passed me at the end.
Over the line in 48.47 (gun) and 48.36 (chip), 187/420 finishers. A very slow 500m jog back to a fully charged electric car and then I went off to Sunday lunch with my family. Back to Sheffield after lunch.
In retrospect I did the first half slightly too fast but I was happy to get under 50 minutes. A new V60 10km pb, although my only other 10km since I turned 60 was the much tougher striders 10km.
Results here.
Photograph of me around 2.5km taken by my brother.
PS In 1989 I ran this race in 38.47!