10 mile races

[Deleted User] · October 2006

There seems to be a distinct lack of 10 mile races these days. OK ther are a few, but in comparison to the amount of 10k and half marathons, it is a small percentage.
I can't understand it as surely to marhsall a half isn't any different to a 10 mile, in fact it should be better.
And let's face it, when stepping up to half marathon distance, 10 miles is perfect after running several 10k's.
I really prefer the idea of running 10 miles rather than 13.
Anyone got any valid reasons/thoughts for this?

fat buddha · October 2006

yeh - we went decimal in 1971.......

;O)

DazTheSlug · October 2006

Tequila - You're right, there are fewer 10-milers than 10k/HalfMara, but there are enough about to be going on with, certainly in the North of England. eg:

Jan - Ferriby 10
Feb - Snake Lane 10
Mar - St. Annes 10
Apr - Caldervale Country 10
May - Ripon 10
Chorley Harriers 10
Bluebell Trail 10
Jun - Thirsk 10
Gosforth 10
Jul - Tough 10 (Skipton)
Eccup 10
Aug - Sale 10
Sep - Chesterfield Spire 10
Ryedale 10
Oct - Harewood Trail 10
Nov - Derwentwater 10
Guy Fawkes 10
Llandudno 10 (although cancelled this year!)
Preston 10
Brampton To Carlisle
Dec - Stockport 10

M.ister W · October 2006

Without even checking the events listing I can give you two excellent 10 milers in the South.

Maidenhead Easter Ten
Cabbage Patch Ten

I agree that they aren't as prolific as half marafuns but I think that may be due to the prestige associated with completing a half.

fat buddha · October 2006

there's also the Mince Pie 10 miler in December near Brighton - off road mainly and hilly

Gavo · October 2006

Others off the top of my head in the south & I'm sure there's loads more

Dorking
Dry Hill
Hayling Island
Canterbury
Sidcup
Dartford
Bramley
Hook
Alton
Thames Towpath
Tadworth

PhilPub · October 2006

I think I could be up for the Sidcup 10 for a bit of pre-FLM training. No excuse really, as it's about 20 mins on the train. Anyone else doing it/done it?

[Deleted User] · October 2006

FB thought it was 72 we went decimal - but then I'm bit too young to remember!!
Thanks for all the suggestions, I've done a few of the ones listed down south, and of course there is GSR this Sunday.
Next time i want one I'll just ask you guys for suggestions!

Gavo · October 2006

Don't do Sidcup (from what I've heard). Dartford & Canterbury are much better around the same time of year.

[Deleted User] · October 2006

Brecon

fat buddha · October 2006

decimalisation was Feb 15th 1971...........when overnight beer became 11p a pint and fabs were 10p for 20 (No6).......................pissed for a pound and lung cancer for a tenner.............eee, those were the days.......

fat buddha · October 2006

fabs = fags

[Deleted User] · October 2006

I was going to say FB - fabs were ice lollies!

Boniface Earl Jones · October 2006

Phil, I ran Sidcup this year. Aside from the wind & rain, which couldn't really be helped, I thought the organisation was good, the route quite quick (9 mins pb for me) and I had other people to run with at a fairly brisk pace (57:31 for 13th place).

The other 10M races in the South I've run are:
Great Baddow
Mersea Island
Cabbage Patch

Seem to be plenty for me. I really like the distance, but in my last 2 I've been a bit gutted that I couldn't carry on for an extra 3.1M to smash my HM pb!

[Deleted User] · October 2006

Sidcup is much closer to us than Canterbury, might do this one next year. Thanks for the tips.

[Deleted User] · October 2006

Pirie - December on Farthing Downs

Nice & muddy!

[Deleted User] · October 2006

Theres a nice off road miler 2 miles form me in february
the stourbridge stumble

tee hee

Night Nurse · October 2006

teignbridge 10 march

braunton 10 jan

and new one... bideford 10 sept

all in devon all on road

greyhound · October 2006

And for those of us north of the border...

Spey Valley 10 (Aberlour) Sept
Isle of Cumbrae 10 Sept
Smokies 10 (Arbroath) - ladies only - March
Tom Scott Memorial 10 (Motherwell) April
Ballater 10 (I think 10 miles) July
Dunbar 10 mile Multi Terrain October
Dundee RR 10 November
Lossiemouth Turkey Trot 10 December

And there are probably more - but a lot less than there were in the 80s when I was in my (ahem) "prime". I did lots of 10s then - the allure was of getting under the hour, which I did several times. Unfortunately I struggle to replicate that now :-(

The half marathon really took off after the marathon boom finished. People realised that they couldn't bash out dozens of marathons a year - even Scotland boasted a prodigious number at one point - but the half provided an acceptable alternative as it still had "marathon" in the title. After all, what's particularly decimal about 21.1km/13.1 miles? And as the half grew, the 5 mile race extended to become the 10km - almost a quarter marathon. So I suppose we all go for longer now but at the expense of some speed perhaps.

I vote for a resurgence of the 10. For me, it's the perfect balance between speed and endurance, even if I'm no longer chasing the magic hour. The extra 3.1 miles of the half have always seemed like an afterthought to me.

[Deleted User] · October 2006

harlow 10 miler

innit

[Deleted User] · October 2006

Tadley ( Hampshire / Berkshire border )10. First running was last Sunday. Can't recommend it highly enough.

DazTheSlug · October 2006

greyhound - interesting to hear your thoughts. I have only done 2 HalfMaras and have another 2 planned. I have a sneaking suspicion, however, that I may decide that the last 3 miles are a bit "unnecessary". I am also doing my first two 10-mile races soon (Derwentwater and Stockport), so should be in a position soon to decide which I prefer...

Tom. · October 2006

I always think of the 10M as the classic distance - with the lure of running it in 60mins as a bench mark. It has as every one says now been surplanted by the HM. I now evaluate my HM times as 10M plus 20 mins.

Two more for the diary:

Fenland 10 - 29th October
Nene Valley 10 - 3rd December

Both flat and fast, if the wind's not blowing.

PhilPub · October 2006

JEJ, cheers. If you're thinking of doing it again this year you can be my pace man for, ooh, half a mile or so.

[Deleted User] · October 2006

I find the Pirie far too isolating, so few runners, you can be in the middle of the woods or field and no-on in sight - i hate that. I like to know there are people around in areas that I'm not too familiar with.

[Deleted User] · October 2006

There's another 10 mile road race in the south - the Woking 10. There's a few hills in there but the course records were set by Alison Wyeth and Richard Neurakar (sp.?) so it has some pedigree. It's about 3 weeks before FLM. Ran it last year and as I won't be fit enough to run FLM I'll aim for this instead.

[Deleted User] · October 2006

Jen M - yes i did the WOkign 10 few years ago when they held a 10k simultaneously, but i remember it was cancelled one year due to the council playing silly beggars, and i know we were away this year when it was on - typical!

rock · October 2006

There is a lack of 10 milers, due to the fact that there are so many soft runners these days, who only like the more fashionable distances.

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