South Bucks 10K Road Race

The South Bucks 10k is a new event to raise funds for the Black Park parkrun. It's being run on quiet roads adjacent to Black Park, just north of Slough, with the last 300m actually in the park. The certified course is looking pretty quick - only 1 minor climb just before the 5k point, and several k each lap of gentle downhill.

Entry is restricted to just 300, and costs only £7.50 or £9.50 unaffiliated. For this you'll get a medal, a £5 sweatshop voucher, a bottle of Lucozade Lite, entry to a raffle for various running goodies, and free parking in Black Park (usually £2.50). And of course a race in some lovely countryside.

http://www.southbucks10k.org.uk/

Black Park is just north of Slough, off the A412 Uxbridge Road. There is a course map here.

Comments

  • I just plotted the route and looked at the comments on the route map and it seems to me that the route is net downhill i.e. there is a climb from the finish in the park to the start which you do on one lap but not on the second lap. Are there any rules and regulations concerning this and valid PBs? There is a downhill criteria defined by the IAAF and that allows for fall of 1 in a 1000.

     Does anyone know what the overall drop is and how it affects times etc?

    This is purely for interest, nothing else, and not really too serious. Every road race is different and so you cannot compare race to race, and if you look at weather etc  even year to year. Having said that, it would be good to find a fast courese and get a PB.

    Also, any word on road closures? If I run the Black Park parkrun I park at the very western end of Rowley Lane and run the mile to the start as a warm up and the mile back as a warm down. It is a very narrow lane and surely has to be closed, and then this make it hard for people to get in and out as you close all northern routes out of  Black Park.

  • There is a net downhill, but it isn't huge. Our main organiser looked on some of his detailed orienteering maps and thought it might be 20m. I guess that's higher than the IAAF criteria, but to be honest we aren't expecting too many IAAF standard runners! We can't really comment on the times as nobody has run the course sompetitively yet. Most of the organisers are experienced road runners and all think it has the potential to be a fast course, as did our course measurer. There is only one noticeable climb up the the 5k point, and there is only one bend that might actually cause runners to slow a little, and those are the things that normally slow runners down. To be honest having been round the course a few times I think your profile map actually makes it look far worse than it actually is.

    No, there are no road closures - the police indicated they wouldn't allow it. This is one of the reasons why we're only allowing a small field of 300 and why we're starting early at 9:30 on a Sunday morning. I was out on my bike reviewing the course at this time of the morning a couple of Sundays ago and saw barely a handful of cars. If we thought this would present a problem them we wouldn't be holding the race here. For the start on Black Park Road we have an off-road holiding area where the runners can assemble before the start. We'll do the announcements here then walk the field out onto the road for immediate start. This road is the quietest of them all so it won't be problem to briefly stop any cars that may come along, or even suggest that they should go the longer way round. By the time the field reaches Fulmer Common Road it should be more or less single file, and we'll manage the traffic with signs and marshalls and reminding runners to keep left. There is no traffic for the runners to cross as they turn left at all junctions, and by the time they approach Black Park entrance on the 2nd lap people should be well spread out, so any traffic wishing to turn right into Black Park Road should not cause a problem as we'll have marshalls to direct runners and traffic.

    Next time you're at parkrun please feel free to come and have a chat about it - easier to explain in person.

  • Thanks for the feedback.

    I am glad that people think the course is fast, I'd like a fast course as I seem to have got into a run of hard courses and would like the pendulum to swing the other way for once.

    It seems you have thought about the road closures and numbers, I guess I am running along the lanes alone and unannounced, I assume a few marshalls in brightly coloured bibs will slow down the traffic a bit, or at least make them look out for runners. I do another race once a month in central London without marshalls or closues along main roads and all is well.

  • Just entered online, great system there:

    1) quick and easy

    2) no extra fee for online (most events charge a few pounds extra)

    3) immediate confirmation of entry accepted and number in race: it is filling up well already

  • I do Black Park parkrun most Saturdays and really enjoy it, and as this race is organised by the same team nothing will be left to chance. I'm very much looking forward to it.
  • I just finished this Saturday's parkrun and ran one lap of the course afterwards. It is flat and the only discernible hill is the one at about the 5k point which is only climbed once so I agree it is going to be a fast race.
  • RFJRFJ ✭✭✭

    Are you running BOTF?

    Will be great to catch up, though you will be miles ahead as Im still trying to come back from many differing injuries.....

    Looks a good set up btw

  • On-line and postal entry is now closed, but entries will be available on the day.

    Please try to arrive in plenty of time as you will need to collect your number from race HQ and then there is an approximate 1k walk to the start. The race starts at 9:30.

    Fingers crossed for good weather - see you all on Sunday.

  • Well the weather stayed nice for most of you, although a few towards the back got a little rereshing sprinkle. A big thank you to everyboy who turned out today, both runners, supporters and volunteers - the event semed to go really well and there were certainly a few PBs broken along the way. The results will be posted on http://www.southbucks10k.org.uk - we're nearly there, just a couple of runners who ran without numbers to get to the bottom of.

    See you all next year, or preferably at parkrun next Saturday!

    David Priddy

    Race Director

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    David - well done to you and your team. Despite a poor personal result (!) the race itself was a cracker, with super smooth organisation.

     Definitely one for the calendar.....

  • I agree, it was a really enjoyable race. The organisation was fantastic, it all seemed to run like clockwork. Thanks for all your hard work.
  • Hi David,

     My Toddler managed to submit my comments on the event rating before I had actually written anything! Anyway, thank you for organising such a super event. It all seem to run very smoothly indeed.  The marshals were really supportive. There was a very good atmoshpere thoughout.

    I enjoyed the course, even though I 'sprinted' for the finish WAY too early and was in danger of collapse at the end!

    The race was excellent value, much better than some of the larger events I have entered.

    The Mars bar and Lucozade were very welcome at the end!

     Kind regards,

    Dawn

  • Top marks for excellent organisation, fast and excellent rural course.  Good friendly mix of club + unattached runners.  Cheery marshals, excellent value and plenty of prizes.  I do 20+ 10k's every year and this has shot up to the top of the list so I'll be back again for sure ! No problem with cars, very few and courteous ! Many thanks
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Great work getting the results up on the same day, that's an excellent effort.

    Amazed at the quality at the front of the field, 2 guys in the 32mins!  I was delighted with a big pb of 35.52, and was surprised to come as low as 6th in a field of 200 image

    Especially as apparently there had been a 10k quite recently around the same area with the front 3 all in the 42mins! I can guarantee a few racing snakes will be checking that one out next year!

    Anyway...great organisation, no problems, handled the non closed roads with ease I thought.

    Busboy, we need to swap tips, you to get under 37mins which your other times suggest should be a cinch, and me to hit the longer stuff a bit better!

    Potentially looking at Gosport in November if you fancy a nice flat race and some decent banter on the way? I have permission to do a 10miler or a half before the end of the year, and that looks the main flat quick course of either description!

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    Gosport is quite tempting actually Stevie G - I was born in Hampshire as well, so could enter the county champs as a bonus!  It's not actually that far either - wonder why I've never done it?

     I'll have to see if I can get a pass from kids taxi duty!!

     Nice pb today by the way - all the hard work's paying off !!

    I think my big problem is lack of hard effort training to build up my lactate tolerance, but I do plenty of long runs...

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    don't mention LT...I think that's my next phase...after a 10 week base build up!

    Think it's 90miles away according to Multi map...but is a 10am start, so would probably mean a 7am start at the latest.

     Would be an interesting race if the weather is right, word has it that it's a bit of a Wokingham for speed.

    Bizarrely they say on their page that it is "virtually all off road". I think they mean virtually all off MAIN road!!

    After today's 5.48 per mile pacing on average, 6min miling sounds quite comfortable!

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Great set of pics Beware of the Fish.

    If only I wasn't so darn ugly and utterly grissled looking!

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    My clown shoes look even more ridiculous in the photos than in real life!

    Gosport looks v.fast - provided the wind doesn't scupper it!  I'm thinking of swapping it for Marlow - I love Marlow, but not sure my knees will take it at the mo.....

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    as you've got your message member facility disabled...hoping you have notification of message on!!

    I'm deffo doing Gosport...so if you're up for it let me know and we can share the trip...as long as I drive!

  • Right, who's doing this on Sunday?
  • On-the-day places still available image
  • Do it - its a great wee race and very fast (as long as you don't overcook it early on like I did last year!)

  • I can't - I'm the race director image
  • I know that BOTF - I didn't mean you specifically, just a badly worded post but hoping to encourage the masses who are reading this thread to come and race image

    (anyway - nothing to stop the RD entering as well is there, though I guess you might be a little distracted on the day!)

  • Anybody who's doing this - please remember there's a 10 minute walk from race HQ to the start, so please allow plenty of time to collect your number and then get to the start.
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