After Covid and a couple of years providing pre and post race massages, I made a last minute decision to enter the race for the first time since 2017 (I ran 80 minutes exactly as part of a longer training run and course PB was 2 years earlier 73:17 at the tender age of 43 ish).

Even when driving up to the race I still hadn’t decided whether to run, support or marshall and sort of hoped someone would desperately need my help and I could use it as an excuse but Anna spotted me and there was no way out – so paid my entry fee and collected my number. 

The advantage with entering late is I didn’t have a sleepless night worrying about it and fretting about weather, trainers, food, drink, aches, pains, hills etc etc….

I had been struggling a bit earlier in the week with sore shins so had eased back on the runs and followed my own advice with rest and various treatments and had gone out on Saturday morning to test how things felt – they felt a lot better but still not brilliant so the plan was to take it steady to start and see how everything felt. 

For those who know the FF10 route, the first 500 metres or so appears to be about the only flat bit of the course so not a bad intro to what is known as an undulating route. As I promised myself I started off steady, speaking to my fellow runners, which is the biggest part I have missed this year whilst not running as much. The social interaction, the people I have been running alongside for the last 10 years or so makes the local race scene what it is and with the NSRRA (North Staffs Road Running Association www.nsrra.org.uk) we are very lucky to have this competition within the races which adds that extra bit of friendly competition…let’s be honest I am not going to win a race anytime soon but I did win my group several years ago so maybe when I pull my finger out I might be able to push on again.

After those first flattish bits we start on the first little incline, now I am not a fan of hills but do feel I am pretty consistent with my pace and without really meaning to I pushed on a little and started closing the gap on Chris and Andy (at the start I told them I was taking it easy and not to wait for me…oops).

We then have a nice downhill section which takes us back to the start area, completing a mini lap of about 3 ½ miles…back to the flattish bit before we take a slightly different route on lap 2.

It was about mile 4 when I caught Andy and Chris up and gave them a few tips ahead of what I knew is probably the toughest 2 miles of the course…Butthouse Lane is muddy and seems to just keep climbing before it flattens for what feels like 100 metres before the proper climb comes at mile 6.

Now this climb starts off very steep so the ‘welcome’ sight of the SMM club supporters and the water station means no walking or easing off….I coach some of these supporters so I can’t make them do hill work on a cold Tuesday night and then not put a shift in myself…can I?

You get up the really steep part and then it drags on for what feels like forever and low and behold Robin W almost at the top with a camera….thanks Robin…look forward to seeing the pictures.

It was on this section that I left poor Chris and Andy behind and was feeling pretty good but I could see a few distant runners that decided I would try and reel in.

Mile 7 is a fast downhill section and then 3 miles to the finish are undulating but not worse than we have already done with mile 10 being quick and downhill, so let’s get it done.

I managed to catch and pass most of the runners I could see in front and still felt comfortable and strong as pushed to the finish line in a time of 71:11 which is 2 minutes faster than previous even at 7 years older…..so extremely pleased for what I told myself just over an hour ago was a steady Sunday run to see how things were feeling.

Perhaps entering at the last minute with no pressure is the way to go?

After the race you cheer on fellow runners and catch up with friends on how awful the course was but also how brilliantly organised it was – wouldn’t expect anything less from Paul Glover and his fantastic crew of marshalls and the rest of Stone Master Marathoners.

A big thank you to everyone involved, very much appreciated.

Like all my previous race reports this year, Clayton 10k and the Summer Series I rave about the fun and camaraderie and how we should all race more – it’s a great way to keep fit and make friends – so I have entered more races and will be rejoining NSRRA again in 2023 (trying to do a few more of their excellent race series).

Watch this space for more race reports and some great pictures of me making a fool of myself.

Thanks for reading.

Paul