Yesterday I ran in the fifth Medway 10k and where as before I have not been a huge fan, this year’s was very enjoyable…(excluding the stitch at 4 miles). I have done them all and this was by far my most favourite yet.
Previous years have felt a bit amateur-ish, especially one year when part of the finish line was pinched! However, more recent races have been more professional and included the start and finish on the local running track and also a much better course. That said, the course is not ideal with a long hill in the first mile and another in the last mile. The marshalls have improved, one year I passed a marshall busy on her phone and with no arrows pointing the way this was not much help. But the teething problems of previous years seem to have been ironed out and this is now a very popular race.
There were around 450 entered the race and a huge amount of them, I am sure I heard over 100 runners, come from the local running club, The Rebel Runners Medway, with a sea of green and black, they are hard to miss, especially with some speedy runners at the front of the pack. Other local clubs entered too, including Medway Fit, Medway Runners and my team, Medway and Maidstone AC.
There were prizes for the first, second and third female and male runners, first for age category and the men and ladies team prize, which for the second year running, Medway and Maidstone AC men come away with the team prize and this year I was third for my team and with three to score I won a bottle of wine! My first ever prize.
It helped it was a sunny day and nice and warm, which made for a great atmosphere and with the event running a lot smoothly, I will definitely enter next year.