Race Report: BUPA Great Manchester 10k 26/05/2013

Well it was after a couple of glasses of wine on a Friday night in February and reading someone else’s Facebook post I decided to enter the Great Manchester run.    

Rachel spending a few moments after the race with a couple of adoring fans.

It is an expensive run to enter at £39, but for me it was more about motivating myself to get running again.  This run is special for me as it was the first run that I entered after joining Sandbach Striders in 2005.  It also gave me the chance to raise some money for The Christie, who have helped one of my best friends who has had breast cancer to get better.

The Race is extremely well organised and well supported. It runs from the centre of town out to Old Trafford (the Best Club in the world!!) and finishes on Deansgate. It is pretty flat all the way round which for those of you who know me is my kind of run.  On the day it was extremely hot and it took me the longest it has ever taken me to run a 10k, although Terry and Clare managed to get themselves running with the elite runners, probably deservedly so!! There was a water station half way round and I managed to get hold of some more at 7K.  Also there is a shower to run through which was great on a day like today.

The race is run in different waves so as my wave didn’t start until 11.25 we (husband and Boys) managed to get ourselves a good spot on the corner of Lower Moseley Street to watch the start of the Wheelchair race, Women's Elite, and Men's Elite plus Clare and Terry!!  Didn’t spot Clare but Terry is very easy to spot in a crown of thousands!!  Another plus was that we were stood right by the Halle Brass band which was great, although they only had a repertoire of about three songs and there are only so many times you can listen to the great escape!!!

Clare and Terry after the race.

Things to see on the way round were a  Rubik's cube, lots of Supermen, Scooby doo, Darth Vader, a banana, men in tutu’s, a giant bread roll, bears, men in suits not to mention a very red tomato dressed in a Sandbach strider kit!.

Overall then although expensive, if you want to do a high profile run without doing a half or full marathon then this is a great one to do.  Well organised, well supported  all the way around including bands and charity buses.  There is plenty to keep the family entertained if they choose to come and support as well.  A great experience, entries have already opened for next year!!

For more information visit the BUPA Great Manchester 10k website.

Rachel

NB: There is still time to sponsor Rachel, via her JustGiving page.