Race Report - Peterborough New Years Eve 10K

It was a chilly New Years Eve morning (for me anyway... there were people in vests and shorts!) and 15 Werrington Joggers turned out to run! This race was a new addition to the local New Years Eve running calendar which includes Ely 10k and Marham Flyers 10K. The race sold out quickly and later another 200 places were released, which sold out within 24 hours. 

Race number collection was open from 8am to 9:30 am and with the plentiful parking at Ferry Meadows, I must say I still got there too early. The collection was from within the building opposite the toilets and there was also a bag drop available. All the runners gathered in the area with the benches and the parking ticket machines. The race director asked for the slower runners (those that estimated it would take greater than 1.5 hours) to make their way to the start line for an early start.

Then the masses made their way to the start where we were put into pens based on our predicted finish time. Before the start the tape separating the pens was taken down and it was a continuous start with a narrow funnel at the start to space out the runners preventing congestion on the narrow paths - It did work well. 

The course was pretty as we all expect from Ferry Meadows, running south out of the park towards the railway crossing and then turning east towards Orton Mere and along the trail path bordering the River Nene. The route then went over the ‘bouncy bridge’, I’ve ran over these plenty of times but never had it felt so bouncy! It then followed the path at the top of the park by Thorpe Wood and the A47 over Milton Ferry Bridge and then around Gunwade lake, along the railway line and back towards the cafe. At this point you can see the finish to your right hand side but you have to go around the car park past the watersports centre and the small parkrun lake to finish!

At the finish you were handed a bag with crisps, a chocolate bar and orange juice. But one of the best things is that the race photos are free and there was lots of photos. 

The race entry is already open for next year!