Review

Today it was great to run in a such cool race that you have never run in before and walk around the RAF museum seeing all the magnificent planes that were on display!

A very poignant touch was each runner was given a Battle of Britain honour card of a pilot who fought in that battle, with so many of these fine men that got killed in this battle in was my honour to have Pilot Officer Merrick from the 610 Squadron displayed on the back of my running vest!

Again it was very nice to meet up with fellow Stopsley Striders friends running in the race today Amanda, Carly, Kulwinder, Siobhan and Valerie always a pleasure to be in your company ladies!

Course

The race started just outside the hanger that contained the Lancaster bomber, last year the start point was actually inside the museum but this was changed as quite funnily the runners could not get a GPS signal for their watches/apps.

The first 1km is almost entirely lost in the perimeter of the museum complex, then you run 2 x 4km clockwise laps of the local roads keeping on the footpaths. The final 1k is run again around the perimeter in the opposite direction with the finish in front of the main museum entrance!

There are a few extra points that I need raise about the course,

• A 25 meter gain on the entire length of the course.
• Prudently flat but a steady incline up Watling/Woodcroft Ave that is replaced but a welcome decline back to the museum!
• Around a section of Lanacre Ave there is seems to be no footpath so you have to run down the side of a short steep grass bank to get to a setback pedestrian path, this bank could be quite dodgy in wet conditions!
• The trees along Watling/Woodcroft Ave have broken up the tarmac path to an extent that you have to be quite wary of not trip up when running on that section!

Important Info

There was amble paid cheap parking at the museum, it has as you would have hoped excellent restaurant and toilet facilities and a shop to buy souvenirs! The really cool thing is you get to look around the museum and soak up the history of the planes on displayed once you have finished the race!

Final Verdict

I would definitely recommend the Spitfire 10km Hendon race to you all, very well organised, excellent volunteers and a finishing medal that you want to add to your collection 🙂

Last point the money raise from this race will help fund the museums running and renovation costs so future generations of people can be inspired by men like officer Merrick!

Top race guys!

Run on 03-09-2016