This weekend would have seen the 8th edition of the Night of the 10,000m PBs. It is telling that of all the cancellations that Covid has wrought on us, this is the one that probably makes the Fast Running team most sad.

From the local spectator (me) to the remote spectator (Robbie), the participant (Hannah) and the commentator (Tom) we’ve experienced the event from all angles, so we’d like to take this weekend to get a bit soppy about it and say why we think it’s so great.

Humble beginnings

Started in 2013 by Ben Pochee and the Highgate Harriers running club the event is now rightly held up as an example of how to engage the wider community with sport and turn track running into a spectator festival. Last year over 8,000 people came to watch the 10k senior races, Strava mile pursuit and various junior events.

Soon enough governing bodies noticed how special the event subsequently hosting England and then British Championships.

It has since gone on to host the Rio Olympic Team GB trials, IAAF World Champs GB trials and from 2018 the wider IAAF community has benefitted from the unrivalled atmosphere as 28 nations make their way to the Parliament Hill track for the European 10,000m Cup.

Take a look back at our interview with Ben before last year’s event.

My highlights

I first attended (as a spectator – I’m not that fast or that crazy) in 2014 and every year has given me something to remember. The first year it was purely the thrill of discovering that Athletics was exciting, that I could support it like others supported football teams.

In 2015 a balmy night, a Ronnie O’Sullivan spot and an Auckland, Piasecki, Dixon triple PB got me fired up as well as adding a little bit of stardust. 2016 upped the ante in entertainment level and had the first women’s only races.

2017 Was when I realised that this event was fun for everyone, not just athletics fans as I dragged family members down to watch Beth Potter rinse the competition and stand aloft the Double Decker bus. 2018 was a special one as I got to meet Jo Pavey at the pre-event seminar and introduce my 2 month old son to the lactic love!

Then, last year I was lucky enough to be reporting for Fast Running and had the chance to step onto the infield and even watch from the bridge as hoards of top notch athletes chased the World Champs pace light round the track. I don’t think I’ve ever come away from a race as hoarse as I did from shouting at Steph Twell as she stormed home.

Photo: Jerry Small

A place to get together and celebrate with friends

Every year I’ve caught up with countless friends and made new ones as we’ve bonded over the pure joy that is watching people give their all and doing our best as spectators to push them on until they cross that line.

It’s not just great for those able to attend in person either, Editor Robbie Britton also rates last year as one of his top memories

“One of my favourite moments was seeing Steph Twell take a fabulous win in the women’s A race last year. The result looked a foregone conclusion when Lornah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel stormed off from the start, but Twell hadn’t read the script.

Storming to a win in 31:08 after an electric last kilometre, Twell was the star of the whole night for me. With Eilish McColgan not far behind in 31:16 it was a fast evening for British women!

Sat overseas watching on my laptop is the closest I’ve actually got to seeing the event, but every year it has me shouting at the screen and last year was no different.

Be it friends in the lower events, or the excitement of seeing British vests battling in the European Cup 10,000m races, I love watching every year and it was certainly missed this weekend.

A community up evolution

One of the key features of the evening is the live commentators who help make it exciting even if you’re not au fait with the people you’re seeing and don’t know who is in form. Fast Running’s Tom Craggs has commentated on all but one of the events.

He had the job of keeping track of who has been lapped, what lap they are on, whether they are on target for the qualifying time and trying to throw in some witty banter. Tom says

“It’s amazing to see how it’s grown out of the ideas and passion of the UK running community, brilliantly realised by the drive and talent of Ben Pochee.

From community roots it’s become a world leading event in endurance sport. Like athletics mix between a music festival and a night of top class boxing the event builds in energy through to afternoon to peak with some of the highest quality racing you’ll see anywhere in the world. Wonderful stuff.”

At the heart of the action

But what is it like to race there? For those of use who dream of being able to hit those qualifying times, the idea of 25 laps in front of that size of crowd is a far off dream.

Fast Running’s own Hannah Irwin toed the line for the first time last year, “after having seen countless videos of the buzzing atmosphere and hearing how exciting the racing environment was. It was also my first ever 10,000m track race so I had no idea what I was letting myself into.

All I can say is, if you haven’t done a 10k track race, try to make sure your first is Highgate. 25 laps of the track is a long way, but the buzz of having such huge crowds shouting at you at every angle of the track really spurs you on.

I didn’t get the result I wanted, but that was irrelevant as I absolutely loved every minute of the event, and that’s really what we do it for!”

Close and personal with the best

Irwin  speaks for many of us highlighting how unique it is to be so close and engaged with some of the UK’s best athletes;

“I was in a race earlier in the evening, so once I had got my race out of the way I was able to watch the men and women’s A races, which were incredible.”

“It isn’t that often you get to see some of our country’s best athletes in action so close up and so many times. Steph Twell was definitely the highlight of the night. Even talking about the night brings a smile to my face.”

This year GB athletes were preparing to fight all the way round those 25 laps for a place on the Olympic 10k team and boy was there a fight to be had.

Whether we’ll be able to see such a well attended competition in the near future remains to be seen and it’s sadly ironic that the success of the evening makes its return likely to be even further down the track, if you’ll pardon the pun.

Photo: Getty Images

Mini virtual roundup

We note that Guernsey Athletics are planning to arrange a socially distanced 800m race over coming weeks and we can’t wait to get back to reporting on real world action. For now though here is a mini roundup of some virtual results this weekend, correct at the time of writing:

Ranelegh Summer Race Series #1

Women’s top three: Natalie Haarer (19:42), Suzy Whatmough (19:47). Sarah Palmer (19:59)
Men’s top three: Nick Impey (16:25), Pat Wright (16:30), Jame Riley (16:36)

Centurion Running One Community winners

5k
Anna Buckingham 20:35 & Robbie Britton (Nice one Robbie!) 16:33

10k
Ali young 40:25 & Ollie Sterme 35:21

Half Marathon
Meryl Cooper 1:24:46 & Andrew Mckillop 1:23:52

Marathon
Annabelle Stearns 3:41:20 & Mark Gregory 2:49:47 (a very solid solo effort)

50k
Rose Penfold 3:57:54 & Dan Lawson 3:24:12

50 miles
Samatha Amend 6:47:04 & Jack Chennell 5:58:41 (wowzers people!)

100 miles
Claudia Burrough 15:20:15 (wheelchair), Helen Etherington 22:01:45 & Martin Johnson 16:37:30

Cardiff Summer Series 2 Mile winners

Rhys Hardman 9:47 & Bethan Hardman 10:59

London Clubs Mob Match 5 Mile

Georgie Grgec (Herne Hill Harriers) was the women’s winner in 27:11. Amelia Pettitt (Kent AC) was 2nd in  28:17 with 3rd place going to Sarah Hanley of Kent AC 30:13.

Anthony Johnson (Kent AC) was the men’s winner in 24:47 with Paul Martelletti of VP&TH (24:45) and Alex Crossland of Highgate (25:08) 2nd and 3rd.

The team competition (12 to score) was won by Kent A for both the men and women.

The NN Virtual Relay and the Virtual Welsh Castle Relay are ongoing and we’ll update you next week on the winners.

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The post Celebrating the best in UK athletics appeared first on Fast Running.

The race now hosts the European 10,000m cup and it has become the gold standard for spectator engagement and in-race athlete experience. Yet it retains it’s down to earth, grassroots feel. Tom Craggs caught up with Ben ahead of the 2019 edition.

It can often be at the club, or even an individual level, that people are trying to make a positive change to our sport. Races such as Highgate, Ipswich Twilight, Speedway 10k, Podium 5k, FASTFriday and a whole host of others are trying to get athletes running faster. 

Can individuals make that big a difference?

Pochee thinks so. 

“I am no expert on the history but look at the London Marathon. A group of individuals coming together to deliver something they wanted. You look at the BMC as a series of races – again individuals coming together to create great races.”

“I try to stay clear of the politics of it but it can work well when individuals at the coal face come up with the idea, but then getting NGB support to help test and deliver it that can be a perfect combination.” 

To be fair to the NGB that is exactly what we did get after our first year. The late, great Bob Smith from England Athletics had a small London Innovation Fund, which basically just covered small bits like our photo finish in 2014 which took it all up a level so we could host the British Champs. 

“More recently British Athletics have given us really heavy hitting support to allow us to host the European Cup. Their event delivery team have been absolutely fantastic with their support as well as financial assistance to make it possible. You’ve got athletes flying in from 29 different nations, with transport, accommodation you know it’s a huge logistical undertaking.”

Taking the leap to the international stage

From 2014-17 Highgate hosted the British 10,000m Championships and now the European Cup, but what has that meant to the UK runners in the field, even the sub-elites in the following races.

“Well you know it really has delivered in terms of depth of quality, for all the races because there is a trickle down effect.”

“Our event was a success in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 when it was the British Champs. We really galvanized the best athletes from our country who were fit an able to do it to run the British Champs and it was great.”

“You still had the situation where if Andy Vernon, Chris Thompson, Ross Millington, Charlotte Arter or Jo Pavey wanted to get a World or Olympic qualifying time they would find themselves out on their own chasing that time.”

Then you have what happened last year in the men’s race where you had Alex Yee, Chris Thompson, Andy Venon – three guys running sub 28 but finishing fifth, sixth and seventh! Running out of their skins, getting the qualifying times but needing to chase people. We need our best guys to be pushed. 

You know we had the highest number of British women running sub 33 last year. In the B race we had a slew of British guys running massive PBs because you are extending the depth. That is exactly what you need in 10,000m running. Right up until that last kilometre you want a train of runners around you all fighting for the line because it pushes everyone on.”

Photo: Getty Images

The atmosphere of Ben

Having attended on several occasions, it’s clear to see your personality and vision is a big part of the event. Is there a risk that as more governing bodies and organisations get involved that individuality could be stifled?

“I would say it could, but I’d also say it hasn’t!” laughs Pochee.

“The whole premise is we are trying to push boundaries. So the number one goal was how can we improve 10,000m standards? The next thing is that I genuinely believe that if you improve the atmosphere you improve performance.”

“You know all my best performances as a runner were done at the bloody 12-stage. It’s so emotional, you’ve got your team mates, cheering you, it’s so hard to quantify but makes all the difference. 

“So right from day one we wanted a crowd. We probably only had 50-100 people in 2013 but we got them in lane four. So it’s all about how can we improve atmosphere and engagement but working within the rules. Then you realise there is no rule saying you can’t have spectators on the track. That’s just one example – so if you talk to people and get them behind you it’s all possible.”

Growth from within 

From the outside it looks like the event has grown so organically and naturally but one imagines there is a reflective and planning process behind that which we don’t see. The Cornwall based Pochee laughs at the idea of it being a simply natural occurrence. 

“I just spend my life thinking about it! I love it and I love discussing & sharing ideas with my mates from the club, beauty is they don’t hold back with ‘honest’ feedback. Without their moral support aka ‘grow a set Ben and crack on’ it just wouldn’t materialise.”

“Well it’s not work, I can’t help but think about it. There is so much stress and as the event is building up you think, never again, never again, then literally a couple of days later it’s like ‘ah that’s what we should do’ and my wife will say ‘oh god please not again, I’ve got 12 months of this’.”

“From a planning point of view some of it happens almost instantly. For example we try to get the date locked down as early as possible. From an innovation point of view we do feedback with the athletes and via social media and be realistic about what we can act on. 

There are always things you could be doing better. It becomes a personal passion and I am very proud of it. It’s homespun and creaks at the edges at times but hopefully people understand that’s because it’s organised by volunteers.”

The 2019 edition

We’ve come to expect boundaries to be pushed with each new edition of the event and this year will be no different.

“This year we have got some really cool activation. Strava are doing a Parliament Hill Segment Challenge. That’s going to go right from the Lido up the top of Parliament Hill, the iconic National XC start. They will have a leader board and give out prizes on the day.”

Pochee is really clear that he wants brands to not just sponsor the event, but actively get involved in building an experience for athletes and spectators -“ProDirect will be activating on the infield which might include some challenges on the track in between races with prizes. On Running will be there doing shoe trials and giving away goodies. So you can come to the event, do a load of physical challenges, eat and drink and listen to some amazing music.”

“This year we have got an amazing stand up comic who will be performing. So loads of entertainment and fun. It’s the spectators that make our event so different. So we want as many people to come, engage and love watching 10,000m running. We dont do much as a sport to get all of our sport together for a big social a gathering, and I would love it to become our community meeting point.”

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The post Ben Pochee: The man behind the magic appeared first on Fast Running.