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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European Athletics has announced that it has extended a contract with British Athletics and Highgate Harriers which will keep the European 10,000m Cup in London until 2020 as part of the Night of the 10,000m PBs.

The European 10,000m Cup was staged for the first time in conjunction with the Night of the 10,000m PBs this year at the famous Parliament Hill Athletics Track in Highgate, north London on May 10.

The Night of the 10,000m PBs, which aims to promote distance running at club and national level in Great Britain and showcase 10,000m running in an exciting format, has become one of the most popular fixtures on the British athletics calendar since its inception in 2013.

The event has expanded in stature over the last six editions, staging the British Olympic Trials in 2016, the IAAF World Championships Trials in 2017 before playing host to the European 10,000m Cup in 2018.

“We are very pleased to extend the contract with British Athletics and Highgate Harriers which keeps the European 10,000m Cup in London for another two years,” said European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen. “After attending the Night of the 10,000m PBs this year, I can say this is absolutely the right decision and I am sure the collaboration will continue to be mutually beneficial.

“The organisers are clearly doing a lot of things right in terms of both race organisation and event presentation and should be an example for others to follow. It was great to see – and to speak to – so many enthusiastic and passionate fans and I’m sure the next two years will be no different.

“I was elected on a manifesto which was entitled ‘Leading Change’ and we are always willing to support new competition formats which makes athletics more attractive.

“The Night of the 10,000m PBs has highlighted the demand for high quality 10,000m races in Europe and the grassroots element reflects very strongly European Athletics’ Your Sport for Life mission statement.”

Photo: Getty Images

The driving force behind the Night of the 10,000m PBs is race director Ben Pochee who looks forward to welcoming back the best of Europe to the Parliament Hill Athletics Track in 2019.

“After the success of our integrated event in 2018, we welcome back the European 10,000m Cup with open, aerobic arms,” said Pochee. “Our event was conceived with the goal of improving 10,000m racing standards, and welcoming 30 nations to our 25 lap party as part of the European 10,000m Cup has done wonders to enhance PB potential for all athletes.

“The depth of racing across our nine 10,000m races this year was at an all-time high and it is fantastic to see four performances from this year’s event in the top-10 of the 2018 world lists.

“However, none of this would be possible without our extensive NGB and commercial partnership support and most importantly our grassroots community who each year bring more passion and atmosphere to our event. I cannot wait to welcome back all athletes on 6 July to join our #Lane3BeerNCheer spectators, celebrating the sport we love.”

RELATED: Alex Yee and Charlotte Arter star at super Night of the 10,000 PBs

The free-to-attend event features live music and DJs as well as the trademark 60-metre beer tent along the back straight where fans can watch the races unfold while enjoying the hospitality. The organisers added another unique vantage point this year with a pedestrian footbridge spanning the home straight of the eight-lane track.

Approximately 8000 spectators attended this year’s event and another 50,000 viewers tuned in online to watch Germany’s Richard Ringer win the men’s race in 27:36.52 and Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter win the women’s race in 31:33.03. Both winning times were the fastest times set by European athletes in 2018.

The European 10,000m Cup first took place in 1997 under its initial title of the European 10,000m Challenge. The annual event has attracted many all-time greats of distance running with past winners including global champions Paula Radcliffe and Mo Farah from Great Britain, Fernanda Ribeiro from Portugal and Dieter Baumann from Germany.

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Taking place on 19 May at the Parliament Hill track, it will be the first time that the competition will have been held in Great Britain.

“It is a great pleasure to take the European 10,000m Cup to Britain at last,” said European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen.

The European 10,000m Cup dates back to 1997, and past British winners have included Paula Radcliffe in 1999 and 2001 and Mo Farah in 2010.

Hansen added: “The Night of the 10,000m PBs has become a very popular event very quickly, which goes to show how well-organised it is and also that there is a need for top-quality races in Europe over 25 laps of the track.

“Integrating the Cup into the Night of 10,000m PBs will move both events to another level and heighten interest in both events. I think it is a win-win situation for both parties and shows European Athletics’ willingness to embrace new competitive concepts.

“I thinks it’s highly likely that the leading runners in London will be in contention for medals in the distance events at the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships later next summer.

“Last year, the Night attracted a large number of running celebrities on and off the track, including the IAAF President Sebastian Coe and marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe.

“With the addition of the Cup, I’m sure next year will be a Night to remember as well.”

Race Director Ben Pochee said, “I’m over the moon that our 25-lap volunteer-powered initiative can now welcome the European Cup to our 2018 edition.

“Night of the 10,000m PBs was conceived with the goal of helping improve 10,000m racing standards and showcasing the true excitement of our sport, integrating the European Cup will offer fans and competitors a uniquely enhanced quality and atmosphere.

“The atmosphere at the Night of the 10,000m PBs is pivotal to aiding racing standards and crowd enjoyment. Therefore my aim was to attract more fans (7,500 in 2017) and create closer proximity to athletes in a bid to improve the ‘Goosebump Factor’. We therefore welcome fans to cheer from lane 4 of the track and we work with over 150 volunteer marshals to create a mobile safety barrier, in addition we created the ‘lactate tunnel of love’ where athletes run through 60m of covered marquee with additional DJs and live bands playing athletes requested songs to spur them to new PBs.

“Night of the 10,000m PBs is an athletics celebration hosted by the Highgate Harriers volunteer community and our key partners (London Marathon Events/British Athletics /Strava), and in this spirit of collective support we can’t wait to welcome our European family members to the party!”

The regulations of the European 10,000m Cup will apply with qualifying standards defined by European Athletics for the overseas participants in the A races so that there will be a balance in these races between Cup participants and British national athletes seeking strong competition (the men’s and women’s A races will include a minimum of 15 British athletes in each race).

Spain’s Antonio Abadia won the men’s individual race at the 2017 European 10,000m Cup in June, leading the Spanish men to the team title, while Portugal’s Sara Moreira won the women’s race and Belarus took the women’s team gold medals.

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