Held on Sunday 6th July 2025, this 10k and Half Marathon event was organised by Nice Work and is held almost at the centre of the Chase, close to the Tackeroo campsite, about an hour’s drive from Coventry.
The course is a circular circuit through some pretty woodland and moorland on Cannock Chase, the half Marathon taking virtually the same route as the 10k, but twice around. The event felt a little like a well-attended Park Run (a few toilets and somewhere to dump your bags).
My number arrived in the post, but people were registering on the day. It was easy to get to the parking area using sat-nav and it was a 10-minute walk to the start. The half-marathon and 10k runners started together at 10am. Despite weeks of very dry weather, it rained heavily overnight and was still raining when I arrived, so the course was wet and very muddy in places. Some of the course trails were little more than streams and there were puddles a plenty. Fortunately, the promised morning thunderstorm did not materialise and by the start of the race, the rain had stopped.
The course itself is a mixture of wider gravel and loose stone tracks, together with some muddier narrow paths, the latter taking you through the middle of the woods, with over hanging branches to navigate. Most of the course trail was enclosed by ferns with conifer plantations on one side and deciduous forest on the other. Towards the end of the course, you are led out on to heather moorland for a short time before the finish (watch out for the horse riders). Whilst some of the course was reasonably level, there are some very very steep ups and downs! These were mostly on the narrowest paths such that you couldn’t pass the runner in front. Almost everyone was walking these, both up and down.
According to the internet the 10k course involves approximately 200 meters (656 feet) of elevation gain, and the half marathon around 423 meters (1387 feet). The course was very well signposted and marshalled. The cost was about £25 to enter (T-shirts extra). A great trail run in beautiful countryside.
Don’t forget your trail shoes!
– Simon Cripwell
