Race Report by Martin Smith
The Milton Keynes 10k is organised by Marshall Milton Keynes Athletic Club and is the last in the East Midlands Grand Prix Series – 8 races at various venues with the first at Silverstone in early May.
The MK 10k is based at the Open University site. It is always a challenge finding locations in Milton Keynes as roads are based on the grid system – so we were looking for the intersection of H9 and V10.
As I managed to find V2, I kept going through all the roundabouts until V9 when at last the first sign showing Open University appeared. The Open University plate had been added as an after thought at the foot of the direction sign – perhaps someone thought that the Open University would not last and so it could be unscrewed from the direction sign if need be ! This was also the case at V10/H9 – the next roundabout. Entrance to the Open University was just along the road.
Parking was easy in a huge car park 200 metres from the Sports Pavilion – the race HQ. The Sports Pavilion overlooked the cricket ground and runners were using the boundary as their warm-up. The finish was in front of the Sports Pavilion. Clubs from across the East Midlands were represented including Northbrook, Sphinx, Kenilworth, and Coventry Godiva. Leamington were obviously saving themselves for the Monty 5k the next day.
The course was circular starting in a park half a mile away and taking in several of the dual carriageways of Milton Keynes although we were running on the pavement. Apart from running through a housing estate at the first kilometre, no more buildings were seen until our return to the University.
Although flat in theory, the course had to cross several roads and pass through underpasses so there were a few gentle inclines. Marshalling was excellent and they certainly had many roads to control traffic trying to join the dual carriageways.
As we entered the Open University site we had just under 800 metres to go, so it was head down for the finish. An old rugby playing friend and his wife who live locally were cheering me to the finish from the upstairs bar !
Whilst I had a shower my friend got me a beer. As there was only one barmaid on duty this was good fortune. By the time I had changed the queue for the bar was outside and going down the stairs !
Not only that they later ran out of beer – plenty of lager and cider though !
1st Steven Tuttle – Marshall Milton Keynes AC – 33.01
7th Lily Partridge – Aldershot, Farnham and District AC – 34.17
229 Martin Smith – Massey Ferguson RC – 47.52