Over 500 runners took part in Leicester’s Big 10k yesterday, at the city’s Abbey Park.
The event, held yesterday (Sunday, April 24), was won by Jason Bennett of Birchfield Harriers (pictured), in a time of 32 minutes and 57 seconds.
He was quickly followed by Phil Beastall of Western Tempo in 33:00.
First lady home was Gemma Steel, in 34:18 – the 36-year-old’s fastest 10k time for four years.
Running for Charnwood Athletics Club, it is the first time the former European Cross Country Champion had taken on a 10K in three years.
“I felt like I got a buzz from that and it’s good to be back on the local scene with such a great atmosphere – the biggest event I’ve been in for a while”, she told the Leicester Times.
“I’m pleased that I actually got round without the wheels coming off!” she said of the event, where she was named fastest lady back in 2019, in a time of 35:24.
“I’m used to running 5k’s so running twice the distance is a bit of a step up, and a bit of a shock to the system to be honest, but the support and the drums kept me going – the atmosphere of being in my home city, you can’t beat it really for an event on my doorstep. I loved it!”
The previous day (Saturday, April 23), Steel secured the fastest time in the Masters Road Relays, held at Sefton Park, where she ran a 5K 17:08.
“It shows my fitness is coming back. I just need to focus a bit more on the stamina and speed endurance now and trying to get my pacing a bit better, but at the moment, it’s all going in the right direction”.
Leicester’s Big 10K is described as “a fast, flat race”, which is popular with runners chasing a PB as well as first timers.
A total of 555 runners took part in the sunny event, with the last finishing in a time of in 1 hour 57 minutes and 43 seconds.
Runners completed a single lap of the park then around the outside of the perimeter before continuing along the canal. They turned back towards the park and completed a circle of the inside route then around the outside again before finishing near to the final entrance.
All finishers received a medal for their efforts.
To see the full list of results, visit: https://www.racetecresults.com/results.aspx?CId=16418&RId=762
