Event, Review

Chasewater Easter 10k Event Review

Chasewater 10k Map

Introduction:

Today, 16th April 2017, my fiancé and I participated in the Chasewater Easter 10k event. I found this event online, and as it was local we decided to enter. The 10k race cost us £14 each to enter and for that we received an accurately measured 10k course, timing via a lace chip, a finishers medal and a chocolate egg.

In addition to the 10k event (two 5k laps), there was a 5k event (one lap) and a children’s 1 mile event. The children’s race started at 10:15, with the other two events starting together (same track) at 10:30; all races started on time.

Pacers:

There were no official pacers for this event.

The Course:

The course is multi-terrain, which starts on pavement but soon moves to rock paths and grass. I found the course quite difficult, especially as I am used to treadmill and road running, and haven’t had any prior experience on such uneven paths; there are certain parts of the course which are quite steep and hilly, which is another area I struggle with. The location of the course is pleasant with some nice scenery and deer close by.

Chris struggled with some of the paths as they are made up of medium sized, sharp edged rocks which dug through the sole of his shoe. My Nike Vomero 12’s seemed to do the job as I didn’t feel too much discomfort, however they are a rather padded shoe.

Some of the pathways are narrow and hard to overtake. Certain areas required us to give-way to other pedestrians who were crossing bridges from the other side.

There were marshals spread out across the course who provided encouragement and ensured that everyone was doing okay. There were also a number of St. Johns Ambulance personnel in attendance.

There were no photographers on the course.

Aid Stations:

A water station was provided at the 5km mark, where ice cold water was served in plastic cups and handed to runners as they passed the table.

Entertainment:

There was no on course entertainment.

Atmosphere:

The atmosphere was good although there were no dedicated spectators on the course, just other pedestrians walking their dogs or cycling.

The 5k mark / finish area was the highlight of the race for crowd support.

Goodie Bag:

No goodie bag was provided, however there was a small chocolate Easter egg at the end (the egg didn’t make it back to the car, nor survive long enough for a picture!).

T-shirt and Medal:

There was no t-shirt provided at this event.

The medal was Easter themed with a bunny and eggs in a basket. I really liked the design, however the medal was the same for the 10k, 5k and 1 mile events.

Overall:

The event was well organized and quite populated, especially given the lack of local promotion; there were 279 runners in the 10k event, and 144 in the 5k event.

The course was accurately marked (my Garmin measured .01 short, so I had to run a little more at the end) and well sign posted.

I would recommend this event to anyone who is looking for 10k events, unless you are looking to beat your personal best, as it is quite tough terrain and can be steep in places; the track is also narrow in certain areas which can prevent you from overtaking.

For people who just want to complete a 10k event, then this event would be great. It has multi-terrain to practice, the scenery is nice, and the atmosphere is friendly. The price is reasonable, especially for an event with chip timing. I would have paid a few pounds more if there had been a goodie bag or technical t-shirt included.

4 Stars