By Martin Cross
The second fixture of the NSRRA calendar, Rugeley 10, is one of the tougher races on the
schedule—dare I say, possibly one of the toughest 10-mile races in the country. This marks
my fourth time lining up for the race and my third time finishing, after limping off in 2024 with
a calf injury (typical runner—took only two sentences to mention injuries!).
The race itself is one I enjoy, as I tend to relish the more challenging routes over the faster,
shorter ones. There’s always the possibility of postponement due to weather, as has
happened in previous years. Even with a relatively dry week leading up to the race, we still
encountered a few puddles along the way!
With no hint of postponement, I set off at my usual early hour of 07:45. Setting off early has
become a bit of a pre-race routine for me, helping me stay relaxed. After a nice, easy 45-
minute drive accompanied by some absolute bangers, I arrived at the registration hall, which
was fairly empty at this point, and started getting myself ready for my warm-up. Before that, I
had a chance to chat with fellow club members. First, I caught up with Super Kev, who
reminded me yet again what a fantastic runner he is with stories from races gone by. We
reminisced about old race routes that no longer exist and the impressive times he used to
run them in (spoiler: they were fast!). I also spoke with Abi about the challenges she faced
last year (understatement!) with injuries and met Holly, who I believe is new to the
club—welcome, Holly!
A quick side-note on pre-race routines: while we were chatting, I noticed a guy sneakily using
hairspray for some pre-race grooming. Whatever works, I suppose!
My current training plan involves fairly high mileage in preparation for the Boston Marathon
in April (unfortunately, that’s the Boston in Lincolnshire, not the famous one!). So, I set off on
a nice, easy three-mile warm-up. This was when I realised just how chilly it was—Strava now
tells me it was 2°C but felt like -4°C!
Once warmed up, it was race time! First warning: I am terrible at remembering course
details—a particularly useful skill when you’ve volunteered to write a race report.
We all headed down to the start. By this point, I had removed my extra layers and was down
to my racing vest and gloves (shorts too, of course), instantly regretting my wardrobe
choices. We then huddled together for a team photo and admired Chris Brown’s
impressively geeky, handwritten notes detailing his previous year’s splits.
As you run more local races, you start to recognise runners of similar ability, as well as those
just ahead of you. Once the race began, I focused on keeping my pace under control,
knowing some tough sections lay ahead. For the first mile or so, I ran with Paul Sissons
(who had a brilliant race, finishing 5th), but he gradually pulled away. Around mile three, I
had flashbacks to last year when I had to pull out due to injury. It was a good moment of
perspective—I felt grateful to be running well, feeling strong, and simply enjoying myself.
Runners are notorious for always wanting to improve and be “better,” but sometimes, it’s just
about appreciating where you are.
There was a sketchy moment when a Newcastle runner attempted an unintentional slide
tackle on his club mate around mile three, thanks to a lane absolutely covered in mud and
cow muck. It was a shocking tackle, worthy of a straight red. In all seriousness, he got back
up, we checked he was okay, and he later overtook me again, so he must have recovered
well!
I must mention how competitive NSRRA is. I’m in Group A thanks to pacing James Phoenix
during the virtual races held during COVID, and at Rugeley, I finished higher than I ever
have in my group. However, three runners from Group B finished ahead of me, which
speaks to just how strong that group is—and how impressive our local running community is
overall.
Once the “easy” first half of the race was over, we faced the long slog of the second half,
complete with a couple of steeper climbs. I’ve always been stronger on uphills than
downhills, so this section played to my strengths. Even so, knowing that the final 1.5 miles
were downhill definitely helped keep me going!
A fast finish (though still slower than my first mile!) brought me into the school, crossing the
line with a course PB of 1:01:55 and 12th place. Sometimes, you just know you’ve had a
good race, regardless of time. Considering the conditions and the hills, I felt strong and back
to my best.
After another chat with those who finished around me, I set off for a three-mile cool-down to
bring my total mileage for the day to 16. I must admit, it was a real slog after that race, and
my hamstrings certainly let me know they weren’t happy!
I echo the sentiments from the Alsager 5 race report—our club and the local running
community are truly special, and Rugeley reminded me just how lucky we are to have this on
our doorstep.
Apologies for this rather one-sided race account! Huge congratulations to everyone from
Stone who ran Rugeley (19 finishers) and the Manchester Media City Half. Judging by the
amazing performances all over Strava, it was a great day for racing, despite the chilly
conditions!