Wellesley 10k 2024
The Wellesley 10km Trail Run is a fantastic, flat trail race which takes place annually in the Autumn.
This race is organised jointly between the very experienced race team at Blackwater Valley runners and the Greater Rushmoor Nepali Community group.
17 of our club runners took to the trail this year and with weather conditions perfect for running, we were joined by runners from all over the south of the UK with a full capacity 630 in attendance.
The course starts on the polo fields in Aldershot and winds its way along the canal path and the beautiful Wellesley Woods where the trail twists and turns, helping you lose all sense of direction.
Despite the recent weather the whole route was solid under foot and even this week local contractors were resurfacing part of the route through the woods.
As you are only chip timed at the finish you have a rather different start where all runners are in a flat line to cross the same field. When the serenading from bagpipes has finished all runners head in a line towards the first turn.
After a lap of the field the well managed canal towpath provides some sure footing before you enter the woods. A well-marked and well marshalled course is easy to follow through the woods before you join the same point back at the canal and eventually find yourself with a grandstand finish in the army athletics stadium.
A last push with half a lap of the running track in the stadium, where the cheering crowds and running surface give you that stadium finishing speed to carry you over the line. If you get to beat your personal best you can even ring the PB bell, which seemed to be ringing its chime every 60 seconds.
This really is a beautiful location to run, where the rich warm autumnal reds, oranges and yellows showcase themselves in the woods whilst joining itself to the popular canal towpath where walkers, cyclists and runners converge for their outdoor exercise.
All 10k runners receive a rather discreet, but beautiful medal adorned with Nepali colour ribbon. The green represents “Nature and Harmony’. The red represents ‘Bravery and Courage’ and the Silver Medal represents “Innovation and Sophistication’.
On the medal is a Gurkha Memorial statue. This statue is dedicated to the first Ghurkha to be awarded the Victoria Cross. The first world war story in 1915 of Kulbir Thapa is one of true valor and certainly worth a read.
Individual results will show a few personal bests from this speedy flat trail run and I am sure we will be back for more next year.
Well done team FTRC.