A Runner’s Perspective: The Yorkshire 10 Mile and Marathon

On Sunday 19th October, Campus West was buzzing with thousands of runners taking on the annual Yorkshire 10 Mile and Marathon Festival.

Starting and finishing on University Road, the event drew participants from near and far to one of York’s most anticipated weekends. As a third year student and member of the University’s athletic club, I joined the 10-mile race. Though it turned out to be tough, it was one of the most rewarding runs I have done.

Somehow, I even managed to set a personal best, something I’m still baffled by, given how heavy my legs felt in the final miles and the fresher’s flu I was still recovering from.

The course itself was mostly flat, typical of a run in York! We began by running towards town and through the city centre’s cobbled streets, passing the York Minster along the way, before heading out down country roads and through villages on the outskirts of the city.

Just before mile 9, we joined back onto Hull Road and ran up Green Dykes Lane, where I found I really had to dig deep to keep the energy up for the final stretch which lay beyond the hill. 

Crowds lined the route and always seemed to appear at the right time when you were in desperate need of motivation to push through.

There were countless children holding handmade ‘power up’ signs and plates of sweets; gazebos set up by York residents with refreshments; and strangers reading out the names on each participant’s race number.

All these things made it feel deeply personal and are what defined the day for me.

For the first two years of being a student here, I watched this event from the sidelines, both times regretting not partaking.

This year, from standing at the startline right through to running under the finishing arch, it felt surreal. Just two years ago I had never ran further than a 5k, having struggled with my mental health through school which prevented me from pursuing running as a hobby.

Fast forward to now and I can’t imagine my life without it. Along with the people I have encountered and befriended along the way (particularly as a member of UOYAC and my home athletics club), running has completely changed every aspect of my life for the better. This is anything but an overstatement. 

The Yorkshire 10 Mile showed that running isn’t just about racing, or getting a good time (although I won’t say no to a personal best!) but about connection and a shared humanity. Whether it’s family and friends cheering you on, hearing strangers shout your name or the quiet moments when you push through even when you feel like you can’t, events like these remind you that you are part of something much bigger.

Running is a sport that brings out the best in people and shows us that we’re never really running alone, even when it may feel like it.

For any reader who thinks “maybe next year,” this is your sign to go for it! Because being part of something such as this, both joyful and a challenge, is an experience that I doubt you’ll ever forget.