Nick Beer 10k 2025

My first 5k race after my ankle injury had gone well. A week later I would do my first 10k: the Nick Beer 10k, around the Great Orme. I hoped that would work out as well!

I had decided to again take my bike with me. I didn't know how close to the start I could park, but it might very well be a bit of a distance. And it was! It is a big race, so parking was scarce. But that was okay with me.

The promenade, with the start and finish in the distance 

I biked to the start with my trousers, jumper and jacket over my running outfit. There I checked out the queue for the loos. They looked long! But I knew that there would also be loos in the hotel that functioned as race headquarters. So I went there. I had enough time! And when I got back I stripped down to my running gear, had a last sip of water, and went to the start.

The hotel that was also race HQ (not through this entrance though)

This time I made sure to end up in the vicinity of the front. And I recognised some people from the Thursday Night Hill sessions, and other races. That was nice!

I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't very cold. It had seemed cold when I set off from home. But I was in my club vest over an arbitrary running T-shirt, and that was fine. I did put on gloves.

When the horn sounded I was off. I wasn't going to rush too much at the beginning. A lot of people immediately ended up in front of me! But the announcer had said they were 900 runners, so inevitably, quite a lot would be faster than me.

I got to the start of the uphill bit and all was well. The day before my knee had been hurting a bit, but it was behaving. And I wasn't really gaining much on anyone, but I was happily trundling along. 

 

On my way up! Notice the other two Eryri Harriers behind me. They would still be near at the finish…

Shot with pier and geology in view

When I got to the downhill bit I realised that I wasn't likely to overtake anyone from that point on. That was okay! I might still be running a course PB. I hoped I would. That would make me feel good; then I was faster now than I had been before the whole IT band and ankle misery. Although I had cheated a bit; this was the first time I had started near the front, so that automatically gives you a bit of time gain.

The race has a bit of sting in the tail; you're not done with the uphill bit when you reach the highest point of the road the Great Orme. You have to traverse the peninsula as well to get back to the start, and that has some uphill as well. And when you get to the promenade, you can already see the finish, but it is bloody far away for something you can see. But I was feeling it! I saw I could indeed run a course BP, so I made sure to keep my effort up at the end. And it worked! From 46:09 to 45:22. Not bad!

Back on the promenade

Finishing pic

I had a little chat with the women who finished just before and just behind me and then I went to my bike. I I had accidentally left my phone in the car, so I went back to get it. I should be able to check if I had a category win. If so, it would make sense to go to the ceremony. I now knew where it was! But I didn't have signal there. I did have some lunch. And then I went back to the start. The website with the results still didn't want to load, but I heard the announcer say that the ceremony would be in 15 minutes. I might as well go!

I parked my bike at the hotel, and went to the room dedicated to the race. And bumped into several Thursday Night Hill runners again, this time with their dogs. One of them was Tinka, another Dutch lady. With Moos, the young spaniel! And when I walked in, the organisation wanted to know how to pronounce my name. That would mean they would call it out, so that would mean a category win. Nice!

They started with the oldies, and counted back to the overall top three. When my category came up I won a pair of socks. And Tinka had won all-out! What a woman! And she asked me to hold onto Moos’ lead while she took her place on the podium of honour. He was so disappointed to be left behind! He tried to get to her, and everyone swooned. It was very cute.

Moos admiring Tinka

With the ceremony over I headed home. It had been a good race! I can’t wait for the next one…