2024 Ranelagh 10k
Should you want to ‘ensure’ a good day for a barbecue, chances are it’d be a good bet to pick the date of the Ranelagh 10k. Especially as it’s beginning to develop a reputation for guaranteed sunshine!
And so it was again this year; with summer arriving – FINALLY – just in time for the wonderful festival of joyous running and club & community spirit that our annual 10k promotes. This year, our focus was on showcasing our new race values of ‘Passion’, ‘Joy’, ‘Collaboration’ and ‘Service’.
And those values shone all through the event; from the pre-race marketing highlighting some of our amazing volunteers and supporters; to that building sense of excitement communicated by the other clubs, right through to our first ever flat-lay challenge.
It all translated to the warmest of welcomes for every runner both at the start and on the course. Capping it all off was the post-race vibe; with selfies, stickers, beers and so much shared community and joy in our wonderful sport.
As to the race itself; 554 runners started, an 18% increase on the previous year. It was an incredibly stacked field: 128 open entrants ran sub-40 minutes and 51 women sub-45 minutes. 84.4% were club runners.
Following last year’s course change, we’d challenged runners to set a new course record for a cash prize and they both fell, the open record by 3 seconds and the women’s by 17 seconds! There were also PBs across the board, celebrated with stickers, selfies in the “I ran a PB” frame and the chance to enter our PB prize draw, so we could celebrate performance at every level.
Full results are available here: https://results.racetimingsolutions.co.uk/results.aspx?CId=16269&RId=1861
Following the event, the messages from other clubs on social media were overwhelmingly positive:
💙 Reigate Priory: ‘Brilliant – and toasty – day at Ranelagh Harriers #Richmond10k! … big thanks for a wonderfully organised race, such a fun event!‘, ‘Super fun, thank you all for making it a great race‘
💛 ‘Thank you so much for today – it was a fab race and really well organised!‘, ‘Great event as always, well done Ranelagh!‘
💙 ‘Thank you for a well organised wonderful morning 🙌 Thank you to all the volunteers ❤️‘
💛 Clapham Chasers: ‘Cracking day out for Chasers at the Ranelagh Harriers Richmond 10k today‘
💙 Elmbridge Roadrunners: ‘Hot & sunny at the Ranelagh 10k. Shout out to Ranelagh Harriers for organising‘
So while we put in a lot of work beforehand to make sure everything is planned, considered and approved, so that it all lines up and comes together successfully and safely; as Race Directors, the real triumph, to us, is the time and goodwill given by everyone in our club to help us make it happen.
From the pre-race course marking, to the water station set-up, to every single marshal & course bike ensuring that everyone is safe and encouraged; to the toilet stewards, the water & goody bag givers, and last but not least, the faithful few who help pack it all up at the end, including dealing with the rubbish. Everyone of you made it happen.
To us, it proves that our club embodies these wonderful new race values we have for our 10k; ‘Passion’, ‘Joy’, ‘Collaboration’ and ‘Service’.
We all love running. We’re passionate about it and it brings us all joy. We all come together as an amazing team to represent our club, and to host and collaborate with others for the good of our sport. We do it all selflessly, with kindness and heart; going the extra mile to serve others when needed.
We are both hugely proud to be a part of Ranelagh Harriers, and to have the opportunity to work with a great team on a great event. THANK YOU.
In closing, our deepest appreciation to our marshals and volunteers, without whose help we literally could not have achieve any of this:
Aleksandra Sznaber, Alex Ring, Ann Kearey, Anne Childs, Aoife Kilpatrick, Artem Tomashevsky and family, Aylla Assis, Bill Piears, Carol Barnshaw, Carol Aikin, Chris Camacho, Chris Owens, Claire Warner, Cecily Day, Clare Day, Clive Naish, Cordelia Perry, Daragh Fagan, Dave Glanville, David Powell, David Ready, Denise Thorne, Ed Forbes, Emma de Heveningham, Fanny Vein, Gerry O’Callaghan, Gavin Hillhouse, Graham Weller, Greg Smith, Hadi Khatamizadeh, Heather Martingell, Jarryd Hillhouse, Jeremy Day, John Hillhouse, Ian Grange, Lexi Slaughter, Louise Piears, Lloyd Camp, Marc Leyshon, Marilyn Nelson, Mark Herbert, Michael Osborne, Mike Morris, Michele Hillhouse, Neil Rae, Obi Morris, Oli Hickson, Oliver Pareja, Owen Delaney, Paul Wapshott, Pete Vox, Rachel Revett, Rachel Smith, Rebecca Bissell, Ric Motti, Richard Pender, Robbie Hillhouse, Ross Clayton, Sergio Stillaci, Simon Martin, Sue Camp, Tamsin Burland, Ted Mockett, Tom & Jade (& Louie) Bedford, Tony Clarke, Vaughan Ramsay, Verka Laffeuille, Victoria Martin, Wai Sem Morris & Wiebke Kortum
Massive thanks again.
Ed & Narissa.
📸 Emma de Heveningham and Owen Delaney https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15t3mKNC_hj8tgRLYNILmRZ8mt_NXpbQg?usp=sharing
