TBH Cup: Race 6 (Tynedale 10M Road Race)

And so, after five eventful races, the conclusion of the TBH Cup comes down to this: the Tynedale 10M Road Race on Sunday, 1st September.

Whether you’re treating it as one-off race or a practice run for the GNR, the Jelly T 10M is a fantastic race, with a course that challenges both new and seasoned runners alike. Starting on the outskirts of the Hexham, the route heads east towards Corbridge at which point runners tackle a fairly tough climb for a mile or so. But once you’ve reached the summit, the race drops down to the Tyne and is virtually flat the remainder of the way. Except for a little something at mile 9, but the less said about that the better. If you’ve never ran the race before then you’re in for a nice surprise

Tynedale 10M route and profile view.

Click here for a larger map.

With one race remaining, the outcome of the TBH Cup is still in the balance.

It all began at this year’s AGM when someone suggested a series of races throughout the year, with the member accumulating the most points being acclaimed the champion. Of course, to make it fairer for those not blessed with blistering speed (me) or bags of stamina (me again), the races would range from 5K to 10 Mile, with a fiendish points system also coming into play, so members finishing a race in 100th position could – theoretically – still amass the same amount of points of someone finishing in the Top 10.

Once the selection of six races had been finalised – and it was decided the best 5 scores (out of 6) would be counted – it was time to begin proceedings with the first race of the series, The Clive Cookson 10K in May.

Now, some three months later, we’ve reached the final race of the competition, Sunday’s Tynedale 10 Mile RR.

Stevie Barker currently heads proceedings, having competed in all 5 races so far, but with several members still to register their full quota of points, it’s all to play for. Good luck to everyone racing on Sunday.