Barnsley 10k - racing is back on the streets of town, where running began!
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The Barnsley 10k, the return of running to the town centre. It’s been a long time coming, feels like even longer in the planning. In July 2023, I personally changed jobs to move from Barnsley FC Community Trust into Barnsley Council; I’d long joked about wanting to establish a road race within the town centre. With Barnsley once being epicentre of road running in the UK, with the development of the Barnsley 6 and Barnsley Marathon throughout the year of 1974. The Barnsley Marathon being the first event in the UK to allow women to take part; a trailblazer of the time. The events thrived, more entries than the early London Marathons. Booming and adapting throughout the years, eventually the Barnsley 10k was born when metric races came to fruition; adopting many various routes throughout its lifespan, being in the town centre, eventually moving to Royston and then its final resting place of Grimethorpe Park Springs bypass.
My own entry into Barnsley’s running scene came with the Royston rendition of the Barnsley 10k, throughout November 2013. I’d done a couple of marathons before donning the event. I’d only just started making an appearance at parkruns locally. It was a baptism of fire into the local running network, seeing the wealth of clubs, runners, first timers, everyone involved. But it was never really the Barnsley 10k, you crossed into the Wakefield border almost straight away. Although it was a great event organised by none other than Barnsley AC. I’d revisit the Barnsley 10k frequently through the years until its demise.
The 29th of November 2015, my last day off of running. The day of the Barnsley 10k in 2015, I was meant to be on that start line that day but sickness, cough, cold, feverish. I stayed in bed and had a day off of running, swearing the next day that I’d be back out lacing up my trainers and doing it all over again. That I did. And I’ve run everyday since the 30th of November 2015. The Barnsley 10k, a race in my hometown, doing it justice, means a lot to me. And that young, naive kid who first started lacing up his trainers in 2012. If you’d had told him, that he’d be where I am now. I’d have done more than laugh at you.
So when I took the job in the Sport & Physical Activity team in Barnsley Council, it was the first thing on my mind. Along with plenty other things, to make an impact on my hometown, conquer my hometown. My own community.
Never did I envisage just how much would go into organising the Barnsley 10k, how much background work and all of the stuff you don’t see. The iceberg analogy rings true. Did it pay off? Of course it did. The support, the atmosphere, the people, they made it. Barnsley turned out in force, the town was packed with what we have tallied at 4,500 people. With 1381 entries and a showing of just short of 1200 on the day of the event. The streets were lined and supporters were out in force, truly bringing a bit of that Barnsley grit, the spirit of our town out for the return of the Barnsley 10k. This is my social circle, the lads and lasses I train with, slog the hard miles with, and stop to have a coffee with. The roads I run, the motivation and passion I have for running. I just hope it trickled down into someone else through that day. Would I do it all again? Just bring it on for 2025!
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#runeveryday
#yorkshire
#fitness
#marathonrunner
#running
#trainingtalk
#tracktuesday
#parkruntalk
#parkrunstatistics
#parkrunuk
#parkruntourism
#running
#roadracing
#roadrunning
#runeveryday
#fitness
#marathonrunner
#trainingtalk
#yorkshire
#tracktuesday
#speedsquad
#personalbest
#halfmarathon
#runningshoes
#carbonshoes
#carbon
#nikevaporfly
#motivationalvideo
#motivational
#inspirationalquotes
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#speech
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#realistic
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#barnsley10k
Пікірлер: 23
Great point about it being organised by Barnsley for Barnsley rather than an events company rocking up and putting it on for us.
Kudos to you Gareth and your team/volunteers/emergency services/others for organizing this wonderful event. You can tell a lot of work goes into it behind the scenes and it brings the community together. Great stuff! It's people like you that are truly bringing happiness to your local community. Thanks for the vlog. And great run Naomi. Best wishes from Sydney, Australia.
Brilliant event Gareth, well done bud. Also cheers to Naomi for sorting me a different t shirt. Even had staff / students asking me about it at work so it has definitely created a buzz in the town. Looking forward to next year 👏🏻👏🏻
It was absolutely brilliant Well done to all volunteers staff runners and supporter, for making it run to be proud of
Go Barnsley
Gareth looks more Knackered from organising this than he does after some of his max effort races ! Top effort guys , a great watch .
It was a brilliant event Gareth! So well organised and fantastic support
Gareth haven’t watched your video as I write this but have seen John’s (2 running brooms) and I am so encouraged that a council has supported a local club by having road closures and allowed a race through the City Centre.. You must have put in hours of work so I would like to say a massive well done and hope this race becomes a tradition once again for your loved Barnsley. I hope other towns//city’s follow this lead and try and encourage youngsters to be involved in sport instead of other less desirable things many get up to. Brilliant and many congratulations to you and everyone involved in Barnsley particularly a Council that has got involved.
What a very emotional event, both of you. Was lovely to see you all. Well, ran to you all whether running or organising, or both. I very much enjoyed running. The collective of runners together is always emotional. Happy tears and support. The atmosphere was electric.
Well done for doing all the hard work in organizing the race. 👍
In the words of a great Barnsley lad “none too shabby” that! Amazing and personally so pleased to hear that some money has been raised for Barnsley and that the event was so well supported. I really hope that you have started and revived a legacy that continues well into the future. Also I was pleased to see the Mayor? Start the race and supported it too. So many volunteers it is mind blowing and you should feel extremely proud of yours and your teams organization. WELL DONE!
Well done Naomi,top runner,top girl,you always look so happy.x
Well organised and a great effort Gareth
Excellent work from you both 👍
I’m speaking a as spectator (and hopefully participant next time ). Absolutely loved it! Great event. Great crowds. Happy people all around. You have done an amazing job ! My sons created some posters and were supporting every runner on the course. It was a super day!
Started running 2 months ago and Barnsley 10k was my first 'proper' event. Kept me motivated to train, knowing it was coming up. Loved it. Thanks for the effort in putting it together & keep up the quality vids
Great video Gareth and Niomi. It's certainly given me some motivation back having the 10k. Well done Gareth on the work you've put in to get the event up and running and hopefully next year's will be even bigger and better.
Looked amazing 10k,well done both.
Different gravy that race guys. I did the Cannon Hall 10k in 2012 that set off from the town centre but the event on Sunday was a world apart from that. Not heard of a single negative and it genuinely felt good to support a local race. Getting everyone to cooperate to get that put on was some effort. Let’s hope there is another event and long may this revived event continue. Great to say hello to Naomi at registration as well 😂 Well done 👏
Brilliant this 👏 was absolutely gutted to miss this event as I'd pre entered RSR before this was announced 😢 my wife & kids came out to the Chesnut Tree to cheer all the runners on 😊 well done to you & your team and everyone involved 🎉🎉 amazing to see a race like this in Barnsley! Will be there for next years 😊
Me and Mark just saying today how well you did at organising and didn't look like it could've gone better (although on the other side you might have things you'd do differently). The setup / signage was quality and seeing town centre buzzing before 9am on a Sunday was amazing !! As much as I don't like running up and down Huddersfield Road so didn't enter I did have serious FOMO so if it's on next year you never know..... Well done again 😃
Impressive stuff! 👏 Great to hear that a large proportion weren't members of clubs. Hopefully it encourages people to join local clubs or at least continue with the training.
Looking foward to this video