Where Dartford, Kent
When January 20, 2008
First Man Crispian Bloomfield 53:38
First Woman Tina Oldershaw 1:01:32
Last Finisher 2:18:18
No. of Finishers 735
Runners gathering for the seventh Dartford 10 were blessed by unseasonably mild conditions for January, allowing tights and gloves to be dispensed with. The heavens also remained closed for the duration despite the leaden skies, leaving racers with only the gusty wind to contend with.
The idea of running through Dartford, the Kentish town probably most famous for its bridge and tunnel and bounded by the M25, perhaps doesn’t inspire scenic expectations but the route was pleasantly picturesque.
After setting off from the excellent facilities of race HQ at Princes Park – the home of race organisers Dartford Road Runners – the looped course turned south onto undulating country roads.
A series of tough climbs between miles four and five were rewarded with a long, winding descent immediately afterwards, but there was a sting in the tail with a long hill in the final mile.
The only problems were the minor traffic issues. Despite marshals doing a great job of traffic control, some impatient and vocal drivers took exception to being held up, while a couple of narrow pavement stretches alongside busy roads meant overtaking could be a risky manoeuvre.
But milkshakes, bananas and the technical T-shirts in the goody bag meant everything turned out nice in the end.
