Where Staindrop, County Durham
When May 27, 2007
First Man Terry Wall 33:11
First Woman Aiveen Fox 38:20
Last Finisher 1:27:32
No. of Finishers 415
A thousand years ago the Viking king and self-appointed ‘Emperor of the North’ King Cnut owned the estate of Rabi – the name is derived from the Danish ‘ra’ meaning boundary and ‘bi’, a settlement. The impressive medieval castle that stands on the site today was built in the 14th century, providing visitors with seven centuries of turrets, towers, art and history to wonder at.
The runners at the Raby Castle 10K might not have turned up looking for a history lesson, but they couldn’t fail to be impressed by the magnificent backdrop for the race.
A good mix of club and non-attached runners lined up for the two-lap event – run mostly on the private Tarmac roads of the estate with a few short sections on woodland track – and were treated to great views of the castle, its moat and grounds as the hilly but manageable course unfolded.
Judicious use of music at 9K helped many tired runners tackle the final ascent – but for those who didn’t fancy running the hills twice, a 5K option was also available.
The bad weather that earlier threatened never materialised, affording finishers the opportunity to enjoy the castle and grounds at a more leisurely pace, with many opting to make most of the refuelling opportunities at the tearoom.
