On Sunday I raced the Mental ‘Elf Charity 6km Fun Run in Bradley Stoke organised by the North Bristol Running Group (NBRG). This flat multi-terrain race started and finished at Meadowbrook Primary School and was an out-and-back route through the Three Brooks nature reserve.

The event took place on the 1st of December and it definitely got us in the Christmas spirit! Everyone is requested to dress up as an elf or other suitably festive outfits. There were some great costumes including an inflatable gingerbread man, lots of Santa Clauses and plenty of red and green elves. Before the race we took part in a group warm up that got everybody moving and loosened up to some Christmas tunes!

The race starts in the car park and sets off along the side of the road on the pavement to the nature reserve. There is a little downhill stretch to Three Brooks and then it is a long straight gravel path to the “North Pole”. This is the turnaround point and then it is back along the gravel path, up the hill to the road and finally to the school grounds where the finish is.

It is a fun run, not a race, but I did manage to get the win and was awarded a nice little elf trophy! I ran 20:02 for the 6km course, in second place was Elijah Buscemi in 22:45 and Nicholas Dobson was third in 24:48. Laura Ogden was the first women home in 27:49. In total there were 176 finishers. Full results of the Mental ‘Elf Charity 6km Fun Run here.

The course was very well marked with plenty of marshals out and enough signs to ensure no-one got lost. The race raised money for the Mental Health Foundation with all profits from the race entries and the bake sale going the charity doing great work.

Well done to everyone who raced and thank you North Bristol Running Group for organising such a great event!