The first Pensford 10k took place in May 1988, organised by a local enthusiast, Pete McGuiness, with support from Somer AC. A Fun Run organised by Pensford Primary School followed the 10k and has done so ever since.
Over the 30 years on the roads the 10k gained a loyal following and a reputation as a tough race, mainly due to the legendary Peppershells hill at the halfway point. It was never a course for PBs! (If you’d like to see the old road course you can see it here.)
In 2018 we decided to take the race off-road and explore the countryside along the River Chew, resulting in one of the best new trail runs in the South West. Just to make things even harder, in 2019 we introduced the river section!
Now organised by a group of local volunteers, helped on the day by a small army of race marshals and other helpers, the 10k has become a fixture, with the Fun Run always proving popular. And with the help of our sponsors and advertisers, we’ve been able to support a lot of local causes over the years, including the Pensford memorial hall and the installation of defibrillators in the village.
After a very successful 2019 race, we’re delighted to make a £1000 donation to the Pensford Primary School Riverbank Project, as reported in the Chew Valley Gazette. Huge thanks again to all of the runners, marshals and our sponsors and advertisers for making this happen!
The 2020 edition of the race was sadly postponed due to the Covid 19 pandemic, but on Sunday 11th July 2021 we finally managed to hold the race, with wave starts. Looking forward to getting back to normal conditions in 2022!
Pensford 10k 