Helsinki Marathon 10k: 22 August 2020
All runners
| # | Pos  |
Name |
Time  |
Cat |
Club |
Graded |
Pace |
| 1 | 1 | Charles Pridgeon | 43:50 | V50 | Serpentine | 70.9% | 7:03 |
Report
The Helsinki 10k is essentially a single loop of the 4-loop city run that is the Helsinki Marathon, held in August every year. The course has an undulating first half through a residential area and a park and a pretty flat second half which is mostly along the docks/seafront. About 15% of the course is cobbles and 5% is packed stone/gravel. There is a lot of going onto and off of pavements and in the first half also changes of direction, so it’s really difficult to find your pace. Add in the wind factor whipping off the coast and in the 2020 edition a biblical deluge in the first three kilometres and it’s not going to be a course for you if you’re aiming for a PB. The fact the race was won by someone just under 35 minutes tells you a lot about how difficult the course is.
The race itself is impeccably organised and well marshalled. You pass the slower marathon runners but I was never held up. It’s a small field (175 in this edition, split almost exactly men/women). Embarrassingly all the M50’s who entered were pretty good runners, so with my time of 43:50 I was 29th overall, but 5th out of 6 M50...
The medal, for those who like them, is a colourful affair and quite big but nicely made. The real reason to run this race is to enjoy the City (history and architecture in abundance), see Finland and its very hospitable people and eat delicious seafood. Just amend the expectations of your Finishing Time !
Result queries
If you have any queries about these results please email results@serpentine.org.uk