Percy Pud 10K race 2019 : Thousands prepare for popular Sheffield race that offers free Christmas pudding

From humble beginnings in 1983 with 600 entrants, the race has since grown so that the 3,000 limit was reached just hours after the entry list was opened.

The majority of entrants usually live within easy reach of the route.

However, there are a significant number of people who travel in from all over the country.

The popularity of the pre-festive race is perhaps because all competitors receive a free Christmas pudding and a Percy Pud beanie hat.

At the ‘sharp end’ of the race the quality could hardly be better.

Jack Martin (Stockport) won last year, pipping Hallamshire’s Andy Heyes with a course record of 29:13.

International runner Eilish McColgan is a regular at the event having set a course record of 32:23 two years ago and winning easily again last year.

Organisers Steel City Striders do a marvellous job organising the race which starts at 9.30am on Loxley Road.

It is an ‘out and back’ course along the picturesque Loxley Valley on the outskirts of Sheffield, skirting the Dam Flask Reservoir.

Unusually for Sheffield, it is a relatively flat course which gives the runners a chance of running PB times.