Sandy 10

Race History

The Sandy 10 Road Race was first run in 1983 and was the brainchild of Paul Tomlin, who still lives in the area. The race was organised by Paul with help from the Sandy Scouts, and the Sandy Scout hut in Sunderland road acted as the race HQ. Paul continued to organise the race throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, and the local running community owe him a great deal of gratitude for the tireless work that he put into the event.

In 1996, Paul retired from his organising duties 13 years after he started the event. No one stepped forward to fill his shoes and the race did not take place in 1997. Up until 1996, the 10 mile race followed a route though Sandy town centre, up the hill past the RSPB Headquarters and on through Deepdale to Potton. At Potton, by the Royal Oak PH, the route turned right along Biggleswade Road as far as Sutton Cross Roads. Here it turned right again into Carthagena Road back to Deepdale. At Deepdale the runners retraced their steps back to the RSBP, where the route turned right along a Bridleway to Everton Road. At the road the route turned back towards Sandy and the downhill finish through the Sand Hills to the finish line at the Scout Hut.

In 1998 Biggleswade Athletic Club stepped forward to take over the responsibility for organising the race, with help from Sandy Scouts. By this time, new race regulations and the increased danger from traffic meant that a new course had to be found. Maurice Taylor, a member of Biggleswade AC at the time, planned the current route that runs out through the village of Everton and Gamlingay Heath. Since 1998, the race has grown in stature and is now considered the premier 10 mile road race in the region. The increased need for more changing facilities, showers, toilets and parking meant that the race HQ was moved to Sandy Sports Centre (Sandy Upper School) in 2003. This has provided a superb venue for the event and it is now the "home" of Biggleswade AC following their move from Stratton School in Biggleswade in 2004. In September 2005 the new all-weather athletic track was opened at Sandy Sports Centre, and it is hoped to use this facility for the finish of the race in future years.

Benefiting Charities

During the early years of the race, when Paul Tomlin was in charge, individual runners raised thousands of pounds for charitable causes. When Biggleswade AC took over control, one of their main aims was to donate surplus funds from the event to deserving causes and charities.

During the past years the following charitable causes have been the major beneficiaries of funds raised by the event. In all, over £9,600 has been donated in the past 9 years:

2000: Sandy Mayors Charity £350.00; Sandy Drum & Bugle Corps £60.00
2001: St John’s Hospice Moggerhanger £350.00; Maythorn Biggleswade £350.00
2002: Jamie Hartley appeal £400.00
2003: NSPCC £400.00; Save the Children £400.00
2004: McMillan Cancer Appeal Bedford £800.00
2005: Children’s Liver Disease Foundation £600.00; East Anglian Air Ambulance £600.00
2006: Keech Cottage Children's Hospice (Luton) £600.00; British Blind Sports £600.00
2007: Keech Cottage Children's Hospice (Luton) £2,000
2008: Keech Cottage Children's Hospice (Luton) £2,500

Race Route

The Sandy 10 race route can be found by clicking on the logo below;

Sandy 10 Race Route

Results

10 Mile Results

2000 Results		2001 Results		2002 Results		2003 Results
2004 Results		2005 Results<		2006 Results		2007 Results
2008 Results

2 Mile/3Km Fun Run Results

2000 Results		2001 Results		2002 Results		2003 Results
2004 Results		2005 Results		2006 Results		2007 Results
2008 Results

Past Winners

Men

Year	Runner	Club
1983	James Robertson-Fishwick	Unattached
1984	Robin Dodds	Bedford & County
1985	Stuart Plews	Bedford Harriers
1986	Stuart Plews	Bedford & County
1987	David March	Milton Keynes AC
1988	Eric Southam	Highgate Harriers
1989	Angus Kindley	Bedford & County
1990	Adrian Mason	Highgate Harriers
1991	Adrian Roberts	Rotherham Harriers
1992	Simon Alexander	Enfield Harriers
1993	Francis Mulhern	Nene Valley Harriers
1994	Dean Marshall	Nene Valley Harriers
1995	Gary Howe	Thetford AC
1996	Darren Mead	Belgrave Harriers
1997	No Event
1998	G Heslop	Chelmsford AC
1999	I Harpur	Southampton RC
2000	James Lawler	Aspley Harriers
2001	Eric Southam	Highgate Harriers
2002	Andrew Venus	Unattached
2003	Andrew Venus	Unattached
2004	Andy Holt	Herts Pheonix AC
2005	Simon Hall	FVS Tri
2006	Nigel Marley	Kettering Town Harriers
2007	David Wardle	London Irish
2008	Steve Poole	Wootton Road Runners

Women

Year	Runner	Club
1998	Julie Simmons	St Albans Striders
1999	Jane Walker	Corby AC
2000	Ann Wood	Werrington Joggers
2001	Amanda Yorwerth	St Albans Striders
2002	Martha Hall	Garden City Joggers
2003	Celia Duncan	St Edmund Pacers
2004	Danielle Sanderson	Watford Harriers
2005	Danielle Sanderson	Watford Harriers
2006	Paula Adams	NHRR
2007	Katherine Philp	Garden City Runners
2008	Donna McEwen	Bedford Harriers

Course Records