Fred Hughes 10 Mile – Evie Newby

St Albans, 18/01/26

A mild and overcast (but thankfully dry) Sunday morning set the scene for the Fred Hughes 10 Mile in St Albans — a race I’d heard talked about a lot at track, always with glowing reviews. This was my first ever event with Queens Park Harriers, so it felt like the perfect one to jump in and see what it was all about (and yes, the t-shirt definitely helped seal the deal).

The course itself didn’t disappoint, winding through lovely country lanes around St Albans, with plenty to look at and a really positive atmosphere throughout. There were lots of friends and family dotted along the route, cheering everyone on and giving a much-needed boost as the miles added up.

Arriving in my newly acquired QPH hoodie made it easy to spot some friendly faces, and everyone was incredibly welcoming. A big shout out to Susan for introducing me to lots of new people, and to Willie for brilliant conversation in the early stages of the run — which very effectively distracted me from the fact I was running my first ever 10 miles, having previously only gone as far as 10km. It turned out to be a really enjoyable challenge, and one I’m very glad I pushed myself to do.

The morning finished on a high back at St Columba’s School, where we were treated to excellent tea and truly delicious cake — the perfect post-race reward. A fantastic event, a great introduction to racing with QPH, and no surprise at all that this one comes so highly recommended. Feeling suitably inspired (or brave), I’ve now signed up for the Cambridge Half in March… wish me luck!