It's time for some Friday fun. We have trawled the events and discovered the annual Flitton Potato Race is on Sunday 1 June 2025, when another 400 runners are expected to get the sack!

The sack in question is a bag of potatoes supplied by Isle of Ely Produce – weight appropriate to entry category of runner – and the task is to carry the uncomfortable burden unaided as fast as possible over a measured mile course on a closed tarmac road from Moat Farm Close, Greenfield to the White Hart Pub, Flitton, in Bedfordshire.

Potatoes and sacks are provided for all runners at the start line. Competitors can keep their potatoes. Men carry a 20kg bag of spuds; women (over 16 years) a 10kg bag. Competitors aged 14-16 carry 5kg and 10-13s have a 2kg handicap. The full competition rules are here...

There are 4x400m relay races for all age groups and non-competitive egg'n'spoon-style runs called Spud & Spoon for children under 10. It all sounds a whole load of fun and it is – based on a village tradition going back more than 100 years. Last year's event raised over £7,500 for charities and the Flitton Potato Race has donated over £50,000 to support many local causes.

Mohammad Elbayan has (s)mashed the men's race for the past two editions. He was 'chip' timed at 5:44 in 2023 and 5:19 last year. Carly Keens (7:15) won the women's race in 2023 and the defending champion from 2024 is Christine Lathwell with 7:09. Elbayan's time sets the bar for the men to beat while the fastest women's time is 6:06 by Lizzie Janes in 2019. A sub-5-minute men's and sub-6-minute women's time is yet to be seen.

The event is superbly described in this official film of the 2023 race...

To learn more and to enter the 2025 Flitton Potato Race, click here.

Photo courtesy of Flitton Potato Race on Facebook