Ten Kilometres And Thousands Chasing Their Own Fast Time
Leeds Abbey Dash returns on 29 November with thousands of runners sharing one of Britain's fastest 10K courses with the England Athletics Championships...
This relates to: Leeds Abbey Dash
Some will be racing for an England title. Thousands more will simply be racing the clock.
Leeds Abbey Dash returns on Sunday 29 November with the England Athletics 10K Championships once again sitting at the sharp end of one of Britain's best-known mass participation 10Ks.
Last year's Dash attracted more than 10,000 runners as Run For All took over delivery of the event following nearly four decades under Age UK. The charity remains closely involved as lead partner, while 2026 marks Run For All's second year at the helm.
The formula remains reassuringly familiar: 10K, closed roads and a fast, flat out-and-back journey from Wellington Street towards Kirkstall Abbey before runners turn for home.
It is a course with a reputation for attracting some seriously quick people. Last November, James McMurray won the England men's title in 28:52, with Joshua Grace just four seconds behind and Ollie Lockley third in 29:01. Melissa Courtney-Bryant won the women's championship in 31:37.
But the Abbey Dash has always mixed that speed with mass participation. Club runners chasing sub-40s and sub-50s, first-time 10K runners, charity fundraisers and those simply hoping to beat their own previous best will share the same roads as the championship field.
Age UK remains the lead charity partner, continuing an association with a race it delivered for almost 40 years before handing organisational responsibility to Run For All.
The start gun goes at 9:30am on Wellington Street.
Somebody will leave Leeds as England 10K champion. For thousands of runners behind them, there will be rather more personal titles up for grabs.
