The Christmas decorations might still be up and the last of the mince pies barely finished, but Northamptonshire runners won't have long to wait for their first racing opportunity of 2027. The Oundle New Year 10K & 5K takes place on Sunday 3 January, offering an early chance to put those New Year resolutions into action.

Organised by Nice Work, the event has become a familiar fixture on the early January racing calendar, welcoming everyone from experienced club athletes to runners taking their first steps into organised racing. Starting from Oundle Primary School, both distances head out onto the quiet country lanes surrounding the historic Northamptonshire market town.

The course offers a useful early season test without being excessively demanding. The 5K follows a single lap of gently undulating tarmac roads, while the 10K covers the same circuit twice. Wide lanes and open countryside provide an appealing setting, although the rolling nature of the route means runners shouldn't expect an entirely flat start to the year.

There's something particularly satisfying about getting a race completed before the first full working week of January. For regular runners, Oundle provides an opportunity to establish an early benchmark for the months ahead. For newcomers, the friendly atmosphere and choice of distances make it an inviting introduction to the racing calendar.

Both races begin at 10am, with bespoke medals awaiting finishers and prizes for leading performers. Free race photography offers another opportunity to capture those first competitive miles of 2027, while Oundle Primary School once again provides the event headquarters.

And if those New Year resolutions involve running more regularly, improving your times or simply enjoying a few more races, this seems a perfectly sensible place to begin. 

Entries are available now via the runABC Race Hub.

Image courtesy Nice Work.