There's a street race that goes up a High Street ... in Street!

It's the Street 5K and it has been organised by Wells City Harriers since October 1989 – now in its 34th year. The 200th race in the Street 5K Series was celebrated in December 2023 and the latest Street 5K and Junior Races: Race the Night #202 took place on Wednesday 14 February 2024 – Valentine's Night.

The Street 5K course is an almost perfect oblong measuring exactly 1K per lap and it starts at the zebra crossing on Farm Road. Runners turn left onto Southleaze Orchard, next left onto Orchard Road passing the race HQ at Street United Reformed Church, left again onto the High Street before taking a final left back onto Farm Road.

The five-lap course facilitates pace judgement for competitors and makes for exciting viewing for supporters. The course records are highly impressive and sit with Rob Walley (City of Stoke AC) at 14:21 in December 2000 and Ellie Wallace (North Somerset AC) with 16:16 in January 2022. Age group records are also maintained on the informative Wells City Harriers website here. 

The Street 5K Series runs from October to March each winter and the best times from the current series of six races are 15:22 by Tom Webb (Wells City Harriers) and 17:21 by Sophie Nicholls (Wells City Harriers) – the latter time having been equalled by Amber Gascoigne (W40, Team Bath) last week. Amber is an Honorary Life Member of the host club who nurtured her talent as a junior athlete.

In the Valentine's Night edition there were 63 finishers inside 30 minutes and a familiar winner in under-17 record holder Tom Webb (15:28). Tom was followed by David Awde (Bristol & West AC, 16:00) and Matt Lusby (Wells City Harriers, 16:09).

Amber Gascoigne (17:21) was eighth overall to win the women's race from Sophie Nicholls (Wells City Harriers, 17:36) and W50 Gill Pearson (Running For Time, 19:12) – one of 19 athletes who ducked under 20 minutes on the night.

The next Street 5K race is on Wednesday 13 March 2024 and if you are looking for a flat, fast, exciting night race this could be right up your street! Full race details, history, and entries from £5 are available at the Wells City Harriers website here.         

Results of the latest Street 5K and Junior Races are available at the runABC South race listing here.

Photo courtesy of Wells City Harriers website