Santa suits and muddy running shoes might not be the most obvious combination, but they make perfect sense at Tatton Park. The Tatton Yule Yomp 10K returns on Sunday 6 December, bringing competitive club runners and Christmas enthusiasts together for a festive morning in the Cheshire countryside. And while there are prizes for the fastest finishers, there's also an award for the best fancy dress, so speed isn't the only way to get noticed.

Organised by Run North West, the race follows a single lap through and around Tatton Park, starting at Knutsford Gate and finishing beside Egerton Youth Club on Mereheath Lane. The undulating course mixes trails, grass, gravel and tarmac, making this a rather different challenge from the usual flat festive road race. Trail shoes are recommended, although the final kilometre provides a change of surface as runners head towards the finish on fully closed roads.

The Yule Yomp has become a popular fixture for runners who enjoy combining a proper 10K challenge with a little seasonal silliness. There are prizes for the leading three men and women, along with an extensive range of veteran categories, but the fancy dress competition gives everyone another reason to make an effort. Whether a Santa suit helps or hinders your running performance is something competitors will have to discover for themselves.

There's a charitable element to the occasion too, with Run North West supporting Move, a charity helping people affected by cancer to become more active. A separate Family Fun Run is also planned, with its proceeds going to the charity.

The main 10K starts at 9:30am, with entries currently available. Runners receive a bespoke finisher's medal, although anyone planning an elaborate Christmas costume might find that ten undulating kilometres through Tatton Park provides quite enough entertainment without worrying about their finishing time.

Entries are available now via the runABC race hub.

Image courtesy runABC Creative.