Wells Festival of Running took place on Sunday (11 September) under the watchful gaze of two medieval gateways in the Market Place – the Penniless Porch and the Bishop’s Eye.

Wells City is steeped in history and the conclusion of the races alongside the Bishop’s Palace Moat must be one of the most spectacular finishing straights around.

The Festival of Running returned to Wells for the first time since 2019 and moved from the traditional May date to a new early autumn slot.

The course starts in the historic Market Place and heads down High Street before a stretch of gravel track that joins the Strawberry Line cycle path. Runners then head through the village of Dulcote and reaching Constitution Hill – the only climb in the course – before plunging downhill to the Bishop’s Palace for a flat and fast finish.

It’s one lap for the 5K and two laps for 10K. There is also a one-mile Fun Run and a 3.2K so something for everyone. The 10K race forms part of the annual Somerset Series of road and trail races.

This year there were 600 competitors across the four events and 407 ran the 10K, where the winners were Christian Green, of the promoting club Wells City Harriers, in 33 minutes exactly and Victoria Ratcliffe (Somer AC, 39:04), one of 26 athletes to beat the 40-minute threshold.

Top of the 153 finishers in the 5K were Wells City Harriers’ Zak Hurrell (16:00) and under-17 prospect Sophie Nicholls (17:08), who was fourth overall, with both setting new course records.

Ed Salter (Taunton AC, 14:21) and Grace Baker (15:12) took the 3.2K top prizes and 24 finishers in the Fun Run received one of the magnificent medals pictured above.

Results are available via run ABC South race listing here

Image courtesy Wells Festival of Running on Facebook