Birchwood 10k can work in tandem with the English Half marathon, so you get a nice little discount if you enter both together which is always nice.

Birchwood is a lovely suburb town with much of the run being on footpaths and off the road, but the road you do use is closed and coned off, so you always feel safe.

The course is relatively flat, so pretty quick paced if you're looking for a PB. 

Prior to the race, competitors gather next to Birchwood shopping centre by the train station. It's just a case of hang around until the group start to gather around the start line. It lacks any group warm up for those who enjoy that, and there's no instruction or entertainment for the start. 

You get drinks stations, they're nothing special but they do exactly what you need them to; provide water.

Marshals guide the way at any point where you could possibly go the wrong way, so you can follow the course without confusion.

Considering Birchwood is small, there are plenty of points where local support is gathered to give you a bit of a cheer, based on the name on your number tag- which is always helpful.

All in all, it's a quick enjoyable 10k through a leafy suburb. Yeah it has development areas but the Spectrum Striders have done a brilliant job in organising this event in the past, and I don't  doubt that will continue to be the case.