The Bugatti 10k 2026

I recently ran the Bugatti 10k for the third time. Organised by Almost Athletes running club, Bugatti 10k is a summer evening road race, starting from the Bugatti Owners’ Club/ Prescott Hill Climb near Gotherington on the outskirts of Cheltenham.

The July heatwave, the third of summer 2026, had faded shortly after the Dave Lucas Memorial 10k two weeks earlier, although temperatures had stayed around 26 or 27 degrees – still higher than normal. The day of the Bugatti 10k was the hottest day we’d had for a week or more! I couldn’t believe I was going to run yet another hot evening race.

I feel like I no longer know how fast I can run a 10k, because it’s impossible to run at your normal pace when it’s 29 degrees. My husband reminded me that I have to run for position, not time. Everyone is slower in the heat. Hopefully in the autumn I will finally get the chance to see if I can still run a 10k starting with a 46 or even a 45, like I did last year.

This year, I’d volunteered to help beforehand. I was slightly regretting that decision, as it meant arriving at 5pm for a 7pm race. I was on car park duty, which also meant it would be difficult to get away for the toilet. (As a runner, I always drink a lot before a race. When it’s hot, I drink even more.) I coated myself in suncream and insect repellent, put my hi-viz on, wore my flip flops (it was so hot, I didn’t even want to wear socks and trainers) and got on with it! It was actually quite good fun. I got a friend to cover for me for five minutes while I went to the toilet and I stood down at 6:30pm to give myself enough time to properly get ready for the race.

There were some on the day entries for Bugatti 10k this year, as it hadn’t sold out. It was part of our running club’s road race series (which I haven’t managed to take part in this year, due to marathon training and the Gloucestershire AAA series). The toilets are the toilet block on site and there’s no bag drop – you just have to use your car.

There was a race briefing at 6:45, telling us about the course, which has a ‘significant down and a significant up’ in the first km. It’s undulating until 3km, then fairly flat until 8km. It’s then undulating until 9km and the last km is a killer. We were warned to keep something in reserve for that! Then we all walked down to the start together, which is about 400m away.

Everyone was nervous about the heat and assuming they would do really badly. But at the last second, my friend and I moved further forward in the pack. I didn’t hear the 3-2-1, only the horn which signified the start. I stuck my 10k playlist on and I was off! I tried to hold it back on the downhill, but of course I didn’t manage it. And neither did my friend, who’d said she was going to be really slow. I looked at my watch and realised I was running at mile PB pace!

Inevitably, I slowed down for the uphill, but I was still going fast. I passed the first km marker very quickly. I ran my first mile in 7:19 and my second mile in 7:21.

The race is on open country roads, with lots of marshals out on the course. We’d been instructed to keep right until about 7km, although most people just ran where the shade was, even if it was on the left. I didn’t see a few of the km markers, which was quite nice, as when I did see one, it was a pleasant surprise. My friend pulled away from me and I assumed I wouldn’t catch her.

We ran through the village of Alstone and the outskirts of Alderton. There were water stations at around 2.5k and 7k. I took a cup, drank a big slurp, then threw the rest over myself. I was also carrying my own water with electrolytes, which I sipped three or four times during the race and really appreciated.

At about 4k, the route turns onto the main B4077. We ran along this road for nearly a mile and it felt quite long. Although I was surprised when I’d already run 5k. The first half of the race had gone quite quickly.

Then there was another long road, which took us all the way to Gretton. I think it was on this road that a member of the public was handing out 500ml bottles of Highland Spring water. I decided not to take one as I had my own water with me. I saw a lady a couple of places in front of me take one. She drank a bit, poured a bit on herself, then offered it to the man behind. He did the same, then offered it to me! That is how supportive runners are.

At the turning towards Gretton, we were moved from the right side of the road to left. Although we did have to go to the other side briefly when a bus came towards us! We were now on the long home straight back to the Bugatti Owners’ Club. My running was getting slower and slower and I was generally feeling dreadful. I ran my fourth mile in 8:18, my fifth in 8:15 and my sixth in 8:31.

At 8km, we were climbing. Then at 9km, the climb got steeper. I’d been closing the gap on my friend and it was around this point that I overtook her. I assumed she would overtake me back, but she never did. The temptation to walk was overwhelming. I’d walked in both my previous hot races – the Stroud Beer Race and the Dave Lucas Memorial 10k – but I managed to keep going. At the bottom of the final climb, I saw my husband, daughter and Hetty, which was a lovely boost. Just opposite them, was a man who’d collapsed, but he seemed to be OK.

On this final climb, the trees are dense and it’s impossible to see the Bugatti Owners’ Club until the last second. Even getting onto the drive is a bit of a climb. But I was through the gate and over the finish line!

I finished in 49:22, which isn’t my slowest 10k ever, but it’s right up there – nearly three minutes slower than last year. I finished a few seconds before the end of my 10k playlist. I’d managed to stay in front of my friend (who is 12 years younger than me).

For the last two years, I’d won my age category at the Bugatti 10k. I wouldn’t win it this year as the woman of my age who is definitely the fastest in the county was competing (luckily she doesn’t take part in the Gloucestershire AAA series). When I went to pick up my little results sticker, apparently I had won my category, after all. This lady had come third overall and you can’t win two individual prizes, so I got the FV50 win. There were two more women in my category just 30 seconds behind me, which was pretty close!

I was second lady from our club and, together with my friend who’d finished just behind me, we were first ladies’ team. So I picked up two prizes! Bugatti 10k 2026 was really hard, but I’d given it my all and I was absolutely buzzing afterwards.

I’ll be back next year and I’ll probably even volunteer for the car park again.