Aberdeen 6km Santa Run

The day after going to a wedding in Aberdeen I took part in the Aberdeen 6km Santa run, luckily it was a later start so I had a bit longer time to recover. I decided to take some photo's on my mobile on the way round and not go for an all out effort.

I got to a race a lot earlier than normal, where are all the Santa's?




As we had to collect our Santa suits before the race. I have done 2 Santa races before so I was prepared with extra pins to make sure the suit stayed in place when running.



The race started and finished at Aberdeen FC's ground at Pittodrie Stadium and Angus was there.





There was then a warm up before the run led by a fitness person assistant by Angus and the charity reindeer mascot. There was also a Christmas song sung for Scottish TV (STV).



After a few hundred meters I was the front section with not that many ahead of me.



After a few hundred meters we where then running north along the promenade and I even saw a Scottish Santa!!!



After running for about 2km we went to the path above and headed back south into head wind for 3km!!



At this point there was still a lot of Santa's running the other way to the turning point.



Further along there was dark cloud one side of the path and bright sunlight the other side.



The wind was fairly strong which made a lot of waves on the beach.



I then spotted a lone Santa running along, thinking about they must have been on the last bit back to the finish.



As we reached a turning point about 3km along the path and then returned north along the lower path for a few hundred meters before heading through a tunnel before reaching the stadium finishing with a lap of the pitch.





We went through the bottom of the stand before running around the edge of the pitch (Field of Play).




I then sprinted along the touchline, I am normally are wearing black kit and holding a flag when doing half of this line.



Then along the far goal line.



Then a final big sprint alone the touchline before finishing inside the far stadium. At the far end of the stand on the right is where they put the away supporters they get a roof but a nice big gap to the north sea elements.



Below is the race medal. On my watch I completed it in 28:22 which averages out to 8:14 minute/mile, plus it is also a PB, due to it being the first 6km race I have done. This was better pace than expected due to wearing the santa suit while running plus the 4.25 mile(7 km) run to and from the hotel. In addition a few days earlier I had travelled at least 500 miles by coach with a 10 mile run later that night with a fast 4 miles of speedwork with another club.