Grantham Running Club's Pearce has poignant reason to race Spitfire 10k

The RAF Museum Spitfire 10k took place on the old RAF Hendon Airfield last Saturday morning.

A total of 258 runners massed at the start line, including Daniel Pearce of Grantham Running Club.

After looping around the runway, the route headed out on to the streets of Colindale, North London, for two laps, including a flyover crossing of the M1, before taking runners through the museum entrance and under the wing of the giant Short Sunderland flying boat.

The run has been on the calendar since the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in 2015, and in everyone's race pack runners are given the name of pilots or crew who played a part in the summer of 1940. It is nice to do a bit of research to find out more, and it also adds a poignant reason for running on the day.

Daniel ran in memory of Flying Officer Claude Waller Goldsmith of 603 Squadron, based at RAF Hornchurch. He was just 23 when he was shot down in late October 1940.

Daniel was reasonable pleased with his time of 42min 41sec, improving by 1:31 on the course where he ran his first ever 10k race last year.

The winner was Adam Towle of Harrow AC, coming home in 35:28. Kat Alpe of the Met Police was the first female runner back in 39:48.

Nice Work organised the event, with much appreciated marshalling by museum volunteers and RAF Cadets.

A nice medal plus discount in the gift shop and on burgers in the café made the day even more special.