London calling

Going strong for 10 years now, the Night of the 10,000m PBs pulls out all the stops. On Track Nights’ stop in London is doing what everyone else is only talking about doing: fans on the track, beer gardens, carnival acts, “win your weight in beer” prizes, all mixed with world-class running.

And it’s working – you can feel the energy across the world. I first became aware of the event due to the beer garden on the back stretch; I’d heard the stories of fans being right on top of athletes, driving them on. In an interview before this year’s event, Olympian Christopher Thompson recalled the UK 10K championships where he briefly took the lead because fans were yelling at him for not pulling his weight. I am not saying we want fans dictating how races play out, but we absolutely want fans close enough to the action – without getting in the way – so that they feel like they’re part of the event.

And that is the magic this meet has created. Bridges over the track, infield cheering, beer gardens and fences into lane eight, local community connections, DJs, circus acts and amazing performances. The energy and local community connection brings the crowds; then, hopefully, the performances convert them into fans of the sport for life. It’s a model being talked about all over the internet, it’s a concept few are trying to replicate, and it’s precisely what running needs.