The MAC Easter 10 miles is a big deal in Maidenhead: our local race, run by our local athletic club and normally marshaled by our local MP. It is a cracking start to the Easter weekend and great excuse to eat ALL the Easter eggs.

Sadly the pandemic has prevented both the 2020 and 2021 races from taking place, but rather than abandon completely, MAC decided to hold a virtual event this year.

With Lockdown restrictions starting to ease this week, it was brilliant to be able to run the 10 miles in a small group rather than just solo or in pairs. Amanda, Amy, Juli, Rekha, Sophie and Tara met up at 'Theresa gate' and enjoyed a lovely, chatty couple of hours running and walking. Our 'figure of 8 (ish)' route took in local sites like White Waltham Airfield and Shottesbrooke Park, stretches of leafy bridleway and open fields. We admired beautiful trees and frolicking lambs and had fun spotting things beginning with 'H' (for a GG Slough challenge) on the way round. It was very chilly, but everyone was in good spirits and made it round smiling.

GoodGym W&M are proud to call MAC 10 Race Director Jen Francis one of our own, and she had the lovely idea of giving Amy the group's medals in advance, so that they could be presented at the end. The look of surprise and delight on everyone's faces was brilliant. The medals are from the 2020 race and say '2020 Finisher' on them. The intention obviously was to celebrate finishing the 10 miles, but we liked the idea that we were getting a medal for surviving the whole of 2020!

Well done to Matt, who recently joined GoodGym and who ran at the same time as us, but separately with his sister. He clocked a faster time than us and said their route was beautiful. His medal will be delivered soon!

Well done everyone and thanks to MAC for inspiring us to get out there!