Leeds Abbey Dash named as England Athletics 10K Championship event
A landmark moment has been reached for one of the country’s fastest and historic 10K races held in Leeds every year.
The 2025 Abbey Dash has officially been selected as the UK Championship 10K making it a key fixture on the national road racing calendar with a renewed focus on elite performance and mass participation.
The Abbey Dash will continue to offer the flat, fast and friendly course it’s famous for. The course runs from Leeds city centre to the historic Kirkstall Abbey and back – perfect for PB chases, first-timers and club athletes alike.
This year’s event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 30.
Olympic runner Alex Bell from Leeds is a previous participant of the Abbey Dash.
She said: “The 2024 Abbey Dash was such a great morning, racing through the city. Everything was so well organised and the Yorkshire atmosphere was electric from start to finish. I’m excited to be on the start line for 2025 and now with the event being the official 10K Championship - it really is the icing on the cake. Here’s to smashing my PB for another year!"
In line with its new status, the event is expected to attract some of the UK’s top elite and club athletes with a generous prize pot on offer for those claiming glory. This adds further incentive for high-performance athletes looking to test themselves on one of the UK’s quickest courses.
To celebrate the new era and Championship status, Run For All has joined forces with England Athletics to offer RUN:EA members an incentive to sign up; offering 10 per cent off general entries for one month following the launch.
Barry Hopkins, head of RunEvents & Licensing at England Athletics, said: “We are delighted to be working with Run For All at the Leeds Abbey Dash for this year’s England 10k Championships. This event has always been popular and with the prize fund is a compelling opportunity for the best English Athletes to race for podium places. Equal prize money is available to both men and women, underlining our belief in equality in running. We are also delighted to offer a 10% discount to members of RUN:EA, our new individual running membership, and demonstrates our commitment to all types of runner whether members of our affiliated clubs or those who choose to run individually.”
Tristan Batley-Kyle, operations director at Run For All, said: “We’re honoured to bring the Abbey Dash into the Run For All portfolio. This race has a long and proud history and we’re excited to build on that legacy with the continued support of Age UK and the events new role as the England Athletics 10K Championship. The prize fund, fast course and top-tier competition makes it a must-run for many elites, and as ever we’ll continue to welcome thousands of runners of all abilities.”
Entries are now open and continue to sell quickly, with thousands or runners, from first timers to elites, eager to take part in this landmark event.
For more information and to register, visit: www.runforall.com/events/10k/abbey-dash/