Continuing on from some amazing opportunities I’ve already had in 2019 (running the London Marathon and running with Pharrell Williams to name a couple), definitely one of the surprise highlights had to be getting invited to race the Deejay Ten Milano by Sports Direct Running x New Balance. Being my first international race, I was absolutely ecstatic to be picked to take part! This is a short summery of who was part of the amazing trip and what happened.
Crew Love
Check out the crew that made this trip possible and were great to run around with:
Tom (tom.runs), Laura (laura.push.pt), Jonny (jonnystephensfitness), Rachel (rachel_fearn), Amy (amyrosannaruns) and Meg (megdorrans).
The Race
So I definitely underestimated the popularity of this event! Damn near 20,000 participants for a 10k! Sound crazy? Try being there for what is pretty much a free for all mass takeoff. There were a few different waves but I think most people has the same idea as us to jump into the first wave. The atmosphere was definitely pumping; as the Dee Jay Ten is hosted by one of the larger radio stations in Milan, you would think so.
This wasn’t the kind of event where you could really go for it (unless you pushed your way to the front like Tom.runs did) so we all decided to stick together and take it easy. 55 mins was the goal time. The ground was pretty uneven at parts due to cobbled streets and slab pavements, so taking it easy was the safest option. Along with the obstacle of terrain was dog walkers which I’m sure I had to leap over a few dog leads from time to time.
When you managed to get out of the initial hustle and bustle after a few kilometres, the run was pretty nice, just as Milan is an awesome place due to its sheer beauty.
What was great about this race was it’s inclusivity; literally people of all shapes, sizes and abilities got involved and that’s what made it so special. 10km for some is easy and for some it’s a massive milestone. Bringing the likes together is actually quite an awesome thing and Deejay Ten does just that.
My Thoughts
All in all the trip to Milan was amazing. I had a fantastic weekend with the SD Run Crew and I would like to thank the guys and girls for making it as great as it was. I would like to thank Sports Direct Running for setting everything up and New Balance UK for kitting us out in some amazing gear (honestly, the Fuelcell shoes are great to run in!!). If you happen to be on Milan the next time this race is taking place, it’s definitely worth getting involved and having a good old fashioned fun run. Fun times not gun times!
Have you ever taken part in the Deejay Ten Race? Have you ever raced internationally? Let me know in the comments and thanks for reading.
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