Barbara Thackray will help start the Altrincham 10K on Sunday, September 6, in a fitting role for a runner who has become part of the race’s story from the very beginning. The 88-year-old, who has completed every Altrincham 10K to date, will line up alongside Connor Rand at 9.30am for what is expected to be the biggest edition yet, with 4,500 runners taking part.
There is a simple reason this feels like such a natural moment. Thackray has been tied to the event for years, first beginning to run in 2015 at the age of 77 to raise funds for St Ann’s Hospice, and later continuing to return to the start line year after year. In 2025, she took part in her final competitive race at the Altrincham 10K aged 87, but this year’s honorary start gives her another chance to be central to an event she has helped define.
Barbara Thackray’s place in the Altrincham 10K story
Jack Williams said Barbara “represents so much of what makes the Altrincham 10K special”. He added that her commitment to running, her fundraising for St Ann’s Hospice and the way she has inspired people across the local community have made her part of the story of the event from the very beginning.
That is the key point here. This is not just a ceremonial gesture. It recognises a runner whose impact has gone well beyond finishing times, with more than £50,000 raised for charity and 27 years of community involvement behind her. In a race that has grown into a major local fixture, Thackray’s presence speaks to the human side of the event as much as the athletic one.
Connor Rand: proud to be part of the biggest-ever race
Connor Rand said that after meeting Barbara following her final Altrincham 10K last year, he was “delighted” to be joining her as an honorary race starter this year. He also said the Altrincham 10K shows the town at its very best and that he is proud to be part of the biggest-ever race as the community comes together to support The Christie Charity.
That gives Sunday’s race a broader significance too. The Christie Charity is the Official Charity of the Year for the 2026 Altrincham 10K, so the event is not only about participation numbers but also about the way the town rallies around a shared cause. With 4,500 runners expected, Altrincham town centre and the surrounding roads will again be at the heart of a major community morning.
The start at 9.30am on Sunday, September 6 is likely to bring plenty of attention, but the real story is the one Barbara Thackray has helped build over time. She has been there from the start, and now she will be there again to send the next wave of runners on their way.
