The Knacker Cracker

This is a race that’s as much a part of the early-january running scene as Tiger Balm on aching legs and alarm clocks on snooze (for one more day, anyway). There’ll be no snoozing at this 10K, however: it’s a brutal way to see in the new year, as you run up and down fearsome Box Hill in Surrey. There’ll be plenty of runners in fancy dress (last year’s event featured a dalek, Ziggy Stardust and noted athlete Donald Trump), the odd hungover runner tacking off to the side to ‘gather’ themselves, and great camaraderie. The fact that there is a ‘bonus’ hill – the Eiger Steps – thrown in because of popular demand, tells you all you need to know about the masochistic mindset required for this event. Box Hill, Surrey, January 1, trionium.com