Wow – what a night we had at the Mow Cop Killer Mile.
As the main sponsors, our team was proud to support the event, which saw the female record smashed after 33 years!
The winner was Sara Willhoit, who runs for Shrewsbury Athletic Club. She shaved a staggering 12 seconds off the previous record holder in the Elite Race.
She ran it in 7 minutes 42 seconds, beating the record Shireen Barbour set back in 1992! Remarkably, it was also the first time Sara had run the race! She took home £1,000 from the record-breaker prize fund, money as headline sponsors we had donated.
Over 1,000 runners tackled the Killer Mile and crossed the finishing line across four races: the Junior Race, Fun Run (A and B), and the Elite Race. New for this year, every participant received a medal as a memento of their achievement.
The race, which began on Drumber Lane and finished on Mow Cop Castle Car Park, featured a challenging ascent of 570 feet, with steep sections reaching a 25% gradient.
The men’s record, held by Bashir Hussain since 1991, remains unbroken at 6 minutes and 12 seconds. This year, Bashir participated in the Elite Race, but it was 18-year-old Ash Burgess from Birchfield Harriers who recorded the fastest male time at 6 minutes and 55 seconds.
The race has been donating its profits to charity since it began in 1982. This year, the money raised goes to three local charities: Greyhound Gap, St. Luke’s Community Group, and Mow Cop Community Church. Mow Cop Runners will also receive a small donation to help with their work as event organisers.
This year, there was a dedicated school competition, with entries from children representing over 40 schools. For each child who participated in the Junior Race, their school was entered into a prize draw to win one of three £100 book tokens. This year’s winning schools were Woodcocks Well, Scholar Green Primary, and Castle Primary.
Alastair Machin, our CEO, said: “Wow, what a night. Congratulations to all the runners, especially Sara Willhoit, our new female record holder. How amazing to break the record in such a fantastic time and win £1,000, too! Let’s see if next year a new record will be set for the men’s race as well.”
“This year, with our support, we set out to make the event bigger and better than ever, and we couldn’t have done it without the Mow Cop Runners, our fellow sponsors, and all the volunteers. Reaching our goal of 1,000 runners is truly amazing! A huge thank you to the running community for joining us, and to the residents of Mow Cop and the spectators for creating such an electric atmosphere, as well as the Chaffinch team who worked tirelessly to support the event. Now, the planning begins for 2026!”
Race organiser Geoff Pettengell of Mow Cop Runners said: “I’m lucky enough to have been involved with the race from the start, and every year, it’s incredible to see the running community and local residents come out in force to support it. It’s been a great event with 1,000 runners taking part, the weather holding out, and so many smiling but relieved faces crossing the finishing line. I’m already looking forward to seeing what 2026 brings.”
For race results, photos, event details, and more, visit https://killermile.com.