If anyone thought the Starburster 10 was going to be a close contest, they hadn’t met Nathan Mearns. From the moment the race started at 5pm, as the sun dipped behind the trees of Hurn Forest, Nathan turned what should have been a challenging evening run into a masterclass in dominance.

The race, starting at Hospital Services Cricket Club, offered both 5-mile and 10-mile options, with each lap measuring 2.5 miles out into the forest trails and 2.5 miles back. Trails were twisting, the footing was tricky, but Nathan made it all look effortless.

Nathan Mearns, in imperious form after a stellar 2025, made it look almost too easy. The man who shaved nearly a minute off his 10k PB at Lordshill 10k, took second at the Bluebell Bash Half Marathon, and clocked a 1:29:46 PB at Run Bournemouth Half Marathon despite racing the Hampshire Cross Country League the day before, simply disappeared into the distance from the start.

Lap after lap, Nathan’s rhythm was flawless. By the time he crossed the finish line, he had completed the 10 miles in a remarkable 1:13:45 – over seven and a half minutes ahead of second-placed Will Baker (1:21:28). Ellie Wiseman rounded out the podium in 1:21:42, taking first female honours, but even she looked like a distant silhouette compared to Nathan’s commanding performance.

The 5-mile race had its own emphatic winner, with Lee Thomas storming home in 30:45. Steve Lauder (39:19) and Steve Taylor (41:13) followed, while Aimee Elsden secured first female in fifth overall, clocking a respectable 43:02.

It was an evening that showed the Starburster is such a great event; challenging trails, a touch of sunset magic, and racing that can produce performances as impressive as Nathan’s. If you were looking for a textbook example of pace, power, and sheer dominance, Nathan Mearns delivered it in stye, leaving the rest of the field wishing they’d brought roller skates.