Race is on to join big event
Feb 16 2010 by Mark Douglas, The Journal
BLAYDON Race organiser Bob Houston is braced for the event to fill up faster than ever this year – another sign of the growing popularity of one of the biggest days in the North East athletics calendar.
Entry opens today and after all of the 4,000 places were taken up in just four days in 2009, Houston is predicting another rush to be part of the historic June 9 road race. It has been quite a progression from the original race in 1981, in which just 212 competitors took part.
The 5.9 mile course begins in the centre of Newcastle before winding through Collingwood Street, Scotswood Road and across the bridge into Blaydon.
“The race has been over-subscribed for five years but a real measure of how popular it has become is how quickly it fills up,” Houston said.
“It’s fantastic to see how it has grown over the years – it’s gone from strength to strength and keeping a great tradition going. We provide online entry and the 2,000 entries we had there were gone within 12 hours last year, a great show.”
The field is mixed between elite competitors and unattached runners, who raise thousands of pounds for various charities. The Charlie Crowe scanner appeal, which is aiming to raise £1.5million to fund research into Alzheimer’s Disease, is the charity of choice this year.
“First and foremost this is a road race run under UK Athletics which is why we have so many club runners and why it is such a big part of the athletics calendar in the North East,” Houston said.
