Better get training...St Helens 10K route to be even tougher (From St Helens Star)

Better get training...St Helens 10K route to be even tougher

5:00pm Thursday 13th December 2012 in News

RUNNERS competing in next year’s GPW Recruitment St Helens 10k will follow an altered route, the Star can reveal.

Organisers, who hope to attract 1,500 people, put the finishing touches to the course this week.

Redevelopment work at Victoria Park begins in February, meaning the location cannot be used on the route like it has on the previous two events.

The amended course, which once again starts from Saints’ Langtree Park, will take in a longer stretch of City Road and a section of Hard Lane.

Martin Blondel, secretary of race organisers, the Steve Prescott Foundation, said: “We have tried to make changes that will have the least impact on residents. If anything it will make the run even tougher.

The event this year attracted nearly 1,200 who helped raise more than £60,000 for charity.

Next year’s race, which has a capacity for 1,800 entrants, is set for March 10. There is also a 2km race for runners aged between six and 11 before the main event.

So far 200 have signed up for the 10k and the SPF has joined race partners Hattons Solicitors to offer incentives for people to put their names down early.

Hattons Gold Membership have put together an ‘Ultimate Christmas Present’ prize that will be claimed by one of the runners that signs up before December 20.

The prize includes: £100 gift voucher from OD’s Menswear, £100 gift voucher from Tyrers, a Family Canvas courtesy of Timpson and Alan Foster.

There is also an off road day for three people courtesy of Vicky Hewitt Land Rover Conwy.

Meanwhile, Barry Conway was the winner of the event’s ‘Ultimate St Helens Night Out’ prize, courtesy of Hattons Gold Membership, which was awarded to a competitor who signed up early.

The route will include Langtree Park, the Saints Bridge, St Helens town centre, North Road, Windle City and Cowley Hill.

Go to sthelens10k.co.uk or call Martin Blondel on 07971792859 for more information.