HUNDREDS of runners have been hitting the streets this weekend for St Helens' Virtual 10k.
The coronavirus pandemic means organisers of the GPW Recruitment St Helens 10k have had to switch from a traditional race to a "virtual one", with participants given the choice of running their own course on Saturday, March 6 or Sunday, March 7.
An app from TDL Event Services tracks the individual runner's progress and provides them with information about their time, which is sent back to organisers.
Great to see plenty of runners this morning wearing their @sthelens10krun t-shirts running up/down North Road smashing out great times and showing that this global pandemic won’t stop us being a #NorthRoadSurvivor 💪
— Brian Shaw 🏃♂️ (@BriShaw81) March 6, 2021
Let’s hope there’s plenty more tomorrow morning 👍 pic.twitter.com/63oZjKpNpA
Friends and family can follow each other's progress using this app and compare the finish times displayed on the leaderboard.
So far more than 300 runners have completed their own course. Some have been taking on the arduous North Road hill, which is part of the run's normal route.
As of Saturday evening, PE teacher Gareth Fletcher, who is head of PE at De La Salle, had clocked the fastest time of 36 mins 41 seconds.
Saints' Paul Sculthorpe after completing 10K
However, with the running times being entered until 8pm on Sunday there is plenty of time left for others to make their mark.
Throughout Saturday plenty of people have been seen out running wearing the official 2021 St Helens 10K t-shirt, which features a quote from the inspirational Captain Sir Tom Moore, who passed away last month.
His famous quote: “Tomorrow will be a good day” is emblazoned on the t-shirt in a bid to motivate participants as they run the distance.
The late Steve Prescott founded the run in 2011 to improve people’s health and wellbeing.
His eldest son Taylor is among those to have already taken part this year.
I’m a North Road survivor @StevePrescott1 By walking the @sthelens10krun today 😜 We cheered on the individuals we saw around the route. Felt weird not being @CatieJane’s sidekick this yr. No medals & goodie bags to hand out. Good luck to everyone taking part this weekend 🏅 pic.twitter.com/lQmZeSbzpu
— Beverley Dixon 💙 (@celebpa) March 6, 2021
Other supporters of the Steve Prescott Foundation, including former Saints captain Paul Sculthorpe and boxer Martin Murray – who ran with his wife Gemma – have also registered their times.
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