Hundreds of elite runners to descend on Telford Town Park

The race has grown over recent years - with 1,311 finishers last year - and is now regarded as one of the premier races in the country and, as well as attracting a top-class international standard field, it is also popular with runners of all abilities aiming to get personal bests.

The race is now split into four events - with the 10am race for those male runners who can run faster than 30 minutes and 30 seconds, the second race at 10.35am for elite women and men faster than 37 minutes, the third at 11.15am for runners who expect to get under 41 minutes and the fourth race for those over 40 minutes.

All four races use the same course, which has had to be changed due to a section of the Silkin Way just before the amphitheatre being closed due to a sink hole.

All races start at the Southwater Town Park entrance, around Randlay Pool then bear left on the path behind the Stirchley Chimney, then sharp right towards the Silkin Way by the Stirchley Pools, left down the Silkin Way to Aqueduct and then back along the Silkin Way up the short ramp to the Onion shelter before doing another lap of the same then into the finish at the amphitheatre.

It will be a great opportunity to see some of the fastest road runners in the country running on the paths of the Telford Town Park, alongside hundreds of others, all looking to have a great day out and hopefully get a personal best time on what is regarded as one of the fastest courses in the country.

The race first started in 1984 and was held around the streets of Wellington, based at the Wellington Swimming Pool, until 1998 when it moved to Telford Town Park to get away from traffic.

Telford Athletic Club's GB international Chris Davies has won the race on six occasions - while fellow Salopians Amanda Wright and Claire Martin have won the women's race five and three times, respectively.

Olympic medallist Georgia Bell won the event in 2023 - 12 months before taking bronze in the 1,500m in Paris.

Last year's women's winner was Amelia Quirk (Bracknell, 32.34), while women's course record holder Samantha Harrison (Nottingham) will be back in action looking to better her leading mark of 31.10.

Other names to look out for in the women's race are Shropshire athletes Alison Lavender (Oswestry), Sophie Hurst (Thomas Telford School), Beth Rawlinson (Church Stretton) and Maddie Williams (Bishop's Castle).

Jack Rowe (Aldershot) won last year's race in a new course record time of 28.01 - one of 58 men to finish under 30 minutes and lowering the previous record of 28.32 set by Adam Craig (Inverclyde) in 2023.

Race organiser Dave Mansbridge is delighted with the quality of the field assembled this year, with the race again chosen to host an inter-area competition with teams representing the North, the Midlands, the Armed Forces and North Wales, as well as in inter university team race.

Race winners will collect prize money of £500 plus a course record bonus of £250.