Running is an activity which doesn’t discriminate on the grounds of age or ability and this all-encompassing ethos will be highlighted at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool Marathon which takes place on 28-29 May.
The race celebrates its third anniversary this year and nearly 20,000 runners are expected to take part across the programme. A sign of the event’s growing reputation is illustrated by the fact it has been recognised as a 5-Star Quality Road Race by European Athletics Running For All.
The route for the longest events on the programme take runners on a tour around the iconic British city past Albert Dock, the Beatles Statue and the Titanic Memorial. Runners embarking on the full marathon distance will also pass the stadiums of the city’s two top flight football teams: Everton FC and Liverpool FC. Along the way participants will be treated live musical performances and a concert at the finish line.
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Runners from 54 countries are set to line up on Albert Dock and another interesting facet from a diversity standpoint is that more than half of all entrants are women.
“The Rock ‘n’ Roll brand of running events have really become synonymous with a fun, world class operation that’s welcoming to athletes of all abilities,” said race director Rob Griffiths. “Today running has become much more of a social activity. We’ve really tried to embrace that lifestyle by emphasizing the entertainment and the high quality finisher medals, which are appealing to both male and especially female runners.”
The organisers have also placed an emphasis on engaging youths with the introduction of the KIDS ROCK programme which has been devised with the support of the Liverpool City Council. The pilot programme encourages children to run or walk a mile each day.
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And the social side of running is also being promoted by the scheme. Participating children are invited to take part in three social runs this month while 300 children will gain free entry into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool Mile Fun Run on 29 May.
“For this KIDS ROCK campaign, we want to encourage an environment where kids can cross the finish line with smiles on their faces and earn a medal for their achievement,” added Griffiths.
It is aimed that the scheme will also include year-long engagement initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles and to build itself into the fabric of the local communities.
And in the future, some of the participants in the youth initiative might even take part in the two cornerstone races of the two day event: the half marathon and marathon.
For more information on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, visit RunRocknRoll.com or follow @RunRocknRoll.
The European Athletics Quality Road Race standards act as an assurance for road runners throughout Europe. They distinguish between races that respect the standards and those that haven’t sought certification or assessment. They form the foundation of Running for All, a strong recognisable brand for running activities throughout Europe.
More information on Running for All:
Website: european-running4all.org
Twitter: @runningforall
Contact: [email protected]