It isn’t very often that a double European, World and Olympic champion is beaten, but just weeks into 2016 and it has happened already. At the Great Edinburgh XCountry in the city’s iconic Holyrood Park, Mo Farah suffered a rare defeat at the hands of American Garrett Heath. The difference between the two men may have been just a mere two seconds, but it isn’t how the British star would have envisaged this Olympic year beginning.
Scotland’s capital city is one of the UK’s most popular tourist hot spots so it makes perfect sense to hold a race series there, the first of the year in the Great Run Series, which are now 5-Star certified on the European Athletics Running For All calendar.
Prior to the Great Edinburgh XCountry gracing our TV screens, the masses had the opportunity to take part in the Pure Gym Great Edinburgh Winter Run and blow away the January blues. With a testing 5km course and fun run for children, the Great Edinburgh Winter Run is a rapidly growing race, with the perfect after party; the chance to watch Olympic and World champions stride over the mud and hills of the Great Edinburgh XCountry while you’re wrapped up warm and tucking into hot food and drink.
The Great Run Series has been steadily growing since the first Great North Run was staged on 28 June 1981, featuring 12,000 participants. Since then the popular half marathon in the North East of England has gone from strength to strength, and in 2014 celebrated its one millionth finisher!
Taking place in September each year, The Great North Run is the largest half marathon in the world. Participants run between Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields on a point-to-point route devised by former Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist and BBC commentator Brendan Foster.
As you’d imagine for a race of this calibre, demand for an entry is extremely high, so if you want to take part in the 2016 edition you need to enter the ballot by midday on Monday 8 February.
Starting in Newcastle upon Tyne, the 21km route takes runners through the city centre towards the River Tyne where thousands of people will cross over the iconic Tyne Bridge, and if you're lucky you might get a glimpse of the Red Arrow Fighter planes passing overhead. From there you’ll travel through Gateshead while being entertained by the many bands on route, before the sea view welcomes finishers’ home in South Shields.
The elite race has also seen some incredible battles down the years, and boasts course records of 58:56 and 65:39, set by Martin Mathathi and Mary Keitany respectively. Keitany and local favourite Mo Farah have taken victory in the last two editions, with David Weir and Shelly Woods winning the wheelchair races.
Rewinding to April, the SPAR Great Ireland Run, which takes place in Dublin’s Phoenix Park is the second race in the series each year. With the adjoining SPAR Junior and Mini Great Ireland Run, as well as elite mile races, this event in Ireland’s capital has something for everyone. Thousands of runners, of all ages and abilities head to Dublin's biggest enclosed park every year for this wonderful celebration of running.
After further races in Edinburgh and Bristol, the series boasts its first 10km on Sunday 22 May thanks to the Great Manchester Run. Since 2003 more than a quarter of a million people have taken part and this year the race will welcoming its 300,000th finisher across the line - could it be you?
Taking place in the heart of the city centre, runners will pass some of Manchester's most iconic sights along the way, including Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United. What’s more, arrive in the city a day early and you can witness the Great CityGames, a unique street athletics event that features some of the world's top athletes on a purpose-built track in the heart of the city centre.
None-the-less, if you’re focusing on your own performance, Manchester is the perfect personal best course, as proven by the course records which stand at 27:24 for men and 30:49 for women. Haile Gebrselassie has prevailed five times, with Berhane Adere and Tirunesh Dibaba both two time winners of the women’s race.
As the summer day’s reach their longest, the series heads to London for a 10km run around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the home of the London 2012 Olympics. Also featuring the Great Family Run and the Great Newham London Run 4 x 1/4 Marathon Team Relay, this is an event not to be missed, as you get to have your very own Olympic moment. Finishing on the track inside the stadium, you’ll cross the finish line that saw Olympic greats Usain Bolt, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Mo Farah seal glory in 2012.
With races in England, Ireland and Scotland every year, the Great Run Series really does have something for everyone. For full details please visit:http://www.greatrun.org/
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.
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