TOMORROW will see 7,000 runners pull on their trainers, stretch their muscles and focus their minds as they hit the streets for the fourth Oxford Half Marathon.

The 13.1 mile course will take them from the Kassam Stadium at 9.30am, up Iffley Road, round Christ Church Meadow, through the city centre and down the Thames Trail before they finish back where they began.

They will also complete a lap of the Iffley Road track where Sir Roger Bannister, the official starter for the race, broke the four-minute mile barrier in 1954.

Many runners will be undertaking the challenge for charity, whether for one of the event’s official charities including Oxfam, Helen and Douglas House and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, or a cause of their own.

Others will simply be hoping to record a personal best time or have used the training required for the event to get fit.

Race director Andrew Taylor and his team are all ready to go for the big day and set to help runners achieve their goals.

He said: “The route embodies the city as a whole.

“Runners start and finish at the Kassam Stadium and go out into the countryside before going past the Mini Plant which is the industrial base of the city.

“It then goes through suburban streets, up through the Iffley road track and through Christ Church Meadow, which is a unique space in any city.”

The event raised about £100,000 in sponsorship for various charities last year but Mr Taylor said there is much more to come in the future from the event.

He said: “There is great potential here which has not been tapped into which we are keen to develop.

“In previous years there has been an official charity which has been Helen and Douglas House, but this year we have three lead charities.

“This year’s race we estimate will raise more than £100,000 and we see no reason why it should not be raising £1m within two to three years.”

This year’s event is the first to be backed by Sir Roger Bannister and runners will be timed separately as they run the ‘Bannister Mile’ on Iffley track.

Mr Taylor said: “He is a very recognisable and well-respected figure.

“To have his endorsement is of tremendous value to the race.

“I think he is happy to support a good community event. I remember seeing the black and white images of him breaking the mile when I was a child.

“He is such a gentleman and such a warm and generous person and it is hard not to be inspired by what he has achieved.

“The runners have the chance to meet him on the day when he will be signing copies of his new book at the Kassam Stadium.”

Mr Taylor said: “It all gives runners a terrific taste and understanding of the city.

“The route embodies the principle elements of the city.

“It is a great narrative and the route is part of the reason why it is so popular.

“We attract a lot of runners from outside the country. It all comes together on race day.”

The race is supported by Vitality, a healthy living rewards programme from Prudential UK which organises a series of runs across the UK every year.

Vitality director Nick Read said: “It is an iconic route, helped this year by Sir Roger Bannister starting the race.

“I get the impression that residents like having it in the city.

“It is all about getting people to take part in running and getting involved and I want to get more people from the rest of the world involved.”

MUM'S PENULTIMATE CHALLENGE

FOR most runners the Oxford Half Marathon will be the climax of many months’ training, with a hard earned rest to follow.

But Headington mum-of-three Karen Holliday has already run five marathons and two half- marathons this year, with the Abingdon marathon to come the following week.

Having tackled the 26.2 mile courses in Brighton, London, Milton Keynes, Berlin and Bournemouth and the shorter routes in Reading and Milton Keynes, she is ready for her penultimate challenge.

The 46-year-old, who is running for Against Breast Cancer, said: “I have a passion to do things and I think if you can raise money while you can do them then that’s great.

“My training has been slow in the second half of the year because I have developed a problem with my hamstring but we are nearly there.

“I used to run for SSNAP [Support for Sick Newborns and their Parents at the John Radlifffe Hospital] because my daughter was born prematurely but then Against Breast Cancer got in touch and asked if I could run because they were desperate for runners.”

Mrs Holliday, mum to Thomas, 14, Molly, 13 and Dylan, 10, said: “My motivation is that I run a cub pack on a Friday night and the mums are amazing. They’re really good at keeping you going. It makes you feel better after tough training.

“It is also a great kick to know I have done it and given to charity.”

SUPPORTING HOMELESS PEOPLE

CRISIS Skylight Oxford works to support homeless and vulnerably housed people across Oxford and is one of the local charities being supported by the half marathon this year.

The money it receives helps homeless people get qualifications and jobs and set them up to return to normal life after a traumatic period.

Fundraising executive Sara Hunt is running with eight team-mates to support her work.

She said: “I think challenge events are a really great way for people to do something.

“People have maybe been running for a while, maybe they have done a few runs or they want a new challenge.

“That people will support us by doing it is a lot of commitment and we are very grateful.

“It’s my first time running it and I am a bit scared but also excited.”

The 29-year-old from Cowley said Crisis Skylight, which is based in the Old Fire Station in George Street, got half marathon support from across the community.

She said: “We have eight runners now who are running to support us.

“Most of the people that have signed up to do the event have signed up because they are keen to support Crisis.

“I see what we are doing every day and it is an opportunity to give something back.”

HELPING THE HOSPICE 

HELEN and Douglas House is one of this year’s lead charities for the Oxford half Marathon.

The hospice for children and young people needs to raise about £5m a year to keep providing support to terminally-ill patients and their families.

Each charity is given reserved spaces for runners who agree to raise money for their cause. Social communities and events fundraiser Poppy Hanbury said: “We have been able to fill up the spaces and we have 50 runners who are running in aid of us.

“The rest of us get to be there on the day to support our runners and cheer them on.

“We are going to be based on Magdalen Road near the hospice. It is great to be part of an event that is in Oxford and part of Oxford.”

Ms Hanbury added: “We have a lot of family members running for a loved one but also people who wanted to support our service which is a service in the community.”

The hospice hopes to raise about £20,000.

  • To donate visit helendanddouglas.org.uk/get_involved/ways_to_donate
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