MONTHS of training will come to an end for thousands of runners tomorrow as they take on one of Oxfordshire’s most popular and longstanding races.

More than 3,500 people have signed up for the 32nd Oxford Town and Gown 10km run – 500 more than last year’s race.

The run, backed by the Oxford Mail, has collected more than £1m for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign over the years. The target for this year’s run is for a record-breaking £110,000.

Among those swelling the ranks will be nine-year-old John Dickson, his sister Hannah,11, mum Angela and auntie Kelly Sambrook.

John, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, will be the first person ever to take part in a powered wheelchair.

He is currently part of a clinical trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London into a possible treatment for the disease. The youngster, from Bledington, near Chipping Norton, said: “I am very excited and I am looking forward to it.”

John took delivery of the chair two weeks ago after a fundraising auction organised by his family raised £22,000 in one week.

Mrs Dickson, 37, said: “Hannah was already running the children’s race and as soon as we realised he was going to get his chair in time, we all thought together John could do it too.

“He was delighted when he found out.”

Around a dozen Bledington residents will be running inspired by John – but Mrs Dickson is confident that in his all-terrain chair, John is likely to finish the 3km junior race before them all.

She said: “His chair can do over 10km per hour so I think he will be quicker than his sister in the children’s race so that puts him out in the front.”

John and Hannah will be among 140 youngsters signed up to take part in the junior race, double the number who took part in last year’s run.

And while John will be the first in a powered wheelchair, he will not be alone – Hertfordshire-based Chris Christou, who is himself disabled and provided the chair for John, will also be taking part in his wheelchair.

Toya Champ, challenge events manager for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, said: “Tomorrow’s Town and Gown is truly our biggest event to date.

“It’s also fantastic to see a growing number of younger people getting involved.

“Having our first ever powered wheelchair racers taking part is the icing on the cake — 2013 is most certainly going to be a year to remember.”

The race starts at 10am in Parks Road.

  • Hundreds of cyclists will set out for tomorrow’s Pink Ribbonride at Blenheim Palace for either the 26- or 60-mile route. It follows today’s 10-mile and 20-mile Ribbonwalks through Blenheim and its surrounding villages. The events raise money for Breast Cancer Care. Keep an eye on our website for the picture galleris from all events and make sure you get a copy of Monday’s paper for all of the coverage.