Hundreds ready to pound the streets
Three athletes from Germany and one from South Africa are among the 878 runners who have entered this year’s Newark Half-marathon.
The race, which gets under way on Sunday, has been put together by an organising committee from four running clubs — Newark Striders, Notfast, Newark Athletic Club, and Fernwood Running Club.
The race director is Jeremy Reichelt and the event organiser is Peter Davis, who will be running the event, wearing number 108.
The course has been changed slightly from last year.
The start is 300 metres further along Hawton Road, Newark, closer to St Catherine’s Close, which has enabled organisers to adjust the final stretch in Sconce and Devon Park to reduce the amount of running on grass.
The start time has been brought forward to 9.30am to make conditions better for the runners if it is a hot day.
More than 100 volunteers, mostly from the clubs, will organise and run the event on the day.
The main sponsors are Middlebeck, Eden Hall Day Spa, and DB Wood, which is offering a prize of £500 to the first man who completes the event in under 66 minutes, and £500 to the first woman who completes it in under 76 minutes
There will also be cash prizes for men and women in age categories, from 17 to 35 through to 70 and over.
The youngest athlete will be Edward Buck, 17, of Newark AC, who will wear number 302.
The oldest is Notfast’s Colin Green, 75, wearing 89.
There are 190 runners from Newark, 153 runners from Nottingham, and 62 from Lincoln.
Notfast has the most club members taking part with 24 and Newark Striders has 21.
There will also be a good showing from Holme Pierrepont RC with 19 and Long Eaton Running Club with 16.
Other numbers to look out for include Holly Davis (92) and Dave Dews (751) who will be getting married at Farndon four days after the event.
A 2k fun run from the Tom Mann pavilion, starting at 9.45am, is on a marked course around Sconce and Devon park. Entry, which costs £5, can be made on the day.
All finishers of both races will receive a medal. Runners and spectators are asked to use town centre carparks because there will be no spaces in the park.