Runners are being given a unique chance to run in a race around the home of the Grand National this year.
Aintree racecourse is to open its doors on September 8 2019 for a 10k, plus a host of shorter courses to suit all abilities.
Running legend Liz McColgan and her double Olympian daughter Eilish will join runners at the event, which is part of the exciting new ‘Classic Run Series’.
And with prize money up for grabs for elite and club runners, the events are set to be a huge draw.
Other races are set to take place at Cheltenham on Sunday September 1 and Newmarket on Sunday October 20th, 2019
Mirror publisher Reach Plc has joined forces with The Jockey Club to launch the new ‘Classic Run Series’ of mass participation running events.
Each ‘festival of running’ will include a Classic 10k Run, Junior Run and a Family Mile event to cater for all levels of athlete.
Runners can sign up today for The Classic Run Series now
Reach CEO Simon Fox hailed the initiative as a fantastic new opportunity for the company to further engage with its customers.
He added: “Increasingly live events are becoming an important channel for us to reach our readers in the communities where they live, work, shop and socialise.
“The Classic Run Series will also provide our advertisers with fresh commercial partnership opportunities. It’s a very exciting development for us and I look forward to joining our army of readers at the Classic Run Series next year.”
Jockey Club Chief Executive Paul Fisher also called on the nation to take part. He went on: “This is a fantastic opportunity for thousands of runners from all over the UK to experience what it’s like to run past the huge grandstands of Cheltenham, Aintree and Newmarket.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming our friends at the Gloucestershire Echo, the Liverpool Echo, Cambridge News and all the 100 Reach newsbrands across the country to this fantastic new partnership.”
The runs will be delivered by Hollicom Events and its CEO Mark Hollinshead added: “We are very pleased to be partnering with Reach and all their market leading regional newsbrands to create and deliver such an exciting series of events for their family of readers to take part in.”
How to go from couch to 5k
(Image: Getty)
Even if you have never run before it is possible to take part in the 5K fun run -and these simple training tips mean you can go from the couch to a 5K superstar in less than two months.
From getting the right equipment to getting off that couch for week one, we have everything you need to get fit, learn to run and take part in the fantastic running event.
How to prepare
Before getting off the couch and going for that first run you need to make sure you have the right equipment.
First time (or lapsed) runners can often suffer from sore ankles or shin splints, and the risk of injury from running on hard surfaces can increase if you do not have proper running shoes.
When you are shopping for running shoes you may find you have moved up a size. That is because running shoes are often made slightly smaller than standard shoes.
The important thing about choosing a running shoe is that it’s not about style – you need the best fit and most comfortable show for you.
If you are planning to do off-road running you can buy specific shoes for that too.
Other equipment you will need include comfortable running clothes and if you like listening to music on your runs, durable in-ear headphones and a phone holder to keep it in place as you move.
Once you are ready it is time to plan your running schedule.
What is the couch to 5K?
Going from the couch to 5K takes around nine weeks if you follow the schedule suggested by the NHS. This includes short walks and runs in the beginning, slowly increasing in length until you are capable of running 30 minutes non-stop.
The training schedule is based around three runs a week and it is important to use the rest days to recover.
The key advice is to not get downhearted after a bad day – all runners have good or bad runs and the only thing you should be concerned about is actually giving it a go regardless of performance.
It is designed to be as easy to do as possible and the straightforward instructions and steady gradient make it ideal for beginners and lapsed runners alike.
How to begin the first week
The first week helps to ease you in without injuring yourself. The first of the three runs in week one is a simple brisk five-minute walk. The second and third are one minute of running followed by one and a half minutes of walking, alternating for a total of 20 minutes.
Follow the running plan
The rest of the plan can be found on the NHS website. It will gradually build you up over nine weeks to complete a 5K run.
The final run on week nine will see you run for 30 minutes having gradually added longer runs to build up your stamina.
