Wilmslow Half Marathon

Registration has opened for the 2015 Wilmslow Half Marathon – to be run on Sunday 22nd March.

The very popular and prestigious race has regularly been voted one of the top road races in the UK by readers of Runner’s World magazine.

While the majority of the runners are local, the cream of England’s elite distance runners have raced over the leafy lanes of Wilmslow and Mobberley as the race has staged “The England Half Marathon Championships” in recent years.

Past winners Andy Jones, Thomas Abyu and three times lady champion Michelle-Ross Cope have used the event as a spring board to European, World and Commonwealth championships.

Other local athletes, including Gareth Raven from Sale and Dave Norman from Altrincham, have also boasted international appearances and regularly feature at the front of the field.

The race will start on Kings Road, near Wilmslow Rugby Club, with the pistol sounding at 10.30am to start the race.

Prize money for the marathon totals £11,000 – runners who want to race and compete with the best need to enter fast.

Traditionally all 5,200 places are snapped up by the early new year so runners are urged to register early. For 2015, entries can only be made online via the race website: www.wilmslowhalfmarathon.org.uk/entries/

The race raises in excess of £250,000 for charities nominated by the runners. This year the chosen lead charity for the race is the Stroke Association.

Louise Kay, Community and Events Fundraising Manager for the charity, said: “The Stroke Association is thrilled to have been chosen as the lead charity for the Wilmslow Half Marathon in 2015.

“The support through the event will go a long way in helping stroke survivors get the essential support they need to rebuild their life.”

For more information about running the Wilmslow Half Marathon, please visit: www.wilmslowhalfmarathon.org.uk