FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Ashby
Media Relations Officer
Belfast City Marathon
(028) 9027-0641
MARATHON WARMS UP WITH RACE ROUND THE RIVER
For the first time, the Belfast City Marathon will have an official warm up
race.
The ‘Race Round The River’ 5K road race, organized by QUB Athletics Club,
will take place on Wednesday March 31.
The ‘Race Round The River’ was held for the first time ever last year,
attracting almost 450 entries. It was won by Paul Rowan in 14mins 38secs.
“When we did some research, we found that many of the entrants were people
in training for the Relay element of the Marathon,” said race organizer,
Paul Wilson. “So we thought it would be great to team up with Northern
Ireland’s largest athletics event and offer to stage the Race Round The
River as the official warm up race for the Belfast City Marathon – and we
were absolutely delighted when the Marathon organizers accepted our offer.”
Danny O’Connor, Chairman of the Belfast City Marathon Organizing Committee,
was equally enthusiastic about welcoming the Queen’s event to the growing
Marathon family.
“We had absolutely no hesitation in taking up the QUB Athletics Club’s
offer to make their event the official warm up for the Marathon. Although
this is only the second year of the Race Round The River, it is a terrific
event, well organized and provides the perfect opportunity for those
training, particularly for the Marathon Relay, to see how they are getting
on.
“I would like to congratulate the initiative of Paul Wilson and his fellow
students in getting this event up and running, and look forward to a long
and mutually beneficial partnership between the Belfast City Marathon and
QUB Athletics Club.”
With entry forms released today (Thursday February 12), organizers are
confident of increasing their entry level by more than 50 per cent over
last year and are predicting more than 600 runners will take part this time
around..
“Just like the Marathon itself, we are looking to get bigger and better
every year,” commented organizer Paul Wilson.
The ‘Race Round The River’, organized by Queen’s University Athletics Club,
starts from the Physical Education Centre at Queen’s at 7pm on Wednesday
March 31 200, and follows 2 ¾ laps of a 1.8km course, finishing outside the
PEC entrance. Further details, and entry forms, are available the race
website, www.queens5k.co.uk, or by e mail from queens5k@qub.ac.uk.
The 23rd Belfast City Marathon, sponsored by Belfast City Council and the
Ulster Pork and Bacon Forum, takes place on May 3 2004. Further
information and entry details are available from the Marathon’s new
website, www.belfastcitymarathon.com, by telephone from (028) 9027 0345
(+44 28 9027 0345 from outside the United Kingdom), or by e mail from
leisure@belfastcity.gov.uk.
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