MEAN STREETS:
Hillingdon Half Marathon is back!
RUNNERS can get the date in their diary now – and start their training – for the second Hillingdon Half Marathon.
The race will be on Sunday, April 12, 2015, over the same course as last year but with a few ‘tweaks’ to the set-up.
“The course is going to be the same but we got feedback from the first one and we are going to make some improvements that people have suggested,” said organiser James Shipley, whose company, Active Training World, reintroduced the event last year, after a long absence.
Enhancements will include starter ‘pens’ designated by projected finish time, so that faster runners are not delayed at the beginning.
Better segregation of cars and runners on the Brunel University campus, where the race starts and finishes, is also promised, after a few runners complained about getting snarled up with vehicles leaving the race venue.
And Mr Shipley said he hoped to significantly increase the number of participants medals handed out.
“We’d like to try to get 1,000 people to finish the race,” he said. “Last year we had about 750 enter and about 600 finish.”
He is also looking for a charity for the race to support, as well as corporate sponsors.
In 2014, a large team of friends and supporters of Uxbridge musician and DJ Tom Ousby ran the race to raise money for Nystagmus Network UK.
Tom, who died in mysterious circumstances in the Spanish resort of Magaluf, in August 2013, had the eye condition nystagmus.
Active Training World donated £1,000 from race profits to the charity, after Mr Shipley was impressed by the turnout by its team.
As last year, there is an ‘early bird’ discount for the first 200 entries – a place costs £21 for affiliated club runners and £23 for non-club runners, with £2 off each for the early birds, on a first-come, first-served basis. To enter, go to www.hillingdonhalf.co.uk.
To nominate a charity to benefit from this year’s race, or to offer sponsorship, email events@ activetrainingworld.co.uk.