Celebs and sports stars join line-up
THERE is less than a month to go until the Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run – and anticipation is building.
The run, which has grown to be Europe’s biggest 10k running event, now also boasts a halfmarathon as it celebrates its 15th anniversary on Sunday, May 28.
The Rochdale Observer is delighted to have teamed up with event organisers The Great Run Company to create a Race Within A Race for entrants living in our newspaper catchment area.
Our first local male and female finisher will receive a prize and a full set of our local runners’ results will be printed in the paper following the event.
As well as the runners in our area, this year will also see a host of famous faces lacing up their trainers and raising money for causes close to their hearts.
Coronation Street stars Tina O’Brien and Cherylee Houston will both take on the 10k, with Tina raising money for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Cherylee, who plays Izzy in the soap, completed last year’s Great Manchester Run in a hightech wheelchair and will return for 2017, once more raising money for her own group Triple C – Creative Confidence Collective, whose aim is to make theatre accessible for all.
Emmerdale’s Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain Dingle, has taken part in several Great Manchester Runs, but this year he will be DJing outside the Etihad Stadium, home to his beloved Manchester City, which forms part of the brand-new half-marathon course. He is then planning to run in the 10k which takes place shortly afterwards.
Joe Gill, who plays Finn Barton in Emmerdale, will return to the start line for the 10k run to raise money for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Manchester United and England legend Bryan Robson took part in the first-ever Great Manchester Run back in 2003 and he will be back again for its 15th anniversary, raising money for The Kirsty Club in honour of Kirsty Howard, who died at the age of 20.
Mark Chapman, Match of the Day 2 and BBC Radio 5 Live presenter, will be pulling on his running shoes once again after taking on the London Marathon. The Salford-based presenter will be raising money for The Christie after his wife underwent treatment for cancer there.
Former world champion featherweight boxer Anthony Crolla will also be taking part with a team of professional fighters, including Scott Quigg, the Smith brothers, Hosea Burton and Marcus Morrison.
Love Island contestant Kady McDermott has also signed up for the 10k and will be raising money for Brain Tumour Research.
A former honorary starter of the Great Manchester Run, Loose Women’s Denise Welch, is a long-time supporter of the event, dating back to when she starred in Coronation Street. The presenter and actress will complete the run alongside partner Lincoln Townley.
Former New Order and Joy Division bassist Peter Hook started running after recovering from alcohol addiction and has gone on to run in 11 Great Manchester Runs. This year he will be raising money for The Christie.