WHAT THEY SAY

THE STALWART

‘When I ran the first one I was only 16, so I had to get my mum to sign the consent form,’ says Coyle Roberts, 56. ‘I still have my certificate from that first race. I’ve run it most years since, and I now run it with my daughters, Mel and Sam, which is lovely. I’m born and bred here and own a hairdresser’s salon, so I know loads of people running and watching it. The atmosphere is amazing as the streets come alive with the sound bouncing off the city walls.’

THE RACE DIRECTOR

Chris Hulse says: ‘It has been hugely satisfying to have grown the race since we took over in 2012. We changed the course, got more roads closed and persuaded the council to let us finish outside the town hall. With a few other big races close by, we make sure we’re receptive to feedback and every year try to make it feel fresh. I ran the race myself in the 1990s and I’m proud Chester was there at the start of the UK running boom.’