It’s that time of year again, when thousands of athletics-mad (and generally just a little mad) runners converge on Nottingham for one of the biggest runs of the UK race calendar – the Ikano Bank Robin Hood Marathon and Half Marathon. Get your headbands and energy gels at the ready, because there’s still time to sign up for the 36th edition on Sunday 24 September.
This year’s marathon route (after a former detour around the University of Nottingham), covers some of the most picturesque and historic spots in Notts. Starting along Victoria Embankment, all runners will make their way up through the Park Estate to Wollo Park, avoiding any run-ins with rutting deer, before returning along Castle Boulevard, past Hooters on London Road and back to the Recreation Ground on the Embankment for a hero’s welcome and isotonic beverage (beer).
Full marathon runners do all this, as well as a bonus 13-mile-ish jaunt to Colwick Park and the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, with views of the legendary Trent Bridge, Meadow Lane and City Ground in their periphery thrown in for good measure. Basically, it’s like an open-top bus tour of the most iconic landmarks in Nottingham, minus the bus, and plus a fair few blisters.
As ever, the day has a big focus on raising money for charity. The 2017 Ikano Bank Robin Hood Marathon’s headline charity partner is Cancer Research UK, and donations will help fund continued research into a cure. Bags of other local charities will also benefit from the efforts of hundreds of seasoned club runners and amateur athletes taking part on their behalf. This year’s local charity partners include the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre at the University of Nottingham, the Children's Brain Tumour Trust and Nottingham Hospitals Charity.
There are thousands of inspiring stories behind the blur of arms and legs making their way through Nottingham’s streets. One of these is St Ann’s soldier Brett Gunning, who will be running his fourth half marathon in six months, with 35 lbs of military gear on his back. What makes his final half so special is that he will be joined by a wounded solider named John, from his regiment, who will be walking the last mile with him.
Dominic Bowen, a 37-year-old husband and father from Aspley will be ending a 12-month challenge to run 2000 miles raising money for the Stroke Association. And look out for the next issue of LeftLion magazine, where running maestro Rory Coleman talks to us about what took him from an unfit thirty-something in 1994 to the UK’s leading ultra-marathon trainer, before his diagnosis with Guillain-Barre syndrome last year. After being paralysed and wheelchair-bound, he’s now in recovery and will be returning to Nottingham to complete his 1000th marathon ever – an amazing milestone!
Feeling inspired yet? Registration for the full marathon is £43 or £39 for AAA (Amateur Athletic Association) runners, the half-marathon is £34.95 or £29.95 for AAA runners, and Wheelchair Half Marathon concessions are £10. Registration for the Corporate Challenge and Mini Marathon is now closed, but a Fun Run is open to children aged four and above on the day (all children under eleven must be registered and accompanied by a responsible adult).
Get a move on, ducks!
Entries for the Ikano Bank Robin Hood Marathon and Half Marathon close on Tuesday 5 September.
Robin Hood Half Marathon website
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