Great Eastern Run
Encyclopedia
The Perkins Great Eastern Run is a running event that takes place every year in Peterborough
, United Kingdom
, generally in mid-October. The event returned in 2006 after a 10-year absence and is rapidly gaining popularity. Currently, there are three races in the whole event:
Half Marathon
- A 21.0975 kilometres (13.1 mi) race which winds its way through the city's streets
Fun Run
- A 4 km run which starts and finishes at the same place as the half marathon
Wheelchair Race - This follows the same route as the half marathon
Despite its name, the Great Eastern Run is not a part of the Great Run
series of events, which includes the Great North Run
.
However, the Great Eastern Run was relaunched in 2006 with the half marathon returning as the main event, much to the delight of keen runners across the country. Roughly 3,000 runners took part in the whole event. A prize list totalling to roughly £11,000 was announced, taking the race into the top five in the country for total prize money. Perkins Engines announced that they would sponsor the 2006 race - the deal has been so successful that the company still sponsors the Great Eastern Run today. At the 2006 England Athletics East Region Awards, the Great Eastern Run's committee (consisting of Peterborough City Council, Perkins Engines and local running clubs) won the Athletics Partnership of the Year Award.
Due to the success of the 2006 event, the Great Eastern Run took place again in 2007, with well over 3,000 runners taking part. 2,285 people managed to complete the half marathon. The number of entrants for the event increased by 20%, with the number of fun runners almost doubling. In a poll of the readers of Runner's World
magazine, the Great Eastern Run achieved a top 50 rating out of 736 races across the United Kingdom.
The 2008 event again saw an increase in the number of entrants, with approximately 4,450 runners taking to the streets of Peterborough.
Roughly 3,480 runners took part in the half marathon of the 2009 event, with about 1,300 people competing in the fun run. For the first time, the fun run was chip timed and was advertised as being 4 km in length (in previous years it had been advertised as 5 km). All three races were started by Barry Fry
, the director of football
at Peterborough United
.
The 2010 event was unique because it took place at a time and date consisting purely of the number 10. The half marathon started at 10 seconds past 10:10, with the date being 10/10/10. Record numbers of runners took part, though the event was overshadowed by the deaths of two runners in the half marathon. Detective Constable Rob Davys collapsed during the race and was taken to Peterborough District Hospital
. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was later pronounced dead. A local runner also collapsed shortly after the race - he too was pronounced dead at the hospital. These were the first fatalities in the Great Eastern Run since the event was relaunched in 2006. The high temperatures meant that in total, 15 people required medical attention.
, before moving on through Dogsthorpe and then Paston
. The first water station is located between Paston and Gunthorpe
, through which the route next runs. The route then reaches Werrington, the northern-most part of the city itself. Another water station is located here, roughly a mile before the half-way point. The route then turns back and heads through Walton
, where the third water station is located. Runners pass through Paston again before heading all the way down to Central Park, where the fourth and final water station is located. The route then heads through Eastfield again and Eastgate
. The finish line is located on the city's embankment.
The fun run route is much shorter, only running as far as Eastfield. Runners pass by Peterborough Regional College
, before heading down the same 2 miles (3.2 km) finishing straight as the half marathon.
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, generally in mid-October. The event returned in 2006 after a 10-year absence and is rapidly gaining popularity. Currently, there are three races in the whole event:
Half Marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
- A 21.0975 kilometres (13.1 mi) race which winds its way through the city's streets
Fun Run
Fun run
A fun run is a friendly race that involves either road running or cross country running with participants taking part for their own enjoyment rather than competition. A fun run will usually be held to raise funds for a charity, with sponsors providing the revenue to cover organisational costs...
- A 4 km run which starts and finishes at the same place as the half marathon
Wheelchair Race - This follows the same route as the half marathon
Despite its name, the Great Eastern Run is not a part of the Great Run
Great Run
The Great Run is a series of road running events around the United Kingdom, which includes the Great North Run. The Great Run is a part of the NOVA international sporting group, which was launched by retired athlete Brendan Foster...
series of events, which includes the Great North Run
Great North Run
The Bupa Great North Run is the world's largest half marathon, taking place annually each September. Participants run between Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields in England. The run was devised by former Olympic 10,000 m bronze medallist and BBC Sport commentator Brendan Foster.The first Great...
.
History of the Event
The first Great Eastern Run took place in 1982, boasting only a half marathon. The event was much less popular and well-known than it is today. This format existed for well over a decade, until 1996, when the half marathon vanished and was replaced with two different events: A 10km run around the East of England Showground and a shorter race known as the Arthur Bowden 5. With so few events, the Run became less and less popular and gradually deteriorated into almost nothing.However, the Great Eastern Run was relaunched in 2006 with the half marathon returning as the main event, much to the delight of keen runners across the country. Roughly 3,000 runners took part in the whole event. A prize list totalling to roughly £11,000 was announced, taking the race into the top five in the country for total prize money. Perkins Engines announced that they would sponsor the 2006 race - the deal has been so successful that the company still sponsors the Great Eastern Run today. At the 2006 England Athletics East Region Awards, the Great Eastern Run's committee (consisting of Peterborough City Council, Perkins Engines and local running clubs) won the Athletics Partnership of the Year Award.
Due to the success of the 2006 event, the Great Eastern Run took place again in 2007, with well over 3,000 runners taking part. 2,285 people managed to complete the half marathon. The number of entrants for the event increased by 20%, with the number of fun runners almost doubling. In a poll of the readers of Runner's World
Runner's World
Runner's World is a globally circulated monthly magazine for runners of all skills sets, published by Rodale Press in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
magazine, the Great Eastern Run achieved a top 50 rating out of 736 races across the United Kingdom.
The 2008 event again saw an increase in the number of entrants, with approximately 4,450 runners taking to the streets of Peterborough.
Roughly 3,480 runners took part in the half marathon of the 2009 event, with about 1,300 people competing in the fun run. For the first time, the fun run was chip timed and was advertised as being 4 km in length (in previous years it had been advertised as 5 km). All three races were started by Barry Fry
Barry Fry
Barry Francis Fry is an English football manager. A former Manchester United apprentice as a winger, his playing career involved brief spells with Bolton Wanderers, Luton Town and Leyton Orient, before he retired prematurely due to injury.He has managed Dunstable Town, Bedford Town, Maidstone...
, the director of football
Director of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
at Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
.
The 2010 event was unique because it took place at a time and date consisting purely of the number 10. The half marathon started at 10 seconds past 10:10, with the date being 10/10/10. Record numbers of runners took part, though the event was overshadowed by the deaths of two runners in the half marathon. Detective Constable Rob Davys collapsed during the race and was taken to Peterborough District Hospital
Peterborough District Hospital
Peterborough District Hospital in the United Kingdom was the acute general district hospital serving the city of Peterborough and north Cambridgeshire, areas of east Northamptonshire and Rutland...
. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was later pronounced dead. A local runner also collapsed shortly after the race - he too was pronounced dead at the hospital. These were the first fatalities in the Great Eastern Run since the event was relaunched in 2006. The high temperatures meant that in total, 15 people required medical attention.
Route
The route is very flat, with a rise of only 13 metres. All events start in Cathedral Square, in the city centre. The half marathon and wheelchair race then follow the same route. The route runs through EastfieldEastfield, Peterborough
Eastfield is a residential area of the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom. For electoral purposes it comprises the main part of Peterborough East ward. As of 2001 this has a resident population of 8,424...
, before moving on through Dogsthorpe and then Paston
Paston, Peterborough
Paston is a residential area and electoral ward of the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom. The area was mainly built and developed in the 1970s and 1980s...
. The first water station is located between Paston and Gunthorpe
Gunthorpe, Peterborough
Gunthorpe is a residential area of the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom. For electoral purposes it forms part of Paston and South Werrington wards...
, through which the route next runs. The route then reaches Werrington, the northern-most part of the city itself. Another water station is located here, roughly a mile before the half-way point. The route then turns back and heads through Walton
Walton, Peterborough
Walton is a residential area and electoral ward of the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom. Manufacturers of industrial machinery, Peter Brotherhood Limited, relocated here from London in 1906....
, where the third water station is located. Runners pass through Paston again before heading all the way down to Central Park, where the fourth and final water station is located. The route then heads through Eastfield again and Eastgate
Eastgate, Peterborough
Eastgate is a residential area, immediately to the east of Peterborough Cathedral and west of Fengate, in the county of Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom...
. The finish line is located on the city's embankment.
The fun run route is much shorter, only running as far as Eastfield. Runners pass by Peterborough Regional College
Peterborough Regional College
Peterborough Regional College, established in 1946 as Peterborough Technical College, is a major college of further and higher education in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire...
, before heading down the same 2 miles (3.2 km) finishing straight as the half marathon.
Winners of the Men's Race
- 2006: John Mutai 1:04:35
- 2007: Raymond Tanui 1:03:48
- 2008: William Chebon 1:02:57
- 2009: Neil Addison 1:07:32
- 2010: Edwin Kipyego 1:02:16
Winners of the Women's Race
- 2006: Cathy Mutwa 1:12:58
- 2007: Jo Wilkinson 1:14:32
- 2008: Jo Wilkinson 1:12:36
- 2009: Jo Wilkinson 1:13:40
- 2010: Edith Cheline 1:13:33
Winners of the Wheelchair Race
- 2007: Marc Poolman 0:47:41
- 2008: Rob Wickham 0:40:05
- 2009: Brian Alldis 0:53:23
- 2010: Matthew ClarkeMatthew ClarkeMatthew Clarke is a former professional Australian rules footballer whose career in the Australian Football League spanned four clubs and a total of 258 games between 1993 and 2007...
1:01:33
External links
- Great Eastern Run Official website