A record turnout of more than 3,500 competitors will take part in events in Northumberland as part of the eighth Kielder Marathon Weekend (October 6-8).
As well as the Active Northumberland Kielder Marathon itself, the weekend, which is hosted at Northumbrian Water’s Kielder Waterside, includes the Half Marathon, 10k and Run Bike Run races, junior races, and a walking event on Friday evening.
The Active Northumberland Kielder Marathon Weekend 2017 is run by Events of the North, a company led by Olympians Steve Cram and Allison Curbishley, in conjunction with Northumbrian Water, Active Northumberland, and Northumberland County Council.
As the countdown to the weekend reaches its final days, here are some facts and figures about the event.
• The weekend will see more than 3,500 competitors take part across six events.
• 2017 sees a 10% increase in entries to the 10k race, with just over 1,000 runners taking part, compared with 900 in 2016.
• Since the Half Marathon first took place, entries have increased by 56% to a field of 1,100 in 2017.
• More than 15 countries will be represented over the course of the weekend, with participants travelling from as far as Canada, Singapore, Dubai and New Zealand.
• More than 200 volunteers will help to ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend for runners and spectators.
• The villages of Falstone and Kielder have had their very own Kielder Marathon Bake Off to produce enough cakes, savouries, teas and coffees to keep well over 5,000 people fed and hydrated over the weekend.
• More than 80 police officers from around the UK will be taking part in the 2017 Active Northumberland Kielder Marathon, which is hosting the Police Services UK National Marathon championships. Officers from as far as Truro and West Sussex will be making the journey to Northumberland for the race.
• Sunderland and the North East’s very own Olympian Aly Dixon will take part in her second Active Northumberland Kielder Half Marathon, having won the race last year on the back of her appearance at the Rio games earlier in 2016.
• The 2017 Active Northumberland Kielder Marathon welcomes back a total of 19 ever present runners who have taken part every year since the race’s inception.
• Competitors will keep hydrated thanks to a donation of 18,000 bottles of water from Northumbrian Water.