The British-based Gurkhas will once again be out in force at the Great North 10K in July.
Around 200 of the Nepalese soldiers, based nearby at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, will take part in the eighth edition of the event on 3 July. The race has also been given a 5-star quality endorsement by European Athletics Running For All.
The Gurkhas have become a popular fixture of the annual event with this year’s race representing their fifth outing in Tyneside. In 2014, the gurkhas met and ran alongside reigning Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich from Uganda.
Currently undergoing a 39-week training course, the event is a key part of their fitness training and introduces them to the UK as part of their cultural orientation programme.
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Sgt Jitendra Tamang said: “We feel very proud to be taking part in the Great North 10K again. We are very excited because we will gain a new experience helping us to enhance camaraderie and sportsmanship.”
Communications director at The Great Run Company David Hart said: “This is the fifth year that we have welcomed the Gurkhas to the Great North 10k, and we are delighted that they have once again chosen this event to continue their training.
“The participants always get behind the soldiers and love running alongside them, and we’re sure that this year will be no different.”
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Now in its eighth year, the Great North 10k course predominantly follows the Tyne and takes in iconic landmarks on the NewcastleGateshead Quayside including concert venue Sage Gateshead, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.
The run finishes in Gateshead International Stadium, the location of Britain’s first-ever fun run and the stadium which hosted the 2013 European Athletics Team Championships. Organised for Gateshead Council by Brendan Foster, chairman of the Great Run Company, the 1977 Gateshead Fun Run was a two-mile event which started and finished on the track.
This year’s edition of the Great North 10K is expected to be the biggest to date with the introduction of two brand new family events: the Great North 10k Family Mile and the Great North 10k Toddler Dash.
Runners often use this race as a warm-up for the Great North Run in September and this year’s race should see a record 5,000 runners cross the finish line on the athletics track inside Gateshead International Stadium.
Entries are closed for the 10km but spaces are still available for the family event at http://www.greatrun.org/great-north-10k.
The European Athletics Quality Road Race standards act as an assurance for road runners throughout Europe. They distinguish between races that respect the standards and those that haven’t sought certification or assessment. They form the foundation of Running for All, a strong recognisable brand for running activities throughout Europe.
More information on Running for All:
Website: european-running4all.org
Twitter: @runningforall
Contact: [email protected]