Bring Back races

Is there a race you used to run or wanted to run that is now defunct?

You may have seen in recent issues of Runner’s World a new page called ‘Bring Back…’ Each month we have been focusing on races that once held a special place in runner’s hearts but have now gone from the annual racing calendar.

We have had some cracking ones featured so far. From the Salisbury Plain 15 to the London to Brighton ultra or the colourful Potteries Marathon to the tough Morpeth to Newcastle Road Race we have included so far.

But we would love to hear some of your suggestions of the past races you fondly recall. It can be any distance from 10ks up to ultras that was held in the UK. It might also be a slightly unusual one in distance, terrain or format, but if we can dig out enough on it, we will happily try and include it.

At this stage, please post here any races you would like to see featured or email me directly if you prefer. I am one of the regular writers for RW. I am at: 

adrian@montimedia.co.uk

Here is a link to a recent one, so you can see what they look like and how they read.

I really look forward to hearing your suggestions.

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Comments

  • Menter Mon - Anglesey Marathon.  image

    Leeds Marathon

    Dumfries Marathon

  • Thanks Terry

    All three sound potential ones. Any idea when they ended and why? Any other info at this stage would be great eitheron here or feel free to email at adrian@montimedia.co.uk Cheers Terry

  • Also does anyone know anything about the Chas Kendall race in Barrow or the Windermere-Kendal road race in the Lakes? Cheers!

     

     

  • Devil's Gallop, Waterloo 15K (Liverpool). Really good races which just disappeared.

     

  • Thanks Alan, again if there are any more detail on these two races we can do some digging on them and hope to include them. Keep all your suggestions coming please!

  • skottyskotty ✭✭✭

    Glasgow Marathon.

  • Anglesey ended Sept 26th - 10

    Leeds?

    Dumfries ended March 19th - 06

  • Cheers Terry, will check out all of those you mention.

    And if anyone else can add to the info on these or any other defunct races, please do stick it on here too.

  • Anglesey, bring it back..loved it. 

  • John BachJohn Bach ✭✭✭

    Agree re the Anglesey Marathon - a real toughie - used to be well organised and had Colin Jackson each year at the presentation. I understand it stopped due to money issues

    Also in North Wales, there was the Great Orme challenge race (run by the local branch of the British Lions) - it started off as a 5k (finishing at the top of the Great Orme - must have been one of the toughest road 5k's in the UK), then latterly became a 15k - last held I think in 2012. The Llandudno 10 miler was a very popular race which came back on the race calendar about 3 years ago, but I understand that issues with traffic management and costs meant it wasn't held in 2013.

  • ....ANGLESEY, ok I know I've already said that.  image

  • John BachJohn Bach ✭✭✭

    The Anglesey event also had a 10k and half event on the day (re the half, I seem to recall the entrants were bussed out to the half way point of the full course). I remember it being relatively cheap to enter and getting a nice tech t-shirt plus home made stew afterwards. The organisation the year I did it (2008) was excellent. I think the event was under the umbrella of the Anglesey Festival of Running

  • Torfaen half marathon was great, nearly all down hill, nearly always rained.  It's still by PB my nearly 5 mins image

    Band at the end, mayor giving out medals, aw, I really miss it!

  • Thanks again for these suggestions. Anyone who knows anything about who organised the Anglesey one? I know there are other races still run there and it is confusing which ones have turned into other races. But yes, would be good to include if we can find out more. And thanks Iron Pingo for the Torfean one. Was that a race that had been run for years before its recent demise?

     But do keep them coming.

    Anyone know anything about the Waterloo 25km in Liverpool others in the Lake District?

    .

     

  • Yes John, food and people bussed out for the half. Also a kiddies run which my kiddie won and presented by C Jackson (he would know who organised it).

  • John BachJohn Bach ✭✭✭

    Having liaised with someone from the local club, it was organised by Mentor Mon. I understand that it cost quite a lot to put on the event (the hire of the show ground and Colin Jackson's appearance fee [£5k!?] being a fair share I'm sure). I do recall thinking the race to be an absolute bargain, but at the same time I thought it deserved to be supported by more runners - I think the year I did it it was the British Masters marathon champs and I thought the number of runners who took part was a bit disappointing. I guess in times of the recession and council cutbacks this event (which must have been loss making) was one of the 1st to be culled!?

  • Thanks again Terry and John, will try them. Had it been run for a good few years or was it only staged a handful of times?

  • John BachJohn Bach ✭✭✭

    Sorry Adrian, but I'd suggest you have a look at the historic RW events pages - there are bound to be forums re the race, which would, I'm sure, give you more details re the event and what RW forumites thought of the race. I have a feeling that the race 1st started in the mid 2000's (2004?) and I'm fairly sure the last one was in 2010. Anglesey now has a few other races now including the brutal Coastal marathon and the Ring of Fire (mainly) off road events (as well as the half previously mentioned)

  • For me it would have to be The Tour Of Tameside.

    6 days of racing over a 7 day period (Wednesday was a rest day). Each day was a diferent race length and terrain amounting to a double marathon overall in distance. Great race all round !!!

  • I did them all Sept 23rd 04-Sept 20th 09. They started to reserve number 2 for me each year image It was Menter Mon. The first one was a different route from Llangefni school and the others were from the Showground.  CJ 5k, a shame, he seemed sincere about supporting the event.

  • contact Menter MOn on 01248 725737 or by e-mail to alan@mentermon.com 

     

    This might help.

  • Grendel3Grendel3 ✭✭✭

    The race I always enjoyed was the Rutland Mini Marathon in the late 80s early 90s, not when it stopped or why - approximately 16.5 miles round Rutland Water starting and finishing in Oakham - had a pig of a hill just outside Empingham  great little race it was.

  • Thanks again Terry and John- will track it down. And Rutland mini marathon sounds another cracking race.

     Please do keep your favs coming- we are getting quite a list.

     All the best

     Adrian

  • Hi Jonathan

     Yes, I know a bit about t the Tour of Tameside so any more info would be great. I think I read a version of it is hoping to be run again this year. Feel free to share your memories here or email me at adrian@montimedia.co.uk Thanks again!

  • a few of us did the waterloo 15k that Alan mentioned a couple of years ago, great race, decent course(besides the farmers field at the end with tractor marks everywhere!) but very badly signposted, over 100 runners turned up at the wrong place, then we encountered a very snotty guy at the signing on desk who was in no rush to sign us in after their error! and disrespectful marshalls to one of the lads running with us who was in last place after the 1st mile after starting 5 mins late and was told he shouldve entered the 5k and left the 15k to the big boys! Maybe one of the reasons the race shut down possibly???

  • It is to our shame as a running nation, that the London Brighton Road Race was allowed to become extinct, while Comrades went on to be the biggest ultra in the world. 

  • Oh please get Anglesey back on the calendar.Did CTS event around Holyhead,brutal ! Loved my trot around original route!
  • The Fareham 10 mile was one of the fastest in Hampshire, and where I first ran under 60 minutes. 

  • Chester Zoo 10k ...... been gone for quite a few years now . Was organised by Whitby Heath AC who later amalgamated with CEPAC to form West Cheshire AC .

  • Echo what Terence says about Fareham - really flat and fast. There were 3 Half Marathons local to me - Sandhurst, Yateley and Crowthorne - now sadly all gone.

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