Record number sign up for Barns Green Half Marathon and 10k races

With ten weeks to go until race day, more than 1,100 runners have registered for the two races, 880 for the half and 233 for the 10k, two thirds of whom are female. This is a 50 per cent increase on the figures at the same time last year.

The 2017 event will take place on Sunday, September 24 and will be the 35th running of the main event and the second year of the new 10k race.

The whole event is run entirely by volunteers and raises a lot of money for charity and also makes significant donations to various groups, youth and sports clubs in and around the village who help with the staging of the race.

This year’s official charity for the event is St Catherine’s Hospice and already £1,500 has been pledged by runners.

Race director, Vernon Jennings said: “We are delighted to have so many runners registered for our two races with still just over two months to go.

“We are particularly excited about the interest in the 
10km race which is being run for just the second time.

“The new race has attracted a lot of interest from runners who don’t want to run a half marathon but want to experience the competition and excitement of taking part in a professionally-organised event with prizes and medals for every competitor.

“Our race is organised completely by volunteers and it is important that we can attract as many runners as possible to help us keep the event developing and flourishing.”

There will be a unique double this year as Horsham MP Jeremy Quin will start both the races. He will be on a podium with a klaxon to act as the official starter for the half marathon which starts at 10am.

Then he will get into his running gear and will take part in the 10k event which starts a few minutes later at 10.20am.

It will also be a special race for Horsham Joggers legend John Booker. This year’s Barns Green Half Marathon will be his 35th and to mark the occasion he will be wearing the vest number 35.

Last year, almost 1,800 runners registered for the half marathon and 10k races which follow routes on closed roads through the lanes of Barns Green, Itchingfield, Christ’s Hospital and close to Southwater through some of the most scenic countryside in West Sussex.

For further details on how to take part in the race just visit the Barns Green Half Marathon website; barnsgreen-half.org.uk