Runners can follow in footsteps of 2012 stars by jogging at the Olympic stadium
Runners are being offered the chance to follow in the footsteps of Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Usain Bolt and jog down London’s Olympic Stadium home straight.
The track in Stratford will reopen this summer for the finale of the first Great Newham London Run.
Double Olympic champion and former 2012 chairman Lord Coe said Londoners would be able to experience the “extraordinary feeling” of being cheered down the final 100m.
The Great Newham London Run will be staged over 10km around the Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park in July.
Organisers hope it will become Britain’s “biggest mass participation running event”.
The race was launched yesterday by Lord Coe and the Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales. They were joined by Olympian and reigning European 10,000 metre champion Jo Pavey and Brendan Foster, the founder of the Great North Run.
Organisers said they hoped the 10km distance would encourage “occasional joggers and first-timers” to join in. There is also a relay race and a 2km family run for children and adults. There are 15,000 places available.
Lord Coe said: “I love the idea that this park again is going to be at the centre of participation events.
“We’re not talking about people needing to get into interminable training programmes — 10km is a pretty accessible distance.
“There’s the family run as well so there’s an opportunity for people that don’t fancy 10km to still be a able to experience the park, experience the fact you’re going to be in the Olympic stadium and cross the same line that our heroes did three years ago, Olympic and Paralympic.” The stadium is being transformed into the new home for West Ham football club and the national athletic centre.
Sir Robin, Newham’s elected mayor, said: “The Great Newham London Run will be the first event held in the stadium since works began. We want residents to feel the same excitement crossing the same finishing line as Olympians and Paralympians who inspired a generation.”
The Great North Run is currently the biggest annual running event in Britain with 57,000 participants, while around 40,000 run the London Marathon. Foster hopes that within five years there will be 60,000 people signed up to the Great Newham London Run.
The Great Newham London Run is on Sunday July 19 and is sponsored by Morrisons. The Evening Standard is the event’s media partner. Entry is £32 per person, or £8 per person for the family run. Visit greatrun.org to find out more.
