This year’s Bespak Grand East Anglia Run, the town’s popular 10k road race, will incorporate a new 1.2-mile fun-run. This will be open to anyone over 6 years of age, meaning that many more people will now feel able to participate in the event.

Joe Barry, Managing Director of Bespak, said: “When the idea of incorporating a new mini fun-run was put forward, we could see the benefits immediately. This will broaden the appeal of the event and enable families to take part together as well as encouraging less confident runners to give it a go.”

Borough Council Race Director Harry Collins explained: “We want to encourage more people to take up running as part of a healthy, active lifestyle. Having an event like GEAR to aim for really helps to motivate people to run regularly and people quickly start to feel the benefits.”

The Grand East Anglia Run, organised by the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk and sponsored by Bespak, takes place at 10.30am on Sunday, 1 May 2011. Starting in the Tuesday Market Place, the course takes runners on a loop through the town centre, through The Walks and along the waterfront, showcasing some of the town’s key heritage and retail areas.

The event routinely attracts 1,500 runners and many more spectators from all over the country. In its five-year history, the race has attracted athletics legends, including Ron Hill and Dame Tanni Grey Thompson, and has supported the development of a series of beginners running clubs as well as helping people to raise much-needed cash for their favourite causes.

Entries for the event can now be made online at www.grandeastangliarun.co.uk. The cost of entry for this year’s Bespak GEAR is £18.00 (£16.00 for those attached to a UKA running club) and the cost of entry for the Bespak Mini GEAR is £5.00 for adults and £4.00 for under 16s and £3 for under 8s. To enter the Bespak GEAR, runners must be aged 15 or over on race day. To enter the Bespak Mini GEAR, runners must be aged 6 or over on race day (under 8’s must be accompanied by an adult).

Running Fact File

* Interested in getting into running?

Beginners’ running courses for women are taking place in Hunstanton, King’s Lynn and Downham Market, starting in the last week of January. For more information contact the Borough Council’s Sports Development Unit on 01553 818017.

* Ladies only

Lynnsport Ladybirds and Downham Dollies are established women’s running clubs. To find out more contact Sharon at Lynnsport Ladybirds on 01485 543096, Amanda at Downham Dollies on 01366 388136 or Lou Mayer at Up and Outs (Upwell and Outwell) on 07733 105048.

* Serious runner?

West Norfolk has a number of athletics clubs, to get details of clubs near you visit www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/sportsdirectory.

* Training for the event?

Former Olympian Paul Evans will be running his popular training courses again this year. Dates will be announced on the Bespak Grand East Anglia Run website www.grandeastangliarun.co.uk.