Inaugural Northstowe Half Marathon and Fullscope 5k will aid charity

The inaugural Northstowe Half Marathon and Fullscope 5k – proudly supported by the Cambridge Independent and Cambridge 105 – is to take place in the new town on Sunday, April 24.

All profits from the 5k will be donated to Fullscope, a consortium of organisations supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. These include Blue Smile, Centre 33, CPSL Mind, Arts & Minds and others.

The event has been organised by the same team behind last September’s successful inaugural Northstowe Running Festival, also backed by the Cambridge Independent. Marcin Lis, founder and managing director of the festival, said: “We’re promoting this one separately to the Running Festival in September.

“We wanted to target specifically something that we’d like to support so we chose to support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Two of the charities involved are engaged directly with the event and with the fundraising effort – Blue Smile and Centre 33.”

Marcin notes that the races start and finish at Northstowe Secondary College. The half-marathon will begin at 9.30am, with the Fullscope 5k following about 15 minutes later. They are both single lap course with chip timing events.

“The runners will start from Northstowe Secondary College and will run along Stirling Road towards Northstowe Waterpark, and towards the western part where we hosted last year’s event,” said Marcin.

“This part will be similar to last year’s route [for the Running Festival] of the 10k and the 5k. It will go through the water park and Northstowe town towards the village of Longstanton and the surrounding countryside. It’s a multi-terrain course which is a nice mixture of running on the road, on the path and some bridleways.”

The plan is to make both running events an annual fixture, though the dates could change. “We will review this after the event but this is definitely something that will stay on the running calendar here in Northstowe,” says Marcin.

Eva Acs, Fullscope programme director, adds: “It has been great to be part of the Northstowe running festival initiative. We appreciate that the link between physical activity and mental health is rooted. Marcin and team’s excellent organisational skills will bring a great event to Northstowe and beyond. Thank you for supporting a call for children and young people’s mental health.”

Tesco, Over Power Fitness, Fit Again Sports Therapy, Greenbelt and Phoenix Events (East) Ltd are the sponsors of the half marathon and 5k. Early bird entry fees for the half marathon are on offer until March 27. Sign up at northstowehalf.co.uk/. View the routes at northstowehalf.co.uk/route_maps/.

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