Entries open for 2015 Plymouth Half Marathon

Organisers of Plymouth’s Half Marathon, GO2, are pleased to announce that entries for the 2015 race taking place on Sunday 19th April are now open!

The much celebrated half marathon attracted over 5,000 entries last year, and has already seen over 2,500 runners pre-register for the 2015 event. Now heading into its 22nd year, the interest in Plymouth’s Half Marathon is predicted to continue to grow, with organisers expecting a sell-out.

Jamie Warren, Head of Marketing and Commercial at GO2, said: “"With just over five months to go until race day, now is the perfect time to set yourself the challenge of Plymouth’s Half Marathon! The event exceeded all expectations last year, in terms of entries, feedback and even the number of spectators that lined Plymouth's streets to support its runners. Combined with the fantastic running heritage that Plymouth has to offer, we are expecting the 2015 race to be the best yet!

“Whether you have run in previous years and want to beat your best time, or if you’re simply looking to set yourself a personal goal to get fit and fundraise, everyone is welcome. From beginners right through to the pros!”

The route of Plymouth’s Half Marathon will remain the same for 2015, known for its spectacular scenery, fantastic spectator support and friendly atmosphere. The race will start in style on the Hoe, before taking in a stunning and varied course that boasts coastal views, the charming Barbican harbour, and even the beautiful National Trust grounds of Saltram Park. The 13.1 mile journey will then bring you back to the Hoe, where you can expect thousands of supporters waiting to cheer you across the finish line!

The official charity partners for the 2015 race are Macmillan Cancer Support and Children’s Hospice South West, who will be looking to recruit a host of runners to join their teams. A substantial amount was raised in 2014 by all the half marathon charity partners and many more thousands of pounds for other charities. The Schools’ Challenge will also return for 2015, where local primary schools take on the challenge of completing a half marathon distance by running a mile a week over 12 weeks and completing the challenge by running the final mile on the stage of the half marathon, raising money for CLIC Sargent. Over 1,900 school children took part in 2014, with even more expected to take on the challenge next year.

Kayley Waller, Regional Challenge Events Programme Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Macmillan is delighted to have been chosen as the official charity for Plymouth’s Half Marathon. At Macmillan, we know how a cancer diagnosis can affect everything. From help with money worries and advice about work, to someone who listens if you just want to talk, we are here. We help people make the choices they need to take back control, so they can start to feel like themselves again. By 2030, the number of people living with cancer will have doubled to four million, to help us make sure that no one faces cancer alone, we need the help of the Plymouth community – now more than ever. We are urging people to join Team Macmillan with free entry into this fantastic race to help make a real difference.”

Emma Lloyd-Cowell, Head of Fundraising for CHSW at Little Harbour, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been picked as local charity partner for Plymouth Half Marathon 2015. It costs over £2 million a year to run Little Harbour so we are always in need of support from the local community and we just couldn’t provide the care that we do to life limited children and their families without opportunities such as this, so thank you!”

Stephanie Cherington-Rimmell, Area Fundraising Manager at CLIC Sargent, said: “CLIC Sargent is delighted to have been chosen as the official charity for the Plymouth Half Marathon Schools Challenge 2015. We hope the event can help to raise more funds than ever to help children and young people with cancer and their families; whether that be clinical, practical, financial or emotional support to help them cope with childhood cancer, we aim to help them get the most out of life.”

The Company Challenge will also return for 2015, where work colleagues can enter a team to complete the course together. Jamie continued: “The Company Challenge is a great way to inspire a workplace, set a challenge and motivate employees to be active and take part in a great community event! It’s also a great opportunity for some healthy industry competition between rival companies!”

Teams can be made up of a minimum of 4 entrants. The winning time will be comprised by the top four fastest finishers within a mixed team, with a prize charity donation of £250 being awarded to the winning company.

To sign up for the challenge, enter online at www.plymouthhalfmarathon.com where you can take advantage of the Early Bird offer of £28 for a limited time!