(pic credit Lee Cuthbertson)
Organisers of the 2019 Siglion Sunderland City Runs have announced details of a new challenge to tempt runners to double up at this year’s event, which will take place on 11 and 12 May. In partnership with the Bridges shopping centre, the ‘Bridges Challenge’ involves completing the inaugural Sunderland City 5K on the evening of Saturday 11 May and then either the Siglion Sunderland City 10K or Half Marathon the following morning. The 5K will be the first mass participation event to take place on the Northern Spire Bridge since it opened, while the 10K and half marathon both follow routes that take runners over the Wearmouth Bridge. Everyone who completes the Bridges Challenge will be entered into a draw to win a £100 gift card donated by the Bridges shopping centre. Local athlete and Team GB marathon star Aly Dixon has already signed up for the challenge and is encouraging other runners to join her. Anyone who does double up will receive a £3 discount off the entry price for their second race.
The Siglion Sunderland City Runs are being organised through a partnership between Events of the North, Sunderland City Council and their Active Sunderland team. The new Sunderland City 5K will start and finish on the Northern Spire Bridge on Saturday 11 May, followed by the well-established Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon and 10K on 12 May, with the Active Sunderland BIG 3K Run also taking place on the Sunday morning. The weekend of runs will see more than 5,000 participants take to the streets of Wearside acrossall ofthe events.
Aly Dixon comments: “I really love being part of the Siglion Sunderland City Runs events. It’s a big thrill to have such a major event like this in my home city and I love the atmosphere and support I get when running around Sunderland. And now I’ll have the chance to experience that twice in two days, which is even better! I can’t wait to race over the Northern Spire Bridge and hope that loads of other runners will join me to take on the Bridges Challenge.”
The Sunderland City 5K will start and finish on the Northern Spire Bridge and follow a route on closed roads in the area, with numerous excellent vantage points for spectators. The run is scheduled to start at 6:00pm on Saturday 11 May and the entry fee is £15. The Siglion Sunderland City 10K will start at 10:00am on Sunday 12 May and costs £23 to enter for affiliated runners and £25 for unaffiliated runners. The Siglion Sunderland City Half Marathon will start at 10:25am on the Sunday and the entry prices are £33 and £35 respectively. Both the 10K and half marathon will start and finish in Keel Square, a site that isa symbol of Sunderland’s renewal and regeneration. Anyone who enters two of the Siglion Sunderland City Runs will receive a discount of £3 off the second event that they enter. Finishers in each run will earn a medal, t-shirt and non-plastic reusable goody bag.
