Hundreds of people are set to pound the streets of Ipswich today as the Twilight 5k takes over the town’s Waterfront.
A new format is in place for today’s extravaganza, with a series of different waves taking place throughout the afternoon.
Organisers decided to separate the 5k and 10k, the latter of which will set off in August, to encourage people of different capabilities to join the town’s growing running community.
Timetable of waves
The first runners – around 300 schoolchildren – will set off at around 1.45pm for the Daily Mile wave, inspired by a national initiative to keep school pupils healthy and active.
At 2.15pm the Most Active County Family Run will see people of all ages tackle a 2km run, before businesses from across the region take on the ABP 5k Business Challenge at 3pm.
An hour later, at 4pm, a Q&A session will be taking place, before the three 5k waves commence.
The first – for people planning to run the distance in 30 minutes or over, is taking place at 4.45pm.
A second wave will kick off at 6pm for people aiming to finish between 20 minutes to half an hour.
Elite runners are then due to take centre stage at 7pm, as the final wave sponsored by Ipswich Building Society starts.
Waterfront road closures
Race directors are reminding people of a series of road closures coming into force today as the Twilight 5k sweeps around Ipswich Waterfront.
Below is the full list, coming into force from approximately 1.30pm to 7.30pm:
St Peters Dock, closed from the car park access to Foundry Lane
Foundry Lane, full length
Albion Wharf, full length
Common Quay, full length
Neptune Quay, full length
Coprolite Street, from the residential access to Neptune Quay
Orwell Quay, full length
Helena Road, full length
Patteson Road, from Anchor Street to Orwell Quay
Ship Launch Road, from Helena Road to the lock gates
Island Site Road – Private, full length
Elite athletes
Gemma Steel – Charnwood
Has a 5k road personal best of 16:00.
She ran close to that with 16:02 as she finished in second in the Twilight elite race last year.
Since then, she has had an excellent nine months, finishing ninth in the European XC championships in December.
Ms Steel was also a member of the winning GB team who came second in the Inter-Counties XC Championships in March.
She ran for GB in the IAAF world half marathon championships in Valencia in March, and came third in the Great Ireland Run 10k in Dublin in April, representing England.
Faye Fullerton – Havering
Ran her 5k road personal best of 16:18 at the Twilight elite race in 2016.
Ms Fullerton also celebrated a 73:56 personal best for Great Britain in the IAAF world half marathon championships in Valencia in March.
She finished third in the prestigious Brighton 10k in April, and has been selected to run for Great Britain in the European 10000m cup next Saturday.
Iona Lake – CoNAC
Specialises in steeplechase, but has a 16:37 personal best on the flat.
Ran the 3000m steeplechase for England in the Commonwealth Games last month in Australia, finishing in eighth place.
Emily Moyes – West Suffolk
Started as a junior with Stowmarket Striders, and has in more recent times been specialising in steeplechase.
She won the England under 20/under 23 3000m steeplechase in 2017, and qualified to run for Great Britain in the European under 20 championships in Italy.
Just last week, she retained her BUCS 2000m steeplechase title.
Adam Hickey – Southend
Ran his 5k road personal best of 14:13 at the elite Twilight race in 2016, but has a historical track best of 13:41.
He finished second in the South of England XC championships in Brighton in February, and came first in the National XC championships at Parliament Hill in the same month.
Mr Hickey came third in the Inter-Counties XC championships in March, and finished first in the Home Countries International XC in March, representing England.
He has also represented Great Britain on several occasions over the last decade.
Richard Allen – Aldershot, Farnham and District
Mr Allen made a big break through last month, with a 14:07 personal best to win the English 5k road championships in Cheshire on his debut.
Adam Clarke – AFD
A regular on the Diamond League circuit, Mr Clarke has a track 5000m personal best of 13:39 from 2017.
His road personal best is 14:21 and looking to improve that today.
He ran his first half marathon in March, winning at Hastings.
John Beattie – Newham & Essex Beagles
A former Great Britain international at the marathon, Mr Beattie now concentrates at distances up to half marathon.
He has a road 5k personal best of 14:04, and was fourth in the elite Twilight 5k race last year.
Mr Beattie was also inner of the Norwich Lord Mayor’s Classic 5k in 2017.
• Keep up with the action as it happens today – we will be updating our homepage and social media channels throughout the day for pictures, video and interviews.
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