Member Article

Town’s heritage race is open for entries of all ages

On Sunday 21st of September the historic SCA Prudhoe 10k Miner’s Race comes to town.

Prudhoe Town Council and local tissue manufacturer, SCA, the home of the Velvet, are calling for runners of all ages and abilities to take part.

The 2014 SCA Prudhoe Miner’s 10k starts at 10am and tracks a scenic route around the Town. It will be followed by a Junior 3k Race for 11 to 16 year-olds and a 1.5k Mini Run for 5 to 10 year-olds. The junior events take place at the Tyne Riverside Country Park, Low Prudhoe from 11:15am.

The adult race is part of the Run Northumberland 10k series and operates UK Athletics rules. Participants can enter online at: http://www.runnation.co.uk/sca-prudhoe-miners-run-1039-p.asp or http://goo.gl/SUkM8A

The Prudhoe Miners’ Race is a sporting celebration of the life of the local community and dates back to the early 20th century. The competitors in the original races were local men, whose working lives were lived in the hazardous narrow drift coal seams located where Prudhoe, Mickley and West Wylam stand today, or in nearby brickworks and associated industries that relied on coal.

Prudhoe Town Council with support from partners SCA and Run Northumberland brought the race back to life in 2012, seeking to establish an Olympic ‘legacy’ event, and to commemorate the life and work of the coal miners on whose labour the prosperity of the town was built.

Councillor Jennifer McGee, chair of the Events Committee, said: “Everyone is looking forward to staging this year’s race. There was a fantastic spirit last year with strong support from running clubs throughout the region and local schools.

“We attracted over 300 participants across the adult and junior runs in 2013 and we are on target to attract more entries this year. It’s our aim to establish an annual event which offers something for everyone, regardless of age or ability. Along with our race partners SCA and Run Northumberland, we are keen to inspire all ages to get involved in sport and spread the message that running is fun for all the family.”

Terry Scott, SCA logistics manager at Prudhoe Mill is a keen runner and lives in Prudhoe, he said: “As the town’s biggest employer, SCA is a committed supporter of community-led events which encourage all ages to get active and have fun together.

“The Miner’s Race is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the town. It was devised in the heyday of the old local collieries and was a proud tradition, today the collieries have gone but the race is on and open to everyone. It’s also helping to keep local history alive for future generations and I’m sure this year’s event will be another great success whether you want to slash your personal best or just run for the experience.”

Last year’s 10k winners were Steve Rankin from the Sunderland Strollers, finishing in first place with a time of 35:01, while Michelle Avery from Sunderland Harriers was the first female to finish with a time of 41:06.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by publicrelations consultancy.com .