Run Britain – News – Final event in runbritain Grand Prix set to become one of world\’s great running events

The final event in the runbritain Grand Prix, has been relaunched for 2011 as part of Great Run, the world's biggest mass participation running programme.

Formerly the Birmingham Half Marathon, the event will have a new name, the Bupa Great Birmingham Run and will sit alongside some of the U.K.'s most iconic running events owned and organised by event management and sports marketing specialists Nova International. These include the world's leading half marathon the Bupa Great North Run and the nation's most popular 10k the Bupa Great Manchester Run.

The Birmingham Half Marathon was first staged in 2008, and in 2009 also incorporated the World Half Marathon Championships. The new look event will take place in Birmingham City Centre on Sunday 23 October 2011.

Cllr Martin Mullaney, Birmingham City Council Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture said, "We are proud of how the half marathon has become an important event on the sporting calendar, but our priority is to ensure more people can participate. There are obviously challenges associated in organising an event of this scale and we are pleased that Nova is keen to get involved to take it to the next level.

"The Bupa Great Birmingham Run will become part of a hugely successful series which has not previously included an event in Britain's second city. It will be promoted across the UK and internationally and we are excited about its future, both as an event for elite athletes and a mass participation event for the people of Birmingham."

The Bupa Great Birmingham Run will feature an international field of elite athletes, but the vast majority of the expected 15,000 participants will be runners of all abilities. The event will be televised terrestrially with an international highlights programme also planned.

Brendan Foster, former Olympic medalist and Chairman of Nova, commented, "The Bupa Great Run series features eight major mass participation, televised events in the UK but we felt the picture was not complete without an event in the Midlands. When we started talking with Birmingham City Council with a view to creating the Bupa Great Birmingham Run, it quickly became obvious that it would complement the series.

"We believe the Bupa Great Birmingham Run has all the potential to become one of the premier running events in the U.K. and we will putting our energy and expertise into making it happen."

Entries for the Bupa Great Birmingham Run will open at noon on Thursday 2nd June at www.greatrun.org and will be accepted on a first come, first served basis until the 15,000 limit is reached.

Run Britain – News

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