HEXHAM will be a hive of activity in an exciting weekend of running planned for next summer.

A festival of running events to accommodate people of all ages and abilities has been scheduled for the weekend of May 14, the show stopper being the new Tynedale Half Marathon.

The events are the brainchild of Run Northumberland director Richard Hunter, a member of Tynedale Harriers, who already hosts various races across the county to great success.

Among the series of runs under the umbrella is the 10K Prudhoe Miners‘ Race, and the Castles Marathon and half marathon in Bamburgh.

Now he wants the town of Hexham to benefit from a half marathon, with Hunter targeting up to 2,000 runners in the first year. The 13.1 mile route is set to start and finish at Tyne Green Country Park, taking competitors along the River Tyne to Warden and Fourstones.

And Hunter thinks the addition of the race will prove a big hit in a town which already has a great reputation for running.

He said: “In terms of Run Northumberland, we have established quite a portfolio of races that cover the whole county from a marathon to a series of 10K races.

”We already do an event in Prudhoe at 10K but we wanted to do something similar that focuses on Hexham with it already being something of a hotbed for running.

“But there‘s not really anything at half marathon length in the area so we wanted to focus on a distance in which people can challenge themselves.

”There are park runs that people can enter but people only start to really train hard when they have a half marathon to aim for.

”Tynedale Harriers run two amazing events in the 10K and 10 miler race and I want to complement them, rather than step on their toes.

“There is of course the Great North Run, but that fills up quickly so we are having something on the doorsteps in Hexham which will attract extra people into running.”

While the half marathon will be treated as an event on its own, it is also an extension to the popular Run Northumberland series which attracts up to 500 runners each time.

In this area, there is the Matfen, Kirkley, Wallington, Stamfordham and Prudhoe Miners’ races all over 10K distances, and the BIG 10 Miler in Kirkley.

Further afield but within Northumberland, there is the Castles Marathon, Bamburgh 10K, Durham 5 and 10 Miler, Cumbria Eden Valley 10 Miler and the Cumbria Haweswater Marathon.

Hunter said: “We are regularly getting over 500 for the 10Ks, and some of the races are well established with North-East runners.

”Running is going through a second boom at the minute with it being one of the biggest participation sports in the country, and we want to assist that.“

To make the weekend appeal to the whole family, a long list of running activities is currently being drawn up.

A number of track and sprint races are to be scheduled for May 14 at Wentworth Leisure Centre, while there will be junior runs as the half marathon is taking place the following day.

Hunter wants the weekend to be high profile, and is asking Gateshead Harrier Richard Kilty, who recently became the world indoor 60m champion, to return to try to beat his 100m track record of 10.10 seconds he set at Hexham in 2013.

He is also setting down the gauntlet for someone to complete a four minute mile around the track too.

”To wrap around the half marathon, the whole weekend will be a festival of running in Tynedale“, he said.

”We want to get everybody involved, from young children to elite and club runners, and we are excited to be bringing these events to Hexham.“

Further details about the event can be found at www.tynedalehalfmarathon.com.

l Up to 600 runners from across the North-East will compete in the Tynedale 10K next Wednesday (July 1).

The Tynedale Harriers organised race will follow the usual route, taking in the roads from Ovington to Wylam, and back via tracks and paths to the Riverside Country Park at Low Prudhoe.

Following the event, there will be a pie and peas supper and prize presentation at Ovingham Middle School. Entry closes on Sunday (June 28) and can be made at www.tynedaleharriers.com.