Great Birmingham 10K a smash hit as thousands take to city streets
Edwin Ellis Creative Media was honoured to be part of this year’s Great Birmingham 10K, which saw more than 7,000 runners hit the city streets on Sunday, May 1.
Our brief is to manage all regional PR for the annual event; fast becoming one of the highlights of the city’s sports calendar.
We’ll also be overseeing PR for the Great Birmingham Run on Sunday, October 16.
Edwin Ellis director Stacey Barnfield was on hand at the 10K start-line to help make sure celebrity runners arrived on time, were interviewed and photographed, and to help highlight the great, heart-warming stories from the thousands of charity runners who make this event so special.
This year’s 10K proved a smash hit as thousands took part in the run with music at its heart.
Runners of all abilities completed the music-themed 6.2mile event from Jennens Road to its finish on Broad Street in its second staging in the city.
The event is organised by The Great Run Company, who also stage the Great Birmingham Run in October and recently launched the brand new Birmingham International Marathon, to be staged next year.
Brum music legends UB40 on the Great Birmingham 10K start line
Among the many celebrities taking part were former Birmingham City stars Geoff Horsfield and Michael Johnson, ex Aston Villa hero Ian Taylor, Birmingham-born TV and radio host Adrian Chiles, and England and Warwickshire cricketer Jonathan Trott.
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Cllr Raymond Hassall, ran and walked the 10K route to raise funds for his charities of the year, and Handsworth-born Olympic medallist Ian Stewart also took part.
Former Apprentice contestant Gary Poulton completed the course in a mankini, while ‘Blind Dave’ Heeley, a regular at Great Run events and avid fundraiser, and triathlon star Jodie Stimpson were also involved in the event.
Reggae legends UB40, Robin and Duncan Campbell, Brian Travers, Earl Falconer, James Brown and Norman Hassan, cheered on the runners as honorary starters of the event, with Britain’s Got Talent star Connie Talbot serenading runners and spectators alike ahead of the start. There was no shortage of musical motivation as each wave was set off to tunes from a different decade, with 70s, 80s and 90s ‘fashion’ thrown in.
The first male across the finish line was Brit Jack Gray in a time of 31:45, with Aaron Bienenfeld and Sascha Strotzel of Germany following in 32:12 and 32.20 respectively.
A performer from the International Dance Festival Birmingham in Centenary Square
The first female finisher was Emma Clayton in a time of 34:27, closely followed by Jodie Stimpson in 35:17 and Leonie Balter in 37:09, which overall resulted in Team Birmingham winning the Birmingham European Capital of Running 10k Cup.
Acrobats from the city’s International Dance Festival, which features 39 free outdoor events and 11 world and UK premieres between May 1-22, performed the critically-acclaimed Cubes in Centenary Square to the delight of 10K spectators.
David Hart, communications director for The Great Run Company, said: “It was great to see so many people not only taking part but coming along to support their friends and family too.
“With the musical theme loud and proud, it was a day that everyone could enjoy and we hope to see as many people back on the start line next year.”
Entries for the 2017 event are now open, for more information visit greatrun.org/birmingham10k.
Entrants to this year’s event also get £10 off entry to the Great Birmingham Run half marathon on October 16. Visit greatrun.org/Birmingham
To register interest in the Birmingham International Marathon, sign up to the reminder service at greatrun.org/reminderservice
For press updates, images and interview opportunities for all Great Run events in Birmingham email stacey@edwinelliscreativemedia.com
