Race feature: Ealing Half Marathon - Sunday, September 28, 2014
The award-winning Ealing Half Marathon takes place this Sunday 28th September, with a record-breaking number of runners and supporters expected to experience and share the #EalingFeeling in the West London borough.
The Ealing Half Marathon, voted ‘Best Half Marathon’ at The Running Awards 2014, is now in its third year and a firm fixture in the autumn running calendar with runners travelling to Ealing from as far as Brazil, Singapore, Russia, Hong Kong, USA, Australia and Canada.
The race start is at 9.00 am in Culmington Road whilst the finish line is in the heart of Lammas Park near the race, retail and charity village. The 13.1 mile single lap course takes in parts of Central Ealing, Montpelier, Pitshanger, West Ealing, Hanwell and St Stephens before returning to Lammas Park. Mercedes-Benz Brentford will be supplying the lead car for the race.
The Ealing Mini Mile race starts at 9.15 am and covers a one-mile route around Lammas Park.
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Race day key timings:
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07:00 - Race HQ including baggage marquees open
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08:30 - Group warm up
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08:45 - Runners enter the start funnel according to expected finish time
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09:00 - Ealing Half Marathon race start
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09:15 - Ealing Mini Mile race start
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10.04 - First Ealing Half Marathon finishers expected
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11.30 - Prize presentation ceremony
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12.00 - Last finishers
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13:30 - Race HQ closes
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Elite athletes entered into the Ealing Half Marathon include Run-Fast’s Ben Siwa and Gladys Yator, with Yator aiming to defend her title this weekend. Other athletes in the elite running field include Abbey McGhee (Victoria Park AAC), Robert Wilson (Highgate Harriers), Jonathan Poole (Serpentine RC), Samuel Barnes (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC), Andy Greenleaf (Serpentine RC), Antonio Silva (Sporting Clube de Portugal), Dimosthenis Evangelidis (Brighton & Hove City AC) and Will MacKay (Bedford County AC).
More than 220 Ealing Eagles will be taking part, and the Serpentine Running Club is using the Ealing Half Marathon as their Club Championship Race with over 150 of their club members expected on the start to battle it out for the club titles.
Ealing Council Leader Julian Bell will also be in the running crowd with his daughter.
Recommended cheering points for spectators outside of Lammas Park include Uxbridge Road, Pitshanger Lane, Drayton Bridge Road and Cuckoo Avenue. A number of road closures will be in place on Sunday, details can be found on the website www.ealinghalfmarathon.com/local-resident-information .
6,000 places have been sold for the Ealing Half Marathon 2014, and entries will close at midnight on Wednesday 24th September, or earlier if sold out.
Race director Kelvin Walker commented: “The Ealing Half Marathon 2014 is nearly upon us, and we have been working hard to deliver another fantastic event for runners, supporters, volunteers and residents this Sunday. The Ealing Half Marathon is now a destination event for runners from near and far, and we are looking forward to seeing a mix of elite athletes, club runners, first time half marathon runners and charity runners on the start line.
“The Ealing Half Marthon team would like to wish good luck to all the runners, and we are hoping to see a record number of spectators lining the streets to cheer on the runners and to share the #EalingFeeling. See you on Sunday!”
Charity fundraising is a big part of the Ealing Half Marathon and over 600 runners will be taking on the half marathon challenge for the headline charity Alzheimer’s Society. Other official charity partners include Epilepsy Action, Ealing Samaritans, Tearfund, Cape, Raise the Roof Kenya, Shooting Star Chase, St Mungo’s, Ealing Centre for Independent Living, The Gabrielle Gray Foundation and Imperial College Healthcare Charity.
The race has the support of six Anglican churches alongside the running route who will be manning the water stations with their congregations handing out the water bottles to the runners, actively showing their support for the event.
The race director also confirmed that registration for the 2015 race will open the day after the race on Monday 29th September.
Official race partners for 2014 include ASICS, evian®, Clif Bar, Up & Running, Move Clinics, Mercedes-Benz Brentford, Xempo, 1e, Crowne Plaza, The New Inn, Ealing Broadway Centre, Ealing Gazette, Ealing Eagles and Ealing Council.
Go to www.ealinghalfmarathon.com for further race details, l
L ike the Facebook page www.facebook.com/ealinghalf and follow @EalingHalf on Twitter to keep up to date with all the latest news about the Ealing Half Marathon in the lead up to race day
