Excitement is mounting ahead of the annual Gloucester Marathon/Gloucester Half Marathon and 50K run which takes place on Sunday 20th January.

There are some 1,200 runners entered across the three races with competitors in the first race – the half marathon – under-starter’s orders at 10.10am.

Ten minutes later the marathon gets under way with both races starting in School Lane in Quedgeley.

The 50K runners go off at 10.23am from Severn Vale Drive, Quedgeley.

It promises to be another very special occasion with runners from all over the UK taking part, some of whom will be adding to the occasion by running in fancy dress.

One to look out for – and he should be pretty easy to spot – is Stan Colomb who will be attempting the Guinness World Record attempt in the half marathon dressed as a Christmas tree.

The record is two hours and Colomb, a primary school teacher who lives in Corsham in Wiltshire, is looking to run between one hour, 45 minutes to one hour, 50 minutes.

The Local Answer reported yesterday that Rob Cross will be running the half marathon dressed from head to toe in Gloucestershire cricket kit, but while there will be plenty of fun runners there will also be plenty of serious runners taking part too.

Samantha Amend, from Belgrave Harriers, returns to compete in the 50K.

She ran last year and completed in a time of three hours, 30 minutes, 56 seconds which was the fastest women’s time in the United Kingdom in 2018 and the sixth fastest in the world.

She is hoping to go even faster on Sunday and break three hours, 30 minutes.

And then there’s Angie Sadler, of Tewkesbury Road Runners, a top drawer runner who is hoping to complete her 200th marathon.

All the races finish on the footpath just before School Lane opposite Severn Vale
School.

The race HQ is at Severn Vale Sports Centre, School Lane, Quedgeley, Gloucester.

The annual event is organised by the Beyond the Limitations team of Anne and Norman Wilson, himself a former world class runner. Now 62, Norman won the Berlin Marathon in 1977 in a time of two hours, 16 minutes, 21 seconds.