This year’s Linda Franks 5 Mile race promises to be one of the most exciting yet.

That’s the view of race organiser Peter Mitchener, who is looking forward to the ever-popular event on Sunday.

Mitchener is the new race director after taking over from the long-serving Phil Jeyes and he said: “It should be a really close race, five of the top 10 from last year have entered again.”

Andy Raynor (Forest of Dean AC), Rob Barnett (CLC Striders), Joe Willgoss (CLC Striders), Stewart Merry (Cheltenham Harriers) and David Johnson (Western Tempo) are all set to run and their chances will be that much better because 2025 winner Jacob Cann isn't competing. The 25-year-old ran for Great Britain in the World Cross-Country Championships in Tallahassee on Saturday.

Raynor, who finished third in 26 minutes, 13 seconds last year – two minutes, 36 seconds behind Cann – is expected to be there, or thereabouts, again and he can expect some familiar faces to be alongside him. 

“Rob Barnett finished first at a parkrun recently, he’s running really well, and so is Joe Willgoss,” said Mitchener.

Barnett and Willgoss finished fifth and sixth in 2025, while Merry and Johnson were ninth and 10^th.

And while the men’s race is set up for an exciting finish, Mitchener believes the ladies’ race could be just as close.

“Steph Lane and Amber Watson have both entered,” Mitchener continued. “So has Isabel Brinsden, I think she might be first female.

“She’s winning races and she was snapping at the heels of Rob Green and Peter Duffy at a recent parkrun, she could finish in the top 10.”

This will be the 32^nd running of the race, which is organised by Almost Athletes, and it remains as popular as ever.

“We’ve got 300 runners, it sold out in two hours, 21 minutes,” said Mitchener. “I’ve got a waiting list of 100.”

Mitchener has recently stood down as chairman of Almost Athletes – he’s been replaced by Dave McGrath – to take on the role of the club’s race director.

The club also organises the Bugatti 10K and the Meteor Mile in August, and Mitchener is certainly ready for the challenges that lie ahead.

“I’ve been shadowing Phil [Jeyes] for quite a while,” he said. “I’m also co-event director for Cheltenham parkrun with Kate Bestwick, I’ve been doing it for nearly two years.

“I was race director on Christmas Day for the parkrun, we had a record turnout at Pittville Park.

“We had 1,049 go through the finish funnel but there was a big queue and I think we actually had about 1,200 runners.”

Mitchener is a big fan of the parkrun and he’s certainly a big fan of the Linda Franks 5 Mile.

So why is it so popular?

“It’s an unusual distance,” he said. “It’s got a good reputation and it’s fast and flat with great PB potential.”

The Reddings Community Centre is the race HQ and the race starts at 9am.

“It’s two laps round the Reddings and Hatherley,” said Mitchener. “The runners always get well supported.”