Spectators expectedto turn out in big numbers

The race start is at 10.30am with the first finisher expected back in Gransha around 11.36am.

Lisburn’s former track star Kelly Neely has been in good form on the roads of late and may be the one to watch in the womens race but the local battle should also be worth seeing. Former champion Anne Paul is now a F50 but is still a class act and with clubmates Marina Campbell, Jackie McGinley and Miriam Bridge could propel the female Spartans to a shot at team honours at least.

Foyle Valley’s Martina McMullan had a brilliant run in June’s Walled City Marathon and should also be in the reckoning for a top finish.

The participation from local jogging and healthy lifestyle groups is significantly up this year with groups such as Bolt, Eglinton Road Runners, Born To Run and Reach all prominent in the entry list.

The success of the Walled City Marathon certainly has left a legacy as the city reverberates to running fever.

The Family Fun Run, a 1.5 Kilometre dash, stroll or whatever, entirely within the Gransha grounds will attract those not quite up to taking on the 13.1 mile Half Marathon or even the 3 Person Team Relay and at 10.45am is timed to allow the participants to recover and prepare for the Half Marathoners returning to Gransha.

Many friends and families of the Half Marathoners participate in the Fun Run and also enjoy the Family Fun Activities available before settling down to the serious business of welcoming the other runners home.

Entries are currently being taken at Lisnagelvin Leisure Centre and will continue until Friday at 6pm, the U3A Foyle Building in Gransha will also take entries on Saturday between 12noon and 6pm and again on Sunday morning between 9am and 10am.

Race entry fee is £3 and all finishers will get a special ribboned medal and a Goody Bag for their efforts.

A terrific day then in store on Sunday, lots of action, fun and excitement for participants and spectators, make sure you are part of it.

Meanwhile last weekend saw local athletes feature prominently at a wide range of venues with the Masters doing particularly well at the NI championships at the Mary Peters track, Anne Paul and Chris McPeake producing a winning double in the Ballinderry 10K, Scott Rankin taking a podium place at the Laganside 10k and a bunch of winning performances on the Templemore track which hosted the NI/Ulster relay championships on Sunday.

Starting with the Mary Peters track action and James Brown made his trip a profitable one with a 33 minutes and 57 seconds run to claim the NI senior 10k track championship individual title.

A small field maybe but the classy Spartan M40 won easily and impressively and was delighted to claim his first NI senior individual track gold.

M45 Paul McCafferty took the Masters 5,000m title with a 16m 26s effort and M55 Robert Bigger had a rewarding day with a winning age group treble, 200m, 400m and Triple Jump. Significantly he posted a new Irish M55 record in the latter with a 8m 84cm leap!

Foyle Valley’s Adrian Boyle ran 2 minutes and 09 seconds for the M35 800m gold and clubmate Cathal McLaughlin took silver in a hotly contested M45 1,500m in 4 minutes and 26 seconds. Martin O’Donnell of Olympian won double silver in the M35 100m and 200m and Rosie O’Brien made her F40 debut a memorable one in City of Derry colours with a golden 100m, 400m and Hammer treble.

Danea Herron was in good form in the F50 age group with a Javelin and Triple jump double gold and a silver in the 80m Hurdles.