A colourful wave of over 8,000 runners took to the streets of Milton Keynes for the Milton Keynes Marathon events on Sunday 1st and Monday 2nd May.
Warmer than expected conditions greeted the runners who tackled the everydayhero Milton Keynes Marathon and Half Marathon, BMI The Saxon Clinic MK Marathon Relay, the new MK Rocket 5K and the MK Dons SET Superhero Fun Run.
The marathon and half marathon courses both started on the wide open roads outside StadiumMK and made use of Milton Keynes’ green spaces. Plus runners from all four races got to experience an iconic finish inside StadiumMK.
Ben Fish won the men’s full marathon in 2 hours 31 minutes and 14 seconds setting a new course record, while current female course record holder Kate Wright was the first female marathon runner to cross the line, doing so in 3 hours 03 minutes and 41 seconds.
Steve Way was first across the line for the men’s half marathon in 1 hours 09 minutes and 53 seconds, while the current female course record holder Sophie Carter was the first female half marathon runner to finish in 1 hours 25 minutes and 29 seconds.
The winners of the BMI The Saxon Clinic MK Marathon Relay, in which groups of four runners competed to lift the title of fastest team in the race, were Milton Buzzards. Tom Hayman, Gary Blaber, Daniel Webber and Andy Inchley completed the marathon course in 2 hours 36 minutes and 09 seconds setting a new relay course record.
New for 2016 was the MK Rocket 5k on Sunday, 1st May, the day before the main event which was enjoyed by around 1,400 people. It was won by Tim Harris in 16 minutes and 04 seconds and Wendy Webber in 18 minutes and 34 seconds.
A record 1200 Superheroes completed the MK Dons SET Superhero Fun Run and enjoyed the sunshine and electric stadium finish.
Over 600 people completed both the MK Rocket 5k on Sunday and either the marathon, half marathon, or relay on Monday earning themselves the MK Challenge Medal, which featured a cow, one of Milton Keynes’ famous icons, and a ribbon highlighting their two days of running.
Among the scores of runners to finish the marathon was Richard Stickland from Shefford, who has ran the MK Marathon every year since the first one in 2012 and becomes a member of the ‘MK Marathon Legends’. He said, “I am very honoured and proud to have earned a Legends medal. Thank you so much for that, it’s an absolutely brilliant idea and the medal is amazing. Thanks also for the hospitality suite, the refreshments and most of all to the legends host. Very greatly appreciated.”
Race Director, Andy Hully, said, “I’m thrilled with the way the event has gone and the support it has received, runners and supporters turned out in their thousands to make the all the events a success. I’m particularly grateful to the hundreds of volunteers to worked so hard to make sure everyone had a safe and enjoyable experience.”
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Notes to Editor:
Milton Keynes Marathon has the backing of Milton Keynes Council, The Milton Keynes Parks Trust, Milton Keynes Dons FC, and Destination Milton Keynes, the city’s official tourism and information provider.
Other images are available on request.
The Milton Keynes Marathon and Half Marathon are sponsored by everydayhero.
everydayhero is a global fundraising platform founded in Australia. With everydayhero, people can track and share their giving activities and visualise their giving journey over time. everydayhero enables fundraising and volunteering whilst also providing a visual representation of the time, effort, and social engagement that goes into supporting a cause.
The MK Marathon, despite only running for four years, has already managed to help partner charities raise over £1.5m for a range of great causes. The MK Marathon aims to raise £5m by 2017 and engaging everydayhero to help increase fundraising, create a first-class fundraiser experience, and help charities get closer to participants is an essential part of that plan.
The BMI The Saxon Clinic Marathon Relay is sponsored by BMI The Saxon Clinic.
The BMI The Saxon Clinic is the official sponsor of the Milton Keynes Marathon relay event. It is ideally positioned in Milton Keynes and provide treatment for both in- and out-patients with the highest of standards of care and cleanliness. It now offers enhanced physiotherapy rehabilitation with the AlterG Anti-gravity Treadmill.
Entries for the everydayhero Milton Keynes Marathon and Half Marathon, the BMI The Saxon Clinic Marathon Relay, and the Superhero Fun Run close at the end of April. Visit www.mkmarathon.com.