Last updated: July 17th, 2008
The Seaside Runs provide a regular short race for runners and beginners in the Merseyside area of the UK. The series starts in March and has eight races monthly through to October. Races are either on Wednesday evenings in the summer or on Sunday mornings in March, September and October because of darker evenings. Although each race is intended to be a lower key race than other established events locally it still attracts not only the beginner runners who haven't the confidence to go for a 'big' race but also the more established runners who like a regular measure of their training and standard.
The race itself is a non-standard distance, being more than 3 miles but less than 5 kilometres - 4.92 km in fact. This has remained as a traditional distance for 24 years. It is run almost entirely on the concrete sea embankment (see piccie) with a short section of rough track in the middle. There is usually a good wind from behind but I can't guarantee that for any race! There is a short loop followed by a straight run to the finish. Most runners pick up a warm top at the finish and jog back to the start for their car, as a warm down. Others arrange a car at each end with a friend. Race numbers range from 75 - 100 for the first and last races of the series up to 140 - 180 for the nice summer evenings. All entries are on the day so I can never tell how big the race will be.
As a runner myself I realise that the organisation of the start and finish, coupled with accurate results is important to runners. Whilst this aspect is as professional as possible (there have been no major problems in all of the races over the years) I hope that the races are friendly and good-humoured and less strict than other 'serious' races.
The race itself is a non-
This approach does not make the Seaside Runs into Fun Runs!
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