A HALF marathon event is to return after 20 YEARS - raising money for a deserving cause.

The Minehead half-marathon is on its marks, set, going to return to the town on Sunday, May 12, after an absence of more than 20 years.

The reinstated race - along with a new 10k run - will start at 11am in Minehead Esplanade and follow a looped circular route which has been marked out so that the runners will be going in opposite directions, increasing the fun for participants and spectators alike.

The event is being organised by a team from Kingspan Water & Energy, based in Wiliton.

The company is sponsoring both runs, including cash prizes for first, second and third male and female finishers, prizes for under-40s and over-40s age categories, and medals for everyone who completes the course. Kingspan staff will be marshalling the route on the day.

And all proceeds will go to Elliot’s Touch, a Watchet-based charity which aims to raise awareness of mitochondria disease and genetic heart disease in babies and infants.

“Minehead lost its half-marathon back in the 1990s, leaving a significant void in the local sporting calendar,” said Chris Spink, a production operative at Kingspan Wiliton, and one of the driving forces behind the revival.

“We hope it will really engage the community and attract runners of all standards. This course is flat, whereas the previous one in the 90s was as hilly as the VW logo, so that should encourage more people to come along.

“I’m also closely involved in Elliot’s Touch as a member of the charity’s committee and I’m keen to ensure we raise a decent amount of money on the day for such a good cause.”

Chris is an established presence in the local running community, both as an event director of the local parkrun in Minehead and as a keen runner with Minehead running club.

Gerry McDermott, Kingspan Water & Energy’s HR director, and also a keen half-marathon runner, said: “This is a great initiative by Chris and members of our Wiliton team and we’re delighted to support it.

“We’re encouraging all our colleagues, as well as members of the local community - whether they are dedicated runners or Sunday strollers - to get up get active and come join us as we help raise funds for Elliot’s Touch.”

Elliot’s Touch was set up by Donna and Paul Stevens in memory of their son, Elliot, who passed away from the disease in 2015.

It has so far raised more than £120,000 to fund research and was one of only a select handful of charities to be invited to the Royal Wedding in 2018.

Donna said: “We’re delighted to be the chosen charity for the Minehead half-marathon and 10k events.

"We hope it’ll help make more people aware of mitochondria disease and genetic heart disease in babies and infants, and raise lots of money to fund research!”

More information, as well as pre-event registration for runners is available at kingspanhalfmarathonand10k.eventbrite.co.uk, or go to the “Kingspan Water and Energy” Facebook page, and click on the Events tab.

For more information on Elliot’s Touch go to www.elliotstouch.org.

Any local businesses who would like to get involved and support the event through sponsorship are invited to contact Chris via email chris.spink@kingspan.com.

Somerset County Gazette:

Routes for the Kingspan Minehead Half-Marathon & 10k Races

Kingspan Minehead Half-Marathon:

▪ Start at Memorial Clock on Minehead Seafront.

▪ Go West from clock along promenade to just beyond The Hands Sculpture and turn back along road-side pavement and on to the promenade past the Clock. (i.e. the Minehead parkrun start.)

▪ Follow the promenade to the Golf Clubhouse and there head east over the sand dunes and along the coast path, to Dunster Beach carpark.

▪ From here head east along Steam Coast Trail to the junction with the Carhampton footpath. Here turn back to Dunster Beach carpark.

▪ Follow Sea Lane out to Marsh Street and take the old village central road out to the A39.

▪ From here run on pavement towards Minehead. At the roundabout follow the grass verge along Seaward Way to the railway crossing and the pavement past the front of Butlins to the Golf Clubhouse.

▪ Do not run on or cross the Seaward Way

▪ For the second lap, from the sand dunes, run back along the coast path to Dunster Beach carpark. Here, turn directly along Sea Lane back to Marsh Street where the route now follows a shorter way past the new houses and to the A39.

▪ The course repeats the verge and road in front of Butlins along to the Golf Clubhouse. The final half mile of the race heads back along the promenade to the finish near the clock.

Kingspan Minehead 10km Run:

▪ Start at Memorial Clock on Minehead Seafront.

▪ Go east along the promenade to the Golf Clubhouse.

▪ Here cross over the road and run back in front of Butlins to Seaward Way.

▪ The course follows the grass verge out over the railway crossing and to the A39.

▪ Do not run on or cross the road.

▪ Follow the A39 on the pavement towards Dunster.

▪ Go past the first Marsh Street junction and at the second junction follow the road through the village to Dunster Station.

▪ At Dunster Station turn back along Station Road to Sea Lane and follow this out to Dunster Beach carpark.

▪ Follow the coast path back to Minehead.

▪ The final 1km of the race heads back along the promenade to finish near the clock.