Olympic athlete Aly’s call for runners to sign up for Sunderland Bridges Challenge

In partnership with the Bridges shopping centre, the Bridges Challenge involves completing the inaugural Sunderland City 5K on the evening of Saturday, May 11, and then either the Siglion Sunderland City 10K or Half Marathon the following morning.

The 5K will be the first mass participation event to take place on the Northern Spire Bridge since it opened, while the 10K and half marathon both follow routes that take runners over the Wearmouth Bridge.

Everyone who completes the Bridges Challenge will be entered into a draw to win a £100 gift card donated by the Bridges shopping centre.

Wearside athlete and Team GB marathon star Aly Dixon has already signed up for the challenge and is encouraging other runners to join her.

Anyone who does double up will receive a £3 discount off the entry price for their second race.

The Siglion Sunderland City Runs are being organised through a partnership between Events of the North, Sunderland City Council and their Active Sunderland team.

The Active Sunderland BIG 3K Run will also take place on the Sunday morning.

The weekend of runs will see more than 5,000 participants take to the streets of Wearside across all of the events.

Aly said: “It’s a big thrill to have such a major event like this in my home city and I love the atmosphere and support I get when running around Sunderland.

“And now I’ll have the chance to experience that twice in two days, which is even better.

“I can’t wait to race over the Northern Spire Bridge and hope that loads of other runners will join me to take on the Bridges Challenge.”

The Sunderland City 5K will start and finish on the Northern Spire Bridge and follow a route on closed roads in the area.

The run is scheduled to start at 6pm on Saturday, May 11 and the entry fee is £15.

The Siglion Sunderland City 10K will start at 10am on Sunday, May 12, and costs £23 to enter for affiliated runners and £25 for unaffiliated runners, while the Half Marathon will start at 10.25am and the entry prices are £33 and £35 respectively.

Both the 10K and half marathon will start and finish in Keel Square, a site that is a symbol of Sunderland’s renewal and regeneration.

Anyone who enters two of the Siglion Sunderland City Runs will receive a discount of £3 off the second event that they enter.

Finishers in each run will earn a medal, t-shirt and non-plastic reusable goody bag.

For more information about the 2019 Siglion Sunderland City Runs and to book a place on one of them visit www.sunderlandcity10k.com.

To enter the Active Sunderland BIG 3K Run visit www.sunderland.gov.uk/BIG3k2019.