Glasgow is gearing up for the first Glasgow Riverside Rat Race, a new
urban running event with challenges in and around the River Clyde on
Sunday 21 August 2011; and organisers are looking for 1,000 runners
(and walkers) from the city and all over the UK to sign up.
The Glasgow Riverside Rat Race, one of the flagship events to coincide
with the opening year of the new Zaha Hadid-designed Riverside Museum
being brought to the Clyde by Rat Race Adventure Sports and the city
of Glasgow.
It is a fun, healthy and above all - achievable - 10km running (or
walking) way-marked journey along the banks of the Clyde; a truly
unique course, stretching into Glasgow's city centre before winding
its way back along the river to the new Riverside Museum - the finish
and main event hub. Competitors will experience the Clyde and some of
its most stunning and iconic riverside landmarks in some very unusual
ways as they complete a number of special water and shore based
activities en route. Once finalised, the route and challenges could
see runners climbing about the Finnieston Crane, exploring the
Broomielaw's 'Squiggly' Bridge from a Kayak, tackling some assault
course obstacles near the TV Studios or even walking the plank of the
Tall Ship Glenlee.
Organisers have teamed up with celebrity ambassadors Nieve Jennings -
singer, actress and former Miss Scotland and Miss UK - and Dean Macey,
ex Olympic and Commonwealth Games Gold medal winning decathlete, who
are encouraging runners from all over the UK and all fitness levels to
sign up for The Glasgow Riverside Rat Race and start training.
Dean Macey, said: 'The Glasgow Riverside Rat Race has been designed
for anyone with reasonable fitness to take part in. Like other Rat
Race events, we want adrenaline junkies and 'amateur sporting
enthusiasts' with a sense of adventure, a head for heights, and a love
of water to compete alongside one another.
'Whether you are a runner or a walker you should enter now and get
ahead with some quality training. You will have a truly unforgettable
experience in Glasgow.'
The Glasgow Riverside Rat Race is open to individuals (with a
reasonable level of fitness) and teams and costs £35 / person to
enter. Runners must be 16 years old or over on the day of the race.
For more information on The Glasgow Riverside Rat Race and to enter go
to: www.ratraceadventure.com/glasgow
Nieve Jennings said: 'I'm really looking forward to taking part in The
Glasgow Riverside Rat Race. It is going to be a fantastic event, a
10k adventure run with some really exciting wet and wild challenges
all along the route. It is the perfect event for encouraging
Glasgow's residents and visitors to get active whilst having a great
time in the process. It is also a really effective and unusual way of
promoting the fabulous new Riverside Museum, the Clyde and some of the
city's other iconic landmarks.'
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair
of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: 'The Glasgow Riverside Rat
Race is the kind of exciting, dynamic event that the city is now
renowned for. With the start and finish at our wonderful new Riverside
Museum, and some well-known landmarks along the way, I'm sure the race
will be a spectacular success.
'It's also wonderful to see the River Clyde being used in an
innovative and creative way, something that the investment at
Riverside has greatly encouraged. This adventurous race will allow
people to see the river in a new and exciting light - as an asset to
be enjoyed, explored, and celebrated.'
Channel 4 will film The Glasgow Riverside Rat Race for an adventure
programme to be transmitted later in the year.
