Picture courtesy of Pic2Go.

UK Run Events, the organisers of the Shrewsbury Half Marathon powered by UKRunChat and Breathe Unity, have announced that the 2018 event will take place on Sunday 17th June and entries are now open.

A total of 5,000 places are available for this popular half marathon that offers a perfect combination of history and scenery, the route taking runners through Shrewsbury’s Medieval town centre and some of Shropshire’s most beautiful countryside.

Discounted early bird fees are up for grabs throughout November, and anyone wishing to run this professional and friendly race next summer is encouraged to secure their place now.

The 2017 event welcomed a mix of club athletes, charity runners and first-time half marathon runners wanting to soak up the lively atmosphere and stunning surroundings. The organisers will be building on this success to deliver an even bigger and better event in 2018, which they hope will encourage both returning and new runners to #RunShrewsbury.

A UKRunChat pacing team will be supporting the 2018 Shrewsbury Half Marathon to guide runners and help them achieve their target times. The pacers are a fantastic addition to the race and will ensure a fun, social atmosphere within their pacing groups whilst covering key finish times.

Setting off from the Shropshire County Show Ground, the impressive 53-acre venue for the race village, the Shrewsbury Half Marathon takes runners on a picturesque 13.1-mile route. The course follows the river in the Quarry and continues through the historic town centre, past hundreds of listed buildings and down steep narrow streets, before heading over the English bridge to run a loop of the Kingsland estate. Competitors then ‘conquer the Wyle cop’, the UK’s longest row of uninterrupted independent shops, and head out to run the second half of the race in the rolling Shropshire countryside.

The race finishes back at the Shropshire County Show Ground, where finishers receive a medal, technical t-shirt and goody bag. Free pre- and post-race massages are available, as well as plenty of activities and entertainment for runners and spectators.

Race Director Joe Williams commented, “We are delighted to launch the 2018 Shrewsbury Half Marathon, which is now open for registration. The Shrewsbury Half Marathon has always been well supported thanks to its stunning course, first-class race venue and incredible atmosphere, and we look forward to welcoming runners from near and far to the event next summer. We are offering reduced-price early bird entry and hope that many runners will use the opportunity to secure their place on the start line and have a fantastic event to look forward to.”

The Shrewsbury Half Marathon takes place as part of a weekend celebration of running which also includes the final 1.1 mile of the Primary Schools Challenge on Saturday 16th June. This event is open to runners aged four upwards, and a total of 1,500 places are available. Entries for the Primary Schools Challenge will open in November.

The Shrewsbury Half Marathon is now open for entries. Early bird entry fees are £26 (affiliated) and £28 (non-affiliated) throughout November. Prices will then rise to £28 (affiliated) and £30 (non-affiliated) from 1st December.

Go to www.shrewsburyhalf.co.uk for further details and to register. You can also like the Facebook page @Shrewsburyhalf and follow @ShrewsburyHalf #RunShrewsbury on Twitter to keep up to date with all the latest news.