By Ann-Marie Yates
As the first Sunday in July once again approaches, volunteers, sponsors, supporters and members of the community all over Stonehaven are busy working behind the scenes to once again bring us the Stonehaven Half Marathon.
The half marathon has been running since the very first one in 1986 with only a couple of missed years when Covid forced cancellations.
Over the years the route has changed and the committee believe the Half Marathon is not only a challenging half marathon for runners but also with a mix of road and forest trails, a completely unique race here in the North East.
The race couldn’t go ahead without the volunteers on the committee and Marshall’s on the day.
From organising road closures, water stations & all the health & safety paperwork that goes with organising an event like this to baking cakes and making sandwiches, setting up the start/finishing lines, organising barriers and approaching local business’s who would like to be involved in supporting the event, the volunteers work hard to ensure everyone has a great day, the runners have a great race and the community comes together to show their support.
The event is a not for profit organisation and over the years thousands of pounds has been raised for charity and this year they are raising money for the Archie foundations neo natal unit in Aberdeen.
Also our local charities/organisations to Stonehaven have benefited too, donations in thanks from the race have also been made to The Men Shed, Stonehaven Lions, Dunnottar Pipes & Drums, The Rotary Club, The Open Air Pool, Grampian Raynet & Mearns Community Radio who have also volunteered their time and expertise.
Supporters for the event this year have all very generously gifted their time, money, products/produce and support and without them the race wouldn’t be able to go ahead.
Massive thanks goes to Redcloak Fish Bar, HM Tree & Landscape, One Stop Waste Solutions, Blue Sky Swim Studio, Hyve Architects, First Drive, Trails & Tails, KMS, Whitakers Engineering, North East Sports Therapy & Tesco.
The race starts at the McRobert Pavillion in Mineralwell Park, after exiting the park at the Cowie bridge the runners take a sharp right up Belmont Brae & along Ann Street, the route is then mainly uphill through the town and out towards the Kirkton Garden Centre where the runners then head out of town and into the beautiful countryside being met by our local runner and piper who playing the bagpipes welcomes the runners to the top of the last hill before they head downhill and into Fetteresso Forest for the off road section of the race, once through the forest they head back down the same road section with the great views down onto the town before being guided a slightly different route back into Mineralwell for their last 250 metre push around the park to the finish line where they are met by the crowds of cheering supporters, receiving a finishers medal, water, SRC buff and a welcome sit down and home made refreshments.
This year there will also be a coffee vendor and ice cream van too.
If anyone would like to get involved then the committee would love to hear from you, if you’d like a marshalling point where you can stand and give lots of encouragement to the runners as they pass or a local business or company who would like to help with a contribution to the ever rising costs of putting on such an event then please feel free to get in touch, you will be made very welcome.
This years race which is already sold out is being held on
Sunday 6th July, race start time 10am.
The committee can be contacted via the Facebook page or email halfmarathon@stonehavenrunningclub.co.uk