Grand Shaftesbury Run | |
---|---|
Date | early summer (annually) |
Location | Shaftesbury Estate Dorset, England |
Event type | off-road (cross country) |
Distance | 21.1 kilometres (13.1 mi) (half marathon) 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) (quarter marathon) |
Established | 12 June 2011 |
Official site | Official website |
The Grand Shaftesbury Run, previously known as the Great Shaftesbury Run, is an off-road, rural half marathon and 10k course that takes place on the 2,200 hectares (5,400 acres) historic Shaftesbury Estate in Wimborne St Giles, Dorset, England. Both courses start and finish in the park at St Giles House, the historic home of the Earls of Shaftesbury. The inaugural event, held on 12 June 2011, opened the family estate to the public for the first time in 60 years. [1] [2] [3]
The run is a charity fundraiser established by the 12th Earl of Shaftesbury. The estate additionally provides opportunities for families and friends throughout St Giles Park. [4] The inaugural event took place in the pouring rain. Almost 500 people participated with half of the entrants running the half-marathon, while the other half ran the entire 10k. The second annual run is scheduled for 27 May 2012.
In December 2009, Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl of Shaftesbury, suffered serious spinal injuries in a riding accident, crushing several vertebrae in the fall. [1] He was initially airlifted to hospital in Dorchester, but transferred to Southampton, where he had a metal plate and screws inserted, and then to the Salisbury District Hospital, where he spent Christmas and New Year. [5] While he experienced initial paralysis necessitating the use of a wheelchair, physical therapy helped restore his health to the point where he has been able to regain his strength and participate in competitive and recreational runs on a regular basis.[ citation needed ]
When asked why he started the Grand Shaftesbury Run, Lord Shaftesbury stated,
I am a passionate runner and I wanted to create an event that would bring people together and also bring awareness to the causes I am involved in. We are embarking on a big restoration project at home and so it felt like the right time to open the doors to the estate and let people in. [6]
—Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl of Shaftesbury
The Grand Shaftesbury Run was initially known as the Great Shaftesbury Run. In January 2012, the name was changed in response to a request from the organizers of the Great North Run, who shared that they had trademarked the phrase "Great ... Run". Rather than alienate their friends or step on toes, Lord Shaftesbury honored the request and changed the name, stating he is "looking forward to becoming the Grandest Run out there". [7]
Opportunities for families and friends not participating in the run are available throughout St Giles Park. The estate provides food, music, and games for children and adults, along with plenty of spots to sit and enjoy the surroundings in front of St Giles House. There are also several vantage points from which to watch the race, either in the park itself, along the lanes in Wimborne St Giles, or at one of the designated water points along the course. [8]
The Grand Shaftesbury Run is divided into two courses, which include a half marathon and a 10k race. Each course takes the runners through the estate property, following trails through the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs. The Shaftesbury Estate is part of a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. [3] [1] [4] [9]
The half marathon follows 18th and 19th century horse and carriage trails that run through the estate's beech tree plantation. The run encircles the entire estate, offering participants an opportunity to experience private woodlands and forests. The running trail ends as participants head back to the estate park, running alongside some of the key features of the estate, including the serpentine lake, the garden grotto, and finally arriving at the beech grove down the avenue in front of St Giles House to the finish line and a crowd of family, friends, and community onlookers. [10]
The 10k course leads runners out of the park by the cricket pitch and joins up with the half marathon course along the beech belt before turning back through the fields. Participants then run past Manor Farm and up on to Harley Down. The trail then follows the lanes through Wimborne St Giles before entering the park via the main entrance and on to the finish line in front of St Giles House. [10] The Run takes runners through the historic estate's woodlands, green leafy forest, around fields, and along the bridleway tracks. The course follows a circular route that presents tests and challenges in the terrain from start to finish. [10]
The 2011 run supported three official event charities. These included Wings for Life, a spinal cord research charity; The Philip Green Memorial School, which is a major beneficiary of the Philip Green Memorial Trust; and the Victoria Education Centre and Sports College Sparkle Appeal. [1] [4] These same organisations will be financial recipients of the charitable run in 2012.
The official fundraising partner for the event is Bmycharity, which is subsidiary of Help for Heroes. The service offers charities the opportunity to recruit fundraisers and collect sponsorship through a coordinated online presence, without charging a commission on donations made through their website. While the run officials encourage participants to raise funds for one of the official charities, individuals are welcome to raise for whomever they choose. [10]
Earl of Shaftesbury is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1672 for Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Baron Ashley, a prominent politician in the Cabal then dominating the policies of King Charles II. He had already succeeded his father as second Baronet of Rockbourne in 1631 and been created Baron Ashley, of Wimborne St Giles in the County of Dorset, in 1661, and he was made Baron Cooper, of Paulett in the County of Somerset, at the same time he was given the earldom.
Wimborne St Giles is a village and civil parish in east Dorset, England, on Cranborne Chase, 7 miles (11 km) north of Wimborne Minster and 12 miles (19 km) north of Poole. The village lies within the Shaftesbury estate, owned by the Earl of Shaftesbury. A tributary of the River Allen, formerly known as the Wimborne, snakes its way through the village.
The Toronto Marathon, held annually on the first Sunday of May, is a race from Yonge and Sheppard, in the north end of Toronto, to Exhibition Place, via Humber Bay Park. The origins of the event trace back to 1977, and the race was initially called the Canadian International Marathon. In 2003, its name was changed to the Toronto Marathon. It was held previously on the third Sunday in October, the first Sunday after Canadian Thanksgiving, for 16 consecutive years. Because of concerns that another event was being held three weeks prior and led to too many road closures, as well as pressure from a major financial institution, the Toronto Marathon was moved to the first Sunday of May in 2012. The event was temporarily held mid-May in 2011, due to other events in the City of Toronto that year.
Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 10th Earl of Shaftesbury Bt, styled Lord Ashley between 1947 and 1961, and Earl of Shaftesbury from 1961 until his death, was a British peer from Wimborne St Giles, Dorset, England. He was the son of Major Lord Ashley and Françoise Soulier.
Nicholas Edmund Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl of Shaftesbury, DL, also known as Nick Ashley-Cooper or Nick Shaftesbury, is an English peer and landowner. He succeeded his brother as Earl of Shaftesbury in 2005.
The Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) is an annual marathon held in Washington, D.C., and Arlington County, Virginia. The mission of the MCM is to promote physical fitness, generate community goodwill, and showcase the organizational skills of the United States Marine Corps.
The Ottawa Race Weekend is an annual weekend of road running events held the last weekend of May in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The two-day running event includes seven races, including the Ottawa Marathon, all of which start and end at Ottawa City Hall. The marathon was first held in 1975, and is categorized as a Elite Label Road Race by World Athletics. Over 40,000 participants take part in the races each year.
The Great Bristol Half Marathon is an annual road running event held on the streets of Bristol, UK. The route is at sea level and starts on Anchor Road outside We The Curious. Participants make their way toward Hotwells before heading under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and along the Portway toward Sea Mills before returning the same way then navigating around Cumberland Basin then along Spike Island before crossing Prince Street Bridge, circling Queen Square then heading to Castle Park via St Mary Redcliffe and Temple Circus. The final mile and a half take place in the Old City and Bristol city centre before crossing the finish line back at Anchor Road.
The Fargo Marathon is an annual road running marathon in Fargo, North Dakota, first held in 2005. Most years, it begins and ends inside the Fargodome, and the course also travels through Moorhead, Minnesota, Fargo's twin city. The event weekend also hosts a half marathon, 10K, and 5K. The race is a USATF-qualified course, so marathon finish times can be used to qualify for the Boston Marathon. The event has been sponsored by Sanford Health.
The Peachtree Road Race is an American 10-kilometer run held annually in Atlanta. After being held on Independence Day from 1970 to 2019, the race was cancelled because of the COVID pandemic after originally being set for Thanksgiving. It is the world's largest 10k race, a title it has held since the late 1970s. The race has become a citywide tradition in which over 70,000 amateur and professional runners try to register for one of the limited 60,000 spots. The event also includes a wheelchair race, which precedes the footrace. In recent years, the race also has a special division for soldiers stationed in the Middle East. The race attracts some of the world's elite 10K runners and has served as both the United States' men's and women's 10K championship.
The Meadows Marathon is a non-profit annual charity marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K. It is held annually on the first Sunday of March at The Meadows in Edinburgh. It is the largest event organised by the Edinburgh Students' Charities Appeal.
Run to the Beat, first held in 2008, was the first half marathon event in London, taking its name from the use of music along the route. It was initially organised by IMG, and held each autumn in south-east London until 2013, attracting, at its peak, some 19,000 runners. From 2014, it became a 10 km event elsewhere in London.
The Illinois Marathon is a for-profit marathon which was held for the first time on April 11, 2009 in Champaign, Illinois. This was to be the first marathon ever held in Champaign. The course is very flat and it was expected to produce fast times, with only 85 feet (26 m) of elevation change. Race weekends have been held annually on the fourth weekend in April since 2009, with the only cancellation to date being the 2020 Race Weekend as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The races offered are:
The Utah Valley Marathon (UVM) is an annual marathon foot-race in Northern Utah held on the first Saturday of June. The marathon course is USA Track & Field (USATF) certified and is a Boston Marathon qualifier.
St Giles House is located at Wimborne St Giles in East Dorset in England, just south of Cranborne Chase. It is the ancestral seat of the Ashley-Cooper family, which is headed by the Earl of Shaftesbury. The estate covers over 5,500 acres (22 km2).
The B.A.A. 10K is an annual road running event for men and women over 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) that takes place in June in Boston in the United States. A total of 3040 people finished the race at the inaugural edition.
The Cowtown Marathon is an annual marathon held every last weekend in February in Fort Worth, Texas. The two-day activities include two 5Ks, a 10K, the half marathon, marathon and ultra marathon. With 29,000 participants in 2014, the Cowtown is the largest multi-event in Texas.
The Great Scottish Run is a series of mass-participation road running events, held annually in the streets of Glasgow, Scotland in October. The event began as a full marathon in 1979, but later changed to a weekend of shorter events. The weekend now includes short events for children, a 10K roadrace, and a half marathon. The 2013 event, which was sponsored by the Bank of Scotland, featured over 30,000 competitors. It is the largest mass-participation sporting event in Scotland.
The Walt Disney World Marathon is an annual marathon held every January in Orlando, Florida by runDisney. The race has been held since 1994. The marathon is part of a weekend race series that also includes a 5K, a 10K, and a half marathon, as well as a number of challenges involving one or more of these races.
The ABP Newport Wales Marathon is a marathon race held in the Welsh city of Newport, Wales, taking place in May. The event was established in 2018, started by national race organisers Run4Wales.