Still time to enter Ilminster 10k run on Sunday! (From Yeovil Express)

Still time to enter Ilminster 10k run on Sunday!

11:00pm Tuesday 27th October 2009

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AROUND about 12.30pm to 1pm on Sunday (Nov 1) Ilminster Lions Club member John Gidlow will be able to relax.

John, who has helped to organise this year’s charity 10k run, will be able to sit back because by then all the runners – some 300-plus – will have arrived home and the results will be available.

The trophies will have been presented and the results will be being dispatched to runners by email and posted on the club’s website, leaving on the race photo gallery to be uploaded later in the day.

In the past 12 months John has been very busy. Amongst other things he has had to obtain a UK athletic permit, advise police and the council about the event, organise road closures, and contact sponsors to raise funding for medals and cups plus race numbers.

Additionally he will have checked the venue for the race headquarters, arranged first aid cover and ambulance services.

John has assigned tasks to Lions club members, booked starters, the race lead motor cyclist, arranged for marshals at various points along the route and allocated jobs to the Scouts and Army Cadets, as well as that the club members’ ladies manage the refreshments which are always well received on the day.

John said: “Whist there is a lot going on in the background coming up to the event we rely on so many people to make it all happen and I am pleased to say that we, the Lions, get a lot of enthusiastic help”

Lions Club members will be out and about early on the Sunday morning (Nov 1) to mark out and signpost the course.

The race which starts at 10.30am from the Market Square in Ilminster attracts runners of all abilities from all over the South West and further afield.

With upwards of 200 postal entries received so far and with the usual surge of entries on the day it looks like there will be upwards of 300 runners at the start.

The route takes runners through undulating scenic country out of Ilminster via Kingstone to Dowlish Wake, along Chard Lane then north along to Cricket Lane before turning at 8k on the A3037 back to Ilminster.

The race is again well supported by local businesses. Cheddar Natural Spring Water, Electric Mobility Euro, Intersport Tony Pryce, Tesco in Ilminster, The Chard and Ilminster News, view from Ilminster and western Gazette are all promoting and supporting the race.

The category trophies have been donated by, Bradford Building Supplies, Broomhead & Saul, Cottage Flowers, Funassett Ltd, Ilminster Fitness Centre, Ilminster Warehouse, J. Brake & Son, Richard Carbin Ltd and Sonic Systems Ltd. The George Inn Donyatt. Trophies for the First man and first woman have been provided by Trophies 247 an associate company of George Stokers of Ilminster. The Lions club is very appreciative of this generous support.

This year Cllr Margaret Excell, Mayor of Ilminster, has kindly ageed to start the race and present the trophies.

The Mayor said: “I am delighted to be associated with the Lions 10k Road Race for 2009. It has become one of the highlights of the Ilminster calendar with a great following, it is also very high on the list of events arranged by the Lions Club of Ilminster and District.

“The organisation and attention to detail from John Gidlow and his team is superb and is only outweighed by the dedication, enthusiasm and camaraderie from the volunteers, stewards and most of all the participants.

“I wish everyone every success, pray for good weather and hope that this year will be the best ever.”

Everyone is welcome to enter and John Gidlow has confirmed that it is not too late. The maximum number of entries allowed in the event is 400 so there is still room for more.

Entry forms can be downloaded from the Lions website at www.ilminsterlionsclub.co.uk which can be accessed via the link on our website.

Entry fees for affiliated club members are £7, and for unaffiliated £9 with a £1.00 surcharge applying to all entries on the day. In view of possible postal delays if runners come along with a completed form it will be treated as a postal entry and there will be no on the day surcharge.

From experience and in the event of a greater number than usual of on the day entrants Lions recommend allowing a minimum of 45 minutes for registering, getting changed, warming up and then getting to the starting line before 10.30am.

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