10K Series entries set to break 2,000 barrier as Burgh race draws near

The three-race series – called off in both 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic – begins in Helensburgh on Thursday, May 5, before moving on to Dumbarton on May 12 and Glasgow Green on May 29.

And with two weeks to go before entries close, almost 750 runners have already signed up for the Helensburgh 10K, with nearly 700 set to compete in the Dumbarton event and almost 600 in Glasgow at the Shettleston 10K.

The women’s elite entries, as previously reported in the Advertiser, are led by Sonia Samuels, who represented Team GB in the marathon event at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and who recently finished fourth in the Manchester Marathon in two hours and 32 minutes.

But she’ll be hard pressed by the in-form Annabel Simpson, from Fife, who set a new course record in the last Helensburgh race in 2019 – and who recently scored a huge win over Babcock Series record-holder Fionnuala Ross in the Tom Scott Memorial 10-mile race at Strathclyde Country Park, crossing the line in 54 minutes and 10 seconds, almost a minute ahead of her rival.

In the men’s race, Weynay Ghebresilassie, holder of the records for both the Helensburgh 10K race and the series as a whole, impressed in the Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday.

The 28-year-old, who was born in Eritrea but has been qualified to run for Scotland and Great Britain since February 2021, now runs for Shettleston Harriers – and his Rotterdam finishing time, a big personal best of two hours, 12 minutes and 17 seconds, not only earned him 10th place in the race but may well have earned him a place in the Scottish team for this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

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reports Series Chairman, Kevin Johnson. Helensburgh on Thursday May 5th at 7.30pm is nearing 750 runners with two weeks still to go before entries close. Dumbarton which takes place on Thursday May 12th is nudging 700 and the final race, the Babcock Shettleston 10k on Glasgow Green on Sunday May 29th at 10.00am is already nearly at 600 runners.

Elite entries are led by Rio Olympic marathon runner, Sonia Samuels who recently finished fourth in the Manchester Marathon in 2 hours and 32 minutes. Samuels will be hard pressed by the in-form Annabel Simpson from Fife who set a new record in the last Helensburgh race in 2019 and who scorched round 5km in the Allan Scally Relays in 15 minutes and 39 seconds. Simpson followed that up with a huge win over Babcock Series record-holder, Fionnuala Ross from host club Shettleston in the Tom Scott Memorial 10 miler in Strathclyde Country Park on 3rd April. She ran 54 minutes and 10 seconds for the distance and was a huge 86 seconds ahead of Ross.

Meanwhile the men are not to be outdone. Helensburgh and Series record-holder, Weynay Ghebresilassie, formerly of Eritrea but now with a Scottish qualification and running for Shettleston, impressed in the Rotterdam Marathon last Sunday, 10th April with tenth place in a big personal best of 2 hours 12 minutes and 17 seconds and may well have run himself into the Scottish Team for this Summer’s Commonwealth Games Team in Birmingham.

Weynay has spent four months training in Ethiopia with some of the world’s best.

The Babcock Series caters for everyone, from ‘couch to 10k’ runners looking to transform their health and fitness to recreational and club runners alike.

Everyone receives a different unique commemorative medal at each race and a goody bag containing running merchandise from retail running partner, Start Fitness. There are £6,000 in prizes on offer across the series, including individual, team, age group and local categories.

The Community Advertiser Series are once again sponsoring the first Local Male and Female to finish in each race. They will each receive a £50 voucher for running gear from Start Fitness.

Almost 1900 runners have entered the Babcock 10k Series to date, with 700 set to ‘toe the line’ in Helensburgh in the first race on Thursday May 5th at 7.30pm.

Defending champion and course record-holder, Annabel Simpson from Fife won the Scottish 10 mile title on Sunday in Strathclyde Country Park in an impressive 54 minutes and 10 seconds. Simpson was an astonishing 86 seconds ahead of Babcock Series record-holder, Fionnuala Ross from Shettleston, who finished second.

Meanwhile Rio Olympian, Sonia Samuels from Sale, finished 4th in the Manchester Marathon, the same day, in an impressive 2 hours 32 minutes and 30 seconds to put herself in line for selection for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham or the European Championships in Munich.

Samuels was 90 seconds inside the qualifying mark and despite being 42, feels that she has one more ‘big games’ marathon left in her.

Meanwhile, men’s record-holder, Weynay Ghebresilassie from Shettleston, has been training in Ethiopia for four months and lines up in the fast and flat Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday, hoping to impress the Scottish Commonwealth Games selectors.

For the first time ever, the Babcock Helensburgh 10k will be run on closed roads. The Council has asked the organisers to apply for a TTRO [Temporary Traffic Regulatory Order] which will enable a series of ‘rolling road closures’ to be put in place around the course.

Organisers have stressed that disruption will be kept to a minimum for local residents and motorists alike. Roads will only be affected between 7.20pm and 8.35pm on a Thursday evening.

Entries remain open online – search for ‘Babcock 10K Series’ at entrycentral.com – until a week before each race.

Every finisher will receive a unique commemorative medal and a goody bag containing Start Fitness merchandise.

Series entrants will also receive a Babcock 10K Series specially branded backpack.

The Helensburgh race will, for the first time, be run on closed roads – for more information turn to page 16.

Please visit Babcock10kSeries.co.uk if you require any photographs.

Entries are still open at Entry Central/Babcock10k Series until a week before each race.