Spot yourself in our pictures of Race for Life's return to the Stray

More than 2,000 children and women from across the Harrogate District have raised £120,000 to beat cancer as Race for Life made its return to the Stray.
NADV 1807141AM13 Race for Life.  (1807141AM13)NADV 1807141AM13 Race for Life.  (1807141AM13)
NADV 1807141AM13 Race for Life. (1807141AM13)

Stretches of pink and splashes of mud encompassed the Stray by Knaresborough Road as Cancer Research returned to central Harrogate to host its collection of Race for Life events.

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The annual fundraiser had been held at the grounds of Ripley Castle for the last two years, but in a grand return to the town centre, the charity also invited children to take part for the first time ever.

Lisa Millett, from Cancer Research UK, said: “It was a fantastic bumper weekend of events and great to be back on the Stray in the heart of Harrogate. This was the first time we’d brought the new Kids Pretty Muddy event to town and it went down a storm! 

“The gorgeous weather made for a fantastic event weekend and really showed Harrogate off to its fullest. Thank you to everybody that took part or came out to offer their support. We look forward to coming back next year!”

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Since its inception in 1994 the Race for Life has predominantly been a women’s only event offering 5k and 10k courses ad well as the newer 5k ‘Pretty Muddy’ obstacle course. 

But this year the charity launched its Pretty Muddy Kids event which saw some 600 children clamber through the course, followed by 1,600 women, on Saturday July 14. 

On Sunday July 15, a further 1,100 women took part in the 5k, and another 300 completed the 10k.

But since the last runners crossed the finishing line, organisers of the event in Harrogate have been counting the product of everyone’s efforts and they estimate that £120,000 has been raised for Cancer Research.

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This year the charity hopes to raise £38 million by recruiting some 400,000 women to participate in its Race for Life events.

Now organisers are urging runners to return their funds raised through sponsorship so the charity can put the money towards vital research.

Dr Áine McCarthy, Cancer Research UK’s Senior Science Communications Officer, said: “There are over 200 types of cancer and we need continued investment in research to help us find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat them all. 

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“That’s why we need everyone who took part in Race for Life Harrogate to take the vital last step by returning their sponsorship money so that our scientists, doctors and nurses can continue to make vital strides forward in research.”

Sponsorship money can be paid online, by phone, by cheque or in person at a Cancer Research UK shop.

To find out more, or to make a donation, visit raceforlife.org

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