An exciting new sporting event for the whole family is coming to Stowmarket and we’d like invite everyone to join in.

The Golden Mile, hosted by Stowmarket Striders Running Club and sponsored by Beet-it Sports, Synergyweb.net, Asda, Sweatshop, Stowmarket Town Council and Beet-it Sports, will see runners of all abilities take to the town's streets during this year's Beach Party on Saturday September 6.

Sixty years after Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile barrier, up to 500 runners will be able to tackle the iconic distance on closed roads through Stowmarket, finishing on the Recreation Ground, on Finborough Road, just as The Beach Party gets going.

The gun-timed race, will start at 2pm at Combs Ford Recreation Ground continue up Ipswich Street, swing around the back of Asda superstore and finish through the impressive Stowmarket Memorial gates, which will be opened especially for the occasion.

The Golden Mile is the brainchild of Stowmarket Strider, Tim Larke, who is an accomplished club runner himself.  ‘There are very few timed mile races in the UK,' he said. 'We are all very passionate about running and wanted to share that with the local community. Running is for everyone, it can give a sense of freedom and achievement. Roger Bannister has inspired people for 60 years and while we're not sure we’ll get many people breaking that record on our Golden Mile, we may get some remarkable attempts.  Whether it takes you six minutes or twenty-six minutes we want everyone to have fun and give it a go’.

There will be medals and goody bags for all finishers, trophies for first, second and third placed male and female. Advance entry fees are only £3 per entrant (£5 on the day) and all profits will go to local hospice fundraiser, Trust Maria. 

You can enter on-line www.synergyweb.net/events or by completing the attached entry form. Children are encouraged to take part, but under 10’s will need to be accompanied by an adult, who will also need to complete an entry.

So come along, see if you can set the very first course record or even the very first club record for your age group for the One (very Golden) Mile. Get your friends engaged, enter a couple of teams and race each other to the finish - Bring your families, enter them all and then enjoy the beach party afterwards.