Yorkshire Marathon to return to York this weekend

This Sunday sees the Yorkshire Marathon return to York – starting and ending at University of York, with runners set to do a loop, taking in the sights of the city and the countryside, before returning to the festival village.

Launched in 2013, the Yorkshire Marathon Festival - which includes the Yorkshire Marathon, Yorkshire 10 Mile and Yorkshire Marathon Relay - was created to give runners a chance to fundraise for good causes.

It is also the legacy of late amateur athlete and fundraiser Jane Tomlinson CBE, who took part in a series of endurance events - despite being diagnosed with an incurable cancer.

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Jane raised £1.85 million for children’s and cancer charities before her untimely death aged just 43 in 2007. Her family continue to raise funds in her name, and since 2013, more than 90,000 participants have taken part in the Yorkshire Marathon with in excess of £7.5 million raised since the start of the event.

Runners have been encouraged to fundraise for a charity of their choice or one of the event’s partner charities: St Leonard’s Hospice, Macmillan Cancer Support, Age UK York, Yorkshire Cancer Research, The Island and the Jane Tomlinson Appeal.

Many different runners take place in the Yorkshire Marathon (Image: Supplied) Attracting people of all ages and abilities, the marathon has seen people travel from across the globe to run in York – all with stories of why taking part is important to them.

Spectators, volunteers, schools, and entertainment are expected to line the streets of the city with colourful displays to show their support.

In addition, runners will be celebrated both during and after the race with music zones and celebrations creating an exciting atmosphere for all.

The route map (Image: Jane Tomlinson Run For All) The marathon will get underway at 9.30am on Sunday, with runners for the Yorkshire 10 Mile to follow at 10.15am, bringing runners past York Minster and the ancient city walls, before travelling north east out of the city.

Participants will travel through Stockton on the Forest, Grange Wood, Upper Helmsley, Stamford Bridge, Gate Helmsley, Turkers Wood, Murton, Osbaldwick, before turning back towards Heslington.

Runners at the 2023 Marathon (Image: Newsquest) The Yorkshire 10 Mile takes in much of the same route over a shorter distance, and the Yorkshire Marathon relay - featuring teams of six colleagues, friends or teammates - will also take place over the same distance.

Marathon runners will also be joined by a host of famous faces, including comedians Rob Deering and Paul Tonkinson, and a competitive group of elite athletes competing for a total cash prize pot of £10,000.

Much of the city centre is closed for the event with full details of the closures available on The Press website. University Road will be closed for the majority of the weekend and much of the city centre will be closed on Sunday morning, with village road closures set to vary.