Runners enjoy getting back out with groups in South Shields as lockdown restrictions ease

Organised outdoor sports are back taking place from Monday, March 29, which is good news for South Tyneside’s popular running and athletics groups.

Among them is Run Eat Sleep, founded by Luke Adams. The group were out, obeying social distancing rules, along The Leas on the first day of restrictions easing.

Also taking place on March 29 is fundraising ultrarunner Carl Mowatt’s 100-mile challenge, raising money for the Newcastle Guide Dog Mobility Unit.

Originally due to be held at the weekend, Carl moved his challenge to Monday so support runners and crew could join him along the route.

Some of South Tyneside’s running events are expected to return in the coming months, including the Great North Run, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 12 as things stand.

Other events, such as the Pier to Pier between South Shields and Sunderland are already cancelled for 2021, organisers having been unsure of how covid restrictions would impact on the races.

Parkrun is set to return in the near future, with adult 5k events across England back on from Saturday, June 5. Some junior parkrun events will return earlier on April 11.

But Great Run Local, which ran similar events on Sunday mornings, was ‘permanently suspended’ in 2020.

However, organisers behind the now-defunct Great Run Local event at Souter Lighthouse have already said they hope to stage events independently in the future.

Outdoor sports and leisure facilities such as football pitches, open-air swimming pools, golf courses, and tennis and basketball courts have also been allowed to reopen from March 29.

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