Former Olympian Steve Cram confirms new date for Sunderland City Runs 2021

Events of the North have confirmed that the Sunderland City Runs event will take place on Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 20 – subject to national or local restrictions.

The popular weekend of running includes 10k, 5k and half marathon races, with around 5,000 participants expected to take part as the event celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Due to Covid-19, the 2020 Sunderland City Runs were postponed and then cancelled.

As the pandemic continued, the organising team at Events of the North worked closely with Sunderland City Council to arrange for this year’s event to be pushed back from May to June.

The Sunderland City Runs will now be part of a full calendar of events in the city that are being planned to take place.

Measures will be put in place to ensure a safe weekend of races, for participants, spectators and volunteers, as well as residents and businesses along the course.

Steve Cram, founder and race director of the Sunderland City Runs, said: “Everyone associated with the Sunderland City Runs is hugely committed to getting the event staged this summer.

"It may be different this year, so that we can manage numbers safely with whatever restrictions are in place by June.

"With the support of Sunderland City Council, we are very confident that we can achieve that and we are working incredibly hard to develop the necessary plans that make this possible.

“During the last year, more people than ever have gained a greater appreciation of the importance of getting active for good physical and mental health.

"At the same time, runners everywhere have really missed the special feeling of being part of a big event, whether they’re usually racing near the front, or simply setting themselves a personal fitness target.

"We’re really thrilled about the prospect of celebrating our event’s tenth birthday in June, albeit a year late!”

All entries that were submitted for the 2020 Sunderland City Runs have been automatically carried over to this year and entry to the races remain open online.

To book a place on the Sunderland City Runs, visit www.sunderlandcity10k.com

You can subscribe to this website and enjoy unlimited access to local news, information and puzzles online.

With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Simply click ‘Subscribe’ in the menu.