Jarrow Arrow Steve Cram to kick off Durham City Run Festival with recollection of his treble world record breaking runs

Since the first races took place in 2016, the Durham City Run Festival has grown into one of the most popular major grass roots sports events on the North East calendar.

The starting gun for this year’s festival will be fired with an event in the Gala Theatre on the evening of Wednesday 16 July.

Hosted by former BBC Look North presenter Jeff Brown, Durham City Run founder Steve Cram will tell the story of how he set three track world records in just 19 days in the summer of 1985.

In doing so, he became the first athlete to set world records at three different distances. Steve will share insights, images and footage, 40 years after his achievements captivated sports fans everywhere.

The Durham City Run 5K and 10K races will return on Thursday 17 July, starting outside the Radisson Blu hotel and finishing at the Durham Cathedral and Castle World Heritage Site.

Paula Radcliffe’s Families on Track will also be back, on Saturday 19 July. The event encourages family groups to get active together by giving them the opportunity to complete a 10K distance in a continuous relay, with the emphasis on fun.

Steve said: “It certainly doesn’t feel like 40 years since I set those world records, and I can remember each race as clearly as if they took place yesterday.

“It will be a privilege to chat with Jeff on the stage in the Gala Theatre, and share my recollections of what was an amazing time for me.

“My running story started on the streets of the North East, and I hope that it inspires a new generation to try the sport.

“That’s at the heart of why we put on the Durham City Run Festival – to get more people active and enjoying that experience.

“We’ll be working hard with Durham County Council and Durham University to deliver our best festival yet, and one that sees more people involved than ever.”

The festival will also include live music and family entertainment.

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, leader of Durham County Council, saids: “We are delighted to support the return of the Durham City Run Festival this summer. The festival offers a fantastic opportunity for families and individuals to come together and take part in a vibrant and exciting event, in the stunning setting of the city centre.

“The Durham City Run Festival will enable participants and spectators to enjoy the city’s heritage and culture while also enjoying their run or cheering on their loved ones, cementing our position as ‘The Culture County’ and highlighting County Durham as a great platform for staging first class events.

“We’re also delighted to be welcoming the region’s very own world-class athlete, Steve Cram, to Gala Durham to share his success story with fans. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Steve’s three world records is the perfect way to start the festival and, hopefully, inspire a future generation of runners across County Durham and the North East.”

The festival will take place between July 16 and 19. Details of how to enter the running events and purchase tickets for the Steve Cram Gala Theatre event can be found on the festival's website.