On your marks for a place in this year's Hartlepool Marina 5-Mile Road Race

A date has been set for this year’s Hartlepool Marina 5-Mile Road Race and entries are now being taken online.

The run starts at 10.30am on Sunday, April 15, and will set off from outside the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Hartlepool.

The course takes runners on a route along the seafront towards Seaton Carew, and back again.

Jane Wistow, from the organisers Hartlepool Burn Road Harriers, urged interested people to book their spot in plenty of time to avoid disappointment.

She added: “Runners should start getting their entries in because, over the last few years, the race has sold out weeks ahead of the event.”

All levels of runner is welcome from the serious athlete to those looking to test their fitness levels. Entrants must be at least 15 years old on the day of the race.

Every finisher will receive a technical running T-shirt. The route is described as fast and flat and it is a chip-timed five-mile road race.

There will also be prizes awarded across the field, said Jane.

“People come from far and wide for this race. We are now open online for entries and our licence allows us to have up to 550 runners.”

Last year, New Marske Harrier Hassan Ben-Tiba won the men’s race with Middlesbrough & Mandale’s Jo Stone the first female finisher.

Previous winners have included New Marske’s Dominic Shaw, formerly of the Hartlepool Mail, who won in a new course record in 2016.

The cost of entering this year’s race is £12 for affiliated runners and £14 for non-affiliated runners.

To enter, go to the Run Britain website HERE.

To find out more about Hartlepool Burn Road Harriers, visit their website here.