Godalming Run Brings Olympic Magic to Town

International World Class Para Dressage Rider Nicky Greenhill is calling on you to throw your support behind local aspiring Olympians and Paralympians by entering the annual Godalming Run on Sunday 17th May 2020. We featured the run on RUN247 last year here. This friendly community event was first established as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 and to celebrate the London Olympics. Since then it has become one of Surrey’s most popular Olympic legacy events, attracting thousands of entrants and raising over £20,000. All the proceeds go to Sport Godalming, a registered charity, and are used primarily to continue its support of local Godalming based athletes particularly those bidding for Olympic stardom. 

To mark the events 9th year and celebrate the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, organisers hope to secure more registrations than ever before. You can visit the website godalmingrun.org and sign up from £5 for a 1k Fun Run, 5k or 10k race. If you register for the longer distances before midnight on Sunday 22nd March, you will save 15%.

Michael O’Sullivan, Vice Chairman of Sport Godalming, said: “Now is the ideal time for us to show support for the talented young sports people from our area who aim to compete on a national or international level. With your support we can help them to train and fulfil their dreams.

“Sport Godalming is organising the run alongside the Waverley Harriers and Godalming Town, Waverley Borough and Surrey County Councils. Once again, the event has been generously sponsored by Charterhouse Club, Trade Direct Insurance and Alton Sports.”

Para Dressage Rider Nicky Greenhill has received grants from Sport Godalming over the years and commented: “I would like to thank Sport Godalming as they believed in me when no one else did – right from the start. They realised how expensive my sport is and they gave me a foot up so that I could compete on a national level. The funding helped me to train and compete, giving me the chance to develop my skills.

“As I progressed in para dressage, Sport Godalming helped me to make it on to the World Class Program and I now receive funding from UK Sport and am sponsored by Charterhouse Club where I train. Without the support of Sport Godalming I don’t believe I would be where I am today. This year my goal is to be selected to compete with Team GB in the 2020 Paralympics. This would be my first Games and it would be amazing to be selected. 

“I encourage people to take part in the run as it is in aid of such a fantastic local cause. The funding Sport Godalming provided was crucial to me over the years. Through the run, they raise funds to help others who are embarking on their sporting journey as I was. There is such a great atmosphere on the day, and I am hoping to be there in person to wish all of the runners well.”

Runners will set off from the Philips Memorial Park, with the 1k Fun Run beginning at 10.00am, the 10k at 10.30am and the 5k at 10.35am. There are prizes for winners and medals for all runners.

Register at www.godalmingrun.org