Thousands ready to run the Medway Mile 2013 later today

News from Medway Council website

Thousands of people are expected in Rochester for the grand finale to the Medway Festival of Sport 2013.

Up to 3,000 runners and walkers of all ages are due to take part in the Medway Mile on Friday, 26 July in Rochester.

The event marks the culmination of a three-month sporting extravaganza featuring some 50 events in 70 days and involving 12,000 people and hundreds of volunteers.

Events have ranged from international sporting events to schools competitions, mass participation events and community have-a-go days.

The Medway Mile – first staged in 2007 – was Medway’s annual signature countdown event to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

After last year’s hugely successful event, which also involved a screening of the Olympic opening ceremony, Medway Council decided the mass participation event should continue as a legacy of the Games.

The action on Friday evening centres on Rochester Castle Gardens, with the one-mile route weaving its way around Rochester’s historic streets.

From 5pm there is free entertainment in and around the castle gardens including a sports and activity zone, inflatables’ zone and a healthy lifestyles zone run by the A Better Medway team.

Highlights include an urban boxing arena, inflatable golf roadshow and an appearance by Gillingham FC with their League Two trophy and cheerleaders.

At 5.30pm hundreds of youngsters aged five to 13 will take part in children’s races around the castle gardens, with medals available to every young participant.

At 6.30pm it’s the turn of the mascots to race along the home straight before the serious business of the competitive adult mile race at 6.45pm. This is open to pre-registered runners aged 16 or over who can complete the mile in eight minutes or less.

British Military Fitness will lead the massed crowds in a warm up from 7.10pm ahead of the mass mile at 7.30pm.

The fun doesn’t stop when the mile is over. As the countdown to the next Olympic and Paralympic Games continues, there will be a mass zumba cool down, then a Rio-inspired Brazilian dance and music show ahead of a grand fireworks finale at approximately 9.30pm.

Food and drink stalls including a hog roast, barbeque and coffee and cakes will be open throughout the evening.

The Medway Mile is free to enter and every participant receives a free souvenir t-shirt.

Pre-registration is available until Thursday, 25 July. Registration on the day will be subject to availability as the race capacity is 3,000 runners and walkers. No pre-registration is required for the children’s races.

To enter online visit www.medway.gov.uk/medwaysport

The Medway Mile is organised by the Medway Sport team and is proud to be a smoke-free event, supported by A Better Medway, Southern Water and the Medway Messenger.

Image is taken from Medway Council website

Medway welcomes the Olympic Torch

The Olympic Torch will arrive in Medway next Friday, 20 July, as church bells ring, Fort Amherst’s canons are fired and a flotilla of yachts pass under Rochester Bridge.

Torchbearers will start the journey at Gillingham shortly before 8am on Friday, 20 July, before passing through Chatham, Rochester and Strood.

While passing through Medway the torch will be carried by more than 20 torchbearers, along a route that will take in Medway Park, Brompton Barracks and Boley Hill, past the iconic setting of Rochester Castle and Cathedral.

Thousands of flag waving children will also line the route, there will be street entertainment and circus acts and the relay will also run down Boley Hill – past the iconic setting of Rochester’s Castle and Cathedral. Thousands of flag waving children will also line the route, and there will be street entertainment and circus acts.

The event will allow tens of thousands of local residents the chance to catch a glimpse of the torch and the runners on the last day of its epic journey through Kent and just one week ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony starting.

The Medway leg of the Torch Relay starts in Canterbury Street, Gillingham, at approximately 7.50am – after coming in by convoy from Maidstone that morning.

And it will leave Medway along the Gravesend Road in Strood at around just after 9.30. It will then be taken by convoy through Higham and on to Gravesend.

Those who have been given the honour of carrying the torch in Medway are among just 8,000 nationally since the torch began its journey in Land’s End.

Among those bearing the torch will be Carl Fitter, from Cliffe, Deb Puxty from Gillingham, and 12-year-old Nathan Mitchell, from Gillingham.

Cllr Rodney Chambers, Leader of Medway Council, said: “The Torch Relay will take in five and a half miles of Medway’s streets and this will be an amazing spectacle for all to see.

“I urge people, wherever you are, if you can do try and take this once in a lifetime chance to see the Olympic Torch pass through Medway.”

People hoping to see the Torch Relay should allow plenty of time to get there as there will be rolling road closures as the runners pass through.

The Chatham Waterfront Bus Station will also be closed from 7.45am for around an hour and buses will start journeys and terminate on the edge of the town centre.

Those travelling on Medway’s streets or using public transport should plan ahead for their journey. For more information go to www.medway.gov.uk/torchrelay

Chatham Community Hub will open early at 8am, with all usual services and facilities available.

The Visitor Information Centre in Rochester and café will open from 7am to welcome any visitors or residents who are coming to Rochester to see the Torch pass by.

Image from Google free images News from Medway Council