Fionnuala Britton leads the way at the 2014 Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry International (© Getty Images)
Ireland’s leading distance runner Fionnuala Britton has confirmed her participation in this year’s SPAR Great Ireland Run 10km, which will take place on the roads of the Phoenix Park in Dublin on Sunday 6 April, organisers for the IAAF Silver Label Road Race announced on Thursday (13).
Britton’s last run at the event was in 2011 when she was the first Irish finisher in seventh place and won the concurrent Irish 10km championships.
As usual, an elite field will contest the event this year and the names of Britton’s overseas challengers will be announced in the coming weeks.
After a strong cross-country season, when she was fourth at the European Cross Country Championships in December and then second at the Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry International last month, Britton is currently undertaking a major block of training towards her summer goal of competing at the 2014 European Championships over 10,000m on the track.
Britton recently parted company amicably with her long-time coach Chris Jones in order to take more direct control of her own training and racing programme. The SPAR Great Ireland Run will be her first outing under this new arrangement before she seeks to run a qualifying time in Britain in early May for the European Championships.
The SPAR Great Ireland Run is the only IAAF competition in Ireland. The event is one of 22 races in the world to receive an IAAF Road Race Silver Label in recognition of the event’s high standard of organisation, elite participation and media profile.
The event is Ireland’s largest mixed 10km and up to 12,000 adults and children are expected to participate in the run and its associated junior events.
Organisers for the IAAF
