Inaugural England Athletics Age Group team heads to MBNA Chester Marathon

England Athletics is pleased to announce that our inaugural Age Group Marathon Team will be competing at the MBNA Chester Marathon in 2017.

Earlier this autumn, England Athletics announced the first athletes to have qualified for the team from the Yorkshire, Bournemouth and Chester marathons, with further opportunities to qualify coming up in Spring 2017 at marathons in Greater Manchester and Brighton. The selected athletes will compete head to head against opposition that will be announced early in the new year.

The Age Group team is a unique opportunity for England Athletics registered runners to qualify to represent their country at Masters age group level, with the top five EA-registered runners in each masters age category at each of the 5 qualifying races, who have opted in to the qualifying system, guaranteeing themselves a place in the England team.

Dean Hardman of England Athletics, says, “We are delighted that the MBNA Chester Marathon is to be the first host of the England Athletics Age Group team. We put the choice of host event to a vote on social media and Chester was the overwhelming winner. The feedback that runners give after running at Chester is always extremely positive and we are certain that Chester will provide the team with an experience to remember.”

Andy White, Race Director at Chester Marathon, said "As runners ourselves it means a lot to be chosen - by the runners - as the first England Athletics Age Group Marathon. We are really looking forward to welcoming the England Age Group Team to our home city of Chester."

Further Information:

Please note the following:
• It is the responsibility of individual runners to enter their chosen qualifying marathon. The usual entry fees apply.
• For the England Representative event, runners will bear the costs of travel to the marathon and the entry fee for the race. Team kit will be available to purchase.

How to Register:

To register an intention to qualify for the England Age Group team, runners must either:
- Submit their name, club, age group, England Athletics registration number and event entered at www.englandathletics.org/masters-age-group-athletes-to-represent-england-at-marathon (Details must be submitted to event organiser at time of entry or at the link provided at least one week before the relevant event).
Or
- Select the option at the point of entry to qualifying marathon

Only England Athletics registered athletes who have registered their intention to qualify are eligible.
Selections will also be subject to current competitive fitness.