Thousands run Yorkshire Marathon for charities

Thousands ran the Yorkshire Marathon on Sunday

Thousands of runners have taken part in the 12th Yorkshire Marathon in support of multiple charities including Children's Cancer North and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

More than 6,000 people finished the marathon starting in York city centre on Sunday.

Runners headed into the surrounding countryside, through Stockton on the Forest and Stamford Bridge before winding through the village of Murton and returning to finish back where the race started.

With calmer weather than 2024, which was mired by windy and rainy conditions, 6,486 people raced with times ranging from under two and a half hours to those who snuck in under the maximum time of seven hours.

Edward Buck, a teacher in Nottinghamshire who studied Chemistry at the University of York, won the race with an impressive time of two hours and 18 minutes.

"It brings back memories of when I was studying my degree," Buck said, who came third last year and felt he needed to redeem himself, which he certainly did by shaving 10 minutes off his time.

"I did actually have to stop for a wee half way on the course too," he laughed, but when asked if he could have done it even faster, Buck said: "If I was holding it in, I probably wouldn't have felt as comfortable in the second half."

Edward Buck, a teacher, won the Yorkshire Marathon this year

And the fastest woman on the day was Leeds-born Heather Townsend, who ran the race in just under two hours and 39 minutes.

"It was such a good atmosphere out there today," Townsend said, who was also the fastest female runner last year.

"I did it last year and the atmosphere was slightly different with the storm happening, so today it was amazing.

"The crowd was phenomenal and there was such a good buzz going round."

And if ever the challenge felt too much, Townsend had "boys" written on her hand to remind her of her twin sons.

"It reminds me that I'm doing it for them and seeing their little faces at the end," she said.

Heather Townsend was the fastest woman for two years on the trot

Not everyone was taking the race as seriously as seasoned runners like Buck and Townsend though.

Others took a lighter approach, taking the opportunity to get dressed up and make some of the onlookers chuckle on a chilly October day in York.

Not everyone was there to set a personal best

The event is organised by Jane Tomlinson's Run For All and since the inaugural event in 2013, more than £7.5m has been raised for charity in total.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.