It’s your last chance to enter this year’s Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running, which takes place on Sunday 7 October. Entries for the popular Baxters River Ness 10K and 5K Fun Run races close at midnight this Friday 14 September and the organisers are urging people to log on to the event website: www.lochnessmarathon.com and register online now!

Last year a record 5,600 runners took part in the Marathon, 10K and 5K races, making it the largest participatory sports event in the Highlands. The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running truly is an event for all the family, with runners aged 3 to 84 taking part and a full family entertainment programme laid on at the race finish.

The River Ness 10K race is a flat point-to-point course through Inverness, offering runners a great opportunity to record a PB (Personal Best) time. Both the 10K and the 5K Fun Run courses take runners along the scenic River Ness, to finish in Queens Park Stadium, alongside the marathon runners. All race finishers receive a commemorative medal, a t-shirt, fantastic Baxters goody bag and a well deserved bowl of Baxters soup.

Any schools, youth clubs and disability groups across the Highlands that enter a team in the River Ness 5K Fun Run on Sunday 7 October will qualify for reduced entry fees. Groups wishing to enter a team should contact info@lochnessmarathon.com  for more information or call 0870 127 8000. Team and individual entries for both the River Ness 10K and 5K races must be received by midnight on Friday 14 September.

The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running is one of hundreds of events benefiting from funding through Highland 2007, the year long programme promoting the Highlands and Islands as a great place to live and visit, by showcasing the best of Highland culture and events. Highland 2007’s support of the Loch Ness Marathon is helping raise the profile of the event by improving the broadcast coverage.

For all race information and online entry, visit: www.lochnessmarathon.com or call: 0870 127 8000 (national call rates apply)

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Notes to Editors:

• Baxters Food Group, a world-renowned producer of quality foods, has been title sponsor of the Loch Ness Marathon since 2002. www.baxters.com
• The event is supported by the Highland 2007 Regional Events Programme. Highland 2007 aims to promote the Highlands as a great place to live and to visit through showcasing the unique and special nature of Highland culture past, present and future. The project is a partnership between three principal funding agencies: The Highland Council, the Scottish Executive, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
• Other sponsors include: Highland Spring, Lucozade Sport, GORE Running Wear™, Scottish Co-operative, TNT and Run and Become.
• The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running is one of three events shortlisted for a Scottish Thistle Award in the International Events and Festivals category of the 2007 VisitScotland Scottish Thistle Awards. The overall winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony and dinner on 26 October 2007.
• The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running was founded by and is organised by the Scottish Community Foundation (SCF).
• The Scottish Community Foundation aims to distribute £7.5m every year to charities and constituted voluntary groups throughout Scotland from 2012. www.scottishcf.org
• The five nominated charities in 2007 are Highland Hospice, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, Leonard Cheshire and the Scottish Community Foundation. The 35+ plus associated charities are listed at: www.lochnessmarathon.com/charities
• The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon starts between Fort Augustus and Foyers and follows a point-to-point route along the south side of Loch Ness; the Baxters River Ness 10K and River Ness 5K Fun Run take place in the Highland capital of Inverness. All three races finish in Inverness Queens Park Stadium.

For further press information, please contact:
Sue McKichan, Tel: 07802 685454 / Email: s.mckichan@btinternet.com