The annual Raworths Run saw Harrogate International Festivals team up with Early Bird Run Crew ahead of the town's Literature Festival next week.
Harrogate runners turn out for Raworths Run despite wet weather A number of enthusiastic runners rose bright and early to take part in the Raworths Run this morning (Friday). Organised by Harrogate International Festivals, the event returned to Harrogate town centre ahead of the Raworths Literature Festival next week. Teaming up with Early Bird Run Crew, the Festivals team invited runners to take on a 5km route around the town at 6am or 6:30am to celebrate the launch of the annual Literature Festival. And despite the wet weather, a full team of runners took part in the run before receiving a free book. Simon Morris, Managing Partner at Raworths, said:
“I’m amazed by the number of people who have turned up in the pouring rain, it’s absolutely phenomenal and the enthusiasm is great to see this early in the morning. "We’ve been sponsoring the Literature Festival for over 10 years now and it’s been great to see it grow every year. "The loyalty of the people who come and watch the event, the diversity of the authors who come each year and the programme that the Festivals have put on for us, it’s great to see that build and the excitement that comes with that.”[caption id="attachment_82537" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The Harrogate International Festivals team handed out free books to runners.[/caption] After starting and finishing the run at Harrogate's Cenotaph, runners made their way into Cafe Nero to receive their free book. Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said:
“This is all part of Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival which starts next weekend but reading is great for yourself, brings your blood pressure down, slows your heart rate, gives you a feeling of well-being… There’s a whole host of reasons why it’s really good to read, as well as for the good of your brain, and running does the same. “We’ve got lots of exciting stuff going on, and in fact if you go down to The Crown Hotel now, we’ve got a short story dispenser and if you press a little button you can get a whole short story printed out for you there and then on what looks like a very long till receipt! “We’ve got a big public trail going on around town at the moment so you can pick up free books from loads of different pubs, bars and restaurants, and then we’ve got that actual Festival that kicks off next week as well!”The Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival starts on Thursday 19th and runs until Sunday 23rd October. [caption id="attachment_82536" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Runners inside Cafe Nero after completing the Raworths Run.[/caption] Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival was picked out as ‘One of the UK’s best Literary Festivals’ by Harpers Bazaar and ‘One of the Top 3 Literary Festivals in the UK’ by the Guardian. Husband and wife team David and Carrie Grant, comedian Rosie Holt and celebrity chef Rosemary Shrager will all be among the celebrities making an appearance at this year's event. Find out more about the Festival and see a full lineup ahead of the event here. Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
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