ENTRIES are flooding in for the tough and hugely popular half marathon Run Falmouth that takes place next month.

This year Cornish healthcare charity Cornwall Hospice Care have released 100 extra places to meet the growing demand and to fund more care for those who are terminally ill in Cornwall.

Race secretary Jane Appleton said: “Working with our partners Falmouth Road Runners we’ve been developing this half marathon and hope to attract record entries in what is our charity’s 40th anniversary. I can tell you from experience that it’s not an easy course, but despite its demands, it’s got great views! We also have a Kid’s Run, which last year saw 92 youngsters running the first one-mile of the course.”

The 13.1 mile route starts in the lee of Pendennis Castle following the coast past the beautiful beaches of Gyllyngvase and Swanpool and glimpsing Maenporth Beach as the route rises to give fabulous views back towards Pendennis Castle.

Following undulating Cornish country lanes, the run is well supported along the whole route as residents from the picturesque villages come out to cheer the runners on.

The annual sell-out event is part of the Cornwall Glass Grand Prix Series and open to affiliated and non-affiliated club runners.

Last year the event attracted a record 696 entries and was won by Colin Snook, of Cornwall AC, in a new course record of 1h14m28s.

Oli Hoare, head of fundraising at Cornwall Hospice Care, added: “What a triumph with record entries this year and a new course record set. We also had a superb 92 entries for our first Kids Run and that’s not including all their mums and dads who joined in too.

“Thanks to the support of all our competitors we hope to have raised enough to fund a thousand hours of nursing care so that’s another success to celebrate.”

Run Falmouth is on Sunday, March 15 and will be sponsored by Cornwall Physio & Run Lab.

For more information and to enter the main event or the Kid’s Run, visit www.cornwallhospicecare.co.uk/runfalmouth2020 or call the charity’s fundraising office on 01726 66868 (option 3).