Ayr Classic Five Mile Road Run are betting on a quality field attracted by the novelty of running at one of the UK’s top racecourses - and a record-breaking prize fund.
First man and first women past the finishing post at the Ayr Racecourse event on October 6 will pick up £500 each, with £250 for second and £100 for third.
However, that pot will double to £1000 for winners who break the men’s and women’s Scottish five-mile records, which have stood for 30 and 20 years respectively.
Edinburgh Southern Harriers’ Neil Tennant raced for Scotland with distinction all through the 80s, just missing out on the 1986 Commonwealth Games. Aged 30, he set the Scottish Five Mile Road Record of 22.48 on February, 1989.
While Tennant was an unsung hero of Scottish athletics, the women’s best of 25.25 was set on April 11, 1998, by the legendary Liz McColgan who finished behind Paula Radcliffe’s world best at Balmoral.
Tennant and McColgan set a high bar, however, by its nature the Ayr Classic is ultra flat with runners setting set off from underneath the famous grandstand on a paved loop twice around the racecourse.
The Classic Run also includes two other events aimed to attract the whole family.
The Scottish Building Society Junior Run takes in a full lap and is open to nine to 15 year olds. And the Classic Family Mile is open to three to eight year olds. The £6 entry includes one adult and up to three children.
To enter, visit www.theayrclassicrun.co.uk .
