As entries surge past 1000 for this year's Babcock 10K Series, it has been announced that some 'stars of the running scene' are also making the decision to join the 
line-up.

Calum Johnson, one of the leading British distance runners of his generation, has signed up for all three Babcock 10K races. Gateshead Harrier, Johnson, ran impressively in February at the Seville Marathon, where he improved his personal best by over four minutes to clock 2:13:28 at only his second attempt.

The athlete's 10K PB was set only five weeks ago when he represented England in the Valencia 10K, where he clocked 28:49, almost a minute faster than the Babcock Series record of 29:32.

Johnson was second Briton in last year’s Great North Run, finishing ninth overall in 63:16, just 40 seconds behind GB Olympian, Marc Scott. He won the English National Cross-Country title in 2020 at Wollaton Park in Nottingham and last year won the English Inter Counties Cross-Country title in Loughborough.

A former triathlete, who won several European Cups and a silver medal in the World U23 Relay Championships in Cozumel in Mexico, he has only been focusing on his running for three years but big things are expected in the future.

Johnson and Weynay Ghebresilasie were juniors together and vied for Northern and National Cross-Country titles, when the former Eritrean athlete was running for Sunderland. It should be an enticing clash between the two athletes at Glasgow Green on Sunday 14 May, as they contest the Scottish 10K Championships.

The Babcock Family Fun Run is a new addition at Glasgow Green on 14 May, with a minimum age of eight years and families encouraged to run together over the 2K traffic-free course. There is a medal for every finisher and the entry fees is £3.50.

Entries remain open for the Babcock 10K Series here, with fuller details at the Babcock 10K Series website.

Image: Calum Johnson, courtesy of Mark Shearman