Over 1500 runners, from as far as Australia and the USA, are set to take on the Tweed Valley Tunnel Trail Run this weekend, promising a bigger and better event than before.
The Tweed Valley Tunnel Trail Run is a unique event, combining a beautiful trail run with a subterranean lighting finale in the disused Neidpath railway tunnel, that will return to Peebles this Saturday.
The trail running event has fast become an integral part of the UK running calendar and, equally, an important event for the local community in a number of ways.
A spokesman for Peebles-based event organiser Hillside Outside, which also arranges Tour O The Borders and TweedLove Bike Festival, said it has a track record of success in benefiting the community and economy with its events.
Each year, Tour O The Borders generates in the region of £500,000 and Scottish Borders Council announced a £740,000 economic benefit brought to the area from TweedLove cycling events in 2018. The Tweed Valley Tunnel Trail Run is on track to be just as beneficial at a quieter time of the year for many. The event has also become part of many locals’ fitness calendars and even encouraged some to take up the sport.
In 2018, a 3.5km walk option was added, opening the event up to a wider population and becoming more inclusive for the community.
This provides something for the whole family and allows more people to experience the Victorian Tunnel in a beautiful and exciting way.
Earlier this year, it was announced EventScotland would support the event via its National Programme Fund.
“We have already established the Tunnel Trail Run is something new and exciting within the UK running community,” said event director Neil Dalgleish. “Now, with support from EventScotland, we can grow this event to a whole new level and continue to promote the fabulous natural events stage we have in the Tweed Valley.”
Paul Bush OBE, director of events at VisitScotland, said: “Scotland is the perfect stage and our national funded events play a fundamental role, not only in contributing to our diverse portfolio but in increasing domestic tourism and delivering real social and economic benefits to local communities across the country.”