Babcock director says he expects a higher turnout at next years event

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Babcock has confirmed its continued sponsorship of the local 10K series for 2023, having first sponsored the events back in 2017- with a director expecting an improved turnout for next year’s races.In 2023 the three races will be the Babcock Helensburgh 10K on Thursday, May 4, at 7.30pm, the Shettleston 10K at Glasgow Green on Sunday, May 14, at 10am, and the Dumbarton 10K on Thursday, May 25, at 7.30pm.This year’s events attracted more than 2,000 entries and chairman of the Babcock 10K Series, Kevin Johnson, expects an even bigger entry for 2023, as the after-effects of Covid-19 recede.Kenny Douglas, managing director of Babcock at HMNB Clyde, said: “It was doubly challenging coming back this year because people had booked in for the race two years prior.“A lot of people left their entries in so we got around 2,200 entries across the series, but it was very difficult to know who was going to turn up.“The turnup rate was a good bit less than in previous years.“It was still encouraging the number of people that did turn up.“There was pent-up demand and interest to get back out on the street and run, for people to test themselves.“Lockdown helped to a degree with people taking up running because it preserved many people’s mental and physical health.“That is why Babcock continues to promote running because they want to encourage health and be seen as very community orientated.”The Series combines elite competition, involving Olympic athletes like past winners Derek Hawkins, Sonia Samuels and Weynay Ghebresilassie at the front end, with club runners chasing a personal best and recreational runners, many of whom may be tackling the distance for the first time.Series chief Kevin spoke about how recreational runners have now