We have some exciting news here at the Hotelympia 10k HQ!

Stratford Sweatshop, who will be supplying prizes for the winners of the race as well as some additions to the runner goodie bags, are offering all runners of the upcoming race the chance to visit their shop, located on the ground floor of the Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford, East London, and recieve a 20% discount this week! (13th-19th February)

The discount can be used for the majority of Sweatshops stock, excluding all nutritional products and watches.

This is a great opportunity for you to treat yourself to some new running gear or trainers before the Hotelympia 10k!

Just print this off and take it along to the shop in order to receive your 20% discount.

See on you on February 26th.

Organisers have just announced that runners in this year’s Hotelympia 10K road race are competing for a raft of special prizes. It’s not too late to register for the Hotelympia 10K, taking place at Excel on Sunday February 26th: www.Hotelympia10k.com.

The winners and runners-up of the individual race categories will all receive Sweatshop vouchers which can be redeemed at any Sweatshop store in the country. Male and Female overall winners win £100 Sweatshop vouchers, and Junior Female and Junior Male winners receive £25. All the veteran category winners, male and female will also win £25 worth of vouchers.

Runners who may not be competing to win their races also have a chance to win some fantastic spot prizes. The race number prize draw will randomly pick winners based on their unique race number, to win one of a variety of different prizes that include a Hotel Spa Treatment Voucher and Dinner for Two at a top London restaurant.

Teams entries are competing for impressive Cups – categories include: Fastest Team, Fastest Mixed Team, Fastest Female Team, Largest Team and Best Dressed Team.

The organisers are calling for hotel, pub and restaurant workers from in and around London to get involved by running as individuals or as teams. The entry fee is £15 per person and the race is suitable for all levels of experience – power walkers are also welcome.

You don’t have to be chef or waiter to take part as the race is open to anyone and run under UK Athletic guidelines. All finishers will receive a medal, t-shirt and a goody bag.

To find out more about the Hotelympia 10k race you can visit www.Hotelympia10k.com. You can also follow the race itself on Twitter at @Hotelympia10k using hashtag #Hot10k, and by searching Hotelympia 10k on Facebook.

Face of the Hotelympia 10k race and Olympic hopeful Conrad Williams took to Twitter on Friday January 27th to answer questions from any followers.

Topics featured in the Q&A were varied and including everything from training, diet and lifestyle tips, to musical tastes and sponsorships. Some people even tweeted two or three questions to make the most of the session.

Says Conrad; “The Twitter Q&A was a really fun experience and it was great to be able to give out tips and hints on running and keeping fit. I hope I could give an insight into the world of athletics to anyone running, or thinking of running the Hotelympia 10k.”

The Hotelympia 10k is being held on Sunday 26th February at ExCel, London in aid of The Springboard Charity. To find out more about the race you can visit www.hotelympia10k.co.uk. You can also follow the race itself on Twitter at @Hotelympia10k using hashtag #Hot10k, and by searching Hotelympia 10k on Facebook.

With the Hotelympia 10k race just over a month away, face-of-the-race and Olympic hopeful Conrad Williams is gearing up to answer your questions!

On Friday January 26th, which marks a month to go until the race date, Conrad will be taking to the @hotelympia10k twitter page and answering any questions you may have relating to training, running and Athletics in general.

The Q&A will last for around an hour starting at 2pm, and during that time Conrad will be aiming to answer as many questions sent in to him as possible. To be in with a chance of Conrad answering your questions, you can send them via direct message to the @Hotelympia10k page, or email them to Lauren@leapfrogpr.com.

You can also follow the race itself on Twitter at @Hotelympia10k using hashtag #Hot10k, and by searching Hotelympia 10k on Facebook.

The Hotelympia 10K is delighted to announce that the pre-race Pasta Party, where runners and supporters can fill up with delicious pasta fuel for the race, is to be sponsored by London based Italian-style fresh pasta specialist La Tua Pasta. The Pasta Party is kindly hosted by the Novotel Excel and takes place on Saturday February 25th from 6.00pm.

Served alongside the generous portions of pasta, aimed at keeping the runners energy levels high, will be a selection of delicious sauces and freshly prepared salads, with fresh fruit for dessert, all provided by the Novotel Excel.

Says Francesco Boggian, Managing Director of La Tua Pasta: “Many of the attendees at the Pasta party will be physically as well as mentally preparing themselves for a 10K race the following day and so we are proud to know that their hard work is being complemented by our fine fresh pasta.”

Anyone, regardless of whether they are running the Hotelympia 10K race, can sign up for the Pasta Party online and the 150 tickets available for the party are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Tickets cost £15.00 including VAT. A great way for exhibitors to unwind before the Show starts the following day!

You can also follow the race itself on Twitter at @Hotelympia10k using hashtag #Hot10k, and by searching Hotelympia 10k on Facebook.

12 Reasons to Enter the Hotelympia 10k 2012

1. Charity run to raise funds for Springboard, the UK’s leading charity providing opportunities for sustainable employment and vibrant careers in hospitality, leisure and tourism.
2. The race is held on February 26th – something to set your mind to whilst sticking to those New Years Resolutions.
3. Former Olympic runner and Athletics presenter for the BBC Steve Cram MBE will be officially starting the race at 9:30am.
4. Official ‘Face-of-the-Race’ is Olympic hopeful Conrad Williams, the international Track Athlete who currently holds three records in British athletics in the 400m run.
5. 10k is an achievable, but still impressive distance to run.
6. Chance to come along to the ‘Pasta Party’ at the London ExCel Novotel the night before the race and fuel yourself with energy ahead of the big day.
7. Runners of all abilities welcome, from beginners to professionals.
8. Prizes for the top runners in the various categories.
9. Every runner receives a tee-shirt, goody bag and a medal, courtesy of the sponsors.
10. Route for the race is set on a flat surface with gorgeous views of Royal Victoria and Royal Albert Docks for everyone to enjoy – plus it will be virtually traffic-free!
11. Just entering the race alone puts you in with a chance of winning some highly coveted race draw raffle prizes.

12. IT’S GOING TO BE LOTS OF FUN!

You should be able to access the PDF file for the route by using this link

We’re delighted to announce that former Olympic runner Steve Cram MBE will be the official starter of the Hotelympia 10k race.

The athlete, who now works as a presenter for the BBC, won Silver in the 1500m at the 1984 Olympics. He was also voted Sports Personality of the Year in 1983 and awarded his MBE in 1986.

Steve will be at the Pasta Party the night before, as well as on hand on the day of the race, offering tips to all runners on how to stay focused and motivated throughout the 10k.

Be sure to watch out for future emails and check the web site www.hotelympia10k.com for news of the pre-race Pasta Party, 8 week race training programme and what our ‘face of the race’ Conrad Williams is up to!

Follow us on Twitter for the latest news and like our Facebook page!

Hope to see on you on February 26th

Best wishes from
The Hotelympia 10k Organisers Office

Now that the Festive Season is over you may well have made some New Year’s resolutions to shape up, get fit and shift those extra pounds. If so the Hotelympia 10K (Feb 26 2012, Excel, London) could be just what you need – and our web site now features an 8 week training schedule designed to help you get round the course in the best shape – whether you are a beginner or a more experienced runner.

If you think the training plan involves months and months of gruelling training then think again as the plan will get you race fit by the end of February. Since most New Years resolutions don’t make it much past March, this is the perfect opportunity for you to seize the day and get fit while you still have the energy.

The beginner and intermediate training plans, exclusively designed for the race, have been specifically created to be followed in the eight weeks leading up to the race. Says Robert Birchley, a personal fitness instructor from RR Personal Training, who designed this years training plan: “There are two training plans for the Hotelympia 10k race, the beginners plan is to build strength – both physically and mentally – to complete the distance come race day. Whilst the Intermediate plan is better suited to those who have already been running regularly.”

With the aim of rounding up 2012 runners for the race, you will by no means be alone in taking up the 10km, or 6.2 mile, challenge. The International Track Athlete and Olympic hopeful Conrad Williams will also be present as the “face of the race” to help motivate runners throughout the day, as well as Chief Athletics Commentator for the BBC, Steve Cram.

You can register to run the race online at www.hotelympia10k.com or download the entry form for postal entry – sometimes easier for team entries if you feel like taking up the challenge with some friends just as eager to up their fitness levels this New Year. The event is held under UKA guidelines and runners of all levels, both individuals and teams, are welcome.

Watch the launch video and sign up for the race at www.hotelympia10k.com. You can also like the Hotelympia 10K race on Facebook or find the twitter page at @Hotelympia10K. Watch out for more news on the event coming soon!

We are pleased to announce that the ‘Face-of-the-Race’ for the 2012 Hotelympia 10K race will be Conrad Williams, an Olympic hopeful with three records to his name!

“Hello, my name is Conrad Williams and I am an international Track Athlete. I run the 400m for Great Britain and have since won global medals in the 4x400m relay; I currently hold three records in British athletics in the 400m run.

I am a 2012 Olympic hopeful and I am training very hard!

I am delighted to be the ‘Face-of-the-Race’ for the 2012 Hotelympia 10k race and supporting the great cause of The Springboard Charity. The work they deliver is excellent and is making a difference for individuals who need support and guidance to gain employment within the hospitality, leisure and tourism industry.

Please come and join me at noon on the 15th March 2011 at ExCel – I look forward to seeing you there. I will be distributing goody bags and signing autographs and pictures for the first 200 people, so don’t miss out!”