PHOTOS: Flipping good fun at Market Harborough pancake race

For the first time, families from Market Harborough spent the evening of Shrove Tuesday dashing through the town centre.
Crowd pleaser...runners get ready for the Race Harborough celebration one mile pancake fun run.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTERCrowd pleaser...runners get ready for the Race Harborough celebration one mile pancake fun run.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER
Crowd pleaser...runners get ready for the Race Harborough celebration one mile pancake fun run. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

The Pancake Mile was a new event organised by Race Harborough and sponsored by Gallones Ice Cream, which also provided the race HQ at the start and finish of the run.

A total of 80 residents registered for the event – the youngest was just two years old and the eldest was 70. Many entrants were also assisted by younger children in prams and pushchairs, making the event a particularly family friendly affair.

“We certainly had all different ages and standards taking place,” said race director Amy Kingston.

Evie Calvert 6 and Erica Calvert get ready for the Race Harborough celebration one mile pancake fun run.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTEREvie Calvert 6 and Erica Calvert get ready for the Race Harborough celebration one mile pancake fun run.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER
Evie Calvert 6 and Erica Calvert get ready for the Race Harborough celebration one mile pancake fun run. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

“Some participants did bring along their own frying pan to flip pancakes along the way, but most focused on the running – and then enjoyed a pancake at Gallones at the end.”

Madi Brooks was one of those taking place at the event along with a team of her supporters who were helping to raise money and awareness of her cause. Madi suffers from congenital myasthenia gravis, which means she has weak muscles, fatigue and has difficulty when breathing. It is a condition only affecting 15 people in every 100,000 in the UK.

The distance of a one-mile race was for a long time a favourite in athletics, most famously when Rodger Bannister defied expectation in 1954 to run it in under four minutes. None of the entrants from the pancake mile came near to troubling Banister’s record, but then it’s hard to challenge the record books carrying a lemon and a frying pan.

“It was great to see so many families take part and turn the evening into such a fun event,” said Morven Moss from Gallones. “We were delighted to support the event and provide the pancakes at the end for all the finishers.”

Bethany Wilding 10 and Madi Brooks 11 have a go at tossing pancakes before the start of Race Harborough's one mile run to celebrate pancake day in aid of Madi Wishes for Wheels Appeal.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTERBethany Wilding 10 and Madi Brooks 11 have a go at tossing pancakes before the start of Race Harborough's one mile run to celebrate pancake day in aid of Madi Wishes for Wheels Appeal.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER
Bethany Wilding 10 and Madi Brooks 11 have a go at tossing pancakes before the start of Race Harborough's one mile run to celebrate pancake day in aid of Madi Wishes for Wheels Appeal. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

The Pancake Mile is the latest in a long line of events created by Race Harborough. In the past two years they have launched the Harborough Triathlon, Santa Run, Tunnel Vision Night Run, and the Harborough Carnival Half Marathon and 10K. Their next event is the Festival of Cycling taking place on Sunday April 3. It is a 50km and 100km sportif which is returning after its debut last year.

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