'The Track Star Series', will be the first track event in Scotland where runners are paid cash prizes to win! Mark says "Everyday athletes train hard most days of the week for years on end, making sacrifices to be the best they can be, sometimes from a very young age. After all the blood, sweat and tears, they are often left with a small medal or trophy in a cabinet collecting dust.
Mark believes wholeheartedly that people should be rewarded properly for their efforts as this then inspires others to follow in their footsteps creating a healthier and more motivated lifestyle, and what better way to do that than to award them financially."
To compete in any track event in Scotland currently, runners must be registered and members of an affiliated athletics club. This narrows the field massively by missing those that can't afford to or simply don't want to join or represent a club. This is why The Track Star Series is open to anyone over the age of 18. A true open playing field. Mark aims to bring more eyes to the sport, bring fun and excitement to exercise and shine the spotlight on the everyday runners, who undoubtedly work as hard as their professional idols. This comes at a time where Mark feels the new generation are taking more interest in sport over partying. ''It has been said that running clubs are the new night clubs''.
The Track Star Series will take place on Saturday June 28, at the iconic Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh, home of the 1986 Commonwealth Games. There will be four events for people to sign up for (100m, 800m, 5000m & 4x100m mixed relay). The cash prize for winning each event is £500, with a males and females race for each. The winning relay team, made up of two males and two females, will scoop £1,000.
Mark aims to take his event on the road to cities across the UK and give anyone, regardless of their background or profession, the chance to put in the work and be paid to win. This comes at a time where only two months ago, UK Sport (the government body in charge of allocating spending to British sporting bodies) said that UK Athletics will have its funding decreased as it re-allocates money to other sports, which can only be a blow to aspiring athletes.
More information on the event, to spectate free, or to book your space on the start line, please visit the event instagram page at: @thetrackstarseries