Sellout marathon attracts 5,500 people in just three days

The first ever Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon, which will be held in York and the surrounding countryside, was only launched on Tuesday but such was the demand the race hit its initial capacity of 5,000 by Thursday.

Discussions with health and safety and risk assessment managers allowed organisers to release a further 500 places. However, all of those had been sold by early afternoon yesterday.

Talks are now on going to see whether, in coming months, capacity can be increased a final time to allow 6,000 to take part, which would make a further 500 places available. Those who wish to be put on a waiting list should register their details on the www.theyorkshiremarathon.com website.

Mrs Tomlinson raised nearly £2m for charity in a series of gruelling sporting challenges despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer before her death in 2007.

Her widower, Mike, said: “It’s very humbling to see so much support for the new event. We’re well on the way to making it the biggest marathon in the North. Thank you to everyone who has entered.”

Entries for the inaugural marathon have flooded in from across the UK, France, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, the USA and even the Caribbean.

It is being organised by a new company under the Jane Tomlinson’s For All Events umbrella – the organisation set up as a fundraising legacy to the late Yorkshire fundraiser.

The Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon will take place on October 20. The Yorkshire Post is a media partner for the event.