THE co-founder of ‘Run Through Events’ will celebrate its ten-year anniversary by making his home-town half marathon a completely free event.

The organisers of this years Warrington Running Festival plan to make next year’s race the world’s first road-closed and chip-timed mass participation running event that is free for all.

And they will be releasing more than 6000 places via a balloted process, with 1200 places being prioritised for people from deprived and low-income areas around Warrington.

Ballots opened on Sunday to the public and within the first 24-hours of launching 2000 ballot entries were received.

READ MORE > Our favourite 20 pictures from Warrington Festival of Running

Ben Green, co-founder of ‘Run Through’, was born and grew up in Padgate from a family of record-breaking runners.

He said: “We come from a family of runners all born and brought up in Warrington, looking to bring running to Warrington in scale.

“Running is the most easily accessible sport, with little to no barriers to entry and countless mental and physical benefits that everyone should experience.

“By opening the door on mass participation running events for those who wouldn’t otherwise experience one, we are sharing the magic of running with the nation.”

As well as marking their milestone anniversary with this breakthrough event, the organisers also hope the free aspect will encourage people from all backgrounds to get out and start running.

Ben and many of his family members have run for the Warrington Athletics Club from a young age and have racked up some outstanding credentials within the sport over the years.

A former ‘three-time Northern track champion’, the 36-year-old was once ranked in the world’s top ten 800-metres for a teenager.

Ben’s father, Graham Green, broke the world record for 1500-metres for a 12-year-old boy in 1978 whilst sporting a Warrington AC vest and went on to win multiple national age cross country titles.

In 2015, Ben and his dad ran the London Marathon together and both placed inside the top 100 of the race, breaking the world record for the fastest combined marathon ran by a father and son.

And Ben’s uncle, Andy Green is a former Warrington Guardian Sports Personality of the Year winner and once won a bronze medal in the World Marathon Relays.

Ben’s passion of running shines through in every successful event Run Through achieve.

He said: “Anyone can put on some trainers and step outside the door to go for a run, but roughly only 10% of the UK population participate in running. We are working to build an active and healthy nation, inspired to create stronger community connections by running together.

“This event will be a massive game changer.”

The balloted process will stagger the release of entry tickets for the half marathon which will take place the same time and place as this year, on Sunday, September 24, 2023.

Ballots will be held periodically releasing a certain number of tickets each time, to apply for a place visit their website at warringtonrunningfestival.com/