THE second week of the training schedule for this year's Darlington 10km Road Run has begun.

Each week The Northern Echo will print a fitness programme which should help even those who have not seen the gym in years to complete the race on Sunday, August 13.

This year's event, the Tees Valley TEC Darlington Road Run, will be the 15th annual race.

Last year the run attracted more than 700 athletes, and organisers are hoping to have 1,000 entries this year.

Another 200 took part in the 2km fun run, which takes place alongside the main race.

The event will raise money for St Teresa's Hospice, in Darlington, and is sponsored, not only by the Tees Valley Training and Enterprise Council, but by Darlington Borough Council, whose leisure services department organises the event.

This year's race is being held a fortnight earlier than usual.

The run is normally held on the Sunday during the August Bank Holiday weekend, but the change of date this year will avoid a clash with the Millennium Cavalcade of Steam. As in previous years, the race will start and finish on High Row, in Darlington town centre.

For the first time this year, entry forms for the event will be available from the Dolphin Centre, as well as from The Northern Echo offices.

Entry coupons be will published in the newspaper at regular intervals before the event.

Darlington's radio station Alpha 103.2 is also supporting the road run, and two of its staff will be taking part.