VALENTINE’S Day 2016 will see one of Dursley’s biggest mass participation events in the region taking place as athletes from across the country arrive to race in the 26th running of the Dursley Dozen.

The Dursley Dozen is established as one of the toughest off-road races around the athletics circuit.

And this year 550 runners have entered the multi-terrain race of 12 miles taking them over hillsides, roads, woodland, open country, mud and solid rock. The course sets off steeply up May Lane for 200 metres before entering the woods.

And beware any runner looking for a good placing who does not make the initial effort up the hill as they are likely to get stuck in significant traffic.

The ascent to the top of Stinchcombe Hill is followed by a sustained and rapid descent before runners wend their way back up to the top via Lister’s Drive.

After a relatively flat section to the top of Whiteway, the ups and downs continue until the final climb, known as ‘The Precipice’ where ropes are provided to assist runners up a near vertical ascent.

The runners then have a relatively easy two miles of grassland and woodland tracks to the finish.

Heavy winter rain with a combination of logging will again make the Dursley Dozen a significant challenge for all participants this year.

At one point, organisers were considering a detour because conditions were considered too tough. However, after a few trial runs and some light pruning, the course remains the same.

Dursley’s leading runner Dan Anderson will be going into the Dozen in good form and will be up against Paul Fernandez, of Abingdon, who was last year’s winner and course record holde.

Anderson spent much of the 2015 season honing his speed over shorter distance fell races and hopefully this turn of pace will pay dividends on Sunday.

Similarly, the first two women from the 2015 race are due to compete against each other.

Twenty Dursley Running Club athletes are due to be on the start line with Kim Bird likely to be the leading lady. She, alongside Dan Anderson, Mike Crompton and Joe Browning, are names to look out for in the final results.

Race Director Graeme Hawkins has also got himself down to run. The organisation of the race starts in August of the preceding year and the whole club is involved in providing marshalling, waterstops, car park attendants, catering and race headquarters organisation, with many members out on the preceding day setting out the course.

It raises significant money for the club with proceeds being invested in club development. It also generates money to the club’s nominated charity. This year the club is raising money for two charities SANDS and Cancer Research after two of the club’s long-time members were affected by recognising the issues the charities address.