DUST off your trainers - this year’s Cambrian News Aberystwyth charity 10k race is almost upon us.

Last year there were over 500 entries. There are 600 places this year, but more than 450 have been taken up already.

As it’s £2 extra to enter on the day, you need to hurry to get your entry in.

The 2016 race takes place on Sunday, 11 December, starting at 1pm near Aberystwyth bandstand. There is also a junior one-mile Prom Dash at noon.

Runners are urged to sign up and to raise as much as possible for charity to add to the feeling of success on crossing the finish line.

A lot of runners have already pledged money for charity - with at least 30 local and national charities already named in entries.

This will be the 18th year of the popular annual race and entrants for this year’s 10k will also get the chance to compete for a £100 voucher prize for breaking the course record.

As well as prizes for age categories, this year there will be a prize of £100 of vouchers up for grabs - sponsored by Cactws Menswear and Harddwch Siriol Beauty - if either the male course record set last year by Carwyn Jones of 32 minutes and 14 seconds, or the female record set by Carys Hughes of 37 minutes and 14 seconds, are broken (the prize to be shared if both records are broken).

There will be prizes for, amongst others, the fastest male, female, male aged 35 and over and female aged 30 and over. The Geraint and Michelle Evans Dolphin Shield will be presented to the fastest business team – minimum of three runners with the fastest three times to count. Running clubs can’t enter teams.

Everyone who completes the race will receive a special cast medal, courtesy of the Cambrian News.

The advance entry fee is £16 (£14 for affiliated WA athletes). The entry fee on the day will be £18 (£16 for affiliated WA athletes). The minimum race entry age is 15.

Registration on the day is at Race HQ in the bandstand, but runners are urged to register in advance. The junior race has an entry fee of £3 per child. Entry on the day only and minimum age is seven years.

The Cambrian News and its sister paper Y Cymro became main sponsors of the race seven years ago, with organisation by Carl Williams and Aberystwyth Athletics Club, to ensure its survival, and the race has gone from strength to strength since then.

Thousands of runners have taken part over the years, raising nearly £200,000 in total for charity so far.

All profits from the entry fees go to local charities and organisations.

But if runners want to raise money for the charity of their choice as well, there are downloadable Welsh and English sponsor forms on www.aberystwythac.co.uk/page27.htm.

Organisers would like to thank all those who turn up every year to help - Raynet for mobile communications, the Air Cadets for manning the midway water station, Tarannau cheerleaders, MW Scaffolding for providing the finish gantry and St John Ambulance for providing medical cover.

Tesco and Mountain Warehouse are providing the prizes for the junior race and PD’s diner will be providing the bottles of water at the finish line.

If any local businesses are interested in sponsoring any of the prizes or race expenses, contact [email protected].

The charity stalls near the bandstand were a great success last year and there are still a few spaces available this year. Again, contact Anita Worthing by e-mail.