International elite runners will compete against Britain’s best athletes at the Highgate Harriers ‘Night of the 10,000m PBs’ on Saturday – an event combining the British Championships and the GB trials for the forthcoming European Championships.

The event also incorporates the GB trials for the European Cup and IAAF World Junior 10,000m Championships, creating a spectacular multi-race night at Hampstead Heath’s Parliament Hill Athletics Track.

Last year’s run saw Jo Pavey returning to competitive action, sweeping aside the opposition to enjoy a stylish victory in 32 minutes 11 seconds, and laying down a marker for the gutsiest of bronze medal-winning performances over 5,000m in Glasgow and the classiest of 10,000m victories in Zurich that were to come.

Mirroring Pavey’s success, Andy Vernon blew away the field in the men’s race to take the British title for the first time in what turned into a competitive warm-up for his own European Championship medal-winning performances on the track later in the summer. Andy took silver in a memorable one-two with Mo Farah over 10,000m in Zurich.

The event witnessed five races, 1,000 spectators lining lane-three, 133 finishers and crucially 60% of competitors achieved a personal best.

Highgate Harriers’ Race organiser Ben Pochee said:

“If it is 100% free inspirational athletics excellence with twist you are looking for then May 16th is the date for you, as per last year when Jo Pavey won at our Parliament Hill track and went on to become European Champion, our community volunteer powered event will again showcase world class athletics whilst allowing spectators to get uniquely close to the action”

Paul Maskell, Leisure and Events Manager at City of London Corporation, which manages Hampstead Heath, said:

“These are fantastic times for runners on Hampstead Heath and we’re showing the Olympic legacy is alive and kicking. We’re looking forward to a fantastic event and we’d love to see as many runners there as possible to be inspired by the athletes and to become an inspiration themselves.”

There will be eight races:

• 4pm 10,000m ‘E’
• 5pm 10,000m ‘D’ Race
• 5.45pm Inter London Borough Relay (Primary schools)
• 6.15pm 10,000m ‘C’ Race
• 7pm Inter London Borough Relay (Secondary schools)
• 7.30pm 10,000m 'B' race
• 8.15pm 10,000m Women’s ‘A’ British and English Championship race
• 9pm 10,000m Men's ‘A’ British and English Championship race