Shame that 25K races on a decline: Jones

Strongly pitching for 25-kilometre run as a stepping stone for marathon races, the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races secretary Hugh Jones today said it's a "shame" that the once popular event had lost its appeal.
Recounting his early years, the former British Olympian said there would be more than a dozen 25-km races in Britain during the 1970s.
"It's a shame that there're only a very few that exist now," Jones, who is the race director of the second edition of the Kolkata 25K Sunday, told PTI.
"Today's athletes take to half marathon before running full which I think is a step too much. Instead 25k race would be a better stepping stone. It certainly gives you a mental edge," the 60-year-old added.

In 1982, Jones had become the first British man to win the London Marathon, with a personal best 2:09:24 and in the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics, he finished 12th with a timing of 2:13:57.
"I'm glad that there's one in India now. It's difficult to say how many 25k races actually exist right now," the former long distance runner said about the event which is part of the AIMS calendar.

Rio Olympics-bound Indian long distance runners O P Jaisha, Lalita Babar and Sudha Singh will be in the fray in the elite 25k run which will be flagged off on Red Road at 6.30 am.

The elite run will be followed by an amateur run 25K and the event will also have special categories like Open 10K, Anand Run (5K), and Champions with Disability and Senior Citizen Run (2.5K).
"Having learnt from last year's experience, we have modified the route a bit and we are confident that it will be a clean run this time," the race director added.