The Lliswerry 8 is set to return for its 39th year.
With an unusual eight-mile distance and an extremely flat course, the Lliswerry 8 is a unique race in many ways.
With 750 participants, the race sells out within hours every year, even crashing the website in previous years.
It boasts GB runners Steve Brace and women’s course record holder Marian Sutton as previous participants.
However, there is much more to the Lliswerry 8 than just a running race, as Chris Davies, who has never missed a Lliswerry 8 as either race director, volunteer, or runner, said, it “offers something for everyone”.
Founded in the running boom of the mid-80s from a longer 30km race course out to Magor, which Lliswerry Runners also organised, the Lliswerry 8 first took place in February 1986.
It has been a focal point for the club every year since, including the 2021 virtual event during covid restrictions.
Race co-founder John Hill explained that the race was born out of the desire for the club to have a race like other leisure centre running clubs in Gwent.
As the Newport Harriers held two races a year, a 10k and 10 miler race, Lliswerry wanted to do something different.
Lliswerry runners can’t actually run in the race unless selected for the men’s or women’s teams or win the ballot and Mr Davies fondly remembers the time he ran it.
He said: “It is an incredible feeling to see your club members around every corner.
“They are runners themselves, so they encourage you more.
“It helps you stride that little bit further.”
The race has grown over the last 40 years, as has the inclusivity of the race, with full road closures in the last few years.
It is now safe to allow some walkers to participate, there is no cut-off time, with the volunteers happy to cater for everyone.
The price is always kept as low as possible to make it as accessible as it can be.
Any profits from the race are invested back into the club to benefit all, including the juniors.
Mr Davies added: “The Lliswerry 8 has a huge range of abilities with no pressure on runners.
“It is also a stepping stone from 10k to a greater distance, it starts to develop people’s confidence that they can go further.
“On the other hand, it is a time trial for people who are training for something like a half marathon or marathon to see where they are.
“It provides a lot of things for a range of people.”
The after-race cake sale has also become a staple, starting off small and emerging as something of an attraction in its own right.
The cake sale allows the club to widen the benefits of the Lliswerry 8 to more people than just those who run the race, with the proceeds going to a local charity.
This year, the proceeds will go to Newport-based St David’s Hospice.