Get ready for Grand Prix races 2 and 3

This second race in the runbritain Grand Prix will be held this Sunday and then, two weeks later, the runners will be on their marks for race number three.

The 2014 Bristol 10k is the second race in the 2014 runbritain Grand Prix and takes place this Sunday 11th May. Scott Overall (handicap MINUS 5.1) is the current leader of the runbritain Grand Prix and has confirmed that he will be on the start line.

Scott is expected to consolidate his place at the top of the men's scoreboard but will be challenged by James Connor (handicap -4.0), Jack Martin (handicap -4.4) and Ben Fish (handicap -4.4) who are currently placed 9th, 11th and 13th in the current standings.

Women's leader, Susan Partridge (handicap MINUS 1.3) won't be at Bristol but an exciting duel is expected between Emma Stepto (handicap -1.0), who is currently 6th and Emily Wicks (handicap 0.0) who is currently 8th on the scoreboard.

The course at Bristol has produced many a PB as the sea-level out and back course starts and finishes in Bristol’s historic Harboursideourside. Runners will follow the course along the Portway, through the stunning Avon Gorge, and pass twice under Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Once the dust has settled, runners will be preparing for the third race in the series: the Bupa London 10,000. The seventh edition of this race takes place on Sunday 25th May and Mo Farah (handicap MINUS 6.6) is all set for his sixth consecutive victory.

Farah set the current British record when he ran 27:44 on the 10km course in 2010, and he won last year’s race at a canter in 29:13. That gave him 450 points: 250 for the win and an extra 200 for running faster than 29:30. It was the only race he did in the Grand Prix, however, and so he finished 52nd in the 2013 standings.

This year he is likely to face stiffer opposition, not least from his old friend and training partner Chris Thompson (handicap MINUS 6.1) who won a 10,000m silver medal behind Farah at the 2010 European Championships.

Both athletes made their marathon debuts at the Virgin Money London Marathon last month when Farah broke the English record, finishing eighth in 2:08:21, and Thompson clocked an impressive 2:11:19 in 11th place.

The Bupa London 10000 will be preceded by the Westminster Mile races that begin at 09:30 on Saturday 24 May and continue throughout the day until the final event, the British Athletics Men’s and Women’s U20 One Mile Road Championships at 15:15 and 15:20 respectively.

The BUPA London 10000 takes the runners from Birdcage Walk, east towards the City of London and past many of the capital’s most iconic sights, and returns them along the Embankment to finish on The Mall.

Grand Prix points are awarded for the first 250 finishing positions. 250 points are awarded for the first British finisher, down to 1 point for the 250th British finisher. There are extra points available for men who run faster than 30 minutes and women who run faster than 33 minutes. Up to the best four scores from the six available races count at the end of the series. If the athlete scores points in less than four Grand Prix events, their best two, three or single score will count towards the final standings. Prize money totals £18,000 and is shared by the top 10 male and female British runners at the end of the series.