AS the more serious runners battled their way through the pain barrier to complete the longer events, others took the chance to make the Swindon Half Marathon a bit more fun.

Children, teenagers and families were all among those who lined up for the two-mile Fun Run section of the event, which took place on Sunday.

The run, the shortest of the three routes on offer to competitors, set off at 11.15am, 45 minutes after the elite runners.

Click here for a picture gallery from the fun run

And as sponsorship money continues to pour in, the British Heart Foundation is confident those who took part on the day will have topped the £100,000 target set before the event.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “A huge, massive well done to everyone who took part in the two-mile event.

“Thank you for taking part and running in the fight against heart disease – you should feel very proud of yourselves.

“A big thank you also goes to all the wonderful supporters who took time to come and cheer on runners, and of course our hardworking, dedicated volunteers who, without them, this event would not be possible.”

One of the aims of the shorter runs, which also includes a five-mile course, is to inspire young people to take up running and progress through the distances on offer.

Among those who had done that was Sunday’s winner of the five-mile run, 19-year-old Nyle Clinton, of Rye Close, Middleleaze.

The Swindon Harriers athlete, a student at Brunel University in West London, won the two-mile fun run in the past.

“The shorter events are good because you get a lot of local support,” he said. “Everyone is getting cheered on, whoever you are, through both races.

“The support keeps you coming back each year. You get inspired too.

“I saw David Roper break the course record here a few years ago, which was good for me.”