Health club chain, David Lloyd Leisure (DLL) and sports event management company, Nova International, have joined forces in an attempt to create the largest mass-participation running event in the world.

The David Lloyd Leisure Great Mile Run was launched this month to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first four-minute mile.

The campaign will see a number of major mile events throughout the UK and aims to get a million people to run a total of a million miles in order to raise money for charity.

In a statement, DLL said: “At a time when more and more people are starting to enter running events, such as the Great North Run, and with awareness of obesity issues at an all-time high, we are delighted to work with Nova International to provide a new sporting experience to inspire a healthier community and raise millions for charity.” Details: www.davidlloydleisure.co.uk or www.greatrun.org