Weekend | It's only Marc Almond and thousands of runners

EXPECT the strains of Tainted Love and Bedsit Land when you are breaking a sweat this weekend; but perhaps not Sex Dwarf. Well, not unless you are breaking a very different sort of sweat to the thousands of people pounding through the streets of Liverpool. 

Yes, Marc Almond, popster of the 1980s, is in town. The occasion is the second Liverpool Rock n Roll Marathon with runners sailing past the former Soft Cell frontman booked to serenade them all at the finishing line.

Southport-born Almond is headlining a concert on Sunday evening outside the Arena, the climax of a full on weekend that's been organised in conjunction with Camp and Furnace. If you prefer your Almond grounded in a more intimate setting, he will be strutting his stuff at the closing bash there later. But it's sold out, so swiftly moving on.

There are other famous faces to watch out for over the weekend. Geoff Smith, who won the 1984 and 1985 Boston marathons, is returning to his Liverpool birthplace to participate. The British Olympian will appear at the new Running & Endurance Show at Arena on Friday and Saturday - and he will be running his first race in Liverpool in nearly 20 years at the new Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool 5k on Saturday.

Despite having been living in the US for 35 years, Smith said: “Liverpool is my home... The 5K will be my first race I’ve done in the UK for many years. It won’t be the same person out on the course who ran 30 years though. I’ll be in the back of the pack, enjoying the race and enjoying the day.”

The 5K will start and finish at Arena, running along the waterfront to the Liver Building and back. Afterwards, families can head for the Kids Food Slam in The Furnace from 11am-5pm featuring arts and craft activities, street food stalls, mocktails, pizza making, mini disco and more.

Sunday’s marathon, half marathon and one-mile run will once again start and finish by the Albert Dock. Organisers are expecting 12,000 participants. Live bands and entertainment are staged approximately every mile along the 13.1-mile and 26.2-mile courses.