Snowdonia Marathon drops its English name in favour of Marathon Eryri

The event, which attracts hundreds of runners from across Mid Wales and Shropshire, will now be known as Marathon Eryri.

Organisers said it was a "no brainer" to remove the English name, following a wider change to drop English titles across Snowdonia.

Last year, the national park authority voted to refer to the national park and Wales' tallest mountain by their Welsh names – Eryri and Yr Wyddfa.

These are also known as Snowdonia and Snowdon respectively in English.

The Bannau Brycheiniog national park made a similar move earlier this year, electing to use its Welsh name rather than the English name, the Brecon Beacons.

Marathon Eryri starts and finishes at the bottom of Yr Wyddfa and includes 2,750ft (838m) of climbs.

Announcing the move on Facebook, the race said: "Same awesome race, same fantastic views, same incredible participants, new authentic name."

Jayne Lloyd, the race co-ordinator, said: "It seemed a no brainer really to drop the Snowdonia. We always referred to ourselves as Marathon Eryri locally.

Ms Lloyd said that the Welsh language is a "centrepin" of the race's identity, adding: "Snowdonia's name is Eryri. Snowdonia is an English word, an English imposition – the same as Yr Wyddfa.

"I think it's important to focus on the authenticity of the name.

"It's a Welsh event and people coming here have a Welsh experience, it's something they can't get anywhere else in the UK."

"People travelling here really appreciate the language and the culture of the area. It's really important that they know Welsh is a thriving language and culture."

This year's race takes place in October.

Marathon Eryri has been voted Best British Marathon twice.

The inaugural Snowdonia Marathon was held in 1982, and was conceived as a dramatic alternative to the numerous city and town races becoming so popular.

The demanding and spectacular route, encircling Wales’ highest peak, has given the event a unique place in the annual marathon calendar ever since.

The route starts just outside Llanberis and climbs to the top of the Llanberis Pass, dropping down to the Pen Y Cwyryd junction and then on to Beddgelert , Waunfawr and Bwlch y Groes before returning to Llanberis.