The popular children’s running event Dash at Dark is being expanded into a three-race series.

Mid Atlantic Athletic Club held this year’s Dash at Dark event in March. The club has now added a Dash at Dusk race, to be staged next month, with a final race in the series, Dash at Sunset, scheduled for October.

Sharon Craig, one of the organisers, said: “MAAC have been organising the Dash at Dark race for a few years now and it is one of the few children’s races on the BNAA calendar.

“As Dash at Dark is such a popular race we thought the Dash Series would be a great opportunity to put more races for children out there.”

Dash at Dark has traditionally been held on a Friday evening, so MAAC decided to give the other races in the series a similar Friday evening slot.

Craig said: “The series consists of Dash at Dark which was held March 3, Dash at Dusk which will be on June 2, and Dash at Sunset on October 6. If children enter all three races they will accumulate points for first, second and third positions with the overall top three winning prizes.”

She said it had been decided to incorporate a Hope Academy race in the Dash at Dusk event. This will be a 50 metres race with wheelchair-assisted and running race-assisted children.

“It will be great for the children of Hope Academy to be included in a regular race and hopefully allow the other children to see how lucky they are and how they can help the children of Hope Academy integrate with society,” Craig added.

The Dash at Dusk race will be held at the National Sports Centre stadium on June 2. Children aged 4 to 15 can compete in the races, with race distances ranging up to one mile for the older children.

The series is sponsored by Chubb, Aspen, Conyers Dill & Pearman and The Pro Shop.

Entries can be registered at www.racedayworld.com or at Sportseller in Washington Mall.