Representing Leeds and Wetherby at the Brno Half marathon

Josephine Linford a runner from Leeds and the Wetherby Runners, who represented our city at our partner city Brno's 12th annual CRAFT Brno half-marathon

Congratulations to Josephine Linford, a runner from Leeds and the Wetherby Runners, who represented our city at our partner city Brno's 12th annual CRAFT Brno half-marathon – 10k – 5k that took place on Easter Sunday (20th April 2025).

Josephine was lucky to be selected from numerous Leeds applicants to take part in the race, thanks to a special invitation to Leeds runners from the City of Brno, who also kindly paid for their stay and registration in the race.

Josephine, along with runners from Brno's other sister cities, was also welcomed by the city on Saturday 19th at a special dinner organised by the city council.

Over 800 adults and young people took part in the races, which began and ended at Brno's Velodrome.

Following illness and surgery in 2023, Josephine has been determined to regain her previous levels of fitness and continue to achieve new goals, and has seen the Brno half marathon as the opportunity to achieve a new personal best.

'I really enjoyed the race and finished in 1 hour 34 knocking 6 minutes off my previous half marathon time! The weather was surprisingly hot which made a change from my usual races back home that have ended up being during storms or in the freezing cold!

Josephine achieved a new personal best in the Brno Half Marathon

'It was great to be out running in my Wetherby Runners vest amongst so many other runners from different cities and nationalities. 

'I had a great weekend starting with a flight from Leeds to Bratislava then a coach through to Brno and went for a short run around the city where there was an Easter market on and band playing followed by dinner with the other people from twin cities. 

The Brno Easter market

'The race was great fun with a brilliant atmosphere and after the race I had an afternoon visiting the castle and eating food! For dinner I found a Czech restaurant as I love Czech food - the sausage and mash is on a whole new level!'

Leeds and Brno first began to develop a partnership in the early 1990s when countries in Eastern Europe looked to strengthen relations with the EU following the fall of the Eastern Bloc. Both cities signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding in 2003, and have cooperated on a range of projects at an institutional and community level ever since.