THERE could be no better motivation to sprint around Worcester racecourse in striking sky blue Y-fronts than have a former 110m hurdle world record holder in charge of the starting pistol.

And the man to shout 'On your marks' was no other than 1988 Seoul Olympics silver medallist Colin Jackson, founder of the Sanlam Go Dad Run, who is officiating at six such races around the UK this month.

It is Jackson's third annual fundraiser, but he wasn't alone. Racers at Pitchcroft on Sunday, June 14, were thrilled that alongside him to cheer them on was Jackson's good friends - the former world 4x400m gold medallist Derek Redmond and Canadian sporting legend Donovan Bailey. Bailey, the three-time world and double Olympic sprint champion and former 100m world record holder lost an uncle and grandfather to prostate cancer and is a big supporter of Go Dad Run.

Around 200 men and boys aged 11 and over from as far as Hereford and Walsall had signed up for the city's first ever Go Dad Run 5k event; a fundraiser for the its official charity partner, Prostate Cancer UK. The symbol of the race is the blue Y-fronts that virtually all the runners wore over their sports wear.

They went through a warm-up session headed by Jason Field of British Military Fitness.

And first to cross the finish line in 22 minutes was 55-year-old Trevor McGill, from Worcester, who is a member of Droitwich Athletics Club.

"I run for pleasure and fitness and enter some races but this is the first time I've won," said a delighted Mr McGill who was running in support of all cancer sufferers.

Brothers Mark and David Gale were taking part in the race in support of their dad, David, from Arboretum, who is well on the way to beating the disease that has also affected his twin brother, Raymond.

Stephen Welch, of Kenwood Avenue, said he was inspired to take part because his father-in-law Morris Ash died of prostate cancer seven years ago.

"It is the first time I have entered anything like this and I am proud to be a part of it," he said.

Jackson, who lives in Cardiff and has friends in Worcester said about the Pitchcroft race: "I'm so pleased with the support today. This is just want the charity needs; what great guys. We are going some way to breaking down the taboos surrounding men's health issues. Doing things like this publicly bring about awareness and encourages men to speak to one another about things. Scientists need men to come forward for check ups so early stages of the disease can be monitored. So little is known about early stages of prostate cancer because a lot of men put off going to their GP.

"Although awareness is improving, prostate cancer is probably still at the stage that breast cancer was in the 1960s. We have a long way to go but with support from guys like this we can get the message out there," he said.

He also said he loved the Worcester venue and is hoping to make Go Dad Run 5k and annual event there.