The Wings for Life World Run takes place on May 8th this year and the UK venue for 2016 is the beautiful city of Cambridge.
For those who don’t know about the Wings for Life World Run, it takes place in 34 locations around the world, on the same day, at the same time. So wherever you are in the world you can pit yourself against all the other runners in the overall results. Or you can just enjoy a great day out in a race with a fantastic twist - the finish line chases you!
In the Wings for Life World Run your race is over when the catcher car catches you. It starts chasing and then increases its speed at given intervals and you can work out how far you think you can get using their goal calculator
here.
Wings for Life is a charity with one aim: to make spinal injury curable. The race is a fantastic concept for a fantastic cause and you can still sign up to this year’s race
here. Please sign up and run for those who can’t.
GB ultra runner, coach, and a man who knows a thing or two about running a very long way, Robbie Britton has put together his list of top tips for taking part in the Wings for Life World Run.
Tip Number 1:
Do the hard work before race day and get some training in. As soon as you cross that start line you know you’re going to finish the Wings for Life World Run but we’d all like to get as far as possible in support of others and our teams. Even just getting out for some practice runs in your kit, some nice long walks or meeting up with friends for some exercise, it will all make race day a bit easier.
Tip Number 2:
Think about food and water. It’s possible you could run an ultra-marathon if you have a good day. After 90 minutes of effort you should really be taking on some form of carbohydrates to keep your engine going. I’ll have some Jelly Meerkats in my pocket for a sugary boost.
Tip Number 3:
Just keep moving. Every footstep is going to take you further away from the Catcher Car and stopping for any time will let it gain free ground on you. Practice eating and drinking whilst running and take walk breaks if you’re tired, rather than just stopping. You’ll be surprised how long you can keep going!
Tip Number 4:
Even if you can’t make it on the day to one of the great locations then check out the Wings for Life World Run App where you can register as a Selfie runner. This means you can take part on the day, anywhere in the world, be it the Arctic Circle or the Sahara Desert and see how you would far against everyone else. I’m contemplating finding a downhill road from the top of a mountain, just so I can look good.
Tip Number 5:
Have fun! It is a great day out, surrounded by people out to have a good time in support of those who can’t. Just by entering you have done something great for one of the best charities out there and your donation will be funding cutting edge research aimed at finding a cure for spinal cord injuries. The race is your reward.
