World first coming to Scarborough park

Scarborough is joining the world’s first simultaneous running event raising awareness for the Great Barrier Reef.

Endeavour Park, on Endeavour Esplanade, will host run4reef races on Sunday October 16 – at the same time as 22 other events across Australia and New Zealand.

They include a kids’ fun run, 5km, 10km and a special race2zero 10km event with a $1000 male and female cash prize for competing runners.

All will run be connected by tracking technology and displayed on big screens.

run4reef will be in Adelaide, Ballarat, Bendigo, Brisbane, Canberra, Cairns, Central Coast, Darwin, Geelong, Gold Coast, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Scarborough, Newcastle, Sydney, Perth, Thursday Island, Townsville, Auckland and Wellington.

Race Director and Olympian Steve Moneghetti is leading the charge by calling on climate conscious Aussies to come together to improve their health and the health of the planet.

“It’s time for Aussies of all abilities to pull on their running shoes and come together to help raise funds to preserve Australia’s treasured Great Barrier Reef,” Moneghetti said.

“Whether you’re running, walking or jogging, we’ll all be running as one to raise awareness and much-needed funds for the Reef and other world-leading climate initiatives.

“The inaugural run4reef event is truly something people of all ages and abilities can proudly take part in to give back to our planet and I’m calling on all of us to get involved.”

run4reef will raise funds to help protect the Reef, with 15 per cent of registration income going to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s ‘plant a coral initiative’, WWF-Australia, WWF-NZ and local government organisations based on event location. 

Non-runners can also get involved by donating online and signing up to become a Reef Fan.

Great Barrier Reef Foundation Chief Scientist Professor Ove HoeghGuldberg said now is the time to support one of the world’s most pressing environmental threats.

“With the health of the world’s largest living ecosystem at stake, the need for climate action has never been more pressing,” he said.

By registering, participants and Reef Fans who enter early will have the chance to win a range of prizes including a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, a new car courtesy of race sponsor BYD (first 40,000 registrants)

To register for the Scarborough event and others or become a Reef Fan, visit run4reef.org.