Having hosted the cream of London’s running community as they blazed a trail through three seasonal races, The Rainforest Foundation UK’s 4 Seasons Challenge is reaching its final session for 2011 with the 4 Seasons Winter 10K and kids 1K at South London’s beautiful Crystal Palace on Sunday November 13! The Winter 10K held in Crystal Palace is part of the new and unique Rainforest Foundation UK’s 4 Seasons Challenge, where runners can take part in individual races held in four parks across North, South, East and West London, or sign up to compete in all four.
The events are organised in partnership with 2:09 Events, run by Mike Gratton, former winner of the 1983 London Marathon and British Commonwealth Games medallist. Mike has ensured a new and challenging race circuit for our Winter 10K race at Crystal Palace, as both a mix of the most dedicated runners and those just wanting a bit of fun, warm up from the wintery weather and raise some much needed funds for the world’s rainforests.
Plus, wanting to put your running shoes up over the festive season? Then what a great incentive to book in that breather when the party invitations are all arriving, knowing that you’ve put in the hard yards to train and then compete in this November race! This is a chipped race on a mixed terrain through one of London’s most beautiful Victorian parks. Most parts of the course are flat, fast and on tarmac path, while others are slightly hilly and on gravel path. The course is accurately measured by 2:09 Events, with marshals and frequent water stations along the route.
The run will start at 10.30am with a 1K Fun Run for kids under 9, where parents are welcome to run with their children if they are very young or would like the extra support. The 1K will be followed by a warm up for the 10K runners with the main race starting at 11.15am.
Former London Marathon and Commonwealth Games medallist Mike Gratton from 2:09 Events says, “The Rainforest Foundation 4 Seasons Challenge gives a unique opportunity to measure your performances over a year and in different climatic conditions while keeping you motivated for the next target.
Each course is different, some with more inclines and flat stretches but each with their own separate test to a runner’s abilities and personal best time.
Plus competing in each of the 10k runs is a really great way to understand what London running really is.” A festive crowd always attends the 4 Seasons Challenge events, both to run the kid’s 1K and our usual 10K and cheer for those supporting the rainforest. And we’ll of course have the all usual extras including refreshments and massage therapists, as well as the much appreciated Zumba warm-up!
Runners can enter individual races as a one-time competitor or register for the full 4 Seasons Challenge with the 2012 event dates soon to be launched (so if Crystal Palace will be your first race you can still complete the full challenge!). There are no rules about which race must be completed to begin the Challenge, you just need to compete in four consecutive events.
Background
The Rainforest Foundation UK was founded in 1989 by Sting and Trudie Styler, after they saw first-hand the impact the destruction of the Amazon rainforests had on the Kayapo Indians’ way of life. This sparked the Foundation’s first campaign which, in 1993, resulted in the protection of 27,359 km² of indigenous peoples’ land. The Foundation has expanded and diversified since, and has worked in more than 20 countries to date towards the mission of “supporting indigenous peoples and traditional populations of the world’s rainforest to protect their rainforest homes and fulfill their rights to land, life and livelihood”.
Deforestation and the destruction of rainforests are major contributing factors in the build-up of CO2 emissions and the warming of our planet. The main focus of the work of the Rainforest Foundation UK is to protect and save the rainforests by working with those who know the forest best – indigenous peoples and traditional forest dwellers. By supporting them, the Foundation is taking a major step forward in the battle to combat climate change. Instead of purchasing land or conserving forests purely for their biodiversity-value, the Rainforest Foundation adopts a right-based approach and promotes the establishment of community rights over rainforest lands, tackling the root of problems related to deforestation and paving the way for fair benefit sharing from forest resources.
Race entry fees: £20 for 10K Race and £5 for 1K Fun Run.
Entry for all four 10K races: £60.
Why not register now? Registration is open at www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/4SC.