Eat Farm Now is proud to be supporting #Run1000, which is back for a THIRD year this month. Taking place from the 9th – 15th January, the rural community across England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand is coming together to support five fantastic charities and highlight the benefits of running and walking for positive mental health. Every step counts, as team members will collectively run or walk as many miles as they can.
Be part of something bigger!
Everybody who has signed up for the event has a different reason for doing it, but critically this is about being part of something collective, as well as showing how important looking after our physical health is for our mental health.
‘’I am taking part in Run 1000 as I find running to be a fantastic release from the daily stresses of the farm’’, said England team captain Rich Heady. ‘’By joining Run1000 I can raise funds for some great rural mental health charities, whilst encouraging others to give themselves a break from the farm. I think it’s a win-win.’’
Pete Hynes, who is captain of Team Ireland said: ‘’I’m taking part in Run1000 because it is a great motivator to get out and get active in the new year and pull together as a team.’’
Team Captains call for more people to sign up
‘’Team England usually has strength in numbers being the biggest nation in the competition, so my message to team England is to rally the troops and sign up your friends and family. We really need to make sure we retain this advantage. The competition is wide open this year. Team Wales and Scotland both have a reputation for starting strong, and as Run 1000 is just for a week this time, they will be hard to beat. That said, Team England have such great people we will always challenge for the title.’’ (Rich Heady, England)
‘’My message for team Ireland is, every step counts, it’s a collective effort, so even if you only walk a short distance every day, it can amount to something big. Most of all, have fun!’’ (Pete Hynes, Ireland)
‘’Scotland, every year we produce the most amount of miles per individual yet we never quite get the overall win. You are an amazing team and I am so proud of you all getting out there in all weathers and taking part.’’ (Sheena Horner, Scotland)
Who is going to win?
There has been plenty of friendly competitive rivalry between the team captains.
‘’Team New Zealand would like to think they’ll win as they get a head start but let’s be honest, they finish early’’, said Ireland’s Pete Hynes. ‘’I reckon Team Scotland will win – that drive for independence will push them over the line. I am however fully confident that Team Ireland will yet again be the leading team from the European Union.’’
When Sheena Horner, captain of Team Scotland, was asked who will win she said: ‘’Scotland of course! Actually in all honesty it really doesn’t matter. It’s the fun of taking part and raising awareness of physical activity on your mental health that matters.’’
Not too late to join
It’s not too late to sign up and join a team. Simply visit run1000.org and choose your team. You will then be forwarded to the relevant fundraising page where you will be able to donate to your team’s chosen charity. The charities for this year include RSABI (Scotland), DPJ Foundation (Wales), Waikato-Hauraki-Coromandel Rural Support Trust (New Zealand), Farming Community Network (England) and Samaritans Ireland (Ireland).
To everyone taking part – good luck and have fun!
