Countdown is on for world run

THE countdown is on for this year’s Wings For Life World Run that is taking place in Dun Laoghaire on May 8.

Irish sporting stars joined well known personalities in Sandycove earlier this year to launch the Irish stage of the global charity event that sees over 100,000 people run at the same time in 34 locations worldwide.

Starting at 12pm (Irish time), this third running of the Irish leg will see runners setting off from the seafront in Dún Laoghaire and heading south towards Bray and Greystones while enjoying the beautiful coastal views and scenic landscape of the East Coast along the way.

What makes the Wings For Life World Run unique is that the finish line catches you.

Thirty minutes after the athletes start, the Volkswagen Catcher Car will begin to follow all runners.  Driving slowly at first, but increasing its speed at specific periods, the Volkswagen Catcher Car is the moving finish line. The winner will be deemed the last person to be caught by the car, both in Ireland and globally.

Participants of all abilities, runners and fanatics, young and old, will come together on the day and registration is now open for everyone on www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com

 World boxing champion and RTE Sports Person of the Year, Michael Conlan, is taking part in the event this year.

“Spinal cord injury is a serious risk for all sportspeople and as such I am delighted to support the Wings for Life World Run,” he said.

“The race both raises awareness and funding for spinal cord research. I would encourage runners of abilities to get behind the race and run for those who can’t on Sunday, May 8 in Dun Laoghaire.”

The Wings for Life World Run was launched in 2014 to raise funds for the Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation.

Pioneering the concept of a synchronised race where participants across the world run simultaneously, the event introduced the Volkswagen Catcher Car format, in which a celebrity driven vehicle gives the runners a head start, chasing the field at a predetermined pace.

While the individual man and woman last to be caught are declared Global Champions, all the participants have their own personal goals and motivations, which are as varied and unique as the runners themselves.

One hundred per cent of all entry fees and donations contributed by the Wings for Life World Run participants, and by the friends and families who support them, goes to research projects to help find a cure for spinal cord injuries.