Intersport were delighted to support Join In last week at the launch of their Run It campaign, created to encourage more volunteers to get involved in community sport and help increase participation in running across the UK.
The launch took place in Hyde Park, London and saw 10k European champion, Jo Pavey, lead a number of journalists and Join In volunteers and supporters on a 5k run around the park, with Carlos Rybeck, who works at Intersport City in Bow Lane and leads some of their runs, volunteering to act as one of the event’s pace setters to help keep the run on track.
Join In ambassador, Jo Pavey, said, ‘I wouldn’t be a runner without volunteers. All athletes have stories to tell you about volunteers, particularly in their early careers. I am still in touch with my first coach, he made so much possible for me.’
Jo was also joined by Mara Yamauchi, currently the second fastest British woman for a marathon and Join In Director of Sport and 1500m Commonwealth Games champion Dave Moorcroft, both of whom, like most runners and elite athletes, would have struggled to make it to the top without volunteers.
Dave Moorcroft added, ‘I’ve seen firsthand the impact that volunteers can have within running, both on and off the track. Helping out at your local club can be very rewarding, not only are you helping to support and build running communities but you also become a part of that community. We hope that we can inspire more people to start helping out at the local running clubs and help grow the ever increasing running population.’
For more information about the #RunIt campaign, please visit the website https://www.joininuk.org/run-it/
