Kick-start your year by signing up to a fitness event for the charity Mencap. They’ve got plenty of 5k and 10k events taking place up and down the country and the charity would love you to be part of them.
As January draws to an end, it’s easy for bad habits to slip back in so why not sign up to a run and keep the momentum going?
Mencap, the charity, organises running events in the UK during the summer months and they’d love you to join the team. Plus, if you sign up in January, your entry fee is just £10!
The events are for everyone and perfect for new runners to accomplish their first 5 or 10k! It’s not a race so you pick your pace and the Mencap team will be cheering you on until you cross that finish line.
They ask each participant to try their best to raise £100 in order for them to continue providing care, support and campaigning for people with a learning disability. To find out more about the charity and their work, visit the Mencap website.
The Mencap team will be on hand with plenty of training tips and fundraising tools to help you reach your goal. Each event is guaranteed to have a fab and friendly atmosphere, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by stunning scenery.
Just think of that huge sense of achievement you’ll feel and you’ll also have a medal to show off to your friends and family. The early-bird offer expires on midnight Sunday 3 February 2019, so sign up now for only £10.
Mencap 2019 events:
  • Manchester (Heaton Park) – 12 May
  • Hyde Park (London) – 15 June
  • Greenwich Park (London) – 6 July
  • Bute Park (Cardiff) – 21 September
  • Sutton Park (Birmingham) – 5 October

Sign up now

If you want to take on a run for Mencap but the dates or locations don’t suit, you can still join their team! They have places at a number of half marathons and marathons in the UK or you could also organise your own challenge. Get in touch with them at events@mencap.org.uk

Here are 5 reasons why you should consider joining #TeamMencap this year.
  1. It’s a great opportunity to get fit. If you’ve set yourself a goal this year to do more exercise, why not challenge yourself by signing up to an event?
  2. You’re making a difference to the lives of people with a learning disability. The charity is asking all participants to raise £100 to help support their work. Nothing beats crossing the finish line knowing you’ve helped someone.
  3. Make memories with your friends and family. Sign up as a team and have a great time together. There is also a family friendly 1km run so you can take part with your children.
  4. The Mencap Events team will be with you every step of the way with training tips and a whole load of Mencap support to make sure you have the best time.
  5. It’s tons of fun and you’ll get a medal to wear with pride after the event.
The prospect of running can be quite daunting but at Mencap’s 5k and 10k events, it doesn’t matter how you move or how fast you go as their events really are for all. Ann in Kent wasn’t a runner and so chose to power walk around one of Mencap’s courses.
‘I am not a runner and have never taken part in any charity event before. I was a bit apprehensive, as you can imagine.
‘I thought it would be for a good cause, so decided to power walk the 5k instead! I approached people I knew to sponsor me and got a great response, raising £100.
‘The marshals on the route were very encouraging and gave you the motivation to keep going! I didn’t feel pressured to complete the route within any specific time and to cross the finish line at the end, knowing I’d completed the 5k, gave me great satisfaction and I felt proud that I had helped such a good cause!’

Their events are a great place to try something new and an inclusive way to push yourself, and by putting a date in the diary, you’re more likely to keep up your resolution.

The charity is asking all participants to raise £100 to help support their work and in return, you’ll receive training guidance, the biggest cheers on the day, and a Mencap t-shirt to wear with pride.

Mencap’s vision is a world where people with a learning disability are valued equally, listened to and included. Money raised will help keep their vital services free, so they can continue to provide care and support and campaign for a better future for people with a learning disability.

Lorainne has a learning disability and took part in the Hyde Park 10km with her friends and family in 2018. ‘It was a really rewarding experience and I loved being cheered on by the crowds,’ she says. ‘Mencap have supported me for many years and it was great to get my friends and family involved. I was really proud of my achievement.’

Sign up today and make a difference to yourself and others in 2019. View Mencap’s event calendar online – mencap.org.uk/events

If you aren’t sure about running but want to support Mencap, learn more about how you could fundraise or other ways to get involved on their website –mencap.org.uk/fundraising