Running
5 reasons to sign up for the Wings for Life World Run
It's time to register for the Wings for Life World Run that’s happening on May 5, 2024. There are lots of great reasons to take part – here are just five.
The Wings for Life World Run is happening on May 5, 2024 with registration now open, so now is the time to learn all the info about how the event works, how to get a place and where to take part.
Here are five reasons why you should be one of the thousands of participants in the Wings for Life World Run 2024!
01
So. Much. Fun.
Rallying around a good cause simultaneously with thousands of people worldwide creates an incredibly positive vibe. With an inclusive mix of ages, nationalities and time zones – not to mention hilarious costumes – it’s hard to imagine a run with more smiles per kilometer.
Trail runner Dylan Bowman takes part every year, including with the Wings for Life World Run App. “Even running in your neighborhood, you know that you're part of something bigger," he says. "They have this fantastic functionality – a characterization of the Catcher Car as it gets closer and closer – which is the fun part. It's totally unique.”
Check out the video in the player below to see how Swedish athletes Max Palm (freeskiing), Patrik Nilsson (Ironman/triathlon), Martin Söderström (mountain biking) and Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky (touring car racing) have fun getting ready for race day: by running against a 600hp rally car driven by their compatriots Kevin Hansen and Timmy Hansen.
9 min
Rally car vs runner
Can a team of runners beat a rally car in a relay race? We invited the Hansen brothers and their WRX race car to take on a team of elite Red Bull athletes around a race track.
02
Running wherever you want
With the Wings for Life World Run App, you can run anywhere. While you’re enjoying the view, you’ll be giving hope to those affected by spinal cord injury.
The Wings for Life World Run is a truly global event
© Christian Pondella for Wings for Life World Run
No matter where you’re running, you can also be part of a team. Formula One’s Scuderia AlphaTauri has its own Wings for Life World Run team, and Oracle Red Bull Racing has a Wings for Life World Run team, too. Reigning F1 Drivers’ Champion Max Verstappen encourages, “Join us!”
03
Bragging rights
How often do you get the chance to say that you were part of a major worldwide event? Your name will be on the Global Result List, and the App makes it easy to share your photos and videos.
Triathlete Courtney Atkinson loves the experience and says, “I don't think I’ve missed a Wings for Life World Run from the beginning. It really appeals to such a wide range of communities – you're running with different people from all around the globe.”
You're running with different people from all around the globe
04
Can't fail format
There’s no set finish line, so run the distance you want to run. You decide your objective, and there’s even a Goal Calculator to tell you the pace you’ll need to reach it.
Atkinson explains that often participants find themselves achieving even more than they expected, saying, “What makes it different from any other race is when you see the Catcher Car coming, you always find that bit of a sprint left in you. If people have a goal of, let's say, 7k or 15k or 30k, they find that little extra than they thought they'd be able to do.”
05
Doing something seriously good
When you step out in the Wings for Life World Run, you step up for others, because 100 percent of all entry fees goes directly to Wings for Life, whose mission is to find a cure for spinal cord injury. Also, by getting exercise, having a blast and feeling connected with people around the world, you’re doing something fantastic for yourself as well.
Wings for Life World Run Ambassador Sandile Mkhize, who's been dependent on a wheelchair since a spinal cord injury in 2013, says that when he participated in his first Run, he was thrilled by the worldwide scale of the event, as well as by the free feeling of rolling in the fresh air. “Anything that can bring humans together or give us a way to express our shared humanity will always be something special,” he comments. “I don't think there is anything like it.”
Registration for the Wings for Life World Run 2024 is open now and available right up until the start at 11am UTC on Sunday, May 5, 2024.
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