The Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) hosted Urban Run charity race was another massive success this weekend with just under 500 participants taking part and a whopping R100 942.70 being donated to Cleary Estate Cheshire Home in the Northern Areas at the event.
The event, now in it’s 8th year, is fuelled by Caltex Eastern Cape and is all about bringing people back to the CBD to witness recent urban renewal whilst changing the lives of those less fortunate. Since inception the Urban Run has donated just under R1,2 million to charity thanks to the generous donations of the participants taking part. This year the record breaking Urban Run Philanthropist was Amanda de Ridder who raised a whopping R15 021.
With more than 20 obstacles along this year’s 7.5km route, runners were exposed to the latest improvements to Donkin Village, the Port Elizabeth Station and Campanile area, the hospitality and openness of the Port Elizabeth Harbour which is starting to get ready for waterfront development, the amazing work the MBDA has almost completed around the ruins of St Peter’s Church above St Mary’s Cemetery in Lower Valley Road and the runners also had the opportunity to climb into Fort Frederick, built in 1799, which was draped in cargo nets and managed by Orb Signs. Other fun obstacles along the way included the Bridge St Brewery keg carry, the African Bank foam pit and Caltex tyre drive on the newly revamped paving in Flemming Street, the Glendore Sands and Dynamic Express truck obstacles, Gimco stairs, the SkipGo skips and what is rumoured to be Africa’s largest slip and slide at 50m in length, the Cerebos Slide which was on the Donkin and was also voted as the most favourite obstacle by the participants this year. Local companies and charities also manage water points along the route and this year’s best water point was the one managed by Steel Pipes & Fittings.
Whilst not so much about the race than the giving back to charity and rediscovering once’s City, the winners of the race are acknowledged with a great Urban Run Floating trophy. This year’s race winners were Trust Mtetwa of New Brighton in 42 minutes 13 seconds and Theresa Buchner who completed the obstacle race in 53 minutes and 54 seconds. It was also great to see a number of the visitors from out of town taking part this year.
Full results are available on the Urban Run website whilst hundreds of pictures have been posted on the Facebook page.
Alan Straton
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