Urban Run Returns

This weekend see the popular Urban Run taking place from the Donkin Reserve,Port Elizabeth, with a whole festival of activity planned. This fun charity obstacle run through the city centre, hosted by the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), has raised over R1 million for charity since inception whilst highlighting current urban renewal in the city.

Hundreds of fun runners will tackle the city for charity whilst raising funds for Cleary Estate Cheshire Homes in the Northern Areas. The 2018 Urban Run offers an awesome 7km route through the CBD and surrounds with around 20 urban obstacles including climbing into Fort Frederick, running through a Metrorail train, tackling numerous obstacles in the harbour and rediscovering recent urban renewal projects like the Donkin Village and St Peter’s Church above the St Mary’s Cemetery in South End.

Whether you enjoy Aerobics, obstacle races, Running, watching your kids playing, aikido martial arts displays, drone racing or just browsing vendors and food stalls whilst chilling in a beer garden soaking up the atmosphere of an awesome sports event, this year’s Urban Run Festival has something for everyone. Come to town this weekend and witness the urban renewal which is taking place in the heart of our City under the direction of the MBDA.

The festival takes place on the Donkin Reserve between 7am and 4pm on Saturday and 7am and 1pm on Sunday – see website www.urbanrun.co.za for program details. The Rotary Kids Zone will be open throughout the festival with a daily entry donation of just R40 for children under the age of 12 with all proceeds from the Kids Zone going to the Rotary Club of Port Elizabeth Sunrise for their local community projects.

Metrogym’s open air aerobics marathon class starts at 7am on Saturday morning and is free to all with the first 100 to arrive receiving a free t-shirt. The Kids Urban Run (open to children under the age of 13 years) starts at 3pm. Sunday’s feature 7km Urban Run starts at 8am with the legendary Gino Fabbri on the stage. The best dressed competition is at 8,30am and followed by the traditional march to the start line at 8:45am for the batched start. Best vantage points for the public will be the Donkin Reserve (Start, Cerebos’ Slip and Slide and the SkipGo obstacle), Fort Frederick (Orb Signs climbing obstacle), Fleming Street (Caltex and African Bank obstacles), opposite the MBDA Tramways building for the St Mary’s Cemetery and the ruins of St Peter’s Anglican church.