LUCA has partnered with the I Move London Relay to help break a world record by running 4000 miles across London to tackle homelessness and gang culture.
Organisers behind the I Move London Relay are hoping running fans and exercise shirkers alike will lace up their trainers in a bid to bring the capital together.
It is hoped the race will break the world record for the longest continuous running relay and people from all 120 postcodes and 32 boroughs in London are wanted to take part. Each participant will be encouraged to raise money for three charities – Laureus, The Running Charity and Sported – who are each tackling gang culture, homelessness and mental health issues.
LUCA will take the baton on the 2nd of July. Students, staff, coaches and volunteers from across the London Universities are being encouraged to sign up en masse to contribute to the world record attempt.
And race bosses say some of the runners will be ex-gang members, refugees and the homeless who were all supported by the charities which helped get them back on their feet. Brains behind the idea Danny Bent said: ‘A relay is only as strong as its weakest link and I wanted to give people an opportunity to work together. I wanted to smash the world record for the longest continuous running relay and at the same time unite the city. There’s polarisation all over the world – we’re bringing people together and working with three amazing charities to tackle gang culture and homelessness.‘
‘Everything I set out to do in my whole life is unite people.’ Currently, the Guinness World Record for the greatest distance run by a relay team is 3,504.28 miles. But keen runner Danny, 39, has every faith his race can beat the previous best. ‘Lots of people go through life thinking they’re not sporty and that sport’s not meant for them but suddenly you release you are capable.’
‘We’re encouraging any sort of activity that gives people an opportunity to express themselves.’ Author and motivational speaker Danny says that he comes from a family of runners and that when he was growing up running ‘was as normal as brushing your teeth’. He even run the London Marathon together with his family. ‘All my relationships have come from this community,’ he said. ‘I’m yet to speak to anyone that hears about it and doesn’t want to take part, from my friends to strangers who want to be part of a world record. It’s something that you can be a part of and feel passionate about.’
He added: ‘Even people who haven’t had very fortunate upbringings, it’s still changing their lives because of the way they view themselves. Running has been such a big part of my life, it’s been a big part of failing and growing.’
Incredibly, talks about launching the race only begun in February – yet despite the logistical challenges Danny is confident this race will help bring all the communities of London together to show ‘what we can achieve’. He said: ‘People who have stepped away from a life which is less than perfect are now being celebrated for that step and hopefully they will be ambassadors for people to see there is another option’.
‘For me it’s much more about bringing London together as a whole and getting this message out there. ‘We’re reaching out to all communities. As soon as you put on your trainers you can be the CEO of Google or a guy who is overcoming their own mental health issues – there’s absolutely no difference between you. ‘You’re trying to put one foot in front of the other and trying to get round. It just takes us back to our very basics.’ Danny said he chose a relay race because it’s the ‘perfect example of what happens if you work together’.
‘It’s just such a perfect example of how I’d like the world to be – people working together for the greater good. ‘By the end of the 30 days we will have run 4,000 miles together.’
The race will start on June 29 from Potters Fields Park, near Tower Bridge. It is broken down into a series of 5k and 10k runs and will finish 30 days later on July 29.
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