NUR-SULTAN – People will run five kilometres for charity at the seventh annual paint race YARKOcross in the capital’s Triathlon Park July 20, reports the city akimat (administration) press service.
Photo credit: Nur-Sultan Akimat.
The race is organised by the Plant a Tree fund with the support of the akimat. With clean white shirts and a 10 a.m. start, runners will make their way through the ‘jungle’, this year’s theme, of bright and environmentally friendly coloured powder blasted from bottles to receive their medals at the finish line.
There will be no winners or prizes at the untimed event, which emphasises fun, charity and health awareness over competition. Fittingly, celebrations will be held at the finish line, featuring football darts and an art zone, and the funds raised will contribute to tree planting and sports field installations. Last year, the proceeds went to equipping basketball and volleyball courts with the Beat Autism association.
The first paint race, known as The Colour Run, gathered 6,000 people in Arizona, the United States in 2011. It has since grown into more than 200 annual events with over two million participants in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and the United Arab Emirates.
Non-traditional running events like paint races encourage the participation of people of all ages that have never run a 5K. Participation will be free for children under 3 and cost 3,500 tenge (US$9.10) for children over 3 and 5,000 tenge (US$13.01) for adults before July 18, after which registration will cost 4,500 tenge (US$11.71) for children over 3 and 6,000 tenge (US$15.61) for adults.
Adults will receive a t-shirt, backpack and start number at Triathlon Park July 19 at 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Children under 3 will not receive a starter kit, and kits for children over 3 will not include a t-shirt, which may be purchased separately.
YARKOcross races will also gather runners in Karaganda’s Central Park July 13, Kokshetau’s Independence Square July 27 and Shymkent Aug. 17, for which the venue is to be determined. One may register to participate at www.yarkocross.kz.
