Chichester runners help Esmee attempt world record
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Runners from Chichester joined endurance athlete Esmee Gummer as she attempts to break the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive free 5km events hosted by one person.
Ms Gummer, who was temporarily paralysed from the waist down following a routine operation in her teens, left Inverness on June 27 and has been travelling between 77 cities in the UK and Ireland, entirely on foot.
She hosts a free, open-to-all community 5k in each city before running on to the next.
By the end of month one, she had covered 1,555km, climbed 16,791m in elevation, hosted 24 free run clubs and welcomed 959 attendees through the door.
Last week she ran into Chichester, where nearly 100 people turned out to run 5km around Oaklands Park with her.
“I always say on this challenge, you get two types of events”, she told the Chichester Observer. “They are either incredibly energised and electric, or they have a real family feel. Chichester was the second; there was a real sense of calm and peace and love.”
Her motivation is simple: “I want to get people moving.
I was running a club near my home, and people kept saying that running had changed their lives – and the stories kept coming. So, I thought that this was too good to keep in London.”
She decided to run between each city for this challenge, in part “because I can,” but also to inspire people.
“The endurance space is dominated by men, and I wanted to show what women can do. We are great at endurance sports, and it's frustrating not to see that spotlighted.”
Ms Gummer said one of the most memorable experiences of her challenge so far was when a woman, who had not run for 50 years, came along to take part, and said afterwards that she was going to head out, buy proper trainers and get back into running.”
From Chichester, Ms Gummer ran on to Portsmouth and then Southampton.
“Going for this record isn't really about me - it's proof that a community can turn up, every single time, for each other. If we can do that 77 times in a row, imagine what we can do for good,"
Every free 5k doubles as a fundraiser, with money split between Wings for Life, Sport In Mind and Park Run.