OLYMPIC medallist Eilidh Doyle supported 237 primary school children in a mass fun run at The Helix on Monday 16 September 2019.
Seven local primary schools took part in the event which was organised by GO Run For Fun and pupils aged between 5 and eleven ran a 2-kilometre route covering the Home of The Kelpies grounds.
Scotland’s most decorated track athlete, Eilidh Doyle was invited as the special guest for the children’s event leading the warm-up routine and getting them ready for the run. Doyle sounded the horn at the start of the run and high-fived the primary pupils as they completed the route.
Doyle commented: “I think it’s great for young children to be around big events like this that promote fun activity, a healthy lifestyle and competitive spirit. A positive experience at a young age allows for a positive and lifelong relationship with being active.
“A nice balanced healthy and active lifestyle is simple and should be fun. It can be something you do with friends or family and shouldn’t feel like a chore.
When asked about how she got into running, Doyle said: “Through primary school I realised I was quite good at running when I won a couple of cross-country events. But it was really down to my big sister Iona, who got asked to join a local athletics club after winning a cross country race, I went with her and loved it.
“It has been such a huge part of my life. I have met so many amazing people, friends and role models. It has also allowed me to learn about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, how to improve and achieve my goals, how to deal with disappointment and how to be independent.”
GO Run For Fun is an initiative supported by INEOS, a multinational company head-quartered in London, with health and fitness at the heart of its ethos. Volunteers from INEOS and Graeme High School supported with the smooth running of the event.
INEOS Chairman, Jim Ratcliffe, is deeply passionate about running. He said: “It has never been more important to support young people in leading healthier, more active lives.
“GO Run for Fun and The Daily Mile have been making a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of children in the UK and beyond for the last six years. We are very proud to support these two initiatives and everyone who runs in them.”
To find out more about GO Run For Fun, visit www.thedailymileevents.com or stay up to date on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.