The Running Up For Air event from Patagonia comes to Europe for the third time, on 25 June.
RooM the Agency / Alamy Stock Photo
This Europe-wide event will be held digitally, with runners invited to hit their local park, trail, or mountain for anything from one to 24 hours, in support of European NGOs who are fighting for better air quality, such as ClientEarth, Cittadini per l’Aria or German Zero.
Through the Running Up For Air Strava challenge, participants can track their meters of elevation and connect with fellow runners. Across Europe, local runs will be held in collaboration with Patagonia’s retail stores and NGO network to multiply the elevation gain and community vibes of the event.
The focus of the event is to raise awareness of air pollution. Across Europe, we are all breathing in toxic air. It damages our health and the environment around us. Trail runners feel the effects of this, and for communities living in busy cities exposure to air pollution is a critical issue.
Running Up For Air was founded in 2012, in the Wasatch Mountains between Utah and Idaho. The event has been held in Europe twice before and in 2021, raised over €20,000 for NGOs campaigning, educating and holding our governments accountable for the health of the air we breathe.
Why we need to fight for clean air:
· According to the ClientEarth, 90% of people around the world breathe polluted air.
· Every third death from strokes, lung cancer and chronic respiratory disease globally are caused by air pollution.
· Air pollution is falling twice as steeply in cities in Germany where air quality litigation has been taken, compared with those subject to no legal interventions
Martin Johnson, Patagonia Trail Ambassador, says:
“Running Up For Air is an endurance challenge, involving running up and down a mountain or hill for anything between one and 24 hours, all in order to raise awareness of air pollution. This is an issue close to my heart, being a father and living in London, where we have some of the most toxic air in Europe.”
Jared Campbell, founder of Running Up For Air, says:
“Since the event’s inception I have wanted people to not only ‘enter’, but to participate in the mission of Running Up For Air. This involves education, communication, and community. I encourage people to learn about air quality issues and think about the decisions they make daily, related to energy consumption and the associated pollution.”