Racing to make a difference

Age Co's team finds the 2024 Age UK Leeds Abbey Dash a moving experience

To stand on the start line of the Age UK Leeds Abbey Dash is to be inspired. Ahead lies 10km of running through Leeds City Centre, the streets lined with spectators willing on your every step.

Importantly, it’s a chance to raise money for Age UK – supporting its mission to change how we age throughout the country.

For Age Co’s staff, the 2024 race became a focal point for their fundraising efforts. They know their day-to-day work supports Age UK, to the tune of £12m in the last five years. But getting stuck into a sponsored 10k is something different. The effort and sense of achievement feels more personal.

Best foot forward

There was certainly no shortage of motivation for Partnerships Manager, Sophie Richens, who trained from scratch to compete.

“I’ve never thought of myself as a runner,” she says. “But we discussed putting a team together during a staff meeting, and somehow I ended up volunteering.”

To help with her preparations, Sophie downloaded a training app that promised to guide her from 0km to 10km in time for the race. “It was 100 per cent effective,” she reports. “I felt like I was making progress every day and managed to get up to distance well in advance of the race.

“In fact, by the time I headed off to Leeds, I’d already run 10k a few times. That was a great confidence boost.”

Team effort

Sophie’s confidence was further aided by the strong camaraderie among the Age Co team. “We’d share training tips and words of encouragement via a group chat,” she says. “It meant the more experienced runners could gear up the novices, giving us helpful advice as we built our stamina.”

One such experienced runner is Reporting Specialist, James Benham, who is something of a Leeds Abbey Dash veteran.

“This was the third time I’d done the event, so I knew what to expect,” he says. “As it happens, I felt less prepared than in previous years – largely thanks to having a baby in the house so finding it harder to put in the training.”

Even so, James finished inside the top 400 – out of a field of 6,000 – with a time of just over 38 minutes.

“It felt great to put in a strong time,” he reflects, “but the Leeds Abbey Dash is about more than that. The motivation really comes from the thought of raising money to support Age UK.”

A sense of purpose

For Sophie, that same motivation shapes her daily effort. “I wanted to join Age Co because I’d seen the valuable work Age UK does at first hand with relatives and friends,” she says. “Having the chance to contribute to its mission feels like a real privilege.

“Events like the Leeds Abbey Dash are a great way to give even more support. It’s so inspiring to see thousands of people stepping out for the same purpose.”

Sophie’s sentiments also sum up the experience for Age Co’s CEO, Anthony Jones, who also took part . “There’s something very moving about seeing that many people showing their commitment to Age UK,” he says. “I think we all found it easier to cover the miles, knowing we were part of a much bigger effort to support the cause.”

The feeling of common purpose was a feature of the day, as Campaigns Manager, Heather Shaw explains: “The atmosphere for the whole event was amazing. We had a warm-up to music before the start and everyone was so upbeat as the miles passed by. It was easy to stay motivated, whether you were a first-timer like me or an experienced competitive runner.”

Runaway success

Like James, most entrants see their placing as irrelevant in a race like this. Their concern is raising money for Age UK – and in this, the event was a huge success. Overall, it raised £280,000.

The Age Co team contributed £5,000 to that total. And, for many of them, it sparked plans for future fundraising activity. “I’m already looking for another 10k to enter,” says Heather, while Sophie adds: “I’m very drawn to the New York marathon. I’d love to run that for Age UK.”

If you’re feeling inspired to take on a fundraising challenge, there are events and activities for all abilities. Age UK have plenty of ideas to choose from. Learn more here.