Walkers, runners invited to join first virtual 67km for Mandela Day race

With little more than a month to go before the world commemorates Mandela Day in lockdown, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (NMCF) has found a novel way to raise funds for the day with its first virtual 67 Kilometres for Mandela Day race.

The challenge kicks off today and will see participants take part in a 67km online run from the Apartheid Museum to the late Nelson Mandela’s home in Vilakazi Street, Soweto, for charity.

Anyone can take part in the race, either individually or in teams, and participants have until Mandela Day on July 18 to complete the 67km. 

Andrew Ross, MD of events and experiential agency Chaos Theory, said: “With families, individuals and athletes largely confined to their homes during lockdown, this initiative will secure much-needed funds while providing an entertaining goal-driven purpose for exercise enthusiasts around the country and the globe.

“We’re inviting walkers, cyclists and runners to join our virtual event online from anywhere in the world to make a huge difference to the children of South Africa.

“What makes the 67 Kilometres for Mandela Day event even more special is that this year the NMCF celebrates 25 years of existence.”

Nomthi Mnisi, the fund's director of communications and marketing, said: “Although the Covid-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down, it has also unlocked creative ways in which we can still engage our community to meet the needs of the young people we serve.

“The idea of strengthening families, especially while promoting health, aligns directly with our cause and mandate.”

Those interested in taking part in the virtual race can log onto NMCF's dedicated virtual event software, create a profile and link their smart devices.

Once they start the race, runners will be able to track their progress against other participants - in real time - through daily data uploads which will be plotted on the virtual route and overlaid onto a Google Street view.

Each participant who completes the race will receive a finisher’s medal.

For more information, join the 67 Kilometres for Mandela Day Facebook group or follow #67km4MandelaDay