More than 500 participants laced up their running shoes for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland’s annual 5K Runway Run, held at Belfast City Airport and supported by Lagan Aviation & Infrastructure. The unique late-night event, which saw both individuals and corporate teams hit the runway at 11pm, has so far raised over £40,000 in vital funds to support the lifesaving work of the charity.
First over the finishing line was Charlie Gurr, who completed the race in 17 minutes and 2 seconds. Hayley McAteer was the first female to complete the race with a time of 18 minutes and 36 seconds. This year’s event builds on the phenomenal success of last year, which saw 500 runners take part and over £60,000 raised for Air Ambulance NI.
The Runway Run started in the main concourse with Johnny Hero and the U105 team and a warmup taken by HOKA before participants made their way through security. HOKA also provided prizes for the top three male and female finishers. In addition to a team of 22 staff members from Belfast City Airport, businesses that took part included Swissport, Ulster Bank, HJ Martin, Queen’s University, Zenith Networks, Translink, and Thompson Aerospace. As Belfast City Airport’s Charity of the Year, the Air Ambulance Runway Run is one of many activities being undertaken to assist the charity in its fundraising and awareness efforts.
Commenting on the Rynway Run, the Business Development and Project Manager at Air Ambulance NI, Colleen Milligan said, “We are absolutely thrilled with the incredible success of this year’s Runway Run at Belfast City Airport. This unique event, set against the unforgettable backdrop of the airport runway, simply wouldn’t be possible without the unwavering support of the amazing team at Belfast City Airport – we are sincerely grateful for their generosity and partnership. A huge thank you also to our new event sponsor, Lagan Aviation and Infrastructure, whose support has been nothing short of outstanding. Their enthusiasm, engagement, and generosity made a real difference. We’re also deeply thankful to HOKA and Pure Running for their exceptional contributions of time, energy, and products -they’ve been a dream to work with. We’re incredibly grateful to the Air Ambulance NI volunteers, both seasoned and first-timers, for giving their time on the night, and to our supporters Fierce and Mild, Gilfresh Produce, and Rocwell for kindly donating drinks and snacks to keep everyone fuelled. This event truly showcases what can happen when a community comes together, and we’re so proud and grateful to have such fantastic support and to see the vital funds raised going to support the lifesaving work of Air Ambulance NI.”
Also commenting was the Chief Executive at Belfast City Airport, Matthew Hall who added, “The Runway Run has firmly established itself as a flagship event in our calendar, and we were thrilled to see such an enthusiastic turnout once again this year. At Belfast City Airport, we are in the heart of city and at the heart of our community, and it is fantastic to be able to support Air Ambulance NI in the essential work it does. We hope the funds raised go a long way in helping Air Ambulance on its mission to delivering care to the people that need it the most.”
