my green runners pledges

Me &the green runners

its hard to believe that a year has nearly passed since; I joined The Green Runners and made my pledge? It’s been fantastic for me being part of the community. I previously felt I was alone helpless to do anything, then I joined The Green Runners last year on: 12/5/22. note: they launched The Green Runners on the 22nd of April 2022, less than three weeks before I sprinted in (pun intended) they are now asking all members to renew their membership each year - on or around their renewal date. Which is Very soon for me, last year I was asked 'Why do you want to join the Green Runners & What is your pledge?' and I wrote: " I can officially call myself an ultra runner it’s a lonely place to be! Even more lonely when your an environmentalist I am looking forward to spotting other green minded runners at events wearing a badge of honour runners who care for the places we love to run ". I posted a short video of me in my running kit in the woods making my pledges, then posted it on my Instagram and twitter accounts, which led to me making a few new friends - and; a couple of cracking adventures! I took part in the running out of time relay representing the green runners on various stages of that batons journey - all the way out to Athens and back, which involved for me, a trans-European public transport adventure, also I go to the Kendal Mountain film festival annually (hopefully the green runners will have a film or talk there one day! – actually maybe? I should volunteer my Shetland trig point adventure as that ticks the boxes of our pledges) I’ve seen Damian & jasmine speak at Kendal and watched the films they have featured in on countless occasions over the years, now; through the green runners Damian recognised me at Kendal last year, then earlier this year at the big one in London, I even got a chance to run round parliament square chatting with him, (I think he is learning some good jokes from me) all thanks to the green runners

Whilst running with the running out of time baton, I learned how to explain to kids at schools (which we stopped at along the route) the significance of the batons design, this is something I can apply to my membership of the green runners, like people the baton is a group of fragile sticks easily broken! But; held together to be made strong by four metal bands, the first metal ring symbolised what we do about climate change as an individual, the second as a community the third as a government - the last globally, I already do a lot about climate change as an individual - the green runners are much better as a community (they give me hope) than the actual community I live in, who don’t really care, our government is one of the worst in the world! We need to speak out against them, the international community also needs to be doing more, by speaking out the green runners community are growing stronger all the time, as individuals as a community in the UK and globally

I am definitely joining them for another year. we members may repledge the same actions as before. Others like me may update their pledges. It's really up to you but you must complete the form each year when you renew to keep it fresh and keep it meaningful. This is the pledges I made last year, THE GREEN RUNNER ETHOS We think every runner can be a Green Runner! You don’t need to be perfect, just keep improving by putting the planet first when making decisions. There are 4 key pillars to being a Green Runner: 1) How YOU Move, I pledged to use public transport when possible, which I totally smashed - taking part in running events, here in the uk in the borders the lake district in Manchester Nottingham London Edinburgh Mull Falkirk Glasgow - All done by public transport, along with my European stages of the ROOT relay, I also cycled to a music festival near Scarborough whilst completing my cycle journey of the UK`s longest cycle route National cycle network route one, NCN1 in august last year 2) How YOU Kit-up – I’ve been pledging to not take event t shirts personally previously to joining the green runners, I attended the impact marathon on mull early last year, where trees get planted instead of tees on Jim Manns estate, I have repaired shoes using a pair ups kit, and repaired my old running hat, I did however; buy an event item this year which was a totally selfish act - I know! But; it was a previous year’s T in a bargain bucket also; - I’ve came to realise its ok to be a little selfish sometimes just not on a worldwide climate breakdown scale, like our prime minister size selfishness, I personally have bought only three items of new clothing in the past three years 3) How YOU Eat – at the time of last year’s pledge I was already meat and dairy free, so; I pledged to try and reduce the amount of plastic wrapped food I bought this was easy at the time - as I had a local zero waste organic wholefoods shop that I loved, sadly not enough people in my community care and that shops failed as so many shops of this sort do, I still try but its hard work at supermarkets 4) How YOU Speak Out – this one seemed the easiest for me, I was at the time an active spokesperson for just stop oil, speaking out didn’t make me popular (still doesn’t win many popularity votes) I still speak out but just as importantly help others to speak out and then have their backs on social media here’s my 4 key pillars pledges to being a Green Runner: for the next year - 1) How I Move - I will continue to use public transport whenever I can – and; feedback to events I have attended - if this is made difficult or impossible, as I done for the Manchester marathon, and the great lakes 3day event this year 2) How I Kit-up – I will continue my policy of repair/repurpose never buy new, except for! one tee shirt I shall get from the biggest event in my running career this year, I think I deserve this trophy top (even though I’m certain I am going to fail so not naming this event) 3) How I Eat – I was meat and dairy free at last years pledge BUT; still ate fish then, I have now stopped eating fish also, I am also at present considering speaking up more about this! And; - explaining how easy it can be done (at home it’s harder when away from home) 4) How I Speak Out – as stated – previously; I already make myself a public nuisance, with my speaking out in support of climate actions, I’ve recently taken to writing about it in some of my blogs, along with being a bit more vocal in my Instagram, which last year I rarely done, as it leads to upsetting friends and family with online arguments spilling into domestic ones That’s my pledges for the coming year, I know from some friends that I have tried to talk into becoming green runners, that - my personal pledges could actually put some people of from joining, YOU – do not have to go anywhere near as far as me to join the wonderful TGR community – who are there to support you and provide resources to help you in your Green Running journey! I hope my green running journey inspires someone, consider it like the couch to 5k app once you get of the couch you may never run as far as me (you might end up running further) you just need to get of the couch and start, grasp that nettle let’s get running greener, from park run to the spine race and everything in-between more green (there’s a poem in there somewhere) Another year of making running more green - From park run to marathons and everything in-between - This running community are proud to be green - Our TGR pledge badges easily seen - An amazing achievement our first year has been - Let’s keep on growing this clean green scene kenny