On 22 MARCH, Dublin’s RDS will play host to a 5k run with a difference. The first of its kind in Europe, the Electric Run combines the music and lighting of an “electric wonderland” with the healthy lifestyle promoted by running.
We spoke to Angela Geraghty of Run Ireland, who are organising the event, about what people should expect on the night.
Hi Angela. So what makes the Electric Run different to other 5ks?
First of all, the props are designed by Disney technicians. Everytime you get to a stage in the run where you might be feeling a bit tired, there’s something else that will encourage you on because you’ll see another structure in front of you that is beautiful to look at.
The music is also a big part of it. Upbeat dance music is played all the way along the route in different locations.
Can you tell me a bit about how it got started?
Electric Run is an American organisation. The guy that’s behind is Dan Hill. He set up this event called Ragnar and that snowballed so he decided to develop the Electric Run.
He’s a young guy who is mad into sports and having a good time. He’s got a whole team of people around him now who are the same — highly motivated and all about having fun.
They’ve taken the concept of the Electric Run all around America and then wanted to move into Europe.
They asked Active, who are an American company, about finding a partner and they suggested Run Ireland. We’re proud that it will be the very first Electric Run in Europe.
So it’s more about having fun than winning then?
It’s not competitive at all. There are no chips or times recorded. The whole point of it is to get people to be more active by combining sport with a really good night out. It’s for all ages because you can walk, run or dance your way through the 5k.
We expect that nobody will be bothered with their times as they’ll be stopping to take selfies as there are fantastic photo opportunities with the colours and props.
Where will the course be situated?
It uses every nook and cranny in the RDS. Part of it will be indoor, part will be outdoor and we’ll be running through the back of the stadium stand.
When you’ve got structures like that with the lighting and all of the equipment and the props we can really make something effective out of that. A dark alley becomes a really magical lane full of light and sound. We’re trying to apply to every sense as you’re running through.
What will runners meet at the finish line?
There will be a DJ in the Main Hall in Simmonscourt so people can go in and party there for another hour or you can leave. We haven’t announced the DJ yet as they want to sell the event on the event and not the DJ. I believe they will have a very high profile DJ for London.
YouTube credit: Electric Run
How much is registration?
€38 each or €140 for a team of four.
And do you get anything else for that?
You get an Electric Run t-shirt, shutter shades, glow sticks, and we’ve got a guy called Stick Man who will be going around in a luminous outfit throwing freebies into the crowd all the time.
Are runner encouraged to dress up?
Absolutely they are encouraged to. There’s even a section on our website entitled: ‘What To Wear’.
(That section reads: We invite you to bring your creativity, smile, laugh, and leave dull at home. It is the collective light and creativity of the thousands of participants that brings this event to life! You are coming to have fun and experience something magical. Look the part! If it is bright-coloured, blinks, shines, glows, or looks like something from another planet, it’s perfect! Put it on and come celebrate with us!)
Will alcohol be sold on the night?
The RDS are opening one of their bars but they are going to control that.
And what do you say to people who might be thinking about taking drugs at the event?
It’s very clear on our website that there is a zero tolerance policy to drugs. We’ll have quite a lot of security on the night and everyone will be checked going into the RDS. It’s the same policy as any other event.
It’s a fun, clean, family-orientated event but at the same time I can imagine there will be a lot of teenagers and young people there as well.
There are seven weeks until the big night. How is planning going?
It’s going really well. The RDS have been brilliant. We have an awful lot of experience ourselves because we’re also the organisers of the Connemara Marathon. This is a cinch compared to that!
We have partnered with Johnny Donnelly of Arcana Productions who was responsible for organising all the in-port stopovers for the Volvo Ocean Race.
Then there’s Ray O’Connor who is the race director of the Connemara Marathon and also of Run Ireland so between the two of them they are accomplished.
It will be a fun way to get runners’ partners, kids and friends who usually don’t go running, to try it and have fun. Maybe when they do it they might take up more serious events.
What has demand been like so far?
It has been brilliant. We’ve only advertised on Facebook so far and we’re nearly halfway there I terms of numbers registered. We’re expecting 7,000 on the night.
We’ve got our TV campaign to start yet so we’re expecting it to sell out. It’s an amazing the power of Facebook because we have seen it go viral.
To register and for more information, visit ElectricRun.ie or their Facebook page
