Irish Marathon Olympic Runner, Lizzie Lee announced as Cork ambassador for GT5K 2019.
Leading professional services firm Grant Thornton Ireland launched their Corporate 5K Team Challenge (GT5K) race series in Cork today. Registration is now open for the GT5K Cork race, which will take place on Wednesday, 12 June at 7:45pm.
Now, in its 5th year, the Cork race will take runners through the heart of Cork city centre and around some of Cork’s great landmarks. Last year’s race saw over 900 participants, and the number is expected to grow in 2019.
The GT5K will take place in multiple locations across the island of Ireland over the summer with dates scheduled for Belfast (20 June), Galway (27 June), and Dublin (4 September). The race series, which is the country’s largest and longest-running corporate event, encourages social running amongst Ireland’s business community and welcomes all abilities, from beginners to experienced runners.
Organised by the national governing body, Athletics Ireland, the GT5K will support the top emerging young athletes in Ireland through the Athletics Ireland Junior high-performance programme, which supports and develops athletes in Ireland of all ages, disciplines and abilities.
In addition, ten percent of the registration fees raised will be donated to the Simon Communities which delivers support and service to over 11,000 people and families throughout Ireland who experience or are at risk of homelessness every day.
The 2019 race series will feature Irish Marathon Olympic runner, Lizzie Lee, as the Cork Ambassador. In the lead up to the event in June, Lizzie will be sharing running tips and the importance of fostering a healthy work environment.
Commenting on her involvement in the GT5K, Lizzie Lee said: “I am delighted to be involved in the GT5K this year and look forward to representing Cork in Grant Thornton's Corporate Team Challenge race series as it makes stops across the country. I think it is incredibly important for workplaces to promote a healthy, active lifestyle. The GT5K is a fantastic opportunity to encourage each other to get out there and stay active in our communities. The benefits of participating in the GT5k are clear, including workplace team building, empowering a healthier work force across Ireland’s corporate landscape and finally, making a difference in the community.
Commenting on the GT5K, Michael Nolan, Partner and Head of The Cork office: “The GT5K Corporate Team Challenge is a great opportunity for participants to build team spirit while supporting healthy competition for a great cause. The race series motivates colleagues to stay active, and encourages social running, which helps to improve the health and wellness in the workforce. We are proud to support Athletics Ireland and Simon Communities, both of which are making a positive impact across Irish communities. I would like to thank all of the participants for their support and wish all teams the best of luck.”
To enter the race, a minimum of four participants per team is required, and all teams will compete in one of the three categories: male, female, or mixed. The official score for each team will be the combined race times of the team members. The entry fee per team is €110 until April 12th and €120 thereafter. All participants will receive a race t-shirt, medal and goody bag.
