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This year more than ever, Run Mate is the ideal opportunity to get together with friends, colleagues, members of associations, sports clubs and members of the same family to share a sporting challenge and experience an exceptional adventure. 200 teams are expected at Pully-Plage to start on Saturday in a festive and friendly atmosphere.
Like every year, participants will have to make a complete tour of Lake Geneva, a 215 km course segmented into 29 stages of 3 to 13 km each. On this cross-border route, the runners will have to take turns for two days and 1 night and will also have the opportunity to participate in the 5 non-race challenges offered by the organization.
Combining fun and sport, these challenges bring together several themes (ecological, cultural, sporting, disguise and video). Organizers concerned about sustainable development have one that is particularly close to their hearts: that of collecting as many cigarette butts as possible.
An event that creates social connections
Many teams take advantage of this event to get together and recreate social ties. This is particularly the case of the Fresco y Batata team made up of colleagues from the Crédit Suisse company who are all teleworking and no longer have the opportunity to share friendly moments in the office. “We finally have the opportunity to participate in an event and run together. We look forward to sharing these moments outside the office together” expresses Nicolas, the team captain.
Other Mates are simply looking to meet new people like Aline. The young woman found her fellow runners thanks to the Facebook group “Trouve tes Mates” created by the organization to allow teams to create and/or complete each other. “I recently discovered Run Mate but didn't have any teammates. So I decided to try my luck. 20 minutes later, a gentleman contacted me and added me to his team. So here I am, launching into the starting blocks of this challenge with a mixed team that is completely unknown to me.”
Run to support
Many associations take advantage of this event to raise funds by taking on an extraordinary sporting challenge. The “EHC Team” made up of 9 employees from the Ensemble Hospitalier de la Côte are running to raise funds for the Swiss cystic fibrosis association. “My niece, Agathe, aged 4, suffers from this disease. It is for her and to help research against this disease that we are running Run Mate” indicates Frédéric, captain of the team.
Since the first edition, Run Mate has attracted numerous charities. The organization, sensitive to these causes, is proud to welcome these teams and has set up, since this year, a dedicated page on the event website to help them raise funds for them.
A “Covid-compatible” concept
In 2020, Run Mate was able to cope with the health crisis thanks to a “Covid-compatible” concept and an adapted system. This year again, a strict health protocol will be put in place to protect all those involved in the event: health pass, gels, masks, social distancing, etc. “The particularities of this event with, among other things, the delayed starts, the relays and the playing field around Lake Geneva, are advantages which allow us to ensure the safety of everyone,” says Benjamin Chandelier, director of the event. .
“ This year again, Run Mate will offer participants the chance to experience an atypical event, a real human adventure by challenging themselves in an exceptional setting; the majestic Lake Geneva. Our Mates will live, for two days and one night, a fantastic sunset and sunrise experience while discovering or rediscovering our magnificent region.
We look forward to welcoming all participants to Pully this weekend and look forward to experiencing this 3rd edition of Run Mate Lake Geneva together.
We would like to thank our partners, our volunteers, the Cantons of Vaud, Geneva and Valais as well as the department of Haute-Savoie. We would particularly like to thank the town of Pully as well as all the towns crossed, in particular Evian-les-Bains, Meinier and Aubonne, which host a great relay point.”
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