A NEW charity half marathon is set to debut in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Luang Prabang this October, with proceeds pledged to go directly to the race’s beneficiaries.
Scheduled to take place on October 5, Luang Prabang Half Marathon: La Procession comprises three race routes: the half marathon, a 14km race and a 7km race to allow all members of the family to participate.
Limited to only 500 international runners to avoid overloading the town’s infrastructure, the race will offer runners a chance to pass through many of Luang Prabang’s historical sites.
The race route also draws inspiration from the daily procession of monks that walk through the town each morning collecting offerings.
Costs of the race are fully covered by corporate sponsors. Instead of usual entry fees, runners can make donations directly through online fundraising pages.
Proceeds from the race will go towards funding Friends International, a social enterprise benefiting children and youth in South-east Asia.
“In many of the destination races, after the costs of race fees, flights and hotels, less than one per cent of an average runner’s spend goes to the charities. By restructuring the registration and funding process, we hope to change that,” said founding race organiser and HSBC equities director, Michael Gilmore.
