Chicken Run: Feather Brained

The Brighton Chicken Run is on Sunday 20th March 2016 in Hove Park at 10am

The Brighton Chicken Run turns three on Sunday 20th March and like most three year olds it’s still refusing to do as it’s told, still happiest when wearing ridiculous costumes in public and still prefers a Chocolate Easter egg for breakfast! The guy who set up the event, James Macdonald, is half of the team that came up with one of the city’s longest running charity events, The Heroes Run. We asked him… Chicken running… earning Easter eggs… why?

“There were three main reasons why I wanted to put on a Chicken Run event. Firstly, anything that makes people laugh or smile is a good thing and being passed by a sea of chicken runners is a tough thing to ignore. Secondly I wanted to create a fundraising event that really supports charities with smaller budgets. I do this by charging charities less for their places than the public rate. Finally if you can encourage people to get into a healthier lifestyle through running then maybe they can start to earn their Chocolate eggs, which might also be a positive thing.”

Since the event started in 2013 it has raised about £8,000 for 15 charities. James is hoping that this year’s event will raise considerably more for lots more charities and is asking, why not make a charity’s day this Easter by contacting them after the event to say something along the lines of “I did the Chicken Run, had a whip round in the office and raised this money for you.”

He is also hoping that this year’s event might manage to set an unofficial World Record for the most people running around dressed as chickens. To his knowledge no such record presently exists but he has the goal of 500 Chicken Runners as the target to aim for.

There are a number of lovely supportive event partners who all do their bit to help make the day possible. The biggest thank you must go to the event’s main sponsor Nando’s, for their ongoing support and for their goody bags which amongst other things always include a half chicken voucher for every race finisher!

Included in the race entry is your chicken costume, a well earned race medal, an Easter egg and of course your Nando’s goody bag.

Everyone who signs up is also entitled to one week’s free British Military Fitness membership at their local BMF class. Here’s what a few of last year’s chicken runners had to say about the event.

“A great time was had and we will definitely be back next year with friends in tow.” (Penny, Worthing)

“Excellent run! Great organisation. Half the egg scoffed already. Bring on next year.” (Hannah, Brighton)

“Thank you so much for another fun event. I’m training for the Brighton Marathon so as you can imagine I’m sick to death of early Sunday mornings and long runs! The Chicken Run was just what I needed! I must admit, at first I did wonder what on earth I, a middle aged woman was doing standing alone in a damp park in a chicken outfit but once the warm up started I forgot all about it. I even got a personal best time!” (Lucy, Brighton)

James hopes the Chicken Run becomes really well established in the city and also that it will enable lots of charities to continue their valuable and vital work. He also hopes that people who are usually turned off by the idea of running sign up this year, have a really great time and realise that this whole being fit and running around isn’t just for fit people who run around.

So why not sign up and run something genuinely unique this year. The Brighton Chicken Run event organisers can’t guarantee that the experience will turn you into a running legend overnight but they can assure you that it will be lots of fun and you will earn your Easter egg.

To sign up please go to: www.runnersworld.co.uk/events and type ‘Brighton Chicken Run’

For more information about the event visit the Brighton Chicken Run website: brightonandhovechick.wix.com/brightonchickenrun

To watch a film that will give you an idea of how much of a giggle the event is visit: thelatest.co.uk/brighton/2014/04/16/hove-park-presents-the-first-ever-chicken-run/