The next Longevity Games will be held this Sunday - 18 May - and preparations are well under way for the following one.
The games - their philosophy is 'Your pace not a race' - are the brainchild of Swindon's Tim Howe, who initially organised informal outdoor meet-ups during lockdown where all were welcome.
They have blossomed into an ongoing series of regular events, all of them open to people who want to start to get fit, or test their fitness, with no pressure to compete against anyone other than themselves.
The events have won the backing of Swindon MPs Heidi Alexander and Will Stone, and participants in Sunday's, held at the Swindon Harriers Athletic Track, will include Swindon Borough Council Leader Cllr Jim Robbins and a number of councillors.
Meanwhile, places are still available at the following event on the schedule, which will be held at the Moredon Sporting Hub on 20 July. Further Longevity Games sessions are scheduled for 14 September at Swindon Harriers Athletic Track and also in November, with details to be confirmed.
Asked about his motivation for founding the games, Tim Howe said: “The life expectancy of people is 81 yet the health expectancy is 63, which means people are living with illness for the last 20 years of their life, which are preventable.
“I want to build a template here in Swindon to prove that if you bring people together to be more active and more inclusive, you can change a community. I want to make Swindon the fittest and strongest town in the country.
“We did a tester event in May last year, and our first full event in September. The first was pulling in friends, family and anyone who wanted a go. Lots of them then came back for the next ‘proper’ event. When we ran the games in February, we had 103, and signups are even better for May with 140 signed up. It’s blown my mind. To go from nothing to where we are going, is really humbling.”
For more information about the Longevity Games and how to take part, people can visit https://thelongevitygames.co.uk/.
“I want to build a template here in Swindon to prove that if you bring people together to be more active and more inclusive, you can change a community. I want to make Swindon the fittest and strongest town in the country.
“We did a tester event in May last year, and our first full event in September. The first was pulling in friends, family and anyone who wanted a go. Lots of them then came back for the next ‘proper’ event. When we ran the games in February, we had 103, and signups are even better for May with 140 signed up. It’s blown my mind. To go from nothing to where we are going, is really humbling.”
For more information about the Longevity Games and how to take part, people can visit https://thelongevitygames.co.uk/.
Participation in each event costs £35, which includes a finisher’s t-shirt, a branded water bottle, and access to high-resolution photographs - and a great day out and a feeling of accomplishment.
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