On Wednesday night, over 300 runners took to the streets of Luxembourg city centre for the third year of the “Run in the Dark” 5/10km event.

It was hard to miss the buzz on the Rue des Capucins as the event took place. The participants were joining over 25,000 people in over 50 cities worldwide running to support Mark Pollock Trust’s mission to fast-track a cure for paralysis. As darkness fell from New Zealand, to Asia, through Europe and on to the Americas, people pounded the streets to fast-track a cure for paralysis. 

The original idea for the event came about when, three weeks before he was due to marry his fiancée Simone, Mark Pollock, already blind since the age of 22, fell from a second-floor window. The fall left him paralysed from the waist down. Mark, then 34, set up the Mark Pollock Trust, which aims to raise money to find a cure for spinal cord injury sufferers around the world.

The third edition in Luxembourg saw returning sponsors on board - Kerry Group and ING Luxembourg - and support from new partner, Café des Capucins. Organiser Jane Murray was delighted with the interest in this event, which in turn generates increased awareness about the work of the Trust, in addition to funding its work. “Mark and the team in Dublin work very hard to drive their mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury. The worldwide Run in the Dark event is a key fundraiser to help achieve their ambition”, she said.

Among the runners was Loris from Italy, who told The Luxembourg Chronicle “I decided to run in for the first time, having volunteered my help in previous years. As well as the social side, raising money for a good cause are the benefits of getting involved”.

Gavin, who is English and lives in Luxembourg with his family, supported the race on his bike, leading the pack as they ran through the old city. “The cobbled climbs were a challenge, however the city looked beautiful lit up by a river of runners wearing flashing red armbands”.

Gavin said the benefits of taking part, were "being able to help the Mark Pollock Trust and it is also a good social occasion to meet like minded people”. The runners were rewarded with tapas from the Café des Capucins, as they rehydrated courtesy of ING Luxembourg.

Organiser Jane Murray said: “we are already planning ahead for a bigger event for November 2017, now that the run is a firm fixture in the Luxembourg sporting calendar”.

If you wish to donate or find out more about the Mark Pollock trust, you can visit the website www.markpollocktrust.org  or following them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarkPollockTrust

Photo by Elena Sadovnikova