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Hero Run 2025

Hero Run 2025

23rd

MAR

2025

Colchester Sports Park

23rd March

10:00

Sign up now Buy a Hero Run top
 

Event information

Run, walk or fly across the finish line at the St Helena Hospice Hero Run event!

Join us on Sunday 23rd March at Colchester Sports Park for a fun-filled day for the whole family! Dress up as your hero and take on our 2km family fun run, or if you're a runner, challenge yourself with a 5km or 10km run – all while supporting St Helena Hospice.

Sign up now!

A heroic family adventure! Hero Run is our only event designed just for children and families! A fantastic day out where kids can get active, have fun, and be a hero for their local hospice. Perfect for all ages, Hero Run is a safe, exciting, and inclusive event where little ones aged 4 and over can run, walk, or fly across the finish line.

Who’s your hero? Whether it’s a superhero, a sports star, a doctor, nurse, teacher, or even a family member, this is your chance to celebrate them in style - because not all heroes wear capes!

Take on the 5 or 10km! Whether you're a seasoned runner or looking for a new challenge, the Hero Run offers 5km and 10km routes to test your endurance while supporting a great cause. While the event is not chip timed as it is a fun-run where you set your own pace, feel free to track your run on your favourite running app or device.

This year’s Hero Run is extra special as in 2025 St Helena Hospice celebrates 40 years of providing compassionate care. By participating, you’re helping us honour two generations of families and ensuring St Helena can be here for the next generation and for the people you love.

Sign up today and be a St Helena Hospice hero!

 
Sign up now Buy a Hero Run top
 

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About Hero Run

Routes: You can choose to run (or walk) the family fun 2km, the 5k, or the more challenging 10k. 
To take part in the family fun 2k run, children must be aged 4+ with an accompanying adult joining them for free!

To take part in the 10k you must be 16yrs+
To run the 5k you must be 7yrs+

Dress up as your hero! Celebrate your hero - whether it’s a superhero, a sports icon, a doctor, nurse, teacher, or a loved one. We encourage you to get creative with costumes and run alongside Saunders, our friendly elephant mascot! We'd love to see the whole family dressed in costume!

Alternatively, this year marks St Helena Hospice’s 40th anniversary year. St Helena Hospice opened our doors in 1985, a year which was big for two blockbuster films – The Goonies and Back to the Future! Why not dress up as Marty McFly or Doc Brown; or one of the Goonies gang Mike "Mikey" Walsh, Richard "Data" Wang, Clark "Mouth" Devereaux, and Lawrence "Chunk" Cohen?

Event village fun: Prior to setting off on your run – and after too - there will be plenty of activities happening in our event village to keep you and your spectators entertained including: Hulk Smash (throwing game), Wet Sponge with Saunders our elephant mascot, Giant Connect 4, food, sweets, face painting and our medical team will be on hand with some body part games and raffles.

Training for another event? Whether you’re working towards a spring half or full marathon or a local 10K, this is a great opportunity to get in some extra race-day practice in a friendly, no-pressure environment, whilst supporting your local hospice.

How will your sponsorship and donations make a difference? For 40 years, St Helena has provided care, comfort, dignity and joy, supporting the people you love through life’s most challenging moments. We couldn’t do it alone. It’s thanks to the support, generosity and kindness of local people like you taking part in events and raising as much sponsorship money as you can, that we’ve been able to care for the past two generations.

This year, as we mark our 40th anniversary, every step you take, every kilometre you run, and every pound you raise helps us continue caring for your community. Together, we can make sure the hospice remains here for the people you love for generations to come.

Read our Hero Run Terms and Conditions here and our FAQs below.

Hero Run 2025 FAQs

When is it?
Sunday 23rd March 2025
Where is it?
Colchester Sports Park, Cuckoo Farm Way, Colchester, Essex CO4 5YX.
How much sponsorship money do I have to raise?
A sponsorship target of £50 per person is suggested. When forming teams, the sponsorship target can be reflected to achieve this. For example, two siblings running together would have a combined total of £100 fundraising target.
What is the 'Hero Run' event?
The Hero Run is a family-friendly running event consisting of three distances – Family 2k, 5k and 10k. The event will take place on the cycle track at Colchester Sports Park and participants of all ages are able to participate.
What distance can I run?
Adults (16yrs+) can choose between the 5k and 10k distances.

Children aged 7-15yrs can choose the 5k and /or 2k Family Fun Run.

Children (4-15yrs) can take part in the Family 2k with accompanying adult*

*As per parkrun, children aged 4+ can participate and is the adults discretion as to the child running solo. We recommend an adult accompanying children where possible, and an adult can accompany 2 children free of charge.
How much is it to register?
· Family 2k - £5 per child (adults run free but must confirm they are running at sign up)

· 5k - £10 per runner

· 10k - £15 per runner
What time does it start?
9am = Registration opens for all participants with focus on Family 2k registering first

10am = Family 2k starts

10.45am = 5k + 10k distances start

9am onwards – Event Village open with stalls, food & much more
Can I pay on the day?
Yes - Prices are £25 per person to cover registration and sponsorship (4yrs and over).
Are refreshments available on the day?
Yes – our own internal Catering Team will be providing food such as bacon and sausage baps, and sausage rolls. All proceeds will go towards St Helena Hospice. Look out for some extras such as the sweetie stall. 
Are the routes suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs?
Yes, the facility is accessible for both pushchairs and wheelchair users.
Are toilets open and available on the day?
Yes – toilets are available in the sports park and portaloos will be available.
Can I bring my dog?
Unfortunately, you cannot bring your dog to this event.
Can my school take part?
Of course. We are encouraging schools to attend and register a team.
Do I have to dress up?
It is not obligatory to dress up, however many runners, in particular, the children will dress up as their favourite ‘Hero’. This will create an atmosphere and we encourage adults to do the same.
Is it superhero themed like previous years?
No, our title change last year to ‘Hero Run’ is to emphasise that not all heroes wear capes and leaves it open to dressing up as YOUR hero. It could be a sports hero, policeman, doctor or your superhero favourites such as Superman, Wonder Woman or Batman. The option is yours.
Is the course UK Affiliated and chip timed?
The emphasis on this event is a ‘FUN RUN’ and encourages all ages/abilities. The course is measured by Colchester Sports Park and the track is cornered off to measure 1km laps.

The event is not chip timed.
Is there a course map?
No – the cycle track will be clearly marked as 1km laps and so the following distances will apply:

· Family 2k – 2 laps

· 5k – 5 laps

· 10k – 10 laps
Will I receive a medal?
Yes, all those ‘registered’ as a runner will receive a medal.

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