RUNNING BY THE LAKESHORES OF HAWASSA!
Go Green 2022-23 Plan
ACTION 1: WE WILL MINIMISE CARBON EMISSIONS
We are promoting “3km of walking per day” to get us all to think more about walking in place of making short car journeys.
We encourage participants living in close proximity (3km radius) to race venue to walk to and back from race venue on race day.
We are also encouraging our participants to use public transport and shared car transport for arriving at and returning from the race.
We will deploy electric cars to lead the elite race.
ACTION 2: WE WILL RECYCLE WHEREVER POSSIBLE
As in the past year’s race, we have used recyclable (eco-friendly) materials in the production of our race t-shirts & goody bags. We have continued our partnership with PETCO to collect and recycle all plastic bottles and other rubbish consumed and produced on race day.
ACTION 3: WE WILL ENCOURAGE DISPOSAL OF RUBBISH
Rubbish bins will be placed along the race course every 250m.
We’ll also put more portable toilets on race course
ACTION 4: WE WILL USE LESS PLASTIC
This year we are using a lighter water bottle for participants to make it easier for recycling. Our goody bag is also made of a non-plastic material which can be reused for shopping by participants.
ACTION 5: WE WILL USE LESS PAPER
We no longer use paper for registering participants. All registration has been done electronically.
Participants also receive their race magazine electronically in place of printed magazines.
We use more e-posters, e-fliers, e-invites
Re-use scrap papers for internal communication purposes
We put a disclaimer: “think about the environment before you print this email” on all our electronic communications as a reminder to our stakeholders.
ACTION 6: WE WILL WORK TO CREATE AWARENESS ABOUT ENVIRONMENT
Putting Go Green logo on every promotional materials
Scheduled (weekly/monthly) posts on social media about environment and GER’s Go Green 5 strands
Run social media campaigns to Teach/Train/Encourage people not to throw rubbish in their day to day activities
We invite all our participants and stakeholders to join us in this campaign and to contribute positively to the sustainability of our environment.
Half-Marathon tips by Richard Nerurkar
WHY DO IT?
For my first few years of being a runner, I was just happy to be doing it – to lose weight, to feel fit and to be out exercising with my friends. Now I need a new and bigger goal.
TRAINING FOR A HALF MARATHON
The key to finishing a half-marathon is doing a weekly long run during your build-up. And the sooner you start your build-up, the easier this will feel. You just add a bit more distance as each week goes by. So start training now!
THE EXPERIENCE OF RUNNING A HALF-MARATHON
I like to break the half-marathon distance into three parts. I take the first third really easy and try to enjoy it. In the middle third I concentrate really hard, to keep going at my set pace, maybe by running alongside somebody else and always staying relaxed. Then in the last third I am just thinking of the finish line!
COMPLETING A HALF MARATHON IS ACHIEVABLE
Half marathons are way more achievable – and more enjoyable – than marathons. Still a long way, but with far less pain, and with the satisfaction at the end of having achieved something that many other people would never dream of doing.
ACHIEVING A GOAL
The highs and lows of training for a race – whatever the distance – are all about setting a goal and doing what you need to do to achieve that goal.
The entry fee for international participants for the 10km race is £70. This fee includes a race t-shirt and entry to the pre-race pasta party which will take place at the Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa on the Saturday evening immediately before the race. The entry fee for international participants for the Hawassa half-marathon is £70 which also includes a race t-shirt and entry to the pre-race pasta party.
We recommend Ethiopian Airlines – by far the quickest and easiest way of flying to Ethiopia. By using Ethiopian Airlines for your international flights you also get discounts on internal flights.
Most international visitors do need a visa to enter Ethiopia and many foreign visitors can apply for an e-visa before travelling to Ethiopia. Check if you need a visa on the Ethiopian Embassy website
Ethiopian birr is not available outside Ethiopia. You can get birr from local banks (also situated inside the international terminal building at Addis Ababa International Airport) and at ATMs.
Amharic is the most commonly spoken language in Ethiopia. English is spoken in most hotels and restaurants in Addis Ababa and in most hotels and restaurants used by foreigners throughout the country.
Your best chance of doing this will be at the pre-race pasta party, entry for which is included in the race entry for international participants for both the 10km and 21km races.
A number of precautionary measures will be in place at the 10km road race to guard against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. These will include: temperature checks as participants arrive at the start; availability of hand sanitisers at multiple locations around the start and finish; and a requirement for participants to wear masks in all assembly areas at the start until the point at which they start the run and after they finish the run. We are also developing a system for a wave system for the start which will enable participants to take part in the run with a degree of distancing. Although we have used wave starts in the past, for this race we will employ multiple waves with no more than 1,000 participants in each wave. Medals will be given to all finishers. We are finalising details of how medals will be given to participants. More details will be given shortly.