Benefiting Running: Almaty Marathon Organisers Launch Plogging Event in Almaty

An eco-friendly plogging run took place in Almaty as part of the Community Almaty Run project from “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund, an organiser of Kazakhstan’s major running events, including the Almaty Marathon.

More than 50 people joined the event. They went for a light city jog and garbage collection along their route. In such a way the participants combined physical activity with caring for the environment. Such events become more and more popular as a way to engage the public in the environmental agenda through simple and clear actions.

It stands to mention that the Community Almaty Run  has been growing for over a year. For this time, the project has become a cornerstone of the local running community, bringing together people of all fitness levels –  from absolute beginners to regular runners.

Every Sunday, runners meet for free running sessions held at a comfortable "conversational" pace. The sessions are open for everyone. These meetings often conclude with educational lectures covering vital topics –  from health and recovery to running techniques and lifestyle.

“Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund is consistently developing initiatives that promote mass sports and foster a responsible attitude toward both health and the environment.

Since 2019, the Fund has integrated waste separation at all its running events and has been building strategic partnership with environmental organisations. In such a way the Fund helps collect clothing for individuals in need as part of the Teplo project (from Russian – warmth). A dedicated 24/7 collection box is located near the Botanical Garden. On the days of major runs, participants can also leave clothing at the start line or on designated barriers for volunteers to collect and distribute the clothing among those in need.

Moreover, the Fund reduces the environmental footprint of the running events with the gradual refusal from single-use structures, transitioning to eco-friendly materials and significantly cutting down printed materials.