Sustainable Skye Half Marathon
The Isle of Skye Half Marathon are working hard to reduce the environmental impact of our race. Here are some of the measures we have put in place. If you have any ideas on other things we might consider, please get in touch.
Plant a Tree
Offset your carbon by planting a tree. We are proud to attract runners from all over the world to our small Island. However, we want to offer our participants an affordable opportunity to reduce the impact of their journeys and so in 2021 we launched our Isle of Skye Half Marathon Tree Grove. For participants needing to travel, or just wanting to help with the planet you can buy a tree for just £6 to be planted in our Grove.
Race T-Shirts
We want to reduce the waste of unwanted T-Shirts so we no longer offer a T-Shirt on entry. Instead we have sourced better quality eco-friendly technical t-shirts made from recycled control-dry polyester. So if you would like to add a Isle of Skye Half Marathon T-Shirt to your running wardrobe you still can and are available to buy upon entry and on the day from our merchandise stall.
Race Drinking Water
We want to permenantly and significantly reduce all waste associated with water stations so we'd love our runners to carry their own water. We ask where possible that all of our runners be self-sufficient with their hydration whilst out running on the course. We're encouraging everyone to practice training with this in mind by using whatever hydration method you wish. On race day itself, there will be plenty of water refill points along the route for runners to use, and for those who don't run with hydration, we will have compostable water cups and a water supply.
Medals
Partnering with Portree High School has enabled us to design and produce our unique wooden medals and this year will be no exception. Plus our Fun Runners will all receive the most sustainable medal we could find, a Seeded Medal that can be planted once you've finished admiring it.
Lift Share
We'd like to encourage participants to lift share to the event. If you would be interested in offering a seat in your car or would like a lift. You may find more details on how to arrange a lift of out Travel Tips page.
Merchandise
We have sustainability in mind when considering our merchandise. All fabric merchandise will be made from organic cotton or recycled fabric and where possible embroidered to ensure longevity. We will also offer products that reduce single use plastics, such as water bottles. Runners will have the opportunity to purchase items in advance of the event and collect on the day at registration.
Race Day
Our Sustainability Team continue to review our Skye Half Marathon race to identify any areas where we can reduce our environmental impact. This is a constant work in progress. Some of our initiaitives include: race numbers, hospitality, and recycling.