Lagos Women Run inducts ambassadors for race event

As part of plans to make this year’s 10km Lagos Women Run a huge success, some undergraduate ladies in Lagos State were at the weekend inducted as ambassadors of the race scheduled to hold at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere in November.

The Women Run is a yearly race organised for residents within and outsiders Lagos to promote health and fitness, as well as encourage an active lifestyle for women of all ages through exercise and education.

Speaking at the occasion, the Coordinator of Lagos Women Run, Tayo Popoola said the incorporation of ladies and some men as ambassadors, was to have people, who will raise the consciousness of women on the need to live a healthy lifestyle and also rendering help to participants of the event.

“The inducted ambassadors will be the advocates of the Women Run event. We felt the young ladies are the ones that will handle it better with some males. That is why we got ladies from the ages of 18 and above to drive the event. They are also the ones to drive the content, and the message on the essence of Women Run race.

“They are the ones to explain why we need to run, that is the benefits and the things one can get from being part of event. That is why we said that the only people that can do it are these young ladies.

“We were surprised at the large turnout of participants and it means we are getting somewhere because they also believe in this course, the importance of the race and the need to assist the participants,” she said.

Also speaking at the event, Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Lagos Chapter, Debo Osundun, who had the honour to perform the induction, said: “It is not all about the race, as you can see today, the young ladies were taught how to conduct themselves.

“The importance of being extra careful in their dealings with the public, aside their duties as advocates, being managers of stress and emotions of participants in the November race, were also given to then.

“I want to give kudos to the initiator because I see this race outliving the initiator.”

According to an exercise expert, Joanna Adeyileka, the induction of the ambassadors was not only about their importance to the course, but also what they stood to benefit.

“It is important to have ambassadors for an event like this. The volunteers we mustn’t forget are the ones that will ensure the smooth running of this wonderful event and also look after the people, who have never done exercise in their lives before. An ambassador’s job is actually a thankless job, something a committed person does with pride and humility,” she stated.