It's Go Time! Register and Help Us Break the Record – Again

At 11:00 UTC on May 4, the joy and excitement of the Wings for Life World Run will be felt at every corner of the globe once again, and we’re ever so close to breaking our 2024 record for largest running event in the world: 265,818 participants.

Are you with us? Every registration counts, not just for the participation milestone, but to raise a record amount of funding toward a cure for spinal cord injury.

As if that isn’t enough inspiration, you’ll be contributing to an amazing legacy, and you’ll do it alongside everyday heroes and sporting icons. Have a look…

THE LEGACY IN NUMBERS

From the very first Wings for Life World Run in 2014 through last year’s event in 2024, more than 1.5 million people have taken part: that’s 1,559,534 fun-loving, caring and generous individuals, to be exact.

The cumulative distance that Wings for Life World Runners have covered so far is 14,699,242 km – over 366 trips around the Earth, and more than 38 trips to the moon.

And if you’re a person who likes to count steps, hang on to your smartwatch, because – whether running or rolling – Wings for Life World Runners have accumulated the equivalent of 18,095,065,463 steps to date!

Like running with a team? There have been 44,390 teams formed across the previous runs, and there are over 22,000 teams to choose from for this year’s run on May 4!

And remember that when it comes to joining your dream team, your location doesn’t matter: Last year, the Adidas Runners team set a new race record with teammates of 100 different nationalities on their crew. Meanwhile, ultrarunner Florian Neuschwander’s Run with the Flow team had the largest participation in 2024, with 5,950 members on a single team.

Flo Neuschwander (sunglasses) and friends at the 2024 run in Munich

Over the years, the average distance attained by an individual runner has been 9.43 km, but the great thing is that everybody who has ever run, rolled, walked or jogged across the start line has played a part in bringing hope to people affected by spinal cord injury, regardless of their personal distance goal.

Take Taiwan’s Hsuanyi Liang, for example, who holds the record as the oldest-ever Wings for Life World Run participant. He was 99 years and 145 days old when he participated in Taipei in 2021, and his distance? An impressive 6.12 km.

But the most remarkable number of all is the €51,929,785 raised over the first 11 editions of the run, which has helped to fund 213 promising research projects so far – and the money raised in the 12th edition on May 4 will support even more!

WHO YOU’LL BE RUNNING WITH THIS YEAR

Among the everyday heroes who will be on the start line this year is Michel Roccati, who has lived with paraplegia since an accident in 2017. Michel has been able to take his first steps again through participation in a “STIMO” (electrical stimulation) clinical trial supported by funds raised in the run. He says, “My life changed completely after being part of this clinical trial. To stand up and walk again means liberty – independence in several things in daily life. The Wings for Life World Run gives a lot of hope, and it’s also very fun to participate in.”

Speaking of fun, it’s always great to see the amazing athletes who are keen to support the good cause. When you cross the start line on May 4, you’ll be joining the likes of Jürgen Klopp, the iconic football manager and Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer. He’s taking part for the first time and has even formed a team that anyone can join. “This is my first time participating in the Wings for Life World Run, and already I love it because it’s about people coming together to do something extraordinary. In this case, people are coming together from all over the world to help find a cure for spinal cord injury – it’s amazing!”

Eileen Gu, the Chinese sensation who has twice claimed Olympic gold in freeskiing, will also be running on Sunday, as will Slovenia’s Primož Roglič, the pro cyclist on the Red Bull - BORA – hansgrohe team who has claimed multiple Tour de France stage wins.

Eileen, who will be running in California, the US state where she was born, says, “In the Wings for Life World Run, every step you take reverberates far beyond the individual. Hundreds of thousands of runners all over the world working as one to advance spinal cord research - now that’s a movement.”

Primož adds, "They say cyclists don't run – but I love to run. This time, it’s about more than just the run. Join us at the Wings for Life World Run, where we'll be running for a good cause. Sign up for our team, be part of something bigger, and let’s make a real difference together."

Just a few of the other standouts who will be lacing up their trainers are surfing’s Carissa Moore (USA), trials rider Fabio Wibmer (AUT), triathlete Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR), American football quarterback Arch Manning (USA), gamer Masato Takahashi (JPN), rally racing’s Sébastien Loeb (FRA), tennis players Dominic Thiem (AUT), Elena Rybakina (KAZ) and Stan Wawrinka (SUI), cycling’s Tom Pidcock (GBR), basketball player Pascal Siakam (CMR), hurdler Karsten Warholm (NOR), skateboarder Ryan Sheckler (USA), father and son windsurfing athletes Björn Dunkerbeck (DEN) and Liam Dunkerbeck (ESP) and paddler Jessica Fox (AUS). 

GET RACE READY

There’s still time to be part of the experience and help to set a new world record!

First, if you haven’t registered yet, now is the time. You can do it right here.
Then be sure to use this checklist, and you’ll be all ready for race day! Let’s go!

The Wings for Life World Run takes off simultaneously around the world on Sunday, May 4, 2025, and registration will remain open until one hour before the start time of 11:00 am UTC. For more information on the run, and to register, visit www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com.