Are you prepared for Relay For Life this weekend? Our top five tips.

Relay For Life is a fun and active community fundraising event.

Teams of family, friends and work colleagues get together to walk or run laps in a continuous 24 hour relay. The event takes place over a festival-like weekend filled with with activities, music and comradery.

Relay for life honours and acknowledges those who are or have been affected by cancer whilst raising vital funds for Cancer Council’s research, prevention and support services.  

Each year a relay is held in every Australian State and Territory with more than 134,000 participants raising over $14 million every year.

This Saturday, the 20^th of October, Relay For Life will take place at HBF Arena.

To ensure you have a fun and memorable Relay For Life experience we have pulled together our top five tips to make sure you are well prepared for the event:

 1. Bring suitable and comfortable shoes

To run or walk continuous relay laps for an extended period of time your feet need to be comfortable. Make sure you have suitable and comfortable lace up shoes. If you plan on buying new shoes for the event, make sure you have worn them in before the event so you don’t get any nasty blisters. Remember to also pack a few pairs of socks., changing up your socks regularly will also help prevent blisters and keep your feet feeling fresh!

2. Pack plenty of sun protection

Regardless of the weather it is important to bring adequate sun protection. Even on cloudy days it’s important to make sure you slip, slop, slap if you are spending a prolonged period of time outdoors. To stay protected make sure you pack strong sunscreen, a hat, some lip balm and your sunglasses.

3. Ensure you have adequate food

With all the fun you will be having you will be exerting a lot of energy. Make sure you have some healthy snacks on hand to refuel throughout the day. Snacks such as granola or muesli bars, fruit such as bananas or apples, a handful of trail mix, or small sandwiches with your favourite spread. For something more substantial, meat and salad wraps or sandwiches. There will also be outlets at the event serving fresh and healthy food.   

4. Keep well hydrated

Make sure you replenish with water regularly throughout the day. To avoid the unpleasant symptoms of dehydration such as fatigue and dizziness drink small sips of water constantly. Make sure you always have a water bottle in hand or close by, energy drinks containing electrolytes such as Powerade and Gatorade can also help to keep you hydrated.

5. Remember your costume!

Get into the festive community spirit and make your Relay For Life experience extra special by wearing a costume. Choose a team theme and dress up for the occasion, whether it’s a full body costume, some funky socks or a cool hat! Just make sure you will still be comfortable to walk or run the relay.    

For everyone participating in Relay For Life this weekend, we hope you have a fantastic time.