For more than 15 years YMCA’s youth development programme – Raise Up – has empowered hundreds of teenagers with new skills and confidence to help them chase down their dreams.

Now’s your chance to show your support. Don your superhero cape, run with YMCA and show young people that anything is possible. Entry includes a race pack, superhero cape, transport from the Mt Albert or North Shore YMCA and a BBQ at the finish line.

Sign-up for Round the Bays through YMCA today. Entries close 20 February> ymcaauckland.org.nz/roundthebays

If 90-year-old Russell can do it, so can you!

Regular exercise has proven to be a fountain of youth for 90-year-old Russell Parrish who still hits the gym three days a week. A YMCA member for 50 years, Russell recently signed up to do Round the Bays through his local YMCA.

Russell and his wife Mary have been keen runners most of their lives, but 12 years ago decided to focus on the more leisurely pace of walking. In 1982 they completed the Round the Bays course together, helping to lead the crowd of 70,000 runners from Victoria Park.

Russell decided to challenge himself once again at the annual event after hearing about the YMCA teams running Round the Bays to support youth development. In early January he completed a practice run of this year’s 8.4 kilometre course along the Auckland waterfront in 1 hour and 40 minutes by alternating walking and jogging.

With just four weeks to go until the event on March 4, Russell is on track to complete the Round the Bays course once more as wife Mary and the YMCA team cheer him on.