RunningWithSoleAC signs big sponsor just months after formation

Despite being less than a year old, RunningWithSoleAC is making waves in South Africa's running circles. What started as a simple social media hashtag to get people moving and energized during the dark days of the Covid19 lockdown, has grown into a fully fledged running club officially registered with Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA). The founder of the movement, lawyer and social activist Tumi Sole says that #RunningWithTumiSole was born in earnest during a time when people longed for the social interaction and the outdoors that had been denied by the lockdown.

"And I stood up and said I have to do something about it. I still remember the tweet on the 2nd of January. I told people that I'm going to be starting this hashtag and if you want to be part of it, then post and let's share your stories. We now have presence in 57 countries globally and we've reached almost 3 billion impressions on Twitter. What it basically says is that running is a sport which unites people and we are able to make friends," he told #TheTopRunner.

Members of RunningWithSoleAC are overjoyed after the club announced Budget Insurance as their new sponsor. Photo Credit: RunningWithSoleAC.

The platform has been so successful at bringing runners together from across the country, continent and the globe that it has started to attract significant corporate interest. Today the blue and white army announced that Budget Insurance has signed on as the main sponsor of the club that boasts scores of members from several different walks of life.

"We uplift and inspire each other to reach our fitness goals. RunningWithSoleAC was launched with the same objective. The club has already attracted over 60 (sixty) experienced and novice runners from across Gauteng, and we look forward to competing in a number of races this year including the Two Oceans Marathon on 15 April and the Comrades Marathon on 11 June,” says Sole.

Tumi Sole (right) enjoys a club run with his fellow members. Photo Credit: RunningWithSoleAC.

In the current tough economic climate where many community-based clubs are struggling to find financial support, #RunningWithTumiSoleAC's early success is testament to the value that social media platforms in particular can generate for health and fitness groups. Susan Steward, head of marketing at Budget Insurance says they chose to partner with the club because they share a common vision.

"We are so proud to support RunningwithSoleAC. The Club’s mission is to transform communities through running and ensure no-one is left behind. We look forward to working with Tumi and the Club to achieve this," she said. “This partnership will help our fledging club go from strength to strength. It made sense for the official insurer of Good South Africans to support a running Club made up of Good South Africans,” says Sole.