1,555km, 24 run clubs and one chemical burn later: Esmée Gummer sets sights on Guinness World Record as The Nation’s 5k rolls on
July 28, 2026
Endurance athlete has run through the giant hogweed-lined byways of Britain to bring free 5ks to communities nationwide and is now officially attempting the record for the most consecutive free 5k events hosted
London, UK (July 28, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Esmée Gummer, the endurance athlete and community leader behind The Nation’s 5k, has reached the end of month one of her 5,000km run across the UK and Ireland and has now set her sights on an official Guinness World Records attempt for the most consecutive free 5k events hosted by one person.
Since setting off on 27th June, Esmée has been travelling between 77 cities entirely on foot, arriving at each one to host a free, open-to-all community 5k before running on to the next. By the end of month one, she had covered 1,555km, climbed 16,791m in elevation, hosted 24 free run clubs and welcomed 959 attendees through the door – all in pursuit of a single goal: inspiring one million people to move. The challenge will see her cover 5,000km in 99 consecutive days in total, finishing on 3rd October.
The route hasn’t been without its hazards. In early July, Esmée was stung by giant hogweed, the sap-burning plant that lines many of her canal paths and country lanes and has since been treated by a friend who is a surgeon and fellow SAS – Who Dares Wins contestant; the resulting swelling and pain still flare up at night.
“Every single 5k along this route has been about showing up for people, whatever hogweed, hills or bad weather gets in the way. Going for this record isn’t really about me – it’s proof that a community can turn up, every single time, for each other. If we can do that 77 times in a row, imagine what we can do for good,” said Esmée Gummer.
The support hasn’t only come from strangers turning up to run. Louise McCullough, a doctor and friend Esmée made during her time on the Channel 4 reality show SAS – Who Dares Wins, has dropped by to cheer her on; her best friend from Essex flew up for a 12-hour round trip just to run a 5k alongside her; her dad joined her for her stint through Northern Ireland; and her mum was with her in Wales. For Esmée, it’s the same principle running in both directions – just as she’s turning up for 77 communities, the people closest to her have been turning up for her.
Esmée’s own journey sits at the heart of the campaign. At 18, she was paralysed following complications during a routine operation and told she might never walk again. She relearned to walk, dance and run, went on to complete marathons and ultra-endurance challenges worldwide. In 2023 she founded The Say Yes Club, a weekly, no-pressure walk/jog/run 5k in East London – the blueprint for The Nation’s 5k. What drives her now is accessibility: she wants people to come along regardless of pace, age or experience, and is willing to put her own body through the wringer to make that first step feel easy for everyone else.
Underpinning the whole challenge is the charity fundraising. Every free 5k doubles as a fundraiser, with money split between Wings for Life, Sport In Mind and parkrun, which is also hosting 13 of its own free community events along Esmée’s route from Inverness to Cardiff, plus a share going to causes nominated by the public. More than 1,300 people signed up in the first 24 hours after launch, and thousands more have joined since.
Members of the public can find their nearest free 5k via realbuzz and follow Esmée’s progress via The Nation’s 5k website, donate via her GoFundMe page, or get daily updates from the road through partner app Effitt.
ENDS
For all press enquiries and further details, please contact Kate Marshall at kate@kom-pr.com
About realbuzz
Realbuzz is the world’s leading provider of charity running programmes. For over twenty years, we have connected charities with runners, helping people take part in the events they love while raising vital funds for good causes. As the home of charity running, realbuzz is proud to partner with some of the world’s most popular events, helping charities engage with runners across the globe.
About The Nation’s 5k challenge
Set to launch 27 June to 3 October 2026 and led by fitness coach and endurance athlete Esmée Gummer, The Nation’s 5k Challenge aims to get one million people to complete a 5k, whether running, jogging or walking, to inspire movement, community connection and greater accessibility to physical activity. As part of the challenge, Esmée will be running to every UK city and Dublin to showcase her dedication to get the nation moving.
About Esmée Gummer
Esmée is a vibrant storyteller, presenter and the founder of Say Yes Club – a movement-led community built on courage, connection and the power of saying “yes.” After a life-changing spinal injury that left her temporarily paralyzed, Esmee made a remarkable comeback, returning not only to running but to leading a community that celebrates resilience and joy in motion. With her infectious energy and on-camera charisma, Esmée creates content that’s both uplifting and authentic, inspiring thousands to embrace life with boldness and heart. Whether she’s hosting events, leading inclusive runs through London or sharing her journey online, she brings a unique blend of optimism, relatability and purpose to everything she does.
Instagram @esmee_ldn and YouTube @Esmee_ldn
About GoFundMe
GoFundMe is a community-powered fundraising platform dedicated to helping people help each other. By combining storytelling and fundraising, GoFundMe makes it easy for people and nonprofits to share their stories, connect with supporters, and reach their fundraising goals. Beyond traditional crowdfunding, GoFundMe is expanding how fundraising integrates into everyday experiences. Our fundraiser start API allows race organisers, sports brands, and fitness apps to embed fundraising directly into their platforms.To-date, the platform has enabled more than $40 billion of help for communities across the globe.
About Wings for Life
Wings for Life is a spinal cord research foundation with the sole mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury. They fund world class scientific research and clinical trials around the globe.
Every 2 hours someone in the UK sustains a spinal cord injury and most become wheelchair users as a result. Spinal cord injury affects people of all ages and backgrounds and is most commonly caused through road traffic accidents, falls, illness or sports. A spinal cord injury happens in a moment, but the impact lasts a lifetime. After an injury most people live through months, if not years, of rehabilitative therapy.
Since 2004, Wings for Life have invested into 344 cutting-edge projects and are now starting to see real breakthroughs. Breakthroughs which are seeing paralysed individuals regaining functionality, and, in some cases, walking again.
About Sport In Mind
Sport in Mind is the leading mental health sports charity in England and Wales. Founded in 2010, we work in partnership with the NHS to support people experiencing mental health challenges through sport and physical activity. Our programmes break down barriers to being active and have helped more than 40,000 people improve their mental health through the power of movement.
About parkrun
parkrun started in 2004 with just 13 runners and five volunteers in London’s Bushy Park. Events now take place in more than 2,800 locations in 23 countries around the world.
It is a UK-based global health and wellbeing charity that encourages movement in the company of others, in the outdoors, whether that be through walking, jogging, running, volunteering or coming along to cheer and socialise. There is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along.
There are over 12,000,000 registrations for parkrun and over one million people have volunteered worldwide.
Company Info
realbuzz
CONTACT INFO
Kate Marshall
07590274510
kate@kom-pr.com
www.realbuzz.com
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