Thousands take to the streets in Cork for Run in the dark

THOUSANDS hit the streets of Cork last night, dodging the threat of rain and dropping temperatures, to raise money for spinal cord injuries.

The Run in the Dark returned to the city centre, with more than 2,500 entrants registering to take part in one of the most eye-catching fundraisers to take place in Cork city each year.

The event, now in its seventh year, takes place in Cork, Dublin, Manchester, London and Belfast, with a handful of pop-up events also staged in cities like Brussels, Hong Kong and Singapore to aid the Mark Pollock Trust and its ongoing efforts to find a cure for spinal cord injury.

Organisers confirming that some 16,000 people ran in aid of the cause all over the world last night.

On Leeside, runners left Patrick St at 9pm, taking in part of the historic city wall, as well as the city library, the English Market and the banks of the River Lee.

Participants had the option of a 5k and a 10k route, with the first runners crossing the finish line after just 37 minutes last night.

The Run in the Dark plays a vital role in funding The Mark Pollock Trust's mission to find and connect people around the world to a cure for paralysis.

After losing his sight in 1998, Mark became an adventure athlete competing in ultra-endurance races across deserts, mountains, and the polar ice caps becoming the first blind person to complete the race to the South Pole.

In 2010, a fall from a second story window resulted in a broken back and damage to his spinal cord which left him paralysed.

Mark did not let his injury best him as he was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader and he also run a professional speaking business alongside being an ambassador for Wings for Life Spinal Research Foundation (UK).