From 6 runners to 1000 people on the start line – Run the Duff raises funds for MindWise. The 10K and 5K will raise awareness for mental health charity MindWise, as Carryduff Running Club celebrates rapid growth and the power of running to support wellbeing.
Carryduff Running Club, founded in summer 2020 in response to Covid restrictions, has announced that the 1000 places for its inaugural Run The Duff with Pizza Crew event were snapped up in just four weeks after registration opened in January 2026.
The new chip-timed 10K (which also includes a 5K option) is the club’s first ever race and marks a major milestone for a community group that began with six people and has since grown to around 250 members, with runners aged from 18 to over 60.
Sponsored by Pizza Crew, Run The Duff has chosen MindWise as its charity partner — a Northern Ireland mental health charity that supports and empowers people affected by mental health issues, delivering services across the region.
James Woods, Founder of Carryduff Running Club, said: “When I started the club in 2020, it was honestly just about getting fitter and coping with lockdown like everyone else. I didn’t realise it would turn into something so much bigger or that so many people were looking for the same thing: connection, routine, and a reason to get out of their own heads.
“Very quickly, runners began telling me this wasn’t just fitness for them — it was an escape. People said the club played a huge role in improving their mental health, and that’s something that has stayed with me. That’s why it felt important that our very first race uses its platform to support a mental health charity and shine a light on the services available across Northern Ireland.”
The club’s focus on beginners has been a key part of its growth. Carryduff Running Club runs an ongoing Couch to 5K programme, and in January 2026, 62 people turned up for the latest intake — a record number for the club and a sign of how many people want a supportive way into running.
All members of Carryduff Running Club are volunteers, with marshals and organisers helping to keep training sessions and race day safe, while creating what the club describes as a “no one left behind” culture.
Karen Hunniford, Talking Therapies Co-ordinator at MindWise, said: “We’re genuinely thankful to have been chosen as the charity partner for Run The Duff. It’s hugely encouraging to see a local club use its momentum to start important conversations about mental health, and to help more people across Northern Ireland understand that support is available.
“The sense of community running clubs create can be incredibly powerful. We’re grateful to everyone at Carryduff Running Club for using this event to spotlight the services MindWise provides and for helping to build a more open, supportive approach to mental health in local communities.”
MindWise has worked in Northern Ireland for over 50 years and provides a wide range of support and services for people of all ages affected by mental health issues, including advocacy and other community-based supports.
You can make a donation to MindWise here –
https://tinyurl.com/CarryduffXMindWise
Pizza Crew is also supporting Run the Duff. Visit www.pizzacrew.co to order or download the Pizza Crew app – call the Andersonstown Road store on 02890 601060, the Antrim Road store on 02896 919676, the Ormeau Road store on 02895 320200 and the Lisburn store on 02892 441159.
