The Pink October of Les Duchesses d'Uzès

On Sunday 2 October, the Duchesses race will take place.

For runners, a 10 or 6 km course. For walkers, a 6 km course.

With the Duchesses' race, part of French Pink October (Octobre rose here in France), the association hosts its flagship event of the year, the opportunity to bring together participants, supporters around the thirty or so volunteers who supervise the course.

If the runners have to finish the race on time... this is not the case for walkers, who can see their participation in a more quiet way.

This year's race follows part of the last one. Between a sporting event and an outside activity, runners and walkers will enjoy the Eure valley, one of the best part of the race.

It is worth remembering that for this new edition of the race Madame Aliette Balladur, a true supporter of the Duchesses d'Uzes since the beginning, is very happy to give access to her field for the passage of the athletes.

Good to know : Pink October was born in 1985, under the impulse of the American Cancer Society.
 

Laetitia Bracken, who joined the association in 2016, is today the president of the Duchesses. She is part of a team completed by 4 other volunteers, who work daily on the management of the association, preparing the following year's race, looking for funding and sponsors, such as Carrefour, Sedi Equipements, Cocktail Tonic (which takes care of warming up the runners on the courthouse square before the race), AESIO Mutuelle, Crédit Mutuel, GAN Assurances, McDonalds, the town of Uzès, the Community of Communes, etc.

Each year, new possible sponsors are approached to offer their collaboration to Les Duchesses, who are also supported by organisations, associations of the region, such as the Soroptimist Club of Uzès, the Kiwanis Club Uzès, the fencing club, the Uzès athletics club (UZAC), Courir en Uzège, Courir en Garrigue among others.

Les boîtes roses des Duchesses?

In parallel with the race, Les Duchesses d'Uzès have also launched the Pink Boxes.

This operation was first carried out in 2020, in collaboration with some fifty shops in Uzès, but also with drugstores, medical practices, when the race was cancelled due to health restrictions. Today, the Duchesses' pink boxes are now spreading: in addition to Uzès, the Duchesses count on the support of shops in Poulx, Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie, and many more.

If the 2020 Pink Boxes' operation was a full success, no doubt that 2022 will find a similar success. All goodwill is appreciated !

Good to know : - A first aid post will be present during the race. The assistance of the technical services of the Uzès town hall is greatly appreciated too. Its employees take care of the equipment, from delivery to dismantling.

- The Duchesses would like to intervene at school level, and more especially in secondary schools, to inform and talk about breast cancer prevention.

- Runners can register online until 30 September. Walkers can register online, and latecomers can register directly on site, for an extra cost of €2. Free for children up to 14 years old.

Many thanks to Laetitia Bracken, president of the Duchesses d'Uzès, for her collaboration on this article, and the visuals sent.

The right address: Les Duchesses d'Uzès.