Why I’m starting this
Most of us know we should move more and take better care of our health. But knowing something is good for us and making it part of our lives are two different things.
Sometimes, all it takes is someone saying, “Come with me.”
Running is a blessing. I’ve run marathons, finished the Marathon des Sables, and enjoyed countless shorter runs and walks. There are moments when you feel like you’re flying and almost forget the effort. And afterwards, even when you’re tired, there’s that feeling of pride and satisfaction: you’re glad you went out and did something good for yourself.
I’d love more people to experience that feeling. And some of the people who’ve inspired me most over the years weren’t the fastest runners. They were the ones who took time to encourage somebody else to start.
Through TheCityRun, which I founded with the same goal of encouraging regular sport and better health, we’ve brought thousands of people together. Its free events help people connect with passionate sports communities in their city, where they can find encouragement, guidance and others to stay active with. That experience reinforced my belief that people often find the motivation to start — and keep going — through other people.
That is the invitation behind BitcoinRun.
What is BitcoinRun?
BitcoinRun is a global movement that encourages people to move, take part in sport and invite others to join.
I want to explore how that simple encouragement can travel beyond individual cities, bringing together friends, families, communities and companies wherever they are.
Move yourself. Feel proud of what you’ve achieved. Encourage somebody else to experience that feeling too.
The platform makes it possible to take part on your own, invite others or bring an informal group together as a free Founding Team, even if the people are in different places. Each person still completes their own activity and earns their own recognition.
Individual participation is free, and informal groups can create Founding Teams for free too. Companies can bring their employees together through Movement Packs. My hope is that people will discover the pleasure of being active and find more reasons to keep practising sport regularly.
Why Bitcoin?
Bitcoin inspired the idea and the timing.
I like the journey from the Bitcoin whitepaper, when an idea was shared, to the Genesis Block, when it took its first real step. Every movement has to begin somewhere, with an idea and people willing to act.
That’s why Edition 01 opens on 31 October 2026 — Whitepaper Day — and closes on 3 January 2027 — Genesis Block Day.
For BitcoinRun, that inspiration becomes something very human: stepping away from the screen, getting moving and encouraging others to join.
The Founding Edition
We’re deliberately starting simply.
Between 31 October 2026 and 3 January 2027, anyone can complete one activity of at least 5 km, wherever they are. Run it. Jog it. Walk it. There is no pace requirement.
People register, complete their activity and submit reasonable proof that it is their own. Once the evidence is accepted, they become a BitcoinRun Founding Finisher and receive their own number and certificate.
The Founding Wall celebrates Edition 01 while it’s happening. After it closes, verification is complete and any corrections are made, the lasting Founding Record will preserve that first chapter.
Participation as an individual is free. No Bitcoin required. No purchase required.
02 PROVE — submit your activity evidence.
03 FOUNDING FINISHER — receive your number and certificate after acceptance.
04 PASS THE MOVEMENT — encourage somebody else to move.
Think of someone you care about: a friend who hasn’t exercised in a while, a colleague who keeps meaning to start, or a family member who might enjoy a walk with you. Invite them.
You don’t have to invite anybody to become a Founding Finisher. Your achievement is your own. But perhaps your invitation will be the reason somebody else gets moving.
Carry the beginning with you
We’ve also created an Edition 01 collection: a performance T-shirt, a running cap, a medal and a gold-plated pendant.
The medal and pendant are individually numbered collectibles with product serials of their own, separate from Founding Finisher numbers. They’re pieces of this first chapter that people can choose to keep, wear or share, whether or not they’ve completed their activity.
This is just the beginning
I want to be open about something. BitcoinRun is still at the very beginning.
We don’t know yet how many people will join, how many will complete their activity, what will help them encourage others or how far this idea might spread.
I’m sure we’ll need to listen, learn and adjust along the way. We’ll discover what motivates people to start, what makes them want to invite someone else and, most importantly, what helps them continue being active.
Edition 01 will give us our first experiences, our first stories and an opportunity to learn from the people who take part. The 5 km is our starting point, not the limit of our ambition.
I hope BitcoinRun can grow into a positive movement where people enjoy sport, take care of their health and encourage one another to keep moving regularly.
I don’t know exactly where it will lead. But I believe it’s an idea worth starting — and worth inviting others to help build.
And when you can, say it to someone else: Come with me.
