Fri 10 - Sun 12 July
NAIDOC Week postponed! Devastated? .... us too!
Still want to honour the tradition and mark the ocassion in July... we hear ya!
Race day still postponed? Really missing your closed gym?
Ready to get some routine back and take control of your NAIDOC Week?
After the success of RunRona and the devastation of hearing that NAIDOC Week had been cancelled due to COVID-19, we have launched our second virtual run event. This event combines our two favourite things: health and culture!
The NAIDOC Virtual MARCH | Run event is taking place during NAIDOC week, which nationally would have been held between 5-12 July, 2020. A highlight of every NAIDOC is the MARCH and we are recreating this historic event virtually from Friday 10 July - Sun 12 July. We have included Friday as part of the event as the NAIDOC MARCH is usually held on a Friday.
Each year, a theme is chosen to reflect important issues and events for NAIDOC Week. This years NAIDOC theme is Always Was, Always Will Be.
You can learn more about the history of NAIDOC here.
With absolutely everything up in the air right now, finding ways to still celebrate NAIDOC whilst having a goal to keep us focused and active has never been so important. Let’s control the controllable and continue or start to kick our health and well-being goals. Looking after our physical, emotional and spiritual health right now it is a huge protective factor in staying well.
Sign up for the NAIDOC MARCH | Run and let’s celebrate NAIDOC a little differently this July.
For our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community, please use the code: WELLAHTOGETHER at checkout to access the Community registration fee. Allies and supporters, we trust that you will respect this code.
If you’re an organisation or business looking to support your staff to participate in our NAIDOC event, please email
hello@clothingthegap.com.au for more info. We'd love to give you a corporate entry package. Can provide invoicing options to make everyons life easier!
Fundraising from the NAIDOC MARCH | Run will subsidise entry for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this event and support the health promotion work of Spark Health Australia to continue to share free access to health and well-being activities for Aboriginal Communities.
MARCH or Run in 3 easy steps.
step 1
Pick your distance
step 2
MARCH or Run your NAIDOC
Complete your NAIDOC Virtual MARCH or run whenever it suits you on either Fri 10, Sat 11 or Sun 12 July anywhere you like! The NAIDOC MARCH |Run is completely virtual! This means you can run any time, anywhere on event weekend… anywhere around the world!
step 3
Get Rewarded
The 3km NAIDOC MARCH is an event for families to walk in pride in their red, black and yellow merch locally! To commemorate NAIDOC and how COVID-19 has impacted on our 2020 NAIDOC Week, we have created a limited edtion patch! This patch will signify the time we did our NAIDOC MARCH in solidarity yet VIRTUALLY!
For those who want to combine NAIDOC Week with your health goals we also have a 5KM MARCH | Run, 10KM MARCH | Run, 21.1 KM Run and 42.2 KM Run. When you complete these events....lookout, you get a new medal + patch which will be posted to you after the event.
The Limited Ed. NAIDOC MARCH | Run medal has been designed by Gunditjmara artist, Laura Thompson.
REAdy | Set | Collect
'Always Was' medal
2020 will be our inaugural NAIDOC Virtual March | Run event. Every year we will design a medal and create an event based on the year’s NAIDOC theme. Don’t miss out on collecting the very FIRST medal in the series. What better way to reflect and remember that NAIDOC that was, than with your Aboriginal designed medal.
MARCH or Run in style
Check out our NAIDOC 2020 'Always Was, Always Will Be' Collection.
SPRING NAIDOC
8 - 15 November
Great news, NAIDOC Community celebrations will go ahead in Spring! The National NAIDOC Committee decided to postpone NAIDOC events from the original July dates due to the uncertainty from the escalating COVID-19 pandemic. If you still want to mark the occasion of NAIDOC in July, whilst adhering to COVID-19 restrictions our NAIDOC virtual March | Run is an excellent option to keep the tradition alive.
A message from us
The organising team behind this event is made up of a collective of Aboriginal Health Promotion practitioners, Personal Trainers and communication gurus from Clothing The Gap and Spark Health Australia. The team are seriously concerned about how the Community will feel without NAIDOC events to look forward to in July combined with the rising levels of inactivity, obesity and mental ill health in our communities. We also know the difference social connection, physical activity and a positive routine can make in tough times.
With the COVID-19 situation unfolding rapidly in Australia, we are abiding by the advice from relevant health authorities and staying up to date with the latest information. The health and safety of our participants will always remain our highest priority. You can stay informed with COVID-19 national updates by clicking here.
The Clothing The Gap team echo the concerns from health promotion peak bodies such as VicHealth for the rising inactivity levels gripping the country. We too are deeply concerned about the effects this physical inactivity will have on our communities long term while many seem to be bunkering down on the couch with Netflix amidst COVID-19. Hear more on how exercise can help during COVID-19 from VicHealth CEO, Sandro Demaio. Don't get us wrong, staying at home is important right now, but so is staying physically active.
Social distancing is actually physical distancing; it does not mean 'social' isolation. The Clothing The Gap team refer to 'social distancing' as 'physical distancing', as we're aiming to stay as socially connected as possible.
Throughout the current situation, looking after our mental health is really important as it can be left more vulnerable than usual. Keeping up our cultural and social support helps to boost mental health and is also connected to our physical health. Getting some time outdoors safely and connecting to the land, and marching or running on Country, does wonders for our well-being too. Body, mind, spirit and Country...it’s all connected, Aboriginal people have known this for tens of thousands of years.
Some things to remember
Run Safe
Aim for less crowded spaces, less busy times of the day, keep your distance and stay local to your home. As soon as you return home, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
Run Well
If you’re well and haven't been asked to self-isolate enjoy training safely. However, if you are not feeling well, stay inside and refer to medical advice.
Run Relaxed
You’ll need to be flexible and adaptable whilst training in these times - you may need to slow right down, or even stop, to pass other people safely.
Run ‘Together
Share your training journey by joining our Strava Run Club, using #NAIDOCMarchRun and tagging @ClothingTheGap so we can cheer you on.
Register Smart
Pick the event distance that feels right and manageable for you.
Run Fresh
Check out the Clothing The Gap Active Wear range to level up your training kit and get you motivated to get out that door and feel fresh while you do it!