Thrive Leisure

We aim to make County Durham more active than it has ever been, and we've teamed up with Technogym to do exactly that!

What is the challenge?

The goal is to get 50 million MOVEs as a county via the Technogym app. A MOVE is a unit of measurement of physical activity, designed by Technogym. See Technogym: discover MOVEs and Movergy page for more information.

Why you should get involved

As well as contributing towards local pride, everyone who contributes a single MOVE or more will be entered into a prize draw to win one of the following:

• A Technogym bench worth £1450
• A 1 year thrive active membership
• 4 x 3 months thrive active memberships

How to get involved

Download the thrive active version of the Technogym app and scan the QR code. Once you are registered on the app, click on the 'Challenges' icon, then find the Together We Move challenge and click 'JOIN' then select team County Durham. If you have any problems accessing the app, simply pop into one of our leisure centres and a Gym Coordinator can get you set up.

Terms and conditions

• MOVEs can be automatically tracked via a smart watches/mobile device or manually inputted into the Technogym app.
• Prizes can be gifted to a friend or family member.
• No cash alternatives are available for prizes.
• Juniors are permitted to take part, however a parent or guardian must approve use of the Technogym app.
• Non-leisure centre users are permitted to take part in the challenge and can win the prizes.

Members will have free months applied to their current membership. Annual members will have 3 free months applied after their final month. Privacy information is available on the Technogym app.

Team County Durham!

Let's prove how strong we are as a community and smash this challenge! Get involved and tell everyone (and we mean everyone)! Any contribution, big or small, will go a long way to helping us reach 50 million MOVEs.

Organisers have unveiled exciting details for this year’s festival, which will begin with a special evening at the Gala Theatre, commemorating the 40th anniversary of North East athletics legend Steve Cram’s incredible achievement of setting three world records in under three weeks. Commissioned by us - Durham County Council – and delivered by Events of the North, in partnership with Durham University, the 2025 Durham City Run Festival will take place from 16 to 19 July, offering a spectacular celebration of running, fitness, and community spirit. And this year, we are delighted to announce that our leisure service, thrive, is the festival’s headline sponsor.

A festival for all

Since its launch in 2016, the Durham City Run Festival has grown into one of the region’s most beloved grassroots sporting events. This year’s festivities will kick off on Wednesday 16 July with an exclusive evening at the Gala Theatre, where former BBC Look North presenter Jeff Brown will host a special talk with festival founder Steve Cram. The athletics icon will reflect on his historic 1985 achievements, sharing never-before-seen insights, photos, and footage from his record-breaking summer. The action continues on Thursday 17 July with the return of the Durham City Run 5K and 10K races, starting near the Radisson Blu Hotel and finishing at the breath-taking Durham Cathedral and Castle UNESCO World Heritage Site. On Saturday 19 July, Paula Radcliffe’s Families on Track event returns, encouraging families to get active together in a fun, relay-style 10K challenge. To make the festival even more special, thrive leisure is supporting additional family-friendly activities and live music from performers featured in this year’s Durham Brass festival.

thrive leisure: moving together

As the official sponsor of the festival, we are committed to promoting health and wellbeing across County Durham. The event supports the Moving Together in County Durham strategy, which encourages residents to lead active, healthier lifestyles. Durham University is also a key partner, with over 250 university affiliated runners taking part last year – a number they hope to grow in 2025. Many participants will be raising funds for the festival’s official charity partner, the Red Sky Foundation, which champions heart health and funds life-saving community defibrillators.

Steve Cram: a legend’s legacy

Festival founder Steve Cram said: “It’s hard to believe it’s been 40 years since those world records – I remember each race like it was yesterday. Sharing my story at the Gala Theatre will be a privilege, and I hope it inspires a new generation to discover the joy of running. That’s what the Durham City Run Festival is all about -bringing people together to get active, have fun, and create unforgettable memories. With the support of Durham County Council, Durham University, and our fantastic sponsor thrive leisure, we’re determined to make 2025 the best festival yet.”