Running for research: Why Chris is taking on 13.1 miles

If you know Pistachio, you know we love to dream big – and add a lil’ drama to proceedings every now and then.

But we also know when something really matters, and this year, it does.

We’re on a quest to raise £10,000 for Brain Tumour Research (more on that here) as part of our ongoing 20th anniversary celebrations. Why? Because it’s a cause close to our hearts and our history, and we’ve been touched by the kindness and support we’ve already seen from friends, clients, colleagues, and even a few generous strangers.

Next up? A challenge of the foot-based (no weirdos please), sweat-inducing variety. On 29th September, our very own design legend Chris Gillen will be running the Robin Hood Half-Marathon (that’s 13.1 miles, if you’re metric-averse) in support of our fundraising mission. Whooop!

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer. And you know what? We’re sick of seeing this statistic. What’s more (and shocking), less than 1% of the national spend on cancer research is allocated to brain tumour research. Not cool, right?

We’ve seen first-hand what that diagnosis looks like – and how urgently better treatment, awareness and research are needed.

This fundraising effort is more than just an internal challenge. It’s a tribute to Dave, a rally for the cause, and a way to use what we do best (you know ideas, creativity and energy) to shine a spotlight on something that affects thousands of people and their families every year.

You can read Pistachio co-founder, Marie’s personal story, here.

Chris, our animator extraordinaire, is usually found deep in After Effects, animating beautifully branded things and consuming a slightly alarming amount of hummus.

So why swap his ergonomic desk chair for a pair of running shoes?

“Honestly? Because I truly believe I was born to be an athlete,” says Chris (allegedly). “And because the people of Nottingham deserve the special gift of seeing me run through these hallowed streets in Lycra.”

We jest, we jest.

But Chris has been taking training seriously, dodging graphic design-induced back spasms and bravely limiting himself to one post-run IPA. Way to go Chris!

Other team members have been rather impressed by Chris’s motivation, taking note of some of Chris’s rather unique prep tactics, including:

• Curating a perfectly balanced playlist that’s 30% Rocky soundtrack, 90% Batman theme tunes, and 10% Baby Shark remixes.
• Plotting Strava routes that look like suspiciously phallic-shaped (or like Jeff Bezos’s spaceship – it’s hard to tell the difference)
• Using the Pistachio design studio to test out which colour really brings out the colour of his eyes on his running vest (rumour has it it’s salmon)
• Practising his finish line face in the bathroom mirror – but the BIG question is, will he cry…?

All jokes aside, we love Chris, we love the cause, and we’d LOVE your support as we cheer him on and continue our mission to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research.

If you’re able to donate, however small, please do by clicking here.

Or simply share our story, talk about our beloved Dave, about brain tumours and about making the world a little safer for everyone.

We’ll be sharing more updates (and hopefully finish line photos) on our socials soon. But for now, send Chris some good running vibes, and bookmark the 29th September for a big Pistachio-powered cheer.

Check out the full NAD episode with Chris now. Or drop us a line to see how we can help.

Love,

Pistachio x