The May 50K 2026: A global community making a difference

The May 50K 2026 brought people together from around the world to walk, run and roll 50K throughout May. With 13,983 people signing up and more than £1.6 million raised, the 2026 event demonstrated the power of bringing the global MS community together.

Participant feedback shows just how much the challenge meant to those who took part. The 2026 participant survey received 980 responses, with 87% saying they enjoyed the challenge. Getting active was the most popular reason for taking part, with 61% choosing this, while 54% said raising awareness for people affected by MS was an important motivation, an increase of 8% from 2025.

The challenge also helped participants achieve something they could be proud of, with an impressive 93% of survey respondents completing the challenge.

Fundraising was another important part of the experience. 85% of respondents fundraised, an increase of 2% on the previous year, and 61% said they had either reached or exceeded their fundraising target. For 40% of participants, their fundraising experience was described as ‘amazing’.

The May 50K also created opportunities for people to connect with the MS community and share their experiences. As Sarah from the UK explained:

‘I enjoyed the May 50K, it allowed me to talk about my MS and the reality of living with it. It gave me something to aim for and a chance to walk in some lovely places.’

For Pam in Germany, the challenge was an opportunity to share her story and reflect on her experience:

‘It was a true honour to be part of this incredibly meaningful initiative and to share my story, helping to give multiple sclerosis a face.’

The community continued beyond the challenge itself, with 81% of Facebook group members saying they enjoyed the community experience. The Facebook group grew to 5,546 members, while the May 50K Instagram account reached more than 13,000 accounts during May.

And there are already plenty of people looking ahead to the next challenge, with 56% of participants saying they would return for The May 50K 2027, while just 1% said they would not return.

As Joe from Germany put it simply:

‘It was once again an amazing experience. I will be back next year!’

Together, participants are helping MSIF and its member organisations improve the quality of life and wellbeing of people affected by MS around the world. A huge thank you to everyone who took part, fundraised, donated, shared their story or supported someone taking on the challenge.