About 30 runners race along Laugavegur in towels

About 30 runners wearing towels took part in a “Towel Sprint” in Reykjavik on Saturday evening, running from Ingólfstorg square up Bankastræti and along Laugavegur, mbl.is reported.

Tourists and passers-by stopped to film the runners and cheer them on, according to a statement from the event organisers.

The run took place on the final day of Yellow September, a joint campaign by institutions and organisations focused on mental health and suicide prevention. It was organised by Guðmundur Jóhann Guðlaugsson, a 19-year-old from Hafnarfjörður who posts videos of himself jogging in a towel on Instagram to raise awareness of young men’s mental health. For every new follower, he runs 10 feet.

“The towel is meant to make people ask what is going on,” Guðlaugsson said in the statement. “The answer is always the same: it should be easier for young men to talk about when they are feeling bad.”

People experiencing suicidal thoughts can contact the Pieta organisation on 1799, the Red Cross helpline on 1717 or its online chat at 1717.is. The Health Care Service Information Centre can be reached on 1700 or through heilsuvera.is. In an emergency, call 112.