Spring Run racers take over downtown Brandon
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/05/2016 (3495 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
More than 500 runners from across the province and parts of Saskatchewan got up bright and early Sunday morning to take part in the 37th annual Koch-YMCA Spring Run.
Among those in Princess Park celebrating a race well run was Ihor Verys — wearing a Ukrainian flag around his shoulders and a medal around his neck. The 21-year-old was the top male finisher in this year’s 15-kilometre run with a time of 1:07:44.
“This is my first official race … It’s an awesome feeling,” he said.
Verys moved from Ukraine to Brandon nine months ago to enrol in the business administration program at Assiniboine Community College. He started running this spring and decided to sign up for the run when he spotted an ad on the Y’s website.
“I thought, why not?” Verys said, adding that he really enjoyed the atmosphere at the run. “I’m proud to be among these awesome folks, they all share the same point of view as me, they all foster a healthy lifestyle and I appreciate it — even at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning.”
The run took participants on a one-, five-, 10-, 15- or 20-kilometre loop through Brandon’s downtown.
Sheelagh Chadwick finished the 10-kilometre course and was relishing in the day’s ideal weather conditions and supportive crowd.
“The weather was perfect: nice and cool, but it didn’t rain,” Chadwick said. “The course is always nice, people are always out cheering and the volunteers are so enthusiastic — every corner you go around someone is ringing a bell.”
The event is one of the Y’s annual fundraisers for its Strong Kids Campaign, which helps provide subsidized memberships and programs for low-income families.
While money is raised through race fees and pledge forms, the health and fitness director at the Brandon YMCA says the number of participants collecting pledges has been going down.
“When we first started 37 years ago, (raising pledges) was a bigger thing and gradually people have gotten away from that,” Rhonda Penner said.
Every year, the Brandon YMCA provides more than $280,000 in memberships and service subsidies to those who would otherwise not be able to afford it. On race day, the 2016 pledge tally was hovering around $300.
However, the fundraising conundrum wasn’t top of mind for Penner on Sunday.
“It’s overwhelming and amazing,” Penner said, adding that she often gets a little teary-eyed on race day. “Whether (race participants) are new to running and discovering a love for running or if they’re seasoned runners … it’s just nice seeing everyone active.”
Thomas Eros of Brandon took first place in the 20-kilometre race with a time of 1:21:07, Grant Hughes of Brandon came in first in the 10K with a time of 40:26 and Burke Erickson of Douglas finished first in the 5K with a time of 18:40.
» ewasney@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @evawasney
