More than any other day this year, May 11 felt like spring, making it a perfectly appropriate day for the 30th annual Spring Run Off. Lake Annette sparkled in the sunlight as runners paced themselves through a 10-kilometre run around the lake and through the surrounding forests.
For most runners in town, the race—hosted by Totem Ski Shop and Jasper Source for Sports—marks the beginning of the season, and offers the perfect opportunity to see where their fitness stands after the winter.
“Everyone can get off the couch and run this one,” said fourth place finisher Joe Urie, explaining that the relatively short run is the perfect distance for fierce competitors and hobbyists alike.
Watching finishers trickle in last Sunday—two middle-aged women holding hands as they crossed together, or young kids running alongside their parents—it was easy to get a sense of the scope of participants.
It ranged from first place finisher Jean-Yves Doucet, who blasted through the course and finished with a time of 37:46, to young Magnus Stenlund who finished in 50:49 to municipal councillor Helen Kelleher-Empey, who clocked in at 123:21.
In the spirit of Mother’s Day, a mom even ran the whole course pushing her two kids in a stroller.
Victor Vassallo is one of the race’s organizers. He said that over the past few years he’s noticed a big jump in participation, which he attributes to an increased interest in running, as well as the fact that race organizers have started giving out running t-shirts as part of the $25 entry fee.
“There will be 20 people who are racing, and then there will be another 140 people that are running with their buddy that they run with every Sunday, or their kids will be riding their bike beside them.
I think it’s just a reason to get outside and enjoy some fresh air on a Sunday, so it’s really neat to see the demographics of people that come for the race,” he said.
And although the race has been gaining popularity over the years, Vassallo admits it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. In the 17 years he’s been part of the race, there have been many hiccups—snow, wind storms and even wolves have caused delays.
Not too long ago, he said, someone missed their posting at a critical traffic point and everyone ran off into the woods the wrong way. Even at last Sunday’s race a bear showed up near the course, causing temporary panic amongst the organizers.
“It’s not without its bumps, so to speak,” Vassallo said.
Karl Peetoom has been running the race for years, and May 11 said that despite—or maybe even because of—the occasional hiccups, the race has become a favourite tradition amongst Jasper’s runners, and now acts like a “right of passage for spring.”
“It’s a lot of fun; I love it,” he said.
For a complete list of race participants and their results, visit Totem Ski Shop’s Facebook page.
Trevor Nichols
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