Who knows what will greet runners – weather-wise – when they show up for this year’s Boxing Day 5K in Yarmouth.
“We’ve usually had decent weather,” said race director Bobby Lou Reardon. “We had three years for sure that were just miserable.”
Last year would fit in the latter category, given the very cold and windy conditions event participants had to contend with. A hundred people still turned out, but the weather apparently kept a good number of others away. (By comparison, the race had just over 160 participants in 2016, which is more in line with what it normally gets.)
This is the 10th year for Yarmouth’s Turkey Run, which, since its inception in 2009, has become one of southwestern Nova Scotia’s most popular races.
It begins at 10 a.m. by Tim Hortons/Wendy’s, with participants heading south on a course that covers almost two loops, finishing in the parking lot of West Nova Fuels.
“It seems to be a great local event for the day after Christmas,” Reardon said. “Families come out and then go to breakfast after, which is really great.”
She was referring to the post-race reception at Yarmouth’s Knights of Columbus hall. Scheduled for 11 a.m., this is a chance for all race volunteers and registered runners and walkers to get a hot breakfast.
Proceeds from the race again will go to the Megan Corkum Athletic Fund, which helps athletes who have to travel to compete.
A decade ago, helping a local athlete who was looking to travel to pursue his sport was part of the idea behind the inaugural Boxing Day 5K, but it also was a trial run of sorts for Reardon, who at the time was thinking of organizing a marathon in the Yarmouth area. She figured the experience of putting on a short event would help prepare her for the more ambitious task of co-ordinating a much longer one.
The Yarmouth Marathon made its debut in 2011. A fundraiser for kidney care services – a special cause for Reardon – the marathon has been held annually for eight years, with next year’s edition scheduled for May 5.
Meanwhile, Yarmouth’s Turkey Run took off, becoming a holiday-season favourite for many people.
“It was well-received, even that first year,” Reardon recalled. “I think the first year we had snow banks that were like four feet high.”
For the most part, though, the weather has not been an issue, last year being another exception.
Reardon notes that the event draws a good variety of ages and includes both serious and not-so-serious runners.
“The other thing is sometimes people come and just walk it,” she said.
Want to take part?
--The registration fee for Yarmouth’s Boxing Day 5K is $25 for adults, $15 for students, and there is a family rate of $80 (parents and their children).
--Register by noon Monday, Dec. 24, at Runner’s Attic, Main Street, Yarmouth, or on race day between 9 and 9:45 a.m. Cash payment only, no cheques.
--Fee includes race support, water, draw prizes, hot breakfast.
--First 100 registered participants receive an article of run clothing.
