ESTEVAN — Check your gear out and get ready, the Coal Country Run is right around the corner.
The fun running/walking/bicycling event, which is also a big fundraiser for the Fresh Air Fitness outdoor gym, is slated for May 13 at Woodlawn Regional Park.
The event offers five and 10-kilometre run and walk options, as well as a 20K bicycle ride through the Estevan pathway system. Runners and walkers will head out at 10 a.m. on the day of the event, and the cyclists will start at 11:30 a.m. A kids’ mini mile will head out right after that.
"It's the most fun part of the whole race to come out and watch the little kids. It's not quite a mile, I don't even think it's close to a mile. But the kids love it. And we've got a few costumes that are going to be out running around, so the kids would really enjoy it," said Peggy Rohatyn, who operates Fresh Air Fitness alongside Debby Knight.
While there are first, second and third place prizes awarded in all disciplines in different categories, Rohatyn noted that people don't have to compete if they don't want to. The organizers time participants just because some people want to know their results. E-bikes are welcome as well, but they are not part of the competition.
The run will be followed by a barbecue lunch. There will also be an information expo on site on May 12 from 5-7 p.m. and on May 13 from 9 a.m.-noon at Rotary Hall. Rohatyn noted that it is great for local organizations and groups' promotion.
"If there's an organization or any kind of sports event or something you want to promote, it's free for the vendors. Because runners don't go down there with a lot of money usually because they are running, it's more of an information [opportunity]. So, if you want to get information out there, hand out pamphlets, this is a good place to do it," Rohatyn explained, adding that vendors can join until May 10.
Estevan Bowl, along with Henders Drugs and the Fresh Air Fitness Garage Sale, put several prizes together for an online auction that will take place on the Coal Country Run Facebook group, starting May 1 and closing May 7.
Fresh Air Fitness Garage Sale will also have a table of items available to take for donation at the event on May 13.
"We're not going to monitor the table or anything like that. If you see something you want, you donate whatever you feel, and if it's something you really need and you can't donate that's fine too," Rohatyn explained.
Rohatyn noted that they are still looking for some volunteers to help on the day of the event. No experience is needed, and if anybody is interested in volunteering, participating as a vendor or has more questions, they can reach out to organizers through the Fresh Air Fitness Facebook page.
The registration for the Kids Mini Mile fee is $10 and will happen the day of the event, yet Rohatyn asked that if people know in advance their kids will be participating, to let organizers know kids' names so they would have their race packages ready.
The adult participation fee is reduced to $25 until May 1 to make it a bit more affordable for participants, and then it will go to the regular $40. Registration is done through runningroom.com, at Henders Drugs or through Knight or Rohatyn.
Henders Drugs is the sponsor of the event and the volunteers, and Southern Plains Co-op sponsors the mini mile and lunch. All money raised will go to Fresh Air Fitness and will be used for outdoor gym maintenance as well as some new projects at the facility. This year they are looking into building a disc golf course and another canoe launch on the other side of the bridge. Rohatyn added that if people have ideas of what they would like to see added to the outdoor gym, to let them know.
