Jen Segger wanted to make sure the Loop the Lakes run stayed alive when she got involved as an organizer about six years ago.
Now, it鈥檚 safe to say the annual event, which is in its 14th year, is not only surviving, but thriving.
The Run 麻豆社国产event is organized by Segger and Sean Verret as a non-profit to donate money back to the community for projects.
鈥淭his has always been my way of giving back,鈥� she said.
Loop the Lakes features 21-kilometre, 15-kilometre and 8-kilometre races at staggered start times at Alice Lake Provincial Park, as runners work their way through the trails that wind around the lakes in the region. There is also a fun race for kids to race one kilometre around Alice Lake, which attracted about 75 racers this year.
Interest in the run has continued to grow, and this year marked the strongest turnout to date.
鈥淭his is our biggest year ever,鈥� Verret said. 鈥淭his is the first time we sold out.鈥�
There were approximately 200 competitors taking part in the three races.
For the 21-kilometre event 鈥� the half marathon 鈥� 22 men and 21 women finished the race.
鈥淭he winner was dethroned from last year,鈥� Verret said.
The 2015 champ Jacob Smith finished with a time of 1:36:22,
almost half a minute behind Vincent Pagot, who took the top spot with a time of 1:35:54. Brendan Urlocker was third among the men at 1:36:36.
The fastest female was Laura O鈥橠riscoll at 1:46:37. She was followed by Amanda Stone at 1:50:30 and Hailey Van Dyk at 1:55:46.
In the 15-kilometre event, 42 women and 17 men took part. Heather Gallagher posted the best overall time at 1:20:03. Among the women鈥檚 group, she was followed by Merrily Harris with 1:26:45 and Gemma Elford with 1:29:17.
On the men鈥檚 side, Chris Munro was first with a 1:24:44 time, Jamie Craft was second with 1:26:29 and Grant Grimshaw was third with 1:26:35.
On the eight-kilometre course, Graham Shea clocked in first among 23 competitors at 41:35. The men鈥檚 second was Mike Tranmer at 44:53 and third was Nathan Romanin at 46:26.
The women鈥檚 bracket for the eight-kilometre attracted the largest turnout with 78 running the race. Olivia Willett posted the best time at 42:29, Kara Delaney was second at 45:26 and Kirsten Reddaway was third at 49:55.
As the main organizers, Verret and Segger rely on a group of volunteers that comes out year after year to help put on the race. Part of the attraction for competitors, they say, is that Loop the Lakes is a family event and that participants appreciate the work that goes into the race. As if on cue, while the race organizers were talking, a couple of people walk over to thank Segger and Verret for their efforts.
鈥淧eople just love it because it鈥檚 got such as community feel,鈥� Segger added.
To elaborate, Verret points out the support the race gives back to the community through its Give Back program.
鈥淟ast year, we gave away $5,000,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping we do the same with our events this year.鈥�
Next up on the Run 麻豆社国产calendar is the Sea to Sky Scramble on June 25. The race is a six-kilometre trail run that involves one kilometre of vertical ascent.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e basically running from the base of the gondola to the top,鈥� Verret said.
This year, the scramble will also serve as the Canadian Mountain Running Championships with top finishers qualifying for the 32nd World Mountain Running Championships in Bulgaria in September. There will also be cash prizes for the top three finishers for both the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 side.
