The Run to Finish Huntington's Disease is an annual event that runs across Canada.  There are several locations that host a spectrum of events.  We stopped in Vernon to check out the 5k Run/Walk that was put on to help raise money and awareness for this debilitating illness.  The following is a brief rundown of the course and organization of the 2012 event.

THE COURSE
The course should be very familiar to local triathletes as the Kal RATS Sprint Triathlon originally set the run course for its event.  Participants have a beautiful start location at Kinsmen Beach and head out for about  1.5 km of fairly flat terrain that takes them up into some residential and hobby farm areas.  After about 1.5 km, the course throws a hill at you that would be classified as moderate to difficult depending on your level of fitness.  The hill is about 200-300 meters long.  After the hill you will hit a small rolling section and then drop down a short (but very steep) hill towards the turnaround point.  After turning around, you are greeted by a nasty little climb that is short but steep.  From here on in, the course is fairly flat with a couple of downhill sections.  Overall, the course is a nice little run with a couple of challenges.  The course rating would be moderate difficulty for a 5k road race.  

ORGANIZATION
The event organization was good.  The event is not chip timed nor are the results recorded.  This is a fun event and the organizers made sure that people were welcomed and the environment was participatory.  There were a couple of volunteers from Good Life Fitness that showed up to lead a warm up with some fancy Zumba moves which was well received.  The course was very easy to follow.  It was open to traffic but it had a couple of volunteers doing traffic control duties at a couple of intersections.  There was an aid station on the course.  The event was open to walkers and strollers.  There was a great little barbecue at the end of the race and the participants went home happy.  The only shortcoming of the event was the promotion of the race itself.  There were only about 50+ participants that attended.  It is also on Mother's Day weekend and had to compete with some other big events that draw a lot of athletes in the area.  

WHO IS THIS RACE GOOD FOR?
This is a fun run.  This is not a competitive event.  If you want to get out with some friends and raise money for a good cause then this is a great little run for you.  If you have a infant that you would like to push around or a mom/dad that needs the exercise, then drag them out and have some fun.  This race is purely a fundraiser so please treat it as such.  

*VISIT OUR PHOTO GALLERY FOR PICTURES OF THIS EVENT

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The 2012 edition of the Cycle for Independence took place this past weekend in Vernon.  This local event has now been going on for 13 years!  The ride is a charity event to raise awareness and funds for youth living with disabilities.  This is a non-competitive event that can serve as a nice training ride with friends or a fun day on the road with family or first timers.  The following is a brief rundown of the course and event organization.

COURSE
There are two distinct courses that are laid out for the 20k and 50k riders.  If you are reading this blog, you probably aren't concerned with the 20k but we'll give you a brief course description nonetheless. The 20k course takes riders primarily through the town on bike routes and through residential areas.  You will get a nice ride along Lakeshore Drive which parallels Okanagan Lake.  The course is for the most part flat with one hill climb at around 15km.  Alexis Park Drive is about .75km climb and can be a push for anyone lacking bike experience but the riders yesterday varied in ability and still made it without too much difficulty.  There is a watering station along the beach for those who need it.  The course is not marshalled and there is very little in the way of ride support.  The course is open and not traffic controlled.  

The 50k loop is actually closer to 55k.  It is a nice ride and is popular amongst the local cycling enthusiasts.  Starting from the downtown location, riders head out onto Highway 6 and then quickly turn down onto Kalamalka Lake road.  Riders will pass by Kal Beach and continue on through some of Coldstream's farmland before hooking back up to Highway 6 once again.  The course remains on Highway 6 for a short duration before weaving through some of the farm areas of Lavington (which is the turnaround point).  On the way back, the riders are re-directed off of Highway 6 and up onto Buchanan Road.  This road is light on traffic and offers some nice rollers and scenic views.  Buchanan re-connects with Highway 6 which takes the participants back into town for the finish.  The course does a nice job of mixing up some flats with a few short climbs and some nice rollers.  The overall difficulty of the ride is moderate.  It also limits the amount of highway and heavy traffic exposure.  There was an aid station but it is probably not necessary for anyone riding this distance.  

ORGANIZATION
The event organization was very low key.  This is not a huge event and the coordinating staff do a commendable job given the fact that they had no real biking experience.  The start/finish of the course could be changed to avoid the downtown sector.  Although the 20k loop does its best to avoid high traffic areas, it still forces the riders through a couple of sections that might make parents hesitant about bringing their children.  The 50k course is very nice and easily manageable for a rider with moderate experience.  The athletes were treated afterwards with some post race goodies, free pizza, and a rub down courtesy of Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy.  Most importantly, this event raised some money and was only $25 to enter.  Athletes could also win prizes for raising the most money through pledge sponsorship.  Participants can download registration forms from their site; however, there is no online registration.  Registration is primarily done day-of or through mail-in/drop-off.  

WHO IS THIS EVENT GOOD FOR?
This race is a good event for experienced riders looking for a nice training day with friends while raising money for a good cause.  If you live within an hour or are in town for the weekend then it is worth your while.  It is also a nice event for less experienced riders or younger athletes but we wouldn't recommend it for kids under the age of 14 due to the traffic element.  At $25, It's hard to beat the price.  Besides, your great day on the course is also helping make someone else's life a little better.

Every year the Kamloops Daily News rallies the city around a new cause through their annual running of the Boogie on the Bridge.  The unique feature behind this event is the music.  There are live bands playing throughout the course to inspire the participants and create an atmosphere reflective of the good nature of the event.  This year was no different as over 1800 participants signed up to challenge the 1k, 5k, 10k, or half marathon course.  This is a big event and there were hundreds of volunteers, sponsors, and emergency personnel required to pull off the event.  The following is a brief run-down of the course and organization of the race.

THE COURSE
There are varying distances for this event and they all have the same start and finish area.  For the 1k scramble, the runners stay in the downtown core but for the rest of the participants, the Overlander Bridge serves as the destination point after a brief jaunt through downtown.  Once over the bridge, there is a pivotal junction where volunteers herd the runners towards their course.  The 5k runners have their turn-around point shortly after crossing the bridge.  The 10k and half marathoners; however, continue on a route that takes them along the river until their specified turn-around point.  The course difficulty varies depending on the distance.  The 5k racers will find the the course will have some hilly sections in it.  The finish stretch is a straight climb for about a half kilometre that is neither difficult nor friendly.  The 10k and half marathon runners will notice less of the hills as they have a long section from the bridge to the turn-around and back that is primarily flat.  The downtown is the only section that really provides some hilly sections.  For these runners, it is only a fraction of the course.  The weather on this day was perfect and for the most part the runners are fairly sheltered.  The only area that you are likely to find wind to be a factor is the bridge but it was fairly calm on this day.  The course is a closed course and has volunteers that coordinate and direct traffic.  Police and Fire were on hand to assist in this process.  

ORGANIZATION
The race organization was solid. In a race this size there are hundreds of volunteers needed for coordination.  There did seem to be some confusion over the start time of the second wave of runners but for the most part the race went off without a hitch.  There was plenty of support along the course with several aid stations, paramedics, and race coordinators directing athletes as they made their way through the course.  One area of concern was the head start of the half marathon racers.  Many of the lead runners were already on their way back and ran into a large bottle neck of 5k runners/walkers near the junction.  By this time the Overlander Bridge was packed with participants and many of the runners had to weave their way through a lot of congestion (which included children).  None of the athletes seemed to mind too much but it could affect results.  Overall the race was a good event that raised over $120,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Kamloops and area.  Way to go everybody!

WHO IS THIS RACE GOOD FOR?
The race is first and foremost a fundraiser.  The atmosphere is fantastic and the participants really seem to enjoy themselves.  However, this is not your race if you are a type A speed demon.  You can still post a good time but keep in mind the reason you are out on the course is more important than your PR.  This race is excellent for anyone who wants to get outside and support a great cause or complete a new distance.  It is open to walkers, strollers, and kids.  There are a ton of activities and music is abundant.  Make it an annual stop on your calendar if you live in the area. 

*VISIT OUR PHOTO GALLERY FOR PICTURES OF THIS EVENT

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