When it comes to running a marathon, it’s never too soon to start talking about Humboldt’s annual Sizzler Strut.
The event is part of the annual Summer Sizzler weekend and though it’s been around for years, there’s a good chance that some people haven’t heard of it.
“You know it’s funny there was a question from one of our sponsors: ‘How well is this known in the community?’ I’m not totally convinced that everyone knows about it,” said Patti Durand, one of the organizers for the event. “There are people (who are with it and know what’s happening), but I just feel like we have work to do in letting our community know.”
Starting at 9 a.m., there are three marathons: the kids’ runs are the first to go, then the adult five kilometre run begins at 9:15 a.m., followed by the 10 kilometre route.
“The five kilometre is a run or a walk and the 10 kilometre is a run,” said Durand. “Just from timing perspectives, we have to make sure we have the routes cleared for safety. But that 5k walk, there are lots of people that don’t run. That’s why it’s called a strut; because you do whatever motion you want.”
For anyone participating in the marathons or anyone who just wants to come down, there will also be a pancake breakfast served by members of Calico Gymnastics in partnership with the Humboldt Trails Committee. Proceeds will be split between the two groups and Scotiabank in Humboldt has agreed to match any funds raised.
The breakfast isn’t the only fundraiser either. All marathon participants are asked to pay an early bird fee of $25 or $35 after the early bird deadline (kids in the youth marathon only register $10). There are no pledges collected unless people want to do that on their own because all the registration money goes towards the trails committee.
The fundraising is one of the main goals of the strut, but it’s not the only one. According to Durand, it’s also a fun activity for everyone to get involved in.
“It’s just a fun family way to be active and so we really want to encourage people,” she said. “We have all kinds of perks and bonuses that our generous sponsors make possible and we just want people to come out and enjoy the camaraderie and enjoy the pancake breakfast. We just want them to have the whole experience on a local level without having to drive hours to get there.”
While other big city races have thousands or tens of thousands of people, Humboldt averages in the hundreds. This means that people can really get to know each other and get a feel for that hometown experience. To build on that, sponsors have provided little goodie bags for everyone that includes gifts such as t-shirts. And because the five-kilometre is for walkers or runners, Durand encourages everyone to come out and be active for a while.
“In our history, we’ve had as many men register as women,” she said. “This is not strictly for either of them and we’d love to see everyone out. So we’re open for all ages, men, women, and all abilities—walkers, runners. If you want to come out and mosey, we encourage that. Or saunter, we’ll do that too.”
Last year, marathoners had a troubled start because part of their route went across the tracks, which of course had a train passing just as their marathon began. It held up runners and walkers alike, resulting in a 20-minute delay. This year, the committee has changed that to make the routes start and finish at the southeast lawn of the Humboldt Collegiate Institute (HCI). Instead of crossing the tracks however, it’ll go through town and stay on the north side of the tracks.
“So it’ll incorporate some of the trails such as the 5th Avenue trail that is in place, but also will be on Humboldt streets,” said Durand. “It’s a Sunday morning, so it’s a low traffic time of day and it also gives us an opportunity to run by places like Caleb Village where we can get some cheerleaders and some of the residents there cheering them on because we really want the community to recognize the efforts that people are putting in to participate.”
For now, Durand says the hardest thing will be getting the word out and encouraging people to participate. Even if people can’t participate for whatever reason, Durand is encouraging them to register anyway because that money will be going towards fundraising for the trails committee.
If they don’t want to register, they can also volunteer, which Durand says will be just as much fun as participating.
“I just recognize for myself, getting to race day, there’s just a great energy of people who have prepared, who are excited to be with their friends, who are excited to get out and get their running bib,” said Durand. “Just the whole experience is a really positive one. It’s kind of a snapshot of the best of humanity working together for a common cause and for their own personal fitness.”
