The Estevan Police Service (EPS) expects their 21-kilometre half-marathon will become an annual event, thanks to the support shown for this year’s first event.
Twenty-four runners, seven three-person relay teams and eight walkers registered for Sunday’s inaugural event. The runners and walkers each went the full distance, while the relay teams divided the 21 kilometres among three participants.
The walkers departed Estevan’s new track and field facility south of the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) at 7:30 a.m.
Runners and relay participants began an hour later.
Police Chief Paul Ladouceur said they were pleased with the turnout and the community support.
“Throughout the route, we saw some residents out on the lawns and on the side of the street, out cheering the runners on,” Ladouceur told the Mercury.
The half-marathon was billed as a fun event for participants, and results were not released by police. Results were not immediately posted to the website of the Running Room, which has results and other information from running events.
The track served as the start-finish point. Participants opened by walking or running around the 400-metre track.
The bulk of half-marathon, though, came through two laps of a circuit that covered much of north Estevan. Participants went west on Albert Street, north on Souris Avenue North, west on Wellock Road, south on Sister Roddy Road, east and north on Nicholson Road, and then back to the Comp. by using Wellock, Souris and Albert.
The final few kilometres took them west on Albert Street to Victoria Avenue, south on Victoria to Henry Street, and east on Henry until they returned to ECS. They finished the half-marathon by completing one final lap around the track.
It was the first official athletic event to incorporate the new track, and Ladouceur was pleased they could use the track in the half-marathon.
“People have already asked if there’s going to be one next year, and we’ve had a lot of comments from people saying ‘It’s so nice to have something like this in our own community,’” said Ladouceur. “It definitely exceeded our expectations for the first one, and it’s definitely something we can see returning on an annual basis.”
A barbecue lunch was served after the half-marathon was finished.
Ladouceur doesn’t think the weather hindered the event. Temperatures were around 7 C, and there was sporadic light rain throughout the morning.
There were a few people who signed up but didn’t make it to the event, but they also had some people show up who didn’t pre-register.
The half-marathon raised an estimated $2,900. Proceeds from the event and the EPS open house in mid-August, will be used to purchase tickets for young people to attend the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Estevan.
“It’s going to be a great way to get some of these kids out who normally wouldn’t make it to the Games, or who don’t necessarily have the funds to buy tickets,” said Ladouceur. “It’s a great supporting venture for the Games, and I think it’s important for the community to support the Games.”
Ladouceur expects they will be able to present all the proceeds later this month.
