On June 22, RUN Niverville will host its inaugural run event at Hespeler Park at 10:00 a.m. After covering costs, any funds raised will go toward Niverville Fire & EMS.
Melanie Rideout and Candis Logan are running enthusiasts who live in Niverville. As organizers of this new community-minded event, they aim to bring together people of all ages, including families, who share a passion for fitness and an active lifestyle.
“With both a three-kilometre and five-kilometre run planned, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned runner or just starting out on your fitness journey,” says Logan, race director for RUN Niverville.
The shorter route will start at Hespeler Park and take runners into Fifth Avenue Estates along Hampton Drive, extending as far south as Hawthorne Way.
The five-kilometre route follows the same route while incorporating a short leg along Fifth Avenue before continuing east along Spruce Drive and taking runners around Edelweiss Crescent.
A New Run for a Cause
The two runners noticed that Niverville had no formal running events and wanted to organize something for fellow athletes to participate in right in their hometown.
“Both Mel and myself are avid runners who race both locally in Winnipeg and larger scale events,” says Logan. “Almost all road races in the province are held in Winnipeg. But Niverville is a very active community, with a large number of runners of all ages.”
Previously Niverville hosted the Imagine Run, a long-running event in support of mental health. With a history of supportive runners in Niverville, Logan hopes the community will be similarly receptive to the new event.
“We are aware of the Imagine Run and the success it had within Niverville,” she says. “We are raising funds for our local volunteer fire department. The fire department does so much for our community, and this is our small way to give back to them. They will also be onsite the day of our race to assist with course marshalling.”
Registration has since closed, sold out due to an early and enthusiastic response.
RUN Niverville is also affiliated with the Manitoba Runners Association (MRA) as a participant with their Youth Series. At year end, youth who have completed three, six, or nine of the approved races will be celebrated at the MRA seasonal awards banquet.
Aside from youth, Logan and Rideout also anticipate many families will be participating. They have incorporated safety protocols for runners pushing strollers.
“Strollers are allowed,” Logan says. “They just need to be the last to start at the starting line for safety reasons. Parents who want to run alongside their child will need to register for the run. Nobody is allowed on the course without a bib.”
Local event sponsors have stepped up to the plate. While details are still coming together, runners and onlookers alike will be able to enjoy a good time. All runners will also enjoy a complimentary T-shirt and a medal for participating.
“In April, we approached businesses in Niverville looking for sponsors to assist in the cost of putting this event on,” Logan adds. “We have had great feedback and support for our event. RUN Niverville relies on revenue and sponsorship from businesses in and around town to assist in costs for food, swag, prizes, and overall costs. In addition, we will have prizes… There are gift cards from City Park Runners, a Yeti cooler package, a kids scooter package, and wireless earbuds, to name of few.”
Running for Health and Fun
Rachel Drader, another local runner, is excited to see the event take place so close to home. She says there are many mental health benefits to having an active lifestyle and she would love to see the community put their full support behind RUN Niverville.
“I initially started running with friends as a way to improve my fitness,” says Drader. “Since I started running three years ago, my motivation to continue has shifted more towards the mental health benefits and the reward of challenging myself with further and faster distances.”
As someone who works from home, Drader has seen the benefits of getting out for a run to clear her head on days when she’s stuck inside working alone.
“The social aspect definitely keeps me running as well, as I’ve found the running community in Niverville to be pretty amazing,” says Rachel. “I believe being connected to other runners is very beneficial.”
Drader says that when people commit to being active together, it not only reduces individual isolation but fosters community wellness.
“I was quite intimidated to join a few friends for runs, as I was a lot slower than them and could not do the same distances they could,” she says. “The support and encouragement I received was incredible and really helped me to push through when I wasn’t feeling my best.”
She also looks forward to seeing families and people of different ages participating together.
“I think it’s great how many kids will be running this event, my own included,” she says. “They’ve seen me put in the time and effort training for runs and have asked to start coming on runs with me. They have been learning about how to properly fuel their bodies for workouts and they’re both very excited to train for and complete their 5k.”
Although RUN Niverville 2024 has already sold out, the organizers encourage people to view themselves as equally involved if they come out and cheer for the runners.
Volunteers are also needed. If you are able to help out with the event, reach out to Logan and Rideout by email: runnivervillemb@gmail.com.
