Advertisement 1

Heritage on the run: A way to perpetuate our past into the future

Article content

The Peace River Running Club hosted the annual Peace River Heritage Run along the banks its namesake on June 9.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

With a half marathon, along with 5k and 10k options for adults and a 2k option for kids, it was “indeed, an historic run” according to Peace River Museum’s researcher, Beth Wilkins, as “it represented more than 30 years on the Peace River events agenda.”

As this year marked the town’s 100-year-anniversary, the running club “emblazoned” the celebratory centennial logo on t-shirts that were supplied to the heritage run’s first 100 participants, who also received chip timing along with their $35 entry fee, while the Kids’ (two-kilometre) Fun Run was offered at no charge.

Article content

Wilkins told the Peace River Record-Gazette on June 15 that not just runners, but also “walkers, moms, and dads pushing strollers laden with children” took part.

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

The Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre, has long been established as both the start and finish lines for the races, as the museum has historically been both host and beneficiary of the heritage run with “a large portion” of the entry fee donated by the running club to the museum, annually.

An estimated 96 contestants registered while 10 “did not start” according to the statistics listed on its registration website, zone4.ca.

An interesting history

Wilkins, an avid historian, explained that: the run initially began “30-some years ago” with the RCMP, after which Patrick Mackenzie, a museum board member and avid runner, saw a community-involved way to encourage running as a “healthy choice” and took over as its director according to a 1997 news release.

Advertisement 4
Story continues below
Article content

“The Peace River Heritage Run will not only provide a recreational and competitive opportunity for runners from near and far, it will also raise money for, and awareness of, the museum,” Mackenzie said.

Frits Dyck succeeded Mackenzie and held that role until 2016 when Ken Wurst stepped in as race director.

Chip timing

This year, chip timing became a welcome addition to the perks of attending.

‘“The introduction of this technical advance was a means of better serving the runners,” Wilkins said.

Verywellfit.com explains that chip timing, also called a transponder or RFID timer, is a technology that measures athletic performance. It works on a radio-frequency identification (RFID) basis and, while attached to an athlete, it emits a unique code that is detected by radio receivers located at strategic points during an event.

Advertisement 5
Story continues below
Article content

‘“Because racers like to and need to access results quickly, this technology obliges with the participant’s time recorded automatically as they cross the finish line,” Wurst said.

‘“Chip timing is just one example of the way the race committee seeks to please participants and hopefully make the Heritage Run a destination,” Wilkins said.

‘“That, along with a low-cost entry fee, including t-shirts, and an overall pleasant experience, has attracted people over the years and the hope is it will continue to do so.”

Participants

Along with local area residents, registrants from other communities included Fairview, Grimshaw, Valleyview, Wanham, Grande Prairie, Dawson Creek (BC), Slave Lake and some even traveled from as far away as  Fort Saskatchewan to participate in this year’s event according to the Zone4 registration page for the Peace River Heritage Run.

Advertisement 6
Story continues below
Article content

Of its 24 registrants, one half marathon runner never made it past the start line, while Peace River’s Derek Bakker brought home first place with a final time of 1:30:57.6. Grande Prairie’s Ian Cleland came in second less than five minutes later with a final time of 1:35:30.2, and Alexander Glenn came in third barely two minutes later with a final time of 1:37:07.4.

Of the 34 registered runners in the 10-kilometre portion of the Heritage Run, three did not start. Dylan Leadlay of Peace River was the first to pass the finish line with a final time of 0:40:09.1 and Grimshaw’s Jordan Coen ran in seconds later with a final time of 0:40:12.4. Peace River’s Jeremy MacIver came in third with a final time of 0:45:04.3.

The five-kilometre race had 33 registrants, with six who never passed the starting line. Peace River’s Jon Babiy ran in first with a final time of 0:18:48.5, while Jonathan Provost nearly tied Babiy with a hairline second place of 0:18:49.3, and Ken Wurst ran in hot on their heels with a final time of 0:18:55.1.

Advertisement 7
Story continues below
Article content

The 10-kilometre relay had only five registered participants who collectively brought home their win with a final time of 1:12:03.0. The team was comprised of Peace River residents: Haunholter Lynn, Makayla van Tamelen, Rachel van Tamelen, Heather Vedress, and Samuel Velie.

“There was [only] one team and they won their event,” Wurst told the Peace River Record-Gazette on June 16.

“The Heritage Run is about participating more than anything else,” he said.

“We have had the same core group for years, along with new people joining in. We are always happy to have new people.”

Ladies’ half marathon

The top female participant in the half marathon’s twenties age category was Chelsey Giffin of Peace River who finished with a final time of 1:45:39.3, while the top female in the thirties age category was Grande Prairie’s Andrea Snider with a final time of 1:39:42.5

Advertisement 8
Story continues below
Article content

The top female participant in the half marathon’s forties age category was Manning’s Julie Gummesen who passed the finish line at 1:51:54.3, while Peggy Pike of Peace River finished in the ladies fifties category with a final time of 2:18:44.5.

The top female participant in the half marathon’s ladies’ 60 to 69 age category was Slave Lake’s Gail Ungstad who made it passed the finish line with a final time of 3:36:19.8.

For more stats from the race, visit zone4.ca/event/peaceriverheritagerun2019/.

Volunteers and sponsors

Wilkins stressed the importance of the volunteers that put in their time and effort to help maintain the run’s integrity.

“Without volunteers and sponsors the heritage run would not have been on the run for so many years,” she said.

Advertisement 9
Story continues below
Article content

Former museum curator, Laura Gloor, described the heritage run as “a melding of exercise and sport with culture for advantage of each.”

The museum’s heritage co-ordinator, Daniel Stewart, said that the museum was thrilled to host the event.

“We help by opening the museum and its facilities to the runners and public for the duration of the run, as well as assisting in preparing treats that are available to runners and spectators. Beth Wilkins is our liaison to the organizers of the Run, and she also takes many of the photographs during the event,” Stewart explained.

“As the benefactor of the monies raised by the run, the museum is grateful to the community and volunteers who take part. This money is used for a variety of purposes, from purchasing supplies for the Archives and Collection, to paying for improvements to the museum itself. It also shows us that the public see the museum as an important institution in town and that they are willing to come out and support us at such an event.”

For more information, contact the Peace River Running Club or visit the Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre.

With files from Beth Wilkins, Researcher
Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers