Inaugural Beary Blue half marathon held in Timmins
Dozens of running enthusiasts in Timmins took to Hersey Lake Conservation Area for the local running club's first Beary Blue Trail Half Marathon.
The organizer, Jeremie Lamothe, said the city has been lacking in competitive running events for years and so the Timmins Running Club planned an impromptu race to engage the local running community.
"We have so many runners in the community and no more events, there used to be a lot," said Lamothe, adding that the club only had a month to plan the race.
"We thought there's demand for another half (marathon) and it'd be a lot easier to organize if it was just in the trails, don't have to manage roads. One of the best parts of Timmins is our trail network, so we're really utilizing that."
Over 40 runners ran two loops of a 10.5-kilometre course, either as solo runners or as part of a two-person relay team.
Due to the timing of the event, Lamothe said the club could not provide typical marathon prizes and rewards, instead offering cups of freshly-picked blueberries to match the theme of the race and give it a community feel.
Regardless, endorphins seemed to be running high among the participants, cheering each other on at the finish line.
"We got first in the relay, so it was a lot of fun," said Greg van Hees with first-time running partner, Janek Urbanski.
"We won a bunch of blueberries, so that was awesome. Just an overall great event, it's gorgeous outside, lots of runners out."
The hope is to make this an annual event, Lamothe said. With more time to plan, he said, that gives the club the chance to fix any gaps from this race and offer more prizes to the runners.
"Next year, we're planning to take the full year to think about it ... and, hopefully, put on a more regional event."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Have you been removed from your family doctor’s patient list for visiting an Ontario walk-in clinic?
Some Ontarians are expressing frustration after they said that they were removed from their family doctor’s patient list for visiting a walk-in clinic in a process being called “de-rostering.”
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Canadian government proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.