BANFF – Banff Marathon's organizers made a strategic move in hopes of having an in person event this year.
Featuring a marathon, half marathon and 10-kilometre races, the event is scheduled to take place Sept. 12, replacing the previous June 20 date.
“We thought instead of cancelling it again, given that everyday [COVID-19] is changing, and it seems to be changing in positive direction, that September gave us the best opportunity to host the physical event,” said Paul Regensburg, the race director.
“The best chance is really, are we allowed to gather with a few thousand people, and how can we gather, and will that be allowed at that time in September?”
In Alberta, many race coordinators are pointing toward the success at the ski hills, which have handled operations with thousands of slope stars each week during the pandemic.
Alberta race organizers are beginning to lobby to governments to allow for outdoor summer sporting events, said Regensburg.
“One of their catch phrases is that they’re looking at running events this summer to be the ski hills of the winter: A place where people can be outdoors and active and feel safe – and it’s part of the comeback,” said Regensburg.
This winter at Sunshine Village in Banff, the ski resort’s focus has been to stay open to give Albertans an outlet for a safe and healthy place to recreate.
Communication has been key during the COVID pandemic and many protocols are in place such as only households riding together in gondolas, lifts and parking lot limits – even if it has meant a 50 per cent drop in business on weekends.
“We do believe that we need those outdoor escapes to recreate, and I think some of the huge successes we’ve had as an organization is communicating our mandate and communicating our expectations,” said Kendra Scurfield, brand and communications director.
“Having that expectation of what is allowed at the resort has helped us stay open. Basically, there are no surprises or confusion as what is expected and we are doing it for the greater good of public health.”
She added that it’s Sunshine’s belief that outdoor recreation is essential to health and wellness.
“We are hopeful that we can see summer activities such as running in the Bow Valley, or the marathon, because we do think people need to stay outside and stay active in the summer,” she said.
A virtual race for Banff Marathon will be offered from June 19 to Sept. 30, and Regensburg said they're waiting for final approval of an in-person event from the Alberta government.
If held, regulators would decide the maximum participation limit and guidelines.
“It’s such a changing dynamic right now, and it’s going to be even more so with vaccinations and what other countries are doing,” said Regensburg.
“The fact you’re outdoors where it barely transmits, if at all, we’re very confident it will be an extremely safe event.”
A 2020 Japanese study, of nearly 700,000 people competing in 787 outdoor races in Japan from July to October, found only one case of COVID-19 in two weeks following the race.
The study was translated by Japanese Running News, which added a response on social media: “Keep in mind that almost all road races have been cancelled here since March [2020], all of the races in this study were held under strict COVID protocols, most were in controlled-access track facilities, and two thirds of them were held without spectators."
Should the Banff Marathon go ahead in the national park this September, Regensburg said it’s going to be a very busy month for runners in Banff.
Along with the Banff Marathon, Melissa’s Road Race is scheduled to go ahead a few weeks later on Sept. 25.
Combined, the events bring in about $8-$10 million in economic stimulus for the Bow Valley.
“We’ll encourage people to do the double,” said Regensburg with a laugh. “We’ll probably end up trying to get creative on that and put some kind of prizing like an epic medal or an epic shirt that they did both.
“It’s a step to a comeback and that’s a step we all want to take.”
