To combat poverty in Guatemala, Sierra Leone and Honduras, the 16th annual CAUSE Canada Rocky Mountain Half Marathon hits the streets of Canmore on Sunday (Sept. 11).
“We’ll continue the tradition of hosting a great community event,” said race organizer Jamie Carrick.
The proceeds go to fund women’s empowerment programs in Sierra Leone, Guatemala and Honduras through literacy, community leadership and microenterprise. This is the fourth year of CAUSE Canada’s five-year Women’s Integral Empowerment Program. The program aims to give women greater influence in their communities, as well as contribute to green initiatives such as clean water systems, sustainable agriculture and tree planting.
“A lot of our programs have a green focus,” Carrick said.
Named one of the top 10 ‘greenest’ races in North America, the CAUSE Canada half marathon includes compostable cups, organic, ethically-produced cotton t-shirts and no-waste start and finish areas. All of the food provided falls within the ‘200-mile diet,’ as fruit will come from the Okanagan Valley, while a bio-diesel shuttle will run between Canmore and Calgary to transport participents to the event.
This will be the first year the race will hand out medals made from recycled glass, continuing the green race legacy.
“The recycled cups and 100 per cent organic cotton t-shirts cost more, but they’re part of what the race is about,” said Carrick.
The race also includes a 10 km run and a 5 km walk/run for those not interested in the full distance. Carrick said most registrants sign up for the half marathon, but a significant number choose the other distances.
“People who sign up for one year usually come back the next,” Carrick said.
Thus far, the event has raised $19,000 in pledges – topping its record.
“This event grows every year,” Carrick said, who anticipates 2,000 runners participating. The half marathon begins in Centennial Park at 9:15 a.m., followed by the 10 km run at 9:45 a.m. The 5 km race begins at 10 a.m.
Online registration is open until Saturday, Sept. 10 on the CAUSE Canada website at www.cause.ca
