Runners lace up as Marathon of Hope continues tradition this weekend

By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on September 16, 2022.

Runners and racers will unite this Sunday for the Terry Fox Run in Legacy Park, lacing up their shoes and hitting the ground at 10 a.m. while raising money for cancer research.

Returning to the run site for the first time in two years, Lethbridge Terry Fox Run has been holding online run events during the COVID-19 pandemic, but is returning to in-person with restrictions lifted.

“We did miss seeing our favourite volunteers and regular attendees in person,” said Lorien Johansen, co-chair for the Run Organizing Committee. “I am very impressed with the support that we got through the online and digital version of the run for the last two years. But we are all very excited to be together again.”

The organization hosted live streaming videos for participants during the pandemic, encouraging them to perform physical activity at home or in small cohorts as restrictions allowed, while posting their videos and photos online throughout the day to keep the legacy going.

“There was an online program where they could submit their donations online directly to the Lethbridge foundation,” said Johansen. “Everybody had to pivot quickly to figure out how we were going to do all of this in a virtual world. But I’m blown away by how supportive people were on the online platforms.”

This year will see a blended format, with runners both in person and online, and Johansen says they understand there are still those uncomfortable with large crowds at this time.

Noting the change everyone is experiencing, Johansen says this year’s goals will not be overly ambitious.

“Given that we are still recovering from a pandemic, and there is a bit of an economic slowdown right now, we set very conservative goals for this first year back,” said Johansen. “Our initial goal when we started this season was $4,000 in fundraising donations, and 100 participants in person. When I checked yesterday (September 14) we were 75 per cent of the way to our fundraising goal, and we haven’t even hit run day.”

This speaks highly to the support people show for the cause. Terry Fox’s goal was to inform Canadians of the importance of finding a cure for cancer. Originally planning to run across Canada in April of 1980, Fox was forced to stop on September 1 at 5,373 kilometres, when cancer returned in his lungs. Fox passed away on June 28, 1981 at the age of 22.

His legacy lives on with the race and continues to raise money and awareness towards the battle against cancer.

“His goal was that money should be raised for cancer research, so that in the future people didn’t have to go through what he went through,” said Johansen. “Cancer research has come so far in the 41 years since Terry passed away. People who are diagnosed with cancer are now often living another five to 10 years after their cancer treatment.”

The Lethbridge Terry Fox Run will be held September 18 at Legacy Park’s picnic shelter along Blackwolf Blvd N. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with events starting at 10 a.m. Registration is available at run.terryfox.ca.

Lethbridge School Division will have a race on September 23 at 9:15 at Nicholas Sheran Park.

Holy Spirit Catholic School Division will also be holding races with its students over the course of September and into October, along with raising donations through its Toonies for Terry! Fundraiser.

“Whether it’s a school or a community run, or any other different extent of the run, it’s all run under a single foundation. All funds raised go into a communal pool at the foundation,” said Johansen. “The research can save lives and extend the time they have with their loved ones, and their own time on earth. Even just for one person to be able to say, ‘Hey, I beat cancer,’ than it’s worth it.”