September is here and we haven’t had a new lockdown since our last website update. Whoever said there’s no such thing as miracles? It’s been a busy summer, we’ve had a ton of stuff going on and lots of new people coming out to join our group runs. It makes us so happy to see our club growing! Thank you to everyone who comes out to participate – we love running with you! A huge thank you, as well, to our volunteers and executives who help organize and host our weekly runs. We couldn’t do it without you all!
Couch to 5K
This summer we hosted our first ever group Couch to 5K program. Thank you to everybody who participated and made this program a success! We loved seeing you week after week and watching you progress.
We followed the training program presented in the ZenLabs Fitness C25K App and had good success; and since we also had a lot of continued interest and positive feedback, we’ll be offering this group program again after a brief break!
The current program will end on September 8th, after which we’ll take a few weeks off. The new C25K program will start Wednesday, October 6th. Mark your calendars! (Don’t worry, we’ll send out reminders too.)
New Weekly Run
For those who have graduated from the Couch to 5K program but don’t feel ready to tackle our Tuesday night or Thursday morning runs yet, we will be starting a new beginner-friendly 5km group run on Wednesday nights, scheduled to follow the C25K run. Stay tuned here and on our Facebook page for updates as we finalize plans for this new group run.
COVID tracking
Just a friendly reminder that until Covid-19 is a thing of the past, it is mandatory to sign in for every run you attend. We know it’s a bit of a hassle, but it’s for everyone’s health and safety. If you have any issues with the Google Sheet that we are using to track attendance, please feel free to reach out to any of your Stryders executive crew and we’re happy to lend a helping hand.
Some people were having trouble accessing the sheet when it was e-mail only, so we’ll be implementing some changes starting with the Mile Hill Monday run on September 6th. Going forward the link to the sheet will be posted here on the website, and also pinned to the top of the Facebook Group page. However, since we won’t have emails on file anymore, we’re going to require you to include your phone number as part of the attendance form. We need this info so that if anyone in our group becomes ill, we can notify others and help prevent community spread. Please, let’s all do our part! Feel free to reach out to us at saultstryders@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
Toonie Tuesday is back!
Bring a toonie with you to Hiawatha on Tuesday nights because Toonie Tuesday is back! Every week we’ll collect $2 from anyone who wishes to participate in a 50/50 draw. One lucky winner will take home half of the amount collected; the other half will go in to the Stryders account to help fund future events and prizes.
Rick Fall is Home!
Many of you followed Rick’s journey as he ran across Canada raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Childhood Cancer Canada. He made it home successfully on August 7th, but continued running every day until he reached his goal distance of 100 marathons! This is an amazing feat, Rick, and we salute you!
Donations are still being accepted at FalloRick. If you are able, please consider giving to these great causes, or share the word on social media.
Rick, thank you so much for your hard work and dedication. We’re sure Terry Fox would be proud to run alongside you.
Ultra Trail Stokely Creek is back!
UTSC is back for Year Two after being cancelled last fall because of the pandemic. With race distances of 5km, 17km, 34km, 56km, 85km, or 170km, this event truly has something to offer for everyone. Numbers are limited but some distances still have spaces available so if you’re interested in signing up, don’t hesitate! Registration closes Sunday, Sept. 5th! Go to https://utstokelycreek.com/ for details.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
If you aren’t sure about racing at Stokely or if your distance of choice is full but you still want to be a part of the festivities, please consider volunteering! Help is needed to make this event run smoothly and you can make a huge difference by manning an aid station or sweeping a race, among other things. If you’re want to do your part to make Ontario’s only UTMB-qualifier race a success, go HERE for details.
Sault Stryders 