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Martin Parnell’s 10th and final run or walk

Over the years there have been a number of highlights and lowlights.
MartinParnell
Submitted
All good things must come to an end and so it is with my 10th and final run/walk on December 31st.

Looking back, it was on Dec. 31, 2010 that I completed my 250th marathon of that year. Marathon Quest 250 was in support of the humanitarian organization Right To Play (RTP), raising $322,000 and giving the gift of hope to more than 6,000 vulnerable children around the world.

On that day, a group of us lined up outside The Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre and at 9 a.m. the gun went off. The route was “out and back”, along the Bow river and turning around at the old trestle bridge. The temperature was -27 C but that didn’t stop hundreds of participants running distances from 2kms to 50kms.

That was the start of the Annual Dec. 31st Run/Walk at the Sports Centre. From 2011 to 2014, the year-end events were in support of RTP but with the completion of the “Quest for Kids” initiative (10 Quests and five years to raise $1M for RTP) I decided to support another deserving cause. In 2015 funds were raised for the “Sue and Martin Parnell Playground” built for Boma Africa in the village of Mto wa Mbu in Tanzania. Not only was a playground provided but also a giant bouncy castle and classroom resources for the Lindsay Kimmett Kindergarten.

The 2016, 2017 and 2018 year end events were in support of Free To Run, an organization that uses adventure sports to develop female leaders in regions of conflict. Funds raised from those three years allowed Afghan women and girls to enjoy kayaking, camping, figure skating and ice hockey for the very first time.

Over the years there have been a number of highlights and lowlights. The highlights include the 62km run by Ellie Greenwood over the six hour event day in 2012, the running streak set by Hiro Watanabe from Edmonton who has run 50km every year, and the support of hundreds of boys and girls, parents and grandparents who have come out and completed the 2km Cookie Run and the end of each event. The one lowlight was in 2018 when the temperature hit -48C. On that day a number of us ran the loop however it was reported in the Calgary Herald that the penguins at the Calgary Zoo had to be kept inside because it was too cold.

Finally to 2019 and the Dec. 31st, 10th and final year end run/walk. This time we’re bringing it home. We decided to support a local organisation and one that has always been close to my heart: the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area. All of the funds collected from the run will go toward operations and programing at the CLUB. The CLUB is a youth exclusive division of the Boys and Girls Club which provides teens a fun, safe space to hang out, do homework or seek support.

So save the date: Tuesday, December 31 at the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre. Come on down between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Run or walk the 2km loop to 50km, it’s up to you. Registration is on the day with a donation at the event. If you can’t make it and what to help then click on: www.martinparnell.com and hit the big red “DONATE” button.

This event is for everyone and you may even see a penguin.

© 2019 Martin Parnell
[email protected]
www.martinparnell.com

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