For the 4th consecutive year, the Defiance Running Club will be hosting their signature running event of the year – the WAMBO River Run. Mark Childs, president of the club, said the route for the Saturday, August 13 run has pristine views of the Sydenham River and includes cake at the finish line.
“Out the North River Line, it’s a hard path now so there is no loose gravel,” Childs said of the route.
“We are hoping for 250 runners as our goal. It has grown every year since we have started and if we stay on track we should be around 225 to 250. It starts at the Baptist Church, thank you very much Mr. Brian Horrobin and company.”
Childs added: “It really is a fun run and there is lots of snacks, fruits and we are probably the only race in Canada that hands out cheese cake at the finish line. We figure everybody deserves it. We do a lot of extra touches. We have cold cloths at the finish lines, cold water at the finish line. Health snacks and like I said the cheese cake is just our unique little touch for those that have a sweet tooth.”
Childs said there is a walking division as well.
“There is assisted racers. Team Hoyt will be there as well as Access Racing and they will have their clients in racing chairs so there will probably be at least 10 to 12 of those folks as well. It’s a 5K walk or run, 10K run only and than the assisted race division. They go first, than we send out the 10k and then the 5k,” Childs said.
“We would like to see some local support. You don’t have to be a runner to enjoy this race. We have a lot of walkers come out every year that you just grab a friend and come on out for a nice walk and help out. All of the proceeds go to our youth program which affects thousands of youths in Chatham-Kent.”
Childs said there are a couple of changes this year.
“The biggest change from last year to this year, instead of awarding plaques to the top runners, we are awarding medals to everyone and the overall top runners will receive an entry fee free to the following year as well as a gift card from the Black Goose,” Child said.
Participants this year will get a t-shirt (red and black this year), but they need to register before the August 5 deadline.
