Registration is now open for the 12th annual Loop the Lake, a yearly fun-run that is returning to Chestermere later this spring after a two-year hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the morning of June 18, runners will converge at Camp Chestermere along East Chestermere Drive to take part in either a one-kilometre, five-kilometre, 10-kilometre, or 21-kilometre half-marathon running race.
Calgary resident Tom Bamford is the “chief sweat officer” of Platinum Racing, which is the organization that puts on the annual Loop the Lake. He said this year marks the first time the event will be headquartered at Camp Chestermere on the southeast corner of Chestermere Lake, where races will start and stop from.
He said the new event headquarters will provide a great energy for the day's events. After the races are over, participants will be able to stick around Camp Chestermere for a beach party – weather permitting – complete with beach volleyball and a barbecue.
The race also raises funds for Camp Chestermere, as well as the Chestermere Regional Food Bank, Bamford added.
In line with the event's name, the course takes runners around the perimeter of Lake Chestermere – the 10K race is one loop around the lake, while the half-marathon is a double-loop.
“The great thing is, you see all the great landmarks as you run around the lake,” Bamford said. “You have the pathways along the canal at the south end, you traverse the golf course and city parks, you’ve got Sunset Beach, the causeway, the yacht club. It really gives everyone a tour of the lake, and that’s part of our positioning to really showcase the area.”
Long-time Chestermere resident Craig Skrynyk is an experienced long-distance runner, with 101 half-marathons under his belt. He helps coordinate Loop the Lake and is a former race director for Platinum Racing.
While he's usually the one putting on his running shoes and pounding the pavement at racing events, Skrynyk said he likes how taking part as an organizer allows him to give back to the sport of running.
“My wife and I have been in many races and we always wanted to find a way to give back to our own community and the running industry,” he said. “There have been so many people over the years who have volunteered at races we’ve been at and people like Tom who have put on races for us.”
Skrynyk added Chestermere has a large community of active people, and it is common for the lakeside city's runners to “loop the lake” on their days off.
Another reason why Camp Chestermere is the site of this year's race, according to Bamford, is that Loop the Lake will run in tandem with the Chinook Classic Triathlon, another Platinum Racing event that will be held concurrently on June 18.
“We were looking for a venue that had waterfront access, quick access to highways for the cycling, and the running,” Bamford said. “We also realized Camp Chestermere is not just a fantastic facility, but a fantastic cause. We raise money for the camp, and as race organizers, we donate. It’s a terrific [opportunity] to come in and build up funds for a worthy cause.”
With so much going on at once, Bamford said the day will essentially boast a multi-sport festival, as people will be seen around Chestermere running, cycling, or swimming.
According to Bamford and Skrynyk, Platinum Racing is still looking for both local business sponsors and volunteers to help out on race day.
“We love the volunteers that come out and make it feel like it’s their event,” Bamford said. “They’ve got the signs, the banners, the kazoos, and they feel like it’s their big event. They want to make a party of it. That’s what you get from these kinds of communities. They get behind the events and make them a big old time for everybody.”
For more information on how to volunteer, sponsor, or take part in Loop the Lake, visit Platinumracing.ca
Race times vary depending on the distance a runner is participating in, as does the entry fee. All participants receive a race shirt and finisher's medal.
