Better half

Runners set out at the start of the Wellington Women’s half marathon last year.

Village urged to participate in women’s running event this Saturday morning in Wellington

The fourth annual running of the women goes this weekend in Wellington. And for the fourth year in a row the Wellington Women’s half marathon and half a half is sold out.

Drawing runners from across the province, the running event has become a hugely popular spring tradition.

The event kicks off with stretching and a Zumba warm up at 7:30 in the schoolyard at CMLSniderSchool. At 8 a.m. a pistol will fire to signal the beginning of the half marathon (21 kilometres) that will lead runners northwest out of Wellington toward Closson Road, over to Benway then returning to the village. The half a half run (10.55 kilometres) follows the same route for the first part of the run, but circles back at Swamp College.

Runners of all ages and abilities participate in the event.

Race organizers Lisa Lindsay and Paula Rideout believe this event offers more than an opportunity for exercise and fresh air. She says it also an opportunity for Wellington organizations, businesses and services to showcase their offerings.

She encourages wineries and other business to set up along the route with brochures and information.

Race organizers enjoy sturdy support from Wellington volunteer firefighters, CML Snider school council and members of the Wellington Rotary Club—who provide course security and guide traffic around the runners. It is, however, an open course—traffic is not curtailed. Drivers encountering runners are urged to be patient.

“Without these unbelievable groups and volunteers, we would never be able to pull this off,” said Lindsay.

Proceeds from the event stay in the community— for improvements to the track at the school, as well as a new sun shelter in the playground. Plans are also under way to resurface the basketball court in the schoolyard playground.

For more information: wellingtonwomenshalf.com