Braving the cold, helping those in need

More than 100 athletes braved the wind and cold Saturday morning to run, bike and skate 15 kilometres along the Nestaweya River Trail in support of a Winnipeg homeless shelter.

“This is more than just a race. It’s to raise money and to help shelter people,” said Rich Deschamps, one of the first people who completed the annual Beat the Cold triathlon.

“And then, you kind of get a taste of what it would be like to be outside during this weather permanently … This is someone’s reality; trying to survive out here.”

In total 160 people registered for the sold-out event, which is organized by the Trifactor Triathlon Club to raise money for Just a Warm Sleep — a 30 person overnight shelter created by 1JustCity.

The race kicked off at 9 a.m. as a daytime temperature of -16 C dipped to -22 with the windchill, according to Environment Canada.

The fastest competitors were finished well before 11 a.m. and filtered into a room inside The Forks Market to warm up with lentil soup, coffee, hot chocolate and an assortment of other snacks.

Race organizers had not yet tallied how much money the event raised, but 1JustCity board member Nancy Ryan-Arbez said it typically generates upwards of $25,000.

All of the funds go directly to the shelter, which provides a safe place for people in Winnipeg’s homeless community to sleep, eat and do laundry between November and the end of March.

“I’ve always thought Winnipeg is the best city, where we come together to support people who don’t have as much as us, and this event exactly represents that,” Ryan-Arbez said.

“I’m elated because the community of athletes and volunteers … come together to make this happen.”

Cold weather throughout January ensured the ice on the river trail was frozen solid and well-groomed, allowing athletes to take full advantage of the river trail. Some athletes completed the course solo, while others registered in relay teams of two or three, said race director Tony Hoess.

The event, which was held for the first time in 2019, is sanctioned by Triathlon Manitoba.

Hoess, a Trifactor Triathlon Club member who was overseeing the race for the first time, said the event provides a critical window into the experiences of the estimated 2,500 people who are homeless in Winnipeg.

“The cause is huge. That’s what brings us all here. You think of the people who don’t have anywhere to go, who are out in the cold. You imagine what it’s like if you’re sleeping in a tent or somewhere,” he said.

“I’m really proud of the athletes that did it in that weather. It would have been a challenge this year going into that wind… I’m just so grateful.”

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca