Half-marathoners give cancer research funding a boost

More than 1,000 people laced up their runners to raise funds for cancer research at the Winnipeg Police Service half-marathon early Sunday morning.

This year’s event — which included 1,200 people in the half-marathon, as well 600 in the five-kilometre race and 200 two-person half-marathon relay teams — was expected to raise about $100,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society, said race director Nick Paulet, who is also a Winnipeg police inspector.

The event, which began in 2005, has raised nearly $3 million for cancer research in the past 21 years.

“The cause was created out of a desire to support the Canadian Cancer Society,” said Paulet, adding the money individual runners raise can be directed into specific research areas. “We’ve had a heavy focus on brain cancer research, treatment and therapy processes for post-treatment. I think it’s important for the cause and to let people know where their money actually goes.”

Race organizers try to focus on the stories of people who’ve suffered cancer and their loved ones, Paulet said, noting most of the individuals who handed out medals either have suffered from cancer, are actively being treated for it or have lost a loved one. They wore yellow shirts during the event.

“We do that so we can remind people vividly, even if they’re here for personal or family reasons, just to keep that theme alive, the underlying hope and so we raise that awareness,” said Paulet.

New police Chief Gene Bowers, whose son Ethan Bowers ran in the half-marathon, was also among those who handed out medals to runners. He said the event’s an important one.

“It’s the community coming out, the spirit of community and family,” said Bowers of the event. “All our members, first responders, health-care — it’s a hard job, they’re all hard jobs, and it’s the family behind first responders that pull them up and support them in their work every day.”

Paulet said he thinks the half-marathon, which also included a display of police equipment, are a good way for police officers and the service to engage with the community.

“It serves as a conduit to get people together and give that exposure for people to know we’re just like you, there’s a whole bunch of cops running in this race with family and their neighbours,” said Paulet. “It’s a quintessential of how we can serve our community and be engaged with them.”

Paulet said race officials were monitoring for anyone suffering heat sickness in light of the warm and sunny weather this weekend. It was 13 C at the start of the 8 a.m. races and the forecast high Sunday was 28 C.

“Mother Nature’s been good to us but we need to watch out for our runners who are not (yet) used to this heat,” said Paulet. “This is a real sort of whiplash of warming temperatures.”

He said, as of 10 a.m., no runners had suffered any major medical issues.

Paulet said prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual race saw around 2,700 total runners, but the charity event is taking a slow approach to getting back to pre-pandemic numbers.

“We’re just trying to control our growth so we can manage our expectations,” he said.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca