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Annual Run for Women comes to an end, organizers confirm

THUNDER BAY -- After more than three decades of success, the annual Run for Women is no more. Organizer Gordie Garriock on Thursday delivered the bad news, stating the event had simply run its course. And this time its demise is likely permanent.
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(tbnewswatch.com file photograph)

THUNDER BAY -- After more than three decades of success, the annual Run for Women is no more.

Organizer Gordie Garriock on Thursday delivered the bad news, stating the event had simply run its course.

And this time its demise is likely permanent.

Three years ago the race was quietly cancelled after a 33-year run, but Garriock helped resuscitate it after speaking with one of its long-time participants.

“Our plan was to do it for three years to get the event to its 35th anniversary,” Garriock said.

It lasted one more, but with volunteer time spread thin and costs to host the Run for Women continuing to rise, the decision was made to call it a day.

Begun in 1980 as part of the community fitness plan, it was a unique, women’s only event that drew national attention for its scope and size.

In those days, there weren’t many options out there for female runners outside of the elite programs at the high school and post-secondary levels.

“It had an amazing life and I’d like to look at all the amazing events that go on in the city each weekend now that are fundraising events and think that a lot of them are because of this event,” Garriock said.

The Run for Women hit its peak two decades earlier, when 3,700 women took part in 1994. The inaugural run attracted about 200 participants, double their original estimate.

It was sometime after that point the event refocused and started raising money for the United Way. In recent years it’s helped collect money for cancer research.

“It was totally focused on improving people’s fitness levels and getting people healthier and happier. To that extent, you see a lot of women walking and running and cycling around the community,” Garriock said. “But still, our fitness levels are really disastrously low in Thunder Bay and cardiac disease is terrible.

So more people walking and being fit would be a real good thing for the health of this community in the future.”



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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