Run for the Pumpkin returns to Lethbridge Sept. 20

Get ready to lace up your runners and join the community excitement; the annual Run for the Pumpkin cross-country race is set for Saturday, Sept. 20.

Hosted by the Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks cross-country and indoor track team, the event features both a two-kilometre and a four-kilometre race and is open to runners of all ages and abilities. This year’s races will take place on the course first introduced in 2024, starting and finishing just south of Nicholas Sheran Elementary School. The route is run entirely on grass, making it ideal for cross-country spikes. Both distances will begin with a mass start, and separate start and finish lines will be used. The two-kilometre race begins at 10 a.m., followed by the four kilometres at 11 a.m.

Another highlight of the day will be the High School Cross-Country Team 4K Invitational, which will run alongside the Run for the Pumpkin four-kilometre event. High school teams must include at least four runners in the male category or four runners in the female category, and scoring will be based on the combined times of the top four runners from each team in the male and female categories.

Run for the Pumpkin is a perfect opportunity for competitive runners, student-athletes and community members to get active, connect with others and celebrate the season in a fun and energetic atmosphere. And all participants will get a pumpkin! For full race details and registration, visit: https://www.racepro.ca/runforthepumpkin/.

The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Grand Prix meet will follow in the afternoon, making it a full day of exciting cross-country action. The women’s six-kilometre race starts at 1 p.m., and the men's eight-kilometre race begins at 2 p.m. Open competitors are welcome to participate. Please contact Simon Schaerz (simon.schaerz@lethpolytech.ca) to inquire about registration.