ST. PAUL - After taking a few years hiatus, the St. Paul Rodeo Mile is back in this year’s line-up of rodeo week activities.
The road race challenges locals to run a mile just before the St. Paul rodeo parade on Saturday morning – or a shorter distance for younger races – offering prizes and t-shirts to participants.
Previously organized by the Northeast Alberta Track Club, the event is now being organized by St. Paul Regional High School (SPRHS) to support its athletic program and other school initiatives.
“We thought it was a great community event that encouraged people to be active,” says Tim Penner, a teacher at SPRHS. “It is also an opportunity to raise some money towards a new bus that will be used by the athletic teams, as well as supporting field trips, hiking trips, and other curricular activities.”
Penner says the race is unique in that there are spectators lined along the street, getting their spots set for the rodeo parade.
“It is a great atmosphere with the crowds lining the street to encourage the runners. We want to offer people an opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle,” says Penner. “It does not matter your speed. It's amazing how great it feels to complete a run.”
He adds, “I think that [the Rodeo Mile] is something that is unique about the rodeo weekend in St. Paul. It gives people a different way to participate. In the past, the crowd has had a great time cheering for the runners as they go by.”
The quarter-mile race will be open to kids who are nine years old and younger. The quarter-mile race starts at 9:45 a.m. near Ideal Carpets, on main street, and the finish line is the UFO landing pad.
The mile race will start at Bumper to Bumper at 10 a.m., also ending at the UFO landing pad.
People can register online for the Rodeo Mile up until Aug 30 – the day before the race – and they can also decide to join on the day of the race by registering in person.
The fee to register is $30 for the mile race and $20 for the quarter mile.
