A warm and sunny day welcomed the hundreds of runners who took part in a charity race in Lethbridge’s coulees on Saturday.
The event, titled Rita’s Run, held its second in-person race to help raise money for mental health initiatives since it was founded in 2019.
Organizer of the Rita’s Run Race Committee, Sandra Asuchak, lost her sister, Rita, to suicide in June 2002.
She says the event was named after her sister to bring remembrance and honour to her and the many more who struggle with mental health.
“This has always been very near and dear to my heart,” said Asuchak.
She says the goal of raising money is important, but helping bring mental health initiatives into the mainstream is equally impactful.
“Trying to help remove the stigma that comes with mental health issues. Just to remind people that it’s okay to not be okay and to ask for help when they need it,” said Asuchak.
She says the event will not profit whatsoever, with all revenue going directly to the Canadian Mental Health Association Lethbridge Branch.
“After covering the costs of t-shirts and medals, the basics. Everything else has been sponsored, which is just amazing,” said Asuchak.
The first rendition of this event in 2019 saw over $17,000 raised for the Canadian Mental Health Association in Lethbridge.
This year saw 392 participants involved in the race, according to the official stat sheet.
Participants could choose to enter a five-kilometre or a 10-kilometre race, with options to walk or run.
The first person to cross the finish line was Kip Kangogo, who ran the five-kilometre race and notched an impressive 17:35 time.
He says he just completed a full marathon in Vancouver the week before, so this was simply a cooldown for him.
“My legs were tired, but I said, you know what, I’m going to sign for this race and run for a cause,” said Kangogo.
He says supporting a mental health charity is important and something he was more than happy to do.
“Whatever people are going through, we are human beings and we need to support one another. This race, it’s a race for life. Life is always ups and downs, there’s a lot of challenges but we need to be together so that we are strong,” said Kangogo.
He says simply being involved was the highlight of his day.
“For me to be part of this race, it means a lot to me,” said Kangogo.
Furthermore, he echoed Asuchak by saying people should feel supported when they come forward with mental health issues.
“It’s okay to not be okay,” said Kangogo.
The winner of the 10-kilometre race, Richard Larouche, crossed the line after only 37:25, five minutes ahead of second place.
Like Kangogo, Larouche says the event is for a good cause, something he is happy to take part in.
“I think mental health is a really important issue, especially just after the pandemic. A lot of people have struggled,” said Larouche.
Prior to the race, Larouche was modest by saying he wasn’t sure how well he could compete in the race, but he aimed to give it his best effort.
“I had a small injury in the winter, but I’ve been able to do the hard runs. You never know,” said Larouche.
Another participant, Corigan McIntyre, who finished in the 12-spot for the five-kilometre race, says he initially planned to come out for the run, but also found supporting the charity was very important.
“I think it’s very important to support it. I just kind of thought of it as a run, but when I learned of [the charity], I kind of felt more like I had to do it,” said McIntyre.
He says he supports the idea of combining charity fundraisers with community events because it creates purpose for those involved.
“It’s for a good reason, instead of just a run for a run,” said McIntyre.
However, not everyone who attended the event was there to compete.
Jim Asuchak, co-owner of Optical Studio, sponsored the event to support the charity and his family.
“I think people having access to care and help is super important,” said Jim.
He says his business was eager to help support the event, with members of his staff also joining the cause.
“We try to help out where we can, I think Sandra [Asuchak] is a very busy person … any extra help we can provide is good,” said Jim.
Furthermore, says he hopes people come out to more events like this one in the future.
“Get involved, it’s a fun activity and a great way to support others,” said Jim.
Another sponsor of the event, Karla Pyrch with Real Estate Centre, says supporting the community is the chief reason for her decision to attend.
“We like to be involved with local community events. This one supports mental health, which is an important part of our community,” said Pyrch.
She says people should be encouraged to speak up about their mental health problems, rather than suffering in silence.
“Showing that it’s not something that you need to be ashamed of. It’s something that we can get out and make more visible in the community and provide support for,” said Pyrch.
Asuchak says she hopes to see this event become more and more popular with each passing year.
Furthermore, she says she was thankful to all who came out to support the event, adding that sponsors and participants alike were the heart and soul to the cause.
“I just wanted to thank everybody for registering, for coming out, for supporting, for bringing awareness to this issue,” said Asuchak.
The top three in the five-kilometre category was Kip Kangogo, Seth West and Charles Friesen.
The top three in the 10-kilometre category was Richard Larouche, Mitchel Dibben and Rob Lja.
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