Dinosaur Half Organizer Colin Kloot shows off this year’s Dinosaur Hall t-shirt design. To receive the shirt on race day, registration has to be completed by August 23. Registration forms are available at Herman Kloot and Company or at www.dinosaurhalf.com.
More than just a road race, organizers of the Dinosaur Half Marathon are taking a leap forward with a full slate of new events, a new route and new vistas of the valley.
The Community Futures Dinosaur Half has become an institution in the valley with unwavering support for the Badlands Community Facility. This year the facility will be front and centre supporting the event.
Vistas of the valley, camaraderie and healthy living are the focus of the annual event, and that has not changed. The Badlands are front and centre as three new routes for the 5K, 10K and half marathon have been drawn out. These all start and finish at the Badlands Community Facility, and while the courses still provide a challenge for avid athletes, the new routes are a little more user friendly.
The 5K is billed as a family fun run and entry-level event to encourage a healthy lifestyle. Participants in all events will receive a t-shirt and a medal. The organizers have responded to feedback and have selected a paved route with minimal elevations, making it friendly for strollers. This allows even the littlest participants to enjoy the day.
The 10K is also on a more user friendly course, but still provides a beautiful September morning view of the valley. Organizer Colin Kloot says the town has been busy making sure the paths are cleared and ready for the runners.
The half marathon course has also changed, but it still provides a great challenge. This year there is only four kilometres of gravel. The course takes you from downtown Drumheller to the Royal Tyrrell Museum and back to the Badlands Community Facility.
To get ready for the race on Sunday, September 8, organizers have arranged the perfect way to load up in energy.
There will be a pasta night at the Badlands Community Facility, catered by Double D Catering. The facility will be open to families with all kinds of events to showcase the facility.
There will be a beer garden on Saturday night, and racers can enjoy a brewsky after their run on Sunday as well.
The Town of Drumheller has also shown their support and is opening up the facility and the Aquaplex to provide toonie showers for participants after the race.
Kloot says registration is a little bit behind last year at this time and maybe because many in Calgary are dealing with flood damage. They have about 260 runners signed up. While participants in the race will receive a t-shirt, they have to register by August 23 to make sure they receive it in a timely way.
Registration forms are available at Herman Kloot and Company or by going to www.dinosaurhalf.com