Lacing up and heading out to take part in the Terry Fox Run has become an annual tradition for many Canadians, but due to pandemic restrictions that were in place over the past two years runners looking to support cancer research initiatives have had to honour the national hero on their own.
This year, Whistler locals and visitors will once again be able to mark the occasion as a group when the event returns to the Four Seasons Resort and Residences for the first time since 2019.
(In 2021, running group We Run Whistler hosted a group run to complement the virtual Terry Fox event).
Registration will begin at the hotel's Private Residences driveway this Sunday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m., where runners, walkers, riders and skaters of all ages are invited to participate in the charitable run to support Fox’s legacy and raise funds for cancer research in his name.
The event itself takes place between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. As event organizers explained in a release, participants can enjoy a light breakfast and freshly brewed coffee— available by donation— following registration. Once they're appropriately fuelled up, participants can join in a warm-up led by a local fitness instructor before the charity run officially kicks off. A Whistler Fire Department truck will lead the way from the Upper Village to Lost Lake, where participants can opt for one of two lakeside routes: a more leisurely, family-friendly option and a more challenging one.
Following the run, everyone is invited back to the Four Seasons to enjoy lunch and live children’s entertainment, again by donation. A silent auction will also be available, with several impressive items open for bidding.
The Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler is located at 4591 Blackcomb Way.
Noting that event details maybe subject to change, the Four Seasons encouraged those interested to refer to the hotel's social media channels closer to Sept. 18 for more infirmation. Participants are also asked to access Sunday's charitable run by foot, bike, or transit.
Who was Terry Fox?
After losing his leg to osteogenic sarcoma at age 18 and spending months undergoing cancer treatments, Port Coquitlam, B.C.'s Terry Fox gained global recognition for his efforts to bring an end to the suffering the disease causes through a cross-Canada run.
Fox's Marathon of Hope began in the spring of 1980, when he dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean. He ran some 5,370 kilometres over a span 143 days— breaking down to an average of 42 kilometres, or the equivalent of a full marathon, each day— before he learned the cancer had returned, this time spreading to his lungs. Fox was forced to cut his journey short outside Thunder Bay, Ont. on Sept. 1.
While his Marathon of Hope might not have made it to the West Coast, Fox's determination never eased up. He died in June 1981, at the age of 22.
The annual Terry Fox Run has since become a September tradition all across Canada, with more than 650 communities fundraising for cancer research in his name and millions of people participating to further Fox's efforts over the years. The Terry Fox Foundation has to date raised $850 million for cancer research.
For more information, head to terryfox.org.
