General News

Medicine Hat College’s annual Rattler Run just keeps getting bigger and bigger as the years go by.

Last year, this event broke the 500-mark for the first time ever with 525 participants. As of Thursday, 550 people had already registered for this year’s race, which starts today at 11 p.m. at the College. 

There is a high likelihood that this year’s run will feature over 600 runners. Way back in 1980 when the first Rattler Run was held, it had only 30 to 40 participants.

“It is sort of a staple to the Medicine Hat community as just sort of one of those things that sort of belongs,” said Zakk Morrison, who is the Alberta Sport Development/Be Fit for Life Centre coordinator and one of the main organizers of the run. “It is one of the first runs within the spring time.

“We try to set the registration fees low enough, so that it is just enough to break even. At the end of the day, it is just about more people participating, hence why kids can run for $5. 

“It is just more the merrier type of thing. The cause is yourself. The cause is your health.”

At the Rattler Run, participants can choose to run distances of either three, five or 10 kilometres. Race day registration runs today up to 10:30 a.m.

When the race hit the 500-mark for participation last year, Morrison said organizers were more than happy with the turnout.

“It hits a new category of big, when you get over 500,” said Morrison. “We were sort of around the 400 mark for a couple of years there.

“An extra 75 people just seems to send everything over the top, which is cool.”

The increase in numbers also hasn’t just come from one age group.

“It just seems like across the board everything has increased as opposed to one specific segment,” said Morrison.

“I have been here since about 2002. Since that time, it just seems every year I see more people out running and out walking and using the trails and stuff.”

The run starts at the college and circles through Kin Coulee Park before finishing up at the College. Morrison said this event receives pretty good support from the local sporting community.

It is common to see high school athletes running with current Rattlers players and coaches, and the odd WHL player will show up as well. On top of that, the race also features a number of first time participants.

“More and more people just see the importance of regular physical activity,” said Morrison. “It is not that they are coming out for this one event.

“These people have been training for an event. It is not necessarily about getting active or exercising this day.

“It somewhat symbolizes that people have been getting active, while they are getting prepared for it.”

Morrison added that some gear their spring time physical training to preparing for the run.

“If you didn’t have something to work towards, it is tough to strive for something or find motivation to do it in the middle of March, when it is minus-20 and there is a foot of snow,” he said.

If the numbers of participants keep growing, the Rattler Run will continue to be a spring tradition in the city for many years to come.

DARREN STEINKE