More than 750 runners of all ages and abilities will put one foot in front of the other this weekend – including Cochranite Meaghan Fisher, who is fired up to face her first Footstock.
“I came into this to finish … and that’s kind of my goal,” said Fisher, who first completed a Couch to 5K clinic last summer on her own, and signed up for the Red Rock Runners’ 11-week Run to Footstock group clinic earlier this year.
“I found that I enjoyed it and I wanted to do it, but I knew it was important to learn to do it properly,” recalled Fisher, adding she fell in love with not only the physical aspect of running, but the positive social aspect as well.
“It’s a real ‘High 5” culture,” she said. “It doesn’t really matter how fast or show people are running, people are like, ‘Yeah you!’”
The annual two-day series features individual and relay duathlon, half-marathon, 5K run/walk, 10K and children’s triathlon events over two days along Cochrane’s extensive path systems, including along the banks of the Bow River.
Race director Meredith McMorran said Footstock has worked hard over the last 18 years to be an inclusive event for all types of athletes, from hard-core fitness enthusiasts to new runners like Fisher.
“There really is something for everybody – not just all members of the family, but all types of racers,” she said, adding the half-marathon event is returning this year after a haitus. “We’re really excited.”
About 350 people will participate in the variety of runs on Saturday, with 400 youth taking on the kids’ triathlon on Sunday.
