Test your stamina with Gotta Run Racing’s event at Fiddle Park

Written By Brian Lockhart

If you're a runner, this will be a chance to test your endurance and skill when Gotta Run Racing hosts a running event in Shelburne that features different distances over a closed 1-kilometre loop at Fiddle Park.

The Fiddle 50 event will coincide with the 10th anniversary of Towne Fitness, which is sponsoring a 10 km distance race to celebrate its decade of helping local residents stay fit.

Whether you are a new runner or a seasoned long-distance veteran, this race will have the right distance for everyone.

In addition to the 10 km run, there are 25 km, 50 km, 80 km, and 100 km events, and for those who really take this sport to the extreme, there is a 160 km event – that's 100 miles.

There is also a team relay option where four to six team members can divide up the 100 km distance.

“We've partnered with Gotta Run Racing before in a lot of races, and because I've been running in their races for many years, they've supported our running groups and we supported their races, they added a 10 k this year to help celebrate our ten year anniversary,” explained Towne Fitness owner and trainer, Hannah Sine. “This is an event they wanted to bring to Shelburne because there really is no running event here. This is the second year. Normally they run longer distances, but we added a 10 K, to allow people who wouldn't normally run a long distance the opportunity to run a 10 km.”

Hannah is a seasoned long-distance runner who ran the 80 km route her last time at the event. She has also participated in 160 km events.

“It's a 1 k loop around. Last year I ran the 80 k, and I came first but I was the only one in that division,” Hannah explained. “But I also used it as a training run for a run I was about to go to in California. A lot of people use these events as a training run. What's really nice is the runs are fully supported, which means there are aid stations with food and water, so you don't have to carry anything. Every time you loop around there's someone there to support you.”

The loop around the course is groomed and relatively flat.

“Our long term goal is to create a running festival that will bring together members of the community, small businesses and music lovers,” explained Jodi McNeill, who, along with Norm Naddon, own Gotta Run Racing and are well-known race directors in the area. “For the relay, you can have up to six team members and split the 100 k distance, so you can decide who runs how many loops. We did that last year and it worked out really well. All the runners will be cheered on constantly because they're going to be out there together and they're going to pass us every kilometre. We want to build this event into a festival. The first couple of years will be something small, but we're building it into something big.”

Norm has run full 100-mile races and is a world-class competitor.

Crewson Insurance Brokers in Shelburne is one of the event sponsors. As a company that supports its employees by helping with physical activities, this event is a good fit.

“One of the pieces of our employment contract is our company pays for each of our staff to do a stress relieving activity of their choice,” explained Jennifer Crewson of Crewson Insurance. “It could be yoga, running, or going to Towne Fitness. A lot of them have chosen to peruse a membership with Hannah at Towne Fitness. We are also very committed to the community and this is a community event.”

In keeping with the theme of the race, organizers are looking for local fiddlers who would like to come out and entertain at the event.

The Fiddle 50 will take place on Saturday, June 3, at Fiddle Park in Shelburne and will carry over to June 4 if enough competitors sign up for the super long distances.

You can sign up on-line by visiting www.gottarunracing.com.