All systems are go for the eighth annual Coquitlam Crunch Challenge for Diversity taking place Saturday, Sept. 9 on the popular Coquitlam Crunch trail.
As many as 200 people are expected to walk or run the climb, many of them trying to do the trail more than once or as fast as they possibly can, says organizer Brian Kenny.
“Some people run up and down," said Kenny, who is president of the Nothin’ Dragon masters dragon boat team, which is organizing this years’s Crunch Challenge. "Last time someone did it seven times around. That’s one heck of a long way.”
But as much as the event is a fitness challenge, it’s also a way to bring the community together, with funds raised going to the Coquitlam Foundation’s “Diversity Fund” and Nothin’ Dragon’s youth mentoring initiatives.
Eight years ago, the event was founded by Tri-City resident Alex Bell, with the goal of supporting individuals and groups promoting diversity.
DIFFERENT OPTIONS
This year’s challenge features a Stair Master competition, with competitors seeing how fast they can make it up the 437 stairs, from 8 to 8:30 a.m., and the Make or Break it four-hour category to see how many times a contestant can walk up and down the crunch in four hours between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
As well, there is the recreational category that starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m., where participants are encouraged to walk the Crunch at least once, and is perfect for the whole family.
Registration is taking place online and can also be done in person on the day of the event where the Crunch begins beside the Scott Creek Community Gardens parking lot between Lansdowne Drive and Guildford Way.
A COMMUNITY VILLAGE
There will also be a community village, with a number of exhibitors from groups as wide-ranging as the Shaughnessy Veterinary Clinic, which will help care for people’s dogs, Coquitlam Search and Rescue and Body by Brant, which is issuing a challenge to other fitness-oriented businesses in the Tri-Cities.
Yellow Dog Brewery is also sponsoring a beer garden at the event, running from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Learn more at coquitlamcrunch.com.
