RUN Wenatchee

It might have been a little dreary out. But that didn’t stop Wenatchee officials from giving a warm welcome to the torch-carrying World Harmony Run team as it made its way through the rainy city on Tuesday.

World Harmony Run participants arrive at a Walla Walla Point Park picnic shelter on Tuesday.

Mayor Frank Kuntz was on hand at Walla Walla Point Park as were officials from the Wenatchee Downtown Association, Wenatchee Valley Visitors Bureau, Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce and RunWenatchee.

The 11 World Harmony runners and support crew are in the midst of a 10,000-mile, 50-state jaunt around the United States. They are scheduled to finish up in New York City in mid-August. The relay run advocates for the bridging of social and cultural barriers.

The runners left Seattle on Monday and spent the night in Leavenworth. They were to reach Spokane on Wednesday and then head through Idaho, Montana and farther east.

Spokeswoman Prapti Jensen of Ottawa, Canada, said the team includes a couple ultra-distance runners.

“People who want to run 30 miles can. But because it’s day after day, between 8 and 12 miles a day is the average,” Jensen said.

While the rain fell Tuesday, runners and local officials huddled under a picnic shelter at the Wenatchee park.

“I want to get close to the torch to get warm,” Mayor Kuntz quipped. “(We get) 300 days of sunshine but not today.”