RUN Wenatchee

WENATCHEE — RunWenatchee will celebrate the one-year anniversary of its successful weekly club run series this Thursday night with giveaways, cake and refreshments.

More than 200 people turned out for the club run dedicated to the Boston Marathon bombing victims in April. (Photo by Megan Kathleen)

Check-in time for the weekly event is between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. at First and Columbia streets in Wenatchee. Among the items to be given away in drawings Thursday will be a free entry to the Sept. 6 Lake Chelan Marathon, Half-Marathon and 10K and a free entry to the Sept. 20 River Run Half-Marathon, 10K and 5K.

“We’ve had 880 people complete at least one run or walk since we started so that in itself is reason to celebrate,” said RunWenatchee’s Joel Rhyner. “These weekly runs are not about racing but rather getting together as a running and walking community, for better health, camaraderie and fun. We want people to have fun while they run or walk.”

The first club run was held Jan. 3, 2013, and attracted 45 participants. Since then, a weekly run has been held every Thursday night (with the exception of July 4 and Thanksgiving Day), with an average of 114.2 runners and walkers showing up each week. The number of check-ins during the year has totaled 5,708.

Participants are asked to run or walk either a 5K or a 10K distance at their own pace on the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail, beginning and ending at the check-in spot at First and Columbia streets. Free shirts are awarded to those who reach the 10-week and 25-week marks. There is no cost to participate.

The club run series was the brainchild of RunWenatchee’s Kit Cammack, who had participated in a similar activity while living in Colorado Springs, Colo., a few years ago.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without Kit,” Rhyner said. “She is passionate about running and the club itself. We also have been blessed with great sponsors, particularly Biosports, which has allowed us to keep the club free and to provide shirts for our runners who reach their 10- and 25-run goals.”

Over the past year, 229 of the 10-run commemorative shirts have been awarded to those who reached their goals and 35 of the 25-run commemorative shirts have been awarded.

Besides the weekly club runs, RunWenatchee puts on six official running events in Chelan County annually. It also holds track workouts during the warm-weather months and sponsors film showings and other social events.

— Steve Maher, RunWenatchee