Posted: August 18, 2005

Athletics: Ottawa area runners can take part to help Olympians

By Martin Cleary, The Ottawa Citizen

You've cheered for Canada's athletes at the Olympics in the past by watching them on television or attending pre- or post-Games rallies.

Now, you can run for them to help them achieve their goals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino (Turin), Italy, so you can cheer even louder.

As part of a 16-day national awareness campaign, the Running Room will sponsor the See You in Torino Fund Run on Sunday to help Canada's top Winter able-bodied and Paralympic athletes cover their travel, competition and nutrition needs over the next six months.

Registration and race kit pickup is Saturday at the Running Room, 901 Bank St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The races start Sunday at the corner of the Pretoria Bridge and Colonel By Drive at 7:25 a.m. with a five-kilometre walk. The five- and 10-kilometre runs are 7:30 a.m. and 7:40 a.m., respectively. There's a one-kilometre kids' run at 8:45 a.m.

The entry fee is $25 for adults and $15 for youth (under-16). There is no charge for the kids' one-kilometre run.

The See You in Athens program, which is part of the See You In Canadian Athletes Fund founded by Ottawa native Jane Roos, supported 244 of the 266 athletes who represented Canada last summer. The recipients included 11 of the 12 medal winners, including gold and bronze medallist Adam van Koeverden in sprint kayaking.

Each athlete can apply for a grant of $6,000. The money comes from various fund-raising projects and corporate donations.

All entry fees from the inaugural Running Room-sponsored fund race will go directly to a specific athlete or athletes, depending on how many runners enter the races. Runners and walkers making a donation will be told which athlete will receive their registration money. Tax receipts also will be issued for donations of $25 or money.

Runners and walkers also can request their entry fee go directly to an athlete from Ottawa and area (but not a specific athlete) or a certain sport.

Donations also can be made to the See You In Torino Fund by visiting the website: www.seeyouintorino.com.

During the national challenge, Roos hopes to raise more than $3 million by having 2006 Canadians raise or pledge $1,500, the monthly stipend a top Canadian athlete receives in federal government funding.

"The Torino Olympics is six months away," Roos said in an interview yesterday. "The athletes need the money now. It's crunch time. If Canadians value their sports, here's a way to help."

© The Ottawa Citizen 2005 Reprinted with permission.

Registration can made online at: RunningRoom.com.

The See You in Athens fund supported 224 of the 266 athletes that represented Canada in Athens, including 11 of Canada's 12 medallists.