OTTAWA (September 14) -- Rick Ball, 44, who holds the single-leg amputee world records for the 10K, half-marathon, and marathon will again run in Canada Army Run, but not with the goal of breaking any records.
Ball plans to run the 5K side-by-side with Canada's injured soldiers and other disabled athletes, as a way of showing support for the men and women of the Canadian Forces while providing encouragement and inspiration for others with disabilities.
"I am coming to support the troops, not to break records," said Ball, who earned a world record last year at Canada Army Run for the half marathon. "At the same time, I hope to provide people with inspiration in terms of what is possible."
Ball has also been invited to teach, together with other world-class athletes and coaches, at a two-day advanced skills training clinic being held for ill and injured military personnel September 16 and 17. The clinic is being facilitated by Soldier On -- a beneficiary of fundraising efforts from Canada Army Run -- in partnership with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Athletics Canada, and the Canadian Forces Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program.
"All of the organizations involved in this public-private partnership have the same goal," said Greg Lagacé, manager of Soldier On and one of its co-founders. "And that is to help the ill and injured achieve their goals by increasing their independence, developing new skills, and opening the door to other life opportunities. We're delighted that Rick will be able to join us and to share his own experiences."
To date, Soldier On, which was created in 2007, has benefitted more than 100 ill and injured still serving and retired military personnel. All of the injured/ill military personnel participating in the clinic will also be walking, running, or rolling in Canada Army Run on September 19.
Fundraising efforts at Canada Army Run benefit Soldier On and the Military Families Fund, initiatives that provide direct assistance to ill or injured soldiers and military families.
Fundraising efforts at Canada Army Run benefit Soldier On and the Military Families Fund, initiatives that provide direct assistance to ill or injured soldiers and military families.
Online registration for the 5K and half marathon closes midnight, September 16. If the event is not sold out by then, in-person registration will continue at the Army Run Sports Expo until Saturday, September 18.
Canada Army Run is the second largest running event in Ottawa, after Ottawa Race Weekend.
Organizers of the run are Run Ottawa, the same team that organizes Ottawa Race Weekend.
Close to 40% of registered participants are from outside the Ottawa-Gatineau region, and 75% have non-military backgrounds. The youngest registered participant is 4 years old; the oldest, 81.
Tickets for this year's pre-run pasta dinner -- which will be prepared by Army cooks and served "military field-kitchen style"by military leaders and local VIPs to 500 people -- is again expected to sell out.
Media credentials will be required to gain access to certain areas on September 19 and to the press room. Details are here.
Rick Ball running in the 2009 Canada Army Run
About Canada Army Run
Canada Army Run is a unique running event in which Canadians run, walk, or roll side-by-side with members of the Canadian Forces in half-marathon and 5K events. Launched in 2008 with 7,000 runners (a Canadian record for the largest number of entrants for an inaugural run), this event is expected to grow to become a North American destination run. Fundraising efforts benefit Soldier On and the Military Families Fund. The 2010 Canada Army Run is scheduled for Sunday, September 19.
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