Dawn Ansell was first in line when the doors opened for the TC10K race package pick-up Friday morning at Uptown Shopping Centre.
This will be the 69-year-old retired nursing instructor’s fourth TC10K — she has walked two in-person and took part in one virtual event — since she moved to Sidney from Alberta in 2021.
Also picking up her race package was Allison Jones, who decided earlier this year that she was looking for a new adventure, and running the TC10K for the first time while pushing her son, Harvard, 3, in a stroller would accomplish that goal.
A friend who is running a marathon gave her a training plan to follow.
Jones, 31, plans to push Harvard in the stroller for the majority of the race and have the preschooler run the last few metres to the finish line.
Trevor and Maureen Calkins, who were also in line, have participated in the TC10K for more than 30 years. The couple used to run it together but various medical issues, such as knee replacements, have meant that they will walk the course instead.
They have also cycled for the last three decades, with Maureen, 75, moving to an e-bike a few years ago to keep up with Trevor, 79.
Samma Soufan, 31, and her son, Elias, 6, were excited to take part in their first TC10K. Soufan has been training by walking the 10-kilometre trail that loops around Elk/Beaver Lake, and plans to walk the event with a group of her friends and their children.
She hopes the experience will motivate her son to join her as she progresses to a combination of walking and jogging and hopefully running next year’s race.
The run/walk starts in waves, beginning at 7:55 a.m. Sunday from Government Street near Superior Street.
The fastest runners will cross the finish line approximately 30 minutes later, with the last walkers completing the course in about 3 1/2 hours.
Initial road closures for the TC 10K will start at noon Saturday on Belleville Street, between Government and Menzies streets, and will remain in place until 3 p.m. Sunday.
On Sunday, closures will include Belleville between Menzies and Oswego streets, and Government Street between Belleville and Superior streets.
Menzies between Belleville and Quebec streets will be closed from about 3 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, and there will also be road closures along the route from about 7:30 a.m.-noon on Sunday.
Parking will be suspended in some areas on the route.
Environment Canada is calling for clouds and a 40 per cent chance of showers for Sunday for the 9,000 or so runners and walkers taking part in this year’s event.
The race was called the Garden City 10K when it began in 1990, and was re-branded to the TC10K in 2001 after the Times Colonist became its title sponsor.
The event is operated by RunSport, a non-profit society that also offers TC10K training programs ahead of the race.
Money raised by participants in the event is passed on to charity partners such as the the B.C. Cancer Foundation, Help Fill a Dream, Victoria Hospital Foundation, Buddy Check for Jesse, Easter Seals, Every Step Counts and the Times Colonist Literacy Society.
For more information, go to tc10k.ca.
