While many were scheming their best pranks to mark April Fools Day on Monday, avid runners in the area and beyond were registering for the fourth annual Community Futures Dinosaur Valley Half Marathon.
Registration opened for the annual event on April 1. The Dinosaur Half has grown and adapted in its initial years, but this year is taking a giant step redesigning the routes.
The annual road race includes a 5- kilometre fun run event, suitable for a family fun day, a 10-kilometre road race, and a full half marathon. Until now the muster point for these races has been the Royal Tyrrell Museum. This year it is the Badlands Community Facility.
While the hallmark of the race has been the breathtaking beauty of the Badlands, that will not change this year, despite the new routes.
The 5k run will travel along the Red Deer River from the Badlands Community facility on Riverside Drive. The 10k route enjoys the river valley, but also ventures into the Badlands along North Dinosaur Trail. The full half marathon route will also take in river vistas as well as the rugged Badlands in Midland Provincial Park near the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
The new marathon route also cuts the gravel portion of the race to just four kilometres.
This year’s race is September 8, meaning there is lots of time to train. To register for the half marathon, Registration opens for Dinosaur Half.
