Thousands of runners made their way through rain and foam at the fourth 5K Foam Fest in Red Deer.
Jesse Fulton, president of 365 Sports Events, the company organizing the run, said Foam Fest is a unique way to get some exercise.
“Running is fun, but it’s way more fun if you add 22 obstacles, 2.5 million cubic feet of foam, a ton of energy and music,” Fulton said.
“It gets your butt off the couch, gets you to put down the Nintendo and come on out and do some fun stuff to raise money for charity.”
The event, which typically has 5,000 to 6,000 runners participate, raised money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation this year.
“It feels good to do something positive for others and if everyone can come out and have a great day while raising money we’re happy,” Fulton said.
All ages were welcome to participate in the annual event at Heritage Ranch Saturday.
“It’s not a race, so people can go at their own pace. It’s awesome for families … and it’s all about having a good time,” he said.
Next year’s 5K Foam Fest will be the last one in Red Deer.
“We typically move locations every three years – you got to spread the foam,” Fulton said. “But Red Deer’s been such a great crowd and we’re had such a great time here. Heritage Ranch and the town are so easy to work with.”
It’s possible the event will return in the future, he added.
Red Deer was hit with plenty of rain Saturday morning and early afternoon. Fulton said the weather wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“Rain actually makes it a lot more fun out on the course,” he said. “Everybody has this idea that rain is bad, but if you’re already soaking wet, running through mud and sliding down slides it actually makes things more fun. With everything slippery, you get a lot more laughs.”
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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