Journal Staff
Doug Seville is travelling from Chicago to Sarnia run around Canatara Park in circles.
And he’s not alone.
Dozens of former members of the Sarnia Roadrunners are arriving for a reunion “fun run” with the 44-year-old club on Aug. 8.
“I had a great time (in Sarnia) and made some great friends there,” said Seville, who was club president in the early ‘90s.
“And some of us diehards just love running.”
Others signed up for the five-kilometre event include Santo Attinello, a former city chiropractor now living in Lisbon, Portugal, and Herman Hulshof, once a CHOK Radio news reporter who now calls Regina home.
“We’re going to have some fun with this. If some are only able to walk 5K or 1K, then great … and some may just show up and watch,” said Hulshof, 60, a retiree and founding member of the club.
“A lot of us, we just kept running and should have packed it in years ago.”
The Roadrunners have been around since 1971, and some current and former members have children and grandchildren now running with the club.
Seville, who owned East Side Mario’s when he lived in Sarnia, exchanged his cigarettes for a pair or running shoes in 1987.
“I made a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking and run a New York City marathon. And somehow, some way, I did it,” said the 64-year-old, who completed 40 more marathons and still runs three to four a week.
Running is an easy sport for anyone to get into, Seville added.
“You just need to get a pair of running shoes and head out in the park.”
The reunion get-together will take place at the one-kilometre Terry Fox Loop in Canatara, beginning at 10 a.m. There is no entry fee.
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