Holyrood’s Chilly Dash always a hit among runners

By Mark Squibb

Everyone has a favourite Crystal Carnival activity. It may be the chili cook-off, the dart tournament, or the outdoor movie. But if you’re a runner, chances are your favourite is the 5k Chilly Dash.
“It’s nice to be able to shake off a bit of rust in the winter,” said Mark Didham of the Paradise Running Club, who will be running his seventh chilly dash next Saturday. “It’s a fun course, and the reception is fantastic. The volunteers do a great job. That’s probably a big draw — everybody loves the post-race breakfast.”
Didham will be running alongside a number of other members of the Paradise Running Club, many of whom run the race every year. As many as 25 members of the club have run in the past.
If you’re registered for the race for the first time and are maybe a little nervous, Didham’s advice is to save a little gas in the tank for the final kilometre, which is uphill.
Runners will start on Country Path, cross the Conception Bay Highway, and run down Northside Road as far as Holy Cross Elementary school.
As of publication date, spots for the run had sold out.
If you missed out on the chance to register for the chilly dash, or you think you’ll be up for another outdoor adventure the day after the run, you might want to head out to the top of Butterpot Road on Sunday morning, February 22, for a free guided snowshoe activity with the Holyrood Trail Association.