Eastern Passage and Cow Bay residents may be surprised to see 200 people wearing green running through their communities on March 17.
Yes, it will be St. Paddy's Day.
But it is the first time the annual Moose Run has been held on this most Irish of days.
"We are asking all runners to wear green clothing and Irish costumes if they want," said Tom Harmes, co-organizer of the annual road race that has been held every year on the third Sunday of March for the past 21 years."
The race was started by Steve MacNeil and Rick Scudder.
"There were no other 25K races around, so we started one," said MacNeil.
The first Moose Run started at Cole Harbour Place and chili was served afterwards out of the back of MacNeil's truck.
After a year they moved the start to the Buffalo Club on Cow Bay Road.
Last year there were 200 runners.
Right from the start the race was laid back, with no prizes for winners and no set registration fee. And it remains that way today.
People donate what they can afford to run the race.
You can run the entire 25ks yourself, or split it up and share the distance between two or three other runners.
And that is just what interested Harmes in running and organizing the event.
"I liked the idea of a race that helped the community."
Twenty-one years ago the Moose that stands guard over Cow Bay and Silver Sands Beach was in disrepair.
"It needed work," said Harmes. "So we decided to give the money donated by the runners to fix up the Moose."
The Moose has been returned to its former glory and has now been taken over by HRM .
Proceeds from the run are now dedicated to other projects in thecommunity like the CNIB Seeing Eye Dog, Seaside FM Radio, Benevolent Society and St. Peter's Church Raising the Roof Society.
"Come on out and run," said Harmes. "We will be giving out prizes for the most original costume. And new this year is that the first 200 cash donations of $10 or more will receive a souvenir Tech shirt."
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IF YOU GO
What: 25K route -out-and-back. You can run the route solo, but two-or three-person relay teams are encouraged. If the hills don't make you gasp, then the scenery definitely will.
Where: Buffalo Club, 625 Cow Bay Road, Eastern Passage
When: Sunday, March 17 at 10:00 a.m. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Buffalo Club
Race Rules: #1) Have Fun! #2) See Rule #1
