Running, yoga and meditation will come together in 麻豆社国产on Sunday, Aug. 7 for the first-ever Lion鈥檚 Breath Triathlon.
The last two activities aren鈥檛 typically associated with the word 鈥渢riathlon,鈥� but for organizer and race director Dita Grunte, they are all complementary.聽
She鈥檚 a runner, but she also received a scholarship to undertake training to teach yoga, and while she calls North Vancouver home, she recently did her instructor training in Squamish.聽
She has decided to pay things forward by organizing Lion鈥檚 Breath. The event happens at Rose Park and will start at 9:30 a.m. with the run.
鈥淔or this event, the course is flat,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t will start and end in Rose Park. It will be walker-friendly.鈥�
The event will include some activities, such as hula hooping, body spray-painting and barre fitness for people to pass the time while the runners are coming in, before the next events take place.
The 60-minute yoga segment led by experienced teachers will follow and will include music 鈥渁nd other surprises.鈥� After, the mediation session will take place.
鈥淚 believe in yoga, I believe in the power of meditation,鈥� she said.
Part of her motivation is to offer a run that, at five kilometres, is a bit less intimidating than something like a half marathon or mountain-running, though the event is for runners of all levels, with 麻豆社国产as the backdrop.
鈥淭he Chief will be there,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou just don鈥檛 have to climb it.鈥�
The entrance fee is also being kept lower, she says, than what people would typically pay for a more traditional triathlon. Again, it鈥檚 to encourage more people to come out.
鈥淚t should be financially accessible to more families,鈥� she said.聽
She also wants to offer an event for young families to get together and explore practices like yoga and mediation, as well as get kids physically active outside.
鈥淚 talk to some parents that say it鈥檚 super difficult to get a child outdoors,鈥� she said.
Grunte is keeping the event a half day, which should allow people the chance to come from a distance and still leave at a reasonable hour.
Just as importantly, the event is a fundraiser for a few charities based in the 麻豆社国产and Whistler areas that help people close to home and across the world. These include Change Her World Together, which helps girls and young women escape the sex trade; Playground Builders; and the Kelty Patrick Dennehy, which provides mental health resources for young people.
鈥淚 got to know all of them through Julia McCabe Yoga,鈥� Grunte said.
She sees this event as something that can become a fixture on the 麻豆社国产calendar, though she anticipates moving it to a location like the Oceanfront in the future and perhaps support different charities each year.
鈥淚 have huge plans for next year,鈥� she said.
For info on registering, see the registration page for 鈥淟ion鈥檚 Breath鈥� at www.eventbrite.com, email [email protected] or call 778-881-2706.
