Two cross-country races will be held in Summerland at the beginning of October.
The Summerland Sweets and TriPower Cross-Country Running Races will be held on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m., beginning near the Summerland Rodeo Grounds and the Kettle Valley Steam Railway.
The 7.4-kilometre cross-country race is one of a series put on by the Interior Running Association and sponsored by The Starting Block, a running and outdoor store in Vernon.
The route has a mixture of primarily flat running along the Trans-Canada Trail for the first half of the race as well as a few hilly sections on the upper trail that takes runners back to the starting point.
The race is suitable for casual joggers and more competitive runners.
The 3.2-kilometre race begins a few minutes after the 7.4-kilometre race. The course has the same mixture of the Trans-Canada Trail course as well as a 350-metre hill.
Adults who do not want to run the 7.4-kilometre course or who would like to accompany a son or daughter are welcome to run the shorter distance.
Strollers are not advisable.
For information on the youth race, contact Melissa Berrisford at bmelissa@telus.net.
A team category was introduced last year. If runners belong to a team such as TriPower or the Summerland Secondary School Cross-Country Team they should indicate that when they register.
Team members also qualify for individual prizes.
There are washroom facilities at the Rodeo Grounds, spotters along the route and many draw prizes.
Adult winners of the five-year categories in the 7.4-kilometre race will win a bottle of Sleeping Giant Fruit Winery wine with second and third places receiving Summerland Sweets products, as also do the top three in the nine and under, 10 to 12 and 13 to 15 categories.
To register for either race go to www.zone4.ca.
For more information on the 7.4-kilometre race or to volunteer, please email Mike Braid at jamibraid@shaw.ca.