Brier man finds new home for cancer fundraising run in Kenmore and Lake Forest Park

Republished from our News Partner MLTNews

After his hopes of staging a 10K / 5K fun run in his hometown were thwarted earlier this year, Brier resident Ryan Adkins kept running with the idea, and has now found a receptive home for the charity event in a neighboring community.

“Kilometers for Cancer has moved on successfully to Kenmore,” Adkins said. “It has come together nicely; my team and I have worked hard to bring everything together. The city of Kenmore, Lake Forest Park and the King County Parks system have all worked together with us to make this a reality.”

The inaugural Kilometer for Cancer 10K/5K Run and Walk is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Sept. 15, beginning and ending at Log Boom Park, 6100 N.E. 175th St. in Kenmore. Proceeds from the event will go to the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

Ryan, a runner himself, has helped stage runs throughout the area and was hoping to put on an event in Brier this November. But city officials there had concerns about costs, safety and disruptions to the rural community if hundreds of runners took to the streets in a fun run.

In an effort to keep the fun run alive, Ryan approached city officials at Kenmore City Hall about staging the event in the north King County city. “The council members and the mayor listened to my proposal,” Ryan explained. “Some councilmembers came up to me after the meeting to congratulate me on the idea and encourage this type of start-up event work. One councilmember commented that ‘It’s what the community needs.’”

The run route will be primarily on the Burke Gilman Trail, offering scenic views of the north shore of Lake Washington. Ryan also plans on including music and local vendors as part of the event. Entry fees range from $25 to $45, with $5 dollar discounts for early registration. The 10K run will begin at 9am; the 5K run will take off at 9:15am, with the 5K walk five minutes later.

With Kilometers for Cancer laying down tracks in Kenmore, Ryan has dropped his dream of staging the event in Brier. “Even though it would be nice, there are no plans in the future to move the race to Brier,” he said. “The first year sets the foundation for years to come. Kenmore will keep the event, until participant volume dictates otherwise.”

More information on the Kilometers for Cancer 10K/5K Run and Walk on Sept. 15, or registration for the event online.