On February 3rd, 2019, fifty philanthropist athletes will take part in the NATEFIT Calgary Exposed 5K, a shirtless run in support of Inn from the Cold! Organized by NATEFIT Integrated Fitness & Nutrition, the run will kick off at 12 pm at the BMO Centre as part of the Calgary Health Show.
Last year, Nathaniel Ernst, kinesiologist and founder of NATEFIT, ran a 10K shirtless in -15° weather to raise funds and awareness for Inn from the Cold. “I wanted to experiment with the body’s ability to adapt to the cold, seeing how long I could last outside with proper training. As I continued to run outside, people began to think I was crazy for exposing myself to the cold. I found it’s a great opportunity to fundraise for a cause when you do something that people think is crazy.” On his own, Ernst was able to raise over $4,000.00 for the Inn! Now in 2019, he is inviting other runners to join him to help end child and family homelessness in Calgary.
The run, which follows the Elbow River path, will integrate the benefits of cold exposure and running, with gear limited to just toques, gloves, shorts, socks and shoes. Each runner is encouraged to raise at least $500.00, and will wear a branded band around their waist or chest featuring a local business that has sponsored the run.
“I love the work that Inn from the Cold does, and it aligns well with what I was doing, so I took the opportunity to use my runs to fundraise and bring awareness to family homelessness in Calgary,” says Ernst. “Running shirtless is about being as exposed to the elements as possible and learning to be ok with being uncomfortable. It’s a way to embrace the cold of winter and give back to the community at the same time.”
Please join us this Sunday to cheer on the runners, or get involved by:
– Becoming a sponsor
– Registering as a runner
– Pledging a runner
Sponsorship, registration, and pledge forms can be found at natefit.ca/exposed/.
