7 years ago we had over 3,000 people running in kilts & we broke the worlds record.

Yesterday marked the seven year anniversary of the SquanStrong Guinness Book of World Records Kilt Run.

Community is a group of people working towards a common goal. Regardless of zip code, we welcomed everyone into our community & we called it SquanStrong.

Dr T Shirt, (Gio), a local business man in town, had approached me to talk about the Kilt run and ensured he would be able to get the kilts needed to support these efforts. He also had a printing shop for tee shirts and whatever else, and he’s been doing fund raising runs for a lot longer than I had. Paired with our group of selfless volunteers, endless enthusiasm and the momentum of successful fund raisers of our own, this was about to be colossal.

The SquanStrong crew was determined to break the worlds record. And we’d not failed at anything thus far. I think Gio admired our passion, but seriously never believed that the existing record would be reached. We reached it. We surpassed it. We owned it. Watch the race kick off here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TGhpb_nxfU

Not for long, however, as Perth Running Goats Club of Ontario, the original record holder with 1,764 participants, already had their next race being promoted and just waiting for our final number to snatch the record back! But we did own it until their race just a few weeks later.

Weekend after weekend, the SquanStrong volunteers were in different bars doing Kilt Race sign ups and kilt sizing. Hundreds of people gathered every weekend and the excitement leading up to race day was palpable. It was seemingly just a one mile fun run, but it had become so much more.

I look back and don’t recall the exact money we raised. I truly don’t remember our final number of racers that day. I don’t rehash what could’ve been different. What comes flooding back is the friendships formed, the community coming together for a common goal and the endless support of everyone that participated. I miss these days. A lot.

Local businesses thrived, as every weekend, we ventured to a new local spot for sign ups. The bars would be loud and laughter would ensue. The volunteers and I would have to repeat that ‘the kilts were European sizing and don’t focus on the number’ as we wrapped our arms around the waists of hundreds of people in just a few short hours. The people involved with the Kilt Run were nothing short of amazing. I miss them. A lot.

Seven years have passed. We changed lives with SquanStrong.

One year has passed since COVID changed our lives.

What a crazy life it’s been.