Running shorts, white dress, pearls, t-shirt, bowtie, tennis shoes, suit, socks. The list could go on. No, it's not a wedding or reception, neither prom nor a formal dance. It's the combination of a reception and marathon put together that Kendall Johnson has been working on since February.
The first annual Race to the Altar will be held in Provo on Sept. 29. The race is a spoof on the wedding craziness that is Utah Valley. Kendall Johnson, race director for Race to the Altar, expressed her excitement for this kind of race being held in Provo.
What makes this race unique is the similarities drawn from the Tour de Donut and the Dirty Dash for participants in this race.
'Some of the obstacles that runners will go through are a cake eating station, a wall of bubbles that they will run through and at the end there is a reception station where there will be a dance floor with a DJ, garter toss and a photo booth,' Johnson said.
Photo courtesy of Kendall JohnsonThe race is sponsored by Wilson Diamonds, Domino's, the U.S. Army and other local sponsors from Utah Valley as this race looks to take place annually.
The idea for this race came about in light of the annual Tour de Donut, a bicycle marathon in which a participant can shave minutes off of racing time by eating donuts at certain stations.
According to Johnson, because of the young, student-based environment that Provo has, it seems as if everyone runs for exercise. Johnson also felt that 5K's nowadays aren't much of a novelty anymore; it's just another thing to do on the weekend.
'We're not taking ourselves seriously at all,' Johnson said about the environment of the race. 'It's supposed to be a spoof on how everyone is wedding crazy here in Provo.' Participants will have the opportunity to dress up if they want, and prizes will be offered.
The race also will give college students an opportunity to win a housing scholarship provided by Wilson Diamonds.
'I feel like this is a building year where it is just getting recognition, and then next year it will be bigger and better and hopefully go on from there,' Johnson said.
Participants can still enter the contest by coming into the store and filling out a form. Every additional runner referred will be given an additional entry into the housing scholarship. Simply email Wilson Diamonds the name(s) of the friend(s) you sign up, and they will take care of the rest.
Whatever Wilson Diamonds makes or breaks off their revenue, they will offer one $500 housing scholarship, and all proceeds that Wilson Diamonds makes will go back to the students for future potential scholarships.
'We expect people to have fun and if they walk away with a good experience, then that's a bonus on both behalfs,' Johnson said. 'It's supposed to be fun, that's all, with no money involved.'
Learn more about the Race to the Altar on the Wilson Diamonds <a title='Wilson Diamonds Facebook' href='https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilson-Diamonds/10