INUVIK - This Saturday at midnight, there will be crowds running around the streets of Inuvik.

Trina Nerysoo, 40, a half marathon runner originally from Aklavik who has been in Inuvik for at least 15 years. - Samantha Stokell/NNSL photo

The annual Midnight Sun Fun Run will have both new and experienced runners alike racing in a half-marathon (21 km), a 10-km and a 5-km race of their choice.

To take advantage of the unique situation, a midnight sun, the races will start at 11 p.m., 11:30 p.m. and midnight June 18.

If you're not sleeping, get out there and cheer on the runners. In anticipation of the event, Inuvik Drum would like to introduce you to three different runners, one in each category.

Trina Nerysoo

Half marathon

Three years ago, Trina Nerysoo, 40, never ran outside.

In 2008 she started running, but only on a treadmill and never, ever outside. It wasn't until last September that she ran outside for the first time. And this Saturday, she will run 21 km outside.

"It's challenging. I know I can do 10K," Nerysoo said. "Last year I wanted to get into it, but I was too self-conscious. Last year I knew about the race and I watched them taking off and I was jealous."

Before starting to run, Nerysoo walked all over town and participated in a half-marathon walk. Seeing all people of different ages and sizes participating encouraged her to start running.

She will run this race by walking for one minute after every 10 minutes of running.

"I'm not going to go and give'er. I just want to finish alive and well," Nerysoo said. "I'm hoping for two hours and 15 minutes, but any better than that and I'll be happy, but just to complete is fine."

What keeps Nerysoo motivated is the feeling at the end of a run, whether it's just a practice or a race. The confidence she gets from finishing a run, no matter how long, helps her to continue but also to reach goals in other areas of her life.

"Even just to finish, to get the run done, I feel well pushing myself to do this," she said. "It's flowed into other areas of my life. I have goals and I might think I can't do it, but if I can do this one thing that's difficult, maybe I can do other things."

Mike Peters

10K run

Const. Mike Peters of the Inuvik RCMP detachment has run all his life, but he's participating in the Midnight Sun Fun Run since it's the only race in town.

"I've always done track and field and competed in all sports and there's not a lot to compete in Inuvik," Peters said. "This is it."

Peters isn't just running. He's in it to win it.

"First. Oh, yeah. I'm going to win it," Peters laughed. "I'm going to run as fast as I can and as fast as my lungs can carry me."

His plan for the course, which has many hills, is to try and gauge his body during certain parts. The plan is to start with a strong first five kilometres and see how hard he can go from there.

He doesn't have a goal for a time, though thinks he'll be under 40 minutes.

Each week, Peters has a different set of runs. One day it might be short, intense distances, while the next day might be a set of 800-metre runs, hills, a hard five-kilometre run or a slow 10-km trek. The key for him is to mix it up.

"There's nothing challenging about running except how the body is holding up," Peters said. "To improve you have to get out of your comfort zone, but you can't go hard all the time."

Sumeru Koirala

5K run

While five kilometres may not seem like a long run next to the half marathon or 10K, when was the last time you ran for half an hour straight?

Sumeru Koirala hopes to run for less time than that. He's aiming for 27 minutes, something he hasn't done yet.

"My fastest is 29:20 and I hope to shave a couple of minutes off," Koirala said. "(The race) is just for fun and trying to run with people I know to test my limits to see what I can do, especially at night with the sun."

He doesn't really think running at midnight will have any bad effect on his time or race. To the contrary, actually, he thinks it could benefit him.

"It'll be light out and the feeling of exhilaration of sun being out will be great," Koirala said.

"I'm going to start as fast as I can, go fast on the downhill and then on the uphill save myself and just use my momentum."

Koirala started running in October, but had a brief break before starting again in May. As an athlete in other sports, he finds running a good way to build stamina and endurance. He has no trouble in keeping motivation to run as he focuses on the next segment and the next goal.

"I just think of the end result and the possibility. I can do five kilometres now, but maybe seven or eight kilometres. How fast and how far can I go?" he said. "Our running club (in Inuvik) is really good, with people who motivate you."

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