CHAD’S DAY FOR CHANGE URBAN TRAIL RACE Race Day - August 10, 2024

Run in Edmonton’s beautiful river valley at it’s summer best while raising awareness of a very important cause: Men’s Mental Health. CHAD’S DAY FOR CHANGE URBAN TRAIL RACE, named for Chad Evans, lost to suicide after a battle no one knew he was fighting.

CHAD’S DAY FOR CHANGE URBAN TRAIL RACE supports HeadsUpGuys, an organization dedicated to changing men’s attitudes towards seeking help and to providing education and support.

Chad Evans was a devoted father to his two daughters, Brook-Lyn and Taylor. He was a dedicated and loving son, brother, partner, friend, nephew, cousin and uncle. Chad had such a glow to his soul. He was a light that loved everyone so deeply. He lived hard, loved hard, and worked hard. Chad did everything he thought he needed to do to be a good man and if you speak to those that knew him, they would say that he was the best that we all knew.

Chad fought his battles in silence. He didn’t want to burden anyone he loved. Chad couldn’t ask for help, couldn’t accept it, couldn’t even talk about how he was really feeling because he felt his problems were his own. He didn’t want to bother anyone. Chad lost his battle on August 13, 2023 and we are faced with his insurmountable loss in our hearts everyday.

According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, this tragic story is all too common. In 2022 of the estimated 4000 deaths by suicide in Canada close to 75% were men. Statistics Canada numbers for 2019 listed 4,011 total deaths by suicide with 3,058 of them being men. There is a gender paradox happening; 3 times more women are attempting suicide, but 3 times the number of men are successful in their attempts. When we think of men’s roles in our societal structures they are supposed to work hard, provide, man up, don’t be a pussy. Stop crying and get it done. These chilling statistics need to change! ASAP!

Now I personally have no idea how to fix this problem, but for Chad we sure as hell are going to try. The first step is conversation, lets get talking about it. Join the conversation HERE on our Facebook page! Let’s de-stigmatize the idea that men need to man up, that asking for help and talking about your problems are weak when in fact, it is so incredibly courageous! Let’s bring awareness to the groups addressing men’s mental health, like HeadsUpGuys. Let’s bring attention to them and make them more accessible. If a man is struggling and he is having a hard time finding help in those desperate moments, guess what is easier in his mind at that time. Let’s speak of love, let’s speak of help and hope. Let’s speak of camaraderie.

Who knows more about camaraderie than the running community? When we are out there in the darkness, when we are struggling on those trails, those mountains, those roads, we hold each other up. We give our water, our salt tabs, our company, comfort and light in the night. I’ve often proudly spoken of our running community, the bonds you make out there, we are baring our souls to each other in our most vulnerable moments, and we are all just trying to keep each other alive out there. What an uncanny parallel. A lot of you may not have known Chad, he wasn’t a runner when I met him. He did come out on multiple occasions because he knew how much I loved it, that’s who he was, and so some of you did get the pleasure. A lot of you know Tanis - Chad’s older sister. She absolutely adored him. You can see it in the pictures of those 2, as children, and as adults. She loved her little brother so much; he was her little doll when they were kids. He was one of her favorite people, and the first person she’d call when she needed help with anything. He was that call for a lot of people that knew him. A lot of you also know Jen, and the tragic loss suffered by her and her family, the loss of her Mike. This is such a personal and devastating issue that shatters us, our families, the families around us, our communities, and its all too common.

So . . . what do you think comes next? CHAD’S DAY FOR CHANGE URBAN TRAIL RACE    It’s official and will be held on Saturday, August 10, 2024 and held annually, yes annually, on the second Saturday of August!

We are excited to announce that Registration for CHAD’S DAY FOR CHANGE URBAN TRAIL RACE is OPEN!! Register HERE. We’ve highlighted a lot of Chad’s favorite fishing spots; he loved fishing down there. He would fish with his girls and catch frogs in the streams. We will be honoring our beloved Chad and celebrating his life. We will be celebrating all men, and raising money and awareness to causes that support them, and we will be celebrating men’s mental health.

Join the conversation on our Facebook page HERE. So many have been impacted by suicide- if you would like to join the effort, we will be looking for volunteers as we get closer, and currently researching groups to highlight and support, if you have any input, please send a message HERE.

More information will be released as we get things sorted. In the meantime, Registration is now OPEN!! Register HERE. Please consider donating HERE. Watch for Volunteer opportunities HERE.

Stay tuned!