3,000 runners again make Sole Sisters event Canada’s largest women’s-only 5K

Celebrating its sixth year, approximately 3,000 runners participated in Canada’s largest women’s-only 5K.

The Sole Sisters June 5K, known for its purple theme and plaid tutus of the same colour, is an untimed event in Burnside, N.S., the first of two main race weekends of the series. (See the backstory of the purple tutus here.) The Sole Sisters 5K was held on the same day as the world’s oldest women’s-only race, the NYRR New York Mini 10K, which just celebrated its 46th anniversary.

The June 5K was a prime time event as it began at 6 p.m. local time. The 5K was an out-and-back beginning and finishing near Dartmouth Crossing.

Finishing strong! #solesisters pic.twitter.com/IeVuReDPrr

— Sole Sisters Race (@SoleSistersRace) June 10, 2017

#SeaOfPurple @SoleSistersRace @gazellegirls what an amazing sight! Very proud of my daughters! Congrats to all the runners! pic.twitter.com/1KJiJDiQ1B

— Peter Morin (@petermorin123) June 10, 2017

A sea of #Purple on the #BrightSide tonight for @SoleSistersRace #Dartmouth pic.twitter.com/ZUq1xyuacQ

— Darren Fisher (@DarrenFisherNS) June 10, 2017

“In my career, I’ve met thousands of women who won’t self-identify as a runner because they don’t look a certain way, or they aren’t fast enough – but that needs to change,” race director Stacy Chesnutt said ahead of the weekend. “This event brings together women who have been running their whole lives, and women who have never ran before. For us, and our Sole Sisters, it’s so much more than a race – we’re redefining athlete and looking great while doing it.”

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https://www.instagram.com/p/BVMiFWOj06C/

On-course amenities include hug stations, chocolate stops and DJs. The Sole Sisters Race Series is one of a number of growing women’s-only events in Canada. See some of the more popular races here.

The race series returns in October with the Sole Sisters Quarter (10.5K) and Half-Marathon. The women’s-only half-marathon is the only race of its kind in Eastern Canada.