John Halvorsen to step down as Run Ottawa President after the 2019 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

April 10, 2019 – Ottawa – John Halvorsen, President of Run Ottawa and Race Director for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, will leave his full-time role with the organization after this year’s Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend on May 25 and 26 to resume his career in the high technology sector.

The two-time Olympian and 20-year course Ottawa 10k record holder first joined Run Ottawa as a board member in 1999. He served as chair before his appointment to the full-time position of President of Run Ottawa in 2013. John was recently selected for induction into the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame as an athlete and a builder of the sport of running.

Under John’s leadership, the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend has grown significantly and has become the world’s only running event to host two IAAF gold-label events: the Ottawa 10K and the Ottawa Marathon. As President of Run Ottawa, he has added an additional 20 annual runs to the National Capital, welcoming the participation of thousands of people throughout the year. He has also overseen the growth of a very popular Kids Run Ottawa program, providing a focal point for introducing running into schools for kids aged 6 to 12.

“We’re extremely grateful to John for his incredible leadership over the past six years, and his many years of volunteering before that,” said Mark Sutcliffe, chair of Run Ottawa’s board of directors. “John has creatively and effectively managed the organization through a period of growth and change, and the entire Ottawa running community and participants in all of our events owe him tremendous gratitude.

“We’re looking forward to working with John as he leads the planning and fulfillment of the next edition of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, and as he continues to contribute to the event after he leaves this full-time role.”

“As a lifelong promoter of the sport of running, it has been a privilege to oversee Run Ottawa and Canada’s largest running festival, the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend,” said John Halvorsen. “I am grateful to my dedicated team, the Board of Directors, our sponsors and the thousands of volunteers who have made this work so rewarding and enjoyable. While I leave this role with a heavy heart, I am looking forward to continuing to volunteer with and contribute to this exceptional organization for many years to come.”

The search for a new President of Run Ottawa will begin in the weeks ahead.