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Prince George, B.C. – A great turnout is expected for today’s 43^rd annual Labour Day Classic in Prince George.

Race director Dennis Straussfogel says they’re expecting at least 20 more runners this year than last for a total of over 100 adults and 25-30 kids.

He says there are several races on tap in an attempt to make it as accessible to everyone as possible – including the 9 a.m. 17 mile run, and shorter runs, walks, a wheelchair race and even a 1 km race for kids.

Straussfogel says it’s difficult to say exactly why this year’s numbers are up but thinks it may have to do with the connection the race has with Canadian hero Terry Fox who ran the race back in 1979.

“He finished dead last but he said it was the best race he ever ran. The point was it showed he could run the distance.”

Straussfogel says Terry’s friend Doug told him a couple of years ago it inspired him to run his famous Marathon of Hope the following spring.

“After the race he said let’s do this in the spring and do a cross-country run and the great tragedy is that as everyone knows his cancer came back that following summer,” he says.

“So as Doug pointed out to me if he hadn’t started when he did he probably wouldn’t have started at all and no one ever would have heard of Terry Fox which is unbelievable – he’s an icon. It’s truly historic.”

Today’s events will all start at the Prince George Civic Centre.