They ended 2010 on the right foot - a foot wearing a running shoe.
Over 23 runners wearing bright orange jackets took to the icy streets for Humboldt's third annual Resolution Run on a chilly December 31.
The event was once again held in conjunction with the Running Room in Saskatoon, noted organizers Cathy McAnally and Julie Yungmann.
"We did it in Saskatoon," McAnally noted, "and we thought, why don't we do it in Humboldt? And it's been good," she said.
The Resolution Run, McAnally explained, is meant "to end your year right and start your year right."
Some cities do theirs on January 1, but Humboldt has always held it on December 31, like Saskatoon until this year. Though Saskatoon changed to January 1 this year, the Humboldt organizers decided to keep theirs the same.
In Humboldt this year, 23 runners were registered before the five kilometre run began, and more were expected to just show up and run.
And it wasn't a bad day for a run, by Saskatchewan winter standards, McAnally indicated.
Though temperatures hovered below -20C, there was a light wind - something that can make or break conditions for a run in the winter.
"In winter, no wind and minus 10 would be nice," McAnally said. "But I don't think it's going to be too bad today."
Due to the light wind, some of the runners were calling conditions in 2010 the best weather they've had for this run yet.
The first two years this event was held in Humboldt, the weather was far nastier than it was this year. A storm hit the area the first year - 2008 - and in 2009, things weren't much better - the weather was very cold and very windy again.
"I think we'll be fine," McAnally said of conditions on Friday before the run.
Though the number of participants was down this year, most of those who signed up were new to this run.
"There are some returning, but it's mostly new runners," McAnally said. "The Have a Heart Run really helped with that, I think," she added, referring to a fund-raising marathon held in the area in September, which benefitted the Humboldt District Hospital Foundation.
What makes people want to go running in the snow and cold on the last day of the year?
"I think it's more of a goal," said Yungmann of completing the run.
It's also, the two feel, the feeling of empowerment the runners experience at the end of the run that attracts them.
"People feel proud of themselves when they complete it, especially in the cold," McAnally said.
"And tonight, they can feel free to have an extra nibble off the buffet table (at any holiday parties)," she added.
For Danielle Saretsky and Pam Possberg, this was their first time running in the Resolution Run.
"I used to run, and I started to get back into it with the Have a Heart Run," Saretsky noted. "I wanted to keep it up, so I entered this one, to keep up my motivation."
Possberg also registered for the run as a way to keep her running.
"I ran five (kilometres) in the summer. I can do it again," she smiled before jogging outside to get started on the race.
DonnaLyn Dyok was one of the returnees to the race. She's taken part in the Resolution Run every year in Humboldt.
"It was the first run I ever ran," she said. "I've been doing every one I can since. This is an annual for me."
The run began at Westminster United Church and circled around the northern part of the city.
Organizers would like to incorporate the south end into their route, McAnally said, but don't because they don't know the train schedule. Having runners stuck on the other side of the train in cold weather would not be an ideal situation, she agreed.
The run, which began at 4 p.m., usually takes between 30 and 40 minutes to complete for the runners - it's a little longer for those who choose to walk.
But the timing works well for getting everyone home in time for New Year's parties.
