SPIRITS HIGH AT CMHA RUN
Merrett Home Hardware hosts annual run, with a new approach this year
Runners Ashley Snow, left, mom Charlotte and Valerie Snow arrive at the finish line during the third annual Merrett Home Hardware Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge Run for Mental Health on Saturday on Charlotte Street. See
Three years ago Jeannette Larsen couldn’t walk to her neighbour’s house without stopping for a breath.
A weight problem led to depression, which affected nearly every aspect of her life.
She’s come a long way, dropping eight dress sizes and on Saturday she completed the Merrett Home Hardware Run For Mental Health’s 10-kilometre distance.
Running has changed her life. “I couldn’t do, in a city block, one driveway to another without having to stop and breathe,” said Larsen, 46.
Friends convinced her to register for the Mudmoiselle fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society. She began training and ended up completing the obstacle course.
“It was the kick in the butt I needed to get on top of my healthy physically and mentally,” said Larsen.
She entered the Run For Mental Health 10K two years ago and ended up walking much of it. She finished dead last.
“They were giving awards out by the time I came in,” she said.
Last year, she shaved nine minutes off her time. The improved physical health has improved her mental health, too.
“I was out of shape and very depressed. I was not enjoying life. It was a struggle each and every day,” she said.
The director of care at Royal Gardens Retirement Residence said it affected her work.
“I have to be able to communicate with people and when you don’t have any self-confidence and you’re depressed it affects your work, your personal life, my kids felt it.”
It’s been a long road but Larsen says ls much better.
“Work is better. Personal life is better. My friendships are better,” she said.
She was one of more than 300 participants in 2.5k, 5k and 10k distances. The event is a fundraiser for the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Youth Emergency Shelter.
Organizers were excited earlier in the week to announce the event was gender-neutral. In addition to male or female, participants could register as transgender, don’t want to say or other. It was believed to be the first race of its kind in Canada.
Organizers were disappointed no one took advantage to register in one of the new divisions. Undeterred, they’ll continue to offer the inclusive divisions in the future.
Jack Veitch, local CMHA manager of community engagement and education, said the message of inclusion is important.
“There are things bigger than winning or losing a race,” said Veitch. “There is health, wellness, acceptance and community. I think that’s what we have here. We’re all part of this community regardless of background, we talk about exclusion and isolation as being detrimental to mental health so we want to make sure our events are inclusive and everyone is welcome to participate.”
Statistically, the LBGTQ community is at a higher risk for suicide or mental illness, said Veitch.
“Just because somebody identifies as LBGTQ+ it doesn’t mean they are going to experience thoughts of suicide or mental illness by any stretch,” he said, “but when we talk about potentially high risk categories of those who may die by suicide we know members of the LBGTQ community are statistically at high risk due to all those factors we talk about like social exclusion, isolation, stigma and fear.”