Fun and fitness
Annual Doctors Nova Scotia youth run gets kids moving
Cloudy skies and rainfall didn’t deter more than 1,300 kids from taking part in Saturday’s Doctors Nova Scotia youth run.
School-aged children were separated by grade levels before departing from the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion for a loop around north end Sydney.
The participants were escorted by Cape Breton Regional Police officers.
It was the third appearance for Grade 4 student Cameron Clements, who is involved in his school’s running club.
“I was just running fast,” he said after reaching the finish line. “I was thirsty a lot. I liked (the rain) because I was sweating.”
Scott Clements said events such as this foster a love of sport and exercise.
“I like running myself, so sometimes we get to do it together,” said the past participant in Cape Breton Fiddlers Run competitions.
“I just like getting outside and getting exercise. I love it, and seeing everybody in the community doing it too. They need more of this.”
Landon Brown, an eight-yearold boy from New Waterford, has been participating in the run since Grade Primary.
“I enjoyed the running,” he said. “I was trying to get the medal.”
As part of Saturday’s event, each participant took home a piece of hardware for finishing the jaunt.
Landon’s mother, Kyla McPherson, said the event is wellorganized.
“It’s great for all the kids to come out and just get together,” she said.
“A lot of it’s mostly video games and stuff like that. It’s good to get him outside.”
Doctors Nova Scotia event chair and local teacher, Katherine MacQueen-Burke, said Sydney has the highest youth run registration in the province.
She sees many of the same students and families returning every year.
“We have such a big committee that helps, and so many volunteers,” she said.
Kerry Copeland, who is coordinator of the provincewide Kids’ Run Club, said the free school-based program began in 2004.
An initiative of Doctors Nova Scotia, the program now consists of 220 clubs at schools in every region.
In total, there are 17,500 youth participants.
“They come together at runs like this to celebrate all their
training,” said Copeland. “The whole purpose of the
program is to give kids a positive experience with physical activity. So, it’s non-competitive, the focus is on fun and anybody can do it.”
Copeland said the running clubs are meant to instil the importance of regular physical activity in children, so they form can healthy habits into adulthood.