Medals for all in 2022 Youth Run
Cape Breton University landscape dominated by close to 1,000 kids
SYDNEY, N.S. — Ben Forgeron will forever remember the day he shared his sixth birthday with almost 1,000 other kids.
Forgeron was one of more than 950 children who turned out for the annual Doctors Nova Scotia Youth Run that was held at Cape Breton University. With temperatures hitting the mid-20s, the Cape Breton Health and Recreation Complex was the place to be Sunday morning.
And they came from near and far for the event that was sponsored by CBU and the Cape Breton Fiddlers Marathon.
Ben's aunt, Laura Kennedy, travelled from Halifax to take in the event.
“I'm just on the sidelines today — it's Ben's birthday, so I am here to cheer him on,” said Kennedy.
And she was good to her word as she a Go Ben Go sign in support of her nephew who ran the two-kilometre race with parents Jaryd and Tara Forgeron.
“We're happy that Ben has taken to running but he's generally active anyway,” said dad Jaryd. “We kind of started when COVID hit. Tara started first and then I took it up as a way to get out of the house.”
POPULAR EVENT
For those heading to the Sunday morning event, a bit of patience was needed as a lengthy queue developed on the Sydney-Glace Bay highway with vehicles waiting to enter the grounds of the CBU campus.
Once everybody had arrived, participants made their way onto the soccer field where they merged into what resembled a moving sea of orange. With CBRM councillor Cyril MacDonald, an enthusiast runner, acting as event MC, the orangeshirted kids were assembled in an organized manner according to their school grades and what race they were planning to run.
However, the scene quickly began to look chaotic as the children were led in a group exercise complete with background music, including the Village People’s YMCA song, to help them move.
Seven-year-old Bruce Zhang was one of the hundreds who enthusiastically limbered up before the races. His mother said she could see him easily but that was only due to the orange bandana he wore around his head.
And then the races began.
MEDALS FOR ALL
The first group of runners to leave the starting line were those taking part in the 4-km run. They were escorted from the gate by Cape Breton University track and field team member Balwinder Singh. And then, the rest of the participants ran, walked, sprinted and trotted as they made their way around the course. All runners finished their run by doing a lap of the soccer field track before crossing the finish line where they were applauded and awarded participation medals.
One of the proud parents waiting at the finish line was Melissa McDonough-Howley, whose eight-year-old son Evan Howley looked like he’d hardly broken a sweat after completing his run under the hot sun.
“Of course I am proud of him,” said McDonoughHowley.
“Evan is also active in hockey and soccer. He’s really competitive. But the important thing is that the kids here are running around outside doing what kids should be doing. It’s great to see so many here.”
LESS SCREEN TIME, MORE GREEN TIME
Event director Katherine MacQueen-Burke was found roaming the grounds with baby daughter Elyse. For MacQueen-Burke, the sight of so many children made all the hours of organizing very much worth it.
“To see those kids out there warming up and how well it went just made it all worth it for me,” she said.
“Before COVID we were getting more than 1,000 kids and I wasn’t sure how it would go now, I wasn’t sure how many would turn out, but this year has been better than we expected. People are happy to get outside and have fun. And the weather is great.”
North Sydney-based physician Dr. Stephanie Langley couldn’t keep the smile off her face.
“We can’t say enough about the benefits of physical activity,” said Langley, as she surveyed the field full of young runners.
“We recommend that young kids this age get out and be physically active for at least an hour a day. And it’s very important for parents, grandparents, guardians, anybody involved in a child’s life to make sure that happens. Get out, do it and make it a routine.”