Young Paqtnkek runners make strides in the Cayman Islands
At the break of dawn, the morning of Dec. 2 on Grand Cayman was cool and dark when Haley Paul and Charlie Ashawasegai of Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation began their run.
While the day eventually grew hot and bright, with palm trees swaying in the breeze and the warm waters of the Caribbean lapping at the shore, there was a festive Christmassy air in those first couple of morning hours of the run, with houses lining the route decked out in the warm incandescence of Christmas lights.
This was the picture a very proud teacher and coach, Marsha Purcell, painted of the 2018 Intertrust Cayman Islands Marathon – an event she too ran in.
The two East Antigonish Education Centre/academy [EACA] students hit the ground running in the Cayman Islands, each securing exceptionally good finishes in the half-marathon event. The two runners completed their first half-marathon in the Cayman Islands. Their run was the culmination of many months of rigorous training.
Purcell said the experience, from training to the first steps of the run at 5 a.m., was life-changing. That experience, Purcell noted, made both Charlie and Haley into exemplary representatives for the school and broader community, both locally and on an international level, in the Caymans.
"We never imagined the potential and all the possibilities, and positives that came out of this, just by running," Purcell said. "Four our students, we saw an increase in school engagement, decreased use of support services, improved resilience, leadership, and physical fitness."
Purcell served as a coach to Haley and Charlie, helping with the fundraising efforts for the event, and accompanied them to the Cayman Islands with Paul Brown, vice principal and teacher at EACA.
They were running alongside more than 1,000 people, in an event that saw the day reaching 30-degree-celsius highs, with gorgeous views along the route.
"It was a bit surreal, and exciting and new for us, doing something we’ve never done before. To be in a different country with people we just met supporting us was great," Purcell said.
"While we were there, we met 25 Indigenous kids from across Canada. It was really good that there was that global connection they were making," Purcell said.
Haley and Charlie have been training since July 2018, under the guidance of Linda Peters, physical activity leadership co-ordinator with Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation and Maggie Macdonnell, 2017 Global Teacher Prize recipient and resident of Antigonish.
Haley and Charlie spent the months up to the Dec. 2 halfmarathon running four to five days a week — something Purcell de-
scribes as an inspiration to everyone involved.
"Just through running, they have inspired everyone so much. They are going to run the Bluenose in Halifax, and compete in other destination marathons. Haley wants to work with youth in Paqtnkek, and Charlie sees himself in a career in fitness," Purcell said.purcell emphasized that for both Charlie and Haley, their success in the Caymans was a significant one for both of them since, up to that point, neither were runners.
"That made it an ambitious goal, especially for a 14 and 17-year old," Purcell said. "Charlie and Haley showed commitment, dedication and put hard work into getting ready, not just in running, but in being involved in fundraising events, community dinners, bake sales and ticket sales."
"It is impressive, to say the least, to see their progress in such a short period of time and the success they achieved," stated information released by the Strait Regional Centre for Education.
They didn’t train alone, either. While they engaged in their regimen of regular running, Haley and Charlie were accompanied by students in Grades 7 through 12 at East Antigonish Education Centre/academy, training alongside them.
"Haley put it best, when she said, ‘the movement has just begun.’ We’re so proud of both of