TrailRiders open up the 10K to everyone
Faye Cawsey might have mobility issues, but that didn’t stop her from getting a Times Colonist 10K under her belt on Sunday.
She was one of three people who covered the scenic course in a specialized device known as a TrailRider.
“The TrailRider is an adapted piece of equipment that actually a few different organizations in this city use,” said Cawsey, a staff member at Recreation Integration Victoria, which helps people with disabilities pursue active lifestyles.
“It’s a piece of equipment pretty much intended for really rough terrain and for steep terrain. It is primarily for people with physical disabilities or some sort of mobility impairment.”
People have used TrailRiders to climb Mount Finlayson and explore Strathcona Park, and Victoria’s Pippa Blake even used one to get to base camp on Mount Everest in 2007. Blake was also on a TrailRider in the TC 10K, as was Desiree Young.
Each of the TrailRiders in the 10K had a team of six or seven people taking turns pushing and pulling them along the route.
“One of the biggest things that I always acknowledge about the TrailRider is this isn’t just about me sitting in it,” Cawsey said. “This is very much a group activity and it’s for me one that I’m extremely appreciative of, because some of the most basic of things sometimes you’re not able to do without the help of others.”
She said there were good reasons for taking part in the TC 10K.
“We’re being there obviously for the sense of fun, we are there absolutely for the whole philosophy of team and physical activity, but also for awareness.”
Cawsey said she hopes the presence of the TrailRiders made people think.
“Curiosity is powerful,” she said. “More than anything they’re just going to see that’s there’s more than one way to do the 10K.”
Cawsey said she was impressed with the wide range of participants.
“One of the things that we were talking about so much is that you’re seeing a tiny child all the way up to a senior, every body shape, every age.
“It’s just a fantastic community event.”
The TrailRiders were pulled by people from Recreation Integration Victoria, Power to Be, the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence and the Alpine Club.
The concept of team was also important for a group of entrants in the Thrifty Foods 1.5K Family Fun Run from Hillcrest Elementary School. They called themselves Team Tiernan for the second straight year to honour classmate Tiernan Dowling.
Tiernan was battling cancer during last year’s event and died a few months later, but the school was determined to run for him once again. They earned the title of biggest team for a third straight year, with about 200 parents, teachers and students — including Tiernan’s sister.
Being the biggest came with a $1,000 prize, money that will be used to help a mother in the school community who has cancer, as well as to build a special spot for Tiernan in the school’s community garden. The garden already includes an evergreen tree planted in Tiernan’s memory.
Principal Cammy Coughlin said doing the 10K for Tiernan brings mixed emotions.
“It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time,” she said. “It sure brings the school together and has lots of school spirit.”
Holding the distinction as the oldest person in the field was 92-year-old George Coultas, who hasn’t missed a TC 10K since making his debut at 77.
He walked the route with some of his children and grandchildren. The biggest year to date for the Coultas team was 2015, when there were 24 members.
Coultas said his family convinced him to get involved in the 10K.
“They said I’m always active so why don’t I enter into the race? I said I’ll give it a try.”
He said being a carpenter helped keep him in shape through his working years.
“You get lots of exercise carrying four-by-eight sheets of plywood and stuff like that.”
Coultas said he would like to see more people in his age group taking part in the TC 10K.