Born to run -- in our marathon

If you Google perpetual motion on the Internet, you'll read on Wikipedia: "The term commonly refers to any device or system that perpetually (indefinitely) produces more energy than it consumes, resulting in a net output of energy for indefinite time. The law of conservation of energy, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, implies that such a perpetual motion machine cannot exist."

Whoever wrote that couldn't have been at Assiniboine Park Wednesday morning when the Manitoba Marathon held its Countdown 26 School Kick Off Jog in the Park.

Close to 3,000 children from a variety of schools formed a sea of colourful motion as they prepared for a two-kilometre run, "kicking off" their school training programs in advance of the annual Manitoba Marathon on Father's Day, June 20.

Madison, a Grade 9 student at Acadia Junior High, was line dancing to the strains of Cotton-Eyed Joe blasting from the loudspeakers. "Sometimes I line dance, but I just wanted to have fun," she said. "I'm a runner. This year, I'm going to do the half marathon."

Her coaches have told her: "Just go slow, keep aware of your pace, and save the kick for the end."

This will be Manitoba Marathon director Shirley Lumb's 27th year with the race, 19 as director.

"Sometimes people ask me: 'Why do you stick around?' and I say one year is never the same as the one before. Nothing ever just follows the same pattern.

"This is a really good event for us to highlight children getting started on their road to wellness through running. The kids are counting down towards their 26 miles. They won't run 26 miles, but each day they might run a mile, or it might be 26 sessions or whatever. Most will run the Super Run (2.6 miles) or the relay."

St. Emile School teacher Ryan Querel says it's not hard to motivate youngsters to run. "We have just under 120 kids here today."

Querel said the school had 30 to 35 students sign up for the Super Run or the half marathon last year.

St. Emile student McKenzie, 10, said: "The best part is running with my friends. It's a good thing to do. I'm not sure yet (what she'll run), probably the relay. I'm pretty fast, and my coach says have fun, do your best and go for it."

Steven, 8, also from St. Emile, said: "I just like running. When I get tired, I just start jogging. I'm here to have a good time."

Rockwood Elementary School's Pearson Montgomery gets extra advice on training from his mother, Bryce Singbeil. She competed for Canada at four world weightlifting championships, finishing fourth on one occasion.

"I'm really enjoying this (the Kick Off)," he said, adding his mom tells him to do his best, train hard and have fun. "I think it's going to be a really fun thing and I can't wait to get going."

Pearson said his mom told him to do his best and have fun. "I won't enter the marathon," he said. "The 2.6 miles, I think I'm going to try for it."

Lumb said the Countdown 26 school program has grown by leaps and bounds since it began.

"The very first Jog in the Park we had, (Bombers quarterback) Matt Dunigan was our special guest and we had 100 children. So the awareness in the schools has totally grown and the whole event has totally grown. It's a real integral part of the school program."

Lumb said they hope to once again set a record when this year's marathon hits Winnipeg streets.

"Last year, we were just around 14,000 (entrants) and this year we are hoping to be over the 14,000 mark. We're second in Canada in terms of events of our type, behind Ottawa, which gets about 40,000 people."

For more information on the Manitoba Marathon, go to www.manitobamarathon.mb.ca

allan.besson@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 29, 2010 C6