Manitoba’s running season kicks off

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This article was published 07/05/2023 (904 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Tristan Da Silva broke a personal record Sunday when he crossed the finish line of Winnipeg’s first half-marathon of the year, but the local long-distance runner has no intention of breaking his daily run streak to recover.

“This is actually Day 967 now, in a row,” the 24-year-old said as he wiped sweat from his forehead following the morning event. “I’ve started running since COVID… It became an addiction; I kept showing up.”

It was just over three years ago when Da Silva, a veteran soccer player, and his teammates decided to take up running to stay active during the first pandemic lockdown.

What started as casual alternate-day jogging with friends quickly turned into a competitive hobby that he participates in seven days a week, regardless of windchill or extreme heat warning.

Per his personal timer, Da Silva ran 21 kilometres in one hour, 11 minutes and 42 seconds early Sunday.

Upwards of 1,600 people signed up for the annual Foodfare–Winnipeg Police Service Half-Marathon, Two-Person Relay and 5K events that kickstarted Manitoba’s 2023 running season.

Thousands of supporters, including proud parents, partners and their pups, lined the courses that swerved in and around Assiniboine Park to cheer on racers.

Volunteer race director Nick Paulet said he’s continuing to “re-grow” the event, which drew about 1,000 more competitors in pre-pandemic years.

The virus changed peoples’ routines and pastimes, Paulet said, adding the race is permanently extending start-time slots to ensure people are not dissuaded from attending it because of crowding at the starting line.

Organizers have also yet to bring back the post-race massage tent, and they remain undecided about whether they should, he added.

This year, fundraisers collected more than $100,000 to support a new clinical trial out of Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children that aims to support children affected by brain cancer.

CancerCare Manitoba researcher Magimairajan Issai Vanan is part of the international team testing a common drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes to help children recover from the long-term effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

Since the Winnipeg-based race’s inception nearly 20 years ago, organizers have raised $2.7 million for cancer research.

City police Sgt. Kevin Kavitch wore a race bib on his back bearing the name of his late wife, Lisa Kavitch – a mother of two, runner and career police officer who died of cancer in December 2021.

“She was here every year; she loved this thing,” said Kavitch, who raced with his son Sunday and indicated his family has a collection of event medals at home.

“It’s impossible not to think about her during a day like today; we’d always come here as a family,” he added.

For many, the annual event has become a way to commemorate loved ones who have died of cancer or show solidarity with those who are undergoing treatment.

For Christine Schrofel’s family, it is also an exercise in mother-son bonding.

“I love seeing the people out here and I love seeing the young and old teams. I think it’s fantastic and for us, it’s become a family tradition,” said the 54-year-old, who completed the relay race with her 20-year-old son.

Despite challenging headwinds at times, the Winnipeg mother said she finished the race thanks to her motivating playlist, which featured Florence and the Machine and Pearl Jam, and encouraging strangers on the sidelines.

David Fielder, 62, said competed in the Sunday race in honour of local legend Joanne Schiewe.

Schiewe was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a terminal brain cancer, in February 2015; the marathon-runner raised tens of thousands of dollars for brain cancer research and treatment before she died a year and a half later.

“She was larger than life,” Fielder said.

In a bid to lighten the mood on an emotional race day for many, the teacher competed in a furry onesie with a “service dog” tag on it.

“I like to run in costumes,” he said. “If you can’t run fast, at least run in a funny way!”

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie