Police run goes beyond money raised

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/05/2022 (1264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jared Spier charged past a large, blue-and-yellow inflatable finish line and doubled over with his hands on his knees, just after 9 a.m. Sunday.

Overcome with exhaustion and emotion, he began to weep.

Spier completed the 18th annual Winnipeg Police Service Half Marathon, running 21 kilometres in just over an hour and 45 minutes.

He ran in honour of his partner, Joanne Schiewe, who died of brain cancer in 2016. Schiewe, an avid long-distance runner, used her athletic prowess to raise tens of thousands of dollars for cancer research, earning herself a spot in the Manitoba Runners’ Association Hall of Fame.

Spier carries on her legacy by raising money and participating in the WPS half-marathon annually. He and Schiewe have raised nearly $200,000 for brain cancer research over the last eight years, including $10,000 from this event.

“What Joanne and her legacy have done, and what everybody else in this event has done, is making a difference for the next person,” said Spier, his voice shaking. “It helps those of us who are left behind pick up the pieces.”

As Spier spoke, waves of runners sprinted over the finish line, many wearing broad smiles — raising their fists triumphantly. Others shed tears and collapsed into the arms of friends and family members.

In every direction, people offered warm embraces, words of encouragement and consolation.

Some 1,500 participants made it out to Assiniboine Park this year. Each has a story, said race director and event founder Nick Paulet.

“There’s a personal connection to the cancer journey. You talk to people, and they find a resolution by participating… to me, (this race) is a reflection that people care about their community,” Paulet said. “The team and just the overall movement motivate me.”

Paulet made a point of mentioning volunteer co-ordinator Janette Rodewald, a cancer survivor who completed an Ironman event despite having a third of her left foot amputated. The 40-year-old mother of five swam, biked, and ran a collective 226 kilometres during the ultra-endurance triathlon held in Texas last year.

Over nearly two decades, the WPS has raised $2.4 million in support of cancer research. But the event’s impact stretches beyond fundraising.

The half-marathon creates human connections and that’s what makes it such a profound city tradition, Rodewald said.

“It’s not really about just raising the money. That’s never been the big thing. For me, it’s more about just participating in the community… that’s how you find value in life, through your connection with others,” she said.

The event gives people an opportunity to share their stories of heartache and survival — crucial to the healing process, she said.

The temperature was just 2 C as the race began and only rose by two degrees as the grey, blustery day wore on. But many runners wore fluorescent pink, yellow, and blue clothing that offered encouraging pops of colour.

By noon, most of the participants had returned from their runs, including Kevin Kavitch and his sons, Tyler and Mark. The event has long been a family tradition, however, this year was particularly significant for the family.

Last December, Kevin’s wife, Linda, died of breast cancer. She is remembered as a respected and caring woman who loved her family and friends — and heavy metal music.

Kevin and Linda worked for the WPS for nearly three decades. During her final weeks, those closest to Linda organized a parade for her. Roughly 50 police vehicles formed a convoy and cruised past the Kavitch home. They flashed their lights and played bagpipes as a final farewell to Linda.

It was both touching and humbling, Kevin said.

“That was special… to make sure she got to see how appreciated she was,” he said. “We are so proud of the way she battled this disease. She did it with grace and never made it about herself.”

Kevin urged people to be diligent about their health and get tested for cancer as early and often as possible.

“I just want (people) to know how important it is to have those conversations with your physicians… if you can catch this disease early, your outcomes are so much better,” he said.

Sunday’s half marathon raised more than $100,000 for cancer research. Brain Canada, a non-profit that supports brain cancer research, will match every donation, dollar for dollar.

“As a police force, this is one of the things we really get right,” Kevin added.

Organizers decided not to distribute awards for the fastest finishes this year because staggered start times were used (as a COVID-19 safety measure) and the inclement spring weather made it impossible to guarantee a clear course, Paulet noted.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca