Submitted by the Haida Health Hub–With less than two weeks to go, runners and walkers from Skidegate and Old Massett are anticipating the island-wide 10 km Unity Run at the Tlell Fair Grounds Sunday April 22 (Earth Day). Participants from both ends of the island have been following SportMed’s Aboriginal RunWalk Training Program (formerly known as the Sun Run Training program), and have been running and walking together for three days per week, for the past twelve weeks (it’s a 13 week program). The RunWalk program is open to all, and we had a great mix of people who participated. For many, it will be our first time completing a 10 km course. For others, it will be yet another 10 km run/walk added to their lists. The leaders of the training groups -Walk10 km, LearnToRun10 km, and Run10kmFaster, are extremely proud of the perseverance of the runners and walkers, and look forward to celebrating together at the run.Community members are encouraged to join us April 22-we will be meeting at the fair grounds at 1:30 and participants are welcome to register at that time, but we are also offering pre-registration in Old Massett at the Haida Health Centre on April 19 and 20 (contact Myrna 626 3911), and also at Health Beat on April 20 at the Old Massett hall. In Skidegate, pre-registration will be offered at the Skidegate Health Centre on Friday, April 20 from 1-4:30 pm (Melissa will be pre-registering participants). A bus will be leaving from the Old Massett Health Centre on the day of the Unity Run at 12:30-please contact Andrea Medley (andreasissymedley@gmail.com or 626 7278) if you require transportation to the event. We decided to name this event the Unity Run, because we believe promoting unity through health is an excellent way to strengthen the relationships between our communities. The run will be set up so that run/walkers from Skidegate will cover 10 km south of the Tlell Fair Grounds, Old Massett will cover 10 km north, and we will all meet in the middle, back at the Tlell fair grounds. The 10 km event will be followed by a celebratory barbeque, and we’ll have draws for some excellent door prizes (you must be present to claim your prize!). It’s hard to believe we started this training in the ice and snow, and now we get to celebrate our accomplishments in the sun. Hawaa for everyone who has participated in the RunWalk training program so far, as you have motivated not only each other, but the community as a whole to re-think our definition of health.
