Chicken Pox Cancels Annual Boston Marathon Event

http://wbztv.com/bostonmarathon/boston.marathon.kenyans.2.700069.html

Chicken Pox Cancels Annual Boston Marathon Event

A Kenyan runner waves to kids at a rally
for marathoners at the Elmwood Elementary
School in Hopkinton last year.

BOSTON (WBZ) ― Chicken pox has forced officials to throw in the towel for plans of a Boston Marathon tradition at the Elmwood Elementary School in Hopkinton.

For the past 16 years, Kenyan athletes have visited the school one week before the marathon to run with the kids and answer some of their questions.

Several students have come down with mild cases of the chicken pox, and school officials don't want any of the elite runners to get sick, so they are canceling the event.

The initial plan was to move the event to the high school and the elementary kids would not be able to participate.

However, Tuesday evening officials announced they have decided to cancel the event entirely after school officials met with physicians and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Because chicken pox is an unusual disease in Kenya and people there aren't vaccinated for it, adults who become exposed to it could get very sick. Thus, it was decided to cancel the event as a precaution.

The Adopt-a-Marathoner Program will continue next year, officials said.

~*~

On an unrelated note - read this and if you buy into the myth that vaccines cause or contribute to autism, I hope you'll think again. I wonder if these kids at Elmwood Elementary School in Hopkinton were vaccinated...

John Hancock Sponsors Legendary Boston Marathon Team Hoyt

http://www.teamhoyt.com/hancock.shtml


John Hancock Sponsors
Legendary Boston Marathon Team Hoyt

Seeks to Spread Message of Determination throughout Year

(BOSTON, April 14, 2008) - John Hancock has added another dimension to its Marathon activities by sponsoring Team Hoyt. For over 30 years, Dick Hoyt has pushed or pulled his disabled son Rick through the finish lines of 25 Boston Marathons and nearly 1,000 athletic events.

Hancock's sponsorship will help the Hoyts spread their message of determination and motivation to others throughout the year. Beyond their athletic achievements, Dick and his son Rick, who is a quadriplegic and has cerebral palsy, work tirelessly to educate the public about the challenges disabled people face every day.

"We have a great deal of admiration for the Hoyts," said Jim Boyle, president of John Hancock's insurance group. "This is the partnership of two Boston Marathon institutions that are committed to the race and to the best of individual endurance and motivation."

Boyle added that through the agreement, John Hancock will produce a short motivational video that features the Hoyts and their work. The video will be showcased at various John Hancock internal and distribution events.

"The Hoyt's message -that "can't" is not part of their vocabulary, dovetails nicely with Hancock's 'the future is yours' messaging," said Boyle. "We're both believers in creating your own destiny - and we're glad ours are coming together."

To kick off the partnership, John Hancock has arranged for the Hoyts to throw out the first pitch at the Red Sox game on the Saturday evening prior to the race. In addition, Team Hoyt will carry the John Hancock logo on their competition attire and equipment.

"It's great to receive support from an organization as committed to Boston as Hancock," said Dick Hoyt. "Rick and I appreciate the ability to focus on doing what we do, and I think this will be great for all involved."

About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$396 billion (US$401 billion) as at December 31, 2007.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including whole life, term life, variable life, and universal life insurance, as well as college savings products, fixed and variable annuities, long-term care insurance, mutual funds and various forms of business insurance.

http://www.teamhoyt.com/

Brian Ellis Starts His Walk 4 Life Tomorrow

Brian Ellis' Walk 4 Life

"I’LL BE ON THE ROAD AT 8:00 AM TOMORROW MORNING TO BEGIN MY WALK…STARTING AT EAST POINT. "

Alex & I will be joining Brian on his walk Tuesday, April 22nd when he passes through Hunter River.

Join Brian, on his walk and/or on his blog at http://walk4life.wordpress.com/

Kidney recipient ready to walk tip to tip again

Walk4Life - another Tip-to-Tip story

Free Boston Marathon Webcast

http://www.thefinalsprint.com/2008/04/adidas-marathonguidecom-join-forces-with-wcsn-to-provide-free-boston-marathon-webcast/

adidas, MarathonGuide.com Join Forces with WCSN to

Provide Free Boston Marathon Webcast

Posted April 17th, 2008 at 9:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

World Championship Sports Network (WCSN), the premier destination of Olympic and lifestyle sports, announced today it is joining forces with adidas and MarathonGuide.com to provide a free, first-ever global webcast of the 112th Boston Marathon. Through this partnership, fans worldwide can log-on to WCSN.com to watch the live and on-demand webcast on April 21, beginning at 9:25 a.m. EST.

“We’re excited to partner with adidas and MarathonGuide.com in offering this free webcast and to help foster worldwide awareness for this major race,” said Carlos Silva, president and COO of WCSN. “Now, for the first time global road racing fans will have unprecedented coverage to see the top marathoners square off in one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events.”

On WCSN.com, running fans can also access Marathon Madness, a special editorial package that features original content, articles from road racing experts, interactive maps, results, highlights and more. Furthermore, WCSN.com will be offering special commentary from running legend and four-time Boston Marathon winner Bill Rodgers.

“adidas is proud to join WCSN.com in providing a free internet broadcast of the 112th Boston Marathon,” said Spencer Nel, head of global sports marketing for running and track and field at adidas. “As a Boston Marathon sponsor, adidas is especially pleased to help bring the oldest continuing annual marathon in the world to as many viewers as possible in every corner of the world. With its proven track record WCSN.com is the ideal partner to make that happen.”

“Since 2000, MarathonGuide.com’s mission has been to promote the sport by providing comprehensive coverage of and information about marathons and distance running. As part of that mission, we are proud to work with WCSN.com and adidas to ensure that the Boston Marathon broadcast will be available at no cost and can be enjoyed by as many marathon enthusiasts as possible,” said John Elliott, founder and president of MarathonGuide.com.

Deemed one of the world’s most prestigious and oldest annual road racing events, the Boston Marathon is the second stop on the World Marathon Majors, a marathon series offering a $1 million prize purse to be split between the leading male and female marathoners in the world.

WCSN.com is the home of the 2008 World Marathon Majors with complete coverage of the London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York City races. Marathon fans around the globe can catch the action on www.wcsn.com where they can be part of the more than 500,000 spectators anticipated to be cheering on the runners as they dash through the streets of rural Hopkinton to the beautiful Boston Back Bay finish line at Copley Square. Fans will also have access to complete live and on-demand video footage plus free access to news, race results, photo galleries, behind-the-scenes features and more.

Sports honours its elite - Sport P.E.I. banquet

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=126824&sc=99

Sports honours its elite

Jarrod Ballem named Lieutenant Governor Award recipient at Sport P.E.I. banquet

CHARLES REID
The Guardian

Gardiner MacDougall, Patrick Knox and Kristina Weatherbie all have something in common.

All were winners at Sport P.E.I.’s annual awards banquet Wednesday in Charlottetown partly because all reached their sport’s highest level in 2007, but also all have maintained the lofty perch over their careers.

The night’s big winners were open-water swimmer Jarrod Ballem, the senior male athlete and Lieutenant Governor award winners, and modern pentathlete Kara Grant, the senior female athlete winner.

Neither could attend the banquet because of 2008 Olympic Games qualifying commitments in Europe.

MacDougall, a Bedeque native, received his second straight coach of the year for leading the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds hockey team to a national collegiate title and winning a gold medal at the World University Games with an Atlantic University Sport all-star team last season.

MacDougall’s Varsity Reds have been AUS top dogs since he took over the program in 2000, but he’s quick to credit UNB’s high plateau to those around him.

“You’ve got to give a lot of credit to our dressing room and the people in it. It’s the culture. The standard in the dressing room is outstanding, our leadership is just tremendous.”

Knox, a judo and wrestling athlete who is from Cornwall but trains in Montreal, earned his second junior male athlete-of-the-year award in three years after winning a judo gold medal at the Canada Winter Games and his third national wrestling title in 2007.

For Knox, who moved up to the beefier and taller senior division this year (some opponents are eight inches taller than the five-foot, nine-inch Knox), long-term success is as much pure perseverance as not hitting the snooze button.

“Like, everyday,” said Knox. “You’ve just got to force yourself up.”

Meanwhile, Weatherbie, a Covehead native, won her first award (intercollegiate female athlete of the year) for leading the Cape Breton University female soccer team to a national championship and earning Canadian Interuniversity Sport all-Canadian athletic and academic selections.

Weatherbie graduates next month from CBU’s nursing program and is one goal away from becoming the team’s all-time scorer.

She was shocked to be singled out among the finalists, she said, all who understand the act of balancing university and athletics at a high level.

“You just keep going until your fifth year. You know there’s an end that’s going to come,” said Weatherbie, who returns to Cape Breton for a fifth season in the fall. “So I think that’s your motivation behind it, that one day you won’t be able to compete at that level.”

Charlottetown’s Alicia Wilbert also earned her second junior female award, thanks to medals at the Canada Winter Games (bronze) and the Island Games in Rhodes, Greece.

*****

Sport P.E.I. award winners for 2007:

• Masters – Paul Wright.
• Administrator – Barb Carmichael.
• Official – Joe Ryan.
• Coach – Gardiner MacDougall.
• Team – Brett Gallant curling rink.
• President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution – John Wilbert (judo).
• Premier’s Award for Sports Organization of the Year – Swim P.E.I.
• Intercollegiate Male Athlete – Darryl Boyce.
• Intercollegiate Female Athlete – Kristina Weatherbie.
• Junior Male Athlete – Patrick Knox.
• Junior Female Athlete – Alicia Wilbert.
• Senior Female Athlete – Kara Grant.
• Senior Male Athlete – Jarrod Ballem.
• Lieutenant Governor Award – Jarrod Ballem.

See also :

• Finalists become winners - Sport P.E.I. hosts 34th annual awards banquet tonight in Charlottetown
• Congratulations Paul Wright - Sport PEI/Friendly Pharmacy Masters Athlete of the Year

Finalists become winners - Sport P.E.I. hosts 34th annual awards banquet tonight in Charlottetown

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=126473&sc=99
Finalists become winners
Sport P.E.I. hosts 34th annual awards banquet tonight in Charlottetown

The Guardian

Sport P.E.I. hosts its gala night of the year as the 34th annual awards banquet takes place at the Rodd Royalty Inn in Charlottetown tonight.

Over the past number of weeks, finalists have been announced in various categories and, in addition to the awards honouring athletes, administrators, coaches, officials and teams, the prestigious Lieutenant Governor’s Award will be presented, awarded to the athlete who has been judged the most outstanding in the year 2007.

The President’s Award will also be presented, given to an individual who has made significant contributions to amateur sport over a number of years. There will also be an award from the Premier of Prince Edward Island to the sports organization of the year.

Co-hosting this year’s event are JoAnne Holden, and Roger Younker.

The evening will begin with a finalists reception at 6:30 p.m., with the awards presented after dinner, which commences at 7 p.m. Tickets for the banquet are now sold out.

The full list of finalists is:

Aliant senior male athlete of the year: Jarrod Ballem (swimming), Jared Connaughton (athletics) and Todd Gregory (table tennis).

Senior female athlete of the year: Katie Baker (field hockey), Kara Grant (modern pentathlon) and Kaitlin Richard (rugby).

A&S Scrap Metals Ltd. junior male athlete of the year: Mark Arendz (para-nordic skiing and biathlon), Matthieu D’Amour (gymnastics) and Patrick Knox (judo/wrestling).

Rodd Hotels and Resorts junior female athlete of the year: Virginia Arsenault (swimming), Hilary Hansen (tennis) and Alicia Wilbert (judo)

Friendly Pharmacy masters athlete of the year: Paul Wright (cross-country skiing).

P.E.I. Mutual official of the year: Mike Connolly (soccer), Jeff MacRae (gymnastics) and Joe Ryan (volleyball).

Island Petroleum team of the year: Brett Gallant curling rink, Tyro high performance boys’ gymnastics and Winsloe-West Royalty under-18 boys soccer.

Coach of the year: Kathie Gallant (curling), Wally Morrison (soccer) and Gardiner MacDougall (hockey).

Amalgamated Dairies Ltd. administrator of the year: Mark Bowlan (cycling), Barb Carmichael (field hockey) and Jamie Mutch (roadrunners).

PaperFlow intercollegiate male athlete of the year: Darryl Boyce (hockey), Jared Connaughton (athletics) and Doug McKinney (basketball).

PaperFlow intercollegiate female athlete of the year: Angela Drane (golf), Kaitlin Richard (rugby) and Kristina Weatherbie (soccer).

PEI's Boston Marathon Runners

16 of PEI's finest runners modeled their Prince Edward Island Boston Marathon T-shirts prior to the Colonel Gray/McDonalds Run for SADD Saturday Morning.

Twenty runners in total will be in Boston from PEI (Mike "Rocketman" Meacher, although registered, has not been able to train due to an ankle injury and will not be running Boston this year).

More on who is running from PEI here.

More on where & how you can watch here.

More group photos here.

Boston Marathon Website

Best Luck All!
Safe travels
and remember to have Fun!

Kidney recipient ready to walk tip to tip again

http://www.journalpioneer.com/index.cfm?sid=125310&sc=118
Kidney recipient ready to walk tip to tip again

Kidney recipient Brian Ellis and his wife, Deborah,
are preparing for his third walk across the province in
support of organ donations. Jim Brown/Journal Pioneer

JIM BROWN
The Journal Pioneer

SUMMERSIDE — Summerside kidney recipient Brian Ellis is preparing to hit the road again.

Ellis, 47, was a former dialysis patient whose life was transformed through the gift of a kidney.

He plans to show his appreciation to those who helped him along the way and to raise awareness about the need for signing the organ donor section of drivers’ licences.

“We also want people who sign the forms to talk to family members, make sure they know their intentions,” he said.

Ellis plans to walk a route he knows well, from East Point to North Cape, a distance he estimates at approximately 308 kilometres.

His campaign will begin April 18 at 8 a.m. His ETA for North Cape is April 27.

“We hope to get transplant recipients and donors involved. Anyone who wants to walk is welcome to join me,” said the Arnett Avenue man, whose wife, Deborah Snow, will accompany him by car.

This will be Ellis’s third effort, with the first walk when he was still on dialysis and in frail health.

Ellis received his gift of life at Halifax’s QEII Health Sciences Centre on Aug. 13, 2006.

“I can walk, I can swim, I can do anything a normal person with two kidneys can do. I’m one of the lucky ones. It was a big gift, the best gift I ever received,” said Ellis.

Last year’s walk raised approximately $6,000 for kidney awareness and patient services.

Ellis is timing his walk to promote National Organ and Tissue Donation Week, running the last full week in April.

~*~

Last year, Alex & I joined Brian for a few Kms west of Hunter River and I hope we can do the same this year.

Brian kept a blog last year, Walk 4 Life, and will be blogging this year's walk as well.

If you see Brian out there on the road, between April 18th & 27th,
please give him your moral or monetary support.
A honk & a wave can go a long way and every dollar counts.

From Brian:

HELLO MY FELLOW FOLLOWERS;

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR … I’LL BE ON THE ROAD AGAIN … STARTING BRIGHT ‘N’ EARLY APRIL 18TH AT EAST POINT. THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS … LOOKS LIKE IT’S GONNA BE ANOTHER EXCITING WEEK… AND IT’S ALL FOR ORGAN AND TISSUE DONOR AWARENESS.

LISTON TO K-ROCK AND OCEAN FOR UP TO DATE DETAILS ON WHERE I’LL BE ALONG MY JOURNEY.

102.1 SPUD FM WILL ALSO BE TUNED IN.

I WILL ALSO KEEP MY BLOG UP TO DATE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT MY PROGRESS FIRST HAND.

I AM EXCITED, ONCE AGAIN, TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION. YES … I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE DEVISTATING WAIT FOR MY PRECIOUS GIFT. ON THE OTHER HAND … BECAUSE OF MY DONOR AND MY DONOR FAMILY … I HAVE ALSO BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO EXPERIENCE THE PURE ELATION OF JOY AND GRATITUDE WHEN SOMEONE COMES THROUGH AND HONORS THEIR LOVED ONES WISHES TO GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE TO A STRANGER. I HAVE BEEN BLESSED AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE WAITING LIKE I DID … EVEN LONGER THEN I DID. PLEASE TELL YOUR FAMILY OF YOUR WISHES TO GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE.

… PLEASE WALK WITH ME … IF NOT PHYSICALLY … BE WITH ME IN MIND AND SPIRIT. PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK-YOU MY FREINDS

Donations to be received at Scotiabank locations across PEI

Records fall as Kenya's Lel wins London marathon

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/198570,records-fall-as-kenyas-lel-wins-london-marathon.html

Records fall as Kenya's Lel wins London marathon

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:50:02 GMT

London - Martin Lel of Kenya set a new course record at the London Marathon Sunday to defend his title and win the race for the third time in four years.

Lel posted 2 hours 5 minutes and 15 seconds to beat fellow Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru (2:05:24) in a sprint finish, with Morocco's Abderrahim Goumri third in 2:05:30.

Lel at one point seemed to be on course to beat the world record time of 2:04:26 set by Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie in Berlin, but the leading group slowed in the closing stages.

However, the 29-year-old Lel was able to better the previous London best of 2:05.38 set by Khalid Khannounchi of the United States in 2002.









Germany's Irina Mikitenko meanwhile took the women's race on her London debut and in only her second marathon, setting a national record time of 2:24:14.

The 36-year-old Kazakhstan-born athlete beat Russia's Svetlana Zakharova (2:24:39) into second place, while Ethiopia's Gete Wami, the pre-race favourite, came in third in 2:25:37 despite a fall at a feeding station just before 30 kilometres.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1035458.ece

By Sun Staff reporter

Published: Today

THOUSANDS of London Marathon runners were diverted following a suspected gas leak.

The race switched from one carriageway of the road to the other for about 200 metres on The Highway, near Tower Bridge.

The change added two meters to the race route.

A race organiser said: “There was a diversion at 13 miles due to a gas leak. We have been assured that this gas leak will not affect our runners in any way.”

Some 35,000 runners are pounding the streets today, hoping to make it across the finish line.

The 26-mile course runs from Greenwich and Blackheath in south east London to Buckingham Palace.

Among them is a man in a giant robot outfit, a 101-year old van cleaner and six Maasai warriors.

And their efforts are being aided by the weather, which last year turned temperatures up to record levels. Forecasters say it should be fine and warm, with showers more likely the longer people take to get round.

The 26-mile, 385-yard course runs from Greenwich and Blackheath in south east London to Buckingham Palace via Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf.

Three-times winner and world marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe has been forced to withdraw because of a toe injury.

The men’s race is likely to be dominated by Kenyan runners. Many are backing defending champion Martin Lel or 2006 champion Felix Limo.

The event is crucially important for charities. Organisers say it is the largest single fundraising event in the world.

The race, sponsored by Flora, began with staggered starts from 9am.

The professional athletes start in Blackheath while the main bulk of the runners leave from Greenwich Park.

Among the runners is blind athlete Dave Heeley, who yesterday completed his sixth marathon in six days.

The father-of-three from West Bromwich will become the first blind athlete - and only the third runner - to complete seven marathons in seven days across seven continents if he finishes the race.

Also hoping to break a record is Buster Martin, a 101-year-old van cleaner from London. He hopes to become the oldest competitive marathon runner when he crosses the line.

Six Maasai warriors will also run the marathon to raise money for a well in their Tanzanian village.

They will sing and dance around the route wearing traditional dress and protecting their feet with strips of rubber from old tyres.

Marathon veteran Lloyd Scott, 46, from Rainham, Essex, will run inside a nine-feet tall robot costume.

In 2002 the leukaemia survivor wore a deep-sea diving suit which weighed 130lb and completed the course in five days, eight hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds.

In 2006, he took just over eight days to finish the race, wearing a suit of armour and pulling a 200lb dragon.

Among the celebrity runners are chefs Gordon Ramsay and Michel Roux and Liberal Democrat mayoral hopeful Brian Paddick.

Ex-Olympic rower James Cracknell and TV presenter Ben Fogle, are using the marathon as a training run for their 400-mile race to the South Pole in November.

Big Brother 2002 winner Kate Lawler is running for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust wearing skimpy underwear designed by Ann Summers, the lingerie firm which she promotes.

Rebecca and Mike Tomlinson, the daughter and husband of multiple marathon runner Jane Tomlinson, are running together.

Jane, from Yorkshire, died in September after a seven-year battle with cancer during which she performed astonishing feats of endurance and raised millions for charity.

Both Rebecca, 20, and Mike, 46, are running for Jane’s Appeal, the charity which she set up.

And the winners were:

Favourite Martin Lel from Kenya won the men's race, nine seconds ahead of his countryman Samuel Wanjiru with Abderrahim Goumri from Morocco in third.

The highest finishing Brit in the men’s race was Dan Robinson who came 13th in what was believed to be Beijing Olympic qualifying time.

British athlete Liz Yelling finished ninth in two hours 28 minutes and 33 seconds, four minutes behind the winner Irina Mikitenao, who had led for much of the race, and beat Svetlana Zakharova into second place.

British wheelchair athlete Shaho Qadir drew huge applause from the crowd when he got out of his wheelchair a few metres short of the line pushed it across, and then pulled himself over the finish on his hands.

The men’s wheelchair race was won by Brit Davie Wear and the women’s wheelchair race by Sandra Graf from Switzerland.

More News stories here From The Flora London Marathon

BBC Photos

Trail blazers - Two Summerside men embrace the challenge of the Appalachian Trail

http://www.journalpioneer.com/index.cfm?sid=125611&sc=118

Trail blazers
Two Summerside men embrace the challenge of the Appalachian Trail

Alan MacKenzie, left, and Linus Gillis
at the start of their Appalachian Trail odyssey.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

SUMMERSIDE
JIM BROWN
The Journal Pioneer

Faye Gillis doesn't expect to see her husband until late August or early September. Linus Gillis, 59, is hiking the famed Appalachian Trail, which winds 2,175 miles across 14 American states and through mountains and other rugged terrain.

He left March 31, accompanied by fellow hiker and Summerside resident Al MacKenzie. The two started in Springer Mountain, Georgia and are working their way to Maine's Mount Katahdin.

"He calls when he can," said Faye. His last call was Wednesday evening.

"We've got a map at home, and each time he calls I mark the map and that way I can keep track of his progress."

Gillis and MacKenzie aren't carrying a cell phone and have to make calls from communities along the route.

One of Faye's biggest fears is the wildlife they could encounter - notably bears and snakes.

"The main thing is avoiding injuries," she said.

Faye isn't entirely cut off from Linus. There are places along the trail, including little country stores, where mail can be forwarded from family and friends.

He's sending back socks and other gear because it weighed down his packsack.

"That's what happens, walkers drop stuff as they go along," said Faye, who is preparing to pack a pair of sneakers for Linus in time for warming weather.

Gillis and MacKenzie are treading a well-worn path. Thousands of hikers test their mettle every year on the Appalachian Trail. MacKenzie's daughter conquered the trail with her husband in 2001.

Gillis and MacKenzie aren't novices. They recently travelled from one tip of P.E.I. to the other.

They spend most nights sleeping on the trail in a small tent.

"They take with them only what they can carry on their backs. They've got a little tiny stove and noodle packages and coffee, porridge, chocolate bars, wafers, anything that is light," said Faye.

That meager diet will likely be supplemented along the way, thanks to a little "trail magic."

People who live near the trail often leave bottles of water and soft drinks on the trail, as well as snacks.

"Some churches have basements you can go to during the day to clean up and rest. "And if you are at the right place at the right time you'll get a free barbecue," said Faye.

There are no plaques, certificates or other honours for completing the journey, just "the satisfaction of knowing they've done it, they've fulfilled their dream," she said.

---

Happy Trails to you

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a public footpath that follows more than 2,100 miles of Appalachian Mountain ridgelines between Maine and Georgia. It takes five million adult footsteps to hike the entire trail.
The Appalachian Trail stretches through 14 eastern states.
Approximately four million visitors hike a section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail each year.
Volunteers monitor and maintain the Trail and its shelters and help with operations at headquarters. There are thirty volunteer trail-maintaining clubs associated with the Appalachian Trail.
The trail is marked with two inch by six-inch vertical white paint blazes. A double blaze, one above the other, is placed before turns, junctions, or other areas that require hikers to be alert. There are approximately 165,000 blazes along the Appalachian Trail.
Conceived in 1921 and first completed in 1937, it traverses the wild, scenic, wooded, pastoral, and culturally significant lands of the Appalachian Mountains.

Colonel Gray/McDonald's Run for SADD

It was mix of sun and cloud and 3 degrees.

The 10km race on new date from May.

The course on flat and hills starting of Colonel Gray and finishing at McDonalds.

The towels instead of T-shirt for runners.

It the 5th time of running the SADD race.

The new #25 bib wore first at run.

I still sick with cold but finish was ok.

Stephen Baglole for top male and Jackie Chaisson for top female.

Scott Steward won the 5km race and Kelly McCosham for top female.

I ate ice cream afterward at McDonalds.

Official Result: 29th out of 80
10Km in 47 minutes 17 seconds

More Photos (ours)
More Photos (Deborah's)
More Photos (Pam's)

2007 SADD Run
2006 SADD Run
2005 SADD Run
2004 SADD Run

Running For Autism

Not Against It
acceptance not cure

Captain Adwin Gallant at the Sand Marathon in Morocco

Just caught the end of a story on Island Morning (CBC Radio) this morning, that I assume was also on Mainstreet as it was Matt Rainnie doing the interview. Matt talked to Captain Adwin Gallant, formerly of Souris, who completed the 240Km Sand Marathon (Marathon des Sables) near Ouarzazate in Morocco.

The race includes a full marathon on one day, and a 50-mile stage, as well as others of varying length and terrain. Competitors must carry all their equipment on their backs. Only a carefully rationed nine litres of water and open-sided local tents are provided daily by the organizers.

A few facts from their website:

The route for 2008 is 245.3 Km long, making it the longest ever in the history of the MARATHON DES SABLES.
The race will be challenging from day one - and continue that way - offering all the variety of the Sahara. The course will take runners over ergs (dune zones), seriously steep jebels (up to 25% slope factor) and rocky plateaus. They’ll have to cross hard as iron salt-flats and the driest of wadis. The backdrop to all of this is the most beautiful of landscapes with vistas accessible only to those on foot. The desert has its secret gardens and competitors on MDS will be lucky enough

In its 22-year history since it was set up in 1986, the Marathon des Sables has brought together near-on 10,000 competitors in the south Moroccan Sahara.
Whether running individually or in teams, competitors are self-sufficient in food and must carry all their own equipment (food and compulsory kit) during the entire race.
Marathon runners and trail runners worldwide consider the race to be the “Grail” of footraces. It’s one of the most difficult in the world: around 230km, freestyle, run in 6 stages varying from 20 to 70km, taking in all the different terrain in this particularly beautiful part of Morocco.
With average speeds going from a minimum of 3 Km/h to maximum 14 Km/h, the Marathon des Sables is an extraordinary course, characterised by its spirit of conviviality and solidarity.
For this 23rd edition, organised by AOI under the aegis of the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism, around 850 competitors will be setting off to conquer the Moroccan sands on March 30th. 30% are French, the other 70% made up of more than 32 nationalities, with a strong Anglo-Saxon presence

Sportsmanship, solidarity, conviviality and respect for the environment: these are the organisation’s key words.

1986, the 1st MARATHON DES SABLES welcomes 23 competitors
2008, 850 competitors are expected

Here's how Captain Gallant did:

I found the following article on Captain Gallant and his fellow officer, Capt Meagan McGrath, who also went the distance at the Sand Marathon. Captain McGrath placed 287. :

http://www.mdn.ca/site/Community/MapleLeaf/article_e.asp?id=3981

Please don’t forget to pack your sunscreen

Two CF members to cross the Sahara in 2008

by Steve Fortin

Some will tell you that Canadians are used to extreme weather conditions. From the suffocating heat of a Montréal summer to the Siberian cold of the Prairies—a temperature range of over 80°C—Canadians have seen it all, right? So you could say that living in Canada is good preparation for the two CF members getting ready to confront the harsh climate of the Moroccan desert.

Captain Adwin Gallant and Capt Meagan McGrath, both from Ottawa, are currently preparing for the Sand Marathon, to be held in Morocco from March 28 to April 7, 2008. It’s a seven-day endurance race during which some 700 participants will be running more than 240 kilometres in one of the most inhospitable climates on the planet.

You might wonder why anyone would even want to attempt such a thing. The two CF members say it’s the physical and psychological challenge of the race that motivates them. Capt McGrath, who recently scaled Mount Everest, thrives on this type of adventure. When she told her colleague and friend, Capt Gallant, another outdoor enthusiast, she wanted to run this marathon, he jumped at the chance of joining her. So started the long process of making this adventure possible.

The two adventurers divided up the work that needed to be done to co-ordinate the event preparation. Capt Gallant put together a sponsor solicitation kit explaining in detail what the Sand Marathon is and the costs and benefits for any sponsor associated with the event. His work paid off handsomely: not only, did he raise funds, he assembled the outdoor and sports equipment they needed to tackle this long journey across the Sahara Desert. “This project is very important to us, and we are preparing for it entirely outside of our military duties. This means balancing the investment of time and financial resources with our respective job demands,” explains Capt Gallant, an aerospace engineer with the military helicopter project office. After more than 27 years in the CF, Capt Gallant, who is getting ready to retire, says, “It’s the right time for me to take on this challenge; I have to do it while my health and physical condition permit.”

Nothing is being left to chance. The two adventurers have planned all the equipment needed right down to the smallest detail— everything from a suction pump to extract snake venom, to a water purification kit, sunscreen, compass, food and an iPod, all packed in a backpack, which should ideally not weigh more than nine kilos. As for food, though the organizers require that each participant consume at least 2 000 calories a day or 12 000 calories for the entire marathon, the two Canadians are planning to up their caloric intake slightly. Most of the meals are freeze-dried to reduce the weight, but they’ll also be carrying nuts, dried fruit, power bars and chocolate. Participants also consume, on average six to seven litres of water a day, which is provided to the runners at the various relay points at each stage of the event.

Logistical preparation might be crucial, but so is the physical training. Marathon runners talk about “getting kilometres under their feet”, an expression which indicates how important it is to accumulate long hours of walking and running, and unfortunately, there’s no substitute. Capt McGrath is taking advantage of the fact her home lies 20-some kilometres from her workplace. “For me, it’s an opportunity to get in those precious hours of walking and running, and get my body used to the long days we can expect in Morocco. It’s also the best way to avoid injuries and blisters that can cut our adventure short,” she explained, who is an experimentation planner with the Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre.

It’s a good thing that the two CF members are outdoor enthusiasts, because there is nothing cushy about the down time either. The temporary bivouacs provided by Sand Marathon organizers are far from the five-star category: a mat on the ground and an ultra-light sleeping bag is as good as it gets. You have to develop extraordinary recovery abilities in order to make it through the tough days in the desert, and this is exactly what Capt Gallant and Capt McGrath intend to do.

Run For It raises funds for Hemophelia Society

In 2 weeks, on April 19th, Alex will be running in the brand new "Run For It" run in support of The PEI chapter of The Canadian Hemophilia Society.

I communicated earlier with race organizer JoAnn Craig who shared this with me:

Some may have heard of Hemophilia, or VonWillebrands disease, both of which are inherited bleeding disorders and both lack a certain "glue" in the blood that prevents it from clotting.. I will speak of Hemophilia as I am a wife and mother of 2 severe hemophiliacs. My husband is from the days of whole blood treatment when bleeds were left go for days causing excruciating pain, and consequently the deterioration of joint bones. He and many hemophiliacs of his era who are still alive today, suffer from arthritis in these joints and often have mobility problems. My daughter fortunately has better treatment, and gets treated often before a bleeding episode gets out of hand, though she has endured her fair share of troubles. Factor 8 replacement is given twice weekly as a preventative measure, and more often in the event of a bleed. ( Hemophilia mainly affects boys, so she is literally one in a billion.) Hopefully this method will prevent arthritis later in life for her and other young "bleeders"! As the mom and wife of 2 hemophiliacs, I often am at a loss of how to help my own family, much less others in the same situation, so as the PEI chapter president I just thought I'd apply the running I do for my own health to an event to raise money for our chapter, and run for the members that cannot do so due to their health condition.

Saturday, April 19, 2008
Run for It
Distance: varied ... up to 13K
Starting Time: 10:00 a.m.
Registration: 9:00 a.m. at ... TBA
By donation
Fund Raiser: PEI Chapter of the Canadian Hemophilia Society
Course Description: Starting at Joe Ghiz Park, Confed. Trail to Lwr. Malpeque Rd, around to Melody Lane, back to Stockman Dr. gives you 13K.
Contact: JoAnn Craig - Pres. - 892-0590, cjcraig1@pei.sympatico.ca

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/news/story?id=3332232&campaign=rss&source=OLYHeadlines

Sri Lanka coach, former Olympic marathon runner killed in suicide attack

Updated: April 6, 2008

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- A suicide bomber attacked the opening ceremony of a marathon outside Sri Lanka's capital Sunday, and among the dozen killed were a government minister, a 1992 Olympic runner and a national track coach, authorities said. More than 90 were wounded.

Officials blamed the bombing, the second this year resulting in the death of a senior government official, on Tamil Tiger rebels.

The dead included Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, the minister of highways; Olympic marathoner K.A. Karunaratne; and coach Lakshman de Alwis, the government said.

Karunaratne also competed in the 1993 world championships. He won the gold medal in the marathon and 10,000 meters at the 1991 South Asian Games, successfully defending his marathon title in 1993.

Runners and onlookers gathered at the starting line of the marathon in Weliweriya, 12 miles from Colombo, part of the national celebration of the upcoming Sinhalese New Year. Fernandopulle approached the starting line with a flag he planned to wave to start the race when the bomb exploded, witnesses said.

"There was a sound of huge explosion and I saw a fireball," said Nishan Priyantha, a local journalist who stood a few yards from the blast but escaped unhurt.

Television footage showed chaotic images of screaming people running through the bloodied streets.

Fernandopulle, the government's chief political enforcer and considered a top rebel target, died on the spot, said government spokesman Lakshman Hulugalle, blaming the rebels. Fernandopulle was the fourth Sri Lankan lawmaker killed this year.

"I saw the minister's body. It had been torn into pieces below the waist and there were other bodies without heads and legs," Priyantha said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa condemned the attack as an act of savagery and vowed to push ahead with the war on the rebels.

"This dastardly act will not weaken our resolve to eradicate terrorism from our midst, and bring peace, harmony and democracy to all our people," he said in a statement.

Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan did not answer calls seeking comment. The Tamil Tigers, listed as a terror group by the United States and European Union, routinely deny responsibility for such attacks.

Fighting in Sri Lanka has increased in recent months since the government officially ended a six-year cease-fire in January. The truce had been faltering for more than two years as escalating violence killed about 5,000 people.

The military has promised to crush the rebels by the end of the year, but diplomats and other observers say the army is facing more resistance than it expected.

The Tamil Tigers have fought since 1983 for an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils, marginalized for decades by successive governments run by majority ethnic Sinhalese. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Full Coverage: http://www.newstin.co.uk/sim/uk/51498030/en-010-001710000

http://www.iaaf.org/aboutiaaf/news/newsid=44347.html

IAAF condemns bombingof marathon in Sri Lanka

The IAAF is saddened to receive the tragic news of the bomb blast today at the start of a marathon in Sri Lanka which among others killed a government minister, a former Olympian and a national coach.

On Sunday morning (6 April), scores of runners and onlookers gathered at the starting line of the marathon in Weliweriya, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the capital Colombo, as part of the national celebrations of the upcoming Sinhalese New Year.

Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, the Minister of Highways, approached the starting line with a flag he planned to wave to start the race when the bomb exploded.

The Minister died on the spot, along with 13 others including former Olympic marathoner K.A. Karunaratne and national athletics coach Lakshman de Alwis, in total more than 90 were wounded.

Karunaratne competed in the 1992 Olympic marathon and the 1993 World Championships. He won gold in the marathon and 10,000 metres at the 1991 South Asian Games, defending his marathon title in 1993.

IAAF President Lamine Diack condemned the attack:

“The IAAF utterly condemns this outrage. To target those innocently involved in a sporting event is reprehensible. Our thoughts and prayers go to the bereaved families.”

IAAF

Congratulations Paul Wright - Sport PEI/Friendly Pharmacy Masters Athlete of the Year

http://www.sportpei.pe.ca/news_main.php?id=94

News

2008-03-11
Friendly Pharmacy Masters Athlete of the Year

Paul Wright of Lower Bedeque has been selected as the winner of the Friendly Pharmacy Masters Athlete of the Year. Wright, a cross-country skier will become the fourth winner of the award.

He is one of the finest distance runners in Island history with six PEI Marathon wins to his credit. Wright has been competing in cross-country skiing for many year and has been a regular racer at many World Masters competitions.

In February, at the Canadian Masters in Rossland, BC, Wright won bronze in the 10 K race in his age category, having finished 4th in the 20 K a couple of days previously. Ten days later he finished in a very credible 44th out of 325 participants at the Keskinada Loppet 53 K Classic in Gatineau, Quebec, an international race that draws skiers from across the globe. His position was also good enought for bronze in the male 50-54 category.

In addition, Wright was the overall winner in the 30 K Classic at the Atlantic Marathon in Kouchibougac, NB.

A former winner of the Sport PEI All-Aournd Athlete of the Year on two previous occasions, Paul Wright was unanimous choice for the Friendly Pharmacy Masters Athlete of the Year for 2007.

~*~

Congratulations Paul!

Paul is a PEI RoadRunner and race director of the Dunk River Run (and, in the past, The Spring Tune-Up).

The Bunny Hop

The Dairy Queen/Source for Sports Bunny Hop

It was cloudy and 2 degrees and little rain before after the race.

The loop course on Queen Street, Kirkwood, North River Road, Trans Canada Highway, Beach Grove and back to the start.

Stan won the race in 33:20 and Linda MacIsaac-Gallant for top female in 42:14.

Pam Power-McKenna ran the first 10km in a long time from injury and I passed her in last mile.

I getting a cold.

Mom did at registration and finish line times.


Finish in 46:52 and came in 45th out of 137 runners.



I ate ice cream afterwards at DQ.

Official Result: 45th out of 137
10K in 46 minutes, 52 seconds

2007 Bunny Hop
2006 Bunny Hop
2005 Bunny Hop

More Photos (by Deborah Mutch)

Running For Autism
Not Against It
acceptance not cure

We are Kathleen too

The iRunman blog that Alex and I used to document The Autistic Celebration Run as well as The Autistic Adult Picture Project, a page I host and co-manage with oddizms, are both named in the subpoena that was served to Kathleen Seidel by Mr. Clifford Shoemaker.

Any words I would use to describe this situation are not words I would print publicly on this blog (in fact I'm still quite speechless). Others are saying it for me, please see these links and the many links listed there:

• Clifford Shoemaker, What a Dick, Plus Other Views
• Kathleen Seidel Has Received a Sub-Poena: Streisand, Spartacus, Shoemaker, They Start with S and End the Same Way
• Neurodiversity Blogger Unfairly Subpoenaed
• Kathleen Seidel Slapped With Unconstitutional, Illegal, Barred by the Journalist’s Privilege, and Needlessly Invasive Subpoena (with an extensive list of links to blogs covering this issue)

We are with you Kathleen, we are Kathleen.

UPDATE:
What a Web of actional links we can weave - Nashua Telegraph Published: April 9, 2008
Cyber-Slapp - Wall Street Journal

Running FOR Autism, not AGAINST it. Why we don't support Run The Dream

So, there's this guy..... who wants to run across Canada... (Okay, as the mother of a guy who wanted to run across his Province, I can relate...) So, he goes looking for a "cause" to raise awareness about and funds for, while he runs. His research brings him to Autism (or, more precisely, ASD - "Autism Spectrum Disorders"). Again, I can relate. Our Autism Celebration Run was about fulfilling Alex's dream to run across Prince Edward Island, to raise awareness about Autism (ASD) and to raise funds to benefit our Island's autistics .

The similarities between Alex's "Autistic Celebration Run" and Jonathon Howard's "Run The Dream" Run appear to end there. Alex ran FOR Autism, Mr. Howard is running AGAINST Autism.

Mr. Howard, while admitting his life is untouched by autism, is out to inform "Canadians who have been spared the burden of dealing with Autism" that autistics are a "burden for the rest of their lives" to our parents, family members, teachers and social support groups. He wants to "promote a unified and effective approach in Canada to dealing with Autism, and ultimately preventing it or finding a cure."

It appears obvious from those sentiments that when he decided to pick autism as his cause he decided not to talk to autistics about it. In fact, my email to him, CC'd to every one of his Team members, has gone unanswered. Meanwhile, two different Provincial Autism Societies have cooperated to get a message to Alex asking if he's like to join Mr. Howard on his run when he's on PEI.

"Why would Alex support anyone who considers him to be a "burden" and have a wish to prevent people like him, his brother and his mother from existing?" I asked. Again, no reply.

Despite its claim that "We promote public understanding and acceptance of people with Autism", my Provincial Autism Society is supporting Mr. Howard and is planning a "Meet & Greet" for him. Yes, the PEI Autism Society donated $500. to The Autistic Celebration Run. We've thanked them before and I thank them again. As well as directly benefiting from Dennis Debbaudt's Autism Safety Training Seminar , the parents who make up the PEI Autism Society can take comfort in the fact that PEI's Law Enforcement Agencies, First Responders, Medical & School personnel and Early Childhood Educators were also trained in Autism Safety, Recognition & Response . This education remains ongoing in Police Departments, at the Police Academy, The Firefighter Training Academy and Holland College Paramedic courses etc, etc. The only meeting & greeting that happened with PEI Autism Society Executive was not during Alex's 14 day run, despite numerous invitations, but occurred, informally, when members of the Executive Board and others attended the free Autism Safety Training Seminar we presented with Dennis Debbaudt. We did meet a couple of people from the autism community who had read about us during the Run but contrast that to the outstanding support we got, monetarily & morally, from the Running community.

As well as the three free Safety Training Seminars, resources, in the form of training videos, picture communication cards and autism wallet cards were put in the hands, vehicles, detachments and trainers of PEI's Law Enforcement & First Responders. Every school age autistic child on PEI was given a wallet card as well.

Thanks to PEI's media - CBC Radio & TV, The Western Graphic , The Journal Pioneer, The Guardian and The Eastern Graphic (a number of times), good, positive, awareness about autism was spread across PEI.

Our message and purpose was discussed, throughout the entire planning stage, with a good number of autistic individuals. We also talked to parents and family members. Our message of highlighting ability, while recognizing disability, of demonstrating potential, and discussing appropriate supports, services & education, was supported by the autistic population.

Mr. Howard's message, that we are a lifelong burden and should ultimately be cured and prevented from being, while it may be shared by some big parent & professional run Autism Organizations, is not supported by Alex & I nor by any autistic individuals we know. This kind of social stigmatizing will do none of us any good. As well, his contention that autistics are a burden is simply not true.

If there is a single member of The PEI RoadRunners Club who believes Alex is a burden, please seek me out at the next run you're at and tell me that. I genuinely want to try to understand your reasoning. And, if you believe we are all such a burden, explain why your Club's executive saw fit to honour Alex with an award for Inspiring fellow members and me with an award, acknowledging my helpful, voluntary, contributions. If you honestly believe that people like Alex & I should be prevented from being, please inform and enlighten me. That is absolutely not the impression the PEI RoadRunner's membership has given me these past 4 years.

If you feel a need to support someone running for autism, and you want to keep the funds on PEI and benefits autistics, The Runman Fund is still open. (If you want to fund an autistic-friendly National or International organization, ask me, I can recommend a few). Write a cheque to "The Runman Fund" and take or send it to The PEI Council of the Disabled. I promise you it will be put to good use. Although every Police vehicle and Ambulance has a picture communication card, our extra funds ran out after supplying only one of every three Fire Department vehicles. We would very much like to supply the other 2/3 as well as the schools and medical personnel who have requested them. Still, what we accomplished was well beyond what we had hoped to. Alex fulfilled his dream of running across PEI, we raised awareness, our message was heard far beyond just PEI and inspired others, we brought Dennis Debbaudt to PEI and presented 3 free Autism Safety, Recognition & Response Training Seminars and had money left over to put resources in the hands of the people who should have them.

We do not support Mr. Howard's "Run The Dream". Why would Alex support anyone who considers him to be a "burden" and have a wish to prevent people like him, his brother and his mother from existing? Would you support someone who felt that way about you? As much as I wanted to like and support this guy who wants to run across Canada in the name of autism, I cannot support his harmful message.

If you ever ran behind Alex prior to August 2006, you might have read the message on the back of his T-Shirt, it's the same message that's on the bottom of every race post he blogs -

If you didn't understand his meaning before, I hope you do now.

I also hope you care enough to listen to autistics speak about autism.

As a postscript, yesterday Karen McCarron was sentenced to serve 36 years in prison for murdering her autistic daughter Katie. What was the message Karen McCarron got that caused her to so want a life without autism that three year old Katie paid the ultimate price? Mike McCarron, Katie McCarron's grandfather, felt abandoned, offended and betrayed by "advocates" parading their "horror stories" about autism. Paul McCarron, Katie's father had a message of his own upon hearing the guilty verdict -

"I ask all parents especially those of children with disabilities to ALWAYS
love your children and be proud of them.
Cherish every moment you have with them.
Love, patience and tender efforts are the best therapies."

That is a message worth sharing.

~*~

Today is the United Nations declared World Autism Day.
Some things done in the name of Autism Awareness can, in fact, be quite harmful to autistics. Listen to the message. Do you actually believe it? Does it help autistic people? Would you repeat that message to our face?
Would you want it said about yourself and/or your loved ones?
Be aware.

Some comments from the Autistic/Autism Community:

• Autism Awareness Month Link of the Day: Tokenism
• Runman: Running FOR Autism, not AGAINST it
• "Why we don't support Run the Dream"
• Running FOR Autism, not AGAINST it.