Off and running

Date: February 9th, 2006

Author: By CHAD LUCAS Sports Reporter

The organizers of the Blue Nose International Marathon decided to hold the official launch for this year's third annual race outdoors on Wednesday a risky move in February, especially given the race's track record with Mother Nature.

"I think this is the first Blue Nose event where it wasn't raining," joked race co-chairman Gerry Walsh as he kicked off a press conference at Grand Parade in sub-zero but sunny weather.

"We're guaranteeing better weather this year than last year," he added later.

Last year, as participants no doubt recall, the Victoria Day weekend race took place in gusting winds and a heavy downpour.

But that didn't stop more than 5,000 runners from taking part, and Walsh is hoping to see that number grow for this year's events on May 19-21.

"We're hoping for 7,000 runners this year," he said. "Given our growth rate, we're hopeful we can attain that."

Organizers have always billed the event as "the people's marathon," and they've added a few features this year to encourage more people to get involved.

One is the Running Buddy, a preparation guide available to the first 4,000 people who sign up for any of the race's events. The booklet includes a training log, tips on stretching, eating and avoiding injuries, and a discount card good at some local running-related outlets.

"It's really designed to provide support to people," said Walsh.

He also introduced Team Myles, a group of race participants who'll be posting their thoughts and tracking their progress on the event's website, www.bluenosemarathon.com, as a way to inspire others.

One team member is Korinne MacLellan, a self-professed "couch potato" who's taking part in the marathon weekend for the first time, organizing her office's entry for the 10-person team relay.

"I decided it was time for a change," said MacLellan, adding that being part of Team Myles will make her stick to her guns. "Essentially this means I can't throw in the towel. There's too many people watching."

Walsh said the idea behind Team Myles is to show people that anyone can take part in the race weekend, whether in the full marathon, the half-marathon, the team relay, the 10-kilometre run or the 5-km walk or run.

"The Bluenose is all about healthy, active living," he said. "It's not a race for world-class elite runners. It will always be ordinary, everyday people running."

Students at Burton Ettinger School in Halifax are already gearing up for the youth run, which has been the most populous of the Blue Nose events so far. Like many other schools, the kids in Burton Ettinger's running club will complete a "virtual marathon," running 38 kilometres in segments before finishing their journey with the 4.2-km youth run.

"It's a good program. The kids love it," said Barry Sutherland, the physical education teacher at Burton Ettinger. He had 10 of his students on hand for the press conference on Wednesday, sporting matching blue tuques.

The students finished off Wednesday's event with a lap around Grand Parade that quickly turned into an all-out sprint. Sutherland noted that kids don't have any problem gearing up for something like the marathon.

"It naturally occurs in children, but adults rediscover that (enthusiasm) through exercise, and the Blue Nose is one way of doing it," he said.

(clucas@herald.ca)