Running Lessons

Much more than a race. 

Every November, for 3 years now, my daughters and I have participated in the Heather Saaltink Memorial Run in Long Sault, Ontario. I am an active member of the Cornwall Multisport Club and run on a weekly basis. Running is a big part of my life and something I consider important to my health and mental well-being. It’s something I want my daughters to take up as they grow up.

The run is held in memory of Heather Saaltink, a young women who enjoyed running as well, but whose life was taken too early by a drunk driver. I never met Heather and only know the family a little, but still, this event is very special for my girls and I. I use this run to ensure my daughters understand the important values of life a little bit more.

Each of the past 3 years I have chosen not to run the event myself, but rather to support my daughters in their quest to complete the 2 kilometer run on their own.

For the record, the first year, my youngest daughter (who was 4) ‘ran’ the entire race by sitting on my shoulders and encouraging me like a horse, then got down and sprinted to the finish.

On the way to the race we discuss the importance of raising money for charity, of the value of awareness, of what drunk driving is, of why we run in Heather’s memory and other important life lessons. It’s not often that sport makes such a powerful connection with young people and I couldn’t think of a better way to open a dialogue about such important issues.

It’s not easy either. 2 kilometers for an average runner might not sound like a lot — but for my little girls, it might as well be a marathon. They have little legs, little lungs and it’s usually freezing cold outside. What they do have is the determination to finish the race on their own and to do their very best.

My daughters tend to summon the spirit of Terry Fox when they approach this race. It’s wonderful to see even though it is difficult for me during the race itself. I want to help push them to complete it as best they can, but I also don’t want them to suffer. It is cold, and hard, and I can’t finish it for them.

The first Heather Saaltink run ended up being a launch pad for my kids doing nice things for less fortunate people. They have since made a lemonade stand and donated their 23 earned dollars to help the poor — completely of their own will. They tried to organize a teddy bear round up to send to kids in Haiti and Japan after the earthquake and flood (shipping problems got in the way). They helped me raise over $200 on Facebook to donate to the Agape Centre food bank and they regularly ask how they can help less fortunate people. I’m grateful for such caring children and try to instill a sense of empathy and humility in everything they do. It’s a set of values that I have been taught by my parents, who were taught by their parents.

In the end the race is all over in about 15 minutes. It’s two laps around a street in a small village on a cold Saturday morning, but for us, it’s much more. It is a way for my girls to understand important lessons in life and to do good things for other people. The running doesn’t even matter.

For that, Heather, I thank you.