PEI Marathon 15th Anniversary Edition - Tuesday, October 9, 2018 - October 12th-14th, 2018 - The Guardian
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Tuesday, October 9, 2018
PEI Marathon 15th Anniversary Edition
October 12th-14th, 2018
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2 OCTOBER 2018 THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA
P.E.I. Marathon Weekend Event Schedule
Please note that the Healthy Lifestyle Expo & Registration will be held in our
“NEW” Headquarters Location at the Delta Prince Edward Hotel, 18 Queen St, Charlottetown
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM 10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM Race Kit Pick Up @ DELTA Kids Fox Trot presented by
PEI Marathon Healthy Lifestyle PRINCE EDWARD Sobeys Extra and The Guardian
Expo @ DELTA PRINCE 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM “warm up” with Ocean 100’s Kirk
EDWARD On-Site Registration @ DELTA MacKinnon
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM PRINCE EDWARD 11:00 AM 9:00 AM
Race Kit Pick Up @ DELTA 9:30 AM First heat, kids ages 6 – 14, 2 laps Bell Let’s Talk Half
PRINCE EDWARD 11:15 AM Marathon Walk for Mental
Running Room 3K Friendship
Second heat, kids ages 5 and Health, Corner of Queen &
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM Run @ RUNNING ROOM
CHARLOTTETOWN under, 1 lap Grafton St
On-Site Registration @ DELTA
PRINCE EDWARD 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM 9:10 AM
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14 Pursuit 10K Run, Corner of
Kids Fox Trot presented by
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13 Sobeys Extra and The Guardian, * Please note the NEW start times Queen & Grafton St
9:00 AM – 7:00 PM “On-Site Registration” @ for the Half Marathon, 10k, 5k 9:10 AM
Marathon Expo @ DELTA ALUMNI CANADA GAMES and Wheelchair events* Bell Let’s Talk 10K Walk for
PRINCE EDWARD PLACE, UPEI 7:00 AM Mental Health, Corner of Queen
Buses for the Grant Thornton & Grafton St
Full Marathon Depart for 9:20 AM
National Park Start Line, Goodlife Fitness 5K Run, Corner
Confederation Center Queen St of Queen & Grafton St
Entrance
9:20 AM
7:00 AM
Bell Let’s Talk 5K Walk for
Buses for Subaru of
Mental Health, Corner of Queen
Charlottetown Corporate Relay
& Grafton St
(1st leg) Depart for Brackley
Beach, PEI National Park Start 9:30 AM
Line, Confederation Center Spinal Cord Injury PEI 2K
Entrance Queen St Wheelchair, NEW Start line at
8:00 AM Corner of Queen & Grafton St
Grant Thornton Full Marathon, 10:45 AM – 2:15 PM
Brackley Beach, PEI National Park Participant Massage presented
8:00 AM by Downtown Charlottetown
Subaru of Charlottetown Inc, The Mack, Corner of Great
Corporate/Team Relay (1st Leg) George and Grafton St
Brackley Beach, PEI National Park 2:30 PM
9:00 AM PEI Marathon Awards Ceremony
Dairy Farmers of Canada Half presented by Murphy Hospitality
Marathon Run, Corner of Queen Group, The Mack, Corner of
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& Grafton St Great George and Grafton St
THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA OCTOBER 2018 3
Welcome to the Thanks to our
P.E.I. Marathon Amazing Partners
• The P.E.I. Marathon is the second
largest marathon in Atlantic Can-
ada and has attracted more than
27,000 participants in the various
event categories since 2004.
• • More than 640 P.E.I. Marathon
participants have qualified for the
Boston Marathon.
• • More than 4,600 volunteers
helped to ensure Marathon Week-
end runs smoothly.
• • The event has consistently at-
tracted participants from every
Province in Canada, the USA, and
internationally to P.E.I. each year.
• In 2017, we partnered with Can-
adian Mental Health – P.E.I. Div-
ision to raise awareness of the rela-
tionship of being active and having
MYRTLE JENKINS-SMITH a healthy mindset.
• We are very proud of our popular
free kids event the “Kids Fox Trot”
I welcome all participants to the attracting more than 500 kids each
15th anniversary of the Prince Edward year
Island Marathon (P.E.I. Marathon) tak- • Creation of a youth rate to help get
ing place October 12-14. Thank you for more youth active.
choosing to celebrate with us. • The Marathon presented a new
race in 2016, The Georgetown 5K
P.E.I. has had a strong running his- and 10K.
tory going back many, many years. As • Through various programs the
Race Director, looking back over the P.E.I. Marathon has helped local or-
past 14 years, I think how fortunate we ganizations and teams raise more
are to have such strong support in help- than $100,000 to date.
ing to grow this wonderful P.E.I. Mara-
thon weekend. On behalf of the entire P.E.I. Mara-
thon team, we wish all participants a
Thank you to the event’s board, dir- fun and safe weekend!
ectors, manager, committee, sponsors
and 300+ volunteers that help to pull Many thanks,
off this massive weekend. We could not Myrtle Jenkins-Smith
do this without you! Race Director, PEI Marathon
Some marathon weekend highlights
from over the past 14 years include:
• The P.E.I. Marathon is a Boston
Qualifier and in 2016 was voted
one of the “Top 5 Boston qualifiers
in Canada.”
• It has achieved continuous growth
each year, reaching 2,361 partici-
pants in 2017.
• The Marathon’s goal has always
been to make the weekend a family
friendly event and has grown to
include 10 running, walking and
7695634
wheeling categories – “Something
for Everyone!”
4 OCTOBER 2018 THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA
A legacy of racing
BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE ing), the Corporate relay, the kids’ event Marathon, they started giving away a clude the Wally Rodd 5K and 10K, the
and the wheelchair event.” weekly prize 15 weeks before the big Fulton Campbell half marathon, the
Sixteen years ago, Myrtle Jenkins- weekend. During the final race day, Jen- Desmond Baglole 15K, the Freeze Your
Smith was considering the idea of a The P.E.I. Marathon is celebrating its kins-Smith says they’ll be giving away Gizzard half marathon (held every Feb-
marathon weekend on P.E.I. – which 15th anniversary this year, and Jenkins- $1,500 cash. ruary), the Bunny Hop 5K and 10K, the
had hosted lots of Saturday-morning Smith says last year’s visiting runners Dunk River 11.6K and the Harvest Fes-
marathons, but never a full weekend of came from every province in Canada, 18 Even though the 15th P.E.I. Marathon tival 25K – which has been running for
events. different U.S. states, Mexico, Japan and has yet to begin officially, Jenkins-Smith 45 years.
Australia – giving the province a huge says she and the other organizers are
“Every other province in Canada had tourism boost during the slower shoul- already well into preparations for Year Kevin McCarville, president of the
a full race weekend, so we wanted to der season. 16. They’re adding another category PEI Roadrunners Club, says they don’t
try doing the same thing,” says Jenkins- which they’ll be announcing around organize races per se, rather they pro-
Smith, who remains at the helm as Race Part of the reason it’s so popular is Christmas. vide support to the individual race
Director. “That first year, we had 173 that the P.E.I. Marathon has been a directors. This year they’re overseeing
runners which felt like a huge success qualifying race for the Boston Marathon She says they’re so fortunate to have more than 70 race events, and the club
considering it was brand new.” since its second year. Jenkins-Smith a great management team and sup- averages 250 members annually.
says runners come from all over the portive sponsors, as well as a team of
By last year, the P.E.I. Marathon was world for the relatively flat course and more than 300 loyal volunteers – many McCarville says the Roadrunners’
up to 2,375 runners organized into 10 comfortable autumn weather. of whom have been there since the be- website lists all of the races and posts
different categories. ginning. the results – including name, age, time
“Being a Boston qualifier has opened and pace.
“Our goal from the very beginning was a lot of doors to people coming from Although this is the 15th year for
to offer an inclusive weekend – some- away,” says Jenkins-Smith. “We’ve been the P.E.I. Marathon, it’s by no means “One of our members, Janet Bain,
thing for the entire family,” says Jenkins- voted one of the Top 5 Boston Qualifiers the 15th year of marathon running on stands at the finish line and takes
Smith. “So we have the full marathon, in Canada, which is not an easy thing Prince Edward Island. photos of every finisher and puts
the half marathon (running or walking), for us to have achieved!” the photos on the website,” says Mc-
the 10K and the 5K (running or walk- The PEI Roadrunners Club has been Carville. “There are tens of thousands, if
To celebrate 15 years of the P.E.I. operating since the ’70s and organized not hundreds of thousands of pictures
its first marathon in 1979. of tired, happy, wet, cold, hot and sore
runners on the site – mostly tired and
Their long-running annual events in- happy.”
O n behalf of council and the City of Charlottetown,
I’d like to thank the PEI Marathon organizers and
volunteers for their dedication to the event for the past
15 years. Events of this magnitude couldn’t happen
without the people working behind the scenes. We are
proud to be the host city for this event and wish you
continued success this year and into the future.
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Best of luck to all of the participants!
Mayor Clifford Lee
City of Charlottetown
w w w. c ha rlottetown .ca
THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA OCTOBER 2018 5
5 things you need to know
about the P.E.I. Marathon
BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE marathon – and follow a 2km looped
course through downtown Charlotte-
Even if it’s your first time visiting town to the marathon finish line.
P.E.I., there’s some stuff you’ve already Just be sure to check the schedule
figured out. closely. Marathon manager Jennifer
You know the local potatoes, the sea- Hanus says they’ve decided to stagger
food and the COWS ice cream is all go- some of the start times this year, so the
ing to be delicious. You know the people half marathon will start at 9 a.m., the
are going to be super friendly. You know 10K will start at 9:10 a.m., the 5K will
you’re going to have MANY opportun- start at 9:20 a.m. and the wheelchair
ities to drink raspberry cordial and buy event will start at 9:30 a.m.
Anne of Green Gables souvenirs.
But you likely don’t know it all ... at 3. There’s a custom medal rack for sale.
least not yet. So from pasta dinner hot- The Healthy Living Expo at the Delta
spots and the limited-edition racing Prince Edward will include vendors to
token you’re going to want to buy, here help people discover new ways to main-
are five things you might not know tain or begin a healthy, active lifestyle.
about P.E.I. Marathon weekend ... It runs Friday (Oct. 12) from noon to 6
p.m. and Saturday (Oct. 13) from 9 a.m.
1. You don’t have to run the whole mara- to 7 p.m.
One of the biggest requests from run- “It could be warm and sunny and in and discard items along the route as
thon yourself.
ners during previous years was to have the 20s, or it could be raining and sleet- they heat up. Just make sure it’s some-
Race director Myrtle Jenkins-Smith
a vendor selling racks to hang racing ing and hailing – or all of that in the thing you don’t particularly want back!”
says there’s space for 50 corporate
medals, so there will be a custom metal same day,” says Hanus. “If it’s a cold day, All items along the route will be dis-
teams who work together to complete
P.E.I. Marathon rack available for sale – a lot of runners like to dress in layers carded.
the marathon, relay-style. But you don’t
with five per cent of the profits benefit-
need co-workers to be on board for it!
ing the Canadian Mental Health Asso-
“A corporate team can be made up of
ciation of Prince Edward Island.
eight people who work together, or just
eight friends,” says Jenkins-Smith. “You WELCOME TO
4. You can save $$$ in lots of unexpected
Charlottetown!
might not be able to run a whole mara-
thon by yourself, but if your section is places.
just 7.2km or 2.7km, it’s achievable.” Most racers like to enjoy a big pasta
She says it’s “a wonderful morale dinner the night before their race, and
booster” for a group, and everyone is Hanus says now it’s going to be eas-
treated just like all other participants -- ier than ever to tuck into a great meal
shirts, medals, the works. Pretty cool to thanks to their ReCharge, ReFuel, Re-
Ward program.
GOOD LUCK!
be able to wear a marathon medal with-
out having run the whole thing, right? “You can go to different restaurants
around town, show your race bib and
2. There’s something for everyone. get 10-15 per cent off signature pasta
Whether you walk, run or roll, there’s dishes all weekend long,” says Hanus.
a race for you -- no matter what your Participating restaurants include
age or athletic ability. Water’s Edge, Redwater Rustic Grille,
Youngsters under five have a race all The Gahan House, Sims Corner Steak-
of their own, and so do kids up to age 14. house & Oyster Bar, Merchant Man, The
If you sign up early online (http://pei- Brickhouse, Boston Pizza, Hunter’s Ale
marathon.ca/free-kids-run) your child House and The Factory.
is guaranteed a goodie bag, racing bib, The ReCharge, ReFuel, ReWard pro-
T-shirt and a medal at the end. gram also includes a racer discount at
Runners aged 14-16 can run the half participating shops and accommoda-
marathon (with parental consent) and tions, including the Holman Grand Ho-
16- and 17-year-olds can run the full tel, The Delta Prince Edward, Fairholm
marathon (with parental consent). Properties, The Holiday Inn Express and
There’s a special youth rate this year, too. The Hotel on Pownal. 7695404
This year the free wheelchair event Share your marathon memories at #DiscoverCharlottetown
has been extended to a 2K because 5. The weather is a question mark.
participants requested a longer route. Be prepared for any kind of weather
They’ll start at the corner of Queen and because Jennifer Hanus says “you just www.DiscoverCharlottetown.com
Grafton – the same start line as the half never know” what mid-October might
bring.
6 OCTOBER 2018 THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA
Let’s hear it for the kids!
Introducing the Kids’ Fox Trot
BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE free race each year, which takes place
on the track of the UPEI Alumni Can-
A crowd of very excited racers will ada Games Place.
be giggling and bouncing around as
they prepare to race in front of hun- Although the run is in its 14th year,
dreds of spectators. This is their time it recently got a brand-new name. P.EI.
to shine, and there’s even chocolate Marathon organizers invited children
milk waiting for them at the finish to suggest a new name for the youth
line. race – formerly called the Spud Run –
and even design a new logo.
Kirk MacDonald, director of mar-
keting and sponsorship with the P.E.I. Two winners were selected, and
Marathon, says the annual kids’ race now the youth run will be known as
is the organizers’ “favourite event of the Kids’
the whole weekend.”
Fox Trot. There’s also an adorable
“As with anything, you want to start fox-themed logo to go with it.
them early and get them excited about
staying active,” says MacDonald. “Get- “We wanted to let the kids choose receive an official race bib, a goodie ing up to the race so they have the best
ting a child interested in running since it’s their race,” says MacDonald. bag, a T-shirt and a medal. Everyone chance of getting the right T-shirt size.
means they might get involved with “It was nice to get the community in- will get to enjoy a nice cold chocolate If your child feels ready for a longer
track in junior high or high school. It’s volved and have some fun with it.” milk after their race. race, MacDonald says there’s a brand-
something they can enjoy for years.” new option this year to sign them up
The race is free for kids up to age 14, Kids can register online in advance for either the 5K or 10K at a reduced
Between 500 and 600 kids run the and the first 500 kids who register will and pick up their shirt on Friday (Oct. youth rate of $25 for the 5K and $35
12) between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the for the 10K. He says the youth rate is
Delta Prince Edward. Or they can open to anyone under 17, but runners
register at the Alumni Canada Games under 12 must be running with an
Place, UPEI on Saturday morning (Oct. adult.
13) from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and pick
up their shirt then. “It’s a great next step for older kids
who are really getting interested in
There’s a fun warm-up for everyone
running and want to see what they
with Kirk MacKinnon from Ocean 100
(100.3FM) at 10:45 a.m. The race is can do,” says MacDonald.
divided into two heats to help keep it
safe for all. Kids aged 6-14 will start at IF YOU GO
11 a.m. and run two laps. Kids five and WHAT: Free Kids’ Fox Trot
under will start at 11:15 a.m. and run WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 13 at 11:00am
a single lap, while accompanied by an (warm up starts at 10:45am)
adult. WHERE: UPEI Alumni Canada Games
Place
We encourages parents to sign up COST: Free!
their children online in the days lead-
Congratulations to the PEI Marathon on your 15th Anniversary!
To all the runners – It is never easy for anyone to step out
of their comfort zone and take such a challenge which
requires commitment and perseverance. There is nothing
more exciting than accomplishing a goal that you set for
yourself and at the same time inspiring others around you.
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THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA OCTOBER 2018 7
Somebunny to follow
Pace Bunnies are there to help you on the course
BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE different goals I’d like to hit -- an A goal, “These runners spent 12, 16 or 18
a B goal if such-and-such happens, and “It’s rewarding to help people meet weeks in a training program and then
David Boyce needs to run the half a C goal just to finish,” says Boyce. “But their running goals, and get better than they’ve tapered off in the last few weeks,
being a Pace Bunny means I don’t have they were the day before,” says Boyce. so the challenge is making sure they don’t
marathon in one hour and 55 minutes.
that luxury. I just have to think about one“One year I had an older gentleman
If he can run it faster than that, well, too goal, but I’ve got to hit it.” burn out too fast,” says Boyce. “Pace Bun-
bad. He’ll need to slow himself down. come up behind me after the race and nies are there to set an example of run-
say ‘Thank you very much. I’ve never
Boyce will be wearing a running wrist- gone that fast before.’ He’d come to P.E.I. ning nice and steady through the race.”
Boyce has been running the P.E.I. half band that will update him with notifi- all the way from Columbia.”
marathon as a Pace Bunny for the last cations on his speed. He’ll also have a He says people will often run near him
few years, which means he volunteers to GPS watch to make sure he’s hitting the He says it’s nice to give back to the for most of the race, and there’s always a
finish within a specific amount of time so proper distances as he moves along the sport of running he loves so much, and
other racers can use him as a guide. point near the end -- usually about 1km
course as he follows the 10:1 system: run he often volunteers at other running before the finish line -- when they decide
for 10 minutes, walk for one minute. events -- working water stops or doing
“People who have a goal of finishing to break away.
in just under two hours will use me as a anything else that’s needed. He’s also the
Pace Bunny volunteers are organized race director of the Freeze Your Gizzard
gauge of how they’re doing,” says Boyce, by the Running Room, so they’re eas- “I have to hold the same pace, but once
who lives in Poverty Beach, P.E.I. “It’s my race every February, where participants we’re far enough along the route you’ll
ily identified in Running Room T-shirts
objective to try to run every kilometer and a hat with bunny ears. Boyce will race in below-freezing temperatures. see them start to take off,” says Boyce.
the same as the one before, so I’ll be be carrying a sign with his predicted fin- “They know they’re close to the end, and
averaging five minutes and 27 seconds ishing time -- 1 hour, 55 minutes -- and Boyce says Pace Bunnies are useful for
getting a good finish time, but they also they don’t need to pace themselves any-
for each.” holding it high above everyone’s heads
serve as helpful reminders not to use up more. They want to see how well they
so racers can decide if they’d like to keep
It might sound stressful to have other him in sight. too much energy at the beginning of the can finish, so it’s time to leave me in their
racers relying on you to hit a precise fin- race when you’re raring to go. dust.”
ishing time, but Boyce says he actually He had the same time goal last year
finds running as a Pace Bunny comes and finished in one hour, 54 minutes and
with less pressure than if he was running 57 seconds -- just three seconds from the
solo. target. Boyce says many half-marathon-
ers have a goal of breaking two hours, www.caseleys.com
“If I was running by myself, I’d be ra- just like people running the full mara- (902) 836-5189
cing myself and have expectations and thon often try to break four hours. 1633 Blueshank Rd.
Kensington
Proud supporter of the PEI Marathon for 15 years
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8 OCTOBER 2018 THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA
‘Living with mental illness is still living’
Racers fundraising for CMHA-P.E.I.
BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE support staff, offering a number of in-
dividual and community programs to
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
As thousands of runners lace up their support islanders with mental health Here are four different ways you can support the Canadian Mental Health Associa-
sneakers and tackle the P.E.I. Marathon, issues. Nearly everything is free so tion (P.E.I.) leading up to the P.E.I. Marathon:
they’ll be doing wonders for their cardio- there’s no barrier to accessing support.
vascular health – as well as giving their 1. Make a donation online when you register for a race
mental health a nice boost. “Any money we’re able to raise just
increases our capacity to provide sup- 2. When you register, click the “Round to Raise” option to bump your fee to the
nearest $5 increment – automatically donating the proceeds to CMHA-P.E.I.
Reid Burke, executive director of the port for people struggling with mental
Canadian Mental Health Association health and addiction, as well as do men- 3. Sign up to collect donations, and your registration fee will be refunded after you
Prince Edward Island (CMHA P.E.I.), says tal health promotion work,” says Burke. hit your fundraising goal
physical activity is great for a person’s “A lot of folks can’t afford to pay to par- 4. Donate directly to CMHA-P.E.I. whether you’re participating or not: https://
body, mind and spirit. ticipate in programming, so the more
money we can raise, the more free sup- raceroster.com/events/2018/15575/15th-annual-prince-edward-island-
port we can provide the community.” marathon/charity/donate/11402
Burke says it can take a lot of effort to
change the public’s beliefs about what to encourage them to speak up. Burke says their partnership with the
mental illness looks like, so CMHA P.E.I. P.E.I. Marathon is helping CMHA P.E.I.
organized a popular radio campaign “Pretty much everybody you talk to reach a wider audience to share the im-
where people told their own stories. will know somebody,” says Burke. “Men- portant connection between physical
tal health issues and addiction issues health and mental health.
“It was really powerful to hear from are the leading cause of disability in
someone who has bipolar disorder but the workplace, so it’s important for If you’re not a runner and can’t im-
still coaches his kid’s team and holds a us to teach people strategies on how agine tackling a marathon, he says even
great job,” says Burke. “It helped to show to achieve and maintain good mental a gentle walk around your neighbour-
mental illness in a different light, and health.” hood – breathing in the fresh air – can
show people that living with mental ill- be incredibly helpful.
ness is still living.” CMHA P.E.I. has generated ‘Safe Talk’ –
a free three-hour alertness training pro- “It’s all about giving yourself a break
Burke says an estimated 1 in 5 Can- gram that prepares anyone 16 or older to in your routine and taking time for
adians are dealing with mental health become a suicide-alert helper. They also yourself,” says Burke. “When you do
challenges, and at least 60 per cent of work with people across the island to get something for yourself, you often feel a
REID BURKE people with mental health issues don’t them safe spaces to sleep, and operates lot better.”
executive director of the CMHA P.E.I.
ask for help so it’s an ongoing challenge nearly 200 units of housing.
“Lots of runners say they run not just
for their physical health, but for their
mental health,” says Burke. “It gets your
endorphins fired up in your system and
it can be a great boost for your mental
health.”
This is the second year the P.E.I. Mara-
thon is supporting CMHA P.E.I. Last
year’s marathon raised an impressive
$15,000 for CMHA P.E.I., and Burke is
hopeful they’ll do even better this year.
“We’ve met with the corporate team
captains and introduced the ability for
teams to fundraise as a team and got
them set up with fundraising kits,” says
Burke. “Everyone’s very excited to see
what they can fundraise.”
CMHA P.E.I. is a non-profit men-
tal health agency comprised of more
than 100 volunteers and more than 40
THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA OCTOBER 2018 9
‘I like the challenge’
Why Francis Fagan, 68, runs the P.E.I. Marathon every year
BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE
“We usually get together there after
Francis Fagan didn’t start running the marathon, and have a meal and a few
marathons until he was 42 years old. soda pops.”
Now he’s 68 and showing no signs of
slowing down. As he creeps closer to his 70s, Fagan
says running regularly has been an im-
“I used to play softball but I got too portant way to maintain good health.
long in the tooth for it,” chuckles Fagan.
“I broke my leg when I was 41 and when “There have been a few times I’ve been
I was rehabbing, someone mentioned injured and couldn’t run for 2-3 weeks,
running so I decided to try it.” and I packed on the pounds pretty quick,”
says Fagan. “If I didn’t run, I’d be heavier
He liked running well enough, so when and not in the best shape.”
someone suggested he try doing a mara-
thon, he agreed. He says he typically runs 30 miles a
week (48km) but bumps it up to 50-60
“I like the challenge of marathons,” miles (80-96km) leading up to a mara-
says Fagan, who is originally from New- thon before tapering down again. He
foundland but has called Charlottetown averages 5-6 marathons per year, and
home for the last 50 years. regularly encourages other retirees to
give it a try.
“No two marathons are the same, even
if you’re doing the same course. Some- “I’ve read stories about 80-year-olds
times you’re tired at this point and not getting into running, so it’s never too late
that point. It’s always different.” to start,” says Fagan. “You don’t have to
start with a marathon. Just run around
He’s run 122 marathons including the block, and next time try to get to a
ones in Scotland and Dublin -- which block and a half -- that’s how I started.”
gets close to 20,000 runners -- as well as
the Boston Marathon “quite a few times.” His advice for first-timer marathoners
He’s run marathons in every province ex- the same weekend, but I’d always rather in Fort McMurray.) is to relax and take everything in because
cept for three, but his favourite remains do this one here at home.” it’s a special experience.
the P.E.I. Marathon -- which he’s run con- He says he likes meeting so many new
sistently for the last 14 years. He’s gearing up for his 15th P.E.I. Mara- people at marathons, and has grown “Don’t get too concerned about your
thon, where his wife will be cheering for many friendships with fellow runners. time,” says Fagan. “The idea of your first
“The P.E.I. Marathon was the first one I him on the sidelines, along with one of After he finishes, Fagan plans to hit up marathon is to run and enjoy it. You can
ever did, and I’ve done it every year,” says his daughters. (His other daughter will the Old Triangle with some of his run- always work on getting faster in the next
Fagan. “There are other marathons on be sending positive vibes from her home ning buddies. one.”
10 OCTOBER 2018 THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA
Marathon boosts tourism across P.E.I.
providing a healthy boost to the prov- says runners start on the beautiful
BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE ince’s tourism during a time of year north shore and run by beaches, light-
when business would ordinarily be houses and wharves. Then they’re off
Everyone flocks to Prince Edward slow. to the rolling farmlands and onto Con-
Island during the summer months federation Trail, where the autumn
to play on its beaches and explore its “They’ve got to travel to the island, leaves will be in dazzling shades of or-
seaside towns. But when the air turns they’re renting hotel rooms or B&Bs ange and red.
crisp and the leaves start to change, it on the island -- and most of them
no longer means tourist season is fin- aren’t just coming in the night before “They get to finish by running down
ished for the year. the race,” says Paynter. “They’re eating University Avenue into the heart of the
in restaurants and checking out retail city and finish up in front of the Ceno-
This is the 15th year the P.E.I. Mara- establishments and filling up their ve- taph with everyone cheering. From a
thon has been drawing thousands to hicles with gas and generally adding to marathoner’s perspective, they really
the island in the middle of October. the economy of the island.” get to see it all,” says Paynter. “We hear
all the time that P.E.I. hospitality is
“The marathon falls on the weekend Paynter says the whole island is second to none, and it’s true.”
after Thanksgiving, which used to be alive with energy during marathon
a very quiet time across the province, weekend, and everyone can feel the Wayne Long, events development
so now there’s something nice and big excitement leading up to the big day. officer with the City of Charlottetown,
on the calendar,” says Cheryl Paynter, says the P.E.I. Marathon is a great ex- CHERYL PAYNTER
CEO of Tourism PEI. “There’s a lot of checking the weath- ample of “sport tourism” -- and a very CEO of Tourism P.E.I.
er forecast and folks getting to know prosperous market for the city.
“Around half of the participants are the island from a runner’s perspec- top city in Canada (with a population
from off the island, so organizers have tive,” says Paynter. “They love that “It has such a positive impact on under 50,000) for hosting sporting
done a stellar job of attracting them to they’re getting to explore so much of the area as we move into our ‘shoul- events.”
our province during the off-season.” the province.” der season.’ It’s a time of year when we
really need that injection of people,” Long says P.E.I. may be Canada’s
Paynter says all of these visitors are During the full marathon, Paynter says Long. smallest province, but Charlottetown’s
status as a capital city and the birth-
He says sport tourism brings $43M place of Confederation has made it a
to Charlottetown’s economy each year booming tourism destination.
and a staggering $6.5B to the Can-
adian economy. “The P.E.I. Marathon organizing
committee has done a fantastic job
“Charlottetown has won many na- over the last 15 years, making our
tional awards for sport tourism -- marathon one of the top in the region
more than any other city our size in and beyond,” says Long.
the country,” says Long. “Global Sport
Index recently ranked Charlottetown “It’s become a can’t-miss event that
the 15th city overall in Canada for people around the world are talking
hosting sporting events, and we’re the about.”
Hit the road this Fall 7695389THEGUARDIAN.PE.CA OCTOBER 2018 11
On the road to Boston
BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE P.E.I. -- which is road running at its fin-
est, on a nice quiet Sunday morning,”
Scott Clark is about to run his 70th says Clark. “Then you’re on the Confed-
marathon. It’s a milestone he never im- eration Trail, which is very forgiving for
agined back when he started running sore knees or feet or hips.”
just to lose a few pounds.
He says it sometimes starts to drag
The Summerside resident of one of around the time you exit the trail, and
many runners from around the world luckily that’s exactly when you meet up
who use the P.E.I. Marathon to qualify with runners doing the half.
for the famed Boston Marathon. In fact,
the P.E.I. Marathon is one of Canada’s “You’re feeling tired and lonely and
Top 5 Boston qualifiers. then suddenly you’re meeting these
other runners. It’s really uplifting,” says
“The Boston Marathon is like the Clark. “Then you’re hitting the city and
Masters in golf,” explains Clark. “If there are all these people cheering you
you’re really into running, you want to on, and you can see the finish. It’s a
get to Boston.” great ending.”
Clark says marathoners love the When it’s all over, Clark says he’ll be
P.E.I. course because it’s relatively flat -- heading straight for a large Tim Hortons
“other than a few speed bumps near the coffee -- which he’ll sip while cheering
end” -- and the cool fall weather is com- on the rest of the runners. He says rookie marathoners often “You’ve got to run 42km so you’re not
fortable for a long run, making it easier make the mistake of starting out too winning it in the first few kilometres,
to finish with a good qualifying time. He’s already registered for this spring’s
Boston Marathon, after running the fast, either from excitement or to show but you can definitely lose it then -- or
off their speed right out of the gate. cause trouble for yourself,” says Clark.
Although the course is relatively com- Johnny Miles race back in June. But if “Patience is key.”
fortable, race director Myrtle Jenkins- he improves his time running the P.E.I.
Smith says it undergoes rigorous test- Marathon, he can use it to bump up his
ing to ensure it meets Boston Marathon starting position in Boston.
standards. Someone from Boston runs
the course each year, and a team trav- “They place you in corrals according To all PEI Marathon Weekend particcipants
elled to P.E.I. two years ago to measure to your qualifying time, and each corral
Whether
and approve minor changes after some holds about 1,000 runners,” says Clark.
road construction. “Last year I was in Coral 2, so there
were already 1,000 people ahead of me.
Clark has run the Boston Marathon You always want to get as close to the
nine times so far, and says while there’s front as you can, to see the pros and the
“a lot of hype,” it’s certainly exciting to elites.”
be running in a crowd of 25,000 people.
you walk
His time was three hours and 10
He first ran the Boston Marathon seconds, so he’s hoping to finish in less
back in 2003, after qualifying at a race than three hours this time.
or you run,
in Columbus, Ohio the previous fall. But
he says it was really nice to be able to “You have until January to improve
qualify for the Boston Marathon by run- your position, so this is a great oppor- make sure
ning the P.E.I. Marathon in 2005.
“You always want to be able to do the
marathon that’s in your own backyard.”
tunity,” says Clark. “I’m feeling really fit
these days, so we’ll see.”
In the last few weeks leading up to
to have fun!
any marathon, Clark says his training is
Clark has participated in the P.E.I. mostly finished and it’s all about careful
Marathon every year, either in the 10K preparation. He watches what he eats,
(once, due to injury), the half mara- stays hydrated, decides what he’s going
thon or the full marathon. He’s run the to wear and tries to prevent injuries.
Sean Casey
full marathon 12 times consecutively, MP Charlotttetown
and says it’s “amazing” because of the The night before the P.E.I. Marathon, Phone: 902-566-77770
unique scenery you get to enjoy. he’ll eat a nice meal and try to go to Email: sean.casey@ @parl.gc.ca
sleep early. When he wakes up, he’ll
“You’ve got the surf crashing in from eat very little so he doesn’t risk feeling www.seancasey.ca a
the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the sand bloated and overfull.
dunes, and then you head into rural 7695407You’ve worked for this,
you’ve trained for this,
and finally it’s time
o w
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902-836-3336
81 Victoria Street West, Kensington, PE Canada 7695405You can also read
