Lac Seul to run World Marathon Challenge

Obishkookaang Elementary School students in Lac Seul are training for the World Marathon Challenge to beat Patrick Bakau’s 2:03:38 world marathon record.
“We’ll see if we can’t get (Lac Seul) Chief Clifford Bull to run the first leg,” said Scott Haines, phys-ed instructor at Obishkookaang and board member with the Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario. “We’ll have it right out in front of our school, at 9 a.m. on Oct. 16. We’ll keep the baton moving there and afterwards we’ll have a feast.”
The World Marathon Challenge features teams of children aged 11-13 from around the world running simultaneous 200-metre relay legs in support of Save the Children, an international non-profit organization committed to ensuring children realize the rights they are entitled to under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Haines said the students have been practicing on cross-country trails in the community to build their endurance levels.
“We have a cross-country team so a lot of them have been running there,” Haines said. “We’re hoping to challenge a few other (Nishnawbe Aski Nation) communities. I’ve been talking with Sandy Lake again and Kasabonika to see if they want to come up to the challenge.”
Sandy Lake was one of three communities across Canada that participated in last year’s World Marathon Challenge. Wabauskang First Nation also participated, with former Treaty #3 grand chief Diane Kelly running a lap, along with two teams from Toronto.
Haines said the Lac Seul students have participated in a video conference call with the World Marathon Challenge organizers in England.
“They suddenly realized how small the world is in a sense because they were asking ‘Let’s talk to other kids in other countries,’” Haines said. “I think the kids are starting to realize that this is something more than just running. This is something where you get a chance to reach out to the world, in essence.”
Haines said the students will be running 211 laps of 200 metres for a total of 26.2 miles, the full Olympic marathon distance, during their World Marathon Challenge. Their times will be shared online and on Twitter @WorldMarathon along with other teams from around the world.
Another event has been added to the World Marathon Challenge this year, a 1,500-metre challenge for children aged seven to 11 years old.
“They added that to be able to have the younger kids participate,” Haines said.
Haines said about 500 communities across the world are participating in this year’s World Marathon Challenge.