Training

FIRST STEPS: Relaying, the Message

February 18, 2010
By Deborah Wiles

There are moments in life that leave you breathless and speechless. Moments of overwhelming emotions that become more than just a memory: they become part of you. Last November, I had one of those moments. I was a torchbearer for the Olympic Relay, a route that started with the flame being lit in Greece, leapt over to Victoria, headed north to the Arctic and then east to the Atlantic provinces.

There I was, standing on the side of a quiet road in tiny Elmsdale, N.S., awaiting my turn, my chance to be part of something much bigger than myself. As I stood there, an RCMP officer on a bike pedalled up and activated my torch, readying it to receive the flame. He asked my name; I can’t remember if I answered. I was trembling, heart pounding, tears clouding my vision.

Shaking, I walked to the middle of the road and turned to watch as Donna, a torchbearer from New Glasgow, approached. Slowly we touched our torches together and her flame leapt over to my torch, reaching up to the clear blue sky. I could feel the flame’s warmth on my face. That flame connected me with the other torchbearers who had gone before. I would connect it to all the others who would come after me, including Sidney Crosby who ran later that night.

As I write this, four weeks after my segment, I am watching television coverage of Barbara Ann Scott entering the House of Commons with her torch held high, her face glowing with the warmth of the Olympic Flame. I helped her get there. That’s the beauty of a relay: it is a chance to connect with others, a chance to be a part of something bigger than you.

Running with a buddy can stave off loneliness in a solitary sport, but to really connect with another runner - or two - find a relay and join a team. Being part of a relay is a great motivator: knowing that if you blow off too many runs, you’ll be the weakest on the team should be more than enough motivation to get you out the door.

When you join a team, pick a leg that will offer a challenge. The Cabot Trail Relay in Cape Breton, for instance, offers legs run in the dead of night, along winding roads that hug ocean-side cliffs and climb more than 380 metres.  Some runners like that.

While the Cabot Trail Relay may not be a great option for beginners, there is always the Rum Runners Relay, run between Halifax and Lunenburg. Get yourself on a team and volunteer to do the shortest leg at just 3.8K.

No matter which relay you choose, cherish the connection you will share with your teammates. And when the anchor runner crosses the finish line, cheer loudly and proudly and know that you helped get him there.

Relay Running Tips:

1. Many relays are connected with major marathons; check your local race to see if there is a relay component.

2. In Nova Scotia, the Cabot Trail Relay is the ultimate test of endurance and strong quads. www.cabottrailrelay.com

3. The Rum Runners Relay celebrates the tenacity and adventurous spirit of rum runners who plied the Nova Scotia coast during the days of prohibition. www.rumrunnersrelay.ca

4. Run for charity. Easter Seals 24- Hour Relay is just one of many across the country that encourages runners to complete a relay for more than just the fun of it. www.24hourrelay.com

5. Enjoy the beauty of the mountains with the Banff Jasper Relay to be held in June. Its 258K, 15-stage route is run along the scenic Bow Valley Parkway and Icefields Parkway. www.bjr.ca

Deborah Wiles is a newspaper editor and freelance writer in Halifax. She is just crazy enough to want to do the Cabot Trail Relay.