Never give up on a healthy, positive lifestyle
- Joel Pedersen | January 08, 2016
Welcome to 2016 to all Eagle Feather readers, hope your 2015 was fulfilling, and you have selected some New Year resolution’s that will involve healthy and positive lifestyle.
At 2J2 we finished off the year with the annual Running Room’s Resolution 5km run, a night time run on NewYear’s eve in Saskatoon. We were able to help fundraise over $1300.00 for local charity. The run was a great finish to the weeks of work up preparation by the Run Club we started this past fall.
Visited Fond du Lac First Nation during the first week of January with my friends from TransWest Air. The opportunity to meet with the community leaders in Fond du Lac, to assist in sustainment of functional fitness programming, and design of a fitness facility. Also looking forward to be going back to Ile ala Cross and LaRonge, and first time out to WhiteCap Dakota First Nation later this month for some programming.
The Run Club is another program offered by 2J2 to the community. In partnership with the Pleasant Hill Community, Packham Dental, and the City of Saskatoon MeTeWaTan. The format is a no cost, drop in health and wellness program. Open to all levels of fitness and abilities. We provide strength and mobility training and gradual increase in time and distance of run’s and walks. Some of the club is ready for the next jump up to a 10km or a half marathon distance, and some of us are good with the 5km distance. Most important is that we have fun and learn about what we can physically and mentally accomplish, when we consistently stay with fitness program and build friendships and bonds.
Run Club is open to youth and adults, first timers and experienced runners. One of our members is 11yr old Zander Struhar, a quiet soft spoken boy, he is an inspiration and a great motivator for all of us. Zander must use a walker as he has limited use of his legs, which makes running a challenge. His strength’s are many; one is his personality and determination to show that although he has physical challenges, it will not deter him from action. On the last few weeks leading up to the December 31st run, Zander was hospitalized with complications in his legs and back. This was a shock to all of us, we did not know what our young athlete and friend was experiencing. On the morning of the run St.Mary’s teacher and run club member Tara Desroches called me, and excitedly advised that Zander and his younger sister Charley would be at the run.
As we started the run with aprox 200 other’s, it was a huge difference from what we had been accustom to. Our team was ready and started to spread out with the rest of the run. Glowsticks and headlamps on, motivated and excited by the route as we moved through the downtown sidewalks out onto the trail along the river. Looping back a couple times to check on Zander and Tara, both in great spirits and determined to finish.
The last few blocks of the run a few members of our team and I went out to finish the run with Zander. The young runner with his teacher by his side were still on the move, sweaty and tired. Most of the runners had left the finish area, and may not have even realized that Zander was still racing. Our Run Club did, and a few other runners who now realized the race was not over, cheered Zander and Tara the last part in.
The air was crisp, the night was lit up by street lights and cars near the finish line. With great pride Zander ran the last few meters over the finish line. I don’t think there was a dry eye around, we all gave him a hug. I leaned over next to Zander and told him how proud I was of him. He may have been the last one to finish the run, but for all of us Zander was the real winner of this run. Resilient people are all around us, make your resolution to never give up on healthy and positive lifestyle.
Fitness 2J2 is a socially responsible community based health and wellness company. Contributing to the success and vitality of our communities, promoting healthy and positive lifestyles for Aboriginal people of all ages and abilities. STRONG HEALTHY PROUD.