Weather doesnt dampen spirits of runners

Perhaps the unfavourable weather conditions, including icy roads and strong winds, were to blame. Whatever the reason, there were fewer people who turned out to support the 19th annual Run Against Racism than in previous years.
About 20 people ran the entire 28 kilometres Thursday, beginning at the Pictou town hall and continuing through all five towns with the finish line at North Nova Education Centre in New Glasgow.
"It was a different run for us," said Henderson Paris, the organizer of the event, which is held in conjunction with the International Day to Eliminate Racism and Discrimination.
"It was much like my runs of old, in (the event's) early beginnings, when the numbers weren't as great."
Pictou County schools were cancelled yesterday, and Paris supposes that likely played a role in the drop in participants. Unlike in previous years, not only were there fewer students running, there were fewer students cheering on the runners.
"We had many comments along the road about how much we really miss the students because they bring a different perspective to it, (though) the ones who were there were great."
Two students who did brave the weather conditions to participate in the Run Against Racism were 13-year-olds Sonya Thomas and Sarah Huggan, both students at Highland Consolidated Middle School. They said about 40 students from the Westville school agreed a week before the event to participate in the run, though they counted only three students who showed up, including themselves.
Huggan said, "We thought there would be a lot more students here."
But Thomas and Huggan said nothing was going to stop them from supporting the event.
"We wanted to be here (because) it is a great cause," said Thomas.
After the run, participants gathered inside the North Nova Education Centre in New Glasgow for a reception, and to get warm. They seemed to be in good spirits, though some of the runners did complain of stiff legs.
Judy Livingstone and Lyn-Sue Wice are veterans of the Run Against Racism, having participated in the event a combined 10 times over the years. The icy roads made this year's run particularly tricky, they said. "It was hard to keep your footing. We stiffened up a bit," Livingstone said.
They were both slightly disappointed that fewer students participated in Thursday's run, but praised those who did turn out. "It was wonderful to see some students still came out to support (the event), even though they had the day off," Wice said.