‘My dad would be proud’: Manitoba Marathoner raises $6K for Winnipeg overdose prevention site

Caydin Cleland was pondering of his household earlier than he crossed the end line on the Manitoba Marathon on Sunday — the second of two targets he achieved within the occasion.

When the total marathon kicked off at 7 a.m., Cleland had already surpassed his $5,000 fundraising aim for Sunshine Home’s cell overdose prevention web site in Winnipeg, which gives individuals a protected place to make use of substances underneath the supervision of skilled employees.

The 24-year-old biochemistry pupil on the College of Manitoba needed to run within the annual occasion — a Father’s Day custom in Winnipeg — to present again and to recollect his dad, Jay Hamilton, who died in 2022.

“I misplaced my dad a couple of year-and-a-half in the past to a drug overdose, and it has been actually exhausting for me and others in my household,” he advised CBC on Saturday. “My uncle additionally handed away from an overdose, two years earlier than my dad.”

Cleland’s fundraiser garnered simply over $6,000 as of Sunday afternoon.

“I feel my dad can be proud that I am doing one thing that [is] combating a struggle that has impacted me.”

‘Mom Nature co-operated’

Cleland, who’s initially from Alberta however moved to Winnipeg as a teen, says it was his first time participating within the occasion.

Manitoba Marathon govt director Rachel Munday says half of the greater than 10,000 registered runners this 12 months had been first-timers, and one of the best a part of the day is all the time the enjoyment of the end line.

“Each second of right now goes to be thrilling for them, , we work all 12 months for at some point and that is it,” she advised CBC.

1000’s hit the bottom operating in a number of races early Sunday morning, together with the total and half-marathons, a marathon relay, in addition to 5K and 10K runs.

Munday says employees had been watching the climate intently with in a single day rains within the forecast.

“The morning was a little bit bit loopy, clearly we had some not nice climate this morning, [but] fortunately, Mom Nature co-operated.”

Winners

Cameron Levins, who resides in Black Creek, B.C., was the primary winner of the day. He received the lads’s half-marathon for a second 12 months in a row.

“I do know this course just like the again of my hand,” Levins advised CBC after the race.

The athlete is headed to Paris this summer season to compete in his third Olympics. Folks referred to as his title from the sidelines as he ran, and Levins took some footage with followers afterwards.

He hopes a few of them will observe in his footsteps.

“If I can encourage any youthful athletes, that is a win in my books.”

The race additionally served because the Canadian championship. Natasha Wodak, who has competed at two Olympics with Workforce Canada, received the ladies’s half-marathon.

Andrew Taylor, who lives in Lafayette, Ind., was the primary to complete Sunday’s full marathon and says his first time in Winnipeg was nice.

“The hospitality has been wonderful,” he advised reporters after the race.

“The gang saved me going the entire manner.”

Winnipeg’s Daybreak Neal received the ladies’s full marathon for a second 12 months in a row.

“I can not even consider it,” she advised reporters.

“We’re shifting out of province within the subsequent two weeks, so this may very well be my final Manitoba Marathon, and I am simply so grateful.”

Whereas he did not win the marathon, Cleland mentioned he completed quicker than anticipated and he could not have requested for a greater day to run, following an emotionally charged week.

He says he acquired encouragement from household, pals and complete strangers within the lead-up to the occasion.

“I feel they have been actually proud. I’ve acquired actually superior messages they usually’ve been tremendous supportive,” he mentioned.

The marathon was a technique to make which means of his dad’s loss of life, however he mentioned bodily exercise has additionally been a useful software to course of his grief.

Cleland hopes to volunteer at Sunshine Home sooner or later, and his recommendation to anybody eager to make a distinction is to “go exterior and look in your group, look down your block, and see what speedy influence you might have.”

“There’s individuals all over the place who might use your assist,” he mentioned. “It will make a distinction in somebody’s life.”