New program getting kids up and running

BY ANDY BLATCHFORD

The Chronicle

When eight-year-old Noé Baillergeon-Pereira saw a girl a little older than him complete a five-

kilometre race in August, he knew he wanted to run.

In July, the Pointe Claire resident began following his mom, Begoña Pereira, on his bike as she trained for a race. He watched her start her regimen by running for five minutes and then walking for one. As she progressed, Pereira ran more and walked less.

Baillergeon-Pereira was excited to watch his mom finish the Mount Royal race, but was inspired to give it a try himself when he saw 11-year-old Devon Smith cross the finish line at the same event.

"I saw there was a kid who ran it and I wanted to do it," he said.

Pereira, who participates in one of several adult running clinics out of the Pointe Claire Running Room store, suggested the shop start something for kids. On Sept. 30, the store began a 10-week clinic on Saturday mornings for child/parent running pairs.

Pereira said running with her son has sparked a great opportunity to chat with him. "It's quality time," she said. "There's nothing to distract you."

Already a dynamic athlete, Baillergeon-Pereira plays baseball, practises karate, swims and has dabbled in soccer. But in a short time, running has made an impact on him. "It's very good," he said. "I think I would still rather play baseball, but I think second would be running."

Last weekend, his group trained by running for three minutes and walking for one, which Baillergeon-Pereira found "difficult a little bit."

The group is non-competitive and running routes are loops so runners don't feel like they're left in the dust, Pereira said.

"This is a good encouragement for kids to stay fit," she said. "You're not trying to create a track star, just a regular routine for an active lifestyle."

Smith's mother, Debbie Elvidge, is manager of the Running Room. She said finishing the Mount Royal run was a boost to her daughter's self-esteem. "She did it and she was so proud," Elvidge said. "She's generally fit, but she's really shy, so she doesn't want to go into team sports."

Elvidge said group members will run a little longer each week. At the end of the 10–week session, the parent/child pairs will run for 10 minutes and then walk for one.

"It just kind of shows (kids) that they can take a goal and accomplish it," she said. "Each week is like a mini-accomplishment towards that goal because you're increasing that running time."

On Dec. 2, the runners will take part in the Santa Shuffle race, she said.

For more information about future Learn to Run clinics for families, call the Running Room at 514-695-8744.