Father and son to run Boston marathon to raise $26,200 for hospital foundation

Their goal is to complete the 26.2-mile Boston Marathon, the first father-son duo from Nova Scotia to do so, and raise $26,200 for the foundation.

Adlai Cunningham from Newellton, and his son Kerry, who now lives in Toronto, will be running the prestigious event on April 21.

To prepare, Cunningham says he tries to run at least six times a week.

“I’m pretty intense but sometimes it’s four or three. It depends on the severity. If it’s a hard run, then it might be less the next time. Like I did 20 miles on Saturday so last night I did five miles, just easy.

He’s been spending a lot of time stretching and being careful to stay away from injuries. “I learned that, in trying to get to where I could do a marathon. You better be getting some good advice and following instructions or you’ll end up, like all my friends tell me, with my knees gone. They started telling me that eight years ago and now I feel better than ever,” he said.

Although Cunningham doesn’t have a trainer, he says he’s talked to many professionals over the years, read magazines on the subject and likes to “hang out” with people he’s met that run.

He does wish that there were more hills on the island to prepare him for those in Boston, where he ran the marathon two years ago. It was one of the most incredible experiences of his adult life he recalls.

“It’s like the Stanley Cup playoffs. There are half a million people along the route cheering you on just the same as they cheered the professionals that went by earlier. It’s an accomplishment,” he said.

Cunningham has been a member of the board of directors of the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation for the past five years and has seen firsthand how community support can enhance health care services in the region.

Ten years ago Kerry was hospitalized after suffering a life-threatening brain aneurism. Thanks to prompt intervention by top-notch professionals he made a full recovery.

On Sept. 30, 2007 the father-son team qualified for Boston during the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Kerry finished in three hours and nine minutes and Adlai finished in 3:23, beating the qualifying time by one minute and 12 minutes respectively.

After qualifying for the Boston Marathon, they saw the opportunity to draw attention to the benefits of a healthy lifestyle while raising funds to strengthen the region’s health-care centre.

The fundraising target of $26,200 is for the foundation’s endowment program. To reach this goal they are seeking out the support of businesses, community groups and individuals.

To support the Cunningham’s Run For Health call 902-745-2925 or the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation at 902-749-1669.