Published in: Weekly News
Written by: Joanne Oostveen
Photo by: Gail Kanasevich
Cindy Morash is looking at her hometown with a different eyes now.
“Eastern Passage born and bred. And there isn’t anything better.”
But since she started to run, the Passage is no longer just home to her.
“Last year I met so many people during Maritime Race Weekend who were visiting the area for the first time. They made me take a good long hard look around me. And I wasn’t really a runner, then.”
Maritime Race Weekend and the excitement it generates made Morash a very proud resident of the community, she says.
“I guess you need someone or something to remind you of how beautiful it is here. To me, it was just home, but the race puts the spotlight on Eastern-Passage and Cow Bay and gives us more exposure. It is great.”
It has only been in the past few months that Morash started to run.
Her friend said “let’s do it,” and she said, yes.
She has done some races, but it is the hometown Maritime Race Weekend she is looking forward to the most.
“Last year I saw how important Maritime Race Weekend was, and how affected people and the buzz it created. I would even say it has helped the economy here.”
And she admits the recognition she gets is kind of fun.
Before she started to run, she says she would see runners waving at each other and calling out to say hello as they passed by.
“Now runners acknowledge me and are very friendly. I am just a new runner but it doesn’t matter.”
She doesn’t aspire to be the fastest runner in the Passage, but Cindy Morash has taken her introduction to running as a challenge.
“I have set time goals for Maritime Race Weekend for myself and I will do it.”
With her background in girl guides and her can-do attitude running has become another adventure in her life.
“I never thought I would run, but here I am. I would advice anyone to try it out. Especially here in the Passage. If you see a mountain try to climb it, and no one can tell you that you can’t.”