Canadian runners show ‘hockey’ toughness

John Marsden
Going the Distance

There is a sport more Canadian than hockey. It is cross-country running. I know this is heresy and I risk my spot on the sports page by writing it.

To be fair, I mean hockey as in the fully equipped, commercial, indoor arena type. Outdoor hockey and street hockey remain essentially Canadian.

More kids run cross-country than play indoor arena hockey. Canadians of all background and ages run outside all year round. Cross-country is a sport that is for both teams and for individuals.

The Canadian National Championships, hosted by Ottawa on Saturday, have races for everyone that shows up, regardless of gender or age. Threre were more than a thousand runners; the youngest was seven, the oldest was 82.

Cross-country races are run in all conditions.