By Max Erenberg via Sofie Yang
“In the fall of 2013, along the Toronto waterfront, thousands of people were sprinting towards a common goal. I was one of those runners in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 5K. What caught my eye in the midst all the participants was the Autism Ontario team crossing the finish line with linked arms. In that moment, I felt inspired and newly energized.” –Sofie Yang
Road running is something special. It’s amazingly inclusive; people who run a six-minute mile are on the same course and awarded the same glory as those walking. It’s also an avenue for giving back to the community.
To bring this spirit to the Bayview Secondary School community, Sofie, then in Grade 10, and her friend Julia decided to found A Mile A Miracle (AMAM for short). Many others also joined, including myself, who were interested in raising money for local charitable causes. The goal was to bring the joy of running and giving to youths.
Starting the club wasn’t easy, but thanks to our teacher supervisor, Mr. B. Israel who doubles as a Cross Country coach, we were able to raise $760 for the Sunnybrook Foundation in our first year. As our club grew to include 46 members, we created a voting system for our race charity. We always try to keep it local by pledging to charities we see working nearby and participating in local races.
In true democratic fashion, by the time the 2014 Scotiabank Charity Challenge rolled around, we elected to run for the St. Michael’s Hospital neurosurgical research team. The whole team felt a sense of accomplishment and community; our very own Dalton even brought back 3rd place in the 13-19 age group!
It isn’t always serious running for us though. A Mile A Miracle trains regularly alongside the cross-country and Track and Field teams. As a member myself, the sense of accomplishment after a long run and the friendly competition between other students always motivates me to push myself during training. During the summer and winter breaks, the members get a chance to eat together, play Frisbee, or chat about school at our socials. AMAM isn’t just about winning a race; as Mr. B. Israel reminds us, “when you run, your only opponent is the clock.”
The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has been our cornerstone event every year since 2013 with a bus-load of 20 students participating last year. This year, we will be supporting the Learning Disabilities Association of York Region. Come cheer us on at the finish line!
Please connect with us! We’d love your support!
Twitter: @amileamiracle
Facebook: A Mile A Miracle
