Blue Nose Youth Run draws thousands

Thousands of people joined the Blue Nose Youth Run Saturday morning.

More than 4,000 children stampeded through the streets of Halifax along the four-kilometre route around Citadel Hill to mark the events 10th anniversary. The marathon, 10 km and 5 km races run Sunday.

Samantha Lawlor, eight, practiced for weeks in anticipation of her first race.

"I'm feeling good and excited and a bit nervous at the same time," she said.

From the far north

One of the groups was young Inuit people from Salluit, a small community in Nunavik. It`s on the extreme northern edge of Quebec.

The community opened an activity centre last year, bringing in the communitys first treadmills and bikes.

Fitness coordinator Maggie MacDonnell decided the youth group needed a goal and picked the Blue Nose. They campaigned for sponsors and 10 months later found themselves running up and down Citadel Hillfor fun.

"Just to be running and walking with Annie and seeing thousands of people ahead of us, and to see Mary and Leona sprinting ahead, it was just so encouraging. It was really great," MacDonnell said of the communitys young runners.

Annie Anaamattaq said there were more people on the street than in her entire community.

"Maybe twice as much? I think it was twice as much," she said. "I would say it's really fun to be here and I'm so glad. It's fun to be together as a group. I'm coming back next year."

Some of the runners had never been on a plane before. Saturdays run was just a warm up; the group is running the 10km Sunday.