2019 Inspiration Awards Recipients
These inspirational runners were nominated by their fellow participants. They inspired, motivated and overcame obstacles. Here are the words of the people that nominated them and the generous sponsors associated to each award.
VIP Rockstar Mom
Sponsor: Comfort Inn
BEV OFFNER
My mom – Bev – should receive an award because she spends her entire life celebrating others (especially us, her family) and she deserves the spotlight for once! She is the backbone of our family, and our greatest cheerleader. I run half and full marathons across the USA, and she tracks me via running apps every single race. She has not missed a single one. She will “follow” me mile by mile, and send encouraging text messages as I near the finish line. This past year, Mom recommitted to her health with a total diet overhaul that involved eating completely clean – and she has never looked or felt better. She has maintained her positive approach to life even whilst enduring the loss of her mother (my grandma, Mary) and sister (my Aunt Glenna) this past year.
Running is far outside of her comfort zone, yet she has trained for and completed a handful of 5KM races so that she can participate with her family: her first was the Terry Fox run in Central Park NYC in 2014, and since then she has run a few 5Ks with me in Florida, and with my sister and I in Ontario. Mom supports my sister and I in a way that makes me want to be a better woman every day – and she has been this way our entire lives (every since we were little HHS Hoyas!). She is the definition of inspiring, hard-working, committed, and strong. We love her and we are so proud of our Mom.
Lindsay Moore
LORRAINE WALKER
Carly Khonmen
Amy Walker
Ain’t Nothing Holding Me Back
Sponsor: Deerhurst Resort
CHANTELLE TURCOTTE
My husband and I are doing the 5k run this year for the 3rd time. We are extra excited as my oldest daughter Chantelle will be joining us. It all began about 5 years ago when her grandfather was passing away from ALS (lou gehrigs disease). She decided that July to do a half marathon in October and raise money for ALS awareness. At first I was concerned as she had never been a runner up to this point. She did the half, and so her love of running began. She has done other half marathons and even a full.
She is truly an inspiration to me and that inspiration continues to motivate me when running and I hope someday soon before I turn 60 to do a half marathon……she calls me her biggest fan and that is a title I am proud to have.
I am sure her PA is cheering her on from heaven knowing he was the start of her running journey through life.
Kathy
Kate
Carrie Brake
Heart of Gold
Sponsor: Davicor Construction
RUBY TALULAH BROWN
Ruby Talulah Brown has been running with me since she was in kindergarten – she’s 13 now. She is the best running partner a mom could ask for!
She out-races me now, beating me by over 2 minutes at a recent hilly race! She also carried our race kits on her back during the race, (the organizers were understaffed at race day kit pickup and we narrowly made it to the starting line before the race started). She literally pushed me up the last big hill with one hand as I was struggling, and carried race kit paraphernalia in her other hand (that fell out of the backpack during the race, due to our hasty shoving of race kit bags into the backpack).
She is small but mighty (weighing only 80lbs) and she is very worthy of this award – I’m so proud of her athleticism and endurance!
Teri Van Sickle-Brown
Superstar Sensations
Sponsor: Centre Street Dental
HUDSON BOOTH
Hudson is an inspiring young man who I have seen training rain or shine and in various towns from South River to Huntsville. I have had the privilege of watching this young man achieve his dreams. He constantly challenges himself to achieve a new personal best in a variety of distances and signs up for races both around the province and recently competed in races in Spain! When I feel the urge to give up, it’s Hudson’s determination that keeps me going!
Skye Goulbourne
Kyle Barber
Everyone who knows Hudson knows how much he works for and loves running. He does other sports too, like bowling, basketball, soccer, golf, Nordic skiing and I’m sure there others I am not thinking of.
Jennifer Booth
Note: Hudson came in 10th over all in the 5k with an incredible time of 22minutes!!
Can’t Keep Me on the Couch!
Sponsor: Reactivate
DWAYNE ROGERS
Donna Barclay
I would like to nominate Faith Critchlow for an award at this year’s Band on the Run. Faith has overcome many obstacles in her life to reach this point of participating in this run. From being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 10 to a life altering accident a few years ago that resulted in a brain bleed and severe concussion which left her with memory issues, she has fought to get here today. Faith meets every and any challenge life throws at her with as Gord Downey said it best ” armed with will and determination and grace too”. She is an amazing young woman and I am beyond proud to call her daughter. Please consider her for award ceremony this Saturday, it will her first Band on the Run and the second 5km for her since she began running.
Anita Critchlow
Faith has worked so hard at getting her health in the best condition possible. She has had type 1 Diabetes since public school. During college, like many students, she put on weight and did not focus on a healthy diet or exercise program. However, this past year she has really worked to get her body in shape. She has lost weight, worked on strength, balance and endurance. She has inspired our family to eat less fat, less sugar and watch our calories. She leads by example! We are thrilled to witness her participate in Band On The Run. It is a milestone for her to run 5 km. Her diabetes is completely under control. To see her so healthy and happy is heart warming.
Angela Dunnett
I am nominating Faith Critchlow for an award as a result of her endless dedication and motivation towards achieving and improving her physical stamina and athletic goals. I believe she deserves an award because no matter the weather, energy levels, or any other circumstances, she gives it her all to get out and run. She is always aiming to improve herself and her goals along her personal cardio journey, and is a very passionate young woman as well. I believe she deserves this award for all of these mentioned reasons and more, as she is hardworking and truly enthusiastic when it comes to running and habitually improving her physical stamina.
Alex Goltz
Julia has been running your event for years and this year was slated to run the half marathon, but suffered a nagging injury last year that she is only just now beginning to recover from. In fact, Julia was at the point where she was ready to pack in running altogether. She has now decided to run again, and is still going to run the 10K next weekend. A dedicated routine of yoga for the last few months and sneaking in some runs over the past few weeks, as well as a good amount of Julia determination, and she is just about ready to tackle the race. I know she will do it because that is the type of person that she is. It is such a tremendous feat for anyone to pick themselves up from an obstacle in life, dust off and carry on again doing something challenging but rewarding. In so many aspects of her life, more than I can mention here, she has shown this quality time and again. For Julia, I know, running is one of the great loves she is passionate about.
In addition to this, she is a single Mum (Mom) of two kids, which can be difficult for any parent at the best of times. Running has been a huge part of her life, successfully running many marathons and half marathons, including fundraising for charities for many of those. Julia never seeks any recognition and is one of the most kind and giving people I know. In every aspect of life she is an inspiration to her family and friends, and especially to many of those who are runners, myself included. In fact, without her support and encouragement I might not have become a runner or running my very first half marathon ever this year – Band On The Run! Julia has so many reasons for running, including the typical health and fitness ones, but also many personal. She is deserving of heaps of praise more than anyone will ever know. As she would say, always a little further.
Steve Neely
Race Director Awards
Sponsor: Reboot with Real Foods
SULLY SPRATHOFF – AMBASSADOR AWARD
Six-year old Sully spent his weekends leading up to the event, with his mom Leigh Fettes, visiting each of the neighbourhoods that would be most impacted by the road closures on race day and letting them know what to expect. He is awesome!!
Sebastian’s birthday always falls somewhere within a week to ten days before Band on the Run. And every year Rob and I have this awful, inevitable oh s%*#@ moment where we turn to each other and say – gasp – Seb’s birthday. What are we doing for that?! And every year Seb takes it in stride with such good humour.
Justine Brown
Determination Superstars
Sponsor: Will Davidson
CLARENCE JENKINS
Kelly Petman
Every Friday I would check the Strava leaderboard for BOTR and figure how far I needed to run to keep up with Katie! On weekend in January, she did a last run late on Sunday (end of week) to pass my mileage total. That grit and determination, even in the most awful conditions, are the reason that she is so successful and gets her runs in regardless of weather! She singlehandedly had me running an extra 30km per week! Go Katie!
Richard Denis
My wife Karen is closing on 62 and is doing the 5km for her first time. Thing is, on Friday, the day before the run she is having six biopsies for skin cancer done. These are very painful but she’ll be there nevertheless!
George Pudsey
Unquenchable Motivators
Sponsor: Fowler Construction
KEELY EVANS
SUE SEDGWICK
I think Sue Sedgewick deserves recognition. I think if you investigate you will see that over the years she has talked up this race with her family young and old and has encouraged many in her family to participate. I would expect they are , if not the largest number of family members in the race, then very close to it.
Janice Haley
CAMIL LAPOINTE
Luke Aitken
LEE NUNNENMACHER
Kathy Jannelle & William Nunnenmacher
Lifetime Sources of Inspiration
Sponsor: Lake of Bays Brewing Company
MAUREEN MCINTYRE
Maureen McIntyre is a 77 Year old 5K walker. Maureen has NPH or normal pressure hydrocephalus. She has a shunt and gets involved in as much as possible to hopefully help others with this same condition. She is the reason that I am walking at 78 years of age.
Salvatore Azzara
Leadership Inspiration
Sponsor: Tulloch Engineering
LEIGH FETTES
When I think of someone who perseveres with her own running goals and someone who is so absolutely welcoming and encouraging of runners of all types she’s the person I think of! Think about her inspirational one year running streak. Or how (together with Kati Strickland) she has gotten parkrun going in Huntsville to spread the joy of running/fitness, build the running community, and to help make running accessible to more people. She motivates me and others to keep going in all weather and levels of energy and to be proud of our accomplishments no matter how “small”. So deserving of recognition!
Heather Mason
Petja Taivassalo
Family Inspiration
Sponsor: Algonquin Outfitters
THE NEWTON CREW
Jamie Newton
Lindsay Gould
I would like to nominate John Simpson who is running the 5K with his boys (my amazing nephews!) and their soccer teams. John is a great Dad, husband, Uncle, friend and colleague who never sweats the small stuff! He works hard as an Emerg Doctor and is one of the calmest, kindest and most giving people I know. John goes to all ends to train, run and encourage his kids (and others) to do their best.
John does not train consistently. He trains with his boys when he needs to, and would never let them down. He should be recognized for his amazing contributions to the Huntsville community and many of the youth programs. He runs this race to support his boys and their teams!
Pauline Smith
Kelly Holinshead
You’re My Inspiration
Sponsor: Trace Property Group – Summit Lakeside Living
HEATHER MANDERSON
I have been friends with Heather for over 10 years.
In those 10 years I have never seen Heather be very athletic. I have NEVER known Heather to run, unless it was after a bottle of wine lol
Heather has been through so much over the past 3-4 years. She has been through so much and through it all, she has kept smiling (even though she was crying), building an amazing fulfilling career, motivating me and raising three amazing boys. She is now a single mom, and RUNNING!!!
What??!! That’s right! She is running and even motivated me to join her on this 10km adventure and fulfil one of my bucket list items.
I remember when she first had this idea…she told me she “parked really far away from the grocery store”. She was going to try to jog to the store but could only walk fast and was very winded! Now she is running and I am so unbelievably proud of her.
No matter what our time is on Saturday, no matter how many times we have to stop and walk…I will be right by her side and so happy!!! I may even tempt her with more wine!
She is my inspiration!
Diane Thomas
I would like to nominate Wendy Sholtz. Wendy is a mom of two and a wife and a terrific best friend of mine. She inspires as Wendy has always taken time for herself which all women should.
Tracey Kohut