BEAVER BANK: Abby Lewis loves running.
The Grade 6 Beaver Bank-Monarch Drive Elementary School student showed that passion winning the Lifemark 5K on May 19 as part of the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon in Halifax. The race featured youth and adults alike, and Lewis was the first female—and first in 19-and-under—to cross the finish line with a time of 18:45.
“I was super happy and proud of myself,” she said of winning the race. “To see all my hard work pay off is pretty awesome.
She said it’s pretty easy to get motivated to run, since her dad Shawn is no stranger to those in the marathon circles. He has competed seven times at the prestigious Boston Marathon. So Abby, 11, is following in his footsteps and plans to continue running.
“I really love running and it makes me happy,” said Abby, 11. “It makes me feel good about myself.”
But she’s not just a runner—she does Chebucto Athletics; cross-fit in Halifax; triathlons; and swims with the Sackville Aquatics club.
Abby began running while she was still in diapers and could get into sneakers. She said her first race was the Santa Shuffle when she was just 15-months-old.
“I’ve been running ever since,” she said with a smile.
At the Blue Nose, Abby’s result was good enough to place her first of 207 in her age category and tops among 1,295 female runners who competed in the Lifemark 5K.
She doesn’t get much time for a reprieve as she’s already eyeing her next race—the Muffin Run in Lunenburg on June 8 and then the Navy 5K.
Abby said there’s just something about running that has her hooked.
“It makes me feel like a better person,” she said. “I just love it.
“It’s something I’m just very much into.”
