Watch above: The Bluenose Marathon will be missing a longtime trainer after Cliff Matthews passed away a few months ago, and now the running community will honour his legacy, Ray Bradshaw reports.
HALIFAX – The Halifax running community is honouring the legacy of a man who trained several distance runners in the area over his 30-year career ahead of this weekend’s Blue Nose Marathon.
Cliff Matthews of Halifax was in Kenya in mid-March to train runners and learn more about coaching when he died from a heart attack.
Denise Robson of Dartmouth was one of the runners he was training.
Robson said Matthews made a lasting impact on everyone who met him.
“He was so passionate about running, so caring, so giving, He was very special to me. I’ve been together with him for nine years,” she said. “He was definitely like a father figure to me.”
Veteran runner Ethan Michaels said Matthews was “a very special person.”
- Trudeau says ‘good luck’ to Saskatchewan premier in carbon price spat
- Canadians more likely to eat food past best-before date. What are the risks?
- Hundreds mourn 16-year-old Halifax homicide victim: ‘The youth are feeling it’
- Vacation death: Cuba apologizes after Canadian family receives wrong remains
Michaels said Matthews would shout instructions to his runners from an intersection of pathways near Martello Tower in Point Pleasant Park.
A Night of Champions – A Tribute to Cliff Matthews will be held Thursday at the Spatz Theatre at Citadel High School. Michaels said he couldn’t think of a better person to honour leading up to the Blue Nose Marathon
“We’re going to give out some awards to people for lifetime achievement, plus have a film on Cliff’s life and honour this community member who made a difference in all of our lives,” he said.
Canadian champion Reid Coolsaet and 2012 Olympic Silver Medalist Abel Kirui from Kenya will help pay tribute to Matthews.
“I think that’s what this world needs,” said Michaels. “More people to work together collectively and make a difference.”
Michaels said he wants to see a permanent memorial dedicated to Matthews in the community. He is hoping to get the intersection of pathways where Matthews stood named in his honour.
“It’s only fitting that this corner be named ‘Cliff’s Corner’ in honour of Cliff, and in honour of everybody that ran underneath him, so we all have a memory to carry on,” he said.
Comments