London, Ont. man lacing up for biggest race of his life
Joel Kennedy, Bear Clan member of the Oneida First Nation began his health journey in October 2015.
"Just started improving my eating habits, started being active, obviously I was a lot heavier at that point, so being active at that point was very difficult, so I took walking on," says Kennedy.
A simple walk kick-started Kennedy's mission to get healthy and eventually losing 150 pounds. But he says it is more than just the weight loss.
"Once I found my passion for running, I felt that kind of took over my interest, as opposed to the weight, it's more trying to find and improve more as a runner," he says.
And improve as a runner he did. After he completed his first five kilometer run, he kept running, and three years into his journey he was able to complete the Chicago Marathon.Joel Kennedy, Bear Clan member of the Oneida First Nation, running along Springbank Running Trail in London, Ont., Feb. 23, 2022. (Reta Ismail / CTV News)"It taught me a lot about not giving up and continuing to push through and do what you can," says Kennedy.
He completed three more marathons and is now preparing for the biggest race of his life.
"I did the Chicago [Marathon] two more times, did the Boston [Marathon] virtual experience in 2020, and actually going to be doing Boston this year as a charity runner."
Kennedy is training for the Boston Marathon by running five times a week. He hopes to raise money for the ‘Peer Health Exchange,’ an organization that promotes healthy living in the Black, Indigenous, People of Colo (BIPOC) community.
When he's not training for marathons, the father of two works at the N’Amerind Friendship Centre as the Urban Aboriginal healthy living coordinator.
Promoting an active lifestyle is important to Kennedy, that's why he says he began the Indigenous Running Club.
"We are just try to offer space for Indigenous people to be active, whether its walking or running on a weekly basis," he said.
Kennedy says he is a trailblazer in his community and hopes to be able to continue promoting a healthy lifestyle and encourage others to start moving.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.