Cape Breton man running entire Cabot Trail to raise funds for life-saving device

Article content“The older I get, I feel like I passed that prime. If this was a couple of years ago, I’d be laughing. I was doing a 100-miler trail race, which I did great in, and I was running quite a bit. The older I get, it’s harder to get up in the mornings to run, but this one, it’s not so much about speed, it’s just about getting out there, running for eight to nine hours a day for four days, which I think I can do and I hope I can do.”Article content‘I’LL TAKE MY TIME’Article contentLocal businesses along the Cabot Trail have offered free accommodations for the three nights he’ll be sleeping along the route. Businesses can sponsor the run as bronze, silver or gold sponsors. For gold sponsors, he’ll dedicate one of 17 legs to that business, while also honouring someone who passed away from heart complications.Article contentLeg 1 will be dedicated to his father, while Leg 17 is in honour of Steve Dunn, 58, who died running the Cabot Trail Relay in 2012.Article contentArticle content“I’ll take my time, stop when I need to for hydration breaks,” said Sakalauskas. “I have a support crew coming with me. I also opened it up to the running community, so I have a bunch of friends coming out to join me throughout the weekend, to run with me, help pace me and just be part of it.”Article content‘INCREDIBLE’ INITIATIVEArticle contentPaige Westbury, manager of marketing and communications with the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation, called the initiative Sakalauskas is undertaking “incredible.”Article content“When he told us what he was doing, we were shocked not only at the kilometres he’s running, which is an incredible feat in itself, but also the goal of $30,000 individually with the support of the community around him. It’s quite a lofty goal,” said Westbury. “But he knows how important this device is to the hospital and the ER and he’s extremely motivated.”Article contentArticle contentShe said since the fundraiser launched, health-care workers have reached out to the foundation to pass along their gratitude to Sakalauskas, the foundation and the donors for getting the funds needed for the LUCAS device.Article content“Working in the ER is taxing on its own and then adding on the physicality of doing CPR in emergency situations,” said Westbury. “This device would make such a huge impact to our health-care staff and them being able to provide the care that they do for Cape Bretoners in need.”Article content Herbie Sakalauskas of Westmount is an experienced marathon runner and volunteers as the race director for the Cape Breton Fiddlers Marathon. ContributedArticle content‘GET TO THAT FINISH LINE’Article contentTo physically prepare for the run, Sakalauskas said he’s been upping his mileage and doing back-to-back long runs on the weekends.Article contentHe’s confident he’ll reach the finish line both in Baddeck and in his fundraising goals. They’ve already hit $10,000 of the $30,000 needed for the LUCAS device. His workplace, Cape Breton Trailer Sales, donated $2,000 to the cause and is the presenting sponsor.