Toronto runner pays tribute to ‘the Godfather' of Cape Breton running
Aaron Manning of Toronto and the late Peter Hanna of Whitney Pier, N.S., were born more than 50 years apart - and in fact, they hardly ever met.
'Just the once. It was like two minutes,' Manning, 31, recalled about meeting Hanna.
The competitive runner remembers a chance conversation with Hanna - who many called 'The Godfather' of the Cape Breton running community - at the Cabot Trail Relay Race in May 2019.
At the time, Hanna was nearly 80-years-old and was participating in the grueling race despite fighting a cancer he would end up passing away from a few years later in June 2023.
'It was just kind of striking to me,' Manning said. 'You know, that this guy was close to the end of his life and he was like, 'I refuse to give this up because it's just something that I love doing.''
Now, Manning has launched his own coaching program for athletes.
When choosing a name, he remembered the man who completed all 17 legs of the Cabot Trail Relay twice.
So he went with '217′, explaining Hanna's achievement represents the kind of no-quit mindset he wants to embody.
'The name '217′ kind of comes from that,' Manning said. 'I want to just have a little bit of a tip of the cap to that attitude, that spirit.'
In yet another nod to Hanna's legacy, an annual race in his memory, the Peter Hanna Five-Miler, will take place in Cape Breton on Wednesday.
Participants will pass through the streets of Whitney Pier that Peter used to run daily.
Connor Daye, Hanna's 15-year-old grandson, will run in his grandfather's race on Wednesday alongside his twin brother Luke.
He says it's an honour anytime someone remembers Hanna.
'I think that's a really cool idea of (Manning) thinking about him like that,' Daye said. 'My grandfather was a runner and now I'm trying to take up running. Always when I'm out running, there's someone who knows who he is and just around the community.'
Back in Toronto, Manning hopes whatever his athletes accomplish might - in some small way - help grow Hanna's legacy even further.
'People won't know about it, and we'll tell them 'There was this guy. Maybe you've heard of him, maybe you haven't, but he was the first ever to do all 17 legs twice,'' Manning said. 'And then maybe they go check out the documentary and maybe they go read more about him.'
Aaron Manning
Aaron Manning, a Toronto runner, pays tribute to the late Cape Breton 'Godfather' of running. (Source: Instagram)
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