Les Sables-d’Olonne: almost 300 children put on their sneakers for the breath race

She had never collected so much!

Under a summer sun, almost 300 children lined up at the starting line of the course of breath, in Les Sables-d’Olonne, Saturday May 18. A record.

For around twenty years, it has officially opened the half-marathon weekend. The participants and their families all met at the Rudelière stadium at the start of the afternoon to race over different distances.

800 m for those born between 2015 and 2017, 1,200 m for 2013-2014, 1,600 m for 2011-2012 and finally 2,000 m for 2009-2010. Everyone goes at their own pace, to the loud applause of a stadium that comes to encourage them. Some even brought signs to show their support.

“The body is made to move”

Here, no performance objective. The most important thing is not to sit still. “Every year, we have more and more people,” rejoices Thierry Pigeanne, vice-president of the Altadir association, which aims to preserve health through sport and which oversees the event. “Our slogan is “the body is made to move”. We want denounce the problem of inactivity and sedentary lifestyle, which increases the risk of fatal diseases by 30%. “

Among them, the cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, or even depression. Difficult to say the scope of the message, but the work seems to be bearing fruit. Around the track, we find both regulars of the race and new participants.

In the middle of warming up, Olivier and Louis came from Poitiers. » I’m in Les Sables-d’Olonne for tomorrow’s 10km, and then we saw this race. Louis is starting to take an interest in middle distance, so this was the opportunity,” reports the father who fully identifies with past messages. “My children are free to choose the discipline they want, but we try to encourage them to move around. It is important for the body. “

Stop smoking

A sports gathering with double scope: bringing together and raising awareness. For this, moreover, beyond the expertise of pulmonologists, the league against cancer also runs a stand, to warn of the risks of tobacco.

“Through games, we discuss with young people to avoid incitement to tobacco. The first cigarette is often in 5th grade. We can answer their questions and prepare them for the day they will face them,” explains Virginie, a volunteer with the association. After sweating around the track, the children happily came to answer questions, and show that they know the danger.

Now for the adults. More than 4,000 competitors are expected from Sunday morning, in the 10km and the half-marathon.

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