Father And Daughter Set To Run The Mississauga Marathon Presented By Canon

Like any other parent, Mark Collis loves spending time with his kids. That’s part of the reason why he is running in the Mississauga Marathon with his daughter, Amanda, who has Cerebral Palsy. Although they are seasoned veterans when it comes to racing, the Mississauga Marathon will be their first full marathon. Mark will push 18 year-old Amanda in a jogging stroller while attempting to qualify for the prestigious Boston Marathon.

Marks desire to run with Amanda is simple he sees the enjoyment and thrill she gets out of it. Although Amanda is mentally and physically handicapped, she is like everyone else in that she loves socializing and getting outside. Running with her dad has become a way of life for Amanda.

Members of the Burlington Running Club, the pair started running together four years ago when Mark decided to take Amanda with him on one of his daily runs. Since that time, it has been rare to see Mark running without her. Amanda is as much a part of the local running community as anyone else, Mark says. She often gets upset if I decide to go for a run without her, so that doesn’t happen very frequently!

While Mark has run fourteen marathons on his own, he is excited at the opportunity to run in the Mississauga Marathon with Amanda. He knows it is going to be difficult, but based on their finishes in other races this year, he is hoping to finish the race at 3:30:00.