U of GH Kinesiology student James Robb-Kennedy raised over $10K for Youth Haven Canada
James Robb-Kennedy is a Kinesiology student and Humber Hawks rugby player at the University of Guelph-Humber who’s determined to make the world a better place and is doing so through the power of sport. He even raised $10,000 for charity by completing an ultramarathon, running from Barrie, Ont., to Toronto’s CN Tower! Here’s what he had to say about this courageous feat and why he’s passionate about sports.
Q: Congratulations on completing your charity run from Barrie to the CN Tower in downtown Toronto to raise money for youth homelessness! Please tell us all about this experience.
A: It started in 2022. My good friend and I were using the extra time from the pandemic to help have a positive impact on our community through 100 days of jumping into the frozen lake in Barrie, Ont., where we would livestream ourselves on his TikTok page to raise awareness about youth homelessness in our community. We also gained some attention from local news stations about our initiative and had many in-person spectators during our 100 days. We both liked to push our bodies to our physical and mental limits, and were also very competitive with each other, so some of the days we spent over 20 minutes in the frozen water. Throughout this time, we were trying to think about what we would do next to help raise awareness for our cause.
Naturally, because we both enjoyed running, we had the idea of doing an ultramarathon (100 km) from downtown Barrie to the CN Tower in Toronto. We trained for a couple of months to help prepare ourselves the best we could. Both of us knew failure wasn’t going to be an option and this was going to come down to a mental fight with ourselves even more than physical. We were motivated by the hundreds of homeless youths in our community that didn’t have a choice to do hard things every single day. It was a major physical feat for us, but they were our biggest reason to keep pushing.
When we started the run at 1 a.m., we had the founder of Youth Haven Canada come to wish us luck, and by pure coincidence, one of the youths that had been lucky enough to be supported by Youth Haven for a few years of his life tell us his story at the start line. By the end of our journey, we were able to raise over $10,000 for the charity to support youth homelessness in our community, which felt even better than accomplishing the actual run itself!
Q: How long did the run take?
A: We completed the 104.7 km run in 16 hours and 51 minutes, we took around 130,000 steps, and burned around 8,000 calories.
Q: How will these funds help youth?
A: The money will help Youth Haven Canada by providing youth with housing, and resources like food and clothes, to help get them off the streets and prepare them for a successful life. Youth Haven has amazing programs that help guide the youth on how to set themselves up for success, with many programs designed to help them find jobs and provide them with tools to help manage and support any ongoing mental health or physical issues they may be struggling with.
Q: That ultramarathon sounds physically and mentally intense. To prepare for the fundraiser, did you apply anything you learned from the Kinesiology program to be ready?
A: At the time of this fundraiser, I wasn’t yet in Guelph-Humber’s Kinesiology program, but as a Fitness and Health Promotion student, I knew that was my next step. But knowing what I know now from my Kinesiology program, we implemented a lot of planning, ensuring we were physically prepared for the run, as well as ensuring we were taking care of any injuries from the training to best prepare us for that day. We also used many of the nutritional strategies that I have learned through my Kin program, finding out what worked best for us and set us up for the best success, because without proper fuel there would be no way our bodies would be able to endure the physical task ahead.
Q: You also play Rugby for the Humber Hawks. How has this endeavour contributed to how you engage with the Guelph-Humber community and connect with others?
A: It opened my eyes to the fact that everyone has a different story and to always be a good person. I’ve met and have become close with many individuals with very different lives. One thing that always sticks with me is something one of my coaches told me at the beginning of my rugby career: being a good athlete isn’t enough; it is more important that you are a good person. And this resonates with me deeply, as I pride myself in being a very open and accepting person, and I think that helps me with my leadership style, allowing me to be a successful captain of the rugby team. This was a big reason why I wanted to run for this cause, because I believe you must be the change you want to see in the world!
Q: How do you feel you could continue to use the power of sport to make the world a better place?
A: I hope to continue to bring the power of sport into people's lives, not only to raise money for charities, but to connect with people. As I begin my next steps to my future career as a physical education teacher, I hope to use sports as a crucial skill to be a successful person, encouraging all students to participate in sport as they hold many life skills, such as teamwork, commitment, and camaraderie. Sport and physical activity will also allow individuals to push themselves physically and mentally, helping them overcome struggles and live a healthier life. The power of sport has truly changed my life, and I hope I can lead future generations to find their passion.
Q: What insights could you offer your peers on using their passions to drive real, positive change in the world – just as you did?
A: Try new things. If something is intimidating to you, there is a reason for that, and it’s likely because on the other side of that scary endeavour will be valuable lessons, moments, and memories that will change your life forever. Whether it is through a physical endeavour or using our knowledge and constant curiosity to change the world for the better. Remember that you have that opportunity to change the world. Whether you are raising money for a good cause or stepping outside your comfort zone to pursue your career, everything we do can have an impact on our world. It’s about all of us making changes in every domain. Be kind, be curious, be courageous, be the change.
