Over the next two weeks, Landon Smith from Cape Sable Island will be running across Nova Scotia. Starting from The Hawk, Clarke’s Harbour to Meat Cove, Cape Breton, he will run more than 780 kilometers. “The start was pretty emotional. I kind of ran faster than I should have to get away from the Hark and people, but it was pretty good,” says Smith. Landon started training for this distance about a year ago. The idea was sparked by another Nova Scotian runner. “Allison McFadden ran it back in 2024 to raise money for the IWK and I ran it across Cape Island a little way so I started talking to her and got the idea from that,” says Smith. Smith started the journey on Saturday at 7 a.m. in his hometown and was surprised by the crowds that came out to support. “It’s been crazy, there have been people honking and waving and yelling since I left Cape Island and there were probably 50 people starting with me. Some ran 45 kilometres, some ran 10 kilometres and others five kilometres. I was escorted across the causeway by the fire department that I’m on and by our neighbouring fire department,” says Smith. As of Monday afternoon, Smith had cover just over 170 kilometres. He’s fueled by his passion to raise awareness for Autism Nova Scotia and his six-year-old nephew. Each day Smith sets out to run between 70 kilometres to 80 kilometres a day. “He’s autistic and we babysat him a few times and it’s pretty hard, so I figured if I could raise some awareness and money for that it would be a good help,” says Smith. The original goal Smith set out to raise was $5,000. So far, he’s been able to raise over $18,000. He isn’t doing this alone. His cousin Devan Waybret has been by his side since the start. “I’m just doing 30 or 40 a day when he needs me the most, when he needs a little support. I’m gonna tag along until Wednesday night,” says Waybret. Waybret says when he stops running with Smith Wednesday night, that’s when he’ll really need community members to jump in and run with him. “He’s pretty much my best friend and he’s doing amazing work for an amazing cause,” says Waybret. Whether it’s meals in the trailer or motivation on the road, Smith says he wouldn’t be able to do this without his family. His brother Robin and mother Sandi have been following him with the trailer since the start. “Its not just the 12 days of running across Nova Scotia, it’s thousands of kilometres for the past year that he’s put into it. It’s impressive,” says Robin Smith. Robin says he has watched his brother train since the start. He has been driving the truck and trailer, cooking meals and doing whatever Waybret and Landon need. “I thought it was crazy at first. I thought it was going to take a lot of work. Well, it is going to take a lot of work, but I thought it was almost impossible and the amount of running he has done and how driven he is to raise money and awareness for Autism Nova Scotia, it’s been pretty impressive,” says Robin. “It’s heartwarming to see him care so much for autism in Nova Scotia, but to see what he’s put himself through is crazy. When he first said he wanted to raise money for Autism Nova Scotia I said yes, for sure we will help. I thought it was like a bake sale or something, but no that wasn’t Landon’s style,” says Sandi Haughley. Vickey Harvey with Autism NS says their organization feels honoured that Landon chose to include them in his journey. “Opportunities like this provide us with more awareness, opportunities to increase understanding and acceptance and appreciation of autistic communities and autistic individuals. It also offers opportunities to help expose what autism Nova Scotia might provide to our communities,” says Harvey. Harvey says Autism Nova Scotia has created opportunities within communities to enrich and support individuals with autism to live the lives they want to lead for the last 25 years. She adds they are grateful for the awareness Landon’s journey is bringing and the funds from the community. “This is such an amazing thing you are doing to run 784 kilometres. I had to take a look at that number. We are so thrilled that you have included us in this very unique, remarkable personal journey you are taking. We are incredibly grateful to you for this opportunity but also to those who are supporting Landon throughout his journey by cheering him on, by letting other people know about his run and by providing donations towards his cause,” says Harvey. Landon’s goal is to complete the 784-kilometre run in 12 days. For those looking to support the mission or join in on the run, they can find his route and donation page on their Facebook page. Landon says it’s uplifting when people jump in to run with them and it gives him someone to talk to. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
