Running club coach surfaces

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Managing a running club proved to be too much responsibility for one coach, who says he abandoned a group of hopefuls on route to New Zealand because the pressure was too great.

Tom Wesley failed to meet a group young athletes of the First Nations Running Club on the eve of their journey to a sacred run in New Zealand Oct. 29, 1993. The eight teenagers were stranded without plane tickets in Winnipeg, after having been told by Wesley the entire trip was taken care of.

But the 25-year-old had failed to raise enough money, couldn't manage the growing club's books, and lied to keep up appearances. When the deadline came,

Wesley snapped and ran to the United States.

"I felt really like everything was spinning. I went to see my girlfriend and I told her 'I lost it,'" he told a local Native newspaper.

He apologized to the runners and wished them luck in their future runs.

Wesley denies intending to steal any funds. A police investigation has been launched but no charges laid as police are still waiting for documents from the runners outlining how much money was collected.

Fortunately for the youths, Native and business communities across Canada rallied around them and raised more than $14,000 to send the group to New Zealand. An additional $15,000 was contributed by the Department of Indian Affairs. The team arrived in New Zealand Nov. 7.

Two weeks after running out on the team, Wesley surfaced in Denver, Colo. He contacted his family in northern Ontario and was persuaded to return to Canada.