The past 4 months of fishing really hasn't existed for me because I had been too busy training for this past weekend Toronto Waterfront Marathon. There are only a few members that know that my passion for running and having an active lifestyle is one of my biggest passions, even more so then fishing, and yes I know this is funny because this report is on a fishing forum.
Prior to the run this past Sunday, I had ran in 15 runs. 7 road races, 7 obstacle course races and 1 duathlon. The Sydenham Duathlon was my highlight because it was my first one and I managed to finish second in my age group Males 30-34. The training was my main focus and I cranked it up the last 2 months to ensure that I would be able to finish the grueling 42.2km course that laid ahead of me.
However this past spring, a person close to me was battling thru depression and I thought that if they could battle this that I would have no problem running a Full Marathon. So I signed up for the Toronto Waterfront Full Marathon, which was held this past Sunday ( Oct 18 2015). Every year Scotiabank puts on a charity challenge for the marathon and little did I know while I was signing up for the marathon that one of the featured charities was The Ontario Shores Foundation for Mental Health. So I felt like it was only fitting to pick this charity to raise the money for.
So in Late April it was official that I was going to be running in the Marathon, now In the past I had ran in the Toronto Waterfront Half in 2012 and in the 5k last year 2014
RACE WEEKEND
It was a great experience and accomplishment that I have to thank fellow board member Jeremy84 for getting me into these races. Overall it was a great race weekend from the expo to race day itself. It was a very long day, starting with getting down to the event early to avoid the chaos (26,000 runners) and get a parking spot as close to the event as I could.
The start area is still one of the best out there, having the event site in one corner, the washrooms (port-a-potties) lining one side of the starting chute.The corrals where well marked and the course marshals and volunteers in each corral where excellent and well informed, at least in the green corral.
At most of the big runs like this one they have pace bunnies, who are there to run the course in a certain time at a certain pace. I decided to run the race with the 4:25 marathon run/walk bunny. I was able to keep pace with her and the group of fellow runners for the first 23km, before I had to slow down to shake out some muscle stiffness.
Somewhere in the following 2 km my knee started to act up, so it slowed me down, to a pace that made me doubt if I’d be able to finish. At the first aid station I went to the First Aid workers did not have any tape. I was finally able to get it taped up around the 32km if I remember right. They got me taped up and I was able if not for the tape I know I wouldn’t have been able to finish.
I was warned of the dark places that my mind was going to go to during the race, and as I right this I know there are parts of the race that I just can't recall because I was mentally zapped. With that there were a few people out on the course that were there to run people in to the finish, so I had one of them run with me to help me with that final push. I'm thrilled that I managed to push thru the pain of my knee being blown out and all my muscle screaming at me to stop. I was hoping to have a finished with the 4 hour and 25 minute pace that I started with however I finished the race in 5 hours 5 minutes and 43 seconds. 3 days later and it is finally sinking in that I ran a full marathon.
I decided to make this report for those wondering where I have been over the last few months.
Pictures to come