A few of my favourite runs

Another run on the Beach

I've been running for a long time.  Lots of training runs, fun runs and races.  And I've run in just about every place I've traveled.  I have lots of memories of great runs and very few of the bad ones.  Funny how running seems to do that.  For this post on a -4 degree Celsius morning on April 2 (I thought April Fool's Day only lasted until 12 noon April 1), I'm motivated to share a few of my favourite runs:

• Calling myself a runner way back at this early stage is a bit of an exaggeration.  A shuffler maybe, a jogger for sure.  But after making the decision, I made it through my first 10 K:  My 1st 10 K
• By the time I wrote this next blog post I'd been running for many years.  I'd completed numerous 10K races when that distance was all the rage.  I'd done some 15K races and even a couple of Half Marathons.  But I'd never completed a Full Marathon.  Could I call myself a real runner?  My first attempt at the Full Marathon distance was to be my last for many, many years:  The Unfinished Marathon
• It wasn't quite a backpack trip through France and we didn't stay in First Class hotels but when I traveled through France with my friend Tim, I enjoyed a number of great runs with him in places such as Tours, La Rochelle and Biaritz.  Her is one of my favourites from that trip:  Tim and Chris run in Tours
• When I look back on the Christmas of 1997 I still shake my head in amazement that I managed to handle the stress and challenges of taking Court, Andrew and Holden on a two week vacation to Australia.  The long flights were worth it though:  on stopovers in Vancouver on the way down and in Hawaii on the way back, we took in a lot of experiences.  We had fun...we bonded.  It remains a highlight of my life to be sure.  And of course I got to run in Australia.  My favourite:  Coogie Beach, Sydney
• 2008 through 2009 was a tough 18 months.  Time has softened it a bit but it was still challenging.  From the passing of my Dad in September 2008 though loosing my job at the depth of the recession, running was constant.  The highlight was the Reggae Marathon in December 2009 where I successfully finished my first marathon:  Unfinished business finished at Reggae Marathon

To be sure there are many other running experiences and stories.  Some written and many to come.  These are just a few of my favourite runs...so far.

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

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I'm raising funds for the Heart & Stroke Foundation in 2013.  My goal is to raise $2,000 by December 31.  My planned races in 2013 include:

1. The Sporting Life 10K, May 12
2. The Toronto Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 20
3. The Reggae Marathon, December 7.  

Please join me on Facebook at Run for Heart.