Never in my Lifetime

I never thought that "runner" would be something that would appear next to my name or in an about me section. I hated it. I was always competitive but running didn’t have a place in my skill set or my mindset.

The idea lost me right from the start, my competitive nature prompting questions like, how do I get better? How will I know how if I've improved? How do I avoid looking stupid?

I had dozens of questions, zero answers and an age old excuse, a 'bad knee'.

And so it was decided, I would not run.

Years went by, from the day I retired my football cleats to the day I took my first steps as a runner.

My path to running started with testing a theory that, I could, on demand, reverse the effects of the sedentary lifestyle I was leading.

You may be familiar with the combination of endless hours in front of a computer and a delicious but unhealthy diet that often snowballs into a spare tire around your waist.

My thesis was simple. At any moment, at any age, if I ‘got fat’, I would hit the gym and shed the excess weight. I wrote a piece about my experience here. With my thesis proven I sought out a new challenge and new benchmark for my personal health, could I run 5k without stopping?

Wings For Life 2016 Niagara Falls - Photo: Dale Tidy

Slow and Steady Wings the Race

My first run was a total of 2.15km and I hated all 11 minutes of it so much that it took me a month before I went out for another run. At that point 5k might have well been a marathon, it felt like an Olympic feat.

Two years have passed and I've come a long way. I've clocked just over 1600 km and continue to create new personal goals which while fun, are no longer my main focus.

Now I'm focused on our community, the WRG Run Club. We built the RC for anyone who feels the same way I did when I first thought about running. While some of us struggle just to leave the house, others run like they were raised by gazelles, and together we all have fun and most importantly, we all celebrate each other's achievements.

When I first discovered Wings For Life and the World Run program I had been training for my first half-marathon and I looked at it as just another challenge.

I was completely wrong.

Wings For Life is a completely unique type of race. I've gone into the format of the run both here and here, so let's just jump ahead to the why part.

Most road races have a set distance ie: 5k, 10k, half-marathon (21.1k), Marathon (42.2k), etc.

Set distance races pose a big hurdle (pun intended). While some runners will rise to the challenge, too many will shy away from entering for fear of failure or poor performance.

I only have anecdotal evidence to support this but ask some friends or be honest with yourself, what’s been stopping you from entering a race or trying a new distance?

Wings For Life 2016 Niagara Falls - Photo: Dale Tidy

But I Can’t Run That Far!

Wings For Life’s run-as-far-as-you-can format takes away the stress and fear of not crossing the finish line. Instead of worrying about not making it all the way, you can enjoy your run at your own pace and always be a winner.

In 2015, I witnessed all 22 men and women with whom I shared a bus ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls achieve their personal bests at the race, each with a different combination of farthest, fastest or longest run.

It Wasn’t a Fluke

In 2016, I saw it happen all over again. Our ‘Selfie Runners’ in Montreal and runners in Niagara Falls, once again new records and personal bests were achieved almost across the board.

I’m already excited for 2017 and for the opportunity to discover more reasons to share my passion for running and introduce both new and experienced runners to participate in Wings For Life and join a race that shares so many of the values that our WRG Run Club champions.

For now, catch your breath and stretch, there’s a lot more running to do this summer.

Learn more or join the WRG Run Club.