Toronto Women's 416 Run Challenge--Week One, Motivation

 

Finding motivation to run during the cold, dreary winter months can be difficult. The extreme cold, snow, wind, dark skies and icy sidewalks are not great incentive to lace up the running shoes and head outdoors. Usually I use the winter months to train for the Around the Bay 30 km Race which occurs in late March. Knowing that I have a race at the end of the winter months keeps me from blowing off a training run during the miserable weather. This year, it`s highly unlikely that this race will go ahead and so I needed something else to get me out the door. That`s when I heard about The Toronto Women’s 416 Run Challenge.

 

This is a virtual running/walking event that encourages women around the world to complete a 416 kilometre journey between now and July 31, 2021. This event is versatile and because of this there are many ways to participate. You can challenge yourself to see how quickly you can run 416 kilometres, or you can take your time; you can run indoors on the trainer, or outside on the trails; you can run or walk; you can do it by yourself or with your “bubble.”

 

This fabulous event was created by the same team as the Toronto Women`s Run Series, of which I have completed many of their races both virtually and in-person throughout the years. They are always well-organised, fun and well-supported. The Toronto Women`s 416 Challenge will be a great way for many women to keep fit, focused on running (or walking) and also fundraise for any of the three deserving charities including: Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), Second Harvest and Sistering.

 

A few days after I registered for the event, I received my welcome kit. The friendly person that left it on my doorstep waved from his car and wished me good-luck as I went to retrieve it. I couldn't wait to open it and see all the goodies inside. When I opened the box I discovered a 416 Run Challenge neck gaiter (which had every neighbourhood in Toronto printed on), delicious Pilot Coffee and a 416 Run Challenge mug to sip from, a $25 Asics e-card, a collapsible running cup, Nuun Electrolyte tablets and the 416 Run Challenge Finisher necklace. With the welcome kit you receive the chain, but you earn the charms that spell R-U-N after completing 150 km, 300 km and then when you cross the finish line at 416km.

 

I started this challenge on November 1st after I completed my fall races. My goal is to run at least 50 kilometres every week, and complete the challenge in 2 months, although once the Christmas holidays begin it will be more difficult.

 Weekly Running Recap

This was my first week and I managed to complete 50 kilometres (50.57 to be exact) and I have 365.43 km left to go. The weather posed for interesting challenges as on Sunday it snowed and the temperatures plummeted to -9 degrees. The next morning all the snow hadn't melted and some areas of the trail were quite slippery, especially the bridge that passed over the railroad. It was a long, steep bridge and the path was covered in ice. As I descended I had to hold the railing to prevent myself from sliding all the way down to the bottom. I crossed paths with another runner ascending the bridge and he was also grasping hold of the railing in an attempt to keep from falling. We must have looked a strange sight with this very comical bit of choreography. But while Monday and Tuesday were really cold, Wednesday through the rest of the week was warm and sunny as the temperature rose to 15 degrees.  It certainly made it easier to get outside at an early hour.

 

There were lots of others on the trail enjoying the bonus beautiful weather, and I bumped into many of my “friends” that are regular trail runners or walkers and we waved and called “hello” to each other. I don’t know their names, or anything about them, except that we share this one common thing—the love of running and being outdoors. I don’t get many chances to socialize these days, so just being on the trail with others makes me feel like I am part of a community.

 

And every morning when I got back from my run, I poured myself a steaming hot cup of Pilot coffee into my 416 Women`s running mug and enjoyed the rich brew while waiting for Cilla`s virtual school to begin.