1400 K :-)

Yeah, I reached 1400 K with today's run :-) Got in 6.14 K for a total of 1400.36 K in the year. The 1000 miles goal looks doable now that I am able to run well after the Scotiabank Waterfront full marathon. Love running after work since it "refreshes" my mind. Got in some speed work in the run and it felt great.

---

More media attention to the issue of 2 marathons in 3 weeks in Toronto. That is awful for drivers to get out of the cars and boo the runners. The runners didn't do anything wrong.

Two marathons is too many: City
By JENNY YUEN, SUN MEDIA

Last Updated: 20th October 2009, 3:11pm

Officials are examining the way marathons are scheduled after Sunday's Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon shut down numerous downtown streets, leaving motorists honking and swearing as they sat in gridlock for hours.

Just three weeks ago, streets were also closed to accommodate the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

"We hope to reach that agreement amicably, but if necessary, we may have to bring a report to committee and council early next year," said Peter Noehammer, a city transportation director.

"We do get concerns expressed each year when they're so closely spaced together," he added yesterday.

But organizers for the two marathons appear in no rush to work together.

DIFFERENT ROUTES

Jay Glassman, race director for Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon, said his event was running years before Scotiabank's marathon and that combining the two wouldn't work because they operate on different business models.

"We're established first, but we have different routes and different business philosophies," he said. "The city created this issue and we spoke about it 10 years ago. I warned them about it and they chose to ignore the advice from the running community."

And Alan Brookes of the waterfront marathon said he wouldn't be open to switching his run to the spring because sponsors are already supporting other Canadian marathons held annually at that time of year.

"It would be highly injurious to the sport to have races in Ottawa and Toronto waterfront go up against each other in the same (spring) season," ,Brookes said. "We have a three-year contract with Honda Indy for promotion in the summer for the race in the fall. It's about 'waterfront,' with the fast times becoming a world marathon."

Organizers also do not seem interested in discussing route changes that veer from downtown.

"The Marine Corps. marathon runs around the Capitol building in Washington D.C. and the Lincoln Memorial; it's the same in Toronto," said Glassman.

"If you keep rubber stamping every event that comes along because your policy is you can't say no to them, it's going to get to the point where the roads are saturated by running events, Caribana, Pride, book fairs and all these other events."

"Toronto's a pretty vibrant and busy city, so we have major special events happening, especially in the fair weather months," Noehammer said.

---

RUN OF THE HOUSE

WHAT GOES INTO A MARATHON PERMIT FROM THE CITY OF TORONTO

- City officials say applications go through a rigorous approval process when organizers seek permits to stage events

- Applicants to submit a traffic management plan.

- City bureaucrats review the traffic plans and will make changes designed to minimize congestion on the streets.

- Organizers must also propose a route for their events.

- The city's transportation department approved 622 community events permits a year: Just under 300 of them were on major roads and the balance on local roads.