Year 2014 in Review - A Great Year!!!

Year 2014 in Review

* Conquered goal of running 1000 miles (1609 K). Ended up with running 1632 K this year.

* Remained injury-free. Must acknowledge the frequent massages to loosen the tight legs, quads, gluts, etc. Used up the $750 allocated by work insurance and had to spend my own money - worth every nickel to be injury-free!

* Completed 7 full marathons:

• 4:53:10.1 (Run) Mississauga Marathon, May 4, 2014
• 4:54:32 (Run) Ottawa Marathon, May 25, 2014
• 6:46:09 (Run) Niagara Ultra 50 K, June 14, 2014
• 5:16:20 (Run) Montreal Marathon, September 28, 2014
• 5:15:06.0 (Run) Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 19, 2014
• 5:51.44.4 (Run) Niagara Falls International Marathon, October 26, 2014
• 5:32:58 (Run) Hamilton Marathon, November 2, 2014

* Completed 3 full marathons in 3 weeks - thank you to the deep tissue massages!

* Completed 2 races 30 K, which helped train for the marathon distance:

• 3:37:58.0 (Run) Around the Bay, March 30, 2014
• 3:23:37.2 (Run) Midsummer Night's Run, August 16, 2014

* In 7 years of running, have accumulated 10 835 K.

* Purchased new Garmin 220 w/o HR monitor as well as compressor socks

* Year 2014 Photo Memories - been an amazing year!!!

Around the Bay 30 K - selfie with the Gream Reaper. Professional photographer took above photo - funny!

Ottawa Marathon - first time did this race; 2nd half scenic. Photo of Parliament Buildings. Have registered for this race again.

Niagara Ultra 50 K - my favourite race - 25 K turnaround at the Niagara Falls.

Montreal Marathon - first time doing this race - enjoyed 2nd half route. Photo with Olympic Stadium

Niagara Falls International Marathon - photo taken in Buffalo at art museum. Want to run Buffalo Marathon in the future.

Mississauga Marathon -  May 2014

Ottawa Marathon - May 2014

Niagara Ultra Marathon - June 2014

Montreal Marathon - September 2014

Toronto Waterfront Marathon - October 2014

Niagara Falls International Marathon - October 2014

Hamilton Marathon - November 2014

Yeah - 27 full/ultra marathons completed in my running career. Proud of this display wall. 

final long run this year 2014

Final long run for the year 2014.

20 K this late morning/early afternoon along Martin Goodman Trail --> Cherry Beach Park --> Tommy Thompson Park. Excellent running weather - autumn-like approximately 10C.

YTD = 1629.5 K

View from Sugar Beach of Lake Ontario

Entering Cherry Beach Park

Martin Goodman Trail. 

Entering Tommy Thompson Park!

View of Toronto

Heading north on Tommy Thompson Park - route of the Midsummer Night's 30 K run in August.

Turnaround on bridge. 

Scenic trail.

Goal Reached! 1000 miles in 2014

Thrilled to report I reached my year 2014 goal of 1000 miles. Reached it today on Christmas Day with 5 K run. YTD = 1609.5 K. Still a long run this weekend followed by a 5 K weekday run during the holidays. Will have a post on reflections of the past year as well as looking ahead to 2015.

Bud enjoying his turkey on Christmas Day.

5 K run yesterday

5 K run yesterday. Planning for a 5 K run tomorrow on Christmas day. Will reach 1000 miles tomorrow :-) Thrilled to have reached my year goal.

YTD = 1604.5 K

Bud waiting for me as I was downstairs this morning. We are living the dog's life - sleep, eat, walk.

Looking forward to 2015 - 8 marathons

Spent time today registering for 2 full marathons and 1 ultra marathon:

Have run this twice before. Cheap registration fee - small race.

50 K ultra marathon - my favourite! Have done this three times before.

Quebec City Marathon - never done this one before!

Have registered for 5 full marathons and 1 ultra marathon. Will register (once registration opens) for Picton Marathon (October 4) and Hamilton Marathon (November 1). 

* Sunday, May 3, 2015: Toronto Marathon

* Sunday, May 17, 2015: Whitby Interational Marathon

* Sunday, May 24, 2015: Ottawa Marathon

* Saturday, June 20, 2015: Niagara Ultra 50 K

* Sunday, August 30, 2015: Quebec City Marathon

* Sunday, October 18, 2015: Toronto Waterfront Marathon

First Day of Winter - 22 K Long Run

First day of winter - 22 K long run. Great running weather on dry paths and sidewalks. Quite a few runners and dogs on the Martin Goodman Trail this late morning and early afternoon. 

YTD = 1599.5 K 

Approaching the Canadian National Exhibition. 

Ontario Place! Windmill in the background. 

Nice view on Martin Goodman Trail. 

Can still see the snow from last week. 

The Humber River Bridge is in the background. 

Getting close to the Humber River Bridge. 

Voila - Humber River Bridge!

Nice view west of the Humber River Bridge. 

Turnaround point

View of Toronto skyline.

Not sure what this bridge is called. 

Wow - this is interesting!!! 

About to leave Etobicoke. 

Past Ontario Place and close to CNE. 

Run ended with view of Rogers Centre and CN Tower. 

20 K long run post-snow storm

Wow - snow storm this past Thursday. Fortunately today's 20 K run was mainly on dry sidewalks and pathway along the Martin Goodman Trail. Careful so not to trip on slush. Snow will continue to melt tomorrow as temperature above freezing point.

Had a 2 K run on Wednesday before the snow storm.

YTD = 1575.5 K. Getting closer to my goal of 1000 miles for the 2014 year.

Nathan Philips Square

Entering Ashbridges Bay Park

Grateful pathway is cleared

Heading west on Lakeshore

Nice quote!

Not sure what's going on here

The below video was sent to me by a work colleague!