iRunNation.com

iRun to prove to myself I canLesley McGougan, Brampton, ON

iRun because I want to live to be 100! Colette DeJean, Ontario

iRun because it gives my day a boost of energy Sara Campbell, Nova Scotia

iRun because I can and I’m gratefulTerry SanCartier, Gatineau, QC

iRun iRun to maintain a strong physical and mental state Tammy Rainville, Ontario

iRun iRun for the fresh air and adrenalin Charlyn McGregor, Saskatchewan

iRun for the moment when both feet are off the ground Catherine Anderson, British Columbia

iRun iRun because it's better than almost everything else Nathan Carey, Ontario

iRun iRun to kickstart my day Sharon Strueby, Saskatchewan

iRun iRun because I like buying running clothes Pamela Blaikie, Ontario

iRun iRun because it's cheaper than therapy Leah Boulter, Alberta

iRun because it makes me feel good, allows me to spend time with my friends and gives me a feeling of accomplishmentHelen Kolodziejzyk, Calgary, AB

iRun iRun slowly! Jason Hoffman, Manitoba

iRun because of the peace and strength it brings meMichelle Jordan, Ottawa, ON

iRun because it’s like flying, only lower Glenn Johnson, Ontario

iRun because iLoves my man Beverly Huang, Alberta

iRun because I never thought I would be able toGary Morris, Winnipeg, MB

iRun because pecan pie, french fries and beer are chasing meTeresa Sterling, Ottawa , ON

iRun iRun because i love to Mirella Petriello, Ontario

iRun because running is like breathing to Stephanie McEvoy, Ontario

iRun at 50 years old because at 43 I couldn’t Peter Cicalo, Ontario

iRun because iEat Sherry Maligaspe, British Columbia

iRun iRun for the individual pursuit Robert Pelletier, New Brunswick

iRun iRun to correct years of sedentary living! Mike Scott, Ontario

iRun because it makes me feel powerful Sarah Kallaghan, Alberta

iRun to my happy place and some days it’s very Doreen May, Alberta

iRun see where my feet will take me todayMegan Dolinskas, New York

iRun iRun because iEat Sherry Maligaspe, British Columbia

iRun slowly!Jason Hoffman, Manitoba

iRun because all the ladies are chasing my sexy runner’s bodyChris Baker, Etobicoke, ON

iRun because there is no finish line Claire Kilgour, Ontario

iRun because I want to be a role model for our six kids Catherine Empey, British Columbia

iRun because it reminds me that I am capable of so much more than I have doneJames Sauve, Ottawa, ON

iRun to stay fit and release those running endorphinsLiliana Plava, Calgary, AB

iRun iRun because somebody once told me I couldn't Heidi Abbey-Der, Saskatchewan

iRun to be free and enjoy our beautiful countryCheryl Carter, Clearwater , BC

iRun to inspire my kids to tryGlen Johnston, Nunavut

iRun iRun because it gives me freedom to relax my brain Marie-Claude Gregoire, Nova Scotia

iRun iRun to feel great Kathryn Rachar, Saskatchewan

iRun to unleash my inner athleteAdelle Densham, Avonmore, ON

iRun because it is my tonic and my salvation Georgia Ioannou, British Columbia

iRun iRun because it is my tonic and my salvation Georgia Ioannou, British Columbia

iRun because I get foot rubs afterward Kate Howerton, British Columbia

iRun to stay ahead of the weight gainMyra Abstreiter, Alberta

iRun because it gets my husband out there Tricia LaLonde, Alberta

iRun iRun for my heart, so it runs for me! Cathy Brzoza, British Columbia

iRun because it reminds me of how strong I can be Monique Lavoie, Ontario

iRun iRun because walking is too slow Barry Knapp, Ontario

iRun because I like buying running clothes Pamela Blaikie, Ontario

iRun because it’s fun when it’s done Sue Matte, Ontario

iRun because it makes me a better person, a better wife, a better mother and a better friendNathalie Joncas-Caissie, St-Antoine, NB

iRun because food tastes better afterwards Patrick Houston, Alberta

iRun because I can’t dance Mario Javier, Ontario

iRun so my daughters know that they can, too Shelley Kirkpatrick, New Brunswick

iRun for health, iRun for life Pat Cheung, British Columbia

iRun because endorphins are freeCassandra Chouinard, Ontario

iRun iRun away from the abyss Charlene Thomas, Ontario

iRun for overall wellbeingTrish McCourt, Halifax, NS

iRun because couch potatoes die young Cathy Andrew, Ontario

iRun away from the negative and towards the positive Teri Lepard, Alberta

iRun because otherwise I’m grumpy Alexandre Charest, Quebec

iRun because my heart tells me to William Martin, Manitoba

iRun iRun so that I can live longer and stronger Derek MacPhail, Ontario

iRun because when I run I feel most aliveMeghan Lynch, Ottawa, ON

iRun iRun because I love the sense of accomplishment Amber Moase, Nova Scotia

iRun because it’s a great way to see the world Sherry Mahoney, British Columbia

iRun because I love the solitude Janene Tailleur, British Columbia

iRun because I need it to soothe the soul, keep me in shape and for overall wellbeingBeth Neil, Lombardy, ON

iRun because it’s cheaper than therapy Leah Boulter, Alberta

iRun because somebody once told me I couldn’t Heidi Abbey-Der, Saskatchewan

iRun because I cannot say no to a second slice of chocolate cakeEmily Shandruk, Vancouver, BC

iRun iRun to inspire my children! Wendy Bowen, Manitoba

iRun iRun to challenge my perceived limitations Cassandra Williams, Ontario

iRun so I can eat ice cream Sandy Bolan, Ontario

iRun because I want to qualify for Boston and raise money for charities near and dear to my heartChristine Gracel, Calgary, AB

iRun because I’ve lost 80 lbs and running has become fun Cheryl Kelly, Ontario

iRun iRun all the livelong day Pierre Saint-Laurent, Québec

iRun because I liveGeorges Schneller, Laval, QC

iRun to get to know myself, my strength and my spirit Lisa Groulx, Ontario

iRun iRun because it helps me see things more clearly Jennifer Pitts, Ontario

iRun because it makes me feel powerfulCarlene Paquette, Carp, ON

iRun because I am not as clumsy I thought I was Hanna Baer, Quebec

iRun but not enoughMichael Shaw, New Westminister, BC

iRun to challenge myself, physically and mentallyKathleen Keenan, Brampton, ON

iRun to someday win the race Lindy Dunlop, Yukon

iRun because it has saved my life John Marshall, Alberta

iRun iRun because it sure beats the bus Robin Robbins, Alberta

iRun iRun because it's a great stress release Brooke McKenzie, Yukon

iRun because it’s in meMichael Foley, Stittsville, ON

iRun because it makes me whole Denis Ladouceur, Quebec

iRun to prove to them that iCan Catherine Smith, Manitoba

iRun iRun because couch potatoes die young Cathy Andrew, Ontario

iRun iRun for me! Judi Wearing, Saskatchewan

iRun iRun because I learn more about who I am with every km Steph Mansell, Quebec

iRun so I don’t say never ever again Linda Klaric, Manitoba

iRun iRun to satisfy the irresistible urge Tim Nixon, British Columbia

iRun iRun because endorphins are free Cassandra Chouinard, Ontario

iRun because not everyone can Olivia Harvey, New Brunswick

iRun whenever I feel the need to escape Iona Hillis, Ontario

iRun iRun for the challenge and to remember to fully live Pascale Synnott, Québec

iRun iRun to eat Maureen Tritscher, Alberta

iRun because it’s better than almost everything else Nathan Carey, Ontario

iRun for the challenge to go faster and farther Steven Matejka, Alberta

iRun for relaxation and to motivate my two sonsKeith Bradbury, Newfoundland

iRun because the wall is meant to be broken Jonathan Bird, Ontario

iRun and run, and run, and run, and nobody can stop me Andrei Lucaciu, Ontario

iRun therefore I amDuncan Walsh, Nottingham, UK

iRun because it gives me freedom to relax my brainMarie-Claude Gregoire, Nova Scotia

iRun iRun for relaxation and to motivate my two sons Keith Bradbury, Newfoundland

iRun for meKiza Francis, Ottawa,ON

iRun iRun to challenge my mind, body and soul Sonia Mendes, Ontario

iRun iRun because I like to be healthy Melanie Oickle, New Brunswick

iRun for the cool t-shirts! Pina Bevilacqua, Ontario

iRun iRun at 50 years old because at 43 I couldn't Peter Cicalo, Ontario

iRun iRun to eat more, especially sweet potatoe fries Joanna Skomra, Ontario

iRun because I learn more about who I am with every kmSteph Mansell, Quebec

iRun because it cleans up my life, because I drink more water, sleep better and eat healthier foodsRobin McIntyre, Ottawa, ON

iRun because people around me inspire mePina Bevilacqua, Caledon, ON


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Photo of Mark Sutcliffe's new book - Why I Run
  In This Issue
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13 days, 1,000 kilometres, little sleep

One by one, Ray Zahab ran Canada's provinces and territories

Imagine traveling to every part of the second- largest country in the world in less than two weeks. Then imagine running 80k each day on that trip. That's what iRun Runner-in-Chief Ray Zahab did for 13 days in May. Joined by Tim Borland and Mike Sherman, he criss-crossed Canada, visiting every province and territory and, sometimes on no more than 90 minutes of sleep, ran almost two marathons each day. As if that wasn't enough, he also met with community leaders and did countless media interviews and speaking engagements at schools, all to promote the Canadian charity ONEXONE.

Onexone runners (Ray Zahab, Mike Scherman, Tim Borland) at Bethlehem school in Saskatoon.

Here are 13 memories from his 13 days in a whirlwind running tour of Canada. For the complete story of Ray's adventure, click iRunNation.com.

MAY 11
ALBERTA
We started in Calgary and the amazing thing was how many people were coming out and meeting us and running with us on the trails. We thought that first stage was just going to be about awareness, but all of a sudden people were starting to participate. And they were making donations to ONEXONE. And then we finished and it was a rush to get everybody in the Jeeps as quickly as possible and drive to Saskatoon.

MAY 12
SASKATCHEWAN
The most memorable thing in Saskatoon was running with 10,000 students who were involved in a city-wide relay. It started at the Bethlehem School where 700 kids ran with us en masse. A 30k stretch of our run was the students handing off a flag from one student to another. Every time we arrived at a school, the whole school population was waiting for us. It was incredible.

MAY 13
MANITOBA
Another nine or 10 hours in the car to Winnipeg. The biggest memory from there was running with Chief Phil Fontaine. ONEXONE supports the Assembly of First Nations, so it was great to talk to him about that. He's a very funny guy, but what I remember most is his passion for the issues. I was really inspired by him.

MAY 14
NEWFOUNDLAND
We made it to the airport just in time and caught the red-eye to Newfoundland. What really stands out from there is the weather: standing on Cape Spear in 70-kilometre-an-hour winds. We ran through all this weather, our bodies were getting beat up.Then we got to meet Premier Danny Williams and we spoke at a school. The kids were just so wound up, so full of energy.

MAY 15
NOVA SCOTIA
We got to the airport and our flight was delayed by hours. We ended up arriving in Halifax very, very late and we had limited time to sleep, maybe an hour or two at a community centre. And up we go and start running again. Now we're under the gun. We ended up doing laps of this trail system just so we could stay close to where we needed to be. We just laughed so much because we were running around and around in one place.

MAY 16
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
We got into PEI and we were so weak. But we had to get running. It was pouring rain and we knew we were too weak to handle the cold and the wet and the running. We found out that 25 kilometres to the west there was no rain. So we drove there and ran all night and finished up at this incredible school where the kids were just fantastic. The teachers challenged the students and told them that they could get a minute of extra recess for every dollar they raised and they raised $500. But the most memorable part was how the team pulled together to make the run work.

MAY 17
NEW BRUNSWICK
We finished that 80k and within five or six hours we were running another 80k. It was just one run right after the other. Stephanie Case joined us in Moncton and ran with us for all the remaining provinces and territories. But the best thing about Moncton was this guy named Armand Doucet, who helped organize that leg of the race. And he came out and ran with us. He'd never run a marathon and he said he was going to run 25k with us. And he ran 40 and then he said he was going to keep going and finish with us. And he did. He was inspired to try. The power of the human will. It's amazing.

MAY 18
QUEBEC
We ended the New Brunswick run at 4:00 a.m. We piled in the vehicles and stopped at a truck stop to grab some showers, then drove to Quebec City. And we started to run with Corporal Claude Rossignol of the Valcartier regiment. The trail system in and around Quebec City was just beautiful, but the biggest thing I remember was Claude's energy and enthusiasm and the Valcartier base.

MAY 19
NUNAVUT
From there, we drove all night to Ottawa to catch a flight to Iqaluit. All the sleeping was done in the vehicle. The minute my head hit the pillow in the vehicle, I was out. We arrived in Iqaluit around 12:30 and it gave us some time to sort through our gear because we knew basically that the sun was not going to set. So we could start early evening and run all night. We ran all throughout the community of Iqaluit and visited with people. Talking with local people and meeting with folks along the way and running through the night. We did every single possible road around Iqaluit. Sometimes twice.

MAY 20
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
The nice thing about Nunavut was we actually had time to get to our plane. But we flew to Yellowknife and once we got there, the clock started ticking again. We had one hour to sleep and then were off and running in the Land of the Midnight Sun. We ran with a huge group of people. And they ran all night and all morning with us. The highlight of the trip was the beauty of the Ingram Trail.

MAY 21
YUKON TERRITORY
In the Yukon, we ran with some adventure racers who set up our course. It was mind-blowing scenery. I'll never forget that route through the mountains and trees. It really epitomized that part of Canada is still wild and almost unexplored. It felt so rugged. It was beautiful.

MAY 22
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Major time-crunch in BC to get the miles in. We ran along the waterfront and through Stanley Park. But the highlight was visiting the Squamish First Nations and hearing speeches from elders and Chief Shawn Atleo. And of course, they had traditional drummers who were just incredible.

MAY 23
ONTARIO
And then it was off to Toronto for the final leg. The highlight was that we ran with so many people on that Ontario leg. It was almost like a prologue. We made time for the media, we made time to visit schools, we made time to celebrate the end of this crazy adventure. We just enjoyed ourselves. It was a huge day for ONEXONE. And then we were done.

 

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