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Sporting Life 10K is back!

5/7/2022

The Sporting Life 10K is back and running through the streets of Toronto in support of CAMPFIRE CIRCLE. The event is happening on Mother's Day, Sunday May 8, 2022.

This event is a great opportunity to fundraise for CAMPFIRE CIRCLE and help kids and families affected by childhood cancer.

The city of Toronto continues to grow, and because a new route was required, Coach Pimm was commissioned to work with Canada Runners Series’ Chris Fagel and Scott Jones to measure and and successfully obtain Athletics Canada Certification.

The new route has to be one of, if not the fastest, 10 km. routes in Ontario. The course is almost entirely downhill on Yonge Street, one of Canada’s and Toronto’s iconic streets, starting at an elevation of 158 metres and finishing at 77 metres.

You can see the route Map and details HERE.

Heading down Yonge Street

New Start line for Mississauga Marathon

3/24/2022

The Mississauga Marathon event is back and it's LIVE!
happening on the weekend of April 29 - May 1, 2022.

The Event offers spectacular race routes through the city and along the waterfront, and is one of Canada’s premier running events. With a distance for everybody it is a weekend not to be missed.

Each race finishes along the spectacular waterfront trail with views of Lake Ontario and the Toronto skyline. From the start of the marque event Marathon and Half Marathon at Celebration Square, in the heart of Mississauga, through the University of Toronto-Mississauga campus and the historic villages in the south, this event shows off the best Mississauga has to offer.

Crossing the CREDIT RIVER bridge

Complimenting the marque events are a 10K, 5K and family friendly 2K. So an event for the entire family!

AND on the Friday, pickup your bib and visit the Health & Welfare Expo with over 30 Exhibitors featuring sponsors, merchandise, running apparel and accessories, nutritional and fitness products, samples and much more.

New START LINE location

NEW START

Due to construction, this year's START line location has been moved to Mercer Street, a minor route change in the first 150 metres.

Coach Pimm has been commissioned to measure the minor alteration to insure the routes are certified by Athletics Canada.

(UPDATE - On April 5, 2022, Athletics Canada granted CERTIFICATION for the Half and Full Marathon courses)

For more event information click HERE.

THE WILD MILE - Wednesday Oct. 27/21 - now certifed

10/21/2021

In the fall of 2019, the Runners Shop introduced the Wild Mile - see earlier post HERE.

The event is unique in that the mile distance is a seldom run event, and it's run in the gorgeous ravines of Roycroft Park and Nordheimer Ravine, just south of Sir Winston Churchill Park at the corner of St. Claire Ave. W. and Spadina Rd., in Toronto.

Back in 2019, the ravine was undergoing construction so that the route had to deviate from the hiking/bike path. Consequently it was not practical to have the route certified, although Coach Pimm did accurately measure the route that was used.

However, now that the renovations have been completed, the Runners Shop recently commissioned Pimm to measure the route and it is now certified by Athletics Canada.

The route is basically out and back, with a loop around the half way point. Check out the course map HERE.

It should be noted that The Wild Mile is in support of Hopes Rise, a charity that invests in children living in poverty to enhance their social health, cognitive development and academic success.

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TO REGISTER go HERE.
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Muskoka Marathon has 5K & 10K routes certified

10/11/2021

Although the event has already happened, those who participated may be interested to know that early in the week of the race, race organizer, Jed Corbeil, and his committee, decided to ask Coach Pimm to measure and facilitate both the 5K and 10K races be certified by Athletics Canada.(Note - the races were run on a out and back route)

This decision was precipitated by one of Canada's outstanding age group runners, Liz Schad, who expressed a desire to try for a Canadian record in the 65 to 69 year category for 5K.. And records can only be approved if performed on a certified route, in a sanctioned event.

As it happened, Liz just missed breaking the Canadian Record of 21:15, recording an outstanding 21:27. But that did break the Ontario record. So congrats Liz !!

You can see the course details HERE.

Georgina Marathon Sunday Oct. 17/21 – A Certified Boston Qualifier !

9/3/2021

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ADDENDUM - Canada Running Magazine published a fine article about this event that you can read HERE.
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ATTENTION RUNNERS - Here's a great opportunity to run a fall marathon or half marathon. Introducing the inaugural Georgina Marathon and Half Marathon.

Georgina, Ontario, is an hour north of Toronto, making it a central location for athletes from the GTA, Golden Horseshoe and Cottage Country.

The runs start and finish in beautiful De La Salle Park with the runners going along the shores of Lake Simcoe through the quiet communities of Georgina.

De La Salle Park - the START/FINISH

The scenic course (see map HERE) is an out and back, running from De La Salle Park on to Lake Drive with lots of shade, and views of stunning properties and Lake Simcoe.

AND it's flat and fast.

Both the Marathon and Half Marathon courses were measured by Coach Peter Pimm. and are Athletics Canada Certified.

The race begins at 8:00am, leaving in waves of 50 runners every 5 minutes This start procedure will be modified as needed, should COVID-19 restrictions change.

SPARK Sports Nutrition is the official nutrition provider on course. And finishers will receive a custom Georgina Marathon buff and finishers medal.

For more information, visit the website HERE.

Muskoka Marathon Oct.4/20 - A Boston Qualifier

8/15/2020

ATTENTION BOSTON MARATHON ASPIRANTS !

Bracebridge, Ontario has obtained sanctioning from Athletics Ontario to host the Muskoka Marathon on October 4/20, making it one of the few live Ontario marathons in 2020 as most other marathons have been converted to virtual events, or cancelled.

In order to obtain all of the necessary permissions, the route and staging will be unique.

The route starts and finishes at the one and only Santa's Village and travels mainly along both sides of the scenic Muskoka River.

Runners will run 2 loops of an out and back route. The run has very little elevation.

Coach Pimm was commissioned to measure the route in order for it to be eligible for Boston Marathon qualification. And Athletics Canada has granted Certification for the Marathon as well as the Half Marathon. You can see the official certificate HERE.

Aerial view of the race route

As for how the event will be conducted: from the Race Director, Jed Corbeil:

"2020 has been an eye-opening year and we want to be as safe as possible for our participating runners and staff. To ensure that we do not have gatherings over 100 people on site, once you have registered, we will send you a time slot for your run. You will be grouped with 10 other runners in your time slot. Please show up no earlier than 20 minutes before your run and go directly to your designated waiting area. We will have no more than 10 runners leaving every 5 minutes. Please respect the space of your competitors and make sure you stay at least 6 feet apart.
Thank you so much! We are looking forward to a live race in Muskoka!"

Other races on the same weekend include a 5 km. and 10 km. on Saturday Oct, 3 and a Half Marathon on Sunday Oct. 4.

During Covid-19 - A Toronto Run event

5/8/2020

Running to support our Health Care Workers

4/18/2020

Here’s a unique initiative to combine a noble purpose with your running with supporting our brave Health workers at Hospitals and Institutes such as

The Princess Margaret Margaret Hospital Foundation
Sick Kids
St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
And MORE

You might feel helpless in this pandemic. You might feel alone. But by doing the one thing you can do – run – you can make a difference in your community.

Join #theisolationrun and run for a minute or 20 or 60. Share your run story. All you have to do is run, choose a hospital, and donate. Every minute you spend pounding the pavement is a minute you could be helping to save a life.

https://www.isolationrun.org

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Coach Pimm measures a WILD MILE

10/28/2019

From the desk of Coach Pimm:

I had fun this week meeting up with Lynn Bourque, the owner of the famed The Runners Shop, Toronto's original running specialty store. The shop was established by Canada's 1968 5,000 metre Olympian, Dave Ellis.

Coach Pimm & Lynn on site.

Lynn has created a new event called the Wild Mile happening on Wednesday October 30/2019, and she recently recruited me to accurately measure an out-and-back 1 mile route. It's in the gorgeous Nodheimer Ravine, 500 metres from the corner of Dupont and Davenport (a short walk from Casa Loma).

So I showed up with my calibrated Jones counter.and measured and located each quarter mile. To see the route map click here.

Pimm doing the math

As I said, the event is on Wednesday October 30th, between 5:15 and 6:30 p.m. and includes a less than 1 km. run for the kids (4 to 10 yr.) and various 1 mile categories, prizes AND AFTERWARDS... are you ready? Free post-race beer (!) at the appropriately named nearby Pour House on Dupont Avenue.

The Wild Mile is partnered with the charity, HOPES RISE, that in invests in children living in poverty to enhance their physical, mental and social health, cognitive development and academic success. HOPES RISE was founded by Canadian Olympian and long time Canadian women's marathon record holder Silvia Ruegger.

Enjoy the Fall colours.

Coach Pimm Leading Global Energy 10K

9/18/2019

That's right - LEADING! . Well, on a bike that is....

Yes, the Coach has been given the honour of Lead Cyclist for the Global Energy Race by Dempster's 10K happening September 22 in the Ashbridge's Bay Park area of the Beaches.

So no danger of leading the runners off the course since Peter measured the route which has been Certified by Athletics Canada.

The course is changed a little from last year, due to those nasty high Lake Ontario levels which eroded some of the shoreline. To see a Map and details of the new course route click HERE.

The Global Energy Race by Dempster’s is an event that celebrates Canadians getting active together and giving back to our community. It's a part of a unique global event that brings together more than 120,000 runners in 22 countries and 36 cities, taking place on the same day worldwide!

For every kilometre completed by participants, Dempster's donates 2 slices of bread to the North York Harvest Food Bank.

And checkout the prize for the winners: The first place male and female in the 10K race will receive a trip to the 2020 Global Energy Race in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for themselves and a guest (including airfare and accommodations, approx. retail value of $6,500 CAD).

The event also includes a 3K walk/run which is open to all levels, including families with children and walking groups, to promote physical activity at all ages. Families are invited to enjoy live entertainment and free activities before and after the race.

Check out the YouTube video, below, to see highlights from last year's event. And for more information click HERE.