Sporting Life held its tenth annual 10k charity run in Toronto yesterday and for the first time I counted myself among the runners. Billed as "Canada's fastest 10K", the dash zips down Yonge Street, the longest in the world and finishes at the foot of the CN Tower, the tallest in the world.

The clear blue sky allowed me to focus on the tower as I followed a sea of people, 9,250 entrants total, to the finish line. Way back at the start of the year I set some goals for myself, and one of them was to run a marathon. While 10k doesn't count as a marathon - it's an excellent first step.

Before yesterday morning the longest distance I'd ran during my training was 5km and as I passed that mark yesterday I said to myself that anything beyond would be an achievement. Even if I didn't complete the full 10 kilometers, I would have pushed myself past my limits. After all that's what outdoor adventure is all about - getting out there, getting involved and pushing your boundaries.

Crossing the finish line, I felt a serge of pride - I'd done it. My calves throbbed, my lungs burned and my shirt dripped with sweat, but I did it!

I wanted to finish the run in under an hour, which I did, with 12 minutes to spare. My official time was 48 minutes and 34 seconds and my overall place was 159 out of 9,250 entrants.

Not bad for a first timer.

Stephen Koskei from Kenya won the run with an astounding time of 27:47, just 2 seconds slower than the race record set in 2004. Aside from personal victories, the runners raised over $300,000 for Camp Oochigeas in Muskoka, a summer camp for kids with cancer.

And that makes me feel even better than my personal victory.

Now begins training for my next run...

James W. Coates,
National Park Expert