For me, October represents the pinnacle of running season! This is the time of year that so many runners have prepared for. Veteran runners have sacrificed their summer to train harder for a personal best this fall, while first-time racers are trapped in the ‘what if’ rabbit hole until race day approaches. I remember the race day of my first half-marathon. All of my hard work training quickly left my mind as I approached the starting line. The marshal called out “sub-2 hour runners to the front, everyone else to the rear.” I had no idea how long it would take me to run, so I quietly made my way to the middle. It was an early April morning, so all I could think about was how cold I was and how much I regretted not warming up on the nearby soccer field like all of the veterans. It was then that I realized that summer training and fall racing would be much more enjoyable than January training and spring racing!

Local Running Trails

If you’re new to running, I encourage you to check out a couple of local events in our region in October. Even if you’re not ready to run in them, make your way down to the finish line and take in the excitement around you. I guarantee once you see all the camaraderie, you will be hooked!

Local Running Trails

There are many areas in our region where you can run and exercise for free. You can run many kilometres on both paved and gravel trails in Barrie while getting a full body workout by using the various machines that have been installed along the path. If you are looking for a quieter place to run, see how far you get down the Oro-Medonte Rail Trail. If you have a long, slow training run coming up, consider starting out on Woodland Drive in Orillia or hopping on in Barrie. Either way, you have opportunities for refueling and washroom breaks in Shanty Bay, Hawkestone, and Oro Station.

If you’re looking for excitement outside of our community, but still want to support something local, consider signing up for the ScotiaBank Toronto Waterfront Half-marathon/Marathon on October 22nd. The CES Canada (Community Education Services Canada), one of the official charities you can register with and make donations to, is locally founded.