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An out-and-back hill run. Hill repeats start and end at Roxborough Drive - each lap features four hill climbs:
(note: GPS watch didn't start working until about 1km into the run, hence the route appears to start at Davenport Road)
TTC Info: This run starts and finishes near both St. George and Bay subway stations, and passes the Rosedale station.
In November 2007 I launched an (ongoing) experiment to develop a “best-practice social media 101 training program” using online tools.
Today I’m launching another experiment. This one’s more personal. While the last idea experiment worked with the online community to develop a resource for everyone’s benefit, this time it has a wider goal – helping people battling cancer.
On April 21, 2008, I will run the Boston Marathon for the first time. As I do so, I will raise money for breast cancer research at the world-class Princess Margaret Hospital in Canada.
Why cancer research?
My family has a recurring history with cancer. My gran and my aunt both lost their lives to it. Another family member had a run-in but survived. A close family friend passed away through it. Several friends of mine are currently battling cancer.
Everywhere I look, people are fighting this disease. I want to help.
What am I doing?
I've completed the 60km Walk to End Breast Cancer twice, raising over $5,000 for charity, but I wanted a new challenge. So, instead of walking 60km in two days I'll run 42km in just over three hours.
The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and one of the world's most prestigious road racing events.
Besides the Olympic trials and the Olympic marathons, Boston is the only major American marathon that requires a qualifying time. For me, that meant running a marathon in under 3 hours and 10 minutes. I knocked almost half an hour off my previous best time to qualify.
To give an indication of how tough the training is, I wear through a pair of top-of-the-range running shoes every 4-6 weeks. For extra spice, I decided to run a different route every time I do a training run - quite the challenge.
So where’s the online part?
After qualifying for the race, I started my training for the Boston Marathon in late 2007. At the same time I began writing about the ups and downs at TorontoRunner.com. Since then I’ve written or recorded almost 200 posts.
I’m using the site to create a detailed record of my training for this race:
Where do you come in?
I said it at the beginning – I’m doing this to raise money for cancer research, but I can't do it alone. So, I invite you to join me.
Sponsor me as I run the Boston Marathon, and join the fight against cancer.
(cross-posted to davefleet.com)
A relatively flat, simple loop just to the east of Toronto's downtown core. Well lit so suitable for night-time running. Some parts can be rough in winter due to snow cover, but still manageable.
TTC Info: This run passes close by the College, Coxwell, Greenwood, Donlands, Pape, Chester, Broadview and Castle Frank subway stations.
Running Log: Week Ten
Last week was a nightmare for running. My hours at work were insane; as a result I did very little of the mileage I was supposed to.
However, the distances are skewed by two long runs at the end of the week.
| Day | Scheduled Run | Actual Run |
| Sunday | 25km marathon pace | 35km |
| Monday | Rest | Rest |
| Tuesday | 22km comfortable | Rest |
| Wednesday | 15km recovery | 2.4km |
| Thursday | 15km hilly | 8km |
| Friday | Rest | 24km |
| Saturday | 15km recovery | 30km |
| Total | 92km week | 99.4km week |
Training Program: Week Eleven
This week will be skewed by the fact that I did Sunday's long run on Saturday. I'm co-organizing a conference next weekend too, so I won't be able to run then either.
I may try to add some extra mileage into some of the mid-week runs to bump things up a bit.
| Day | Scheduled Run |
| Sunday | |
| Monday | 10km recovery |
| Tuesday | 15km c/t |
| Wednesday | Rest |
| Thursday | 12km hilly |
| Friday | Rest |
| Saturday | Rest |
| Total |
A short, relatively hilly loop taking in part of Moore Park Ravine. Poor lighting means this route is not suitable for night-time running.
TTC Info: This run passes by the Castle Frank subway station.
A straightforward 30km loop on the west side of Toronto. Similar to the 23km West End/Humber Valley Loop, but with additional mileage in the west end.
TTC Info: This run passes by multiple subway stations: St. Patrick, Queen's Park, Museum, Dundas West, Keele, High Park, Runnymede, Jane, Old Mill and Royal York.
I got an email yesterday that re-affirmed for me that I should continue to post my running routes on here, and continue with my (forever getting harder) challenge to run a different route every time I run.
Hi Dave,
I live in Ottawa but I'll be in Toronto this weekend...and am supposed to be doing a 29k run Saturday morning. My problem is that I'm relatively unfamiliar with Toronto in terms of run routes (and on top of that, I find myself rather directionally challenged on a good day!).
I'll be staying near The Queensway/Windermere. I've been searching through routes that people have posted and my problem is that a) there are far too may "5.2km runs" out there and b) I'm not sure if the routes I see are appropriate ones to be doing in the winter.
Then I came across the Toronto Runner...Your blog is fantastic! And the wealth of routes...I only wish I lived in Toronto! Well, maybe not, I quite enjoy the Rideau Canal and Gatineau Park...but I digress.
On a personal note, I'll also be running Boston this year - my 11th marathon and my 2nd Boston...I hope you're not disappointed that you missed it last year...it was a gong show with the weather. My goal this year is to just enjoy it. When I crossed the finish line last year I cried...and not because of the usual emotion of finishing the challenge, but because I could not have been happier it was OVER.
Anyway, I was looking at your "west end/humber valley/waterfront loop" and was wondering if it was appropriate for a winter run (i.e. are the pathways through, for example, Kings Mill Park cleared enough for runners?). I realize that it's only 23k but I'm sure I can fit in an extra 6km somewhere along the route. Or, if you have another route suggestion I'd appreciate any help you could give me!
Thanks!
Of course, I was more than happy to help. In fact, I volunteered to be this person's running 'guide' tomorrow. If all goes well I'll join her for her 29km run tomorrow morning.
If you're ever in the Toronto area, I'd be more than happy to do the same for you - just let me know.
I'll let you know how tomorrow goes.
A primarily east/west loop through north Toronto and York.
TTC Info: This run passes the Davisville subway station, and passes close by the Eglinton West station.
This week has been insane. In the last four days I've worked about 49 hours, which has left... almost zero time for running.
I managed to hit the treadmill tonight, but after 8km/36 minutes I got a brutal stomach cramp and had to stop (eating is another thing that has suffered).
I have tomorrow off work so I'll try to make up some of the mileage - perhaps a 22km blast in the morning.
As I mentioned yesterday, I bumped into a friend from our Cabot Trail Relay team who invited me to head out with her and her running group (from the Running Room) for a long run.
So, 7 a.m. this morning saw me heading out for to run with a Running Room group (blasphemy!).
I thought I'd be doing 32km total, but I didn't factor in:
I ended up doing about 35km, but I don't have a map for it as I left my GPS watch on yesterday and the battery completely drained, and I had no idea where we were half the time. Maybe I'll try to work it out some time.
Suffice it to say, my legs feel like lead, the rest of my body doesn't feel much better and I think I've earned a fry-up.
Life (and training) has overtaken my blogging recently, so I have two weeks to update.
Running Log: Week Eight
| Day | Scheduled Run | Actual Run |
| Sunday | Rest | Rest |
| Monday | Rest | Rest |
| Tuesday | 15km comfortable | 15km comfortable |
| Wednesday | 10km recovery | 10km comfortable |
| Thursday | 15km comfortable | Rest |
| Friday | Rest | 15km comfortable |
| Saturday | 10km recovery | Rest |
| Total | 50km week | 40km week |
A bad week, all told. We had a big snowstorm on Friday night, so I didn't run on Saturday. We've had over 50cm of snow here in the last week.
Running Log: Week Nine
| Day | Scheduled Run | Actual Run |
| Sunday | 28km steady | 27km steady |
| Monday | Rest | Rest |
| Tuesday | 22km c/t | 23km c/t |
| Wednesday | 10km recovery | 10km recovery |
| Thursday | 15km hilly | Rest |
| Friday | Rest | 15km hilly |
| Saturday | 15km recovery | 15km recovery |
| Total | 90km week | 90km week |
This week was much better. Despite the snow I got all the runs in, including a hard tempo run on Tuesday that left me just 1 minute away from my half-marathon personal best with juice still in the tank.
Training Program: Week Ten
| Day | Scheduled Run |
| Sunday | 25km marathon pace |
| Monday | Rest |
| Tuesday | 22km comfortable |
| Wednesday | 15km recovery |
| Thursday | 15km hilly |
| Friday | Rest |
| Saturday | 15km recovery |
| Total | 92km week |
Another busy week this week, before a slower week in the run-up to a half-marathon race. Tomorrow's run will be tough; even tougher if I take up my friend on the offer of a 32km run. The mid-week runs are more about distance than speed, although there's another hill run on Thursday.
My focus right now is whether my left leg will stand up to this increased mileage.
So far, so good.
Fairly hilly loop around eastern mid-town Toronto.
TTC Info: This loop passes by the Eglinton and Davisville subway stations.
15km loop from Yonge & Grosvenor, including four laps of hill repeats up Russell Hill.
TTC Info: This run starts and ends near both College and Wellesley stations.
The last few days have been tiring. In fact, my last two runs add up to 50km - that's what I ran in total last week.
Sunday's run was tough but good. I ran with a couple of guys I hadn't run with before, who kept the pace strong throughout. They were doing 6km less than me (I ran the additional mileage before starting with them) so it was a challenge to keep up.
Today's run was an equal, if not greater, challenge. 22km with 7km of tempo in the middle. I managed to average 4:04/km for that 7km, and was only about a minute away from my personal best for the half marathon, so I was really pleased with the run.
Only one cloud on the horizon for that run, as you can hear from this recording:
(Yes, I'm aware that I haven't done my summary post for last week yet. I'll do it soon. I'm re-building my PR blog at the moment on top of all this training, so I'm feeling pulled in about a dozen directions right now)
A simple, relatively flat out-and-back route mainly along Toronto's western waterfront.
TTC Info: This run starts and ends near both College and Wellesley subway stations. It also passes by the Queen's Park, St. Patrick, Osgoode and St. Andrew stations.
A long loop starting in Davisville Village and heading down to the Runners' Shop before heading up through Forest Hill and North Toronto before heading down through Mount Pleasant Cemetary and Yonge Street, ending back at the Runners' Shop.
The run is divided into two parts: a 5km run from Davisville Village to the Runners' Shop and a 22km loop starting and ending at the Runners' Shop.
TTC Info: This run starts near Davisville subway station and ends near both Bay and St. George stations. The run also passes close by the St. Clair, Summerhill, Rosedale, Yonge/Bloor and Eglinton West stations.
