Running is often seen as an individual sport—a test of one’s endurance, willpower, and strength. Some run purely for performance, others for meditation, and some as a way to connect with friends. Today, I want to highlight the importance of a running community.
by Claude Gagnon I've always loved to move and play. When I was a kid, hockey, baseball and basketball channeled my energy. But athletics, cycling and swimming didn't inspire me. This taste for play continued into adulthood. Squash became a natural part of my sporting life. Everything appealed to me: the tactical aspect, the finesse, the fair play, the physical fitness required. And always the fact of playing, the feeling of being a kid on the court. But after 25 years of chasing the little ball, my shoulder, elbow and back had had enough. A few of my playing partners...
by Sophie Bergeron I still remember my mom… She’s shivering and she’s in a hurry to take a hot bath. I still remember the smell of snow and cold as it floats through the house. You all know what smell I’m talking about and it’s one only runners can recognize (well, perhaps skiers too!). She’s coming back from a run. My parents got divorced when I was a little girl, and my mother had us full time. Running is what she did to relieve stress and to allow herself to be patient with us. And then, during the pandemic, I...
When I look back at the beginnings of me and Mr. Running, I can’t help but romanticize it. Young and naïve little me, with a Casio watch timing me and a route that I became intimate with. The growth came easy.
I started drinking at the age of 12. Drinking was easy; I liked everything from the get-go. I hopped on the train right away. It was familiar, it was natural. As soon as a feeling of drunkenness settled in, the shivers ran through my body. I forgot that I was stuttering, I forgot that I was anxious, I forgot my responsibilities, I forgot who I was - I forgot. Until the next morning when reality came knocking on my door with great remorse and bad decisions. The evenings were as intoxicating as their sobering tomorrows. Gradually, alcohol paired with another...
