A Great Canadian Running Challenge started with a dream!
A Great Canadian Running Challenge
A Great Canadian Running Challenge began with a dream. Â
The challenge initially began as My Time – A Great Canadian Running Challenge because it takes time and commitment to reach 1000KM in 1 year. Taking time for ourselves can be a challenging task for many of us! We have jobs, families, responsibilities. We forget to focus on our health and fitness endeavours. Too often, we let ourselves go to take care of others. This challenge will remind you that you are important too! It will become your reason to get out there and work on yourself. Once you begin your mission to reach your goal in a year, whether it is 500KM, 1000KM or more than that, you will reap the benefits of this challenge. You have to take care of yourself first, in order to be strong and healthy for everyone else around you! You are the most important person in your life. Take some time for yourself every single day. Walk, jog, hike, run, meditate, do some yoga or strength training. Breathe it in. Breathe it out. Be healthy and strong and commit to this challenge. It will change your life!Â
The challenge is transitioning to My Time – My Fitness to allow for more opportunities to add a variety of exercises to your fitness goals! I created an array of Leaderboards for our 2022 challenge to attract a broader range of participants from across the nation! There are no excuses! This challenge will allow you to focus on your own health and wellness. Â
About Me
My name is Jeannette. I have three beautiful children (17, 20, 30), one grandchild, and four younger sisters. I was born and raised in a small town in Northern Ontario.Â
I have an incredible career as a grade 1 French Immersion school teacher. I love the work I do with my students! Teaching has been an enjoyable experience, and I genuinely believe it is my calling in life!
Although I love my job, I am looking forward to retirement!
Running is my passion! I am not a fast runner or an elite athlete by any means. I run to keep my sanity! It energizes me, helps me stay mentally healthy and keeps me fit.
I had back surgery in 2018, and my surgeon advised me never to run again. Now I jog, very lightly and slowly (although I find myself enjoying intervals at times). I have to be out there, on the streets, hitting the pavement, singing to my favourite tunes! It rejuvenates me and reminds me of how good it feels to be alive! When I stop running, I get cranky and uncomfortable in my skin. At times, depression hits me, and anxieties consume me! Running takes me away from my thoughts, even if just for a moment! It has become such an essential part of my life! It has to be!
It took me three years to reach 1000KM in a year! Three years! Now, it is a must! No matter how challenging the year is, I commit to running 1000KM, and I persevere until I reach it! Â
A Great Canadian Running Challenge and its Website was designed to help build community in our beautiful country. I wanted to bring people together from coast to coast, with one common goal! That goal is to walk, jog or run 1000KM in one year!
Building the Website and its Leaderboards have brought me some challenges along the way. But, it has all been worth it, knowing that so many lives have changed. I created this Website and its challenge on my own. I am one person answering all of your questions, sending you all the best wishes and the best of luck as you strive to reach 1000 KM in one year! I am your biggest cheerleader, and I love, love, love receiving your messages about your success story!
Unfortunately, I don’t receive sponsorship funds or any funding to help support this Website and its mission. Please help keep it going by DONATING TODAY! Your support will help cover the costs incurred while creating the site, leaderboards and Website fees. Our Leaderboards were created by a Web developer, which cost over $7000!
I’ve always had the vision to bring people together, striving to reach similar health and fitness goals. I love challenges and could never find a good Canadian challenge. So I decided to put my heart and soul into this mission and dream that has gone nationwide since it began in 2018.
Goals
My goal for A Great Canadian Running Challenge is to build a safe, positive environment for people to come together for the good of their health and life journey. I love to inspire and motivate people! I genuinely believe that miracles happen when we connect with people striving for the same goals. We become a community by building relationships and making connections. Bringing people together from our beautiful country makes our group strong and motivated!
My long-term goal is to raise $1 million for The Terry Fox Foundation (10-year plan). Cancer affects us in many ways, and Terry has inspired many of us with his courage and mission. I want to continue his legacy and make a difference in cancer research!
History of A Great Canadian Running Challenge
2018Â
- 98 registered participants from coast to coast
- 13 finishers
2019
- 250 registered participants from coast to coast
- 24 finishers
2020
- 2000 active participantsÂ
- 890 official finishersÂ
VIEW OUR LIST OF 1000 KM FINISHERS.
We are in the news
My Message to You
I genuinely believe in the power of connection! Building connections with people with similar goals and interests helps us reach our own goals. Â
If you registered for this challenge, there might be a spark in you that is ready to ignite. You may be prepared to take charge of your health in ways you’ve never thought possible. You may be ready to make small changes to create a better version of yourself. Â
No matter your reasons, when you decide it is time to believe in yourself, love yourself, and give yourself some time to heal, body, mind, and soul, you will change. Â
Anyone can do this challenge! Anyone! It will take commitment, discipline, drive and determination!! Â
Join our community today. Come and be inspired.Â
Our Mission
To inspire people from across the nation to gain a love for health and fitness by building a strong community of Canadians who share their stories of hope and inspiration!
THE CHALLENGE WHERE MAKING TIME FOR YOU MATTERS!
#buildingcommunity #Canada #1000km
Hi, I have followed a couple of friends who registered for 2020 and it has inspired me to register this year. I am a walker, but have completed running 6 full marathons when I was in my 40s. I am now 75 with lots of knee aches and pains. I live part time in Espanola Ontario and also in Brooklyn, New York…born in Toronto. Looking forward to this year. Thank you,
Pat Drohan-Bordonaba
Hi Pat,
I am 74 and have always been fairly active. Unlike you, I never ran any marathons! All my activities are for pleasure… biking, skiing, snowshoeing, I used to swim, and some walking. I used to be part of a walking group here in St-Lazare, QC but I tore a ligament in my knee so decided to walk ‘on my own’. In 2017 I registered with the Sick Kids Great Cycle Challenge to raise money for the foundation and I biked over 2,000 km during the course of the summer, biking just around my neighbourhood and nearby bike trails. My physical activities were sidelined in 2019 when I was in chemo and immunotherapy for lymphoma for 6 months. Just as treatment ended I was hit with shingles and I’m still suffering the side effects (post herpetic neuralgia). It has taken me a year to regain my energy, and as luck would have it, because of COVID-19 I really couldn’t get out too far so I had the chance to recover! And walk around the neighbourhood. My sister Lindsay came across this challenge and has registered for the 1000 km challenge. It was she who motivated me to register as well, however I decided to start with the 500 km challenge. I’m the older sister. 🙂 So I wish you good luck in this challenge!
You’ll do it if you try and get out every single day like I did in 2020 and got over the 1000 kms. I’m 80 and naturally do have certain health issues too. Good luck and enjoy. Dee.
I’ve never done this before and your comments are inspirational.
This is an awesome initiative! I am looking forward to start tomorrow. How do we log our daily walks?
Wonderful Challenge to gain inner strength , focus ,motivation and commitment to ones self … Being accountable to ourselves is one of life’s biggest Obstacles … CHALLENGE ON !!!
HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL .
I just entered in the challenge for the 2021 km for 2021 and I’m a regular walker every day , but this will be more challenging for me .
Hello Jeannette: What an inspiration you are. I can’t believe you are doing this solo and working, too! I really like your goal of doing a road race in each province. I think I may have to copy that one. As for your marathon, I will be turning 65 this year and I’ve got a goal to do a marathon when I’m 70, so I’ve got a while to get prepared. Due to your health issues, will you be walking the marathon or walk/run? This community is really incredible. I’m getting to recognize a lot of the people on here and there is always a good positive energy and so much encouragement and motivation. You are making a big difference in the lives of a lot of people. Your light is shining very brightly. May your New Year be filled with everything you wish for and more. Thanks for everything you do.
Jeanette, my name is Gary Moskalyk.
I live in Thunder Bay.
I’m looking to do an article (for our local paper The Chronicle Journal) about the Great Canadian Running Challenge.
my e-mail address is:
go.leafs@shaw.ca.
Please let me know.
Thanks.
Gary.
Hi Jeanette, this has been a lot of fun, thanks! Will hoodies be available with the 2021 logo? I couldn’t see many with that option on the shop page. Thanks again, from north a bit…