TORONTO March 9th 2015. Digital Champion Carmen Do started running in high school after her friend convinced her to join track practice. Running up and down hills was hardly what she wanted to do, but eventually she fell in love with running and hasn’t looked back. Running has helped Carmen through the rough patches in her life and has helped her grow as a person. When she’s not running, Carmen is either blogging or at school studying and thinking about her next run. Connect with Carmen on Twitter and Instagram.
Reasons To Run The Toronto Yonge Street 10K. By Carmen Do.
If you have been running for a while now, doing you thing and having run, you may be curious about racing! There are a few key factors that every runner should consider when picking a race, especially if it is your first. Here are the things I think about and the reasons why the Toronto Yonge Street 10K should be the race you sign up for this year!
Location
Do you want your first race to be nearby or a destination race?
Picking a local in-town race means you can sleep at home in your own bed, wake up and prep in a familiar space, and not worry about forgetting to pack something. Another reason local races are great for a first race is because you can have your friends and family there to support you on course or at the finish line. Having your friends and family around for your first race can be quite exciting as it means lots and lots of (free) race photos!
Destination races are a great way to sneak in a mini vacation. If you’re not from Toronto, why not plan a weekend getaway and sign up for the Toronto Yonge Street 10K? You can get a feel of Toronto by running through the city and picking out places you want to hit up afterwards. After the race, you can check out Toronto’s Koreatown, Chinatown, downtown shopping district, or hang out by the waterfront! They are all just a short subway or bus ride away from the centre of the city. Also, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to run down Yonge Street and then hit up one of the many delicious restaurants you pass along the way?
Distance
Why a 10K? 10K is a great distance to race! I find that 5K is too short – there is no room for error, whereas 10K is more forgiving. Racing 10K is great because even if you go out too hard at the beginning, you still have time to readjust and get your head back in the game. 10K races are short enough that you can complete them before the day “starts”, while still getting a chance to experience the race atmosphere. As a student, I love how I still have the whole day left to study afterwards or spend time with my loved ones. Training for a 10K is also less of a time commitment than training for a marathon, but still challenging enough to keep things interesting.
Terrain
Did you know The Toronto Yonge Street 10K is a downhill course? It’s the perfect race for a PR if you’re not a fan of hill repeats! I don’t know about you, but they had me at “downhill.” As the website says, “Canada’s EASIEST and one of the fastest downhill 10k’s.” Check out the course map here!
Community
The Toronto Yonge Street 10K is made up of an amazing community of runners. We have groups all over Toronto (and outside the city) that train together for the race and host community events to connect the running community. Some of the groups include Tribe Fitness, Night Terrors (they’re not terrifying, promise!), Parkdale Roadrunners, and more! See here for a list of groups you can join.
