TORONTO March 16th 2015. Digital Champion Robert Brouillette started running 6 years ago because he was looking for a sport to fit into. Rober has raced every distance from 1 mile all the way up to full marathon, but is really focusing on the 10K this year. His favourite racing distance is the marathon because he sees himself as a long distance athlete. Robert is currently training in Kenya and will back in Toronto for the Toronto Yonge Street 10K on Sunday April 19th. Connect with Robert on Twitter, Instagram and his blog.
There Is No Finish Line For Me. By Robert Brouillette.
Once upon a time there was a kid that would do anything to avoid running whenever he could. Fast forward 7 years and that same kid is now a dedicated, passionate, and hard working 22 year old, sub-elite runner. He’s now racing faster, longer, and harder events with more training then he ever imagined. This is the story of how I discovered the sport of running and did everything I could to be the athlete I am today, loving every moment along the way.
Everyday, from the moment I wake up until I go to sleep, my day is filled with running related things. It can be as simple as going for a run, stretching, cross-training or resting my body, as well as working at a running retail store, having a meal to fuel my next workout or making sure I get enough sleep. Sometimes it also can be passing up on a night out with the guys, but in the end I treasure every moment running has given me. I can honestly say I never thought I would be a runner, let alone at the sub-elite level, but I don’t regret this running focused life at all. I am very happy this is who I turned out to be as it has led me to many exciting opportunities, positive moments, and allowed me to meet many amazing running lovers. With so much love and support from friends, family, teammates, and the whole running community there’s no looking back now.
Going back to when this journey first began, I was in my second year of high school and looking to find a sport to fit into by trying soccer, basketball, floor hockey, baseball, and others. On an educational trip to Paris, France that year, I thought it would be fun to see how fast I could run from the bottom to the top of the Eiffel Tower while my classmates took the elevator. At the top my teacher, who also happened to be the High School Cross-Country Coach told me I did a great job and should check out the team. The following year with the company of my younger brother, I started running daily with the team and locally with the Cambridge Harriers. In my first year of High School Cross-Country, I was lucky not to come in last place amongst my friends. In the second year I was battling for fourth place. But in my last year, I was one of the top guys for my school.
I eventually moved on to the Cross-Country team at Conestoga College for 3 years and learned just how competitive the sport could be! This was when my running career really took off. Going to provincial and national competitions showed me the talent of runners in Canada, and being a middle-of-the-pack guy, I told myself I wanted to be up at the front one of these days. I took my running career to the next level by travelling to Kenya for high-altitude training to run with some of the best runners in the world. I have been to Kenya for 1 to 3 month periods over the past 4 years, for a total of 8 months. Day after day, being surrounded by such a talented running community has really opened my eyes and made me want to keep improving. The most serious runners dream to come to Kenya and live the African running lifestyle and to have made that dream come true is amazing, and just the start to many more dreams I have planned to complete.
Back in Canada, I train with the Health & Performance Club in Waterloo for speed work and long runs. I do my solo easy runs on the trails of Shades Mill Conservation Area in Cambridge. I have completed road races from the 5K to the marathon, odd trail distance races, a few track races, and some fun runs to keep things interesting along the way. I could go on forever talking about all sorts of running experiences! With many races under my belt, dozens of medals, my huge collection of shoes, and thousands of kilometres in my legs, there’s always some sort of interesting tale to tell, and many more awaiting me.
The moral of my story is that, although I was hesitant at first and didn’t see my potential, and slowly had to build my skills, I was quickly hooked on running and I’ll never look back. Running will be a part of my life forever because when I’m out there running I’m in my happy place and I feel like I fit in. I chose to title this piece “There Is No Finish Line For Me” because even though I may complete a running race, there will always be another event, with more training and new challenges. The finish line of my future races may be visible with medals, signs and cheering fans, but the finish line to my running career is still very far away.
Everyone has a unique running lifestyle and with the help of one another, we can take our fitness to new levels and achieve things we never thought possible. Some of us run for fun and some of us are elite. It doesn’t matter where you came from, as long as you know where you want to go. With the help of a coach, some training partners and the running community, the rest is in your hands to guide yourself to any finish line you want to cross. I hope I’ll see you all at the Toronto Yonge Street 10K and just remember that you “Can’t Won’t Stop” believing in yourself, even after you cross that finish line!
