The temperature was a bit on the warm side yesterday, but otherwise it was an ideal day for the Canada Running Series Beaches Jazz Tune Up Run and Walk. Starting at Kew Gardens the race organizers of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon made it easy for participants to keep up with their training by mapping out three routes of 5, 10, and 20k. Three different start times for the three different distances meant that everyone was back for a barbecue around the same time.
The venue showed off the good, the bad, and the work in progress of Toronto’s waterfront. We followed the Martin-Goodman trail west along the lake toward the Queen’s Quay area, passing Ashbridges Bay, the Leslie Street Spit, the Outer Harbour Boating clubs and more. The sun beat down. Every so often a fresh, cool lake breeze would work its refreshing magic.
Because the routes were straight out and back along the trail, I looked forward to lots of company during the walk. I went out slowly at the back of the group of runners and walkers going 20k. Somewhere about the 7k point, the runners were returning, running toward me on a regular basis. Most of the time I’d say “hi” or wave. Most of the time they didn’t notice me.
Behind me two women power walking were encouraging every person that ran or walked by them.
Just an observation.
I’d hate to make a generalization. But it did get me wondering. Could it be the pounding of running shakes the smile right out of a face?
Certainly by the time, I returned to the finish and the barbecue, they were all smiles again.
“Can you smile and train at the same time?” Yes, if you are a Powerwalker or a ‘seasoned’ runner. I hate to generalize too, but my observation has been that the non-smiling types enroute are the newbies who are not trained properly and are going out way to fast and are have difficulty breathing let alone smiling when they come upon us. I think when they come upon us they are feeling morally superior as a runner but a little ‘grumpy’ that we look so good and strong and ‘chipper’ enough to smile and say hello. It ties in with the not moving over on the sidewalk syndrome; the checking of their watches constantly; the needless running in place movement at the red lights and looking impatient……I think you will notice the veteran runners smile but the newbies are taking it way too serious!