🏃♂️10k a day for a thousand days
I began running consistently in 2018. I used my lunch break to run along the Rideau Canal. I had run occasionally for the past two decades, but not very seriously. In 2018 and 2019, I found myself gradually increasing my mileage – I think this was partly due to acquiring an Apple Watch.
Then – COVID hit and in 2020 – I ran over 3000km. I was going out very regularly. In February of 2020, a friend gifted a red Thule Chariot Cross Double (merci!); the stroller allowed me to incorporate my children into my routine. I took my boys on awesome outdoor adventures! Running, chatting, laughing, and exploring nature, which was in full bloom due to COVID lockdowns.
After 2020, I made a goal for myself to run 10k a day for a whole year – which I started to do in 2021. I achieved that goal as planned and finished 2021 with 3701 kilometers in total. As the challenge ended, I felt compelled to continue and consequently raised the bar. My new target was to run 10km daily for one thousand days (or 10000 kilometers in less than a 1000 days).
I kept running regularly, in the rain, in the snow, slush,
sleet. My oldest son, aged out of the Thule stroller due to weight limits. He was now able to follow along on his bike. The stroller I was gifted, also had to be replaced due to repeated part failures. With all that done, in 2022, I completed 3702 kilometers. 
In 2023, I maintained my running routine. Unfortunately, due to unseasonably warm temperatures, the Rideau Canal did not open during the winter. Over the past few years, it had been one of my favorite running spots. I would use the flattened snow along the canal's edge as my training ground. It was disappointing that I could not enjoy the sun's reflection on the canal's ice during those months.
The challenge was finally completed in Montreal in September 2023 -- I had run a total of 10,000 kilometers in just under 1000 days. This journey included runs through roads and parks in the Ottawa/Gatineau area. Additionally, it featured trail runs in various parts of Ontario and Quebec, as well as the Apex trail in Iqaluit.
