Terry Fox Run Recap!

This past weekend was a fun one for me! I did the Terry Fox Run on Sunday, but I thought I would recap my fun Saturday as well. All summer my mom, my Auntie Dene, and myself have been trying to find a day to get together and have Auntie Dene see my place! I should mention here that Dene is not actually my aunt, but a friend of my mom's who has been around since before I was born :) She is an honorary Auntie.

Well we finally found a day that worked, but my stepdad needed the car that afternoon so they came up with idea to FLY in! My stepdad actually has a hobby of flying planes and he owns a small four seater, which him and my mom take on all sorts of fun trips! Dene was pretty excited to take a flight in such a small plane and joked that I give all my guests this VIP treatment. I live right across the road from the City Centre Airport, where they landed, so I took the ferry over to meet them. Small planes don't land at the main terminal, so you have to go over to this small one. Basically you leave the airport through an unmarked door and wander around outside- it is really weird to do that at an international airport!

View from the ferry- the gate I walk to is way on the right

That is them getting out in the back!

We watched Lee fly off and then we went back to my place for wine and nachos on the balcony! After our snack we decided to walk down by the water. It was a really nice day and we walked and talked for a long time!

Mom and Auntie Dene

After our walk we went out for dinner on King West and then the two of them had to go home. Of course, it was only 8:00pm on a Saturday and I soon got a call to join some friends for beers at barVolo downtown. They were having cask thing going on and had lots of interesting, sour beers. I loooved this one raspberry flavoured one I got! Some other friends joined us and I was having so much fun that I ended up staying way later than I was supposed to- whoops.

The next morning, with tired eyes, I rolled out to go to Terry Fox! I went with my teammate Sarah, and we joined my Mom and Stepdad at Wilket Creek in Toronto. Mom and Lee and I planned to walk the whole 10km, and Sarah planned to do 5km, but we all walked together for the first while!

Team Amazing! (and a cupcake)

They always start with a lot of speeches and an inspirational story from a cancer survivor, followed by a warmup. We kept laughing during the warmup, however, because the Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, was standing near us and her bodyguard was just standing in the midst of the warmup in a full suit. He stood out so much as it just made us giggle! .

The speeches were really good, though. Isadore Sharp speaks at this run site every year and he is one of the founders of the Terry Fox Run! He actually met Terry and was one of the biggest supporters of his run. Other speakers were Kathleen Wynne, Sheila McCarthy, and a girl who had the same cancer as Terry, but got to keep her leg and is now cancer free- that shows how far we have come in 33 years! And for the record, Colin Mochrie and Debra Mcgrath did come back this year but they didn't speak and I didn't get a photo with Colin. Haha. Also, apparently Terry's brother came mid-morning, but we must have missed him

Soon we were off on our walk!

We think we did the full 10K in about 1:40. Mom and Lee sure walk fast! I felt like I was speed walking the whole time and my legs sure were sore after! I think I need to get back into running because that is just sad!

After we got back we met up again with Sarah for FOOD! This run site is amazing and so much food is donated: poutine, burgers, pork sliders, hot dogs, grilled cheeses, sandwiches, cupcakes, salad, fruit, granola bars, cotton candy, candy apples...the list goes on and on.

Of course, the best food of all is the barbecued corn. Sarah and I make a beeline for it every year!

I also got a hot dog, grilled cheese, a cupcake, and a banana. Lunch of champions!

This year the run site also came up with giftbags for everyone (like we hadn't been spoiled enough??) and it was food of more food (!!!) and two bottles of really nice sunscreen! Such swag!! This was Mom and Lee's first year of going to the run and they were blown away by everything- I keep telling people it is an awesome event!! Oh and in the end I raised $625. Less than my $1000 goal, but I am pretty happy since I had a crazy summer and didn't put in the fundraising effort that I usually do.

After the run my mom and Lee drove me to Oshawa for my best gals' birthday! It was a low key day and we just went out for lunch (omg my poor stomach!! so much food!!) and then watched a movie. Except we both fell asleep and took an epic nap. Haha, it was a low-key, but great afternoon and I am so glad I made it out to visit. Sometimes I have issues visiting with my suburban friends- especially after such a crazy busy summer!