Skip to main content

Canada at 150



The first race I ran in Japan was the 1997 Terry Fox charity run at the Imperial Palace a month after I moved to Tokyo. At that race I met people from the running club where seven years later I met my future wife and associate editor Mika Tokairin, who in 2007 suggested I start JRN.

My mother was the daughter of immigrants, the first one in her family who was genuinely a product of Canada. As I've lived most of my life, part of my childhood and my entire adult life, outside of the country the connection I feel to Canada is tenuous at best, but if there is one thing that makes me proud to still have Canadian citizenship it is Terry Fox. Three days past the 36th anniversary of his death at age 22, long may his legacy live, and congratulations to his country on the 150th anniversary of its confederation.
Labels:

Comments

Patrick Voo said…
Once a Canuck, always a Canuck - happy Canada Day Brett!
July 1, 2017 at 7:29 PM
sanrensho said…
Happy Canada Day (well, two days late)! Always enjoy the blog, keep up the great work.
July 3, 2017 at 2:55 AM
Unknown said…
The Spirit of Terry Fox was carried through to Australia. As a young up-and-coming runner, I marvelled at his story and was moved and inspired by his extraordinary courage. I'm proud to say I won the first Terry Fox Fun Run in Brisbane Australia, run during World Expo 88 in Brisbane.
July 3, 2017 at 5:56 PM
Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Hassan Runs NR/CR for Osaka Win, Dibaba Hits Women's CR, Yoshida and Shuley Earn Legends

This was maybe the most entertaining marathon in years. After rocking the 2nd leg at last year's Hakone Ekiden Hibiki Yoshida (Sunbelx) ran an incredible 1:01:01 CR for the 21.9 km New Year Ekiden 2nd leg last month, equivalent to a 58:47 half marathon. That predicted a 2:03:27 marathon if he ever ran one, and when Yoshida announced he was debuting at this year's Osaka Marathon he wasted no time in saying it'd be a shot at the 2:04:55 NR. Things went out fast enough with a 14:50 split through 5 km, 2:05:11 pace, but Yoshida just couldn't hold back and took off at 8 km. He clearly DGAF about what was probably going to happen as his projected finish kept getting faster, 2:04:41, 2:04:15, 2:03:51, 2:03:40, edging closer and closer to what his New Year time predicted, but not helped along by the fact that he missed 4 out of his first 5 drink bottles. People laughed, and then cheered him on. 30 km was the first time he slowed, his finish projection dropping to 2:03:53, an...
4 comments
Read more

Federation Tells World Championships Marathoner Horibata To Go On Diet

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20110307-OHT1T00258.htm translated by Brett Larner Having made the 2011 World Championships marathon team by running a PB of 2:09:25 to come in 3rd overall and as the top Japanese finisher at the Mar. 6 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Hiroyuki Horibata (24, Team Asahi Kasei), talked to the media at Osaka Airport on Mar. 7. Following Sunday's race Rikuren director Keisuke Sawaki , 67, told Horibata, "Let's cut things down a bit until the World Championships," directing him to go on a diet. The 189 cm Horibata weighs 72 kg [~6'3", 160 lbs]. When he joined Team Asahi Kasei in 2005 at age 18 he weighed 65 kg, and this weight is still generally listed on his profile at races and in the media. "For some reason it never changes," he said with a grin. His coach Takeshi Soh , 58, commented, "If he was hungrier for glory his world would change completely," slapping the 'heavyweight division runner...
Post a Comment
Read more