If you were at the Oktoberfest Run this weekend, you might have left with a question:
What was with the canoe?
With a little help from Mathew McCarthy of The Record, we were able to get to the bottom of the story!
Neal Morris, part of the Engineers Without Borders team, pledged to portage a canoe for part of the race if he accomplished his fundraising goal. Well, he did it, and he did not disappoint!
Neal carried the canoe for 2.5km and finished in a respectable 42:18. The highlights of his run were (from running near the back of the pack) seeing thousands of runners ahead of him as he crested the King Street hills, and having a whole lane to himself!
The canoe is fibreglass and weighs between 50-70lbs. Neal has completed half marathons (21.1km) with a 25lb backpack, and he has previously completed longer portages in Northern Ontario. So the hardest part wasn’t actually the weight but the corners and turns. He had two spotters with him to keep clear of the other runners.
Advice Neal has for others: “Make sure you have a good yoke.” He’s not sure what his goal is for next year. Do you have any ideas?
Neal Morris has been affiliated with EWB since 2002.
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