One of my favourite things about the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon weekend is that our team has room for everyone. Some of us run, some of us run very, very fast, and some of us walk and enjoy the scenery. But we all come together to support children and families affected by dyslexia.
This was Dyslexia Canada’s fifth year with a team, and our biggest yet. We had 26 team members taking part: 14 in the 5K, 11 in the half marathon, and one who completed the full marathon. Another 21 participants chose Dyslexia Canada as their charity of choice. That brought us to 47 people putting their kilometres to work for kids with dyslexia!
And this year, we had a captain who set quite a pace!
Johnny Houlding started volunteering with us in the spring. As our team captain, he helped us recruit team members and raise funds. Then he went and ran the half marathon in an astonishing 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 2 seconds, finishing 16th overall out of 11,827 participants. That sets a very high bar. Johnny now holds the record as the fastest Dyslexia Canada half-marathon runner of all time!
Apparently, being fast wasn’t enough. Johnny was also our highest fundraiser, raising $2,155.64. I’m beginning to think he took the team captain job as a personal challenge to lead in every category. But we are thrilled to cheer him on!
I am so grateful to everyone who donated, asked friends and family for support, or helped bring this team together. Together, 84 donors contributed $11,834.66. Our sponsor, Kyndryl, contributed an additional $50,000.
There were other impressive performances to celebrate, too. Lily Salvagio, who has been part of our team for three years, finished the 5K in 20 minutes and 2 seconds. She placed third among 99 runners in her age group, girls and women aged 15 to 19. It was wonderful to welcome her back and celebrate another impressive performance.
Our founder, Keith Gray, walked the 5K with his wife, Wendy, and their wonderful family. Keith officially finished eighth out of eight in the over-80 category, but I think he was robbed. They really should have a 90+ category! If they did, I’m sure Keith would have finished first. Whatever the official results say, he always finishes first in my books.
A real highlight for me this year was seeing our billboards and signs along the route. PATTISON Outdoor generously donated $1 million in advertising space this October to support our Dyslexia Awareness campaign. While Johnny and Lily were probably moving too fast to see the signs, those of us walking at the back had an excellent view!
Of course, a race weekend takes more than runners and walkers. Sixteen volunteers came out to help at our water station, with our dedicated Dyslexia Canada volunteers and our friends from Kyndryl lending a hand at the finish line.
And it needs to be said: Saturday morning was very cold. When you’re moving along the course, you at least get to warm up. But standing outside for hours handing out water and welcoming finishers requires a different kind of endurance. To everyone who bundled up and gave their time, please know how much we appreciate you. You helped make the weekend possible and made our team feel supported right to the finish.
I came away grateful for this community. We had fast finishes, generous donors, cold hands, and plenty of reasons to smile. Every runner, walker, volunteer, donor, and supporter helped make our fifth year our biggest and most memorable yet.
I hope you’ll join us next year. There is a place for you on our team, whatever your pace. But if you’re planning to challenge Johnny’s time, you might want to start training now.