After successfully completing 100 races in two years, North Vancouver's Keith Turner has found himself in more than a few memorable situations.
Having participated in five-and 10-kilometre runs, full-and halfmarathons and triathlons, primarily in the Lower Mainland, he's been pummelled with cornstarch, run in the dark to disco lights, braved both snow and rain, inadvertently ridden twice the required cycling distance of a course as well as finished dead last in an open water swim.
The self-described "non-athlete," "journeyman runner" and "weekend warrior," was inspired to set the challenge for himself after hearing about a man in Calgary who ran 50 marathons for charity in a year. "Give me a goal and I'm better. If I have to flounder around, like most of us do trying to find motivation, then getting my ass up and out running every day is not as easy," says Turner, a father and businessman who runs two companies, an investment banking firm and an independent television production company.
Part of the attraction was to better his own health and stay fit. "I have a bit of a shark mentality. I honestly believe as long as you keep moving, you don't die. It's not a fatalist view, it's my view that we often think we can't do things the same when we get older." Turner hopes his determination and refusal to give up shows others they too can accomplish their goals, physical or otherwise, at any age.
In addition, the charitable component of each event was a major draw. One of particular significance to him is the annual Vancouver Transplant Trot, held last month in support of the B.C. Canadian Transplant Association. "You see a three-year-old with a new heart, and you think, well, that's kind of important. Me running 10 km and feeling sore is nothing compared with what people have to endure. So for me, anytime I go along and I can spend a bit of money and be involved and see inspiring people... that's worth it every time," he says.
Turner was also compelled to challenge himself after noticing some symmetry in numbers leading up to 2014. He will complete 20 years of sobriety (from alcohol) in July and is set to turn 60 later this month. He viewed completing 100 races as a nice way to round out the numbers.
Turner, who proudly picked up a few medal finishes in his age category over the years, is grateful for the support of his family and friends in helping him complete his goal, which he did with time to spare, crossing the finish line in the Phoenix Marathon March 1. With his goal achieved, Turner is showing no signs of stopping. Today he'll run the BMO Vancouver Marathon's half-marathon course, the Run For Mercy May 10 at Aldergrove Regional Park, and the Mother Ducky Half May 11 at Burnaby Lake. Then he'll head to San Diego for the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon June 1, followed by local events, including the BlueShore Financial Longest Day Road Race at UBC June 13 and the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon June 22.
Turner also plans to ramp up his fundraising related to racing, and sponsor or put on his own events in future, "as a business person putting the best of what I see in races, and
then maybe going a little bit left of centre thinking outside the box and coming up with more novel ways to run races and put them on to raise money for good causes," he says.
