Doctor’s Vision Leads to Running Club
The rattle of feet pounding across the narrow wooden bridge seems to be the only noticeable sound in this steep, muddy valley near Georgian Bay in southern Ontario. The view is one of the major draws of this group run for the members of the Georgian Triangle Running Club. Over the tops of the trees on the mountain, the ski trails below give way to pristine golf greens, which in turn meet with the glistening waters of Georgian Bay. The Georgian Triangle area stretches along a portion of the Niagara Escarpment near Collingwood, Ont. It’s popular with outdoor enthusiasts taking advantage of the trails and scenery. Dr. Adam Martynuik founded the club along with a core group of runners in 2012. The club now has about 50 members, all with a common goal of “fostering and promoting healthy living through running.”
Martynuik noticed that unlike other local sports, most of the runners he knew were running in isolation. The gtrc has brought together these runners and through scheduled trail runs, road runs and speed workouts across the area, has showed them just what the area offers. Any given week features steep hill climbs, meandering forest runs, intense track sessions, breathtaking beach runs and some long, slow road runs with any one of the club’s experienced coaches. This season, the club has also introduced event-specific training and strength workouts.
The club has evolved to being more than just a running group: it’s building a community. The club’s social media feed is filled with chatter on upcoming events, nutrition, gear or meet-ups. This was evident when many of the club’s members ran alongside member (and vice-president) Nick Brindisi as he ran 100k to raise funds for the local hospital. Brindisi was never alone and while he was the only one taking on the full 100k, others ran anywhere from 1k to 50k.
The club is trying to double its membership and increase participation across the region. The newly formed gtrc initiative, Team Unbreakable, hopes to use running as a way to help kids struggling with mental health issues. From beginners to ultramarathoners, the gtrc has runners of all levels, participating in the area’s charity events, at races across the province. The club also hosts the Run Collingwood Half-Marathon and 10k on Oct. 13.