Help Christopher raise money

I’m back!

It’s (only) been four years since my last race, and I’m running by again to say hi!

On May 4, 2025, I’ll be running the BMO Vancouver Half Marathon as a charity runner for the BC Cancer Foundation. Cancer patients don’t get to choose their battles, but we can choose to stand with them. I want to show my support in the best way I know how—by running. 

This time around, my training looks a little different. As a parent, my runs are now planned around family life, which usually means running before the sun rises. Every day and every run brings new challenges and opportunities to break through my limits. So, to my friends and family: whatever battles you may be facing—whether it's physical, mental, or emotional (or the daily chaos of parenting)—know that you have the strength and courage within you to keep moving forward.

My goal this year is to raise $2,000 to fund life-saving research and support services that make a real difference. Every donation, big or small, brings us closer to a future where fewer people have to face this fight. And as a small way to give back, I’ll be matching all donations up to $500. Donations of $20 or more will receive a tax receipt.

Thanks for cheering me on—both in my training and in supporting a great cause.

See you at the finish line!
Chris

P.S. Below are some of the stories from my last round of training. And you can follow my latest running activities here: https://www.strava.com/athletes/ctywoo. Enjoy!

--

Tough Love Motivation

(Photo Credits: Crying Chris, @geofflister; Defeated Chris, @sabrinawc)

I'd be the first to admit that I'm tough on myself and you would think that I'd marry someone who supports me through these internal struggles. But alas, I did not.

For my races, I would ask Amanda for moral support and come cheer for me as I cross the finish line. In an effort to minimize the amount of time she has to wait for me, she would ask for my estimated finish time. In the first few years of running my half marathons, I would finish my race only to find out she was still on the SkyTrain making her way downtown. Her excuse? "I didn't think you would finish so early."

In her defense, I do tend to overestimate my capabilities and give her a faster time. Over the years, I've used her lack of faith in me and my will to prove her wrong as a way to keep me motivated through new and tough challenges. With some of these challenges, the most rewarding part wasn't the feeling of accomplishment, but the satisfaction of telling Amanda she was wrong.

Lesson here? Tough love works.

--

Beware of Snow!

People say that comedy is tragedy plus time, so I am now ready to let you laugh (at/with me).

Earlier this year, I decided to go for a run the day after a big snowfall. I figured the roads and sidewalks would be cleared enough for a long run. I wore spikes and my winter gear, so I felt like I was prepared to take on the cold and possibly icy conditions.

I ended up running around Metrotown, since most of the area was shovelled. On one of the laps by the Metrotowers, I found myself running up to a group on the sidewalk. In an effort to try and avoid them, I decided to run around. I saw an uncleared area where I could make a quick detour. As I took a step down from the sidewalk, something didn't feel right. In the split second after I made that decision, I stopped and wanted to backtrack, only to find myself shin deep in water. How, you may ask. Turns out the snow was piled up on top of a ground-level fountain that had not quite frozen over.

I struggled to get out of the fountain, as I naively tried to step on more ice to exit. Every attempt only resulted in me stepping back into the water. When I finally made my way out of the fountain, a few people around asked if I was okay.

Physically, yes. Emotionally, debatable.

My shoes and socks were soaked through. My ego was bruised. I was in shock and disbelief. I thought about quitting then and even called Amanda for a ride home, but I didn't want to let my embarrassment get the better of me. I eventually finished the run, sloshing around in my wet shoes, and made sure to stay on cleared pathways all the way home.

Lesson here? The road less travelled usually makes for better stories.

--

Just Keep Smiling

Research suggests that smiling while running can improve your run performance and lead to 100% guaranteed good-looking race photos.

During a recent run around Stanley Park, I made it a side mission to smile at other runners I passed. Most of the time, they would smile back or give me the runners' secret signal, which is either a simple head nod or hand wave of acknowledgement.

Why did I pick up this habit, besides trying to avoid bad race photos?

Well, on one particular morning bus ride during Busy Season, there was a woman sitting across from me. She had this cheerful and radiant smile on her face. (And no, I'm not talking about Amanda.) This woman didn't have her face buried in her phone, but seemed to be trying to smile at anyone who would notice her. Despite the early morning and crowded bus, she seemed to be enjoying every moment of her commute. When I noticed her, her smile was contagious and I couldn't help but smile back. And almost instantly, I felt less gloomy about my long day ahead.

That simple moment is still so ingrained in my memory. For runners, the smile is a simple gesture that says: "Keep it up" or "You can do this".

You never know whose day you're going to make by simply smiling. Even if you're not in a particularly good mood, it feels better to just keep smiling.

--

Here. We. Go!

19 weeks of training and here we are: 42.2km away from my (virtual) finish line.

At 8:00am tomorrow morning, I will start my marathon at False Creek by Science World and run toward Stanley Park. Once I get to the Convention Centre, I will loop back through Stanley Park a second time, and run along the same route back to Granville Island.

I would be lying if I told you there wasn't a part of me that was dreading my race tomorrow. I'm visualizing what the run is going to look like and to be honest, I'm nervous. I know my feet will hurt, my lungs will feel depleted, and my body will ache for days.

But, I'm equally excited.

Getting myself ready for tomorrow's race meant 19 weeks worth of consistent training. There were some pretty rough days, days where I had to run before the crack of dawn, in the rain, or in icy conditions. And other days when I had to find every inch of motivation to will myself out the door. Then, there were some pretty awesome days, days where I got to see the sunrise, or reached a personal record, or challenged myself mentally to run a few extra kilometres.

If I learned anything from this training journey, it's in knowing that I have strength within me that has never been tested. Even if I'm running on fumes at some point tomorrow, I know that I'll still have a bit more energy to carry me through the finish line. And with that, I'm excited to challenge my limits tomorrow.

--

That's a Wrap!

On May 15, 2021, I set out to run my second @bmovanmarathon. I was lucky that it was a picture-perfect, sunny day. I started the day early, waking up at 5:30am to get food in my system, stretch, pack my hydration pack, and get food out of my system.

By 8:00am, I was at Olympic Village ready to start the long and scenic 42.2km journey. I felt great for the first 32km, keeping at a pace that would bring me to my goal of finishing under 4h 20m. But that last 10km was definitely a struggle. As I made my way back to Science World, I was not mentally (and physically) prepared for my quads to cramp up. I ended up run-walking for the remainder of the distance.

While I did not meet my goal, I finished with a personal best at 4h 30m, shaving off a solid 15 minutes from my first race! The most memorable moments of this virtual marathon include seeing a mother goose and her goslings strolling at Stanley Park, catching a glimpse of the infamous coyote at the Lost Lagoon, and @amandahlamb jogging beside me at the finish line. I haven't picked up my running shoes since, but I do plan to keep running and training for future (in-person) races.