By Madison Eldridge ∙
At 45 years old, Tim Martin said he never imagined running a double marathon.
That would soon change.
Throughout the years, DKI-CRCS has done what they can to support DKI Canada’s Bringing Families Home Campaign. Since 2022, over $600,000 has been raised for Ronald McDonald House Charities through the campaign.
Last year, Kyle Douglas, Martin and a group of three others rode their bikes over 600 kilometers and raised $27,950. This year, Douglas was in search of another way to test his body while still supporting the charity.
“The first time I heard about the run was about four or five months before we planned to do it,” Martin said. “Kyle’s one crazy guy, so he thought about this great run from head office here in Oshawa all the way to Pearson Airport.”
Before this, Douglas said he didn’t consider himself a long distance runner. He had run a marathon once and occasionally went on five to ten kilometer loops. He said he trained as an athlete for years but, this would be a different beast entirely.
Training for the Beast
In November, Douglas put the goal in writing, letting the team know about his plan.
“I don’t know how to train for a double marathon,” Martin said. “There was no way I could think that would 100% prepare me for this run other than just go out, do my runs and hope for the best.”
Douglas said he ramped up his training in December, preparing as much as he could mentally and physically for the day.
“On top of training, you still have your everyday life,” he said. “Trying to be a father, trying to be a coach, trying to run a business. I had a very supportive wife at home, making sure she was pushing me because she knew the danger of what an 84 kilometer run could do.”
The Big Day
After a night of nerves and troubles sleeping, Douglas, Martin and Matt Douglas met on April 27 before the sun came up to start their journey. The three were filled with energy and excitement for the adventure ahead.
“My alarm was set for 4:00,” Douglas said. “I woke up at 3:50, had food, coffee, got ready and got here. I walked through the door, and not even a couple minutes later, Tim and Matt came in. I was excited.”
It was a chilly morning as they ran from Oshawa, to Whitby to Pickering, arriving at their first 25 kilometer marker.
Along the route, Douglas and Martin were supported with pitstops, water refills and the company of a few friends who joined them to put in a few kilometers themselves.
Douglas’s plan was to start counting down the kilometers after the two reached the marathon marker.
“We peaked at the marathon and now we’re going to come down to the finish line,” he said. “It worked really well. It was counting down the kilometers. Hey, we only have 30 kilometers to go. Hey, we only have 20. We only have 10.”
Douglas said they were having a blast.
“Our two personalities are very similar when it comes to having that end goal,” he said. “I think even if we were in pain, we wouldn’t have shown it. We both would have just charged through it. That’s who we are.”
What They Ran For
By planning the run, Douglas hoped to find another way to help families facing medical hardship stay close to their loved ones seeking medical treatment in hospitals.
“When I’m planning something, I need to have that approach where it’s harder than what the average person can do because what families go through, if they’re using the services, is usually a very difficult time,” Douglas said. “It’s something you don’t wish upon anybody.”
Through the run, DKI-CRCS raised over $18,000 for families in need.
Typically it costs around $170-$200 per night to accommodate a family with RMHC. Families that stay with them are asked to pay a nominal fee around $15 per night. The remaining cost is covered through charitable donations.
“When I think about the impact we have on nights stayed at the organization after raising $50,000 over two years, it’s pretty magical,” Douglas said.
“Keeping families together is huge, and being able to support the Ronald McDonald House through the run just had such a impact on my heart,” Martin said. “Seeing the kids being able to be with their parents and siblings makes their treatment go a lot easier. When you have the opportunity to give back to such a great charity, to me, it’s a no-brainer.”
Crossing the Finish Line
Douglas and Martin were joined by a group of family and friends to cross the 84 kilometer mark.
“As we crossed the 427, we met up with Matt, Ryan, and Alex,” Douglas said. “It was like I never ran because you have fresh legs. I was really excited to see them because I knew the finish was 30 to 40 minutes away.”
As they ran up to the hotel where members of the DKI family waited to greet them, Martin described the moment as powerful.
“You hear the cheering, the high-fives and you get the handshakes, and the hugs,” Martin said. “It was incredible.”
Being able to combine his desire to push himself and support RMHC felt amazing for Douglas.
“There’s a really good saying that you add life to your days, not days to your life,” he said. “Running into the hotel, that was the goal. I’m not adding another day to my life, but I’m adding some really good quality life to, to my days.”
We would like to thank everyone who supported our team on their journey.
“From $10 donation to $1,000 donation on the page, people or their companies have made an impact on people’s lives that they will never know,” Douglas said.
If you would like to make a donation to help RMHC, you can follow this link.
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