216 results for author: Colin Harris


TMO New Year

It’s the time of year when we’re bombarded with views of the world - what has been and what will be to come.  Top 10 lists loop endlessly with the most amazing goals, game-changing news stories, celebrity meltdowns and must-have albums. ‘Experts’ break out their crystal balls for what is to be in the New Year – fashion trends, the housing market and countless other predictions that seem suspiciously ambiguous.  On a more personal level, it’s a time where resolution falls on the heels of reflection.  Successes are celebrated and mentally renewed while shortcomings lead to new and determined hopes and goals.  All of this among friends, ...

Day… numberless days!

A hike yesterday afternoon on Salt Spring Island reminded me of why I was looking forward to being done running a lot of marathons over for the last 9 months.  Plush forests, the salt of the ocean filling my nostrils and a panting dog brought a smile to my face.  In fact, I’m convinced Koona was smiling as well.  Even though she may have just won a record for marking her territory in the most places across this country, I think she was pretty happy to get a 2 hour walk, something she has been missing over the past year. I’ve chatted with friends and received numerous emails upon finishing, all asking how it feels to be done.  And to be ...

Times Colonist 

Colin Harris ended his nine month, cross-Canada odyssey Tuesday by dipping his foot in the ocean at Royal Roads University, but it was just the beginning of the next episode in his quest to bring youth closer to the great outdoors. The 36-year-old had plenty of company in the final metres of his run, which began in Newfoundland in January. Members of the cross-country team from Sangster Elementary School and Sooke school district superintendent Jim Cambridge ran with Harris through the Royal Roads campus, and still more students were at the shore to cheer the group on. "It feels good," said Harris, after taking his final stride. "It's a ...

CTV News

COLWOOD — Colin Harris arrived at Royal Roads University, following a 7,600 kilometre run across Canada. It was part of the "Take Me Outside" initiative designed to get young people active and outdoors. He was met by his proud parents and grade 6 students from Sangster Elementary School. Harris is a RRU student who, since he was a youngster, had a passion to run across the country. The Ontario native says the average teenager spends 53 hours in front of screens each week. Harris visited 80 schools in Canada, encouraging students to spend more time outside. The final stretch of Harris' journey was also a celebration of the new Nature Kinderg...

Royal Roads University

7,600 kilometers. Nine months. Three pairs of runners. One passion. That's what has been driving Royal Roads University MA in Environmental Education and Communication student Colin Harris across Canada on a run that spans from St. John's, N.L. to Victoria, B.C. Harris combined a life-long dream to run across the country with his Take Me Outside campaign to help youth understand the value of being outdoors. "You ask anyone over the age of 25 to 30 what their childhood was like and they will tell you most of their time was spent playing outside," Harris says. "That's what's changed." The idea started with education students at Queen's ...

Day 274-279 – 212.6 km (total – 7524.5 km)

No matter how long it takes, if you keep moving, one step at a time, you will reach the finish line...

Day 272/273 – 113.7 km (total – 7311.9 km)


Kamloops : The Daily News

Oct. 14, 2011. When Colin Harris learned that children today are likely to face a shorter lifespan than their parents, he knew he had a good reason to run across Canada. Wearing a T-shirt that read, "Tell your teacher to take you outside," Harris brought that purpose to an assembly at Beattie School of the Arts Friday morning. "I'm just trying to encourage that message of balancing time in front of the screen with time outside," he said. "I've worked in outdoor education for the last decade or so, so I think I've seen the benefits to children of spending time outside and research bears that out." Ninety-three per cent of Canadian youth ...

Day 267-271 – 174.2 km (total – 7198.2 km)

This morning at Beattie Elementary, I raced with a few students as I’ve done at most schools to give students an idea of how big Canada really is and how far it is to run.  It struck me when I let them know how many kilometers I had left to run that I am truly in the homestretch.  There have been several “homestretches” over the last several weeks… I’ve needed them to keep me motivated.  But when I resume running tomorrow, it will be my last full week of running every day.  It would almost seem futile to express how excited I am! Beattie Elementary is the school Angus goes to, son of James, my friend from school.  James and I started ...

Day 265/266 – 95.3 km (total – 7024 km)

I love hearing about different Thanksgiving traditions.  Jen has informed me that we have to wear lumberjack shirts, listen to the Arthur Awards on the Vinyl Café with Stuart Maclean and go for a swim in a lake somewhere.  The only one I’m not in for is the latter!  Food is of course a big part of Thanksgiving.  And traditions hold strong in this area too!  In my family, sweet potatoes baked with marshmallows on top are integral to the traditional dinner in the Harris family.  And sometimes, dessert even overshadows the main course – I come by my sweet tooth honestly.  Another tradition years ago was playing touch football in the park on ...