The Goggins challenge takes another run at it

By Carolyn Thompson and Leah Brockie

As New Year’s resolutions putter out, we are two Ottawa runners with an exciting goal and a challenge for you to participate in! The Goggins Challenge, modelled on the event started by David Goggins, a former Navy SEAL turned fitness fanatic, involves running four miles (6.4 km), every four hours, for forty-eight hours.

Yes, you read that right – in total, we will be running 48 miles! We will begin the Goggins Challenge on Friday, March 3 at 8 p.m., which means we will run at midnight, 4 a.m., 8 a.m., etc., continuously every four hours until Sunday, March 5 at 4 p.m.

You might remember us from last year. We were five runners who ran 48 miles over 48 hours and, with the support of friends, family and community, we raised $5,728 for a local Ottawa organisation, Carty House.

This year we’re raising money for Cornerstone Housing for Women. We blew past our goal of raising $4,800 last year so we’re upping the challenge this year – we want to raise $10,000. To do this, we need your help.

We’re looking for runners. We’ve been running in Ottawa for four years – this is the most welcoming, lively and dedicated running community we have ever been a part of. This community is fiercely passionate about the sport. From the sweltering July heat to February blizzards, Ottawa runners are outside. They are resilient, dedicated and passionate.

We’re not just doing this for fun. Cornerstone Housing for Women, our chosen charity, provides a continuum of housing and support for women and gender-diverse people. It currently operates five housing communities for women in Ottawa and welcomes more than 200 women into shelters each day. Our goal is a lofty one, but we are confident that community support will help us raise funds and awareness for this important non-profit.

We’re asking for your support by participating (running or walking), making donations or encouraging us if you see us running that weekend. This run is a great way for runners or walkers to try an ultra-distance event, without the physical and mental toll of a traditional ultra-race.

Runners are also encouraged to sign up in teams, if the overall distance is too daunting for one person. The main goal of the event is to get people running outside or inside on a treadmill/stairmaster/elliptical to raise money for a wonderful Ottawa-based organization.

Can’t commit to the full weekend but want to participate in the event? Check out our Instagram @ottawagoggins613 and keep an eye out for us on the Dominion City Brewing Company’s Instagram feed (@dominioncity). We will be posting more opportunities as the days and weeks roll closer to the event.

This event is for everyone and we’re creating opportunities for people to participate as much or as little as they like. For instance, dropping by Dominion City for a pint on March 5 for our after-party (around 4:30 pm) will help us achieve our goal as they will be donating $2 from every beer sold to Cornerstone. If you come by Dominion City shortly before 4 p.m. on March 5, you can even run our last 4-mile run with us!

Know a runner from outside of Ottawa? Send them to us! Have questions or want to know if this challenge is for you? Email us! Our goal is to build a team of runners to support an important organization in Ottawa. To sign up to run, to donate or if you are interested in learning more about our event, all information can be found via our Canada Helps page: canadahelps.org/en/pages/2023-annual-ottawa-goggins-charity-challenge/.

Carolyn Thompson and Leah Brockie are runners living in the Glebe and Hintonburg who are organizing an upcoming Goggins Challenge. For more information. please email ottawagoggins@gmail.com.