I took part in the Canada Army Run for the first time in September 2015. I signed up for the half-marathon and was incredibly excited to gather with the others at the start line. The most exciting feeling was knowing that the last six months of intensive training were finally paying off. After the firing of the artillery battery and the start of the race, I gained confidence and ran too fast for the first five kilometers, prematurely depleting excessive energy. Nevertheless, I managed to finish the race in just over an hour and 58 minutes. I wasn’t able to beat my personal best, but after crossing the finish line and receiving the dog tag at the end, I realized that it had been worth it, and then some! It was an honor to support the Canadian Armed Forces in this way.