Memories from the AHS Fun Run

Fall is here again and that means it is time for Reunion and the AHS Fun Run. Coming back to the University of Waterloo for events such as this has always been part of my life.

I have been going to alumni events since I was 4 months old as my mother, Toos Reid (Simons) is a Waterloo alumna (BSc ‘73) and stayed connected to the university and her teammates. Growing up I attended Naismith basketball tournaments, alumni vs. varsity games watching my mom don her old uniform, and attended various other events. When I became a student, it was natural to participate in and at times help out with these events. Based on this tradition, it’s something that I look forward to every year!

For a number of years I had a conflicting work engagement and was always sad to have to miss the annual event. The AHS Fun Run is a great way to connect with many members of the AHS community. When I was a student, I liked to connect with grad students, TAs, staff, and professors outside the daily routine. As an alum, it’s fun to reconnect with those still at Waterloo as well as have a reason to get together with my classmates.

This year I am once again looking forward to running the AHS Fun Run. Over the years I have had the chance to run with many amazing people. These great memories have added to the appeal of the event each year. A few of my favourites have been running with my parents when they came back for their own reunion events. It was a natural fit for all of us and they got to meet my profs and friends and I even got to connect with some of my mom’s profs that were still around!

One year shortly after graduation and as a young employee of the university, I decided to attend the run without knowing who would be there and ended up running the race with David Johnston. We had a great chat about the direction of Waterloo and life in general. It is rare that you have the opportunity to chat one-on-one with the President and it was a very memorable experience. And finally, it is a time to catch up with friends.

This year, in addition to running with friends, I will be starting to pass the tradition along as I run with my husband, Dan Berringer (BASc ‘03) and our three boys. Being healthy and physically active is a very important aspect of my life and now that I have three busy boys, it is important just to be able to keep up! I also like having a fall run to keep me motivated and active over the busy summer and give me a little extra motivation to keep running in the fall.

I am looking forward to seeing who will be there this year and hope that you will come out and join us!