As Executive Vice-President and Vice-President Partner Relations and Facilities for the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Jim successfully negotiated a lasting Games legacy for the city. Through the inter-municipal capital building program, the region acquired an aquatics centre, a velodrome, a lawn bowling facility and club house, and three new running tracks. Through Jim's vision, UVic gained two new major residence facilities, a multi-purpose track, a field hockey pitch and an improved Centennial Stadium.

Since the Games, Jim has remained heavily involved in community enhancement through participation in the United Way Campaign, the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards (B.C. region). During his years as organizer for the Lions Society Vancouver Island 24 Hour Relay for the Kids (which UVic co-sponsors), the annual event at Centennial Stadium has raised close to $2 million for children with disabilities

George Heller, CEO of the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, said:

"There is no one more deserving of this induction into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame than Jim Reed. I honestly believe that there would be no PISE (Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence) had it not been for him driving this great project from concept to the world-class facility it is today. It was very quickly apparent to me that Jim was a first rate executive, tough-minded, visionary, an excellent negotiator and possibly one of the best communicators I have had the pleasure to work with. When we realized the Commonwealth Games left a surplus, Jim championed leaving a legacy in the form of a sports development centre in Victoria. He was convincing and visionary as always and single-handedly convinced the Hudson's Bay Company to contribute two million dollars to it."

There is no doubt that without Jim as the driving force and the inaugural chair, PISE would not exist today. The large numbers of Olympians who train in Victoria are a direct legacy of the games.

This amazing person has served on the following boards in different capacities:

 - Executive Vice-President Commonwealth Games Association and Foundation of Canada
 - Former chair of Pacific Sport Group -- Canadian Sport Centre
 - Minister's Council for Employment for Persons with Disabilities
 - 2005 World Curling Championship
 - The United Way of Victoria
 - The Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame
 - The Duke of Edinburgh Award (B.C.)
 - The Board of Trustees for Athletes Assistance Fund
 - Chair Canadian Curling Association
 - The Lions Society Vancouver Island 1995-2000. Founding Chair of the 24 hour relay for children with disabilities. Committee member to find a location for the Easter Seal House
 - Victoria Hospice Foundation. Chaired a major fund-raising swimathon netting approximately $500,000.
 - Past Director on Victoria Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation
 - Special advisor to Vancouver 2010 Olympic bid
 - National fundraiser for Canadian athletes to travel to the 16th and 17th Commonwealth Games

Jim's contributions have been recognized with the University of Victoria Community Leader Award (2009) and the Governor General's Caring Canadian Award (2012).

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Al became known as the 'Trans Canada crossing god' for his phenomenal long distance running feats over an athletic career that spanned nearly three decades.

He was born in 1945 near Glasgow, Scotland and immigrated to Canada where he started running as a hobby in 1974. He moved to Victoria in 1978 and a year later the Prince George marathon brought together Al, Rick Hansen and Terry Fox. Al had run from Victoria to Prince George to be in the race.

Al was inspired by the dedication of Fox and began to train for longer runs. He won his age group in his first full-length marathon in 1980 in Edmonton, and then he ran from Edmonton to Victoria to enter the first annual Royal Victoria Marathon.

In 1981, Al set the Canadian and North American record for the annual Self-Transcendence 24 Hour Race in Ottawa. The following year he increased his distance, covering 150 miles and 395 yards in that continuous day and night (no sleeping) race. Al won the annual 24-hour race in Ottawa five years in a row, 1981 -1985. In 1983, he ran from Winnipeg to Ottawa to participate in the 24-hour event.

Health problems in 1985 forced Al to withdraw from all races. He recovered sufficiently by spring of the following year to run 1200 kilometres from Victoria to Fernie, BC. Al was back in form for the 1987 Canadian 24-hour Championship in Ottawa, winning the event for the sixth time.

A set of three races -- 700, 1000 and 1300 miles -- known as the "Ultra Trio" was held in 1987. No runners finished the 1300 Miler in New York in 1987 and 1988, but in 1989, Al was the first person ever to complete the grueling 1300-mile (2100 km) distance, setting the world record at 17 days and 9 hours. He also set a world record for 2000 km in the same race.

In addition, Al set a record in the 72-hour "Across the Years" race in Phoenix AZ, which is the last ultra race of one year and the first of the next. Al ran from December 29, 1989 to January 1, 1990.

Al's longest and most famous run came in 1991 when he ran the length of the Trans Canada Highway from the Mile Zero sign in St. John's, Nfld, to Mile Zero in Victoria, BC. He covered the 7295.5 km in the record time of 72 days, 10 hours and 23 minutes. A brass plaque at Victoria's Mile Zero commemorates the event, and qualified Al for the Guinness Book of Records.

Al has won more than fifty marathons, ultra marathons and multi-day races in over two decades. He broke the record for the longest, continual run, completing 580 km around the University of Victoria's Centennial Stadium in 104.5 hours. That was four non-stop days and nights to promote the Commonwealth Games. Al now lives in Duncan, B C where the City awarded him the Perpetual Trophy for Excellence and Sportsmanship in December 2007.

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