Run Barbados 2018: Come for the Run, Stay for the Fun

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December 11, 2018

By: Sasha Gollish

Another season of Run Barbados has come and gone. Known for its slogan Come for the run, stay for the fun, It’s a weekend filled with running, rum punch, and good friends.

Since 1984 Alan Brookes has been attending this annual event, which has seen growth and attendance from a variety of countries increase. This year the announcer had so much fun screaming the names of the various countries from Canada, to the UK, Denmark, Germany, Brazil, Columbia, plus all the the other Caribbean countries that were in attendance. Not to mention the local Bajan’s who really know how to have fun while they’re running.

The event, which starts just to the south-east of the famous Garrison on the beaches of Carlisle Bay and opposite the prestigious offices of the Prime Minister’s Office. Depending on the distance you want to run – they have everything from a mile to a full marathon – you get to explore the beauty of downtown Bridgetown, wind through a Unesco World Heritage site, the historic seaport, and continue down the west coast “where spectacular vistas of the Caribbean Sea can be enjoyed from various vantage points.”

Canadian’s have been coming to this event for years. In 2016, when Natasha Wodak and Lanni Marchant crossed the line being bested by the Trinidadian gal, Tonya Nero, the video went viral on YouTube. Since then the Canadian contingent has returned and were once again a dominating force in the overall results (see below).

If you’re looking for an early season escape from winter consider adding the 2019 Run Barbados event to your calendar. Trust me, you will not be dissapointed. Plus if you win any event from the 10k and up, you win a trip back for you and a friend!

The 2018 results include:

The Signia Fun Mile (Friday evening)

Women

Natasha Wodak CAN (4:58)
Sarah Inglis* (5:00)
Julie-Anne Staehli CAN (5:12)

Men

Yves Sikubwabo CAN (4:34)
Michael Marantelli AUS (4:34)
Matthew Wright BRB (4:37)

The Cave Shepherd 5k Run

Women

Julie-Anne Staehli CAN (17:24)
Gillian McCabe CAN (18:47)
Briony Shaw AUS (20:49)%

Men

Dario Grandison BRB (16:45)
Samuel Maynard BRB (17:16)
Ronaldo Rock BRB (18:05)

The Columbian Emeralds International 10k Run

Women

Natasha Wodak CAN (35:05)
Sasha Gollish CAN (37:24)
Lisa Murray-Smith GBR (44:19)

Men

Yves Sikubwabo CAN (31:29)
Michael Marantelli AUS (31:45)
Chris Balestrini CAN (32:43)

The Fortress Half Marathon

Women

Sarah Inglis* CAN (1:24:35)
Sasha Gollish CAN (1:24:58)
Natasha Wodak CAN (1:25:00)

Men:

Yves Sikubwabo CAN (1:08:39)
Santiago Zerda COL (1:08:55)
Michael Marantelli AUS (1:11:32)

The Cave Shepherd Marathon

Women

Fanja Felix FRA (3:06:42)
Sjaelan Evans TTO (3:19:49)
Sarah Williams GBR (3:35:20)

Men

Paul Schmidt DEU (2:30:58)
Craig Pilsbury GBR (2:40:08)
Helmuth Noesner DEU (2:52:33)

Full results can be found at Sportstats.

*for those of you who don’t know Sarah, while Scottish she is an adopted Canadian!

& Technically Sasha Gollish was 3rd in 18:48 with Gillian but there was a glitch in the results!

iRun Radio

By

Why I Run

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December 10, 2018

This edition of iRun Radio is dedicated to families who run together. First, Rachel Sheldon, a mom of two shares how she is inspiring her children to run. Then Shirley McCan explains how her and her husband began running thanks to their daughters. Plus, a mother who watched her daughter regain her health and energy after surgery and cheered her across the finish line at the Scoitabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Crazy Dream: A Collection of Short Nike Stories by iRun magazine

By

Ben Kaplan

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December 5, 2018

Please click the little box on the right. This looks better in full screen.

[real3dflipbook id=”12″]

Fast and Fresh Thai Vegetarian Curry

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Nutrition

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December 5, 2018

Forget take out, this vegetarian Thai classic is nutrient and flavour rich that it’s sure to satisfy your family. While it takes a bit of prep time, the lively flavours of the spices and complementary textures of the vegetables absolutely make it worthwhile.

Yellow Peanut Curry Rice Bowl

Serves 4
Prep Time: 30 to 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
2 cups finely chopped sweet onion
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
2 tbsp pounded and thinly sliced lemongrass
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
2 to 3 tbsp yellow curry paste, or to taste
6 to 8 fresh or frozen lime leaves
1 large sweet red pepper, diced
1 large sweet green pepper, diced
2 cups quartered baby bok choy, washed twice
1 1/2 cups drained canned baby corn
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
1 cup vegetable stock
4 cans coconut milk, preferably higher in fat
8 to 10 fresh Thai basil leaves, torn
1 cup toasted peanuts, chopped
2 tbsp cane sugar
1 cup whole grain brown rice, cooked
1 cup bean sprouts
4 small handfuls of pea shoots, for garnish
4 small lime wedges, for garnish

Directions:
ONE: In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt coconut oil. Add onions, carrots, celery, lemongrass, garlic, and ginger; cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.

TWO: Add curry paste. Cook, stirring, until the curry paste has melted and mixed with the vegetables, about 5 minutes. Add lime leaves, red and green peppers, bok choy, and baby corn. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add peanut butter and cook, stirring, until melted and mixed in.

THREE: Reduce heat to medium and add about three-quaters of basil. Stir in stock, coconut milk and cane sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to blend in the coconut milk, about 15 minutes. Do not let boil or the coconut milk may split.

FOUR: Serve in large bowls over brown rice with bean sprouts layered on top. Garnish with pea shoots, toasted peanuts, and lime wedges.

Fortune Favours the Brave: Sasha Gollish on Winning Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio

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AttheRaces

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December 4, 2018

By: Sasha Gollish

The course was very different than the 2015 course I ran. It still wound through the beautiful city that is San Antonio, but it seemed to be a challenging course in comparison to other half-marathon courses. The race has an early start, since as you can imagine being in the south of Texas it can get quite hot and humid. At 7:15am the gun fired and we were off.

My race plan was simple, just to race. To go with the leaders and see what my legs had in them that day. From a failed nationals cross-country the weekend before, where I fell and was trampled, my ability to draw on my inner confidence and race boldly was uncertain. The Friday before I left I had hosted a Fast and Female Champ Chat where I told all the participants that the theme that day was bravery. It was time to follow my own advice. It was time to go and race brave.

As the gun went off I settled in behind Alia Gray, from the Roots Running Club in Boulder, CO who was coming off a sacral stress fracture. I had some pre-race information and knew that Kara (Goucher) was planning to run 1:15, so I knew that she might be someone I could work with out there. Instead it was Alia Gray who went from the gun and I went out with her. My confidence was trying to play games with me, but alongside my race goal of ‘racing’ I also promised myself not to let any negative thoughts come into my mind – because, right? We all get those moments where negativity tries to tell us ‘you can’t do this.’ But we have to yell back ‘Yes I can!’

Somewhere just after 5k Sean O’Hellearn, of the Jacuzzi Boys Track Club, came up on Alia and I, and I latched on to him. I tried to encourage Alia to stay with us but having come off injury before, I know how hard it can be. At some point Alia dropped back and it was just Sean and I. Sean and I entered Brakenridge Park and I was overwhelmed with emotion; there were a series of pictures of fallen soldiers on either side of the road followed by active military waving the American flag. While I might not be American you can imagine how powerful that was. Soldiers are some of the bravest people on this planet, and I drew upon that strength, to stay brave in the race.

At 10mi/16k I knew there was a big hill. Race Director Matt Turnbull had warned me, with a little chuckle as he said it. As Sean and I came upon the hill I knew I wanted to push to the end, and I also know hills are a really good place to test yourself mentally, a place to be brave. So instead of being discouraged by the hill I attacked it, only to turn a corner and see that in fact the hill was only partway done! Well push-on, right!? Because what else is a gal supposed to do! Plus, that was what race goal #1 was all about, and when racing you charge up the hill.

From that point I wanted to see what my legs could do without putting them in too much distress. It was on the second hill that I dropped Sean and I was on my own. With using this race as training for the Chevron Houston Marathon in January this was a huge boost for my confidence.

Crossing the finish line I tried to do a little dance-move-jump. I’m sure you can imagine the vertical you get when you’ve been racing for 21km! There was a feeling of elation breaking the banner, the ‘Oh heck yes, I just smashed that kind of feeling.’

It wasn’t a personal best (a PB). It wasn’t even close. Comparing that back to my goal of ‘racing’ the time does not matter. I think we get stuck in this idea that very race has to be about time. There are so many other reasons to step up to a start line. To test yourself mentally. To test your grit. To get out there and smile. To just get out there.

Kara is a woman who follows the same principles and lining up with Kara I was reminded of that. The number one of fans that recognize her. Her gift of love to the sport. And of course, Kara is one fierce competitor. I have always been inspired by Kara, and as I said in my post-race interview, even when I was a beer-drinking-engineer I always followed Kara’s career. She’s filled with grit, resilience, and an absolute love for running.

If you get a chance to take part a future Rock n Roll San Antonio race you won’t be disappointed. The city of San Antonio is wonderful. From the Riverwalk area with shops and delicious restaurants, to the friendly people, and of course the race itself. The RnR events are well-organized, well attended, and have lots of cheers along the way, plus, the indulgence for the race.

About that new CBD which won Innovation of the Year at last week’s Cannabis Oscars

By

Ben Kaplan

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December 3, 2018

Terry Lake is a father, runner and a former minister of health for British Columbia, and so he has our ear for what he does in his new job: vice president of corporate responsibility at HEXO, the Gatineau-based cannabis company that recently inked a deal with Molson Coors Canada to produce beverages. You may not know this, but last Thursday night was the Canadian Cannabis Awards, which are generally considered the Oscars of weed. During the ceremony, HEXO won for Innovation of the Year and Product of the Year for their Elixir CBD peppermint spray, which Lake uses and could be of interest to runners. CBD has been touted to reduce inflammation, help with sleeping and, in some cases, reduce the need for pain relievers like Advil and Tylenol. Lake was thrilled with his victory and buoyed by the popularity of CBDs.

“People are looking for CBD options that don’t involve smoking, and I think that’s some of where our innovation comes from,” says Lake, who plans on running the half at the Vancouver Marathon this May. “The Elixir product is also the only CBD spray approved by Health Canada to have peppermint oil, and there’s a huge demand, industry-wide, for CBD products that don’t get you high. I think this stuff will be of huge interest to runners.”

The legalization of cannabis on October 17 has changed the variety of products available to runners to help combat the wear and tear on our bodies. Many of the largest companies have runners at senior positions of their teams, such as MedReleaf, Aurora and Newstrike, and of course, HEXO, where Lake is excited about Elixir. He also mentions that there are tremendous possibilities that will emerge from the partnership with Molson Coors Canada.

“I’m sure CBD beverages will be very popular—for instance, you could almost drink one like a Gatorade before a workout or afterwards, or something to take in the morning. We’re not there, but I don’t see why we won’t be,” says Lake, a man worth listening to, especially when he mentions that his company will grow in 2019 from 300 to 600 employees. “The World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBDs from their list of banned substances and as the research & development departments of all the major cannabis companies—not just my own—continue to do their work, there’s loads of CBD applications that we are yet to discover.”

Lake is currently in his winter training mode, which means more time in the gym and less time on the blistery Ottawan streets. Each year, he likes to run a few 10Ks, a race in his hometown of Kamloops, like Boogie the Bridge, and the Canada Army Run, where he scored a 2018 PB (at 61-years-old). His wife Lisa ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in Las Vegas with their three daughters, and Lake plans on being busy, both personally and professionally, with his running and with his cannabis advocacy, in the new year.

“2019 is big for us,” says Lake, currently preparing his team for a listing on the New York Stock Exchange. “Our win last week for Elixir was certainly exciting and reinforced a few things that we think we know for certain—that the market and interest in CBD products is growing, and that our industry isn’t slowing down any time soon.”

iRun Radio

By

Why I Run

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December 3, 2018

On this week’s edition of iRun Radio, Mark speaks with two runners who are defying the aging process. After 30 years away from the sport, this runner is setting records at 89 years of age. Then Karla del Grande discusses how she’s setting records by sprinting at the age of 65. Plus, Ottawa marathon runner Wendy Wagner shares her experience running a hot and humid marathon in Havana.

Seven Takeaways From the Canadian Cross-Country Championships

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AttheRaces

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November 27, 2018

The 2018 Canadian Cross-Country Championships concluded the national circuit for the calendar year, with plenty of excitement and drama. The event, held in Kingston, Ont. at Fort Henry, was held in wet and cool conditions and on a muddy and slippery course on the shores of Lake Ontario.

To sum up the eight races, which included folks from the recreational level to Olympic finalists, here are seven takeaways from the morning and afternoon action on Nov. 24.

The state of a cross-country race can change in an instant

Look away for a moment, and the entire race can change. Point of reference: the U20 men’s 8K. In the third-to-last race of the day, Mitch De Lange made a move to take the lead through 4K, and took a spill on one of the treacherous corners, relinquishing top position shortly after hitting the front. With a loss of momentum, he faded to 16th, ripping off his bib at the finish line in frustration. Meanwhile, in the same race, the champion, Tyler Dozzi, threw in a huge acceleration with less than 500m to go, vaulting from outside of a podium position to the lead within seconds. Dozzi won the 8K in 24:46.

Repeating as champion is tough, but not impossible

There were three repeat champions on Saturday including Luc Bruchet, Brogan MacDougall and Michael Gill. Meanwhile, Campbell Lee, Sadie Sigfstead, Claire Sumner all had great performances themselves but were unable to repeat in 2018. New champions for 2018 include Andrea Smith (masters 8K), Ron MacLean (U18 6K), who was sick all morning in the lead-up to the race, Kendra Lewis (U18 4K), Tyler Dozzi (U20 8K) and Geneviève Lalonde (senior 10K).

Brogan MacDougall front-runs – and wins – again

Brogan MacDougall won all three of her major races this fall including the Ontario University Athletics Championships, the Canadian University Championships and now the Canadian U20 Cross-Country Championships. Fort Henry is her home course, as she grew up in Kingston, and now attends Queen’s University. Saturday marked her second consecutive junior title and she will be a favourite to be the top Canadian at the 2019 IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in Denmark. MacDougall had an undefeated season, according to Athletics Canada. She led essentially from start to finish and broke away from Anne Forsyth and Maggie Smith midway through the race.

Bruchet and Lalonde utilized similar strategies in the senior ranks, pushing the pace early, and often, to break away from the field and win handily over the competition. Bruchet, the victor in 2017, won his third career senior cross-country title at the national level while Lalonde, normally a track specialist, hadn’t raced cross-country in five years, and nine years since she last raced at Fort Henry as a rookie in university at Guelph (she won CIS cross-country rookie of the year that year).

Kingston was a fantastic host city

After four years of hosting, the Canadian Cross-Country Championships head west in 2019 to Abbotsford, B.C., for a two-year stint. The exact venue is Clearbrook Park, and the race will be held at the same time of year, Nov. 30, 2019, and Nov. 28, 2020. Generally, the championships are awarded on a four-year basis, and Kingston took over from Vancouver in 2015. (It has alternated in recent years, going Vancouver, Guelph, Vancouver, Kingston, Abbotsford.)

Cross-country is alive and well among participant numbers

This year, the Canadian Cross-Country Championships had a record number of registrations, with more than 1,100 runners across the eight races, from the community event to the senior men’s and women’s 10K. The U18 boys and girls races had the most number of participants, with more than 200 registered in each of the early-day races. The U18 boys 6K had 252 participants registered, making for a race in tight quarters on the relatively narrow Fort Henry course.

What’s up with the watch-stopping at the finish line?

With the rise of GPS watches, the amount of watch-stopping at the end of the cross-country races was way more apparent this year, more so than any other. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with it, as they likely use the splits from the GPS data to gauge how they paced themselves during the race, but the official time is that of the timer.

Cross-country is the only national championship (shorter than a marathon) where you see champions win by 10+ seconds

Because cross-country is much more technical – there are hairpin corners, hills, mud and the prospect of wiping out – the margin of victory is often pretty large. And although there were a few close finishes on Saturday (the U18 4K was decided by less than 0.6 seconds), Bruchet won the senior men’s 10K by 13 seconds, Lalonde won the senior women’s 10K by 19 seconds and MacDougall by 12 seconds in the U20 6K. Once a gap forms, it’s more likely than not to grow, instead of shrink, evident from Saturday’s results.

You can see full results here.

Top championship results

U18 girl’s 4K

Kendra Lewis – 14:12

Sadie Sigfstead – 14:12.6
Ceili McCabe – 14:21.5

U18 boy’s 6K

Ron MacLean – 19:03.9
Chase Canty – 19:07.9

Savour This Spicy Italian Chicken Stew

By

Nutrition

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November 27, 2018

At this time of year, I crave warm and filling meals. A quick stew recipe is always really appealing to me because the days are short and we all want to be able to sit and enjoy a nice meal without spending too much time in the kitchen.

For this spicy Italian chicken stew, I used LiberTerre chicken thighs. Feel free to use pork or beef if you prefer. use chicken thighs because they are more flavourful than the breast cut and they are also half the cost of chicken breast. LiberTerre chicken is always my first choice because their chicken has no added hormones, antibiotics and no animal by –products. Their chicken is also Canadian raised, so we know where our food has come from, and it is air-chilled so it tastes great every time!

This stew is made heartier with the addition of red kidney beans, so, with the combination of chicken, this stew is protein packed! This stew is great for leftovers as well. I prefer to make my stew a day ahead and then reheat it for the next day’s meal. Something magical happens to soups and stews when they sit overnight in the refrigerator. The flavours become smoother and richer.

Enjoy this one pot stew and be sure to serve it with some warm and crusty bread to soak up all of that flavourful stew from the bottom of your bowl.

Spicy Italian Chicken Stew

Servings: 6

Prep & Cook time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

8 LiberTerre chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds total), trimmed and cut into chunks
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into thin coins

2 small potatoes diced into ¼ inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ tsp dried chili flakes (or more if you like spice.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup dry red wine
14 1/2-ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Crusty bread for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

ONE: Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the chicken pieces to the pot and cook until the chicken is browned and almost cooked through (about 5-7 minutes). Transfer to a plate and set aside.

TWO: Deglaze the pan with the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer for 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes, and then the chopped onions, garlic, celery, carrots and potatoes to the pot and sauté the vegetables until the onion is translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the cooked chicken pieces back into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, the tomato paste, chicken broth and then the herbs (basil, thyme and bay leaf).
THREE: Bring the stew back up to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently uncovered until the chicken is almost cooked through, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and stir in the kidney beans to the pot and simmer until reduced slightly into a thick stew consistency (about 10 minutes). Ladle the stew into six bowls and serve hot with warm, crusty bread.

Clean Green Lemon Basil Lasagna Rolls

By

Nutrition

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November 26, 2018

Packed with all the flavour of a pasta dinner, here’s a simple meat-free meal your whole family will devour.

Recipe by Candice Kumai

Photo by Lauren Volo

INGREDIENTS

1 15-ounce container part-skim milk ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 tablespoon lemon zest

Sea salt, to taste

12-15 lasagna noodles, cooked a few minutes shy of al dente (noodles will continue to cook in the oven, so be sure to leave a little crunch when boiling them)

2 cups homemade marinara sauce or a good-quality store brand

1 cup fresh basil, whole leaves

DIRECTIONS
ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

TWO: In a medium bowl, blend the cashew cheese or ricotta, lemon zest, dried herbs, and sea salt to taste.

THREE: On a clean cutting board, spread out 4 noodles. Top with roughly 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture, spreading evenly over each noodle. Start at one end and work your way over the whole noodle, creating thin layers for less mess! Roll each noodle tightly across to make a compact spiral. Repeat with all 12-15 noodles.

FOUR: Cover the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish with 1 cup of the marinara. Place the rolled noodles neatly into baking dish and cover with the remaining cup of sauce. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Place on the middle rack for best results.

FIVE: To serve, top with lemon zest or nutritional yeast and more fresh basil leaves. Enjoy with a perfect glass of Pinot Grigio. Buon Appetito!

About Candice Kumai A regular contributor to The Today Show, GMA, The Cooking Channel and Food Network, Candice Kumai is a professionally trained chef and has authored several cookbooks including Pretty Delicious and Clean Green Drinks. Her work has also appeared in Women’s Health, Shape and Men’s Fitness.