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iRun Radio – May 20th, 2018

By
Why I Run
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iRun Radio

This week, Mark connects with runners who are participating in Ottawa Race Weekend later this month. First, Canada’s environment and climate change ministry Catherine McKenna talks about her experience running for parliament and around the world. Then Christina Walker has been running in memory of her husband and fundraising  for pancreatic cancer research. Plus an assistant coach with the Univeristy of Ottawa hockey team who has suffered 14 concussions and is running the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

2018 STWM Medals Celebrate Movement

By
Ravi Singh
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All images credit to Inge Johnson/Canada Running Series.

As Olympian Reid Coolsaet and Pan-Am Games medalist Rachel Hannah lift the black cloth to unveil this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM) finisher’s medals, Race Director Alan Brookes proclaims, “This year is about celebrating movement!”

As with last year’s medal, more than a hundred runners gathered for a run led by Canada Running Series and Run TO Beer that culminated in the reveal in sight of its depicted subject.

Reid Coolsaet and Rachel Hannah reveal 2018 STWM medals.

The medal, once again the baby of photographer and designer Inge Johnson, brings together an array of Toronto icons. On its face, the medal depicts an old-model Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) streetcar traversing the Queen Street Viaduct, which itself arches over the Don River, another Toronto icon.

Given Torontonians’ beloved and often justified pastime of complaining about the state of public transit in the city, the snark around choosing the TTC to represent movement is perhaps hard to suppress.

The streetcar, however, remains a thing of beauty and was once a marvel of movement and, along with the rest of our transit system, can and should be again. It’s the kind of movement, like running, that creates a city we can be proud of—one that’s friendly, sustainable, healthy, and equitable. The symbol of the streetcar is representative of the kind of city building that we’ve done before and can do again.

The Queen Street Viaduct too, with Eldon Garnet’s flourish of a clock and inscription from Heraclitus – “the river I step in is not the river I stand in” – is itself an example of movement as more than just function. In fact, we runners weren’t the only ones clamouring for a shot with the viaduct that night, as an engagement photo shoot had also chosen one of Toronto’s last remaining truss bridges as its backdrop.

Group shot on Queen Street Viaduct, depicted on 2018 medal.

This year’s medal adds another edition to Johnson’s “landmarks series” of finisher’s medals that, when strung together, form something of a love letter to Toronto’s architectural gems and a reminder that Toronto is a pretty fun city to move though, especially when you run.

Yes, the constant disruptions and overcrowding on transit and the hell of gridlock often make our day to day movement not just tortuous, but non-existent for long stretches. In these instances, our rising blood pressure and anxiety over punctuality and the stupidity of those sharing our roads don’t exactly give way to drinking in the beauty and history that surrounds us. Our focus is understandably on getting the hell where we’re going.

Running is a bit different, at its best letting us move while bit by bit shedding the tension we may have built up and not letting our focus become too embedded in one notion or another. Our mind can wander just enough that we catch a reminder or new revelation of how much beauty and eccentricity is scattered throughout Toronto.

Within a few weeks, Toronto runners will move out of base training and begin their build toward their hometown race. As the long run starts to extend, we’ll find ourselves covering more ground throughout our city.

Hopefully we’ll have many moments that capture our spirit, including ones like a streetcar making its way across the Don River as the sun goes down, and be reminded that movement should be imbued with both calm and rapture.

Despite the many ways in which we might have an inferiority complex toward our big city counterparts, there are many reasons to love moving through Toronto, especially on foot. Whether that’s the uninterrupted surges along the expanses of Lake Ontario, the glimpses of our skyline in the distance, or of any of the landmarks that have graced STWM medals over the years, that movement just seems to enhance the joy and privilege of calling Toronto home and the place where we run.

Then, in October, we’ll get to share that city and the joy of moving through it with thousands of friends.

The Best Dressed Runner in the World

By
TheBuzzonGear
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Chris Rivera runs 120 kilometres a week and just qualified for the Boston Marathon. But what’s really impressive is how he matches his socks to his shirts. 

“Who says that playing dress up is for kids?” asks 27-year-old Chris Rivera, originally from Edmonton and now living and training in downtown Toronto. “With running, you have to enjoy it, otherwise all the training runs begin to feel the same.” Rivera dresses the way a race director plots a course: with deliberation, consideration and a budget he tries to keep under control. He matches his shoes to his compression socks,which pick up the stripe on his sunglasses, all pulled together by the hue of his hat. Brand-wise, he’s polyamorous, switching between Nike, New Balance, Under Armour, Brooks and Saucony, while wearing Oakley sunglasses and a Garmin Forerunner with interchangeably coloured watch bands. It’s a sight to behold. “Every component is a chance to bring in something new,” explains Rivera, who used to train a half marathon clinic at his local Calgary Running Room and now races with Toronto’s BlackToe Running. “I use complementary colours—build with the neutral, then adds something else.”All of the clothes featured are Rivera’s own and (of course) he styled it himself.

Do you know an equally stylish runner? Who has the most fun in their running clothes? Snap a photograph, share it on social with the hashtag #iRuninStyle, and fashion editor, Karen Kwan, will anoint a new Fashion Advice Columnist for iRun Nation. Have fun. Dress snappy.

Run awesome. 

iRun Radio – May 13th, 2018

By
Anna Lee Boschetto
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iRun Radio

Take your race day motivation to the next level. On this week’s show, Mark speaks with one runner who has completed his 200th marathon and will be running the Ottawa Marathon for the first time later this month. Then an Ottawa runner shares her story of getting back to running after having a heart attack at the age of 37. Plus, Jane Spiterri talks about the awe-inspiring views she experienced at the picturesque Big Sur Marathon in California.

 

 

Happy Mother’s Day from Krista DuChene, Marathon Mom

By
Ben Kaplan
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It’s Mother’s Day and of course I am just as grateful as the next mom for the blessing of having children. I also aim to be sensitive to those women who have been unable to become moms. Of all the “jobs” I have, it is definitely my favourite and most rewarding. Many know that I am one to always focus on the positive; the choice to see the glass half full, regardless of the circumstances. But what about those times I’ve wanted to rip my hair out, walk away for a while, or shout, “I’ve had enough!” Let me give you a list of my most challenging times as a mom. Because it’s certainly not always roses.

The whining, grumbling, sassing, and complaining when asked to do something. 

Although the best approach to deal with this is to ask once and then ignore, it certainly isn’t always easy. We were told when we were kids, “You can make any rules you want when you are a parent.” And I’m guilty of firing off this age-old response, repeating it time and again, knowing how well it worked for me. 

The arguing, fussing and squabbles with each other. 

Listening to this is just as exhausting as being the referee. When the kids squabble about passing the maple syrup, who finished the milk, or who gets to choose the movie, it wears on me. But what concerns me more is when it gets personal between them. My heart yearns that they would each have a loving character, shown in even the most trying times. It’s not the easiest to nurture, particularly because much of it is learned by watching me. And I’m certainly not perfect.

The bad habits. 

I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the dog’s empty water dish, gobs of peanut butter on the knives in the dishwasher, piles of shoes in the walkway, beds unmade, and balls of socks stuffed in the cracks of the couch. Usually a good grounding from screens helps them pull up—our out—their socks. 

My Most Memorable Marathon Mom Moments

Getting ready for a run, taking a (positive) pregnancy test, quickly celebrating with my husband then, of course, going for that run…a few weeks after the 2005 Boston Marathon.

Earning the title, “Marathon Mom” on Mother’s Day after winning the 2009 Mississauga Marathon, my first marathon back after having our two sons. Then a few weeks later, being given a Chariot-Thule double running stroller I would log countless kilometers pushing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Running a half marathon and playing a pick up game of hockey whilst six months pregnant with our first in 2005, and third in 2010.

Breastfeeding our youngest child, for the last time, two weeks before running a 7 minute personal best of 2:32 at the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon in an attempt to make the Olympic standard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Returning to my first race after injury in 2014 and being asked, in all sincerity by our three year old daughter: “Mommy, please don’t break your leg again.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caring for three vomiting children in the days leading up to a race in my Rio 2016 calendar then running out the door to travel to the hotel, the minute my husband arrived home from work. Escaping unharmed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Running over to a sea of red and white t-shirts and flags to hug and kiss our three children after crossing the line at the 2016 Olympic Games. THEN seeing that someone captured that moment in a picture, a few hours later while enjoying a wonderful meal at the Canada House.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Showing moms of all ages and stages, after placing third at the 2018 Boston Marathon, that anything can happen.

 

Meet the Runner Bringing 50 friends to Calgary Race Weekend

By
AttheRaces
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Andrea Beres is turning 50 this month. As a runner, celebrating with her family and friends at the Calgary Marathon Race Weekend just made sense. “The organizers do such a great job with the Race Weekend, there are events for every ability and distance from five and ten kilometers to the half marathon and marathon,” says Beres who enjoys cheering her family and friends to the finish line as much as she does competing herself.

Whether you walk or run, it doesn’t matter, Beres is all about getting everyone she knows to be more active. As a result, she’ll be cheering on her sister-in-law who has made a commitment to fitness and will be walking the 10K. “Races can be intimidating to people and I want more people to know this is a great way to get out there and meet others who are like minded,” she explains.

While Beres has run 20 marathons, and 50 half marathons, she only began running after her children were born. “We were new to Calgary, and running was a great way to get to know the city,” she says. Encouraging her children and her husband to be more active has always been a focus. “When you have children you want to be able to participate with them,” she says. “My husband does 5Ks and 10Ks, so we are really trying to set a good example.”

According to Beres, one great things about the Calgary Marathon is the fact that you cross the finish line inside the Stampede Grounds but the birthday worthy race weekend doesn’t end there. “It’s very inclusive, with something for everyone,” she says, “From the t-shirts and medals to the children’s events and full marathon distance, it checks every box for an incredible experience.”

What happens when an elite athlete is about to become a mother for the first time?

By
Training
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Melissa Bishop lights it up on the track, now the Olympic athlete is gearing up for the mother of all runs.

“We always thought we wanted to start a family, but there was no set time,” says Melissa Bishop, national record holder in the women’s 800m. So when the 27-year-old did get her doctor’s confirmation that she was pregnant, base training had just begun and she was gearing up for the season ahead. Needless to say, the focus shifted pretty fast for the mom-to-be. As she moves into her second trimester, Bishop, world champion silver medallist, shares her new training routine, nutrition woes and what it’s like getting into the “mom mode.”  

iRun: What was it like finding out you were pregnant?

Melissa Bishop: Looking back, not knowing I was in the first trimester, there was some food aversions and nausea and I thought it was something I ate! Now in the third trimester we’re almost ready for baby. It was a slow start to the season because I had just gotten married in October, we had our honeymoon in November, so a lot of life events were happening at the time.

iRun: So if you didn’t notice before, after finding out you were pregnant, did you notice a difference at all?

MB: Honestly, I didn’t feel a difference until after Christmas. At that point, I hadn’t put on any weight there was really no change. But I realized that I needed to change because, you know, I’m growing a small human.

iRun: Any food aversions or things you have had to adjust?

MB: None since the first trimester when I didn’t know why I didn’t want to eat chicken. The hardest part has been getting enough food. I’m still working out and while I don’t need a lot more food, maybe 300 calories. I get really full quickly so it’s planning small meals frequently, which is hard. I’m used to downing a plate of pasta, not breaking it up into two smaller meals. It’s an adjustment.

iRun: As you’re moving into your final trimester, what’s your training looking like?

MB: It’s very much day-to-day and not a lot of running, mostly cross-training because it’s what feels right, right now. It’s a lot of pool running. I was on the elliptical for a while, then the bike and I don’t enjoy these activities because these are not my forte. I can go for a 30-minute run and not think twice, but it’s learning to love these activities. I’ve got to work extra hard.

iRun: What has been your biggest surprises physically with being pregnant?

MB: I thought that I could run until the day I go into labour and slide right through pregnancy. I was so wrong. There are so many different aches and pains you go through. There are a lot of hormones coursing through your body that cause things to stretch. Cross training has been the best bet. I don’t want to injure something and then have to take more time off once the baby arrives to deal with an injury. I’m just trying to maintain fitness.

iRun: You mention aches and pains, and joint health is important for expectant moms, so what about your joints, how have you dealt?

MB: Everything in my body is more fluid, which is not necessarily for the better. Based on the way I felt during this second trimester, I could have been running every day. But then I think had I been running, maybe I wouldn’t be feeling this good. Maybe it’s because I’m not doing a lot of weight-bearing activities that I feel this way.

iRun: How difficult is it to mentally balance the athlete in you and the mom-to-be in you?

MB: There was a point early on in the pregnancy where I wanted to push the limits, but I felt I couldn’t do it for the safety of the baby. The athlete in me wants to push through this and feels the burn is good. But then the mom-to-be in me says no, you can’t, this could be harmful.

There was a huge learning curve. I think knowing the health of the baby is first and foremost, then my health, then the training. Some days I wake up and think I can’t do it and to me that’s okay. As an athlete for the past decade, my job has been to read my body and say, ‘no, you can go harder,’ or ‘stop, you need to rest,’ or ‘yes, push through the crappy feeling.’ That’s one of the pluses I know when it’s safe when it’s not and when I can push a bit more.

iRun: Have you spoken with any other elite runners who are moms and have gone through where you are right now?

MB: I actually just spoke with Hillary Stellingwerf who had her second baby a few weeks ago. After her first baby she came back to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics and has said to enjoy every moment because it is such a miracle. She explained it as right now I’m no Melissa Bishop trying to break 1:50, I’m Melissa Bishop trying to start a family—so just enjoy it.

iRun: Now that you’re in your third trimester, you think you’ll try to run?

MB: As it gets warmer, I’d like to get on the trails. I’ve had training where I’ll go from the elliptical to the treadmill. Right now, it’s easier on the mind knowing that I can finish my training on the treadmill. I love to exercise and I get grumpy when I can’t so. . .  

iRun: For the everyday athlete going through pregnancy, what would you say?

MB: Knowing this is not forever. It’s nine months. I know this won’t be a lifestyle after the baby so give yourself a break. Your body is working so hard and there’s lots going on to grow a baby so take it day by day and do what you can.

Melissa Bishop is a 2012 Canadian Olympian and Pan Am gold medallist.

 

Running Down Race Weekends: Vancouver, Toronto and Mississauga

By
AttheRaces
-
The 2018 BMO Vancouver Marathon.

While spring started off slowly in most of the nation, the race season got off to a running start this past weekend. The BMO Vancouver Marathon, Toronto GoodLife Marathon and Mississauga Marathon experienced record turnouts for all distances, a sure sign that runners are more than race ready for warmer days ahead.

In Vancouver, Canadian elite runner Rob Watson (who scored the men’s half marathon title back in 2015) won the men’s marathon (02:27:38) this time around.

In the women’s marathon, China’s Zhiling Zheng (02:43:50) claimed the win over Mexcio’s Margarita Quintero (02:50:25) who took second place.

Additional Canadian wins included Natasha Wodak (01:14:01) who landed the women’s half marathon title. 

The conditions in the Greater Toronto Area were equally cooperative as in Vancouver with thousands toeing the line at both the Toronto and Mississauga Marathons.

Runners at the Toronto GoodLife Marathon began with a moment of silence for the victims and families of the Toronto attack which killed 10 and injured 16 in April. The marathon and half marathon start lines were meters away from where the attack took place. Top marathon finishers included Brooks Running athlete David Freake (02:33:57) who won the men’s title along with Julie Hamulecki (02:52:10) who crossed the line first in the women’s marathon.

The Mississauga Marathon is a race with a loyal following in its 15 year history with some runners who participated in Sundays race having raced every year since 2004. Among the winners in the men’s marathon were Toronto’s Tsegaye Dissasa (02:31:29) while Clemence Vauzelle (03:02:17) of Etobicoke claimed first in the women’s marathon.

iRun Radio – May 6th, 2018

By
Why I Run
-
iRun Radio

This week Mark speaks with Running Room founder John Stanton who has spent a lifetime helping others cross the finish line. He shares why he considers it a privilege to hear other’s stories of the transformative powers of running. And Amanda Belleveau talks about the reactions she has received because she’s running pregnant and planning to run a 10K race at seven months. Plus, the Ottawa runner who will be running at Ottawa Race Weekend to help neonatal intensive care unit.

11 Healthy Eating Tips for the Night Before Race Day

By
Ben Kaplan
-

Eric Heinrich is the executive chef at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, which was sold out and filled, at least up to 60% of its guests, with Boston marathon runners. Heinrich set breakfast and dinner menus for the runners, some of who have returned since the bombings in 2013. “You experience something like that, it’s, ‘What can I do to help you?'” says Heinrich. “Our guests become like our families. Something like the 2013 bombings changes everything.” These are Heinrich’s ideas for eating well at your race, whenever and wherever it is.

11. Vegetables are healthy, yes. However, they don’t offer long-lasting energy. Hence the phenomenon runners love: carbo-load. Eat your veggies. But make sure you’re adding protein to the mix. A carrot alone does not win the race.

10. Bananas, bananas, bananas. For the most bang for your buck, think bananas. It’s a good source of potassium, easy to digest, and your body processes it slowly—perfect for the marathon.

9. Baked potatoes are terrific. Here’s a tip, salt it and add olive oil to the skin before putting it in the oven. And cook it directly on the rack. The night before race day? Easy on the sour cream. A dab won’t hurt. But keep perspective.

8. Two biggest mistakes people make with pasta: a) they don’t salt the water; b) they don’t use enough water. When your pasta is sticky and clumpy, that’s a sign that you didn’t use enough water. Don’t be stingy. Soak that stuff.

7. Don’t overthink it. Rice, oatmeal, bananas, pasta. Not too many garnishes. Nothing spicy. Nothing to upset your stomach. Easy on the sour cream. Eat clean and eat light.

6. Going to bed early? Eat well before bedtime. If you’re racing early in the morning, eat dinner early. Give the food time to move through your system, get absorbed.

5. Breakfast, too. Eat two to three hours before your race. And eat the stuff that you’re used to. Bagel with peanut butter, generally, is perfect.

4. Oatmeal’s a grain, a perfect breakfast on race day. Basically, oatmeal is oatmeal is oatmeal, but stay away from the instant packets that offer sweeteners and artificial fruit. I add a little milk to steel-cut oatmeal, then add berries. You don’t need sugar if you use real fruit.

3. Anxiety eating before race day is common. My go-to snack? Almonds. They’re delicious. High in protein and high in fibre. Eat almonds if you’re going to snack. Or something like it. The trick is staying away from candy.

2. Peanut butter is great!

1. Know your limits and concentrate. Don’t eat too much or too little and eat slowly, be calm, and enjoy. Last thing to remember: barley and hops are good for the races, but not in the form of beer. . . until at least after the race.

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