Running May Take You Around the World But It Always Brings You Home

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February 6, 2018

By: Alana Bonner

I love to explore new places and am always eager to add another province, state or even country to the list of places I’ve raced. Over the past year, I’ve raced in six different states and two different provinces. I even have some friends who have the lofty goal of running a race in all 50 states and all 10 provinces (plus 3 territories!) as a unique and fun challenge.

But what about the province I live in? Have I actually seen everything it has to offer?

Much to my own surprise, what I’ve come to love the most are those events that allow me to discover a new town or city in my very own province. How many of us can truly say we’ve thoroughly explored the province we call home? So that’s my challenge: to race in as many towns in Québec as possible! And I challenge you to start doing the same in your own provinces as well!

Before I started running in mid-2009, I’d seen very little of Québec apart from a close, 25km radius around home. Now that I think about it, I really knew embarrassingly little about the geography, landscape, culture, industries, beauty and wonderful people that make up my province. My lack of familiarity with Québec even extended to the city in which I went to University and now work full-time: Montréal. I was the worst tour guide for friends from out of town as I knew more about those cities which I’d visited on vacations (such as Paris, London and New York) than I did about the city I spend most of my time in! Running, thankfully, has changed all that and more!

Running has changed my life in so many positive ways. I could write 10 pages on what it has done for my self-confidence, health, and happiness. And 100 more pages on all the amazing lifelong friends I’ve made from all different backgrounds, age groups, and areas in Québec, Canada, the United States and abroad. I am so very grateful for the bonds I’ve formed, the connections I’ve made, and the miles I’ve run alongside these many great athletes and people I am proud to call my “running family”! Beyond that amazing human component, what I value the most is the opportunity running has given me to broaden and create my self-identity as a proud Québécoise!

I have gained a huge amount of pride and admiration for Québec through racing all over its map and I am confident you can do the same in the province you live in! There’s no better way to explore a new town than on foot. Travelling to and participating in a race is a perfect way to do just that! All this to say, sometimes exploring what is right around you is just as exciting and rewarding as venturing farther afield!

The carefully tabulated list of cities in Québec in which I’ve raced has a current total of 59. From Gatineau to Shawinigan, Val Cartier to Yamachiche, Ange-Gardien to Saint-Donat, running has put endless miles of racing in my legs and unforgettable memories in my heart! Where in Québec will my 60^th city be? I don’t know yet but wherever it is, I can’t wait to explore it while running!

How Running and Talking Can Have a Big Impact

By

RunningForAReason

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February 5, 2018

By Noel Paine

“We are all very different but everyone can benefit from talking.” – Noel Paine

To help raise awareness about mental health during Bell Let’s Talk Day, I took over iRun‘s Twitter account. A healthy and positive frame of mind is something I have struggled with of over the past year, more or less. I am a running dad and have battled depression – reaching rock bottom when I was googling suicide methods.

Raising awareness and money to help mental health programs is great. The next step is to continue being aware of the issue and to encourage people to talk about it. Those who suffer from mental health problems need to know that there is help, there are programs and that mental issues are as important as physical ailments. People who are plagued by negative thoughts and mental issues often run away from help and others because they are embarrassed, feel unworthy or simply want to be left alone.

Mental health goes hand in hand with physical health
A strong mind can help a strong body
Mental strength can only happen with mental health

If you find yourself struggling with your mental health, from the perspective of another runner and someone who has battled to be positive and mentally healthy – here are some tips.

Take the first step
Depression and anxiety tell you to do nothing, to defeat both, do something
Get out of bed, go out and get a coffee – small steps can have a big impact
It is okay to take sick days to treat your mental health
Talk with someone
Reach out for help
Keeping lacing up and going for a run if you can, remember, small steps

Running has helped me clearmy head and realize I still enjoy something, that I can accomplish something and has helped me battle for positive mental health. It is just one tool in my tool kit. I talk to a psychologist, have a life coach, organized my own retreat, I meditate, have a journal, try and practice positive thinking and share my experiences on my personal blog. Everyone is different – but one thing is the same, you need to talk to someone.

Talking about mental health lets others know it is okay to talk about. Talking encourages those suffering to reach out and this can save a life. Keep running my friends, keep being positive and keep the conversation going.

Noel Paine is a communications professional, running coach, and father based in Ottawa. Paine is a regular iRun contributor and you can also follow his journey on Twitter @NoelPaine.

iRun Radio – February 4th, 2018

By

Why I Run

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February 4, 2018

From building community to getting through the rough winter weather, running can take you farther than you know. First Mark speaks with Moncton runner and mental health advocate Charlotte Flewelling about her involvement in the sport, then Mark Sullivan, a running coach talks about winter running and why those who run in the colder weather might be better off. Then aa Calgary runner sharing a very personal story of how running has helped him through some difficult times in his life.

Chilly, and Thrilling: Video from the Winterlude race!

By

Ben Kaplan

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February 4, 2018

https://www.facebook.com/sportstatsmedia/videos/10160199863515500/

Winterlude highlights

“We’re thrilled with the way the race turned out: the participants were all very understanding of the snow conditions and accepted the challenge for what it was,” says Rick Hellard, Winterlude’s boss. “Everybody had a great time, went fast, and, if you think about it, since was a new iteration of the race, they all had a best time!”

Winterlude, despite the nippy conditions, boasted a a 98% turnout for individuals and 100% for the teams.

Congrats to all.

Beautiful morning at the Winterlude Triathlon

By

Ben Kaplan

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February 3, 2018

The 35th annual Winterlude Triathlon concluded this morning in chilly but beautiful conditions and saw more than 250 athletes competing in the most popular run and skate event in the country. Women nearly outnumbered the men on a cool morning that saw Ottawa’s Jonathan Favre take first place with a time of 45:59:5.

Given the conditions, forecasted snow was not hard enough to work with to resuscitate the rock hard and bumpy surface in the Arboretum, the ski portion of the event was cancelled and the event became a duathlon: a 12K skate, 5K run.

Nancy Coke, the winning female with a time of 52:59, competes in the master’s competition, aged between 50-54. Marketa Graham, also competing in Coke’s age category, was the second female with a time of 53:42. Dave McMahon, of Chelsea, Quebec, was the second male winner, and Martin Brodeur, from Gatineau, took third.

The event, timed by Sportstats, began in 1983 and has become synonymous with Canadian winter. A family affair that brings athletes back year after year, the Winterlude Triathlon once again left smiles on the faces of both athletes and families.

For a complete list of finishing times, see Sportstats.

Getting Back to the 2018 Chilly Half Marathon

By

Krista DuChene

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January 31, 2018

By: Krista DuChene

When choosing races, the most important factors for me to consider often include: race distance and calendar timing for season goal race, travel, course lay-out, time away from family, and potential financial winnings. The Chilly Half Marathon has always been a perfect choice to include in my marathon builds.

On March 4 I will be returning to Burlington to run the 2018 Chilly Half Marathon. Lately I have been reflecting on past race performances and experiences in my running career. Reading previous blogs on these memories, such as the Chilly Half Marathon, has been quite enjoyable.

I believe this year’s race will be my 5th Chilly Half Marathon.

At the 2012 Chilly Half Marathon, I ran 1:15:46 and got a fun picture taken after the race with Dan Way, Darren Lee, and Michael Doyle who admitted that they were desperately trying to beat me to the finish. We will have to get a 2018 picture this year because the four of us are racing it again in preparation for the Boston Marathon, which we are also all running. During this particular year for our family within the four days leading up to the race, we got the keys to our new house, we had a hockey game and funeral to travel for, and I was still nursing our daughter who would have her first birthday party the evening of the race. Later that month I would run the Around the Bay 30 km race in 1:47:03, which would prompt me to change my spring marathon plan from Ottawa to Rotterdam in an attempt to make the 2:29:55 standard for the 2012 Olympic Games. I ran a seven minute personal best of 2:32:06. Fast but not fast enough for the Olympic team.

In 2015 when I ran 1:14:01 at the Chilly Half Marathon, which was 10.5 months after I fractured my femur while defending my Canadian title at the Montreal Half Marathon. On that day in March I was planning to run goal marathon pace in preparation for the Rotterdam Marathon where I would be going after what we later learned was the 2:29:50 standard for the 2016 Olympic Games. I ran my second best time of 2:29:38. It was fast and fast enough for the Olympic team!

In 2016 I needed to run a quick half marathon to prove my fitness in order to be named to the 2016 Olympic team. I had a terrible head cold due to several weeks of interrupted sleep so my slow Chilly Half Marathon of 1:16:35 didn’t allow me to the check the box on that particular day. It was the only year I didn’t win when speedster Leslie Sexton flew by me in the final few kilometers of the race. But I got back to training and successfully proved my fitness the next month on the same course where I fractured my femur.

In 2017 I was new to Speed River Track and Field Club with Dave Scott-Thomas, it was our daughter’s 6th birthday, I had just turned 40, and my bags were packed to leave two days later for a month of training at altitude in Iten, Kenya. My Chilly Half Marathon of 1:14:54 was fast enough for a new Canadian Masters 40 age record and I was feeling good and ready for a bout of intense training for the Virgin London Marathon.

I’m not sure what 2018 will bring but I am certainly looking forward to another Chilly Half Marathon in preparation for another spring marathon, this time returning to Boston since first completing it in 2005. The fun and friendly atmosphere, fast and flat course, typically frigid temps with sunny skies, and pure enjoyment of this wonderful sport will be sure to put a smile on my race as I think back to past Chilly Half Marathon memories while making many more.

In Your Backyard: the Saskatchewan Marathon

By

Ravi Singh

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January 30, 2018

SaskMarathon — “We are a vast country in which the amplitude of our cultural influences alone continues to amaze and delight me. "- Race Director Nowshad Ali. Photo by Josh Schaefer/GetMyPhoto.ca

In our next issue, which will hit mailboxes and Running Room stores in February, we’re celebrating Canada’s rich running culture. We really didn’t see a need to stop the party as the sesquicentennial came and went. We’re also asking the question of how we can get Canadian runners running more in Canada, especially outside of their home province.

In print and here online, race directors and community leaders have shared their thoughts and ideas on why Canadians should get out into their own backyard and what race directors can do to make it happen.

Nowshad (Shad) Ali is the Co-Director of the Saskatchewan Marathon, which celebrates its 40th running in 2018.

Ali says that the Saskatchewan Marathon, part of a full race weekend featuring a 5K, 10K, and half marathon, draws about 5% of its runners from other Canadian provinces and 1% from outside of Canada.

“I believe Canadians are less likely to run in provinces other than their own and there are many contributors to this,” Ali says. “I believe Canadians often forget the diversity of our landscapes and terrain, our people and culture, and don’t view running in different provinces as an opportunity to experience this fully.”

Rather than treating an excursion to another province as a destination race the way they might treat a World Major, Ali says Canadians may tend toward a “quick in and out” before heading back home.

Ali feels that strides in race promotion have been and will continue to be made by invoking Canada’s natural beauty, which has long been a point of pride for Canadians. The Saskatchewan Marathon, Ali says, has been “inviting runners to not only enjoy our amazing run, which cascades along the Meewasin Valley and along the South Saskatchewan River, but to experience all our province and city has to offer.”

Canadian tourism campaigns have long emphasized our country’s diverse landscapes and in Ali’s view, there’s no reason that races can’t piggyback off that messaging, making races part of that brilliant experience of our natural beauty.

“We are a vast country in which the amplitude of our cultural influences alone continues to amaze and delight me. There’s so much richness and vibrancy to experience in each and every part of this great country that is unique, special and memorable,” Ali says. To not experience this, for Ali, is to “deprive oneself of the experience of a lifetime.”

As for the role of race directors, Ali “would love to see races collaborating with series specials and contests, race packs, travel incentives, points programs, and the like.”

The Saskatchewan Marathon is happening on May 27th in Saskatoon.

Self-Love Is As Important As Your Long Run

By

Why I Run

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January 30, 2018

By Noel Paine

“Self-image and self-confidence, mental health can be as important on the start line as your training.”

In the last issue of iRun I talked about my transition to being a running dad with the birth of my daughter a couple of years ago. The pressures, the expectations and my struggle resulted in the end of my marriage and a battle with depression. I am a dad who runs and struggles to come to terms with where I am in life, my running and trying to be a good father.

The journey out of the dark well of depression that settled upon me was a tough one and still continues. I had dropped to rock bottom. I struggled at a job that held no joy or meaning for me, kept busy to avoid thinking about a future that seemed bleak and lonely and often dreaded or was exhausted from my daddy duties.

Running became a necessity as it always has been in a way for me, to clear my head and find some happiness in life. I have been running for so long it often seems hard to think when I have not run. Lacing up and getting out the door did not solve my problems but it helped me keep going and was something I could look forward to. I liked the stress and frustration that trickled out with my sweat.

I eventually however came to a point where I needed help. I hit the wall mentally just as many do in the marathon. I couldn’t go on and needed someone to help me. This is when I decided I needed to talk to someone about my mental health and attack things like I was planning to run a marathon. My goal was and is happiness, mental health, dealing with being a dad and getting back on track.

On my journey back to a more stable running dad, one of the big lessons I learned was something simple but at the same time extremely hard. I needed to love myself. I needed to be able to look at myself, think, say and even write it out. An acceptance, of who I am, my strengths, faults and where I am in life.

Loving yourself can be tough when dealing with issues like fatherhood for me, but if can also be about how you look, how tall you are, what you think others think of you. Running and life require a balance of mental and physical wellness to be at your best.

Train, love yourself and go run hard.

Noel Paine is a communications professional, running coach, and father based in Ottawa. Paine is a regular iRun contributor and you can also follow his journey on Twitter @NoelPaine.

Easy Cavatelli in a Braised Pork Ragù

By

Nutrition

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January 29, 2018

Whenever I go to a fancy Italian restaurant, I look for a cavatelli pasta dish with a nice, meaty ragù. It’s one of my favourite dishes that I would never make at home. After speaking to many chefs about it, I decided to attempt it on my own. My fear was that I wouldn’t achieve a ragù that was as tasty and it’s a bit of a time investment I wasn’t confident to take just yet. After trying this recipe, I was blown away at how easy it actually is! I’ve developed a really simple recipe that home cooks at all skill levels can try and I’ve done it with both lamb and pork.

This rich and meaty sauce is a perfect meal during the cold winter months. I love to cook it low and slow — it’s the best way! I have tested and tasted the lamb ragù after 2 hours of cooking but the meat didn’t pull apart easily at this point and I found that the flavours haven’t penetrated the meat yet. Three hours is the ideal cooking time.

If you’re short for time, the pork variation is a great option! This variation takes just under 2 hours instead of 3 and is really delicious! I used LiberTerre pork for this recipe because their pork has generous marbling (fat to meat ratio) so the result is tender, juicy, great tasting pork.

For the lamb variation I used boneless lamb shoulder. I have tried this recipe using lambs neck as well and it is really tasty so if you can get your hands on some, give it a try as well!

Easy Braised Pork Ragù

Serves: 4 Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Extra-virgin Olive Oil

3 lbs LiberTerre Pork Shoulder, de-boned and cut into large chunks (Trim any rind and thick layers of fat)

2 onions, diced

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large carrot, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh Oregano

1 cup white wine

½ cup chicken stock

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 450g bag of pasta (Penne, orecchiette or cavatelli pasta)

Parmesan Cheese for serving

DIRECTIONS

ONE: Cut and prepare all of your vegetables and set aside (onion, garlic, carrots and celery). Wash and tie the herbs (thyme, oregano and bay leaf) into a bundle using kitchen twine. Pat the pork pieces dry with a paper towel (you will get a better sear on the meat if you remove the moisture). Liberally coat the pork pieces with salt and pepper.

TWO: Heat a heavy bottomed sauce pot coated with olive oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Begin to sear both sides of your pork pieces being sure not to crowd the pot (about 3 minutes per side). You may do this part in several batches as you want to make sure you have a nice sear on the pork. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.

THREE: Add your vegetables and herb bundle to the pot and cook until the vegetables have softened (about 8 minutes). Add the wine to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the wine to a simmer and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced by half (about 6-10 minutes).

FOUR: Add tomato sauce and chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so that the sauce is just simmering and nestle the pork pieces into the sauce. Cook on very low heat for about 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, being sure to stir the sauce every 30 minutes or until the pork pieces pull apart easily with a fork. Remove the pork from the pot and put onto a plate. Remove the herb bundle from the pot and discard. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded pork to the sauce and keep warm over very low heat.

FIVE: Cook your pasta according to package directions. Toss the cooked pasta with the pork ragù to coat the pasta. Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil and Parmesan cheese shavings on top.

Easy Braised Lamb Ragù

Serves: 4 Total Time: 3 hours 30 mins

INGREDIENTS

Extra-virgin Olive Oil

2 lbs LiberTerre Lamb Shoulder, de-boned and cut into large chunks

2 onions, diced

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large carrot, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh oregano

1 cup dry red wine

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 450g bag of cavatelli pasta

Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS

ONE: Cut and prepare all of your vegetables and set aside (onion, garlic, carrots and celery). Wash and tie the herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano and bay leaf) into a bundle using kitchen twine. Pat the lamb pieces dry with a paper towel (you will get a better sear on the meat if you remove the moisture). Liberally coat the lamb pieces with salt and pepper.

TWO: Heat a heavy bottomed sauce pot coated with olive oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Begin to sear both sides of your lamb pieces being sure not to crowd the pot (about 3 minutes per side). You may do this part in several batches as you want to make sure you have a nice sear on the lamb. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.

THREE: Add your onions to the pot until softened (about 1 minute) and then add the rest of the vegetables and herbs (bay leaf, thyme oregano and rosemary) and cook until the vegetables have softened (another 5 – 8 minutes). Add the wine to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the wine to a simmer and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced by half.

FOUR: Add tomato sauce to the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so that the sauce is just simmering and nestle the lamb pieces into the sauce. Cook on low heat for about 2 and a half to 3 hours, being sure to stir the sauce every 30 minutes or so. If you find that your sauce gets too thick before the pork is tender, add a little bit of water to loosen up the sauce and continue to cook. When the lamb pieces pull apart easily with a fork, you know the ragù is ready. Remove the lamb from the pot and put onto a plate. Remove the herb bundle from the pot and discard. Using two forks, shred the lamb into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded lamb to the sauce and keep warm over very low heat.

FIVE: Cook your cavatelli pasta according to package directions. Toss the cooked pasta with the lamb ragù to coat the cavatelli. Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil and pecorino or parmesan cheese shavings on top.

Julie Miguel is an iRun food contributor, where you’ll find a selection of weekly recipes and food ideas. She is a home cook, and food influencer and has worked with a national television, print and online media outlets. You can also follow her food discoveries and travel adventures at Daily Tiramisu.

Why Do Races Cost What They Do?

By

AttheRaces

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January 29, 2018

team finish — Scotiabank Calgary Marathon held on May 28, 2017 in Calgary, Alberta (Angela Burger/Calgary Marathon)

Having a goal race keeps you motivated to move and train more, especially in these cold winter months. That said, with races big and small cropping up across the nation, it seems like race entry fees are on the rise. We spoke with Kirsten Fleming, race director of the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon, to get the breakdown on the real cost of running a race these days—and what you get for what you pay in Calgary.

iRun: How do you set your entry prices?

Fleming: Every race and event for us is different. Part of our mandate at Run Calgary is to be accessible. We put on a months-free event in partnership with a national beer hall called Ale Trail. It’s open to 150 people and it’s a 6K run and a free beer and it costs our team nothing to bring to the community, so it’s free. The flip side is our premier road race, the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon Race Weekend, which is a certified sanctioned Boston Marathon Qualifier that has significant costs associated with it, and those costs are increasing. It’s an event priced for the market and for us as an organization to invest back into the race. No one is getting rich, the event world is tough and participant expectations are high. Let me tell you, as a not-for-profit we are very lean.

iRun: So is it us or has the price of racing really gone up in the past few years?

Fleming: We have graduated pricing and if you get in early, some of our events are less expensive than five years ago. But if you register late, then you pay more, so prices have gone up and down. Race directors have had to get creative in setting prices because our costs are mostly fixed whether we have 1,000 runner sor 10,000—it costs the same to close the roads.

iRun: Tell us about your expenses. What’s the biggest ticket item a race director has to buy?

Fleming: The top-line items are paid to stakeholders like the municipalities we work in for road closures and police officers and to the venue where we operate. For us, to rent Stampede Park and use its services on race day and package pick up. Then, there are direct runner costs that vary such as medals and t-shirts, but the ordering cycle is so early that we are playing a constant guessing game.

iRun: Is there a way the bib prices could come down?

Fleming: It would be tough to bring the costs down without affecting the runner experience. We would have to cut something to really reduce entry fees and as a non-profit, we aren’t running a surplus at year-end.

iRun: Do you have any interesting cost anecdotes? For instance, whats it cost to close down a street and hire off-duty police officers?

Fleming: There are 3,000 line items for one race each year and it’s things that cost money that many people don’t consider. Every cone, feeding volunteers, the gas for truck rentals to move supply stations on the course, 200 port-a-loo rentals and putting WiFi in for the event.

Highlights from the 2017 the Calgary Marathon in Calgary, Alberta on May 27, 2017.

iRun: Makes sense. OK, let’s shift gears from what you spend to what you give back. The Scotiabank Charity Challenge opened this week, tell us about that.

Fleming: The Scotiabank Charity Challenge is the fundraising arm of the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon and it raises one million dollars annually. We work with more than 90 charities that use the event as a fundraising platform and to celebrate awareness of their cause. It’s interesting, the parallel between runners paying for a bib and runners raising money for a good cause.

iRun: It’s cyclical, and one of the best things about the sport. We do something we love and help people in the process. Lastly then, what are people really buying when they purchase a bib?

Fleming: The experience and a victory lap for their many months of hard work in training.