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Blog Page 134

Reporting on the Eastside 10K 2017

By
AttheRaces
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By Karen McCullough
In its short, five-year history, the Eastside 10k has become my favourite race of the season. With a field of just under 2,800 runners this year, and dry, warm weather in forecast, I am really looking forward to this year’s race. The last two years have been plagued by torrential rain.

I’ve been a runner for over 20 years and have run countless 5k’s, 8k’s, and 10k’s, 8 half marathons and 6 full marathons. Though my husband is also a runner, he is less serious about it than I am. He never really trains for races and just goes out for his once-a-week run of maybe 12k with one of our dogs, if even that.

Until the last year, we’ve never been able to run together. He’s always been too fast for me. But after breaking my arm, needing surgery to repair it, being off work for three months and gaining 20 pounds, I made a concerted effort to lose the weight and get back into shape. Now, my husband and I can actually run together without me asking him to slow down! The added bonus with me faster is I’m catching up to him in the 10k distance. Last year, he completed the Eastside 10k in 49:25 and I in 55:59, a new personal best for me after not being able to beat my PB 57:05 obtained in 2005. This year, I’m looking to close the gap between us even more.

Race Day

It’s a perfect day for a race! The sun is out and it’s 14 degrees Celsius—a huge improvement from the last two years’ torrential rain.

As with every race I run, I was nervous before the start. But I see the East Van Run Crew (EVRC), which I started running with last month, gathering for a group photo.

This year, the Eastside 10k has a new title sponsor in Under Armour and a new route that starts and ends in Gastown. It travels east through the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, which is known as the poorest neighbourhood in Canada. However, the charity component is quite big in the Eastside 10k, with runners encouraged to fundraise and support the charity partners: the Vancouver Food Bank, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre and PHS Community Services. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling more likely to run a race where a charity benefits, rather than one that is just for profit.

The race is under way and my husband and I start running together, but as with previous races, he’s going too fast for me and we part company around the first kilometre. That’s alright, I’ll just run with the 50 minute pacer.

There was some great entertainment along the route too. If I’m not mistaken, there was a band with a singer just singing, “Running” over and over again, just not an actual song. That was hilarious! She sang words of encouragement on my way back—“You got this! Keep going! You’re doing great!” Exactly what we all needed to hear.

Around the halfway point, the course goes onto an overpass and we start climbing…and climbing…and turning…and climbing…and turning. I did not account for this. I thought it would be one major hill and I’d run that many times in training because it’s not too far from my house. This is where I lost my mojo. My pace slowed from 5:02/km at the halfway point to 5:14/km during the 1.2 kilometre hill climb. I don’t think I’m going to make 49:30. See ya later, 50 minute pacer.

However, what goes up, must come down, and once I made the turnaround, it was going to be a fairly long downhill and then the course would flatten out. I knew I could pick my pace up again and I started to enjoy the race. And how could I not enjoy the race? I kept seeing friends all over who hadn’t made the turnaround yet. Every time I saw someone I knew, I’d shout their name and they’d yell back encouragement at me. What a great way to put a smile on your face when you feel like hell!

The finish is coming up and I give it everything I’ve got. The hill may have cost me my goal time of 49:30, but darned if I was going to not get a new PB! With a finish push at the end, I complete the race in 51:43, good enough for a new PB by 13 seconds.

What I love about the Eastside 10k is that with the relatively small number of runners, you are bound to see people you know. I’ve made so many amazing friends through various running crews, run clinics, through mutual running friends, and my involvement with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training and Team Finn for the Ride to Conquer Cancer. There are so many run groups in Vancouver and in the last two or three years, the running crew has really taken off. It doesn’t matter how fast or how slow, or how long you’ve been running. You are going to find someone you can run with and, though you might not be fast, you will make friends fast.

Choosing the Right Shoes to Reach Your Fall Running Goal

By
TheBuzzonGear
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By: Karen Kwan

With so many shoes out there, it can be confusing as to whiche will help you reach your running goals. I sat down with Nike+Run Club Coach Brittany Moran recently to learn how to choose between Nike’s current collection of runners.

 

For the beginner looking for an all-round shoe that’ll work for your short and long runs, and recovery runs, she recommends the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34. Moran says she does a lot of her easy recovery mileage in them. And if price is a factor, then these Pegasus are a good go-to for everything.

But let’s say you’re really into this running thing. And you’re upping the intensity, focusing on including speed work in your regimen, well, now there’s the Nike Zoom Fly and the Vaporfly 4% (which is what was used in Breaking2). “My interpretation is that they’re the track spike for marathon runners. They feature a plate in the sole—in the Zoom Fly, the plate is a carbon-infused plastic and in theVaporfly is a carbon plate.

Grab a pair of either and you’ll notice that they’re very light, and with a slight stiffness to then, which is what gives you that responsiveness, says Moran. And the shoe might feel as though it’s been broken in already; that’s thanks to the layers in the design of the shoe. Put them on and you’ll notice a springiness, making them almost hard to walk in, she says.

As for how they fit into your training, she recommends the Zoom Fly for longer workouts and your speed work. The Vaporfly, which the Nike Elite marathoners have been wearing for the past year, can also be used for longer runs, but not as much mileage can be put on them because of the type of foam that is in them. These would be your marathon race day shoes, with a couple of runs in them before race day. “To make sure no blistering and to make sure you’re fine with them being on your feet in them for X amount of time,” she says.

Does this mean a beginner runner has no place in their shoe collection for the Zoom Fly or Vaporfly 4%? “I think there’s still an advantage to it. Everyone has their own goals, it’s all relative whatever level you’re at. Your good starter shoe is the Pegasus, and having a different shoe for race day or speed work is nice at any level because you know nice to have that, knowing that you’re turning it up today and go fast, I find that helpful mentally.”

Karen Kwan is a regular iRun fashion and travel contributor, and you’ll find her running fashion posts every Friday on Instagram. She contributes to a number of publications and you can also follow her travel and running adventures at Health & Swellness.

 

 

They’re Just Like Us! Canadian Celebs and Public Figures at the Races

By
Ravi Singh
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PM Trudeau at the 2017 Canada Army Run. Source: Ottawa Citizen.

 

Celebrity is a powerful force, so powerful in fact that it can make your non-running friends interested in running, if only for a few days.

I have to admit to a bit of glee when anyone mentioned hearing that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took on the 5K at last weekend’s Canada Army Run and ever so subtly – I probably wasn’t that subtle – pointing out that I edged the Prime Minister’s time in my most recent 5K.

With that in mind, here are some famous Canadians you can measure yourself against, whether for your own sense of affirmation or just for a fun fact to drop at parties.

Mile

He may now reside south of the border, but author Malcolm Gladwell grew up in Elmira, Ontario and is a graduate of the University of Toronto. A track star in his youth, he hasn’t exactly been slacking and remains a fixture at the 5th Avenue Mile in New York. This year, 55 year old Gladwell posted a 5:11 mile.

5K

Comparisons are inevitable when you follow in the footsteps of a famous parent. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau certainly inherited his father’s love of athletics. Fun fact: Pierre Trudeau had the pool installed at 24 Sussex. At last weekend’s Army Run, Justin held down a 4:31 pace for a 22:37 finish.

 

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is a known avid runner, making regular appearances at races in Toronto and beyond. Premier Wynne’s chip time of 28:41 at last year’s Around the Bay 5K was good enough for 2nd in her age category.

10K

Toronto City Councillor Mary Fragedakis has been a major supporter of the city’s running community and of efforts to boost running tourism. She even brought pal Reid Coolsaet to speak to Toronto City Council on the issue. Councillor Fragedakis goes the extra mile for running by taking part in races. She recorded a 1:12 chip time at the 2017 Waterfront 10K.

 

In 2015, CBC Metro Morning host Matt Galloway took on 365 days of running. There were some races thrown into the mix, including a 46:12 at the Yonge Street 10K.

30K

Lawrence Hill’s The Illegal, winner of Canada Reads 2016, “gets” running. It’s no surprise, then, that the author and Burlington resident has shown up at races in the area, including the Around the Bay 30K. Sportstats credits Hill with a 2:50 at the 2006 edition of the historic race. Hill was obviously taking it easy. The author of The Book of Negroes, also a Canada Reads winner, also has a mile PB of 4:36.

Marathon

Scott Russell is best known as the face of CBC’s Olympics coverage. Russell ran a 3:20 at the 2015 Mississauga Marathon, a performance which punched his ticket to Boston.

You oughta know that Alanis Morrissette is a marathoner. The iconic Canadian songstress completed the 2009 Biz Johnson Trail Marathon in 4:17. Alanis discussed her relationship with running in an interview with Runner’s World just before that race.

 

  • Ravi Singh

iRun Radio — September 18, 2017

By
Rob Eady
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iRun Radio

It’s been a busy weekend of racing and iRun was there! Listen in as Mark Sutcliffe talks about the impact of Terry Fox; catches up with Olympian Natasha Wodak; speaks with Gus Garant, race director of the Canada Army Run, and gets real with Ben Kaplan, the iRun editor struggling to balance marathon training with making lunch every day for his kids.

 

The Heart Is a Runner’s Most Valuable Tool

By
Ben Kaplan
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Ben Kaplan chases Tommy Des Brisay, whose championship races are among his least impressive accomplishments

Tommy Des Brisay is an elite runner and the winner of the 2016 Canada Army Run half marathon. He has severe autism and says running and competitive racing have become part of his overall approach to health and wellness. He runs because it makes him feel better.

“Exercise is my fate,” says Des Brisay, 25, who responds best to questions when asked to put his answers into the framework of a story. A lover of Disney films and the meditative, repetitive routine of running (sound familiar?), Des Brisay spoke accompanied by his parents via a YouTube video from his Ottawa home. Questions were posed via Skype by competitive racer and Des Brisay’s former training partner Jen Perrault.

“A hero is someone you can count on, who supports you,” he says in response to being told that other runners see him as a hero, given how he manages his autism in such an inspiring fashion.

Des Brisay was diagnosed with autism at the age of two, and started running with his father when he was 14. He was non-verbal until he was seven—the Disney films helped—and though he’s endured his share of challenges, he remains positive. Neither he nor his family trade in self-pity. Charismatic, he smiles often, laughs freely and visibly enjoys the time he spends running, and with his family and friends. When Des Brisay crosses a finish line—often in first place—he maintains the runner’s courtesy code of congratulating the other runners filing in after him.  

“No matter how different we all are or may seem, we all share the same thing: a wish to be included, understood, embraced and be part of the group,” says Mary Ann Given, Des Brisay’s mother, who’s been a force in his development and in building “lookyus,” Des Brisay’s YouTube channel, which has more than 17 million channel views.

“We all have a wish to be recognized, encouraged and to feel we have contributed and made a difference. To be respected for who we are, and given a chance to show what we are capable of,” Given says. “Tommy’s wants are no different than anyone’s—he wants to receive approval, to have friends and be loved.”

As Des Brisay’s race legend builds, his love from the running community has blossomed. He represented Canada at the World Para Athletic Championships in London this summer and last year he won the Canada Army Run half-marathon with a time of 1:12:24 (two minutes off his PB).

Des Brisay’s currently eyeing the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games and maintains his speed and endurance alongside his father, a former competitive runner who helps him communicate with other runners and follow instructions, and also report his injuries and drink water while on a race course or in training. Running can be dangerous for Des Brisay because his visual and communication skills are impaired by autism.

It’s not surprising how Des Brisay—who lives with severe anxiety and OCD—continuously leaves jaws dropped on a race course. But what makes him so special is how he seems to manage his private world. Sometimes he’ll giggle to himself when out on a run, pretending to be The Jungle Book’s Mowgli running from Shere Khan while songs from Aladdin play in his head.  

“I just had a real smile,” says Des Brisay of his time in London, where he finished in eighth place in the 5,000 metre event, which cemented his reputation as one of the world’s quickest racers. “I run with ‘cartoon legs,’ which means, ‘I go fast.’”

Des Brisay’s parents help me understand the world through his eyes. His father, Peter, is his son’s bridge to his training club, the Ottawa Lions, and works with Athletics Canada to arrange his elite running training, including warm weather camp in Chula Vista and altitude practice in Flagstaff, Arizona.

“I allow him to be himself and bring his own unique personality to his training program and workouts and enjoy my time with him and show him my pride in his accomplishments,” Peter says. “I shadow him and take a step back as much as possible to encourage his independence, acting as a safety net, but allowing him to take to lead as much as possible. I feel Tommy’s greatest gift is the fact that he really truly enjoys running and the process of training and working out.”

His mother, Mary Ann, seconds this theme. “We’ve learned that often one’s greatest challenges are also one’s biggest strengths. Tommy was always driven to move and run, and especially prone to bolt and run when agitated, which posed great difficulties in many ways, such as personal safety and being accommodated in the school system,” she says. “It reached the point where we sought a trained autism service dog to help with safety. However, when given the opportunity to his use natural urge to run in a positive way, Tommy became an elite runner after years of training—his natural abilities have become his best assets in this journey.”

The journey has no doubt been arduous and Des Brisay isn’t necessarily out of the woods. Hardships may come, injuries, poor health and the challenges that each of us, in our own way, must face. But Des Brisay is thoughtful, sweet and sincere, and once again lacing up his shoes for the Canada Army Run half-marathon. He doesn’t keep track of his race times and is able, somehow, to smile, even when facing difficult odds. It’s no wonder this runner from Ottawa has taken the sports world by storm.

“I feel stronger all the time,” Des Brisay says. “I’m going to be the first fastest runner in the world.”

To us, whether or not he accomplishes that—and, knowing Des Brisay, he very well may—he’ll still be the runner who inspires us to find our own next finish lines.

Falling For It

By
TheBuzzonGear
-

As it gets a little brisker outside—isn’t autumn the most lovely season for running?—pull on one of these jackets that are perfectly light and comfortable, providing just enough coverage for the falling temps.

 

 

Foldable into its zip-up chest pocket, this piece is perfect for runs on days where the weather wavers frequently. New Balance Women’s Lite Packable Jacket, $125, www.newbalance.ca.

 

So light it’ll feel barely there, yet durable enough to protect you from wind and rain. Nike Women’s Impossibly Light Running Jacket, $120, www.nike.ca.

Stand out from the sea of monochromatically dressed runners in this pretty print. Adidas by Stella McCartney Women’s Run Adizero Nature Print Jacket, $250, www.adidas.ca.

This red-hot number features a water-repellent finish, but with its slim fit, you can easily wear it as a mid-layer when the weather gets colder. MEC Women’s Waxwing Hybrid Jacket, $135, www.mec.ca.

With a slim fit that is flattering and great for ease of movement. Reebok Women’s Vizocity Jacket, $120, www.reeebok.ca.

Thermal stretch fabric in all the right places—a.k.a. across your back and under your arms—to keep you comfortable warm. Saucony Women’s Vitarun Jacket, $150, www.saucony.ca.

It Won’t Be Pretty, But I’ll Give It My All

By
Krista DuChene
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Krista DuChene reports from the road of her marathon comeback.

Today is our children’s first day back to school. Back in late July and early August when I was injured and only cross-training, I knew that if I was fairly consistently running by the beginning of school I would have a decent chance at completing the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM). But I also knew I would have a lot of quality work to do with no room for setbacks. Marathon day is Oct. 22, which is six weeks and five days away. Believe me, every day I know how much time I have left. I’m continuing to train for approximately two hours and 40 minutes, six days per week, with the majority of my workload still coming from the elliptical, pool and bike. The running kilometres are coming along and I am pleased with some of my initial workouts, but I must remain patient, every day.

I have been known to run a half-marathon at goal marathon pace one month before racing. If all goes smoothly, I can usually gain significant fitness in about four weeks. But I’m not expecting anything overly fantastic, rather “decent” is the word I’m using. On Sept. 17, I plan to compete in the Army Run half-marathon. It won’t be pretty, but I’ll give it my all. My goal between now and then is to stick to coach Dave’s plan with continued 100% trust while safely transitioning from soft to harder running surfaces. I completely realize that I may have to throw in the towel and call it a season if there is any sort of glitch, but I’m certainly not afraid to put my head down and get the ugly work done if that’s all it takes. It’s incredible how you can log hours of cross-training and feel in OK shape, but go for a simple run and feel gassed! But like I said in my “What I’ve Learned Running Marathons” in the recently published iRun magazine: “I’ve never been more motivated than during a return to running after an injury or pregnancy.”

I can’t help but repeat how excited I am to be attending the Canada Army Run. Not only will I be able to test my fitness in our nation’s capital, but also learn so much more about the people involved in this incredible weekend. As the website states: “Since 2008, through proceeds and the fundraising efforts of participants, Canada Army Run has contributed more than $2 million to Soldier On and the Support Our Troops fund for programs that help ill and injured soldiers and military families in need. On behalf of our men and women in uniform – who do so much to keep us safe at home and abroad – THANK YOU!”

Wow, what an amazing fundraising outcome for an even more amazing cause. As part of the Canada Army Run’s 10th anniversary, the hope is to make it the largest contribution ever this year. I’m so honoured to be part of this. Hope to see some of you there!

Making the Connection: Yorkville 5K Recap

By
Ravi Singh
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With my training wheels taken away, I actually experienced a race where I had to trust my body and found that against all the doubts my mind could present, it did what it was supposed to.

One very special feature of the B&O Yorkville 5K is how much it emphasizes its charitable component. Runners don’t just fundraise or donate as part of their registration, but wear the name of their chosen local charity on their bib. At pickup, your kit was handed to you by representatives from your charity, who also kept you in the loop of race details via email.

As someone who works for a charity,  I know it’s not unusual to have to explore new avenues to build support for your cause. Seeing so many representatives step up to be a part of the race experience was not only impressive but brought the race’s theme of connections to life.

Failure to Connect

The connections theme even inspired the finisher’s medal, with a design based on a circuit board highlighting the local charities participating and a USB cable in place of a ribbon. It seems the only element of the race where the connections theme didn’t apply was to my GPS.

Coach said it wouldn’t be too long before I could lose my “training wheels,” referring to the GPS to keep pace. With enough practice, I’d be able to get to a start line and run my race by feel. The stopwatch function on my Garmin would allow me to gauge my pace at each course marker and adjust accordingly.

Knowing GPS can be volatile, it’s a very practical way to attack a race. If you’ve trained well, you’ve run the pace you plan to deploy on the course and know what that feels like.

Still, and I know I’m not alone in this, watching the pace calculator on my watch is a habit that’s refused to die but slowly and grudgingly.

I understood the idea of running by feel, but wasn’t quite ready to drop the training wheels yet. On this day, they were yanked from under me. With a start line situated in the thick of massive skyscrapers, my GPS had not connected as City Councillor Kristin Wong-Tam announced, “One minute to go!”

Back of the medal, highlighting the charities supported by the Yorkville 5K.

We took off down Bay Street, mostly flat with a little downhill on which it was easy to get excited and push the pace. My watch signalled the first kilometre. I ignored it because we already passed a course marshall holding a 1KM sign.

Taking a right on Dundas, we passed the next marker. In my mind, I panicked, thinking I hammered way too hard and set myself up to bonk. Even as my mind went dark, my body kept moving like clockwork.

The stretch across Dundas is quite short before runners head north on University Avenue. This is where the course gets interesting with an ever so gradual climb that lasts for a kilometre and a half or so. Out of towners who come to Toronto for this race should be aware of this. You’ll feel it, making it all the more important to maintain a “comfortably hard” pace for the first 2K before you enter the pain cave.

Again, I worried, but the fact that I wasn’t passed at any point and wasn’t fading meant my body was still working when I passed the one cheer/water station on course led by the Red Door Family Shelter.

Past the 4K mark and over the climb, I tuned out of my surroundings and ran with whatever I could give until the race ended with a 52 second PB. It’s possible I didn’t look at my watch at all, or was just too delirious to remember.

The Finish

You can’t do much better than a finishing area where you’re actually served by attendants carrying trays of snacks. Bagels found their way to me when I plopped myself on the side of the track at Jesse Ketchum School.

I also had the honour of cooling down on the track at the same time as newly crowned Canadian 5K champion Cam Levins.

Of course our most important takeaway from a race is growth. We’re always told as runners to trust the training. With my training wheels taken away, I actually experienced a race where I had to trust my body and found that against all the doubts my mind could present, it did what it was supposed to. Granted, this is a work in progress and it’s taken years to make even this glimmer of progress.

There’s nothing so wonderful as a mind and body in sync, but when they fail to do so as my GPS did – I’m really pushing this analogy, aren’t I? – your body is capable of carrying you through on all the work that led to race day. Your mind just has to tag along until it’s convinced, and at this race my mind might be a little closer to that connection.

  • Ravi Singh

iRun Radio – September 10th Broadcast

By
Rob Eady
-
iRun Radio

The iRun podcast, hosted by Mark Sutcliffe, airs Sunday mornings in Ottawa on 1310 NEWS. Tune in weekly for inspiring stories from runners across the country and tips, inspiration and news you can use from both elites and the everyday runners who make up the heart and soul of our sport. This week’s episode features a guide to the Canada Army Run, news on the RBC Race for the Kids and an in-depth interview with Wesley Korir, the 2012 Boston Marathon winner who left competitive running to join Kenya’s Parliament. All in all, it’s a running show you won’t find anywhere else.

Canadian rocking playlist from the keyboardist from Moist

By
Ben Kaplan
-

Kevin Young isn’t running the Marathon Oasis de Montreal on September 23 and 24, because his band, Moist, is performing at the after-party.

“There’s no way I could do both on the same day,” says Young. “I’ve never run a marathon—not yet anyway. And, on top of that, there’s just too much going on to make sure the gig runs smoothly to focus on anything else.”

So, since Kevin can’t run beside you, he did want to select some of his favourite tunes for you to listen to during your race.

“I’m a creature of habit when I run—I want to hear songs I know and know well that propel me forward and I often switch tunes during a run according to my mood. All of these, however, have been in heavy rotation on my runs for years.”

Here’s Kevin’s favourite Canadian tunes. . .

Self Serve Gas Station – Rheostatics – Whale Music

“I listened to this tune, this entire record, every night before going to sleep in a tour bus while touring the US in the mid 90s—a few years later, it became the starting point for every run on tour or at home.”

Brother Rat/What Slayde Says – No Means No – Small Parts Isolated and Destroyed. “Relentless, angry, basic—the perfect way to go from ‘I’m running because I have to’ to ‘I’m running because I love it.’

Happiness By the Kilowatt – Alexisonfire – Watch Out – “Really an extension of the last track—keeps me moving.”

The Shape I’m In – The Band – Stage Fright – “Right, The Band aren’t strictly Canadian, but they’re close enough for me. Anyone who runs reaches that point where it’s not about distance, speed, or anything but sheer pleasure. This, for me, is a tune that I play when I get to that point.”

Who’s Got It – Illscarlet – All Day With It –

“Pure middle of my run fun.”

All the Heat is in the Whiskey – Ridley Bent – Rabbit on my Wheel “This is a Christmas song—the best ever in my opinion. Given I travel overseas for sheer pleasure often at Christmas, this tune is a go-to to start a run: whether it’s through a dormant Christmas market in Prague or while running past blood stained pavement following Eid in Morocco.”

The Darkest of Discos – Slow Coaster – The Darkest of Discos – “My youth, misspent, in words and music. Basically a cautionary tale I love to hear when my heart’s pounding.”

Nashville Bound – The Road Hammers – The Road Hammers – “It’s not a story I can relate to in terms of content, but every time I listen to it—mid or late run—it drives me to go faster and harder.”

Have Not Been the Same – Slow – “So this is a longer story: when I was in university a housemate of mine introduced me to the band and the song. He called me ‘the hippy,’ with good reason. My playlist at the time was heavily-weighted in terms of the 60s. This tune is still a staple when I need to suck it up and burn rubber.”

The Northern – Alexisonfire – Old Crows Young Cardinals – “Really, anything by Alexisonfire drives me, but this tune—for no good reason—is the one I go to when I’m hurting, but don’t want to stop running.”

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald – Peace, pure and simple. “Can’t say why, but it compels me.”

 

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