8.2 C
Toronto
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Blog Page 134

Running the Chicago Marathon: Defining Success

By
Ben Kaplan
-

Running at its core is a physical sport. It’s about pushing the limits of what your body can achieve, to accomplish more than you thought was possible. But it’s also very much a mental game. Your frame of mind and belief in yourself will help you push your body to achieve your moonshot goals. With only a few days to go before I run in Chicago this weekend, I can’t help but think of the lessons I learned at Nike’s Breaking2 this past May, which have helped carry me through this cycle of training.

Breaking2

For those who may not know, Breaking2 was Nike’s attempt to enable the first sub-two-hour marathon. Eliud Kipchoge, Zersenay Tadese and Lelisa Desisa were the world-class marathoners that were selected to attempt this feat, and I can honestly say it was one of the most memorable and inspiring experiences of my entire life. The world was saying it was not possible, yet these three outstanding athletes were fully committed and believed that they could break 2:00:00. Even though the feat was not achieved, everyone from the team of pacers, to the coaches, to the fans, believed it was possible, and that was what was most important in the end.

Master Your Mind

One thing Eliud said at the time has continued to resonate with me: it is not just about the legs, but also the head and the heart. You need to master your mind. The biggest change that I have made since attending Breaking2 is my mental approach when it comes to training and racing. When I look back on my previous training, I was never really setting actual goals for myself, but setting limits on what I thought I was capable of. Now my mantra is believe in yourself. This cycle, I have set goals on what I believe in my heart I can do, not on what past numbers have dictated that I can do. This has allowed me to set bigger moonshot goals and push myself harder than I would have in the past. If you believe you can do it, you will find it in you to dig deep and make it happen.

Chart The Course

Once you are able to break down your mental barriers, you can further set yourself up for success by visualizing your run. In advance of any race, I like to take myself through many different scenarios. I imagine overcoming adverse race conditions and I research my expected splits. Study the course map and become familiar with where the kilometer/mile markers are. What direction will the wind be coming from and where will you get a break from it. Take note of what direction N/S/E/W you’ll be running during certain sections and for how long. Knowing this information helps break up the course into smaller sections in your mind, and will make it seem more manageable. I also like to write down how I expect to feel at each section of the course, and affirmations that I will need to tell myself at those points: control, patience, maintain, push, go with it, stick to it, fight. I will repeat these to myself over and over throughout the race. Again, this is a way for me to master my mind. For Chicago, I am planning on driving the course the day before the race, so that I can give it a quick study and have a clear idea of how far different segments are and where challenging sections might be.

Defining Success

For my first time running Chicago, there is so much that I am excited about; the competitive field, the crowd support and the fast course. But what I am MOST excited for is to be lining up with my training partner. To know that I will have someone in the race with me that I am familiar with, have trained with, has a similar goal as myself and can share this experience with, is very exciting. I watch this race every year and I have seen so many great athletes run outstanding races. I am really excited to have the opportunity to follow in their footsteps. It will also be important for me not to get carried away with the moment, and stay in control of my own race.

Throughout my training this cycle and looking towards Chicago this weekend, I am very motivated by the idea of making the impossible possible. Day one of this cycle, running 2:25:00 wasn’t within my capabilities, it was impossible. It was my moonshot. Nothing in my training indicated I was capable of it. It’s 3:30 min faster than my PB. 14 weeks later, 2:25:00 has gone from a moonshot to 100% achievable. It is by no means a guarantee. It will not be easy and will take everything I have. But I believe that I can do it and that idea alone is all the motivation I need.

Success will require me to make the best decisions in the moment over the course of 42.2km. It could mean running even splits, running a negative split, going out hard and trying to hold on. In the end I’ll only know if I made the right decisions once I cross the finish line. What I know for sure is that I have done everything I can do to prepare myself both mentally and physically, and now I am ready to run!

If you would like to learn more about Nike’s Breaking2 and see the attempt in action, check out National Geographic’s documentary special, which can be viewed on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2ZLG-Fij_4

 

United We Run Together As One

By
Anna Lee Boschetto
-

For just one day, one race unites 21 countries around the globe. The Global Energy Race is all part of a worldwide initiative that promotes active living and physical activity for families. With more than 115 cites involved including three in Canada—Toronto, Richmond BC and Quebec City—runners are able to register to run with someone in another city, extending their running connections within the global community of runners.

Along with uniting as a running community, the event, which features a 3-kilometer run for families and children, and a 10-kilometer run, also raises awareness of the need of local food banks. In Canada, for every kilometer participants run, two slices of bread is donated to local food banks by Dempsters in the races respective cities. This year’s race ambassadors included Olympians Adam Van Koeverden (Toronto) and Alex Harvey (Quebec City) and CFL Hall of Fame inductee and three-time Grey Cup Champion Geroy Simon. Here’s why running is still a big part of Simon’s life and why it was important for him to be involved in the Global Energy Race.

iRun: How is an event like this so different than running another race?

GS: With this event, it’s all about getting people up and active worldwide. As well as the donation of two slices of bread to the food bank for every kilometer ran or walked. We are giving food to people who are less fortunate and giving them the ability to have a positive impact on the community.

iRun: As an athlete, what has running given to you, more specially can you speak to the connection you have given your sport?

GS: Running is at the core of my sport. If you cannot run you cannot play professional football so in the offseason I spend 50-60% of my time running to make sure I’m in peak condition to handle a 18-21 game season.

iRun: What gets you motivated to lace up your shoes and go for a run and what do you listen to when you run?

GS: I run for peak performance and staying healthy.   I’m motivated to stay in great health. There are machines that can help with staying in shape but to be at your absolute best, running is the best way to get there. I’m and old soul, so I listen to R&B, no too much rap or country.

iRun Radio – October 3rd, 2017

By
Ben Kaplan
-
iRun Radio

Mark Sutcliffe chats with Sean McCann, of Great Big Sea, about how running gives him the energy to perform; meet a man who pushed every inch to earn a Boston-qualifying run, and learn from a woman we love, who took up marathon running after her 65th birthday. All of this and more, plus Ben Kaplan, iRun’s editor, on the shame-inducing need to cut a long run short and call a taxi.

Getting Comfortable with Strava by Trevor Hofbauer

By
Ben Kaplan
-

Trevor Hofbauer is an elite runner for New Balance Canada, who, in addition to being super speedy, super handsome and incredibly funny, is running his first marathon at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon this month. (New Balance just released the brand new 860V8, so in addition, check it out). Hofbauer, who goes by the handle Nacho Libre of Guelph, ON, is also a prolific Strava user and commentator. Ben Kaplan, the iRun GM, sucks at technology and is hesitant to join Strava, another pain in the butt getting in the way of his runners. Here, the two men break down the technology that increasingly acts as a running scorecard, time sheet and bragging rites epicentre. 

What the hell is Strava and how does it work and do I have to be super techy to understand it?

Not necessarily. Once you create your profile, you can link up Movescount/Garmin Connect/whatever watch platform you use to allow Strava to extract your data everytime you upload a new activity. It’s kind of confusing at the start (like all web-based platforms), but once you have an understanding of it, it’s quite simple.

When did you start using Strava?

I started using Strava during the summer of 2014. A few keen athletes in Calgary recommended it to log our runs and challenge each other to segments. The idea behind the platform was attractive, so I gave in.

Why do you like it?

I really enjoy using Strava to track my overall duration spent running per week and analyzing my kilometer splits after a workout/race. Although I run without the pace option on, it’s nice to get the feedback afterwards.
The cool part about Strava is virtually cheering on your friends or favourite athletes by giving them kudos. Strava allows you to connect with athletes all around the world by commenting on their activity to cheer them on or ask basic activity related questions.
On a recreational note, it’s really enjoyable to punk other athletes by snagging their segments and naming your runs something witty.

Why do you not like it and why can it be addictive?

For years before the GPS watch, athletes would use the traditional Timex watch, or no watch at all, and run off of feel. Depending on the variable conditions, you can run faster or slower, but the effort will always be true. Running off of feel will make you a better, smarter, tougher athlete.
With the introduction of the GPS watch and connective platforms, some athletes can be a slave to the average pace and push themselves too hard, especially on recovery/easy days. By running too fast on your easy days to impress your friends for a dopamine boost is not conducive to training and will only hamper performance on workout days and race day.

Did you have hesitation at the start?

Not really. When my friends told me about the segment aspect, I was pretty set on signing up and stealing all the course records (CR’s) I could.

Who do you follow?

I mostly follow friends in Alberta that I’ve known for years.

Who are your top athletes to follow for inspiration?

– Jim Finlayson of Victoria, BC
– Reid Coolsaet of Hamilton, ON
– Rory Linkletter of Provo, UT/Calgary, AB
– Angus Rawling of Calgary, AB/Antigonish, NS

Let’s say there’s runners who aren’t going to compete against you and the marathon world-beaters of the world, why would Strava—or something like it—be good for them? 

Good question. I think runners (of all competition levels) will benefit from Strava because the website has a training log feature under the training dropdown which calculates your weekly totals for distance, time, and elevation gain. It allows you to compare your weeks very easily. I found that when I first started running, the fascinating part of the sport was witnessing your own progression over the weeks/years. That still holds true, and Strava just allows me to witness that in a user-friendly format.

Krista DuChene on Hard Truths: Missing STWM, inspiration at the Army Run and what comes next

By
Ben Kaplan
-

I think I’ll start by quoting my own words from my last Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront (STWM) training update. “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 is all it takes.” I put my head down. I did some ugly work. But I also experienced another glitch so unfortunately I’m throwing in the towel and calling it a season by withdrawing from my hometown and very favourite STWM, the race that was to be my fifteenth marathon in fifteen years, #15in15. Sigh.

A few days before leaving for the Canada Army Run in Ottawa where I was to speak at the pasta dinner and run the half marathon, I did a workout that left my hip flexors feeling tight. I wasn’t overly concerned, particularly because it was the same on both sides. But the right hip lingered and I found myself unable to even walk without some pain. The closer I got to leaving for the weekend, the more racing items I removed from my suitcase. My luggage got lighter and my heart heavier as I knew the inevitable. Two years ago I travelled to Edmonton not knowing if I should race. It made for a very long weekend after deciding I should not. Then, I could walk, but not run, pain-free and had made the wrong call the year before when I raced a half marathon on what I later discovered was a stress fracture, resulting in a femur fracture requiring emergency surgery. It wasn’t bone-related this time, but if you can’t walk normally, you can’t run.

We had planned to use the Canada Army Run half marathon as a good indicator of my fitness. In fact, Coach Dave and I were going to discuss our plan afterwards so that Race Director Alan Brookes could fit me into a suitable pace group. As I ventured onto the Go train, making my way to the Billy Bishop airport, my thinking started to shift. I wasn’t going to make a decision right away, but found myself already pondering how I’d use my extra time and energy when not training. It wasn’t long before I had a full list of projects and plans I could complete during what would likely be my much needed off-season after over-reaching my marathon quota. Over the course of the weekend, my spirits were lifted with the help of friends, Ben Kaplan and Tyler Chacra. I certainly wasn’t going to sit in my hotel room, feeling sorry for myself, when there was so much incredible energy and opportunity around me. Many had told me how amazing the Canada Army run would be and it did not disappoint.

Once I arrived to my hotel room, I was warmly greeted by a lovely fruit plate and bottle of cabernet sauvignon from the race committee. I enjoyed a fun and relaxing evening with Ben and Tyler after they finished their expo duties for the day, and I filled in the blanks for the rest of my weekend since I wouldn’t be running or needing to rest. On Saturday I spent much of the day at the expo, doing interviews, and taking selfies with fans at the iRun booth. I headed back to the hotel to get ready before returning to speak at the pasta dinner with Christine Gauthier, a Canadian soldier who dislocated her spine in a training accident, leaving her in a wheelchair. The atmosphere at the pasta dinner was incredible. I was beginning to learn more about the culture and feel some of the “no soldier left behind” community. The laughter, the jokes, the silence, the respect, the love. It felt like one big family. I knew it would be a weekend of emotion and I hadn’t even seen the famous silent start of the next day’s ill and injured race.

Dinner was served from a military-style kitchen and Christine and I were introduced with an enthusiastic applause. I enjoyed sharing my story of blessings and trials, tying it in with Christine’s inspiring message on resilience. A standing ovation from the audience and personal handshake from Harjit Singh Sajjan, our Minister of National Defence, left me smiling and feeling grateful. The next morning I would see him complete the 5K and half marathon “Commander’s Challenge” as well as Justin Trudeau, our Prime Minister complete the 5K on what ended up being a very hot race day. That’s where my weekend became complete; taking more selfies with fans, doing interviews with Running Room’s John Stanton, cheering for participants, posting to social media, and giving awards at the finish line. It stung a bit when the first female crossed the half marathon finish line, but I fully appreciated the opportunity to experience the Army Run from a perspective I hadn’t anticipated. It truly was what they describe as “No ordinary race.” Coach and Running Room’s Phil Marsh gave me a ride to the airport that included great conversation about potential career opportunities given my nutrition, parenting, and running experience. It was a perfect fit. 

While travelling on the way home I reviewed my calendar and again started filling in the blanks. Coaching my kids’ cross-country and daughter’s hockey teams, taking the Dietitians of Canada’s Intensive Sports Nutrition Course, and starting a “Healthy You” program with my Family Health Team should keep me busy and allow me to best use my extra time and energy in the upcoming months. I’ve already enjoyed baking with my daughter without feeling the need to get off my feet, and tucking her into bed without immediately crawling into my own. Lastly, I accepted the unexpected opportunity from iRun magazine to interview Andre De Grasse and the rest of the men’s 4×100 m relay team for the Six-Minute Marathon initiative to raise awareness for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

And I’m delighted to return as member of the broadcast team for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. When you can’t race, broadcasting is the next best thing.  

I’ll eventually return to some long overdue easy runs on the trails with my good friends, Clayton and James, and start getting the itch to train and race again. I already have a spring marathon in mind, which if completed will allow me to do my sixteenth marathon in sixteen years in the fall, #16in16. And I bet you can guess where that might be.  

The iRun Podcast: September 26th, 2017

By
Rob Eady
-
iRun Radio

Mark Sutcliffe talks RBC, and about the joy of racing for the kids; how one woman ran an ultra marathon over 200 miles, and why it is essential to always, always, wear Vaseline while racing.

Reporting on the Eastside 10K 2017

By
AttheRaces
-

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
-

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
-
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
-
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.

 

1...133134135...336Page 134 of 336
Home to Canada's running community and iRun magazine
© 2020 iRun.ca / Sportstats Inc.