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Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Blog Page 136

Into the Wild: Mark Sutcliffe’s Prescription for a Hometown Adventure

By
MarkSutcliffe
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In the prehistoric days before GPS devices, in the ancient time of phone books, Blockbuster stores and fax machines, we often didn’t know how fast we were running until we crossed the finish line. It was like taking a picture and not knowing how it turned out until two weeks later when the prints came back from the store.

But our new-fangled, science-fiction timing devices do more than just give us instant results. They also allow us to roam free, without planning our runs in advance. In the era of CDs and pay phones, if I had a training run of a prescribed distance, I would map it out beforehand. I’d zero the odometer and drive a route in my car, or use a piece of string to measure it on a map (they used to print them!).

Now, I have some regular routes that I follow, but I often leave the house and make it up as I go along. On Sunday, hoping to run 25k, I had no planned route. When I reached the end of my street, I turned toward downtown Ottawa, figuring I would do a loop of about 5k before turning back and doing one of my familiar routes in the other direction. But as I passed the Canadian War Museum, I thought, why not cross the bridge into Quebec and run there for a while?

Before too long, I was on a path I hadn’t traversed in a long time. I figured I’d turn around after about 8k and then tack on some additional mileage once I got closer to home. But the route was quiet and scenic and I just kept going. I passed the occasional runner or cyclist but otherwise it was very secluded. One of the great things about Ottawa is that you don’t have to go far to be surrounded by nature. I was still only a few kilometres from my house – and even closer to Parliament Hill – and I was almost alone on a remote recreational path.

In unfamiliar territory, especially one with many sights to see, time can pass more quickly than on well-known ground. I found myself relishing the opportunity to explore. I have a good sense of direction, but often I had only a rough idea of where I was. But I knew I could always turn around and find my way home. The farther I ran, the more excited I became about discovering new sights. Where would this path take me next?

I crossed a bridge over a small waterway, then found myself alongside the Gatineau River. Soon I was looping around Lac Leamy in a picturesque park. Then I was back in the woods.

Modern technology is often maligned for keeping us tethered, but in this case it had allowed me to go deep into nature, to wander and ramble spontaneously. At 12.5k, I reluctantly turned around. The only comfort was knowing that next week, with 30k on my schedule, I have a chance to go even farther.

7 Strength and Stretching Moves To Keep You Running Strong

By
Anna Lee Boschetto
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Jordan Cieciwa is on a mission to make functional training fun and get everyday athletes tuned in to sport specific training. With a background in applied health and kinesiology, Cieciwa has worked with everyone from couch potatoes to weekend warriors to pro athletes, and is on a mission to show Canadians how easy and daily physical fitness really is. 

A thousand steps forward, and no steps sideways. That’s running in a nut shell. It’s not a problem if you don’t intend on being injury free as long as possible. The beauty of modern exercise science is that we know how to exercise to prevent injury, we call it “prehab”. We know it, but most of us aren’t putting our know-how to practice, which can seriously hurt in the long run.

Runners often fall into an all-or-nothing mindset. Not only in running, but in other areas of life. There definitely is a “type” who take running seriously. The world needs more people like this, however, your hips, knees, and lower back could use a bit of a helping hand.

While gym time gets pitched as a be-all-end-all for fitness where 45 to 60 minutes is required after kicking in your training for your next race, few runners have that much extra time. But there’s no doubt runners are missing out, when they decide the gym isn’t for them, and rule out cross training all together. It’s that all or nothing, mindset but just because you can’t spend an hour on strength training, there really is still a way you can make your muscles work better for you. Give up 10-12 minutes and here’s how you can show your muscles a few new tricks. 

Four Strength and Balance Moves

ONE: Balance on one foot, and try to touch the ground in 4 quadrants. Incredible for creating a stable ankle, knee, and hip. 60 seconds each leg. Slow and controlled movements.

TWO: Side squats, and a focus on lateral motion. When all you do is move straight all the time, it’s a good idea to move side to side with control. 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps each leg.

THREE: Laying side kick for a glute stabilizing focus. Big shout out to pilates for runners, it’s one of the best methods of exercise for endurance athletes. No need to go to a full class, just steal a few great moves. Sets of 8-10 reps each leg

FOUR: Hip bridge:  Get that mobility through the hips, and engage the hamstrings.

Three Quick Stretching Exercises 

ONE: Glute wall stretch is critical for relieving some of that strain on the low back runners experience. Do not forget to stretch your glutes and let them relax post training, it is a critical mistake many runners make. It will catch up with you.

TWO: Hip flexor stretch is critical to maintaining balance in the hip while running, and in daily life. Many of the greatest runners have day jobs, and most day jobs have us sitting. It is critical to longevity to make sure we stretch out our hip flexors.

THREE: Calf Stretch for real after a run or as part of this mini circuit. Take care of those pure over worked muscles and watch as your times improve immensely.

The strength and stretch can be done together, or as two separate workouts in the day. If you follow the guidelines of being healthy at work, you should be getting up and moving every hour. These quick routines will give you a reason to move. While the goal is to try to fit in least once a day, but there is no reason not to pick and choose a few of your favorites and work them in every hour.

Jordan Cieciwa is a Winnipeg-based corporate wellness coach, personal trainer and fitness professional. For more daily fitness advice, follow Jordan’s and his stand-out pup Gracie on Twitter and Instagram.

 

 

Dayna Pidhoresky: Always Forward

By
Ravi Singh
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Dayna Pidhoresky says it's important to avoid the "all or nothing mentality " when it comes to setting goals. Image courtesy of Dayna Pidhoresky.

True Grit

Dayna Pidhoresky has grit. Her story proves it. An injury prone university running career only left room for “a few decent races.” In 2016, the Chevron Houston Marathon, her first attempt at the distance, resulted in running’s most dreaded letters, DNF.

In 2017, the story has been markedly different. Following a victory at the Around the Bay 30K (1:47), Ms. Pidhoresky took the crown as the top Canadian woman at the Ottawa Marathon (2:36) in May—a gritty performance in itself in another year marked by needlessly cruel heat in the nation’s capital. That performance took her to London in August, where she represented Canada in the marathon at the IAAF World Championships.

Perseverance hasn’t been a force in Dayna’s running for just the last few years. She’s been coming back and growing as an athlete since joining cross country in grade school two decades ago. She remembers exactly what hooked her—“I liked beating the boys!”

Grit, according to psychologist and author Angela Duckworth, begins with the interest and romance triggered by thrilling experiences like annihilating the competition early on.

It’s not so simple, however, as just enjoying what you do and thriving off rewards. It’s cultivating that initial spark and deepening it through learning and practice over time. From there, interest becomes passion and passion is powerful.

Dayna credits her father with helping lay the foundation for that growth. “I don’t think he cared if I ran or not,” Dayna says, “but he certainly made sure that if I committed to something I had to follow through, even if it meant just running a couple loops of the park after school.”

Scene on the marathon course at the IAAF World Championships in London, where Dayna represented Canada in the marathon. Image source: Dayna Pidhoresky.

Now, working with coach and husband Josh Seifarth, curiosity and commitment continue to nourish progress. As Dayna describes Seifarth, “He’s the brains behind everything and a student of the sport who’s always learning, which I think is paramount. We experiment with different training and our approach is very much dynamic.”

It’s that constant work and learning that’s made Dayna an already 20 year veteran of running who still finds “newness” in her sport, insistent that she has “many more years left in these legs and a multitude of goals I’ve yet to achieve.”

Always Forward

Less than three months separated Dayna’s triumph in Ottawa from the IAAF World Championships in the UK capital.

“The timeline was tough,” Dayna acknowledges. “I was very happy to not have any residual soreness or injuries post-Ottawa, but I struggled to run the prescribed paces for a couple of weeks while building back. Eventually, my body came around, but it was very stressful to wonder if that would ever happen.”

“We got to London having done everything we could in the time allotted,” Dayna says. Jim Bowie of Granville Physio in Vancouver, praised by Dayna as having a sixth sense when it comes to her treatment, helped keep things in check during the interim. In London, she also had the accompaniment of Kimen Petersen from Petersen Wellness Clinic to provide treatment right up to and after the race.

“Despite feeling like I severely underperformed, my confidence is actually at an all-time high. I know I have what it takes to be up there with those girls.”
Image Credit: Bjorn Paree

The physical recovery appeared sufficient, but the mental game was its own unique beast. “I think my mind was more fatigued than my body! I now fully understand why people don’t race marathons so close together,” Dayna says.

The goal going in was to run conservatively with a 3:40/km pace and gradually pick off competitors with a hard finish. Dayna would run a 2:56 for a 70th place finish, working out to thirty seconds behind goal pace.

Dayna does express some disappointment in the final result, feeling that she was prepared to run a solid race despite the quick turnover from Ottawa to London. Unfortunately, race day proved to be a struggle. Dayna recalls, “From the start, my legs felt like lead and never came around.”

In the aftermath of disappointment, the passion and studious approach to running meant that London yielded lessons rather than regret. Dayna says with hopefulness, “Despite feeling like I severely underperformed, my confidence is actually at an all-time high. I know I have what it takes to be up there with those girls.”

Much like the adrenalin that came with beating the boys at her first tryout, her first taste of the world stage left Dayna, “feeling excited to get back to training so I can target a top 10 finish in the future.”

 

Dayna will again leverage her thirst for learning and experimentation to refine each element of her training and performance. She’s certain, “I can safely increase my mileage, dial in on race-day nutrition, and focus on the little details to help me stay healthy so I can continue to string together more training blocks.”

With only three marathons in the books, Dayna is not convinced that she’s reached her potential and won’t walk away leaving questions about it unanswered. Dayna states with conviction, “I don’t like to regret things and I also believe I can accomplish so much more. Those two in combination propel me forward. Always forward.”

  • Ravi Singh

Divas Running Series Goes West

By
AttheRaces
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After a successful Toronto event earlier this summer, the Divas Running Series will continue to expand across Canada with a debut race in Calgary, on June 24, 2018. As North America’s largest female-focused running series, event organizers are looking forward to attracting running from across North America to experience Calgary’s distinct western Canadian vibe.

With half marathon and 5K distances, the Divas Running Series engages runners at all levels, and collaborates with the local running community. As part of the collaboration, the Divas Series has teamed up with Rethink Breast Cancer, an organization which supports young women with breast cancer. Registration is now open for the Calgary event, and until August 31, 2017 runners can save up to 25 percent on both the 5K and half marathons.

Turn Your Scotiabank Marathon Into A Fundraiser for SickKids

By
Anna Lee Boschetto
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Leonard is fairly new to running. But he and his family have a long-time SickKids connection. “I’ve worked here 14 years now,” he says, “my mom’s been with SickKids 40 years, and my sister 11. My youngest sister just started in the ER as a registration clerk. Combined, I think we have 66 years of history here.” Leonard will be taking on his biggest challenge so far by running the half-marathon course at the Scotiabank Marathon on October 22.

“Funnily enough,” he says, “I wouldn’t consider myself a runner. This year, I decided to challenge myself physically.” His first race was a 5k mud run. “I survived,” he says, with a laugh, “so I thought, ‘OK, what’s next?’” He was on his way.

Today, Leonard works with SickKids Foundation as a fundraiser, but the first part of his career was spent with the hospital, working internationally in Doha, Qatar, and most recently in South Africa, getting the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital up and running. His international experience informs his decision to fundraise for SickKids when he runs. “An institution of this calibre has developed so much expertise in pediatric care, education and research – we need to share it with the world. I strongly believe where you live shouldn’t determine if you live. That’s our vision – healthier children, a better world.”

Leonard encourages anyone who’s running to do it for SickKids. And he’s got advice for those, like him, who are developing as runners: “If you’d asked me even a year ago if I could run 5k without passing out, I would’ve said ‘no’. But you just have to keep pushing yourself. Maybe next year, I’ll do a full marathon. We’ll see.”

Meet Team Canada’s Invictus Athletes: Master Corporal Jason Israel

By
Ravi Singh
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Jason Israel and team mate Blaise Lapointe at athletics practice in Victoria, BC, during Team Canada’s first training camp in April, 2017.

The Invictus Games will take place in Toronto from September 23-30. Ill or injured service members, including 90 active or retired Canadian service members, will compete in 11 adaptive competitions. In the leadup to the games, we’re excited to introduce some of the athletes who will represent Canada.

Team Canada’s participation in the 2017 Invictus Games is supported by the Canadian Armed Forces’ Soldier On Program in partnership with Invictus Games Toronto.

Jason Israel has served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 15 years, service which includes three tours in Afghanistan. At the Invictus Games, Jason will represent Canada as a sprinter in the 100, 200, 400, 1500m, and relay events, an opportunity he describes as “…an honour to represent Canada in a different way other than a service member defending our country.”

Founded by Prince Harry, the mission of the Invictus Games is to honour and support those who have faced adversity in serving their country through the rehabilitative power of sport.

Jason is one of many service members for whom that adversity has come in the form of an Occupational Stress Injury (OSI). According to Veterans Affairs Canada, an OSI is classified as, “…any persistent psychological difficulty resulting from operational duties performed while serving in the Canadian Armed Forces or as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.”

Jason Israel and Team Canada co-captain Natacha Dupuis sprint in Victoria, BC, during Team Canada’s first training camp in April, 2017.

As Jason describes his experience, “Being diagnosed with an OSI, I have been challenged in several different ways. My day to day functioning has changed significantly and I have been through a lot of support systems to make the best of my situation.”

Running became one of the tools by which Jason gradually found himself stepping out of the post-trauma mindset. He began with long runs “…when I needed to clear my head or burn off energy.” Even so, the side effects of medication and trauma itself were still present.

Support systems were vital to helping Jason navigate those obstacles. First, there was his family, his wife of 10 years Amanda and children Jakob (8), Grace (7), and Kaleb (3).

The opportunity to represent Canada at the Invictus Games also provided Jason with the purpose and motivation he needed to counter the sometimes draining process of dealing with injuries. Jason says, “I frequently realized how easy it is to regress toward the negative side effects, but having a focus can provide a source of motivation to move forward.”

Further support came from training camps held at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in BC and Kingston. The experience of both camps allowed members of Team Canada to train together twice a day, eat together, and build solidarity in working through their respective journeys as athletes and individuals.

Jason’s relationship with running was also strengthened. According to Jason, “Overcoming the effects of my OSI has been difficult but through my running I am becoming more aware of what my mind and body need.”

Jason’s newest tattoo.

Jason hopes that his recovery can serve as an example and symbol of hope for fellow injured service members. Jason’s message to them is, “There will be ups and downs, easier days and harder days, but know that there’s support through several different programs. Seek out the help you need so that you can make the best of your situation.”

When soldiers engage in battles in life and on duty, so too do their families. The road to the Invictus Games is not just about healing individuals, but families and communities.

When it comes to the impact of the Invictus Games and Soldier On, Jason says, “I would like Canadians to know that the families have also seen great changes in their lives. My family has felt so much appreciation and support, more than ever before, during the lead up to these games.”

  • Ravi Singh

Training runs: the good, the bad, the time to start over

By
Ben Kaplan
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They don’t all go well.

It would be nice if every training run started with hope and optimism and finished with satisfaction and fulfilment, the target met, the bar cleared, the aches and pains merely a symptom of a job well done. But sometimes there is a different outcome.

On Saturday, my goal was to run 30 kilometres: 5k to warm up, then 20k at my marathon pace and the last 5k at half-marathon pace. I enjoy the challenge of these fast-finish runs and in the past they’ve strengthened my body and fuelled my confidence as I strived to run faster marathons.

I started a bit later than normal (I had returned late from Montreal the night before after watching Denis Shapovalov win his quarter-final match at the Rogers Cup). There was a risk of thunderstorms and it was supposed to be overcast, but after a few drops of light rain, the clouds parted and it became sunny and muggy. In my first loop of about 15k, everything was on track. But soon the heat and humidity caught up with me.

I maintained my pace through 20k, but each kilometre was harder than the last. Maintaining my current pace was starting to seem more and more daunting, to say nothing of the prospect of increasing my speed by 15 seconds per kilometre for the final stretch. For the 25th kilometre, I ran as hard as I could. When it ended, there just happened to be a bench alongside the path. I sat down, drenched in sweat.

After two minutes of rest, I got up and jogged home. The final 5k were supposed to be the fastest of my day, but they were by far the slowest. I was disappointed but not defeated. If you knock every run out of the park, then you’re probably not training hard enough. The reason these runs are such good tests is because they are hard. It was still a solid long run. And there will be another chance to prove myself next week.

Fall marathon training and dreams with Eric Bang

By
Ben Kaplan
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For the next 12 weeks, we’re working with Toronto runner Eric Bang, who will be journaling his moonshot marathon journey. (Eric, in addition to being a genuinely great human being is the fastest Nike+ Run Club pacer in Toronto and is feeling inspired following a trip earlier this year to Monza, Italy to stand front row to Nike’s Breaking2). Posting bi-monthly, Eric will share everything from his aspirations to his training schedule as he prepares for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in October, with the ambitious goal of breaking 2:25.

This summer, he won the Toronto Pride and Remembrance 5K and he believes that whatever he accomplishes mirrors what you can do: it takes the same amount of effort for all of us to lace up our shoes.

Meet Eric Bang, a runner who’s chasing big dreams

I stood on the start line of my first marathon in 2012, very unprepared for the task before me and very unaware of the impact the next 42.2km would have on my life.

The experience made me want more out of myself and out of my body. It wasn’t an overnight change. The marathon pulled me in slowly, showing me that you get what you put in. Over the last several years I have put a lot into my training and I have gotten a lot out of it. The process has been more rewarding and gratifying than I ever expected.

The thing about running is that from the beginner to the well-seasoned elites, we are all going through a very similar process. Our paces and our times may vary but the commitment that we made and the effort we give is all the same. We stand on the start line having shared the same journey and ready to share the same experience.

This past May I had the amazing experience of standing sideline in Monza, Italy at Nike’s Breaking2 attempt. The experience made me think about my own goals and potential. I looked at the goals that I set for myself in the past and thought of how I arrived at them. It made me wonder how real they were and more importantly, if they were actually limitations that I self-imposed.

If there is one thing I took away from Breaking2, it’s that no person is limited. I don’t want to limit myself by setting goals based on what I think I can achieve. I want to set bigger goals for myself based on what I want to achieve, what I aspire to achieve, and what I believe in my heart that I can do.

Normally my motto is: trust in the training. This time around I’ve adapted that motto to be more personal and instead of simply trusting in the training, I’m going to trust and believe in myself as well.

My long-term goal is to dip under 2:20:00, and I am looking to take a big step towards that goal by going for 2:25:00 in Chicago. So I hope you’ll join me, on my journey between now and then, and I’ll share my progress, challenges, and wins along the way.

See you out there and, if you have any questions, please feel free to fire away. I promise I’ll answer the best that I can.

How Group Running Improves Mental Health

By
Anna Lee Boschetto
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Everyone has their own reasons for why they run. But in some situations, a workout can be a matter of life or death. Inside the world of running as a safety net.

By: Ron Johnson

Running is about health, fitness, community, mental health, love, challenge, remembrance and much more. Every weekend, there’s races across the country raising awareness and dollars for important causes. But what if there’s more to the power of pounding the pavement than signing up sponsors and hitting PBs? Maybe running can help tackle some of our more pressing problems in society.

In First Nations communities across Canada, young people are five to six times more likely to commit suicide than any place else in the country. Addiction runs rampant. Can running help? It’s far from a silver bullet, but Maggie MacDonnell thinks so.

MacDonnell, educational consultant for the Kativik School Board in Salluit, an Inuit community on the northern edge of Quebec, describes incorporating running in her work with at-risk children.  

“After the suicide of a popular, well-loved youth, one of my runners immediately came to the fitness centre,” MacDonnell says. “He was in a state of shock and that loss made him vulnerable. This youth deals with a lot of challenges as it is—including his own battles with addiction. But that night he transferred all those emotions into working out. I was so inspired by him.”

Before Salluit, MacDonnell spent a decade involved in sport as a means of youth and community development in places such as Tanzania and Botswana. She studied human kinetics at St. Francis Xavier University and received her master’s from the Faculty of Physical Education and Health at the University of Toronto.

When MacDonnell arrived, she began by inviting anyone in the community to evening runs with her and her husband. Then came working with the community to open a fitness centre and establishing the Salluit Run Club for local kids, which has turned many lives around in a town of 1,300.

“These runners carry so much intergenerational trauma on their shoulders,” she says. “A lot of the youth in particular are dealing with enormous issues—housing crisis, suicidal thoughts, addictions, they may have dropped out of school. You have to connect with them first and then connect them with running.”

MacDonnell chose running as a fitness challenge to keep local residents engaged in a healthy lifestyle over the long term.

“It seemed like all sorts of bodies and abilities were welcome,” she says. “There were different race lengths. I could bring my alpha competitive athletes, but also people who were just starting to run/walk or who were on a weight loss journey or who were exercising for reasons of mental health. Everyone fit in.”

The club hatched plans to travel outside their community to race, first to the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon in Nova Scotia—which they did for three consecutive years—and then on to a race in Hawaii, the subject of a moving documentary. Jason Alariaq was part of the team that ran Hawaii.

“The training was harder than the run,” Alariaq says. “I quit smoking marijuana and went back to school. It helps [me] cope with my thoughts and it’s another way to heal from all the problems in the town.”

Next up for the Salluit runners, a spring half-marathon in Barbados.

The benefits of the Salluit Run Club are, according to MacDonnell: improved sleep; significant weight loss; improved self-esteem; new healthy coping strategies for stress; improved endurance; quitting cigarettes and marijuana; returning to school; improved attendance; new social support networks; improved eating habits; improved motivation; and the benefits associated with travel and exposure to new places and cultures.

Perhaps the most important gift these kids receive from their running is pride in oneself and seeing themselves as ambassadors for their community.

Fundraising continues to be difficult and travelling outside of the small community is expensive, but they get it done. The club fundraised for eight months to raise the $30,000 required for their last race in a community that has one of Canada’s highest rates of poverty. There’s no shoe store in Salluit. And while some of these issues and benefits are similar to those faced by teens in Canada’s major cities, here they’re amplified many times over thanks to a devastating history.

Dan McGann is a clinical social worker with a focus on teens dealing with depression, anxiety, ADHD and mood disorders. He tells the story of a kid in Mississauga, Ont., grappling with serious depression issues. One day, this kid walked to nearby railway tracks in Port Credit intent on killing himself. His little brother clung to his leg like a vice and wouldn’t let go.

As part of his treatment, he entered McGann’s run group therapy program out of Credit Valley Hospital. It helped turn his life around, and years later, he gives talks to other kids about, amongst other things, how running helped save his life.

McGann was inspired to begin the program after confronting his own issues with depression that led him to embrace running. It’s been in operation for eleven years and helped countless teens and their families. It’s also been embraced by dozens of schools in the area and as far as Victoria, B.C., and the United Kingdom.

McGann speaks of a wealth of research supporting running programs, including the work of Dr. John Ratey, author of Spark, as well as the research team at the McMaster Children’s Hospital. It’s what runners intuitively know, how our sport makes us feel great about ourselves, releases feel-good hormones, provides moments of clarity and the freedom to be alone with one’s thoughts.

“Running turned out to be something I love,” he says. “It’s transformed my life.”

What both programs have in common is the idea of giving back. People that have come through McGann’s program regularly return to speak to members of the community, some of whom are just be getting started.

In Salluit, it’s more difficult due to the vast distances between communities, but they’re trying. After the release of their documentary film, MacDonnell and the runners did a five-village speaking tour.

“Thanks to those presentations, we were able to recruit coaches and runners in new villages,” MacDonnell says. Yes, running is making a difference. Yes, the resilience demonstrated by the kids in Salluit continues to be a source of inspiration for MacDonnell. But she’s realistic and understands the bigger picture is dire.

“Running helps develop resilience in these youth, but they shouldn’t have to be so damn resilient,” she says. “They face too much, from decades of public underfunding, a housing crisis, food insecurity and high rates of addiction. As a country, I wish we’d address these issues swiftly and comprehensively.”

In the meantime, like the rest of us, they run.

What Andre De Grasse Means to You

By
Anna Lee Boschetto
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Some of the world’s most popular track athletes are Canadians. But is that enough to encourage our kids to run and bolster attendance at this country’s largest events? Sean Tierney talks to the stars and looks at the numbers.

“It’s an extra adrenaline boost.”

Melissa Bishop, racing close to her hometown of Eganville, Ont., exhaled these words to reporters moments after winning her 800m women’s semifinal at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Ottawa, Ont.

“A lot of fans in the stands right now and a lot of close supporters that have been with me on this journey for a long time. They finally get to see me race at home and that’s really special.”

It was an intriguing message. Despite having her sights set on the IAAF World Championships in London, Bishop’s words were grounded and familiar. In fact, the two-time Olympian sounded just like the average weekend warrior, thanking her family and friends for waiting at the finish line to show their support.

Bishop’s no starry-eyed newcomer. She has performed on the biggest international stages—at the London Summer Olympics in 2012 and in Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Still, the soon-to-be 29-year-old posted a time of 2:00:26, three seconds ahead of second place, and didn’t sound much different than an average Sunday runner competing in a local 5K after her win:

“I’m going to go home tonight, get something to eat…Try to get a few hours of sleep.”

Bishop’s appreciative comments about the overwhelming crowd support underlined the strong relationship shared between runners with their family, friends and fans.

Andre De Grasse, Canada’s most recognizable track star today, competed in the 100m and 200m runs in Ottawa. Despite rainy conditions on the evening of the 100m final, the stands at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility came to life when De Grasse emerged from the starting blocks area, waving and clapping as he was introduced pre-race.  

In the 100m final, De Grasse posted a 10.11 second finish, just ahead of second place finisher Brendon Rodney (10.18 seconds) and veteran, fan-favourite Gavin Smellie (10.23 seconds). De Grasse, already the 200m Canadian record holder, followed this up with a smooth victory in the 200m race, posting a strong time of 19.96 seconds.

Still, the 22-year-old Scarborough, Ont., native was clearly disappointed. De Grasse said that he didn’t he didn’t “give the fans what that came to see.” That is, of course, a sub-10 second time. That kind of finish would have boded well for De Grasse for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

But preparation for international competition wasn’t the sticking point for De Grasse. Instead, it was the disappointment that he hadn’t given the Ottawa crowds the show they wanted. The show they deserved.

De Grasse humbly thanked fans and generously gave his time to reporters after competing. He patiently answered questions long after his race finished, while his teammates jokingly hollered, “Come on, Dre!” from the sidelines, beckoning De Grasse to the podium.

Canada’s young star finished his fan love-in by signing hundreds, maybe thousands, of autographs. He seemed genuinely surprised that so many fans were interested in connecting with him. Nonetheless, De Grasse was cognizant of his connection with his fans and was a bit distraught about his time when talking with reporters after winning the 100m final.

“I’m really grateful to be healthy, happy to get the win…I felt like I was ready to run a fast time. I’m a little disappointed I couldn’t give the fans what they wanted.”

John Halvorsen is the current president and race director of Run Ottawa and a former Olympian, competing for Norway in the ’88 and ’92 Summer Olympics. Halvorsen’s perspective on the relationship between athlete, local runner and fan is unique, coming from his background as an elite athlete now charged with promoting the sport of running in a local way.

“Clearly, we’re lucky to have Andre and Melissa as world-class stars,” he says. “The athletes understand that we’re in a sport that’s struggling to gain media attention in North America. They totally appreciate when a big crowd comes out.”

Halvorsen nails it: competing with the major sports in North America has proven challenging for track and field as an attractive athletics option. Studies show that the participation rate among youth (ages 6-17) in track and field dropped almost 11 percent in 2016, part of a nationwide trend in the U.S.

A similar trend is sweeping Canada, where researchers have noted falling participation rates across sports. Since 1992, there has been a 17% drop in sports participation rate among those age 15 and older. The Community Foundations of Canada issued its Vital Signs Sport & Belonging report in 2010, which noted that three out of four youth aged 5-17 are active in some sport but “participation rates peak at age 10 to 13 and then decline steadily and dramatically with age.”

So, what’s the connection with Canada’s running stars?

“When athletes cater to the spectators, it brings everything together,” Halvorson says.

For Canadian stars like De Grasse and Bishop, who acknowledge the role of their family, friends, and fans, it’s a chance to help rekindle a love of sport in the spectators.

“It’s tough to defeat the fish that are from other ponds,” Halverson says. “It’s important for stars [like De Grasse and Bishop] to run at home. It motivates local runners to be on the same track and to be around the stars. The stars are just regular people too. But they’re heroes in their communities. This all feeds off of one another.”

While the likes of De Grasse and Bishop only race on the same track as Canada’s upper crust of runners, long-distance road races in the country do continue to draw higher-profile personalities looking for opportunities to run. Eric Gillis, Rachel Cliff, Lanni Marchant and Krista DuChene are only some of the marathon stars who participate on our biggest road racing events. Still, star power can only drive this sport so far.

Accessibility to big name runners—whether as a fan in the stands or a competitor toeing the starting line of a road race—is important for growing the running profile in Canada.

But there are issues that even Canada’s best athletes can’t do much to counter with autographs, shout-outs to fans or endless interviews. Halverson noted that Canada’s widely dispersed population and a proliferation of small running events in local areas keeps amateur runners from attending marquee events with larger crowds. Access to equipment needed to host a race—online registrations, electronic race timers and prizes—have lowered the bar for entry of race organizers. On one hand, serving local communities with nearby races can help foster grassroots growth in race sports. But on the other hand, a proliferation of smaller events prevents opportunities for large groups in major city centres from coming together en masse, drawing in major stars, sponsorship and interest.

It’s a tough balancing act.

These are problems that, for now, aren’t going away. And, perhaps one day, Bishop or De Grasse may follow in Halverson’s footsteps and take on a leadership role with a running organization or doing other work to promote the sport.

For now, these two and the rest of the Canadian contingent are focused on their preparatory work in advance of the 2020 games. Tune in to follow their results—you may just find yourself inspired to run.

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