I changed my lifestyle and lost over 100 pounds. One day I decided to run and haven’t stopped. I’m constantly proving to myself that I’m capable of so much more than I ever thought I was. It’s an essential part of my life, and my daughters love running with me now, which is the best feeling in the world.
At 40 years old, I smoked, drank wine almost every night, ate way too much, suffered from chronic pain, had high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. I started running a minute at a time, and in 2015, at the age of 54, I ran the Boston marathon in 3:40:14! I made a miracle happen by working hard and never giving up.
Part 2 of our conversation with Speed River Track & Field/Guelph University coach Dave Scott Thomas. Part 1 here.
On the morning we speak, Dave had just returned from the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Ottawa. Dave reports, “I’m really happy with how it went based on our projections. We had some of our junior athletes punch above their weight and make big breakthroughs.”
Dave still gets fired up at seeing young talent flourish. Highlights included Josh Kellier claiming 4th in the senior men’s steeplechase in his first year as a senior. Josh and teammate Mark Patton both had strong showings in the senior men’s 1500m finals, the youngest runners in that final.
On the under-20 side, Kyle Madden took top spot in the final at that same distance, demonstrating great speed reserve. Ashlan Best also topped the women’s 100m and 200m races and took second at 400m.
Dave describes Speed River as a “complex entity.” The trip to Ottawa alone included a contingent of 60 and at any given time, the Speed River team is spread across multiple countries and continents. While big guns like Eric Gillis and Krista DuChene gear up for the IAAF World Championships and major fall marathons, junior members of the stable are looking ahead to the Pan Am Youth Games.
Dave estimates total membership to be around 200. When it comes to the growth and development of those athletes, Dave says his philosophy is not that unique. “Relationships are at the core of it,” he says. “In very few cases, perhaps the technical aspect of coaching matters more, but trust between the athlete and the coach is crucial.”
The relationships between the athletes prove crucial as well. While Dave humbly claims that good coaching is available across Canada and that with his background in sports management and science, he can “hopefully program good workouts,” athlete development is just as much an artform. “You have to refine these workouts so that it makes sense and fits together. There’s a need to see threads between athletes who can enhance each other,” Dave says.
The density of talent within the club provides endless opportunities for athletes to play off one another and Dave is happy to let the group mix it up. “We’ve had Eric Gillis on the track with our younger 1500m athletes. Eric actually came to me and said he thought it would be good for him and I trust him to know that,” Dave says. National XC champ Ross Proudfoot also enjoys, “having the young guys chomp away at the bit and finishing feeling like they pushed him.”
While admitting that it’s impossible to have a tight knit relationship with every Speed River athlete – which makes Dave extra grateful for his Speed River support staff – there’s hardly a day on which Dave doesn’t have “at least a few athlete meetings where we might just meet for coffee and talk shop, maybe plotting out the next few weeks and working on motivation.”
It’s no secret that running isn’t a bastion of multi-million dollar contracts and lucrative endorsement deals. Dave recognizes that while his athletes have a deep passion for their sport, they know they need more to live a well rounded, more fulfilled life.
Dave takes his role as a mentor very seriously and his sessions with athletes can just as well involve discussions about education, work, and volunteering. “They need more than just ‘living the dream,’” Dave says of his athletes. “You can’t just do track and field. That leaves you thin as a human being.”
In his mind, Dave Scott Thomas hasn’t changed much in thirty years. “My goal is to serve the people I coach as someone who supports and gives them feedback,” Dave concludes. The best he can do is to create an environment where, “People with like attitudes and common minds can come together to brew into this stew of excellence despite differences.”
By Karen Kwan
If you’re in Toronto, don’t miss out on checking out the Nike Women BraHaus Yorkdale, a pop-up shop open until this Sunday, July 30th! We got a chance to check it out before it officially opened and there’s loads in store to help support your sport.
How Eva Redpath styles her workout outfits
First, the sport bras. Book a bra fitting and while at the BraHaus you’ll get to check out a wide range of bras Nike has in their collection. Master Trainer Eva Redpath always gets dressed for her workouts starting with her sport bra and trainers, since those are key elements that are determined by what your workout is that day. For days she’s training people, she tends to stick to the light to medium support range of bras, and on days when she’s doing her own personal training, ie. days her workouts are more intense, she gravitates from the medium to the high support range of bras.
From there, she builds the rest of her outfit based on the details and colours of the bra and shoes, for example, coordinating a bra that has a cute logo on the back with a top that just perfectly shows off this detail. And while she admits she tends to gravitates towards monochromatic outfits, the new bras in Crimson are really speaking to her.
Nike Women’s three new bras
As for what’s new in the Nike Bra collection? There are three key new looks. There’s the Nike Indy Logo Bra, which offers lightweight support and wide straps, and a beautiful criss cross of straps on the back. Then, there’s the medium-impact Nike Zip Bra, which features interior molded cups combined with a compression overlay to provide support via encapsulation and compression. There’s a hidden clasp that you hook first, which makes it easier to zip up the bra. I haven’t tested this style out yet, but the idea of unzipping a sport bra in the front sounds like a much easier task than wrestling your sweaty body out of one after a long, hot run.
And thirdly, there’s the Alpha Bra, which has molded cups that provide support and an encapsulated fit, which gives great shape. This high-impact bra is great for women who have a bigger chest as there are stabilizers to help minimize bounce, and the hook and eye closure means you can make adjustments. In addition, this style’s sizing incorporates cup sizing, too.
Bra shopping tip: While there are suggested sports for each impact level, these aren’t hard-set rules, but just a guideline to help you explore and find the right bra for you. A low impact bra will have a different level of elasticity in terms of the materials it’s made of, but for a woman with a smaller chest, if she’s comfortable in that bra and feels that “the girls” are supported, she can go and wear that bra for her higher impact sports, such as running, but also for her lower impact sports such as yoga. By all means, do some jumps, squats, sun salutations–whatever movements you plan on doing in the bra during your fitting to make sure there’s nothing distracting or uncomfortable about the bra. (And speaking of yoga, the NTC app has just been updated with more yoga workouts!).
Besides the bra collection, the BraHaus is worth a visit as there is a braid bar, a matcha beverage bar (cheers!), and you can get your polaroid photo taken and then snap a shot of it with the cute little props at the flatlay station. Oh, and if you make a purchase, there’s a gift of a mix of Nike bands to style your outfits with.
Happy shopping! Post your pics from the BraHaus with #NikeWomen and #irunnation as we’d love to check out your experience there.
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.
My memories of the camping vacations of my childhood are blurry, but there is one tradition I can never forget: bagel eggs. Bagel eggs are nothing fancy—just half a bagel with an egg fried in its centre. I’ll never be able to enjoy them without thinking of the smoky scent of a campfire and the birds chirping in the distance. Often the memories of adventuring are as much about the food you ate as the places you visited.
SERVES 2 AS A MAIN
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 sprigs rosemary
Peel from 1/2 lemon
1 bagel with a hole the size of an egg, split (see headnote)
2 eggs
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREP TIP: Unless your bagels have extra-big holes in the center, you may need to cut the hole slightly larger so the egg doesn’t spill over the top. To determine if the whole is large enough, put the uncracked egg in the center to make sure it fits completely.
DIRECTIONS
ONE: Prepare a campfire for medium heat (see page 167). Put a cast-iron saucepan on the grill rack or set up a tripod over the fire.
TWO: In the saucepan, combine the butter, rosemary, and lemon peel and cook until the butter melts and sizzles. Add the bagel halves, cut-sides down, and crack an egg into the center of each one. Cook until the bottom starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Check the bagel often to keep it from burning. Flip and cook until the egg has completely set, 2 to 3 minutes.
THREE: Remove from the campfire, discard the rosemary and lemon peel, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
This recipe is an excerpt from Vegetarian Heartland, by Shelly Westernhausen, a celebration of life’s adventures in every season. Shelley is a food stylist, photographer and recipe developer who also writes and creates at Vegetarian ‘Ventures.
Recipes Copyright © 2017 Shelly Westerhausen, Photography copyright © 2017 Shelly Westerhausen. Excerpted by permission of Chronicle Books. All rights reserved.
Dave Korell is the footwear product merchandiser for New Balance Canada and he’s been the company’s go-to shoe expert for years. Here, Korell breaks down the details of the brand’s new line of sneakers, called Fuel, and breaks down what makes them special.
Q) There’s lot of shoes on the market, and even lots of shoes made by New Balance. What makes Fuel different?
A) The Fuel category of footwear from New Balance is targeted at a speedy consumer experience. Each of these platforms have a low-to-the-ground ride and provide a midsole that is built for responsiveness. The initial feel will be firmer but that’s intentional because mushy shoes don’t elicit a speedy experience. The Fuel platform contrasts our Fresh Foam platform where the focus there is on straight cushion and softness.
Q) Who’s the shoe for?
A) Speaking of the Fuel Cell specifically, the shoe is built for a consumer that seeks a premium speed experience in a shoe that lasts and looks modern. The platform will be fast where you don’t spend much time sinking into it before the consumer is propelled into the next stride. For the customer who seeks the pinnacle durability in an athletic shoe, the Fuel Cell will also score high grades.
Q) Can you talk a little about the technology, without losing us?
A) In any shoe experience you can manipulate the midsole and/or the upper to change what consumer experience you wish to provide. In the Fuel Cell, the midsole platform is highlighted by a heel-to-toe Nitrogen-infused polyurethane material we call “Fuel.” The objective of this material is to be as lightweight and as durable as possible while being responsive enough so the consumer doesn’t spend time sinking into soft foam. This creates the speed focus. Above the Fuel piece is Revlite foam which is our 30% lighter than EVA midsole material that adds to a lightweight experience with some degree of cushion. With respect to the upper, we have extended the development of the Dynamic Fit Saddle from our loved 2090 into extended coverage in the Fuel Cell, providing a different upper from the popular engineered mesh that is both durable and foot-conforming.
Q) Is there a greater trend happening in running shoes? We’ve seen minimalist sneakers and pronation-correcting sneakers, where are we now with shoe technology and how does Fuel fit into the bigger picture?
A) Fuel Cell is a new take in that softer isn’t always better. While the running shoe industry is currently very foam-based, that is, higher midsole heights and more foam coverage in a maximalist state, the Fuel Cell introduction of extensive firm polyurethane is special. Firmer doesn’t mean bad, firmer means faster and reduced dwell time into a platform. This shoe is built for speed.
Q) Are elite athletes wearing Fuel, and if so, who, and for what kind of running?
A) We’re seeing elite sprinters to middle distance runners enjoying the Fuel Cell and Fuel Core Sonic being that they are spending more time generating power from the forefoot and spending less time on the ground. Specific examples would be World Champion sprinter Trayvon Bromell in the US and closer to home, Canadian Olympic sprinter Khamica Bingham [pictured].
Q) As you develop new sneakers, is part of the evolution of any new shoe coming to market for them to last longer over time? Is there anything particular about Fuel which makes them a good long-term investment?
A) I can say some shoes are built to last longer over time and others aren’t, but this is by design. Some shoes are designed to be extreme lightweight experiences for consumers who seek that out and by nature, these shoes won’t last as long. We can make shoes that will last an extremely long time, but we have to factor in cost that fits the market’s appetite and also the ride and feel of the shoe. The Fuel Cell is targeting durability. Polyurethane by nature is firm-cellular and does not compress as fast as softer foams, so the full-length PU midsole will definitely last longer miles than purely foam-based midsoles.
Part 1 of our conversation with Speed River Track & Field and Guelph University Head Coach Dave Scott Thomas.
Devotees of Canadian running know Eric Gillis in many ways. Three time Olympian Eric Gillis. Canada’s first top ten Olympic marathoner in four decades Eric Gillis. Canada’s most consistently brilliant men’s marathoner Eric GIllis.
Dave Scott Thomas just calls him Gilly. “I feel lucky because there are athletes I get to work with and watch them grow for 10 years,” Dave tells me over the phone from his office at Guelph University. “I’ve worked with Gilly for 15 years now and, I tell ya, he’s got me for life.”
Over the course of a decade and a half, the relationship between coach and athlete has certainly changed. Gillis and the other high profile athletes Scott Thomas works with – a roster that includes Reid Coolsaet, Krista DuChene, Ross Proudfoot, and Evan Esselink – mostly know what’s good for them. In such cases, Scott Thomas says he’s more of a consultant and supporter that’s always on hand when needed.
What hasn’t changed in those 15 years is how much fun Dave and Gilly still have, both still looking ahead with optimism and excitement. “It sounds trite, but this stage of training has been playful and well grounded,” Dave says, referring to GIllis’ build to his first IAAF World Championships in August.
The previous day, “We met on an old country road and hunkered down for 37K and Eric was as good as he’s ever been for that kind of session and still in the range of his best fitness.” Regarding conditioning, Dave reports that Eric was, “…moving well and the biomechanics looked good. We’re also in a good place with fuelling and hydration.”
London will be Eric’s first time competing at the IAAF World Championships. Dave says that Eric has been ready before, but, “The marathon is a weird beast and we’ve chosen to target other races in the past. Beijing, for example, presented a risk factor with the heat and pollution.”
Dave adds that when the fall marathon season rolls around, “There’s a strong sense of patriotism and we want to run in Toronto in the fall. We want Canadian runners running in Canada and [Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Race Director] Alan Brookes does such a great job that Toronto is usually where we want to be in the fall.”
With Gillis planning a move back to his native Antigonish, Nova Scotia later this fall to take up a coaching position at St. Francis Xavier, the timing and Gillis’ excellent conditioning made London a logical choice.
Eric and Dave haven’t yet hammered out a precise plan for London, but if Eric is healthy, “We’ll gun for another top ten.” Once the official start list is available, Dave will look 40-50 competitors deep to examine their progression and tweak the game plan accordingly.
The expectations going into Worlds are cautiously optimistic, just as they were prior to Rio, but Dave is excited. “In Rio we targeted the high end of our expectations and nailed it,” Dave recounts, adding that, “Eric is still that fit now.”
Dave still speaks of Eric with the enthusiasm one would accord a new protege with massive potential. The two still feel there’s work to be done even at this stage of what’s been a very fruitful partnership. Summing up the relationship, Dave exclaims, “It’s been a gift to work with Gilly. I can still show up on a country road to hand him bottles and have fun doing it.”
All this month, we’re highlighting different stories about New Balance and New Balance athletes, like Ross Proudfoot, who wrote this about maximizing your running this summer.
At iRun, we love music and musicians who run and we love to hear runner’s playlist suggestions. We’re doing a contest all this week about The One Song That Changed My Life, what’s your favourite running song and when did it get you out of a pickle?
I know my song exactly. Running the Boston Marathon and everything fell apart and I was feeling despondent until the live version of Nothing As it Seems by Pearl Jam came on. I started jogging again, and playing air guitar, and my spirits lifted from the gutter to the sky.
Here’s Reid on his favourite song, Gimme Shelter.
“Before I ran STWM in 2011 I was listening to “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones. It was really windy that day so the line: “If I don’t get some shelter I’m going to fade away,” spoke to me in terms of sticking with the main pack. I was able to stay with the leaders until 37km and that made the difference for me dipping under 2:11:00 for the first time.”
What’s the song that got you across the finish line?
A recent study analyzing the running style of Usain Bolt, the faster sprinter in history, has found him to have an erratic running stride. His right leg hits the track with 13% more force than his left leg, according to researchers at Southern Methodist University. This means that his left leg remains on the ground 14% longer than his right leg. So the question is: if he evened out his stride, if both legs hit the ground with equal force and remained on the ground for the same time, could the fastest man of all-time be even faster? And fundamentally, what interests us about this is how it pertains to your own running: Should you have your gait analyzed and corrected?
After reading the study from Southern Methodist and gathered from my own reporting on the matter in the book Feet, Don’t Fail Me Now, I believe the answer is no. Here’s a takeaway from the report on Bolt: “Correcting his asymmetry would not speed him up and might even slow him down,” Peter Weyand, director of the SMU lab, said. “It could be an unnatural gait for him.”
I’ve been watching my 6-year-old run all summer long and she has the most beautiful natural form. Running comes naturally to us as we ran to hunt down our prey in prehistoric times before we’d even developed hunting weapons. Running is in our DNA. It’s something we fundamentally know how to do. And there’s all sorts of things that can help runners, from gait-correcting sneakers that reduce pronation to detailed stride analysis that will help us land on our forefoot instead of our heels. But like the pronation-controlled shoes weren’t able to bring down the rate of running injuries, a gait-correction might not be best for Usain Bolt. Odds are your running can be improved by one thing: run more.
Benno Nigg is one of the most famous running injury experts and biomechanic superstars in the world. For years he ran the Human Performance Lab at the University of Calgary and he’s been employed by almost every big sneaker company to help them design sneakers. It was his research that led to the pronation-correcting shoe market. I spoke to him awhile back and asked him what was the world’s best sneaker. Of course he had no answer. There’s no “perfect,” sneaker, just the perfect sneaker for you. And very few of us need sneakers to adjust our running style. He told me he wished he never even thought up “pronation-correcting,” as a shoe design.
“So how would you advise your mom to pick out her next pair of shoes?” I asked him.
“I would tell her to try on several pairs,” he said, “and whichever ones felt best, I’d tell her to buy those.”
Running can be arduous. Results can be hard to earn. It’s tempting to want to make improvements. And there’s a billion-dollar industry designed to sell you products that help. But reading that study on Usain Bolt—where physicists deduced down to 0.03 seconds of peak impact force—and having their grand conclusion be something along the lines of: “let’s just leave his running style alone,” I think it serves as a good reminder for everyone: How you run is most likely the way that you should run. Running is natural and for proof, watch any 6-year-old at the park. It doesn’t take a physicist to determine that a smile on your face will go a lot further toward meeting your race goals than time spent in a lab or a session of kinesiology.
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