Running 10K as an elite: Kait Toohey’s report from the Vancouver Sun Run

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April 27, 2017

This past weekend I was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to Vancouver for the first time to race the Sun Run 10km to kick off my spring season. When I arrived in Vancouver on Friday, I learned that a phenomenal field of elite women had been assembled and I felt excited (but also a little intimidated) for the opportunity to run in such a deep, competitive field.

After arriving in Vancouver, my roommate (Victoria Coates) and I went on a shake out run and took in the beautiful mountain scenery along the sea wall to Stanley Park. On Friday evening we went to a reception with the race sponsors and organizers, which was a great way to start off the weekend and meet everyone. Victoria and I had both flown in from Toronto on Friday and we were feeling the time change and long day of travel by the end of the evening, so we went to bed early and slept in on Saturday morning to wake up feeling rested.

On Saturday we had a relaxing day, continued to adjust to the time change, went on a course tour, met a few more athletes, and enjoyed the hospitality of Coordinator Maurice Wilson and Host Olivia. After going for an early dinner, we returned to the hotel to rest and prepare for race day.

On race morning, we woke up to cloudy skies but no rain, a light wind and a temperature of 9C, good conditions. Victoria and I jogged an easy warm up, crossed our fingers that the rain would hold off, and got ready to race. It was a fast, downhill start and I got caught up in the excitement and went out in 3:10 for the first km (whoops!) with a strong pack. I had no business going out that fast, but it happened. I fell back a bit to my goal pace of 3:35 for the next couple of km, and then had trouble maintaining my turnover. At this point, I slipped back into more of my marathon tempo for the next 6k, while trying to tell my legs to “wake up, this is a 10K, not a marathon, get going!” before finally regaining some speed for a stronger last km up and over the last bridge and downhill to the finish.

Despite falling off my goal pace, I managed to run a 3 second PB of 37:20. Although I was aiming for much faster, it was a transition to the 10K distance coming back from Around the Bay 30K and I can look forward to more speedwork in the next little while to help with the turnover. I enjoyed the course and the race atmosphere and the opportunity to run in an amazing field. Overall, I’m grateful for the experience and learned a lot for the next one! I’m also grateful to Maurice and Olivia for hosting us and putting on a phenomenal, enjoyable event that I hope to race again in the future. Over the weekend, I quite enjoyed spending time with and getting to know Victoria, who recently competed at World XC in Uganda.

Congratulations to everyone who raced the Sun Run, it was an honour to meet so many inspiring athletes!

Photographs courtesy of Marathon Photos.

Beau’s On the Run in Washington D.C.

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AttheRaces

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April 27, 2017

Jen Beauchesne shared this Beau’s Beer Runners update about running in America’s Capital while training for the half-marathon in Canada’s Capital!

Every year craft brewers from North America and around the world come together for an annual education and networking event called the Craft Brewers Conference. Though easily mistaken for a beard and tattoo convention, it actually attracts more than 10,000 talented craft beer industry folks, and this year took place in Washington DC. Knowing that craft beer + running = Oh Yeah, a super-cool local Washington brewery called DC Brau sent out an invitation for a group run on the Tuesday morning of the conference. What better occasion for my brother Steve’s first group run? He had to get over his shyness first, of course.

The approx. 9K run took us path the Smithsonian Castle and some war memorials and around the Washington Monument and up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, which in turn had a pretty cool view…. of the Washington Monument. Almost like they planned it that way. But what are the chances of that?

Washington is both a cool and at times frustrating city to run it, at least The National Mall area we were in. The running paths are nice and wide and take you past some pretty stunning buildings and gardens, and even an old-timey carousel. But on the flip side there are many, many street crossings with super-long signal lights, so our group had to slow up and ‘take the walk’ at just about every intersection. Along the way there were options to add inclines and stairs up to monuments if you wanted to add some elevation. And we did.

About 45 minutes in, though, the heat and city air and dehydration of hotel life all caught up to me and I started to have trouble breathing, and dropped to the back of the pack all wheezy-like. Steve was running and chatting with some folks from Brewery Vivant (all the coolest breweries run too), but slowed down to check on me. I told him I wasn’t doing so great, and that I might have to kick it early. He laughed, told me we were almost done anyway, and then dumped his entire water bottle over-top of my head. I laughed, and then we finished the run.

Motivation Across the Nation: Run Ottawa’s Team Awesome

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AttheRaces

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April 24, 2017

motivation_across_the_nation2 — Crossing the finish line and congratulated by Kathrine Switzer.

Long before she became a runner, Margaret Buttner was a race organizer. Along with her husband, the duo are part of Lions Gate Road Runners, a Vancouver B.C. based running group that began more than 45 years ago. Through her involvement with Lions Gate, Margaret began volunteering with the BMO Vancouver marathon, eventually co-chairing the event for its 40^th anniversary in 2011. Here’s how she got into running races herself and how she keeps her connection going strong.

iRun: After organizing so many events, what or who really inspired you to enter your first race?

Margaret Buttner: The BMO Vancouver Marathon was the turning point in 2011, I co-chaired its 40th anniversary celebration and we were fundraising to get Kathrine Switzer and her husband Roger Robinson to be the keynote speakers. I admire them so much for all they’ve done for the sport of running but if I had to give one reason it was Katherine. I ran the half marathon in Victoria later that year and it wasn’t about being fast, it was about being greeted by Kathrine (and of course my husband and friends) at the finish line. Since then, I’ve realized that as a woman in her 50s there is no reason I can’t go out there myself and run recreationally in organized races.

iRun: You live and run in British Columbia, so how did you get involved with Run Ottawa?

MB: Last fall, I met John Halverson from Run Ottawa, and asked about their social media team. He suggested I apply to be a part of it and I was so excited to see how the event was organized. I’m looking forward to the adrenaline of running the Nation’s capital.

iRun: What distance will you be running at Ottawa Race Weekend?

MB: I am running the 5K rather than the 10K. I wanted to feel good out there and have that golden moment. You feel good at the end, the thing we all say is we don’t “only” run a 5K. I want to celebrate with my friends in the finish area and really enjoy it. Between January and November, I run about 16 races a year between 5 and 10 K and I’m lucky to be able to enjoy every moment.

iRun: While running is part of it, why did you really want to be involved with the social media team?

MB: The Canada 150 celebration is such a significant part of it. Ottawa is a special city, it’s interesting because it’s a smaller city yet there’s still a lot to see and do and easy to navigate as a tourist. Once you are there it’s easy to find your way around. The adrenaline of the whole race weekend is going to be amazing. One of the things I enjoy is chatting with people across the country about running shorter distances how we should feel proud that we’re out there running.

iRun: How does social media really connect runners, pre-race and why has it become such an important communication tool for races?

MB: With social media we are able to connect people with a sense of immediacy and the story telling becomes live and interactive. When you want to be connected to people live, it’s a whole lot easier. As well, personally inviting people that maybe aren’t super competitive to race, with little teasers is kind of a cool way to engage them. It is important to make people aware, that all runners can just get out there and do it.

iRun: What are you looking forward to most, what is going to get you out on race day in Ottawa?

MB: I’d love it if our Prime Minister may be there running and I can’t imagine not being out there. I feel very privileged to be meeting the rest of Team Awesome in person in Ottawa too.

Onward Again! Krista DuChene on the London Marathon

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Krista DuChene

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April 23, 2017

Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

I’ve been up since 4:15 a.m. and am finally nearing the end of a long day. Once again, I sit at my computer writing about another marathon. I’ve been here before, sharing the downs instead of the ups, after a disappointing day. I think the last time I wrote about a big marathon disappointment was when I had my first (and only) DNF at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow due to heat exhaustion. The weather certainly wasn’t an issue today. In fact, the conditions were really good as was the pace group, course, training, and my overall health. Usually I can fairly quickly put my thoughts together after a poor performance, but today it took quite a while.

I will debrief with Dave and Trent upon my return but for now I can summarize with a few points:

I likely paid the consequence for the slightly quick start (~2:27:00 pace at 10 km). I’m more of a metronome runner.

I disconnected from the pace group at the 10 km fluid station and was solo for the remainder of the race. With the women’s only start, you don’t have men to settle in with.

My bottle/gel was not on the 30 km table. Every bottle and gel is important.

My heel became more than just a niggle. It started in September, between my Rio and Toronto marathons.

Lastly, I succumbed to every marathoner’s nightmare; GI troubles. Never in my 14 marathons in nearly 15 years have I ever had to stop (and multiple times). I hope this was my first and last experience! Not fun.

BUT I won’t allow these to be excuses. The bottom line is that I physically disconnected early in the race. My goal was to get a personal best and now that I’ve had some time to think more about it, I may have also mentally disconnected at that 10 km point due to an all or nothing mentality. This race wasn’t about making a national team or breaking records, it was about what Krista DuChene could do on April 23, 2017. And it didn’t happen. It really just became a matter of finishing.

After the race and throughout the rest of the day I limped around and continued to make frequent trips to the washroom but that didn’t stop me from moving on with my day. I met my friend Paul, who I met in Iten while training in March, and his girlfriend for a lunch of fish n’ chips with mushy peas.

It was so nice to see a familiar face and have a good cry. They are lovely people. Shortly after that I made my way to the tube to visit Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross. My kids are big Harry Potter fans and thought it would be neat to see where the characters disappear on route to Hogwarts school. I wasn’t sure I would be able to but because it was so close to the Tower Bridge where I was staying, I decided to go. Once I got back I got ready to go to the London Marathon after party and awards celebration. I enjoyed the awards ceremony and a lovely meal while sitting with several from the Netherlands.

I will meet Alan Brookes again for breakfast in the morning then make my way home from Paddington Station to Heathrow airport to Pearson airport. What’s next? Well, since London was my third marathon in eight months, definitely some rest and relaxation. I have several speaking engagements and life with the kids will continue to keep me busy. Jonathan has been dad-extrodanaire since March so I’m sure our Team DuChene will appreciate just the normal day to day routine.

Thank you for your love, prayers and support both before and after the race. There have been some really special messages sent to me that I hold dear to my heart.

Down but not out.

In 2011 I was diagnosed with an aggressive blood cancer and told I would most likely not live the year. In spite of many setbacks, I started running in 2013, and ran my first marathon in 2015. Then I thought, why not try for Boston? I entered as a mobility-impaired athlete and ran last April with my friend Mike as my guide. Never lose hope, friends, cancer didn’t win!

Jodie Hutchinson 34, Toronto

Josephine Mori-Stoodley 53, Richmond

Mackenzie Loyer 13, Vancouver

Al Thompson 62, Ottawa

Jessica McBride 26, Edson

Boyd Dunleavey 42, London

Jodie Hutchinson
34, Toronto

Josephine Mori-Stoodley
53, Richmond

Mackenzie Loyer
13, Vancouver

Al Thompson
62, Ottawa

Jessica McBride
26, Edson

Boyd Dunleavey
42, London