Your Next Race and the Belief Principle: Lessons Learned from Berlin

September 27, 2023

Given the few days since the 2023 BMW Berlin Marathon, a race where Eliud Kipchoge won for the fifth time and Tigst Assefa brought down the women’s record by more than two minutes and, closer to home, Malindi Elmore qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics, at 43-years-old, we can begin to read the tea leaves and see what all this means to you.

How is this helpful? Because when we see other people reach extraordinary heights, it helps us believe that, in our own way, we can, too. And this isn’t just motivational psychobabble. Like super shoes, pacing, and a proper diet: what we believe can actually impact how we do.

“The Belief Effect is very close to the Placebo Effect which, as a scientist, I work very hard to eliminate but, when I put my coach hat on, I’m not trying to eliminate it: I want to maximize the Belief Effect in a way that’s genuine,” says Trent Stellingwerff, director of Innovation and Research at the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, and Natasha Wodak and Gabriella Debues-Stafford’s coach. “I’m not going to blow smoke, but we’ve learned athletes working purposefully and positively—believing in themselves—can effects mental performance, which effects the actual, physical performance, probably more than we’ve been led to believe.”

Natasha Wodak broke the Canadian marathon record last year at the BMW Berlin Marathon. Her time surprised her coach, a scientist who works hard to eliminate surprises. He said, “Perhaps I respect the beast that is the marathon maybe more than I should.” What Stellingwerff didn’t account for—after creating the perfect race plan, nutrition, pace and training cycle—was grit. Natasha found something special, something extra—something unaccounted—just like Kipchoge and Assefa did this past weekend. Grit isn’t something that can be purchased in a shoe store and, doping aside, it’s not something created in a lab. The good news, however, is it’s not reserved just for elite athletes. Whether you’re Malindi Elmore or somebody’s cousin attempting their first 10K in high tops, effort is a democratized commodity.

If you believe you can do it—maybe, just maybe—you can.

“Belief is the opposite of something like fear,” says Stellingwerff. “If you prepare yourself optimally, don’t fear the moment. Respect it, but I think it’s very powerful when that respect translates into unwavering belief.”

There’s positive tailwinds in our sport right now, and you see it in everything from the quality of the shoes to wicking T-shirts to the popularity of our events. Marathoning has never been more popular and the half marathons, 10 and 5Ks continue selling out, from Vancouver to Montreal. It’s a good time, leading into another Olympics, when Canadian athletes like Natasha Wodak and Malindi Elmore come ready to compete, not just participate in their events. This same energy is percolating at races across the country—the feeling is one we can all share.

“Too often we’ve discounted the mental performance and sports psychology,” Trent says, and the Belief Effect is knowing you can do anything. It’s working hard in practice and racing wisely, but also not giving up on yourself after taking a hit, and being willing to trudge on. Every race has its moments of breakdowns. That’s when you need to remember Belief. Trent Stellingwerff hasn’t risen to the top of this country’s elite coaching echelon by making false promises. And he believes, more than has ever been scientifically proven (like we just saw in Berlin), an athlete (which you are) always stands the chance to break their own barriers. The Belief Effect might not come in a capsule. But it’s something we can all unlock in our next race.

“I think,” says Dr. Trent Stellingwerff, “It’s good for us all to challenge the perception of norms.”

The Forgotten Canadian at the 1924 Olympics

Ben Kaplan

September 20, 2023

In the Fall of 1981 in a darkened theatre in Guelph, Ontario, I sat with my running club team mates anticipating the start of the film Chariots of Fire. While this film has been recognized as one of the top British films of all time, we were just excited to see anything that had to do with running. I, however, was excited for another reason. My uncle, David Moffat Johnson, had also competed in the race depicted in the movie and I was curious to see whether any mention was made of him.

The race was the 400 meter sprint, part of the 1924 Olympic Games. These games were famous for many things: the great Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi won five gold medals in five different distances including the 1500 and 5000 metre races held only 55 minutes apart. Johnny Weissmuller, the future Tarzan, astounded the spectators with his swimming prowess (and his beauty!). But probably the most poignant story coming out of these games was the rivalry between Eric Liddell of Scotland and Howard Abrahams of England immortalized in Chariots of Fire. A little-known footnote to the games was the Canadian entrant in the 400 meter race, David Moffat Johnson.

The 1924 Olympics was significant as the first Olympics after the end of the First World War that included most of the former European enemies (except for Germany). Although an Olympics game was held in 1920 in Antwerp, countries just emerging from the devastation of war lacked the enthusiasm and the funds to support the games and regarded the Olympics as trivial and inconsequential. The 1924 games, in contrast, were intended to be an extravaganza and a recognition that the world was moving on from the destruction of six years earlier. Purpose-built stadiums were erected. The Stade Nautique des Tourelles had heated water for the first time and room for 10,000 spectators, and the Olympic Stadium at Colombes where track and field events were held could seat 45,000 (VIII Olympiad, vol. 8, The Olympic Century: The Official History of the Modern Olympic Movement, Los Angeles, 1995). The Olympic games would become a spectator event. For Canada, the 1924 Olympics was their moment to be counted among the best in the world. The First World War had awakened in Canada a sense of itself as a distinct nation separate from Great Britain, and Canada was ready to grab glory in its own name.

The make-up of the track and field team exemplified this new attitude. Team members were chosen from across Canada based on their standing in Olympic trial races. Amateur standing was important with competitors chosen from all walks of life, whether gentleman or farm hand. About 60 hopefuls showed up at the training camp in Montreal in June 1924. Eventually 23 athletes were chosen for the track and field events and sailed on the C.P.O.S. Montclare to France on June 20th.

David Johnson, who was a Rhodes Scholar and studying in England at the time had not attended the camp but was selected as the 24 th member of the team. His selection was supported by Al Shrubb, an English middle distance champion, who had seen Johnson compete in the quarter mile event at a Cambridge-Oxford track meet in the Spring and was impressed by “his style and speed” and declared him “a coming champion.” The decision to include him was backed by A. S. Lamb, the director of athletics at McGill when Johnson was a McGill student, and also the manager of the Olympic team.

In his letter of recommendation for Johnson to the Rhodes Scholarship committee he wrote: “I feel that one has an exceptional opportunity of judging character in athletic competition, and it is especially in this connection that I have been privileged to know him. [Johnson] is one of the few men in the University to whom I can point with confidence, indicating an individual possessed of those rare qualities which make up sportsmanship and character.”

The opening ceremonies occurred about a week after the Canadians arrived, on Saturday, July 5th. According to coach Cornelius, “the Parade of Nations was a sight to behold; men of all nationalities, tall and short, black and white, the cream of the athletic world. It was indeed an inspiration to anyone. One could not help wondering why the same nations could not spend their money for this sort of development of their manhood instead of spending it on War.” It was indeed a test of manhood as women’s participation was tolerated only in the “appropriate” sports of tennis, swimming and fencing.”

Track and field events began on Sunday, July 6th, with the first of the heats for the 100m race. Eric Liddell, the Scottish runner, would have entered this race but because of his religious beliefs that forbade him from running on Sundays he entered the 200 and 400 meter races that were to be held later in the week. Howard Abrahams, his English counterpart and supposed rival, ran the 100 meter final on the Monday in an impressive time of 10.7 seconds beating the favoured Americans who had four men in the race. Four Canadians ran in the heats for this race but none made the final. Both Abrahams and Liddell were entered in the 200 meter race on Wednesday, the 9th, but neither did well with Liddell coming in third and a tired Abrahams trailing the pack. Again, no Canadians made the final. Two rounds of heats were held for the 400 meter race on Thursday, July 10th. The British Olympic Committee declared that “this race provided the greatest thrill of the meeting, for the world’s record was broken three times in two days and the heats and final were as exciting and as full of incident as anyone could have wished for.” The first round of heats consisting of 17 preliminary heats began on Thursday with four Canadians entered: Aylwin, Fuller, Johnson and Christie. Aylwin, Johnson and Christie made it through to the second round.

The second round consisted of 5 heats with Johnson the only Canadian making it through to the semi-finals, “coming in an easy second” to a South African runner. The semi-finals were held the next day with the first three of each round advancing to the final. Johnson came third in his semi-final behind the American Fitch who won in a record time of 47 4/5th seconds. According to a report in the Toronto Globe, Johnson “ran a magnificent race. He was leading right up to the finish, and was then nosed out by Fitch, the United States runner, and Butler, the English crack.”

The other semi-final saw Liddell, Imbach of Switzerland and Taylor of the USA advancing to the final. The final, then, included two Brits, two Americans, a Swiss and a Canadian.
Three hours after his “magnificent race,” Johnson lined up at 6:30 for the final in the Colombes Stadium. The stadium was electric with excitement at the prospect of this race. Would the ungainly Scot restore his reputation after refusing to run in the 100 meter and coming third in the 200? Would the Brits beat the Yanks? Perhaps an incentive for Liddell, was the presence of the Cameron Highlanders who struck up a stirring rendition of “The Campbells are coming” just before the start. The 1924 Toronto Globe described the race this way: [Liddell’s] victory was as decisive as it was startling, for, leading from the crack of the gun, he fought off his challenger, Fitch, in the stretch, and won going away by 8 meters. Fitch had to be content with second, and Butler of Great Britain was third. On the stretch behind lay the prostrate forms of Joseph Imbach, the little Swiss locksmith, who virtually broke down after having been the world’s record holder for 24 hours, and J. Coard Taylor of the United States, who, despite an injured ankle, had third place clinched with a closing rush, when he tripped over a lane marker, and swirled heavily to the ground.

Johnson ended up fourth, just short of the world record of 47 3/5th seconds set by Liddell. Little was made at the time, nor has been made since, of Johnson’s effort despite the fact that no other Canadian track and fielder made the finals of the 1924 Olympics, except for the 1600 meter relay team, which also included Johnson. The Globe acknowledged that through the “prowess” of Johnson, the Canadian standings at the Olympics rose from bottom at the beginning of the day to eighth following the race. The official Canadian Olympic Committee report only had this to say of the 400 meters: “we repeated five times with one man reaching the finals who secured fourth place.”

Maybe coming fourth is not something to brag about, but it should be acknowledged that Johnson competed with the best sprinters of his time and was the top athlete on the Canadian track and field team. Today McGill Athletics has recognized Johnson with a plaque on their Sports Wall of Fame. And, if you listen closely you can just hear the name “Johnson” over the loud speakers in the final seconds of the race in Chariots of Fire.

**Fun Fact** David is the great-uncle of Charlotte Brookes, Event Director at Canada Running Series

Not Since Moses Has There Been a Race Cancellation Like This One

Sabrina Young

September 20, 2023

Screen Shot 2023-09-15 at 6.58.18 PM — Not Since Moses Race on the Minas Basin

Love or hate, elevation is part of racing. For some runners, they rave about elevation on a race course on roads or trails. But the Not Since Moses 10K/5K showcases an overlooked feature…the lowest point on earth for a race. This unique course is on the seafloor in The Minas Basin and is part of the Bay of Fundy that has measured tides at 11.7 metres (38.4 feet) high. The high tide activity is a product of the gravitational pull of the moon.

The moon was full six days prior to this summer’s race and combined with the funnel-shaped topography of the Five Island area contributes to the high tide activity. The forming of Five Island according to Mi’kmaq culture comes from a Kluskap trying to drive away the Giant Beaver and throwing five great sods of mud into the bay. Those clumps of mud formed the Five Islands known as Moose, Diamond, Long Egg and Pinnacle along the coast. Further discovery of knappable stone found in the basalt that was used to make tools such as axes, spear points and knives, ties the area to the Mi’kmaq.

I was eagerly looking forward to this race as there were some very unique features to behold. Being a point-to-point race, both 10K and 5K participants are bussed out to their respective start lines, the 10K at Soley’s Cove and 5K at Five Island Lighthouse Park and run back to Five Islands. Participants of the 10K event are warned they must be able to finish the 10K distance on a normal road surface in 1 hour 15 minutes. The ocean floor conditions also include a lot of mud with the course running along the coast, and around an endangered species (mud piddocks) habitat before the finish line. The Five Island Volunteer Fire Brigade waits for participants at the finish with equipment to wash off the mud (et al). It is advised that soon-to-be-discarded-shoes be worn for this race.

I registered for the race and planned it as part of our family vacation. Our family of four, plus my mother-in-law, sister and brother-in-law, were all excited to witness this adventure. My brother-in-law had heard about this event that started in 2007. Plus, it was announced that world renown celebrity chef Alain Bossé, a.k.a. The Kilted Chef was going to be handing out wild blueberry spritzers at the finish (Nova Scotia’s provincial berry)!

Seafood pasta, fish & chips and Kimchi chicken sandwich offered at The Nook and Cranny Brew Pub

We arrived on Friday in Truro, Nova Scotia, about an hour drive from Halifax, around 1pm. As we were all hungry, we found The Nook and Cranny Brew Pub that featured local craft beers and food.

Climbing the 175 steps on Jacob’s Ladder in Victoria Park, Truro, Nova Scotia.

Not far from The Nook and Cranny Brew Pub is a woodland valley gorge that has a 175-step staircase called Jacob’s Ladder and a waterfall in Victoria Park. We weren’t sure if it would be accessible due to the floods two weeks earlier, but it was open and we walked the 3000 acres of parkland. Unfortunately, there were a few staircases that were damaged during the flood, but the waterfall was a popular watering hole and provided a way to cool off under the falls.

One of the waterfalls in Victoria Park, Truro, Nova Scotia

Admittedly, I was late in booking accommodations, and the event did provide a list of places to stay or camp, but all were either fully booked or wanted at least two nights stay. As internet algorithms will have it their way, ads for dorms at Dalhousie Agricultural University had dorms popped up on my screen. At $62/night for a double room, it did the trick for a night’s stay. Side note: my kids were thrilled to be staying in residence and were convinced this was the real university experience. (Check back with me in a few years to see if they still feel the same way).

As outdoor events go, suffice to say, the race organizers were tracking the weather. By late afternoon Saturday, a weather alert was posted on their social media platforms, stating they are monitoring the weather and will inform everyone of the status as early as possible on event day. Given the location of the event, it’s almost a given that all participants were from aways. By 1am on Saturday, Executive Director Sherri Robbins considered pulling the plug on the event, but gave it more time in hopes the weather would change.

The weather forecast on race day called for severe thunderstorms.

At 4am the next morning, the rain had been constant throughout the night and the sky looked dark and ominous. And although the wind gusts were forecast to include 35K/hour winds, I still dressed in anticipation to race, mentally bracing myself for the inclement weather, but had mixed emotions about my family attending and waiting in those conditions. They, however, were keen as mustard and everybody was up and preparing for the outdoor conditions.

Severe thundershowers on the highway, made for pretty treacherous driving on the return home.

We went in-search of a 24-hour Tim Hortons and by 6:15am, the organisers called off the race in an email. Environment Canada called for severe thunderstorms for the Colchester area with up to 50 millimetres of rainfall some areas. Given the storms two weeks prior and damage the fires and flood had on existing infrastructure, such as bridges, deciding to cancel the race was the responsible decision. I was thankful of the organiser’s diligent and constant communication updates, as I also had an additional family from 2 hours away coming to the race, and was able to get in contact with them just as they were about to make the trip.

What I learned from Sherri Robbins, Executive Director of Blue Nose Marathon, and the organisation that took over the Not Since Moses Race from founder Dick Lemon, was the safety for participants and volunteers was tantamount. In wet conditions, being out on the ocean floor and also the start and finish areas, did not have a fixed structure to offer shelter. Participants were to take one of four shuttle buses to the start from 7am, meaning people would have been waiting out in the rain until the 9:30am start. Moreover, the tear-down of the course means volunteers would be out for another 2 hours after participants cross the finish line.

The course was marked with 22 rebars which is NOT ideal to be near in looming thunderstorm conditions. Moreover, the conditions were so tumultuous that the rebars that were laid out on Friday, weren’t collected until Sunday under better weather conditions.

And lastly, and this detail is the final extraordinary feature of the race, Robbins could not bring herself to ask from the Five Island Fire Department, again due to asking people to endure severe weather conditions, to station a boat and crew on the course/water. It would have meant launching the boat at high tide (6am) and it would have stayed out of the course, then turned ocean until noon.

Not Since Moses race shirt and medal were sent out to participants and arrive within 14 days post-event.

The uniqueness of this location also dictated any possibility of a rain date in 2023, as the date is tied to the timing of the tides, one of the fantastic features about this area. Instead of refunds, participants have a choice to use credit towards any of the upcoming Blue Nose Races that includes the 2024 Not Since Moses event. Medals were also sent out to all participants in a timely manner. The 2024 date has been set for August 24, 2024, and iRun will wait with baited breath to once again have the opportunity to be chased by the tides! Until then, we chased waves on surfboards at one of the many beaches Nova Scotia has to offer.

One of the many beaches in Nova Scotia for surfing. Surfing lessons offered by The Halifax Surf School.

The Return of the Great Kona Canadian Breakfast!

Sabrina Young

September 20, 2023

Lisa Bentley wears the tee-shirt for the Parade of Nations

Calling all Female Qualifiers for the Ironman World Championships—our Canadian Kona Breakfast and Team Canada Parade T-Shirt Tradition Will Continue in 2023!!

For veterans of the Ironman World Championships, you will recall that historically, Subaru Canada, as title sponsor of all Ironman races in Canada, hosted a breakfast for all Canadian qualifiers in Kona. At this breakfast, they distributed a t-shirt to each Canadian athlete to wear at the Parade of Nations that evening. Eleven-time Ironman Champion, Lisa Bentley, a long time Subaru Canada ambassador, was on hand to share training, racing and mental strategies so that athletes could maximize their skill set on race day. And of course, she joined the athletes at the parade to celebrate Canadian triathlon!!

Sadly, Subaru Canada is no longer involved as IRONMAN chose to award the Canadian rights to a new title partner.

But Lisa Bentley, at her core, is an unofficial ambassador for women in sport. So, she has corralled some great partners to ensure that the tradition continues at the first ever women’s only Ironman World Championships in Kona in 2023.

Thanks to the Subaru Triathlon Series, our Ontario-based grassroots triathlon events; Cervelo, the most popular bike at the Ironman World Championships; ASICS Canada, Lisa’s favourite shoe brand and supporter of women in sport; BornBound, a new premium triathlon brand; and SCICON, the only bike travel bag that can truly manage precious triathlete cargo. The Canadian Kona Breakfast will continue AND every Canadian female qualifier will receive their exclusive Parade of Nations t-shirt to wear proudly.

Team Canada tee-shirts for this year’s Ironman World Championships

Please mark Tuesday October 10th on your calendars for the Canadian Kona Breakfast hosted by Lisa Bentley (9am – 10:30am) at the Kona Canoe Club. Lisa will share tips learned from racing and training in Kona and motivation and mental strategies to race at your best. There will be a light breakfast buffet and you can pick up your exclusive Canadian Parade of Nations T-Shirt. Later that afternoon, the group will meet and proudly fly the Canadian flag and wear our Canadian Kona shirts as Team Canada at the Parade.

Let’s celebrate Canadian women in Kona and wear the Canadian flag with pride. Please RSVP to info@AnUnlikelyChampion.com First 100 replies get a t-shirt for sure!!

Thank you to our partners:

www.trisportcanada.com

www.cervelo.com

www.asics.com/ca/en-ca/

www.bornbound.com – use I-AM-BORN-BOUND to get 25% off of your first order

www.sciconsports.com/ca_en/

www.lisabentley.com

No, You Can’t Come With Me On My Long Run

Ben Kaplan

September 20, 2023

It’s a hallowed tradition and time spent, if not solemnly, then certainly treasured and focussed. The Church of the Sunday Long Run is as much part of the running lifestyle as spaghetti, Vaseline, the Rocky theme song and finish line photos that dispel all myths of what we look like when we run: a long run is an introvert’s journey to be free. The cornerstone of any training plan, it’s the single most important practice run not to be missed.

The wrong person on a long run can sabotage an entire training session, destroy the flow state, and otherwise ruin the delicate dance between patience and effort, exertion and bliss.

An invitation to a Sunday long run is an intimate gesture, nothing for a first date, only a treasured accomplice can be trusted upon this voyage. Like guests invited to a long weekend cottage, the long run presents equal opportunities for conversation and silence; once setting forth, there’s not turning back—and thus a runner must be very selective about who can join on the journey.

I protect mine like my carbon-plated sneakers. Like my playlist. Like my mother.

This is important stuff.

Most running shoe stores worth their salt have running clubs and these groups get together, normally at the store, to set forth on their adventure. But amongst this large group, subdivisions naturally form—both for temperament and pace. It just doesn’t make sense to go on a long run as a huge group, what with traffic lights and water breaks, bathroom stops and walking—it’s essential, on a long run, to find your people. Long runs by their definition are long, they take awhile. But no one wants to be out there all day.

That’s why you can’t join me on my long run.

Long run bliss is one other person. Someone your speed, frame of mind; best if they’re training for the same race, but that’s not essential. What is essential is that you’re on the same page. Are you both listening to music? Do you agree to water breaks, stops? Will you be sharing your gels? Upon setting forth on a three-hour trip in short shorts, it’s essential to be aligned on these basic rules. You’re already in hell at 29K.

You just can’t risk bringing strangers into this covenant.

Now, hardly are there runners breaking down my door to join me. In fact, I lean on my running partner more than he leans on me and I’m closer to getting ditched than suffering from popularity. But this is a running public service announcement—treasure your long runs, my friends, and hold your running partners closely.

The long run is a rite of passage, a tradition shared all over the world and a ritual worth defending. Be quiet if you’re joining a new group and pace yourself—no one wants the speed to be screwed up by someone’s inexperience spreading jitters like lice through the group-at-large. Ease into the long run, breath. Take the temperature of the group: less is more.

I’ll smile at runners always on a Sunday long run morning.

And then keep going—with one other runner, and myself.

The Athletic Brewing TCS Waterfront Marathon Race Team

Ben Kaplan

September 13, 2023

I am so excited to be participating in the TCS Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon next month and those who know me would say, ‘How is that possible?’

The story begins at the Beer Mile held by Athletic Brewing and iRun Magazine on Saturday, August 19 when a long time dream came true—being a runner (I started running just before I turn 40), I wanted to run a Beer Mile Race.

I had intentions to do so for a long time, but the fact that I don’t drink beer unless it’s a momentous occasion (along with the fear of how I would feel drinking so much beer in a short time) had my foot pumping the brakes and put a pause on this crazy idea. Heck, I didn’t think I could drink a beer, let alone four! Could I even drink four bottles of San Pellegrino??

Ben Kaplan organized the race and did it in top-class style. To start, he rounded up a great group of participants, heck he even had a pro participant who gave up her top secrets to a successful race. Ben’s magic was the beer: Athletic Brewing supplied the non-alcoholic beer, which in theory doesn’t qualify for a true beer mile as 5% is the minimum alcohol content of the beer imbibed. I can be a stickler for rules, but when it comes down to including friends who opt out of drinking alcohol for personal reasons, I am just as pleased to ‘fudge the rules’!

To make me feel better about the non-alcoholic beer, my husband said, ‘It’s like drinking the real thing without the after effects.’

I did it! I downed 4 beers in under 10 minutes and finished my mile in a time of 11:40 as was announced by the official time keeper (an 11-year-old kid, son of the eventual winner). Five stars to Athletic Brewing for supplying the beer—truly awesome beer for drinkers and non-drinkers alike.

And last but not least, 5 stars to Gord, coach and beer mile mentor!!!

So, how did the beer mile get me to register for the half marathon? Well, two weeks prior to the race I broke my 3rd bone this year, second time breaking my left metatarsal, but most recently I broke my right metatarsal (4 weeks before running in the Tokyo Marathon). When I asked my husband if he wanted to participate, he said, ‘How can you do it on a broken foot?’ I replied, ‘I didn’t see that there was a required time to complete!’”

So on today’s journey toward TCS Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon on October 15, 2023, I share with you one of my modalities in my healing process: Exogen helps heal my broken bone (5th metatarsal on my left foot). The ultrasound helps heal my bone and has allowed me to get to running sooner than one would imagine. 4 1/2 weeks since my break on Aug. 5th, seems early, but this is all too familiar to me. It is a broken bone that allows you to weight bare, but the risk of a possible re-injury would really set me back.

I run cautiously—other things maybe not so much…

When Half Marathon Bibs Went Like Taylor Swift Tickets

Ben Kaplan

September 13, 2023

I knew before asking that the bibs for the TCS Waterfront Marathon were becoming a scarce commodity when my phone started lighting up. People I haven’t spoken to in years were asking: Can you get me a half marathon bib for the race? The calls came in from deep in the woodwork. Reader, no word of exaggeration: two of the notes I received were from Facebook messenger—a function I didn’t know still exists.

When did marathon bibs become hot as Taylor Swift tickets, another phenomenon that had people who don’t know me ask if I could assist? The marathon and half marathon races are sold out at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 15. Race directors aren’t exactly scratching their heads as to the reasons why. But they also can’t put their finger directly on one single thing.

“The marathon is at an all-time high right now—the highest we had before was in 2014 at 5,200, and we’re currently approaching 6,000 marathon runners; to accommodate, we’re cutting the half a weeee bit smaller than our record high, but it’s still over 12,000, with our record high being 12,704,” said Charlotte Brookes, Canada Running Series race director.

Race Roster, the registration tool used by many Canadian races, reported that their running events, on average, are up 25% versus 2019. It could be that working from home gives runners more time to train for longer racing distances (maybe don’t tell your boss, unless she’s training, too). It could be that better shoes have made the sport more comfortable. Races have improved, gear is made of more sustainable materials, run clubs are fashionable, and we’re further out, one hopes, from the pandemic—thus Taylor Swift shows (and half marathons) are drawing numbers in record droves. As a whole, events in Toronto are up from 2019, and perhaps there’s a post-pandemic urge to gather together and enjoy what we love.

The theory I park my twenty bucks into is that we’re entering, and sustaining, another Running Boom. Charlotte’s Oasis Zoo Run this weekend is sold out, earlier than ever before, and even though their race is in May, the Calgary Marathon is further ahead in bib sales than they were last year. Running shop owners like Lynn Bourque say it’s a good time to be selling singlets and shoes.

“The running industry saw an incredible boom during the pandemic and the Waterfront numbers means we’ve retained these people,” says Bourque, owner of the legendary Runners Shop in Toronto, who adds a conversation with her friend, Cory Freedman, revealed that Cory’s Run for Women has seen a huge influx of first-time runners. Furthermore, Bourque believes the Waterfront race is not only seeing new runners, but a simultaneous return of old runners who didn’t want to sweat on each other due to COVID-19.

“Last yer, people who’ve always been runners might have been hesitant, but there’s an energy out there today with these two fields of runners—new and old—converging,” says Bourque. “I’m happy it’s playing out in this fantastic way.”

So what does a new Running Boom mean to you? For one, get your spring bibs early. You wouldn’t decide to see Beyonce the night before, and you can no longer run a half marathon in a major Canadian city with that laissez-fair approach. No doubt the 50th anniversary of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend this May will be just as popular as Toronto, and races in Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Quebec City and Montreal expect to see boosts (in Montreal, a run shop is 25% up over business last year).

If we want to keep people in our sport, races will need to be managed deftly. Traffic will need to be cordoned off; we need plenty of T-shirts, port-a-potties and bananas, and there must be adequate water and volunteers. There’s no accounting for weather, but race directors must control what they can. Meanwhile, experienced runners will have to be patient with newbies—it’s conceivable someone might arrive in the wrong corral or even (gasp!) get in your way as you swoop in for water.

We can be friendly, helpful, encouraging. Supportive. The more people who race or buy sneakers, one hopes, the less expensive the stuff we buy might become, due to the economy of scale. Maybe we’ll see more races, or maybe the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon will allow for more participants—who knows.

All I do know is that it’s great that people are excited about running and I appreciate that people want to get involved. Racing is about my favourite thing and we should all band together ensuring that the Running Boom lasts. However, I just can’t help you with your race bibs. In the fall of 2023, it seems you’re just as likely scoring a ticket to Taylor Swift.

The Runner’s Choice for Financial Advice

Ben Kaplan

September 6, 2023

Long distance runners know all about maintaining a steady pace. As we run, it’s about consistency and endurance. Achieving your financial goals is exactly the same thing—very much like running a marathon. It requires the same dedication, patience and commitment as a marathon. Some of your goals are short-term and others medium and long-term. So the whole process of investing for goals is an ongoing and continuous journey—not just a few transactions.

What you need to remember is that your objective is not about being the fastest runner over one race, but to maintain a steady pace for your entire journey—the marathon of life.

Set your goals, prioritise them to develop a strategy so you can start investing your money in six steps.

Start with a plan – (no different than training for a 5km, 10km, or Marathon)

The plan starts with a distance goal in mind—5km, 10km or 42km. Any one of those goals start with a single step.

Sometimes the hardest part of the workout is deciding to start. But by putting on your shoes and lacing them up you have a call to action for a run. Similarly, investing can be overwhelming for investors as they often suffer because they tend to worry about the unknown. If you are an investor (or are thinking about investing), the best advice you can get is to start with a single step towards your financial journey.

Now that we have a plan…we are going to run!

Create a training log – (financial training is the exact same thing!)

Not all runners are the same so the same training log cannot be used for all investors. If you are a natural runner and have a running base then you can jump into training in full force. But if you are less experienced in your training and running you will need time to progress. This is very much like investing. If you are experienced and have knowledgeable understanding of investing you can jump right into the process of investing. But if you are like most and do not have the understanding of investing then getting started will require the knowledge of your limitations. Once that information is in place it’s like a training log – the correct amount of investing can be done to start you down the path of creating a solid financial base thus creating the foundations of a solid financial plan.

Run your own race (invest in a way that works for your future goals)

On race day, you never know what the other people’s goals are around you. Some are trying to set a new personal best time, while others are just trying to finish. You don’t compete with other runners. Ultimately, you’re only competing with yourself to have your best race. The same is true with investing. If your best friend putting all their money into Amazon, Google, or Gaming stocks—that may not be the best approach for you.

Investments are based on your personalized future plan, which you create for your financial success and it probably will not look like the investing plan of the person next to you.

Your training discipline determines how you feel on race day (disciplined investing is always a great strategy)

Running various amounts of kilometres week after week can be gruelling, but the discipline can provide you the result you want on race day. The same can be said for investing: you have to be disciplined in your approach to your investing goals. Understanding that your current plan of investments is all about building a future and sticking to the plan with discipline. There will be setbacks (as there are always), peaks and valleys, but the long-term goal must remain the same.

Pace yourself (investing for the long term always leads to your financial success)

When you finally reach your running goals after all the training is done you learn it’s all about pacing. In investing, you are in this race for a long time so stay true to your goals to reach financial success. Add to your portfolio in a measured ways, you may never land the hot tip that leads to instant financial success just as sprinting the first two kilometre in your race will only lead to suffering down the road.

Use the wisdom you’ve accrued in your running life to guide your financial steps to reaching your goals.

Finally…

Plan for the unexpected (The market is volatile your reaction does not have to be the same)

A stress fractures or other injury’s during training, race day weather—too hot, too cold, too windy—cramping at the halfway mark and having to walk, running out of fuel. . . these are all real obstacles that all runners face. Similarly, during your investment journey there will potentially be recessions, bear markets, countless liquidity crises, bank failures, rate hikes, inflation, and even deflation—just to name a few events that can trip up an investor. You can’t control the volatility of the markets, but you can control your reaction to it. Your portfolio is based on your assessment and personal needs to stay invested for the long run.

Ultimately, it’s your choice—so choose the winning formula that you’ve already learned in the practice of the sport we love.

Henley Financial & Wealth Management Inc.

“Be thankful for the pain.” The HOKA Marathon Diary

Ben Kaplan

September 6, 2023

Wow, I can’t believe it’s September already! Summer, where did you go??

My training is holding strong, but I can’t lie: there are days that the fatigue is starting to show its face. I’m finishing week nine and have six weeks left to go. Consistency, discipline and hard work are all still at the forefront of my brain—just with a little more body fatigue.

I’m still focusing on recovery, sleep and diet as much as I can while working and transitioning my kiddos back to school! Some days I’m beat and in bed by 8:30 p.m., no joke—but that’s what my body needs, so I don’t fight it.

I spent a few days away with some friends and our kids at a family-style rustic cottage and last summer’s me would have taken a few days off, taken it easy, but this year I decided to hold strong with my training and also abstain from alcohol. The training on long country roads was incredibly meditative and I got to really think of the kind of mindset I need for this upcoming marathon.

I need a calm mentality that consists of a ton of positive talk, especially when those negative thoughts come creeping in. Get your mind around the pain coming, embrace it and be grateful for it like they say for your on your way to hitting your fitness goal: Be thankful for the pain!

One of my vacationing-mom-friends asked me why do I train the way I do? I sat with this question on one of my long runs and the answer I came up with was simple, basic in my eyes. I train because I love improving my personal fitness. The process of getting fitter makes me happy, makes me feel strong, and fundamentally fulfilled.

So right now I’m happy, getting a little tired, but happy.

I’ve been working on some fun running playlists for those tough days out there so make sure to check them out on my website if you need some fire under your butt or just some tunes to listen to on your easy runs!

I’ve rambled enough—keep it up, stay healthy, friends, and have fun out there!

The Kickback Kids are Alright

Ben Kaplan

September 6, 2023

Standing outside a downtown Toronto park in their grey Kickback sweatshirts, Abel Berhane, Badhasa Ibrahim Abbas and Jamal Omar are an antidote to the pessimism that can sometimes threaten to swallow us whole. They radiate energy and not only look forward to their next races, but also look forward to their lives’ potential—through the mentorship and opportunities of Kickback program, the students say they feel empowered to take on the world.

“To others, Kickback might look like an organization, but to me it’s like a family,” says Berhane, 18, of the non-profit organization supported by ASICS that he says is changing his life. “We might live in parts of Toronto that aren’t particularly privileged, but Kickback has opened new doors for me and allowed me to believe in what’s possible, and that motivates me to keep doing good, because suddenly there seems like more options.”

Options, as runners well know, are all about freedom—the chance to grow and achieve, experiment and experience new things. At Kickback, a non-profit, volunteer-run community initiative that photographer, activist and youth worker Jamal Burger started at 27-years-old in Regent Park, the team has fostered a youth culture where kids can come for a run club or play basketball, and receive real world applications for achieving in life.

Abel, Badhasa and Jamal, recently back in Toronto after experiencing—via Kickback—the LA Marathon, say they appreciate the camaraderie of their in-person social network, but also the encouragement and tangible professional help. Like anybody, all they want is the chance to succeed.

“If any of us are ever like, ‘I want to try something,’ there’s immediately thirty people at Kickback offering advice and willing to roll up their sleeves and help with the work,” says Jamal Omar, 22, who took all these pictures and started at the program as a student and now works as a Kickback adviser part-time. “If you’re applying for school and need a reference letter or want to talk about professional options, there’s this whole team of people standing right beside you. I never had that before and, for real, it means the world.”

To Jamal Burger, comments like that are music to his ears.

Kickback Run Club, like the basketball pickup games, are meant to give its members a positive after-school outlet. But that’s not enough. Burger wants his kids to have every opportunity—opportunities disproportionately ladled out to the more affluent parts of town—to prosper: personally, professionally, in business and in life.

“Every kid wants to make their lives better, but when you don’t have guidance or opportunities that leads to rash decision making and the police system is waiting for us, which makes it ten-times more likely we won’t get hired for that new job,” says Burger, co-founder of Tier Zero, a growing Toronto-based strategy, production and design firm. Burger, who comes from Regent Park where Kickback is based, is a self-made success story who got to the top and decided to pull up as many people as he can. He’s fueled by the success he sees in the kids that he helps.

“Human beings are designed to pursue what we believe in and when I’m helping others I believe I’m helping myself because I don’t want to wait for change to happen,” he says. “I want to give people who look like me and come from where I come from a template to address the things we need the most—right now.”

Kickback, which recently moved into its office space, has grand designs and the kids in the park talked about seeing it expand not only across Canada, but also around the world. After seeing Los Angeles and wearing their ASICS on the Santa Monica Pier and in the LA Marathon, the guys see no reason for Kickback mission to be completed within their own lives. Inspired by Burger, their goals of lifting up the kids behind them are the same.

“We’ve all watched Jamal and the biggest thing now for all of us is to show the next generation that if you take things seriously, anything can happen,” says Badhasa. “We want the kids behind us to be better than us, that’s Kickback philosophy: we want them to surpass us on every level.”

Photographs by Jamal Omar.

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