8 Ways to Train Smarter Using the Apple Watch Ultra

August 9, 2023

Are you using your Apple Watch to the fullest to help you train?

As a runner for more than 15 years, I’ve been using Apple Watch for the past several years, and I have to confess, I typically just hit start and check it to track my distance and pace—and I have possibly never looked at the online manual). But I recently had the opportunity to spend some time running with the team at Apple to test drive the Apple Watch Ultra and learned all about the watch features that can help my training with some hands-on tutorials.

I’m a few months in with training with the Ultra and its precision dual-frequency GPS is great (anyone else in the past have GPS drop out on other watches when downtown amongst the skyscrapers?). Plus, I feel safer hiking with its Emergency SOS feature and I love the Ultra’s battery life (up to 36 hours on a single charge–with the longest battery life of an Apple Watch yet, I no longer have to fret about my watch running out of battery should I forget to charge it overnight).

Let’s also talk about its oversized face, bright display and sporty band (I’ve got the bright Orange Alpine Loop)—the watch is a stunner aesthetically and I’ve never had so many people ask about my watch.

Now, as you start to train for fall races, here are eight ways to train smarter by getting the most of your Apple Watch Ultra

Waste less energy

Did you know your Apple Watch Ultra measures your vertical oscillation? It measures how much you move vertically during each stride (in centimetres). You could be wasting energy by going up versus propelling yourself forward. Or, on the other hand, if your vertical oscillation is low, this may mean you’re not generating enough spring from each step.

Understand your stride length

Do you know your stride length? The Apple Watch Ultra provides your running stride length. How will understanding your stride length help with your training? While a longer stride length is correlated with a higher speed, if your foot is landing ahead of your body, this can be less efficient. On the other hand, although a shorter stride is easier to maintain, you will need to have a greater turnover or cadence to increase your speed.

Improve your ground contact time

How much air are you catching? The Ultra measures how long your feet are on the ground in milliseconds. If you’re wondering how this is important when it comes to your speed, when your foot is on the ground between flight phases, you have braking forces that are slowing you down. A low Ground Contact Time translates to you spending energy more efficiently, which can help with your speed.

Better use your run’s data to inform your training

With multiple views on the Ultra, you can edit and add Workout Views that will deliver the data you want to train smarter. Workout View options include Activity Rings, Elevation, Segments and Splits. If closing your rings is a key motivator for you, add that view!

Set up custom workouts

If you typically memorize or even write down a speed workout on your wrist, you can quit that habit now by setting up custom structured workouts on your Apple Watch Ultra. Plug in your intervals of work and recovery; you can even set up haptic and voice alerts. So during your run, the haptics and voice alerts will let you know when you need to run for a work interval or start your recovery interval.

Use the pacer on your wrist

Don’t have a friend to pace you during a race? Use the Pacer function on the watch. You just set the distance and your target finish time and the watch calculates the pace you need to reach your target. While you run, the watch gives you pace alerts to help you meet your race time.

Improve your track workout experience

One of the most fun features of the Apple Watch is the Automatic Track Detection. Thanks to Apple Maps data, the watch can detect when you’re at a running track, and can even detect which running lane you’re in. It’ll then count your completed laps with precise pace and distance data.

Beat your Race Route time

If you’re a creature of habit and tend to do certain routes over and over, these routes you repeat will be stored in the Workout app so that you can race against your best time or the last time you ran this route. You’ll even get alerts if you’re ahead or behind (or if you go off route).

See you out on the streets and trails this summer–I’ll be the one checking the data on my wrist. To follow Karen Kwan on Instagram, find her right here.

PS: At iRun, we’re huge music fans, and we’ll be covering Apple and their new music system later this month. To get you pumped, here’s Karen’s essential playlist (and, if her music isn’t your cup of tea, find our Tom Petty playlist here).

Don’t You Feel Larger than Life? By Karen Kwan

Living On a Prayer, Bon Jovi

I dare you to not want to sing along to this song. Plus, I sang it at karaoke with a friend so it has fun-summer memories for me.

Stronger, Kanye West

For years this was the one Power Song I set on the NRC app.

Stronger, Britney Spears

I’m a Britney fan and like the empowerment message of this song.

Larger Than Life, Backstreet Boys

A lot of my running playlist is made up of the more uptempo BSB songs. Plus, don’t you feel larger than life when running a marathon?

Block Party, NKOTB

Yes, I’m a Blockhead (aka a New Kids on the Block fan) and this party anthem ramps things up!

DNA, Kendrick Lamar

“I’ve got hustle, though, ambition, flow inside my DNA”—it’s all right there in the lyrics—a good reminder on endless long runs.

Lose Yourself, Eminem

I’ve actually never seen the movie 8 Mile, but his rap delivery works well for running as does the theme of him overcoming challenges.

I Love It, ICONOPOP

I love the pop-y, cheerleader vibes of this song.

All I Do Is Win, DJ Khaled (feat. Ludacris, T-Pain, Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross)

Good for keeping my focus on winning during speed work, plus NKOTB has played it during their concerts and that’s my happy place.

Pop, Drop & Roll, Chonique Sneed (feat. Lisette Bustamente)

I first heard this song on an episode of So You Think You Can Dance. The choreography was fire—I rewatched it many times— and the song is mesmerizing.

Becoming My Own Best Friend and Eating All the Food: Fall marathon training with HOKA

Ben Kaplan

August 9, 2023

The heat is on and so is the mileage which is leaving me starving!! I’m eating now pretty much every 3-4 hours, especially on those longer runs and workouts.

I’m trying to also get as much sleep as I can, but it’s tough when I’m on night shifts at the hospital so when I’m off I’m trying to take it easy. My body is feeling good, I’m wearing my HOKA shoes, and I’m keeping the injuries at bay so far with help from my chiropractor—so I’m happy!

One big thing that has changed is my goal race. I’ve decided to forfeit Erie for a few personal and logistical reasons and I’m jumping “On the Road to Waterfront”—as per BlackToe!!

BlackToe Running club is having pacer and fuel/treat supported runs every Sunday to encourage runners on this journey to the TCS Waterfront Marathon, which is October 15th.

This has been fun and motivating to run with faster runners and the fact that I will be running in my own city representing women BlackToe runners means so much to me. I also will be doing a 1/2 marathon as a race prep September 10th in Georgina to practice those oh-so-needed mental strategies.

So right now I’m becoming my own best friend which means being very disciplined, focusing on my workouts, but also as importantly—my recovery. I’m trying to get hold of this fear of discomfort and when in the depths of pain I’m trying to regain my mind… like, today during my 35k long run with 5k’s marathon pace pick ups. I kept reminding myself that if I can’t do it here I won’t be able to do it in my race!

Also the struggle is the whole journey… thats why we are out there right!! Keep pushing guys and have fun out there!

Caroline

Top Ten Tom Petty Running Songs, chosen by Tommy Youngsteen!

Ben Kaplan

August 9, 2023

Tommy Youngsteen is Canada’s definitive rock ‘n’ roll cover band, playing sold-out shows to the tunes of Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac and, for our purposes, Tom Petty—the greatest musician to ever use the verb RUN in a song (Running Down a Dream, from Full Moon Fever, naturally).

Ahead of their gig at the Horseshoe Tavern on September 8, which we encourage everyone to attend, we asked Alan Snoddy, former guitarist in the great Canadian indie rock band Stars and Tommy’s lead singer, to countdown the best Tom Petty running songs. Did he miss one of your favourites? Let us know, and see you at the show.

10. You Wreck me – Just the guitars at the beginning, then the band kicks in… Great way to start off a run.

9. The Apartment Song – If we could all write ’em like this.

8. Won’t Back Down – Love the steady groove on this one… rumour has it, it’s Ringo on drums, but who knows?

7. I Need to Know – This one coulda been written for the Ramones.

6. Handle with Care – Can’t top the Petty, Dylan, Orbison, Harrison, & Lynn harmonies on this one.

5. Honey Bee – Little Zeppelin in the house, maybe?

4. You’re so Bad – Love that swishy 12 string acoustic.

3. Runnin down a Dream – That riff off the top really pushes you though those last few Km’s.

2. Refugee – That opening drum fill could be the whole song.

1. American Girl – One of the best rock n roll guitar solos of all time!

Photographs of Tom Petty courtesy of Warner Brothers records. For tickets to the Tommy Youngsteen show, selling out quickly, please click here.

50% of Girls are not Participating in Sports by the Time they Reach Adolescence

Sabrina Young

July 26, 2023

Fast&Femalejpg — Fast and Female participants at the 2nd annual Scarborough 5K

In 2016 Canadian Women and Sport published (CWS) a study that found 41% of the country’s girls between the ages of 3 and 17 don’t participate in sport. Where most girls participate in sport as young children, adolescent girls drop out at a much higher rate than boys. Post-pandemic, CWS found that 1 in 4 girls who participated in sport were not committed to returning to their sport. By age 16, it’s 1 in 3 adolescent girls who drop out compared to 1 in 10 for boys. The downward spiral is shocking. With fewer and fewer girls participating in sport, it diminishes the opportunity to compete amongst their peers. The lack of opportunity to ‘play’ sports during the pandemic, coupled with physical changes to the body due to puberty, has left adolescent girls’ views about their bodies in a poor light as well as the mental toll of feeling out-of-shape and unable to keep up with their peers. Loss of a social network and other factors such as cost and access contribute greatly to the downward trend. This trend has lasting effects into adulthood where 84% of women don’t participate in sport.

Hill Run Club, meets weekly to create a space for body positive, size inclusive, culturally sensitive mindful running club. The focus is on self-care, fitness and community.

Enter Fast and Female and their way of reshaping girls and women’s inclusion in sport. The organization considers the intersectionality of girls in sport, such as race, religion, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation and abilities and strives to create an environment that is engaging in order for girls to be empowered through sport and become the next generation of leaders.

Fast and Female not only offers opportunity and access, but is striving to reach girls to positively impact them in physical and mental capacities with their mandate of:

Create social belonging
Prioritize health
Promote relatable women role models

Co-founder of the Scarborough 5K Melanie Murzeau with The Honourable Mitzie Hunter, MPP, Scarborough-Guildwood

At the start of summer, iRun met with Gabriela Estrada, Executive Director of Fast and Female, at the 2nd annual Scarborough 5K, who explained the significance of their partnership with Black Runners of the GTA (BRGTA) and their event, the 2nd annual Scarborough 5K.

How did Fast and Female get involved with the Scarborough 5K?

Fast and Female was fortunate enough to be involved with the Scarborough 5k through Melanie Murzeau, co-founder of the Black Runners of the GTA and the Scarborough 5k. Melanie and I were connected through Kirsten of Women Run Canada Podcast, after we were both guests on separate episodes! Melanie and I both spoke of our love for Scarborough. We had the opportunity to meet in person in 2022, and from there, the brainstorming to work together began. We were chatting about the Scarborough 5k and running some pop-up runs together. Melanie let me know at the end of 2022 that Fast and Female was going to be listed as a charity for the Scarborough 5k and I was ecstatic! Being born and raised in Scarborough, it was such a full circle and special moment to know we’d be a charity for the run.

I understand Fast and Female is a national organization, is there a location or programme located in Scarborough?

We do run programs and events across the country in collaboration with partners and like-minded individuals. Ontario is one of our most popular provinces, with us having ran quite a few events and programs in the GTA. Most recently, in Scarborough, we collaborated with Girls & Women in Motion(GWIM) to do the Built to Run(BTR) program—a women’s running program leading up to the Scarborough 5k. We are partnering with GWIM again to continue BTR this summer, alongside supporting their Built to Play Girl’s Soccer Program. Additionally, we are hoping to run a 5 week girl’s program in 1-2 locations in Scarborough this fall. Stay tuned on that!!

Fast and Female at the 2nd annual Scarborough 5K event

How many people from Fast and Female participated in the event?

We had a group of sixteen women from our Built to Run program conquer the Scarborough 5k! These ladies all crushed it and we are so proud of them!! For some of them, it was their first registered run which was just so amazing to be a part of.

What do you think sets Fast and Female apart from, say, physical education in public school?

I think this is a tough one because one of our goals is to work closer with schools and be in schools to support their physical education curriculum and opportunities. Oftentimes, physical education and sports programming is one of the first budgets to get cut in the school system; and most of the time, when it comes to extracurricular activities like sports teams and movement-based clubs, these are run by volunteer power and exceptional teachers who are willing to go beyond their roles and responsibilities to provide opportunities to their students.

What do you mean?

Unfortunately, with the limited budget and people power, there often aren’t enough physical activity opportunities; and when it comes to physical education within the schools, many schools don’t have the space, budget or capacity to provide additional support to their students to reduce barriers to participation. This includes girls’ only opportunities. When you look at the data on girl’s participation in sport and physical activity, 50% of girls in Canada are not participating in sport by the time they reach adolescence (Canadian Women and Sport, 2022).

That’s a scary stat.

Now think of where you get access to sport and physical activity ‘automatically’? In school! And if schools don’t have the resources to further support their girls, creating girl’s only opportunities, having more girl’s only sport teams, clubs—then we’re further losing girl’s at a time when sport can really support them.

What can be done?

That’s where we want to come in—we offer girl-centred, girl-focused programming that’s evidence-based and developed through an intersectional lens. We collaborate with professionals and leaders in the industry, like academics, registered psychologists, coaches and more, to support us in developing our curriculum and materials, and then we go a step further and work with girls, like our National Youth Advisory Council, to take a ‘for the girls by the girls approach’. Ultimately, our goal is to become a partner and collaborator with others, like schools, to help fill in the gaps and support them in empowering more girls through sport and physical activity.

The start of the kids 1K race at the Scarborough 5K

What do you hope will come out of your involvement with the Scarborough 5K?

One of my big hopes and dreams since joining the Fast and Female team back in 2018 was to bring opportunities to girls and women in Scarborough. Running events and programs in the community that raised me and see the impact we can have! The Scarborough 5k was the spark and start of this and I can’t wait to see what we do next!

The team at Fast and Female team is small but mighty and of our six staff members, three are in Scarborough! So we are always looking for opportunities to be in our own community and empower girls and women in Scarborough.

Sport isn’t only about competition, it’s about bonding over common goals, building those relationships to work together to problem solve. By using kindness, empathy and care, let’s hope grassroot organizations can create the foundation for girls to better physical literacy that will carry them through into adulthood and help to bring down the statistic of 84% of women not participating in sport.

The Scarborough 5K and 1K kids event was held on June 3, 2023 and was a sold out event. Created by Melane Murzeau, co-founder of Black Runners of the GTA, the event strives to uplift the community in Scarborough and provide access to running. Fast and Female were added to the list of charities that include the BGC East Scarborough and Indigenous Spirit Fund.

For more information about Fast and Female, visit them online here.

ASICS NOOSA TRI 15 Shoe Review: Lisa Bentley Review!!

Lisa Bentley

July 26, 2023

LisaB4 — Both Lisa Bentley and her dog Hadley are impressed by the ASICS NOOSA TRI 15

I wish the ASICS NOOSA TRI 15 was around when I was racing! Lightweight, sock-like, breathable, easy on and off without lacing up or down and speedy-quick, but comfortable. When I look down and see my feet, I smile at the colours. I feel as if my feet are surrounded by a bouquet of flowers! But I get all that eye candy and a stable shoe with a nice forward roll that welcomes my orthotics. Pretty. Speedy. Comfy. And good for my feet! The NOOSA TRI 15 provides a “Sound Body Sound Mind” kind of running experience.

Let’s start with shoe integrity. My feet are a challenge, but with a bit more stack height, my feet get a well distributed landing surface creating less stress on my Achilles. And the forward roll is like an “automatic pilot” for my toe off. That helps minimize the workload on the tiny intrinsic muscles and tendons of the foot which tend to fail under the fatigue and duress in a triathlon. I have never been able to harness both cushiony comfort and stability in a speedy, light weight shoe but with my orthotics nestled away in the footbed, I truly have it all!

Whether you have good biomechanics or rely on custom orthotics, a thoughtfully-engineered shoe like the NOOSA TRI 15 will allow you to avoid the injury cycle that can be provoked by some racing shoes or lightweight trainers.

The NOOSA TRI 15 fits like a glove. With the tongue pull tabs, they are easy on and easy off making transitions a snap. The inner liner is seamless and comfortable so socks can be optional. I tested it sock-free and I returned home unscathed. Because they are fitted, you may need to move up a half size. Mine fit perfectly, but if your feet swell, then splurge on another half size. I loved that my foot was firmly planted in the shoe without any side-to-side motion which can cause injury.

This shoe is super lightweight for a speedy race day or faster training run day. The breathable fabric made my feet feel naked which would have been nice back when I was racing the steamy hot Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. And when you are throwing water over your head to cool down, the fabric doesn’t get weighed down. I know this because I ran in the rain and the NOOSA TRI 15 seemed just as light weight as it did dry when I started my workout.

And yes, when I look down at my feet, I smile! This shoe is a flashy, happy shoe. When you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, your mind and body can make magic happen.

Yes, the NOOSA TRI 15 is a magic maker. It is a speed enhancer. It is an energy boost. It is literally a customized “made for you” triathlon experience. It makes my feet smile. It makes me smile. I may not race triathlons at this time, but they make me feel light and quick on training runs. Running shoes are fashion statements and this shoe puts a massive exclamation point on that department. Bold. Robust. Courageous. Sound. NOOSA TRI 15 is a dream shoe that I needed 15 years ago. But no hard feelings. I can wear it now and so can you! For more on the shoe, please click here.

Journey Towards My Fall Marathon: Fly, Human, Fly!

Ben Kaplan

July 19, 2023

So the heat is on and so is the sweat, ack!!

Early morning runs are a must now, but I’m lucky because I received a bunch of awesome clothes from Hoka so I’m all set to train hard: “Fly, human Fly.”

My soreness is still a constant, especially in my feet (blisters, ouch!) and my anterior shins, but my focus on recovery and treatment I think is doing me good! Clean living, napping in the afternoons and hydrating as much as possible is key for me right now as I train for my fall marathon.

I’m also trying to hit up more team runs which forces me to run with faster runners, which is helping my mental game.

Holding with faster runners. Making that discomfort more of a norm. Coach Mike [Anderson, BlackToe Running] also has said if you feel good: “Push the pace and dial in that warrior brain!”

I’m still very focused, taking it one practice at a time and because I’m making more clean choices I feel like I have more of a calm control over my life.

☆forward motion gives momentum☆

So, as my mileage is slowly ramping up each week (over 100k now), I’m practicing my positive talk and excited to explore my potential this time around in the marathon.

I’m mentally and physically starting the preparation for feelings of doubt and fear in practice so I’m ready for those feelings in my race!

Nine weeks to go, holding healthy and strong.

To read the earlier training blogs from Caroline, please click here, and here.

“I’m excited and we still have more to go.” Charles Philibert-Thiboutot after hitting the Olympic Standard, twice.

Ben Kaplan

July 19, 2023

Coming off a monumental month where twice Charles Philibert-Thiboutot has run under the Olympic Standard in the 1,500meters, the 32-year-old pride of Quebec City seems to have the universe bending to his commands. But the path to 2024 Paris for the Canadian 5K record holder hasn’t been easy. After suffering injuries and changing sponsors, CPT has struggled to find his form, which makes his current success that much sweeter. “I’m one of the old dudes now,” he told iRun, after his Diamond League run. We checked in with the New Balance athlete, one of Canada’s greatest middle distance athletes of all-time.

iRun: Unbelievable month you’re having. Two-times hitting the Olympic Standard. How do you feel?

Charles Philibert-Thiboutot: Tired.

iRun: That’s fair.

CPT: In June, I had races five weeks in a row and traveling from Quebec to Europe to Vancouver back to Europe, and then I was going to stop racing to train, but when I got the last minute call to run the Diamond League in Poland—can’t say no to that, but it was another big nine-hour trip.

iRun: That’s cool, though. That you’re able to hit the Olympic Standard at a moment’s notice after an unexpected nine-hour trip.

CPT: I would’ve liked to have competed more and I didn’t sleep the nights leading up to the race, but I am happy and it’s the result we wanted. A big part of it is what you’re saying: the mental toughness of being ready and willing to compete.

iRun: And now, with the pressure off—it’s still possible for three athletes to dethrone you, but unlikely, and it’s never happened before—what does that mean for your training?

CPT: It’s a huge difference. I ran around the world five weeks in a row to get the Olympic standard and had to go with the flow, but now I can set my plan in advance and it becomes easier. There’s less pressure for sure.

iRun: Well, don’t go getting carried away. We don’t want to read reports of you binge eating McDonalds.

CPT: I don’t think that will be the case and in my career, the opposite has been more likely. I race better without pressure and the training is easier and staying healthier is easier, because we’re able to exert more control. Having the standard will push me to run as fast as ever, it’s funny how things work out. I’m excited and we still have more races to go.

iRun: Those races, of course, include the National Championships later this month in Langley and the August World Championships in Budapest. Are you still hungry?

CPT: You either have it or you don’t. The greatest runners are those that can perform good even under hard conditions and part of me feels disappointed in my last two runs. In my best capacity I can compete at 3:30 or 3:31 [ed note: the Olympic standard is 3:33:50]. With these races, I didn’t blow up and didn’t kill myself mentally, but I also didn’t have much kick with 300 metres to go. I felt flat. I’m not giving myself excuses, but I am saying that I’m definitely still hungry to compete.

iRun: So what’s the immediate plan?

CPT: I want to get to the Worlds rested—above and beyond fit, fitter than I am right now. So we’ll have a few key training sessions, Nationals in two weeks, and keep training. I can’t take a break from the training. I want to get back in my routine.

iRun: You said that you’re one of the old dudes now. What have you learned since the 2016 Olympics or even in the twenty-one years you’ve been battling on the track?

CPT: Not to distract myself and make things confusing, to eat well, and make sure I sleep. Eight or nine hours of sleep every night is important and I just feel really good and confident. I feel energized again.

iRun: Now, you’re not totally locked into the 2024 Olympics, but obviously you’re super close. What do you think of the field?

CPT: In the history of the Canadian 1,500 metres, there’s never been more than three to qualify for the Olympics, but young talent is definitely coming up. I’m certainly not going to wish for my competitors to get injured or not run fast—I want them to do well—but I’m going to keep training hard. I’m definitely looking forward to where we take off from here.

Look Ma, No Shirt!

Ben Kaplan

July 19, 2023

Sean Kennedy is known around town for running shirtless. But he’s not stopping there. Soon, the 40-year-old will be known worldwide for his tarps off approach to our sport.

“The plan is to run all the world majors without a shirt,” Kennedy told iRun, “I did Chicago and London and next up is Berlin and Boston. Why not do them all with no shirt?”

There are a few reasons why running shirtless—or in a sports bra—present problems. The first one is our own societal fear. My running partner once told me you could be chatty or shirtless, but not both. Does running with your shirt off intrude on other people’s good times?

“When I first started running, I only wore singlets in the summer. I just didn’t feel comfortable running in only a sports bra and had never really mustered the courage to try it,” says Kathleen Lawrence, whose journey from middle-of-the-pack hoofer to race-star elite we’ve documented before. “However, I remember one particularly hot summer race on the island (circa summer 2019) where it was just too humid for a singlet. I tested out how I felt running in a sports bra and it was more comfortable and I felt my body cleared the sweat easier. It also felt different to run in my bra and I liked the feeling—I felt stronger and fitter.”

I also feel stronger and fitter when I run with my shirt off, but Kennedy, who feels the same way, also mentioned that the extra oomph of a shirtless run can be a double-edged sword. At the London Marathon, jammed with spectators, Kennedy was a fan favourite.

“Go, topless, man!” screamed the British fans. But Kennedy’s marathon got off-track and as his ankle pain spread up his knee, he was ultimately reduced to walking. When he wished he could disappear at 34K, he still held the audience’s attention.

“The thing with #tapsaff off, you get a lot of attention and it’s nice when it’s good attention, but it’s hard when you’re walking and you’re the only guy with no shirt,” says Kennedy, adding that the experience nevertheless leaves him undeterred in his war against shirts. “At the end of the Marathon, I kind of wished I was wearing a shirt, but it worked out fine and it’s still better than bad chafing on your nipple.”

Nick Walker launched Frontrunners in British Columbia in 2005 and now has four running stores. He says shirtless running mirrors those old ads for Caesars—once somebody starts it, the idea seems to spread. “On hot days there will be some males shirtless and females in sports bras and typically everyone will start with shirts on for warm up, but then during the workout remove layers,” he says. “Most runners will be clothed when gathered as a collective, but then when they separate in a small group they feel comfortable showing more skin.”

Like all runs, shirtless runs are hardest at the start. I live in the city and it’s crowded until I get to the MGT (where no one cares if I’m not wearing a shirt). On College Street, still probably no one cares, but it’s more in-the-face of the general population. Richard Kuchinsky is the King of Running With No Shirt On, recognizable for his long beard, svelte build and no shirt. When he started running, he was uncomfortable in a singlet. Now, the true sign of summer is Kuchinsky running in no shirt.

“I can’t be shirtless on my daycare drop-off run,” reports Kuchinsky of Directive Collective, adding that laundry reduction was part of his decision to forego his shirts, “Plus, you have to worry about sunburns and cat calling, but it helps my performance with cooling and prevents chafing—even if you can’t go into a store or take the TTC post-run.”

With everything running, it comes down to personal choices. Are you negatively impacting those around you? Or are you getting more out of the experience you love without bothering anyone? In New York, I was blown away by the number of topless runners. What do you think, is society ready for running’s fourth wave going tarps off?

“If we can locate the barriers faced by women, we can remove them one by one.” Making the Marathon More Gender Inclusive

Ben Kaplan

July 12, 2023

Of all the ramifications of the pandemic one certainly includes the declining number of women participating in the marathon. The numbers are down. In 2019, 38% of the marathon runners at the Vancouver Marathon identified as women. Last year that percentage was down to 32%. At the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2019, 32% of marathon participants identified as women. That percentage dipped to 28% at the same event last year. In 2023, the London Marathon fielded 10,000 fewer women than men.

“It’s about the fact that if women are needing to create the time for training for a marathon then they won’t be home to take care of the kids, cook meals and clean house, but the women who have the inclination to run a marathon—who confidently have household and family support—run the marathon and do it well. Just look at Malindi and Natasha Wodak as examples,” says Lynn Kanuka, 1984 Olympic bronze medalist and BC-based running coach at coachlynn.org. “The women I’ve coached online all have had great support at home, and if they did not then they never did more than one marathon.”

And that is key, having that support. Statistics Canada shows that by April of 2020, 55% of women remained in the workforce, down 6% compared to January 2020. By August of 2022, fewer women than men worked full-time. In fact, more women started working part-time in that same month. The reason for women pursuing part-time work? Not surprisingly, for women ages between 25-54, caregiving is the reason. Moreover, the gender gap widened during the pandemic due to caregiving. Canadian women on average spend 3.9 hours per day on housework, including child care, compared to 2.4 hours per day for men.

Like the marathon, says Kanuka, golf is a sport that requires an exceeding amount of training to master and thus also falls in line with marathon percentages: 71.6% of golfers identify as males. To combat the gender inequity in the marathon distance, race director of the TCS Waterfront Marathon Charlotte Brookes is assembling a Women in Running Event this evening in Toronto—streamed live at 7:45 p.m. EST at IRunNation on Instagram—including a host of female marathon runners, fitness entrepreneurs and coaches, including Heather Gardner founder of Kardia Athletics, Melanie Murzeau founder of Black Runners of the GTA, Keri Wong at Nuun and Mizuno Ambassador and 5-time marathoner, Sabrina Young, Producer at iRun Magazine, and Amanda Richardson, co-founder of Chix Run the 6ix.

By offering lactation stations along the Toronto Waterfront Marathon course, a Pregnancy and Postpartum Deferral Policy and tailored to the individual training programs from RunKeeper, Brookes says they’re working towards creating a space that is more inclusive and supportive in shortening that gender gap.

“COVID obviously took a huge toll on people and maybe the statistics are revealing that a lot of the childcare and home schooling fell on women,” says Brookes, who also offers this bit of optimism that might reveal a path forward: her overall marathon participation numbers exceed—in July—her entire overall number of marathon runners from last year.

Perhaps this means runners post-COVID are finding more free time to train?

“There are so many different factors at play that it’s hard to isolate just one,” says Brookes, “but I think increased participation begins with conversations like we’re having tonight and learning ways we can better support women at our events—if we can locate the barriers faced by women, we can begin to remove them one by one.”

There’s clearly nothing wrong with participating in an event at any distance. Just like there’s nothing wrong with running for fun and keeping out of public running events. It’s only curious that the marathon participation numbers by gender—which approached parity in the United States in 2015—seem to be sliding backwards. To that end, ASICS is conducting a survey called Move Every Mind on the gender exercise gap and encouraging all of iRunNation to get involved. The link to have your say is right here, and the link for tonight’s important town hall is here. We’re only in the middle of July. There’s change that can be made for October.

“Time is the biggest hurdle.” The Marathon as a Single Mom

Ben Kaplan

July 12, 2023

For mothers who train and run marathons, time is the biggest hurdle we face. Balancing the demands of caregiving, pursuing an education, and finding time for ourselves becomes an ongoing challenge. Time to run, time to rest, time to sleep. Everything essential to a marathon build.

Between school drop-offs and pick-ups, we squeeze in our runs, often pushing our children in strollers when childcare is unavailable. The guilt of not spending enough time with our kids while pursuing our own passions weighs heavily on us.

As a solo mother and full-time nursing student, I understand this struggle all too well. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when both my child and I were schooling from home, finding time to train became even more difficult. Either pushing my 60-pound child in a stroller or giving up runs entirely. I had to withdraw from the Mississauga Marathon in 2020 due to injury and the overwhelming demands on my time.

But amidst the chaos and guilt, I found my greatest accomplishment: completing the Chicago Marathon in 2023. My journey began during nursing school, where each stride became a conscious choice to prioritize my well-being amidst the chaos.

As mothers, we often put too much on our plates and feel guilty for taking time for ourselves. However, it’s essential to remember that self-care is not selfish. It allows us to be the best versions of ourselves for our children and the world.

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