The Luxury of Hotels that Cater to Runners

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April 20, 2015

An exciting new incentive that I’ve been lucky enough to take part of has been the idea of luxury hotels getting involved with running. Last month, I helped design maps from the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto for runners visiting who want to keep up with their running. There are so many of us running now that places like restaurants, hotels, airports, even banks and mortgage firms, are connecting with runners and trying to bend their services to meet runner’s needs.

It was fun making the maps for the hotel. Imagine being a runner visiting a new city: where would I think they’d want to run? I did one route across Queen Street West, with a stop through Trinity Bellwoods Park, and one that goes up University Avenue, not exactly beautiful, but it’s basically impossible, when following it, to get lost. The final course heads down to the waterfront, where I’ve run every weekend for the past five years. When you hit the lake, you can basically run without traffic lights as long as you want. And I know the course is good. After Eric Gillis and Lanni Marchant won the Yonge Street 10K on Sunday, I saw them loosening up before Lake Ontario while I led my clinic, just two weeks away from their marathon. (And let’s take a moment to think about that: could you imagine seeing Kyle Lowery and DeMar DeRozan shooting layups after tomorrow night’s playoff game at your local court?)

What the Shangri-La’s doing follows an exciting trend in the hotel world. Westin Hotels has been leading the charge with not only appointing a full-time “run concierge,” to help guests on their sneakered adventures, but letting guests borrow a pair of New Balance sneakers. I first ran across this in California, at a wedding, when I needed a break from the festivities and had nothing but dress shoes. I got a map and a pair of sneakers and toured the beautiful country, then returned to the wedding refreshed and happy.

Businesses servicing runners is a good thing. So good luck to everybody today in Boston, and a special thank you to the Shangri-La and to Westin and to everyone else making the world a little bit better for runners. When people focus on their health, institutions have no choice but to follow, and that makes it just a little bit easier for more people to get involved in their own health and wellness. If you know of any other companies or businesses that are adapting to runners, drop me a line at ben@irun.ca.

I’d like to take a moment to publicly acknowledge the work they’ve done.

Perspective on the Boston Marathon

By

Jennifer Perrault

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April 19, 2015

On the eve of the Boston Marathon around the corner, and with the Marathon trial once again a media focus, it served as a good reminder to keep perspective. The world is a fast moving place. In the spring my schedule starts to fill up with more outdoor activities. I love the chance to get outside and run but I often find myself sneaking in my training. Much as I love running, I’ve been known to run home from work, all in a time saving effort. It’s easy to get carried away with busy schedules. When life gets really busy, I catch myself losing patience with people and obsessing over when I can fit my next run in.

The majority of people are so lucky to be healthy enough to run and thrive from the benefits of running. It is important to take time to reflect on the small highlights in our lives and all the things that make us lucky. My former professor, Dr. Terry Orlick was always encouraging athletes to record small highlights every day. Examples of small highlight include, fitting in a run on a sunny day, finding a new running route and meeting a friend for coffee after your run.

It is often the unfortunate case that it takes a tragedy (like the Boston Marathon in 2013) to serve as a reminder to appreciate the small things. Big events happen a finite amount of time in life, taking pleasure in the small things is definitely under-rated. I encourage runners to add a “highlights section” to their training log or add special highlights in their smartphone in order to gain a better, more balanced perspective. A runner with a positive perspective is a happy and fast one! Reflecting and grabbing perspective is an ongoing process, and one that every runner should be setting aside time for. When do you make that time to be reflective? I recommend taking a few minutes, immediately after a run or at the end of the day.

I’ve suggested various sections to have in your training log including demonstrations of ability, mentors and inspiration and highlights; these sections are similar to an appendix and can be found in the back of a training log. After each run, you can add more examples to each section, in demonstrations of ability, write down small accomplishments such as weight loss, personal bests in training or running five days in a row. In mentors and inspiration, write down what and who motivates you and write both names and quotes. In highlights keep track of small things like the trees budding or a clear sky. In addition to these sections, reflect on each run and write down: how long you ran, what went well and what needs improving. These guidelines will help give structure to your training log but also promote a creative approach to each run.

Jennifer is a former gymnast turned sprinter turned middle distance runner. She recently completed a Master’s in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa where she studied sport psychology. She holds a Bachelor Degree in psychology from the University of Western Ontario where she was captain of the Track and Field team. She continued her running career with the Gee Gees and is the 2012 Canadian Interuniversity Sport Champion in the 1000m. She is passionate about bringing athletes to a new level of performance through mental skills training. Jennifer believes that enhancing mental performance is about sharpening these mental skills to help athletes constantly challenge themselves to be better.

Connect with Jennifer on Twitter, @jen_perrault!

I once tried to run like Terry Fox

By

MarkSutcliffe

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April 17, 2015

In the summer of 1980, I scampered up and down my parents’ driveway, trying desperately to copy Terry’s irregular gait. The rhythm wasn’t easy, but it was familiar and appealing to me, having watched it so many times on the news. Stride, hop, shuffle. I practiced it over and over again. I didn’t want to run. I wanted to run like Terry.

Like most Canadians, I had only a vague sense of the Marathon of Hope when it started. Maybe I saw something on the news when Terry dipped his foot in the Atlantic Ocean – the six o’clock news was a ritual in our household – or maybe I know that image from all the times it’s been replayed in the intervening decades. But once he crossed into Ontario, passing through my hometown of Ottawa, I started to pay much closer attention. I remember my sister talking about a runner with one leg and, if I recall correctly, there was a welcome banner hanging somewhere in the centre of the city.

I never saw Terry run in person, but I eagerly watched the highlights of his visit to Parliament Hill and an Ottawa Rough Riders game. And I tracked him as he continued on to Toronto, where he received a hero’s welcome in Nathan Phillips Square.
A few weeks later, with the momentum building, my family happened to catch up to the Marathon of Hope somewhere between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, while we were on a family vacation. By then, I was reading about him in the newspaper every day. Our paths didn’t cross, but the anticipation in the communities we travelled through was evident.

And then, shockingly, just a few weeks later, it was over. I saw the clip of Terry announcing that cancer had returned. I bought an extra copy of the newspaper that day, so I could have my own, separate from my dad’s.I never imagined the story could have such a tragic ending. I kept thinking Terry would soon be running again. Looking back, I think the Marathon of Hope was the first and most powerful lesson of my life that it’s the journey that matters,not the destination. The fact that Terry never made it to the finish line doesn’t diminish his accomplishments; indeed, it’s what made other people so determined to adopt his cause and make it their own, rather than simply keep watching him from the side of the road.

Terry has been with me throughout my life since I hopped and shuffled down that driveway as an 11-year- old boy. The Marathon of Hope was a landmark event in my young life so it’s no surprise that it still resonates with me today. But one of the measures of how significant Terry Fox was is how he means just as much to people younger than 35 as he does to me.
To all of us, Terry Fox is a hero, an icon, an idol. But we should also think of him as an ordinary man. Terry was extraordinary because of his choices and his actions, meaning the same potential exists in all of us.

None of us can match Terry Fox (it still bugs me that he came only second in the Greatest Canadian poll a decade ago). But even if we don’t copy his gait, we can all run like him. We can test our limits. We can raise money and awareness. We can use running to prove a point, to show we’re prepared to do something hard—if in some way that can change the world.

Mark Sutcliffe is the founder
of iRun magazine and co- chairman of the United Way Ottawa campaign. He hosts The Running Show on TSN1200.ca, a talk show on 580 CFRA and is the author of Why I Run: The Remarkable Journey of the Ordinary Runner.

#FindYourStrong with these Great Canadian Seekers

By

Anna Lee Boschetto

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April 15, 2015

As part of a yearlong program, Saucony and iRun magazine are working together to profile a year in the life of ten extraordinary athletes. Along with being a member of this extraordinary group, Christa Davidson kicks off with introductions of the others.

By Christa Davidson

When you consider that I am trying to impress my editor (who handed me an assignment request with a tight timeline) yes was my answer when he asked if I could work on a piece finding inspirational runners on a joint project with Saucony.

The runners needed to be doing charity work, and not just that, they needed to represent something bigger than themselves. Something creative. Something inspiring, and they needed to be runners or walkers with a real love of the sport. They also needed to be female and male, ideally equally represented and of various ages.

I contacted people I knew from social media, from across Canada and enlisted them as soldiers of my search. Over a few days I had some connections to several runners who were doing great work. There are a lot of people out there who are supporting great causes through running and fortunately ten committed women and men suddenly came into my pressured for time, busy life .

Fundraising tends to work for runners because the donor realizes that you will do the hard part of running the race if they do the easy part of loosening their purse strings, so it really is a perfect partnership for runners and charities.

My wonderful search soldiers did a fabulous job of pointing me in the direction of eleven heroes that they thought would be wonderful examples of the kind of spirit that would inspire readers of iRun.

In the coming months we will have the privilege of following several of these awesome examples of Canadian selflessness as they train, fundraise, laugh, cry and run their way to helping their chosen charities improve the lives of Canadians that they don’t even know, just like Terry did.

Please meet the #FindYourStrong heroes we’ll be following all year:

Tara Berry

Krysten Siba Bishop

Catherine Watkins

Jean-Paul Bedard

Shannon Penway and Joel Payeur

Monique Lo

Alicia Woodside

Looking for more motivation? Read additional #FindYourStrong stories here.

Oh What a Race in Rotterdam!

By

Krista DuChene

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April 13, 2015

I am so absolutely thrilled with my performance today.

By Krista DuChene

Throughout this season, Coach Rick and I focused on marathon pace for all of my races leading up to my first attempt at the Olympic Standard. I ran that pace in November in the RememberRun 8 km and worked my way up to that pace for the March 1st Chilly Half. In the last month of training, I then gained a lot of fitness, including spending nearly 3 weeks in Texas/Florida. I wasn’t very vocal with this marathon, rather just wanted to somewhat quietly do the work and take a shot at it.

Heading to Rotterdam via Amsterdam, I had great travel with no major jet lag issues, an amazing roommate from Paraguay, and no pressure going into the race. The weather looked decent with good temps and some wind.

Heading into the race,I knew Miranda Boonstra, from the Netherlands wanted to hit her Olympic standard (it was already announced) of 2:28:00. She had two pacers and the four of us stuck together, on pace until 30 km. Unfortunately she started to suffer from bad leg cramps and I was forced to go ahead on my own. At that point, the headwind was nasty and I had to make a decision: aim to continue on my own at that pace, to break 2:28:00, also the Canadian record, and possibly suffer, risking my chance at the Canadian Olympic standard or play it safe, stay strong and consistent, adjusting my effort based on the wind and guarantee myself the standard. With the wind and solo running for the remaining 12 km, I chose the safer option. It was the right choice.

Although it wasn’t a PB (which is 2:28:32 from 2013), it was the best race I ever ran, mentally. I was very calm and relaxed. Every time I felt a physical struggle, I just kept the rhythm and waited for it to pass. And it did. It was the first marathon where I felt, “Wow” rather than “Ugh” when I thought about how many kilometres I had left to go. The crowds were great, especially when I ran with their local, Miranda When I crossed the line and knew with 2:29:38 that I had the (2012) Olympic standard and then was informed I was third woman, well first I vomited, then came the happy tears and smiles.

I ended up taking 2 hrs in doping control to give the required 90 mL sample but had my phone and the company of a few other runners around me, one being Miranda. It was so nice to get to know her. In 2012 when I ran Rotterdam, I was 2 minutes slower than our standard. She was 8 seconds slower in the same race. Today I have our standard but once again, she does not have her standard. Marathoning is incredibly tough. Having a perfect race at this level is rare, I can’t stress that enough. I certainly look up to her, at age 42, continuing to commit and work incredibly hard hoping for success with no guarantee.

At dinner with the Speed River group, I was sled by coach Dave Scott-Thomas what the feeling was for the next for racing, I replied with a smile, “You know, that is a question I am pleased to have no answer!” For now, I am going to do some travelling in Europe for a few days as a mini vacation, where I can eat anything and enjoy the wonderful surroundings, returning home to Brantford on Thursday. It will be great to see the kids and Jonathan, who has been juggling his busy job and their schedules and care since I left.

In addition, I would like to extend a major thank you to everyone who has contributed to the journey, and many more, it simply would not be possible without you!

#TeamDuChene: Jonathan, Micah, Seth, Leah
Coach Rick & Josie Mannen
Sherri, Paul, Patricia: Essential Physiotherapy and Wellnes; Naomi, David, Ashley: Therapeutic Massage Counsel and Sue: stretching and breathing exercises and an active mom I look up to
Maureen, Jeanetta from the Wayne Gretzky Sport Centre’s childcare
Celine, Jonathan’s parents, Uncle Glen & Aunt Joyce and great running friends like James, and Clayton
Eload; Saucony; Liberte and Chariot

Verdict reached in Boston Marathon bombing trial

By

Anna Lee Boschetto

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April 9, 2015

By Megan Black

A jury in Boston has found 21-year-old Boston Marathon bomber Dzhkohar Tsarnaev guilty on all 30 counts, including 17 that carry a possible death penalty. Almost two years ago, the bombings took lives of three people and severely injured at least 264. The bombings solidified the dangerous consequences of self-taught homegrown terrorism, as the worst attack on American soil since September 11th 2001. The trial began March 4th, with the first phase of Tsarnaev’s trial completed just two weeks shy of the bombing’s second anniversary on April 20th.

The penalty phase to determine whether Tsarnaev will face execution is still to come. For now, those racing in the 119th Boston Marathon next week have been afforded some closure as the trial proceeds.

How technology can power up your mental game

By

Jennifer Perrault

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April 8, 2015

Technology is moving at an outrageously quick pace; Canada is welcoming the use of technology to enhance the lives of Canadians. As you read this, Amazon is testing the use of drones to deliver packages right in our backyard of British Columbia. And of course, technology has expanded into running.

We have more gadgets than ever available to monitor and enhance running, such as heart rate monitors, GPS watches and increasingly sophisticated technology in shoes. Gadgets can give runners important feedback, but it is also important that we interpret this feedback accurately. How we interpret the physiological responses, for example heart rate, that gadgets measure, is related to the third factor that can increase one’s belief in his or her abilities: physiological responses.

Our body will react to the situation that we put it in, and how we interpret these reactions or physiological responses can hinder or help confidence. For example, before a 5-K race it is normal to be nervous, your heart rate increases and you might even notice that you’re sweating more. If your watch has a heart rate monitor, the numbers can tell you exactly how much higher your heart rate is than normal. The standard reaction for nervousness usually involves questioning yourself. You may even find yourself asking why you’re doing this run, if you’re really ready to do this run and what happens if you don’t reach your goals. It’s quite common to label your nervousness as dread or a sign that you’re not quite prepared. So how can you change your reaction, and generate a positive vibe? The mentally strong runner will label nervousness as excitement and thrive off of the excitement.

Here’s the thing: Mental strength takes time and effort to develop and with mental strength will come confidence. The challenge for runners is to interpret their own physiological responses in a positive manner. For example, if you look down at your heart rate monitor in the middle of a run and your heart rate is in a safe range, but higher than you want it to be, interpret this feedback as showing that you’re working hard and pushing yourself and thrive off of it instead of being fearful and slowing down. You can’t always control your heart rate or your nerves but you can always control how you react to it. With time and hard work you can change your default reaction to excitement!

Jennifer is a former gymnast turned sprinter turned middle distance runner. She recently completed a Master’s in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa where she studied sport psychology. She holds a Bachelor Degree in psychology from the University of Western Ontario where she was captain of the Track and Field team. She continued her running career with the Gee Gees and is the 2012 Canadian Interuniversity Sport Champion in the 1000m. She is passionate about bringing athletes to a new level of performance through mental skills training. Jennifer believes that enhancing mental performance is about sharpening these mental skills to help athletes constantly challenge themselves to be better.

Connect with Jennifer on Twitter, @jen_perrault, or visit her website!

Surviving the March Madness

By

Krista DuChene

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April 1, 2015

By: Krista DuChene

Late winter/early spring is always a busy time for Team DuChene and this one proved to be no different. I am relieved to know that I survived:

Four consecutive 160 km weeks in the coldest month in recorded history.
Two consecutive 170 km weeks in two different training environments.
One 20 km tempo run, one 38 km long run, and one 6×1 mile repeat workout in the same week as six Disney excursions with my family.My three kids’ birthday parties in seven weeks.

Since racing a steady 74 minute Chilly Half Marathon on March 1, everything has nicely fallen into place. I had another 160 km week to transition into my highest two training weeks of 170 km/week, which were planned for Houston and Orlando.

Back in the fall, we knew it was going to be necessary to escape the Canadian winter in order to log some quality kilometres at the right time in preparation for my April marathon. I could build a base in the winter month and consistently cross train but would especially need reliable footing in order to take it to that next level of fitness.

Houston, Texas
Mary Davies graciously offered that I train and live with her in Houston Texas, and I gladly took her up on the offer. So, on March 7 I flew to Houston and spent 10 days with her and her family. It was absolutely amazing. Mary was so hospitable and I felt very much at home. Her husband and mother-in-law were super supportive of our schedules, and an integral part in meal preparation and childcare. I helped out with some dishes, meal prep and playing with the kids but it was nowhere near what I would have had to handle at home. Each and every day I napped and rested in bed for nearly two hours in the afternoon. Two hours! At home, at the most, it is 45 minutes. And in the evenings, I was in bed between 9-10 pm. Rest and sleep have been priorities during this build and being in Texas was the perfect opportunity to continue implementing this. I am so grateful for Mary and her family.

As for training, our coaches were able to work with each other’s plans in order to optimize our opportunity as partners yet keep the consistency we were each used to. So when I arrived, Mary had just finished two difficult days and I was able to adjust to my new environment as we enjoyed our first runs together at an easy pace. When I was there, it was cool and gray. Mary kept apologizing for the “cold” conditions but I reminded her that it was nothing, coming from -35 C with the wind! We got into a good routine with our morning runs and afternoon cross training sessions at the gym. Our speed and tempo workouts were done at Rice University with her coach, Jim Bevan. Jim and I enjoyed chatting about my Petrolia, Ontario background – the training camp I attended at Rice University more than two 20 years ago, my friend and teammate Erin Brand, who went on to run for the Owls and our wonderful track coach, Murray Jackson. Mary and I did a bit of running with Becky Wade who debuted at the 2013 California International Marathon but she was at the very end of her taper, getting ready to race the USA Marathon Championships in Los Angeles, California. Other than the bit of humidity that played a bit with my G.I. system (that also happened to many of us at the training camp years ago), it was an absolutely wonderful and perfect experience. I didn’t know it at the time but I logged my greatest ever mileage week while there. On the final day, I did some one-kilometre repeats while Mary completed a paced run around campus. After a quick shower and breakfast, she drove me back to the airport to say our goodbyes. Mary is one great mom, wife, friend, daughter and marathoner. She juggles it all so well and with so much grace, which I certainly admire.

Orlando, Florida

When I arrived at the airport in Orlando and checked my messages, I realized it was going to be a very late night. Jonathan was flying with the kids whose flight ended up being delayed by nearly three hours. I got a coffee and pulled out my laptop to do some work, which helped kill the time. It was great to see the kids again and the excitement about their first airplane ride. After finding our way to and checking in at our resort, getting groceries, and settling in, I was in bed at 1:00 am with my alarm set for 6:00 am. Coach Rick planned that our Disney excursion days would be my easy run days. The first 48 hours of the trip were crazy but eventually I settled into another routine. When the 7 day trip was over, I successfully logged 170 km of running with some pool running AND Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney, the evening Disney fireworks and electric parade, and Hollywood Studios. Naturally my body let me know it was too much by losing the battle to a nasty cold but I’m at the end of it now, as I begin my taper for my April 12 Marathon.

I have another 10 days at home before I get on another flight to put all this work into place. It has been a unique and challenging journey but I look forward to seeing what this body can do at another 42.2 km.

How movies and real life heroes inspire your running

By

Jennifer Perrault

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March 24, 2015

With the buzz around Academy-award winning movies carrying on, I’ve been trying to watch some of the movies that have won awards. I recently watched the movie Whiplash which won for Best Supporting Actor, and I was blown away by its intensity. Centred around an aspiring musician, Andrew Neiman and a conductor, Fletcher, who is determined to produce one of the best musicians in the world, the film delves into the tension-filled studio environment. Complete with chairs thrown at Andrew’s head and emotional abuse, Fletcher believes that,”there are no two words in the english language more harmful than good job”.

There’s no question that I believe in striving for your best. By challenging yourself you’ll discover what your best really is, but this movie takes it to a whole other level. As runners, we are often notorious for being hard on ourselves, sloughing off compliments and making it a struggle to truly believe in our ability. Yet a major factor in your success is that self belief. It might sound simplistic, but scientific research tells us that self belief is a key factor that plays into our ability to accomplish our goals.

As it turns out, having a positive belief in our ability can influence our effort, persistence and mental state. Since the 80s, the field of sport psychology has been researching factors that influence an individuals belief in him or her self. Researchers have asked the question: when someone has a really strong belief in their ability to be successful, what factors are playing into that belief? Four factors including enactive mastery, vicarious experience, social persuasion and physiological factors.

Think about how many times you’ve decided how fast or how slow you were going to run, even before you laced up your shoes. So how can you move the needle on self-belief in a positive direction? Drawing inspiration from others, through vicarious experience, is one factor that can influence your belief. In fact, seeing another person achieve their goal is a great way to get a boost in your own confidence and can ultimately sky rocket your success.

In the latest issue of iRun Magazine, Terry Fox was celebrated and he has undoubtably been one of the most inspirational figures in Canadian history. Thirty-five years after running over 5,000 kilometres in 143 days, in order to raise funds and awareness for cancer, Terry Fox’s admiration continues to run deep. He relentlessly pursued his goal and pushed himself to unbelievable lengths, he truly personified mental toughness. Terry’s legacy lives on and the Terry Fox Foundation has raised over $650 million in Terry Fox’s name. Drawing on others’ successes, including Terry, will enhance your belief in yourself. The next time you are nearing the end of a run, think of Terry and his relentless determination; better yet, make the Terry Fox Run your goal and draw confidence from the strength and courage of an inspirational Canadian.

Over the course of the next month, I’ll tackle the other factors that will help you increase your belief in yourself and bring out your best running!

About Jennifer Perrault

Jennifer is a former gymnast turned sprinter turned middle distance runner. She recently completed a Master’s in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa where she studied sport psychology. She holds a Bachelor Degree in psychology from the University of Western Ontario where she was captain of the Track and Field team. She continued her running career with the Gee Gees and is the 2012 Canadian Interuniversity Sport Champion in the 1000m. She is passionate about bringing athletes to a new level of performance through mental skills training. Jennifer believes that enhancing mental performance is about sharpening these mental skills to help athletes constantly challenge themselves to be better.

Connect with Jennifer on Twitter, @jen_perrault, or visit her website!

School Ties

By

Andrew Chak

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March 15, 2015

Andrew Chak goes back to school to see how today’s students respond to Terry’s memory. Hint: Through their dedication, he learns something about himself.

When it comes to the annual Terry Fox Run at Millwood Junior School in Etobicoke, Ontario, they’re all in. They run and they get the whole community involved in a spirited, demonstrative manner to raise money for cancer research. Their enthusiasm and commitment has helped them to raise more than $5,000 over each of the past two years.
I had a chance to chat with a group of Grade 5 students at Millwood to gain an understanding as to what Terry Fox meant to them. I started the conversation by going through a brief recap as to who Terry was, the struggles he faced and what he accomplished during his lifetime. As the students reflected on Terry’s life, I was struck by the impact his story had in inspiring them to be able to overcome challenges.

What words would you use to describe Terry Fox?
The first question I asked the students was to share what words they would use to describe Terry.
“Courageous. He went out and did something no one else had done before.”
“Selfless. He thought of those who were suffering with cancer with no hope and wanted to help them.”
“Eager. He was eager to finish the marathon. He was eager to raise money for cancer research.”
“Persevering. He kept on going even if it hurt him.”
I was impressed with how the students picked up on Terry’s selflessness in what he did and I was glad that this was something that stood out to them.

What is important for other kids to know about Terry Fox?
As the students heard more about what Terry did and how he did it, I asked them what they thought was important for other kids to know about him.
“That he ran to raise money for cancer research and not to be famous.”
“That he set a good example for others to follow.”
“That he proved that something really difficult could be done.”
“That giving can help you and others no matter how hard it is.”
“To never give up.”
As the students shared their answers, I could see their minds processing new possibilities within their own lives as they realized that challenging goals could be accomplished even if they are hard to do.

How does Terry Fox inspire you?
The final question I asked these students was for them to share how Terry has inspired them.
“To never give up on your dream.”
“To persevere – even if you don’t want to keep on going.”
“To always keep going no matter what.”
“If you work hard, anything is possible.”
“To believe in yourself.”
Listening to these students’ answers was an important reminder for me to believe in myself. Committing to a goal takes constant re-commitment and it always helpful to hear and re-hear the stories of those who kept on going.

A persevering story
As the students shared their answers, I couldn’t help but be moved. When I heard how inspired they were from Terry’s story, they inspired me. As the students from Millwood Junior School have shown, the response to Terry’s story is one of persevering inspiration, and the way in which we must respond is to persevere in sharing it with others.

Andrew Chak is a father of three boys and author of The Obsessive Runner blog. He’s a Canada Running Series and Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend digital ambassador and part of the Rock ‘n’ Blog team for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series.