Fueling your body is just as important as fueling your car if you plan to do any sort of distance. There is a ton of information out there on what to eat, how to eat it, and how much to eat. I, to be perfectly honest, am a little bit lazy and unmotivated when it comes to food, so I’ve come up with a few strategies to make my diet as good as it can be (given my personal constraints).

1. Try to buy “whole” food – That means buying lettuce, tomato and avocado as opposed to salad in a bag. Or… more importantly, try buying potatoes and ground beef to make shepherd’s pie, rather than just grabbing one from the frozen food section. This can extend to making your own granola (super easy and something that I do) and bread. If you can get the “whole” food in an organic version, even better!

2. Try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as you can – It is really easy to slip into the bagel diet (trust me, I’ve done it). So now I just focus on getting at least one whole fruit in with any of my meals and try to make a salad the biggest portion of my dinner.

3. Experiment with starches – The basic filler foods are pasta, potatoes and rice. I’ve tried to replace traditional pasta with rice pasta and jazz up the other options a bit. If you’re going to be waiting for rice to cook, you might as well try quinoa, barley or even lentils. They’re all substitutes and will keep you from getting to bored!

Those are my three rules of thumb that should accommodate most diets. The most important thing is to get enough in and pay attention to your cravings – if you’re craving caffeine or sugar you’re probably a bit low in some other nutrient so take a look look at your diet (consult a nutritionist or dietician) and quell those cravings with real food!

Now… get your shoes on and enjoy some spring weather!

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Born in Nova Scotia and emigrating to British Columbia via Ontario and Alberta, Magi has been running the entire way. Primarily defined as a cross country ski racer, Magi has competed nationally and internationally in that sport. The highlight of her career was competing in the World University Games and the World Cup races in Canada in 2007. Cross country skiers rely heavily on running for cross training and Magi has become an accomplished trail and mountain runner, representing Canada at the World Mountain Running Championships in 2005 and the winning numerous national championships medals.

Today Magi runs for fun… and it’s a lot of fun! Epic mountain runs, city cruises with friends, and more keep her happy and occupied outside of work and school.

The following is a guest post by Michael Eisen who ran the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 10K as his first race at the tender age of 52.

In June 2011, I had planned to go on a trip to California with some “A-type”friends. The goal of the trip was to do the Half Dome climb in Yosemite National Park. It’s a challenging 11 km hike with an ascent of 3000 ft. The last 400 ft is a near vertical climb using cables.

I trained every week for 6 months walking with a pack so that I could do it, and I lost 30 lbs in the process. I made that climb and two others. The view from the top was amazing.

I started running after that. I started at 5k on my own and ran through the winter. In the Spring, my wife gave me the Running Room 10k clinic for my 52nd birthday. It was great. I learned so much from my coach Tara Wong.

The ORW was my first official race – I ran the 10K with my son-in-law Matt Schoyen. Matt is a runner who had never competed in a race before.

We had a great time. It was so exciting to be standing in our corral near the front, waiting for the race to start. I tried to remember all of the race tips that my clinic coach Tara had shared with us. I had butterflies in my stomach. Matt finished in 53:00 and I came in at 01:02:58. I keep the photo of myself crossing the finish line by my workstation as inspiration.

The next day I volunteered at the water station at Tunneys Pasture for the Half Marathon and Marathon runners. It was great being able to give back and support the other runners. Pat from the Running Room got us all organized and told us what to do. It didn’t take long to learn how to cleanly hand off a cup of water to a passing runner without getting splashed. Some of the runners didn’t look to happy as the heat was beginning to get to them. I admired their determination and effort. I knew that next year I would be running with them.

I am looking forward to the ORW. It’s like my running anniversary. I registered for the half marathon very early to ensure that I would have a spot this year. I am sure that despite having run two halfs already this year, I will be standing in my corral again with butterflies in my stomach. I am 53 years old now and I can’t believe that it took over 30 years for me to become an athelete. I love to run. I will continue to run because I can.

By: Nikki Reiter

Some runners love to stretch.  You often see them breaking for a quick stretch in the park, limbering up for a race, or hanging around post-run chatting while posing in strange positions.  Could these activities actually be harming them?  Every once in a while, along with the latest training fad, you may hear “stretching is bad for you” or “you should only stretch dynamically” or “men can stretch before running, but women shouldn’t”…really?  Student researcher Carey Simpson, at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, has been stretching subjects and measuring the associated changes in their tendon length.  She has discovered evidence that suggests that women may be at a real disadvantage when it comes to statically stretching the Achilles tendon just prior to running.

For her study, Simpson had healthy, active, male and female subjects come into the lab and, using ultrasound techniques, she measured their Achilles tendon, which is the long strip of tough, fibrous tissue that connects your heel bone to your calf muscle.  Functionally, the Achilles tendon will absorb and return energy when running, working much like stretching and releasing energy in an elastic band.  Subjects then had their Achilles tendon statically stretched for two minutes (in a similar way as demonstrated by Carey in the photo).  When measuring the tendon after the stretching intervention, male and female subjects demonstrated very different reactions.

While women demonstrated that they could increase the length of their Achilles tendon, men demonstrated greater changes to the structure of the calf muscle, (note the different structures in the diagram).

So, what does this mean?  Simpson explains that “when pushing off the ground, if a woman has elongated her Achilles tendon, she will then have to ‘take up’ the slack before her calf muscles can contract to produce the forces needed for running.”  This not only inhibits performance, but the increased laxity of the Achilles tendon also means increased ankle joint mobility, which puts a lot of stress on the knee to be a more stable structure in running.  “The idea of increased joint laxity, in general, for women, is a relatively known occurrence, however it hasn’t yet been investigated with the Achilles tendon,” says Simpson.  Bottom line, “stretching the Achilles before running may be detrimental for women.”  For men, the immediate effects of statically stretching the Achilles results in reorientation of the muscle fibers in the calf into a position that can produce more force.  “This is great for pushing off the ground, but it’s unknown how long the effect lasts and whether it changes gait patterns,” Simpson explains.

Runners tend to stretch for a variety of reasons; perhaps it’s because it makes them feel good, or they feel the need to prepare for exercise.  Perhaps they believe it will ward off injuries.  Perhaps they’ve just been told to do so!  Whatever the reason, it’s important not to change your training based on the results of one study.  If what you’re doing works for you, then keep at it!  If you’re continually getting injured, and traditional rehabilitation isn’t working for you, maybe it’s time to think outside the box!

Happy Running!

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Nikki Reiter is a Mizuno Running Brand Ambassador from Kelowna, BC.  She holds a master’s degree in biomechanics, coaches Cross Country at UBC Okanagan and is the founder of Run Right Gait Analysis Service (run-right.ca).

By: Karen Karnis

Once upon a time, a young man worked in a job he didn’t really like, and ran with a group of people who couldn’t get their running shoes and apparel locally. He knew there was a need for a running specialty store in the area, and his buddies agreed.

The year was 1993, the city was Windsor, ON, and the man was Gary Belanger. Now, the Running Factory is celebrating its 20^th anniversary. Business has changed quite a bit from its beginnings with 900 square-feet and one employee – Belanger now has a business partner, Joe Bertuccio, they have two stores, and they employ 18 staff. The thing that hasn’t changed is why he loves the job. “The best part is being involved in something that you love to do. It is great to come into work daily and talk with customers about their training plans and racing for the coming year,” says Belanger.

The store is also involved in organizing and sponsoring several local running and triathlon events that benefit charities such as Hospice, We Care for Kids, Children’s Health Foundation, and Crime Stoppers, to name a few. “Our Spring Thaw event in March for Hospice celebrated 20 years like the store,” says Belanger.  They’re also huge supporters of the University of Windsor Lancers track and cross country teams. “The Lancer program is one of the best programs in the country with Dennis Fairall at the helm, and we are happy to be a part of their success,” he says.

Meanwhile, back at the store, Belanger says loyal Mizuno fans keep coming back for their next pair of shoes. “They offer some of the best product out there,” says Belanger, adding, “Customers like the lightness of their shoes and the fast and flashy colour offerings.”

“My favourite and current running shoe is the Enigma from Mizuno,” he says. “I like how it offers a balance between cushioning and support. I’ve been running with this shoe for about two years now.”

While the Running Factory’s 20^th Anniversary Sale was last month, you can still come out and celebrate with the team on May 15. They have invited their suppliers and several local running clubs to their regular Club Night, so that runners can try out the latest offerings from several companies, and get in on some cool giveaways. For all the latest updates, check them out on Facebook.

By: Karen Karnis

Mizuno is excited to add Kelly Wiebe to the Mizuno Racing Team. The 23-year-old runner from Swift Current, SK has shown versatility, scooping up wins in cross country, on the track and on the road.

For the past several years, Wiebe has run with the University of Regina Cougars under coach Graeme McMaster. His recent accomplishments include winning the 2013 CIS cross country championships setting a new course record, a fourth Canada West gold medal in the 3,000 metres, being named 2013 Cougar Athlete of the Year by the University of Regina, and is a nominee for the 2013 President Award for best athletic and academic accomplishments.

Outside of school, Wiebe placed third individually while representing Canada at the 2013 NACAC Cross Country Championships in Jamaica, and he has just returned from the World Cross Country Championships in Poland. Last year, he managed a spectacular sprint at the end of the Vancouver Sun Run to come from behind for a surprise win.

Now that he’s finishing up his degree in Environmental Engineering, Wiebe plans to move to Vancouver to train full-time under coach Richard Lee, who also coaches Mizuno-athlete Dylan Wykes. “Being in Vancouver, I will be able to train all year round, which I am extremely excited about. Also, I know Richard Lee is a very smart coach, and I believe that he can take me to the next level that will allow me to compete with some of the best runners in the world,” he says.

Arnold Tse, Business Unit Manager for Running, manages Mizuno Canada’s Elite Athlete and Brand Ambassador Programs. He is happy to have Wiebe on board and says, “Kelly is a very talented runner who has a great work ethic.  His dedication and commitment is what impresses me the most.  He is a great fit for our brand and he will be a great addition to our roster as an elite athlete and ambassador.”

“Mizuno is proud to support Kelly and we look forward to seeing him compete in Canada and internationally,” adds Tse.

“I can’t explain how thrilled I am to be a part of the Mizuno Racing Team,” says Wiebe. “I have always loved Mizuno for running shoes and running apparel. I knew that when I completed University I would need a sponsor to keep on running, and I really wanted that sponsor to be Mizuno. Lucky for me, Dylan Wykes was aware of the fact that I needed a sponsor and he put a good word in for me to his rep. I guess I got a little lucky!”

While Wiebe hasn’t had a chance to sit down with his new coach to set out a plan for the next few years, his goals include running at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow, and perhaps chasing down some Canadian records on the roads.

“I think with the support of Mizuno (which has already astounded me by how much they care), and the fact that I will be training under one of the best coaches in Canada in one of the best training locations in the world, I have no doubt in my mind that I can achieve my goals,” says Wiebe.  “The main factor that will determine my degree of success in the sport is consistency. Involving things like running on soft trails year round, and not being constricted to a 200m indoor track in the winter will help me stay healthy and consistent with my training. Also, having a fresh pair of shoes whenever I need them will be huge factor in staying injury free!”