STWM race report … The Gordon Lightfoot Edition.

Ok, so bla, bla, bla, and  yada yada, yada, … and then the STWM was over… so what was the big deal ?   Well, aside from this being my 27th marathon,  and according to an un-named friend…(let’s just call her EJ for short) I set a PB of 4:36:42 as was so aptly pointed out to me by her that technically,  this was the fastest I have run this distance in my new age category…so technically, … it’s a PB…technically…

All in all I had a great race…but I have to say that after about marathon number 16 this distance kind of starts be a bit “old comfortable shoe” kind of boring.

Don’t get me wrong, STWM organized a great race, the course was awesome. I liked the changes to the course… up to Bloor Street and across to Bathurst Street then South to the Lakeshore…as well as the extended run through The Beaches. The volunteers were simply the best, and without them this race wouldn’t have been possible. Mother Nature was kind to us and the weather held. Fan support was incredible…except between the lonely stretch around 20km through to 23km…or maybe it was just me “being in the zone.”

You see,  I had a lot on my mind in the days leading up to this race, so … if you dare… and if I may reference a line from the great Canadian singer / songwriter Gordon Lightfoot… “IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND, WHAT A TALE MY THOUGHTS COULD TELL”… please feel free to read on.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS OF THE AUTHOR’S THOUGHTS LEADING UP TO, DURING AND AFTER THE STWM…READER DISCRETION IS STRONGLY ADVISED !!!

Wednesday:
…hmmm, weather doesn’t look too promising … are you kidding me, does that say 40km/hr winds and rain…ok, you’re prepared for this distance, you’re injury free, your new shoes feel good, this is no big deal…but I’ve just changed shoe brands, and have never run this far in these…RELAX…last taper run…light 5k…shoes are fine…

Thursday:
…looked at the weather again… PANIC…now it’s saying 50km/hr winds and rain…I really hate running in rain and wind…whose idea was it to run this damn race…oh, mine…am I a moron or what…calm down…what to wear on race day…warm and dry…ya, with my luck maybe a snowsuit…hate you Mother Nature…

Friday:
…ok, the plan is to run the first 10k with my buddy Jay, I know he’s injured, but I am going to take him through this whole race if I have to…it’s his second race…boy he’s being smart about what might happen… good plan… my friend Kelly is running her first race on her birthday, nice…she will  do just fine…got to pick up race kits…

Saturday:
…did I forget to get some gels for the race…hope the running store is open this late…great…I am out of Vector…and it’s Saturday night… I know this is a small town and all, but how can BOTH GROCERY STORES BE SOLD OUT OF VECTOR…PANIC 2.0…ok, stomach…it’s Mini Wheats or bust…chip on the shoe, bib on the shirt, right side up this time… bandages for the nipples, … one last weather check…ok…only 35 km/hr winds…but still going to rain…GARMIN IN CHARGE MODE / BODY GLIDE ON STAND BY …must send out emails to Paula, Catherine, Kelly and Jay…  don’t forget to set the alarm and wake up to it this time…

Sunday Morning… Pre Race Ritual:
…alarm sounded…feed the cats…shower…hope Jay’s up… mustn’t forget to pick him up …did I gas up the car…dare I check the weather…uh oh…still 30km winds and rain…gonna be a wet race…happy wet birthday race Kelly…breakfast and a small coffee…damn…how is it that there’s no Vector in this town…don’t they know it’s race day …eat the Mini Wheats…shower…check weather again… get rid of breakfast…ok… don’t skimp on the Body Glide this time…band aids on the nipples… get dressed…check the weather…PANIC 3.0…do I wear a long sleeve and no shell or a short sleeve and a shell or a short sleeve and a throw away shell…take it all and decide when you get to the city…pick up Jay…TIMMIES…but just a small one…

Waiting in the lobby of a hotel near the start line:
…lots of runners here…we should have stayed here …it’s so near to the start line… wonder how much it costs…where’s the washroom… awesome  chat with the locals…wow, just met a 66 year-old man and his wife running  100th marathon and from SWEDEN; good on you and welcome to CANADA, at least it’s not snowing…hope I am still running years from now…lots of first timers too… still raining…

Start line…Corrals:
…hey, it stopped raining… wow… this just might blow over… why can’t I get a signal for my Garmin… oh, step into the middle of the street moron…you’re under a cement canopy… don’t start off too fast…stick with Jay…go at his pace… where’s the wind…thank you Mother Nature… now I know what it’s like to feel like cattle…wow, crowded in here…looking for good friends Paula and Catherine running the half, and Kelly running her first  marathon on her birthday no less…hope they do well…you can’t find anyone in this orgy of runners… you know I can’t read my Garmin without my glasses…maybe I should look into that laser surgery thing…when is the start…oh…there it is… and we’re off…and we stop…and we walk…and we stop…oh…this is normal…I can’t even see the start line yet…no rain…no wind…wish everyone luck and a good race…did I use enough Body Glide…finally we’re running… took them long enough…

Start-10k
…ok legs feels good… all systems check… getting warm…no, getting really warm…wow this might be a great day for a race after all…keep the shell…lose the shell…keep the shell…damn… Jay looks ok… no pain so far…SLOW DOWN…it’s only the first 2km…check pace…toss the shell…grab a drink… course is nice but still no room to run…course support is good…hey is that guy using a thermal coffee mug as a cow bell…cool idea… how is it you gotta pee this early in the race buddy…frantically looking for port-o-let…look at the line up… frantically looking for private area to pee…wait for Jay, how much did you drink man…feeling better Mr. Drink Too Much… 6k marker…watch says we’ve done a bit more than 6k…volunteers are awesome…sign reads “ran like you stole something else”…hehe…legs good, Jay is good…all is good…hope Kelly is doing ok…speak of the devil…there she is… Happy Birthday small talk, introduce Jay…keep running… take back what I said earlier about hate and Mother Nature…

10k-20k
… running strong, no wind, no rain, no pain….wow these shoes are really awesome… great…now I have to pee… looking…looking… looking…still looking… found a spot … go ahead buddy, I’ll catch up…honest…running again…feeling really good… was that the 14k marker…wow, band sounds good… lots of fun… what are you doing trying to cross the course, runners only please … pet peeve number one… splitting from the half marathon runners…miss you guys, see you later… good luck, you can do it…ya, lucky for them their race ends in about 10 min…my race is just starting…camera guy… smile… wonder how many of them I have missed… I am so lonely … good luck half marathoners… good friends Paula and Catherine are on their way to an awesome half-marathon finish, you go girls…

20k-35k
…where’s Jay, where’s Kelly, see them both on the out and backs… encourage them both… see lots of amazing runners…running great … no pain… weather is good… crowds are good…is that the sun, wow…I just PB’s my 30k…photo op ahead…run right at him and SMILE…back to the zone…Beaches already… there’s Jay, running strong, injury my ass, he’s just behind the 4:25:00 bunny…Kelly is about 8 min behind me… hey was that guy barefoot…you’re a better runner than I am…ouch… new best sign reads…”failures never start, quitters never win, winners never quit”…ah the wisdom of a race poster…

35k-42k
… sun is out now and I am really warm… almost too warm…glad I got rid of my shell …good call…just because they can read your name on your bib doesn’t mean you are going too slow…keep running…focus on form..this is a lousy 7k…I can run a 7k blindfolded…ok maybe not blindfolded…but It’s 7k…starting to notice fans and water stations and music and everything except me…system check… all OK… 2k to go…this one’s in the bag… hey Kelly where did you come from…wow…great pace… happy birthday for like the 6th time…good for you… there ‘s the finish, just keep running, just keep running, just keep running…100m left.. finish ahead…still feel great…don’t look at your watch when you cross the line…you have lots of pictures of you shutting off your watch…smile..ok, grit your teeth…it kinda looks like a smile… crowds are cheering, I hear music…no, I really hear “Music” by “Madonna” …ok..and I’m done…get the medal..where’s my medal…got my medal..thank the people handing out the medal… meet up with and congratulate Kelly…her first marathon on her birthday, awesome… where’s Jay…any food left… really hungry, but legs feel really good… awesome run self…think I have found a new best shoe… race nirvana…

Post Race:
…meet up with Jay, congratulate Jay,  have to drive home… why did I buy a car with a standard transmission … man I smell…man you smell too Jay… open a window will ya…hey I am really getting the hang of changing gears without a clutch…”we don’t need no stinking clutch” hehe …speaking of stinking, will ya open a window please…ok self, you did really well today…enjoy the moment, now suck it up…GOOFY IS NEXT !!!

Once upon a time, there was a drunken girl with great shoes and pretty feet. The loved girl loved beer and shoes, particularly saucy, sexy high heeled shoes. While her feet were never comfortable in such shoes, footwear completes an outfit, so the feet tried not to complain.

The girl would take her feet drinking and dancing. She never meant to be abusive to her feet by disregarding their feelings; it was the alcohol. The more she danced the more her feet would complain about the discomfort of the saucy, sexy shoes. The more she drank, the more her feet decided to rebel and cause the girl to stumble. Sometimes the feet would try to send early, subtle hints in the form of small missteps here and there, but the girl was too busy drinking and dancing to notice anything was amiss. The feet regretted having to send a cleared indication of their dissatisfaction, but what else were they to do, she wasn’t paying attention to their needs.

Before she knew it, the girl was staggering off balance while being escorted out of the bar, by the elbows. The feet had tried to gently warn her of their discontent. They were not proud. It was too bad it had to come to a trip, a wobble and an ungraceful fall to convince the bouncers that they needed to persuade the girl to go home and put her feet up.

These days, the girl and the feet live a different life. The feet don’t go out dancing anymore because the girl doesn’t go out drinking anymore. They don’t find themselves stuffed into pretty shoes, which they can’t complain about. The girl and the feet are happiest when they are bare and second happiest when they are in running shoes.

The heroine of our story loves to take her feet out running. When the feet feel the running shoes slip over them, they get so excited. The feet love to run. They love to go slow and they love to go fast. A short run is ok, but the farther they travel the better.

They are so grateful for the girl’s decision to stop staggering and start scampering. They are so proud of their accomplishments. They enjoy the daily run, but what they love most is to compete. Race day is their favorite day. All the kilometers logged on their training runs pay off on race day. Early runs, late night runs, hot runs, cold run and wet runs all lead to the starting line. In the moments before the horn sounds and the clock starts, the feet are as antsy as racehorses with their noses at the gate. The feet are high with the anticipation of performing.

If The Sports Network or Outdoor Life Network ever aired a segment about the hardworking duo, viewers would learn that during a race or a long training run, the feet do suffer. They do, become sore and tired, but rarely do they complain. After seeing the girl’s feet, a woman once asked with disgust and alarm, “Oh! Look at your feet! Is all that running about worth it?”

The feet are calloused and blistered. There are blackened toenails and there are toenails completely missing. The girl never takes her feet for a pedicure anymore, as they have worked long and hard to make those callouses and it would be a setback to have anyone soften and remove them.

The feet are no longer pretty and the days of saucy, sexy shoes have come and gone, as has the dancing and drinking. The girl’s daughter encourages her mother to wear her feet like trophies and to be proud of every flawed inch of them, as their efforts are award worthy.

To the disgusted lady…Yes, it is worth every ache, pain and blood blister.

These happy feet were born to run.

“If you see a fork in the road, take it.”  ~ YOGI BERRA

GRANT:  On September 29th, it was the Run for the Toad at the Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area in Paris, Ontario.

VICKY: And we did not run it! 🙁

GRANT:  I know.  It’s too bad.  It’s a great run and the 25K race last year was the highlight of our running careers, right?

VICKY: For sure.  What’s wrong with us?  We should have been out there!

GRANT: Well, you’re recovering from injury. I don’t have a good excuse, but I didn’t run a race all year and wasn’t motivated.

VICKY: Yes, I know. But hey I have good news. The doctor said it’s an IT band injury. I have to get new soles for my shoes and put some cream on my hips and knees 4 times a day for about a month. But he says I should be able to recover from this and run again!

GRANT:  That’s great news!

VICKY:  Thanks G. But how can you say you weren’t motivated?  You had a great year of running.

GRANT: Absolutely.  I did a lot of great trail runs and was out on the track every week, but I really never felt motivated to race.  The funny thing was that I was actually registered for a very long race this year – the Knee Knacker in North Vancouver – one of the most beautiful ultramarathons in North America.  But I just didn’t think I could train myself up to the distance.  I’ve never even run a marathon before.

VICKY:  You’ve got to start somewhere.  Why not a 48 KM run with 16,000 feet of elevation change?

GRANT: It’s a dream.  I felt motivated for it again after reading Scott Jurek’s book Eat and Run.  It’s pretty inspiring to look at what he has accomplished and I do like this idea of running really long distances in the woods.

VICKY:  I agree.  Running on the roads is a bore. Well, at least for me it is. I was out for our traditional Thanksgiving hike at the Dundas Conservation Area with my spouse and 3 lovely bonus children and I concur that there is nothing quite like being out in the woods and breathing that fresh air.

GRANT: Getting out into nature is what running is all about!  That’s what is most appealing about ultramarathons like Run for the Toad or the Knee Knacker.

VICKY: So you’re up for it next year?

GRANT: Absolutely.   It’s time to start training.

VICKY:  Let’s do it! I’ve been meaning to get myself a new goal and I think an ultra just might do the trick!

I have been running since the early 90’s and have always experienced an atmosphere amongst the running community  of friendly, helpful, encouraging, and supportive runners…you know the type…they’re the ones you meet during the last few kilometers of a race when you’ve got nothing left in the tank, when your legs feel like lead and you just want to stop running…like forever.

I speak of the encouraging runners who say things like: ” just a few more km to go…you can do it … good work, nice pace, run strong…you’re almost there”… and let’s not forget the wonderful supporters with the signs and clatter of the cow bell… ( love cow bell ) !!!

Never have I heard anyone berate another runner during a race. Never have I heard a runner “trash-talk” another, until now.

I won’t say which race, and I won’t describe in detail the individual,  (you know who you are) … what I will do is give you the facts…

Fact:  It was late in the race and I was running along side this “much younger” individual stride-for-stride for about 2km. Our pace quickens…

Fact: I am suddenly hit with a barrage of colorful expletives… They included such “gems” as:  ”come on you (expletive) old man…is that all you’ve got…my (expletive) sister can run faster than you…you got nothing, you are nothing, you shouldn’t even be on this (expletive) course”.

Now it took me about 30 seconds to realize that I wasn’t on a basketball court, and that  this guy was serious…he was talking “smack” to me…a fellow runner.   All this time I am thinking…How could you? What gives you the right?  Didn’t anyone tell you to respect your elders?  In all my years of running I have never experienced such poor running etiquette. This person was clearly the exception, an anomaly, a deviation from the norm…not to mention a bit of a jerk.

Now to be honest, I really had to fight the urge to punch this guy in the throat, not to mention fire back a clever quip about his breeding, but thought that sort of a response would only give other runners a bad name.

I instead did what any other runner would do in that situation…I took the high road…I let the comments slide and I “turned the other cheek”, then another cheek, and another, and continued to do so until I left him staring at “my cheeks” for the remainder of the race… kind of “cheeky” of me I’ll admit, but I digress…

I will close with some sage advice. “if you don’t have anything nice to say about your  fellow runner then you shouldn’t say anything at all” … oh, and don’t ever call us “seasoned” runners “old”…  it kind of pisses us off  !!!

Dr. Phil Ainslie outside of the Pyramid Laboratory at Mount Everest.

By: Nikki Reiter

The Rift Valley in Kenya, the Sierra Terahumara in Mexico, and the tiny towns of the Himalayas all boast a common thread: they are a breeding ground for top endurance performances.  The altitude of these areas provides a training effect that allows locals to achieve running performances most of us couldn’t imagine.  Dr. Phil Ainslie is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia Okanagan and has recently returned from leading a research expedition to the Mount Everest Pyramid Laboratory, where he and his team of researchers performed experiments that tested the effects of altitude on multiple physiological variables.  Most days, Dr. Ainslie can be seen running or biking to the University, and he ran daily as part of his physical preparation leading up to the expedition.

The Benefits

Altitude training is thought to provide a stimulus to increase the body’s concentration of erythropoietin (or more commonly known as ‘EPO’).  Endurance athletes, in particular, will benefit because EPO will increase the number of red blood cells in the body, which are responsible for carrying oxygen to working muscles.  Oxygen delivery to muscles no longer becomes the limiting factor for exercise and thus an athlete running any endurance event can work harder and longer.

Unfortunately, not everyone responds to the exposure to hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions with improved aerobic performances.  Dr. Ainslie explains that, “whereas some studies show minor improvement, others report no change or even worsening.  Furthermore, the mechanisms behind the proposed beneficial changes remain obscure and are far from being proven.”

Live High, Train Low

Maximal oxygen consumption is reduced by around 10% per 1000 m of elevation.  Because of the lack of oxygen as altitude increases, it’s difficult to workout at maximum intensity (as you would at sea level), which has negative implications if you’re trying to hit specific splits on the track or on the road.  That’s why runners will aim to live and sleep at altitude or in an artificially produced hypoxic condition, such as altitude tents or masks.

In order to achieve a benefit, Dr. Ainslie explains that “habituating at altitude must be for more than 12 hours per day and for at least 3 weeks.  With this technique, some improvements in sea-level performance have been shown in events lasting between 8 and 20 minutes.  However, as mentioned, there is a lack of sufficiently powered randomized, double-blinded studies, with training protocols that are identical for all groups.”

The effects of altitude are not permanent either; red blood cell concentrations return to pre-altitude exposure within 3-9 days spent at sea level.

The Drawbacks

Living at altitude sound too good to be true?  Well, it just might be.  For those of us not accustomed to the ‘thin air,’ poor sleep, headaches and nausea are symptoms likely to accompany the ascent in altitude above 3000 m.

At the elite level, many athletes have been caught for doping by increasing their EPO concentrations beyond normal values by injecting artificially synthesized EPO or by blood doping.  Both practices are not only illegal, but dangerous.  Specifically, blood doping can increase the thickness of blood, making it harder for the body to pump it at rest.  To avoid this fatal implication, athletes who engage in blood doping have been known to awake in the middle of the night to cycle to get blood flowing again.

“Nevertheless, many elite athletes and their coaches strongly believe in altitude training for competition at sea level” says Ainslie and that because “runners from, for example, Kenya (located at 2000-3000 m) are well known for their superior endurance performance at sea level and thus, some benefits of high altitude training cannot be excluded.”

Bottom line is that there are a great number of ways to improve one’s performance at sea level before taking up altitude training.  Consistent training by exhausting the traditional methods of incorporating interval training, aerobic running and improving running mechanics will still lead to improvements in running performance.

Happy Running!

***

Nikki Reiter holds a master’s degree in biomechanics and is a Mizuno Running Brand Ambassador and the Women’s Cross Country Running Head Coach at the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus in Kelowna, BC. She is also the Laboratory Coordinator in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC Okanagan where she facilitates undergraduate laboratory learning.

By: Karen Karnis

Despite the name, United Cycle does a lot more than just bicycles.  Since their start in 1928, they have added more and more different sports, from hockey to soccer, baseball, racquet sports – the list goes on! – to eventually become Edmonton’s largest independent sporting goods store.

Finally, about four years ago, they decided to open a running division and were looking for the perfect person to head up the launch and daily operations – they found Beto Bustos.  An experienced runner with a strong background in the service industry (including running specialty), and a personal training certificate, Bustos was their candidate.

Bustos began running 38 years ago at the age of sixteen because he had to while training for soccer.  But it didn’t take long for him to realize that not only did he enjoy running for the sake of running, there was no one trying to kick him in the shins.  “I found there was nobody to hurt me or try to hit my legs, so I decided to keep running and quit soccer,” he says, adding, “I love my legs!”

At first he ran for recreation and stress management, but after finding a group of fast runners to train with, he discovered he was actually quite fast himself.  He ran his first half marathon in 1:17, and decided that he wanted to qualify for Boston as soon as he could so that he would be able to run the centennial edition of the race in 1996.  Sure enough, he finished his debut marathon in 2:42 and packed his bags for Boston.  His coach encouraged him to keep working on his speed so he could compete at an elite level, and he has since completed several marathons and ultra marathons ranging from 60 to 120km.

Fast forward a few years, and Bustos is showing no signs of slowing down; he has represented Canada several times in international masters championship races. In 2005, for example, he won his age group in the half marathon and placed third in his age group in the 1500m at the World Masters Games in Edmonton.

But isn’t necessarily Bustos’s speed that draws people to see him.  Runners visit United Cycle to see Bustos because his enthusiasm for running is contagious. He leads half marathon clinics at the store, but is also happy to chat about everything running, from training to racing, to shoes and apparel.  “I like to do a foot assessment before anything else,” he says. “We have 146 different shoes to choose from, from traditional running shoes to racing flats, spikes, minimalist, and children’s shoes. We also have treadmills to try out the shoes – one of our philosophies is to try before you buy.”

“Mizuno shoes are a customer favourite because if the fit and the weight,” says Bustos. He really appreciates the technology that goes into Mizuno products.  “I like the Wave cushioning system,” he says, adding that when it comes to apparel, you can’t beat Mizuno’s Breath Thermo. “I wear it all winter, I tell my runners about it and they love it!”

By: Mark Bomba

I would love to be writing about more positive things like how good my training is going or how I feel great in trying to defend my Canadian Masters championship in cross country from last year, but alas, my current situation is quite the opposite.  I suffered a serious laceration of two-thirds of my Achilles this past summer and instead am simply quite happy to be able to walk without pain, which is a goal I have not yet achieved 100% or have begun running, which seems even longer away.

If I have realized anything in the sport of distance running it is that it isn’t always the fastest who win, but often the ones who persevere over and over and over again. Or at least that’s what I am telling myself as I move forward in my recovery process. Distance running teaches you many things, but it’s the frustration of injuries that can often allow one to find out things they never knew about themselves.

Early in my running career I was able to have both successes and failures that taught me the values and strengths of perseverance and hope. I do not think I ever realized how the experiences of frustration and failure would help to achieve much greater successes later in my running career. When I was injured or had a bad race in my twenties it often seemed like the world was falling down around me, but the thought of quitting never truly entered my thoughts. That’s not to say I haven’t quit this sport while out on a run or simply stopped when the emotion of the moment seemed simply overwhelming, but there was always another race or another season. No matter how bad things became the good would override the bad. All I ever needed was one decent performance that would carry me through one more season. A glimmer of hope was all that was needed to carry on forward.

This resilient nature of what makes a distance runner has now become a natural part of my personality. While my wife showed extreme concern with my injury after my operation I had already moved on that this was simply another barrier on my running career. Rather than go through the ‘seven stages of grief’ of anger shock or depression, I went straight to the last stage of ‘acceptance and hope’. I always know that running has provided me with many experiences that as I like to say ‘one must earn and cannot buy’, but I never completely understood how it has truly become a harbinger of my ability to deal with negativity.

There will always be frustration and anger at some level, but in the end these are fleeting thoughts that I already know the answer to deep down in my psyche. So as I move on to dealing with my rehabilitation and delve deeper into coaching and teaching young runners what great things they can learn if they can, for even a short period time, commit to trying to test their limits of both physical and mental capabilities, there is no question of whether I’ll run again. Instead the answer is not if, but when.  Whether I like it or not running is no longer something I do, but rather it has become part of who I am as a person.

Okay friends, get comfy, this is a long post…

Last night I ate my pre-race pasta dinner, fussed over my clothes, prepared my shoes and went to bed early in anticipation of race day. For the past 20 years, this kind of activity would have seemed like a waste of a perfectly good, made for drinking, Saturday night. If it was Saturday night and I wasn’t working, I would have been waiting for the beer to chill or the wine to breathe.

I had a lot of good times sharing drinks with friends and by myself (my husband always said I was my own party). I could not have had drinks Saturday night and been up at 5:30am to run; times have changed. I really, really miss a great glass of wine, or the whole bottle, but the more I run and the better I get, the happier I am with trading my drunken dancing shoes for my sober running shoes.

This morning didn’t go as planned. I set my alarm for 5:30, but apparently I didn’t turn it on. My bleary eyed husband Mike woke me at 6:00 wondering if we were skipping the race. At this point, I could have had a meltdown, but for some reason and very out of character for me, I didn’t. I got it together and in less than 30 minutes, we were out of the house (this rate of movement in the morning is a challenge for my sloth husband, bravo to him for picking up the pace). Mike was confident that he could get me to the yellow race coral, to start the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon, on time. I was doing my best to “keep calm and carry on”. I couldn’t recall ever drinking this early in the day, unless it was because I was still drinking from the night before, but for a split second, my brain said “I need a drink to handle this”. My brain jumps in and takes any opportunity to try to persuade me to give the booze a second chance.

We arrived on time, and without a blood alcohol level. The rain was persistent as we approached the start, but mercifully ceased just before the horn sounded. The day before, no less than 10 people announced that it was going to rain on my race. Obviously, not a single runner existed among these attempted bubble busters; otherwise they would have understood that running, like boozing, is an all-weather sport, and that I needed a precipitation report like I needed to know about a sale at the liquor store.

As I fought my way through the crowd to my start corral, I saw my Running Room marathon clinic coach, Roger Ison. He was not running. He was hanging around trying to see as many of the clinic runners as possible. Seeing him and having him give me last minute advice boosted my confidence. I was swallowed up by the crowd of runners, all waiting to get moving. I heard a sharp whistle and looked up in its direction to see Roger standing high above the fence that enclosed the runners from the spectators. He motioned me over and then pointed me in the direction of the 2 hour pace bunny. “Get right up there” he said. I pressed my way through the runners who were packed in, shoulder to shoulder. I stood behind that pace bunny and at that moment, alcohol was the farthest thing from my mind. Thank you, Roger.

The course was great. The spectators, volunteers and entertainment really made a difference. Hearing “go Christa go” being called out on a microphone puts a bit more pep in the step. The signs along the route saying things like “run like you stole it” or “go random stranger go” are priceless.

On Bathurst, at around 5 or 6k, I ran by a Beer Store. This used to be my favorite store, formerly known as the Brewers Retail. I was enraptured by the picture of the frosty glass of beer above the door. I pulled my attention away from the hypnotizing image and reminded myself about my new favorite store, The Running Room. I conjured new images of running gadgets, shoes and clothes…crisis averted.

Within the next couple blocks, I was challenged again. I felt like turning around and hitting that Beer Store. I looked up and saw Toronto Western Hospital so close I could reach out and touch it. Tears sprang to my eyes, nausea and shaking overcame me and small sobs escaped my throat. Full streams of tears formed and blurred my vision before running down my cheeks. Eleven and a half years ago my Mom was airlifted to this hospital from Midland to undergo emergency surgery for a massive brain aneurysm. She never recovered and 18 hours after she arrived there, we stood by her bedside, while at 47 years old, her life support was withdrawn. I was 28 years old, an only child and 5 months pregnant with my first child. Today at about 6k, I needed a drink to soothe that heartache. The unexpected violent grief I felt was devastating. Alone, among 20,000 people, I felt lost. I badly wanted to pull a “U” turn and head back in the direction of self-medication.

Instead, I ran toward the 7k marker. I ran knowing that she was the strongest woman I have ever known and that I am my Mother’s daughter. I lifted my head and dried my tears and I carried on and each time I felt like slowing, I thought of her, knowing that she would never have eased off of any goal she set for herself.

I didn’t finish sub 2 hours, today, like I wanted to. I did run a personal best and took about 6 minutes off my time from last year. I have seen some Facebook and Twitter posts from some Elite runners commenting that conditions were bad today and it wasn’t a day for “PB’s”. As far as I am concerned, any day is a good day to run and today was no exception.

Great job Alan Brookes and Canada Running Series.

Thanks Mom xo