Celebrating Krista DuChene on International Women’s Day: Canadian Hero

March 8, 2023

It’s March 8th, International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate women’s achievements. Check out InternationalWomensDay.com and you’ll immediately see:

“Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #EmbraceEquity.”

Think about some of your heroes. Let me share about one of my heroes, Krista DuChene.

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to meet this incredible individual in real life you’ll know the magic she brings to life. She looks you in the eye and when she smiles, she smiles at you with her whole heart connecting with you. She makes you feel like you’re part of her inner circle.

See Krista out on the race course or working out and you’ll see a fierce competitor. Fierce competitor, she does it through a lens of empathy, you know when she cheers you on in the race, whispers words of encouragement, or blows by you as she’s working her hardest, you know she also wants the best for you too.

Krista balances many things. Running. Coaching. Being a mother. Being a dietician. She’s a writer. She’s an accomplished woman who is an excellent role model.

On March 5th, her daughter’s twelfth birthday, Krista accomplished something no other runner has accomplished. Along with completing the six-star marathons (Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, London, and finally Tokyo), Krista’s competed in the marathon at World Championships and the Olympics. She’s nearly an eight-star finisher. (Krista explains: “My one and only DNF (Did Not Finish), in the countless races I’ve done, at the World Championships, will cost me bragging rights to say I am one of only a handful of people in the world to complete all six World Marathon Majors, the Olympic Games, and World Championships. I believe the ones who have completed all eight marathons are four women: Edna Kiplagat (Kenya), Nuta Olaru (Romania), Aly Dixon (U.K.), Deena Kastor (USA) and one man, Emmanuel Mutai (Kenya).)

Meanwhile, her run in Tokyo, at the same race where Cam broke his record, DuChene broke her own: setting the Canadian master’s record held by Catharine Watkins for 45+. Krista ran the marathon in 2:38:53.

On this International Women’s Day, celebrate the women that inspire you, celebrate the women that raise us all up to be a better version of yourself. If you’re out on a run with your friends, run a few steps in honour of all the great women that came before you—and all the great women to come.

Shoe Review: HOKA, Clifton 9

Ben Kaplan

March 1, 2023

Few companies across the entire running industry have had the impact of HOKA, a brand founded in the South of France by former Solomon employees that launched in 2009 and is already experiencing billion-dollar quarters year after year. Their value prop, maximalist outsoles with minimalist weight, has been aped by their competitors and what HOKA started, the rest of the shoe world carries on.

Quite literally, Hoka changed sneakers, and after 10,000 years of sector innovation, that’s not easy to do.

This brings us to the Clifton 9, the ninth iteration of their most versatile shoe—a workhorse in the HOKA stable that isn’t as aggressively foamed as the Bondi, but still maintains the now classic HOKA form. An everyday trainer, the Clifton line is versatile, durable, reasonably priced, and comfortable. It’s no accident that, during the pandemic, frontline workers were wearing the Clifton in the ER.

The Clifton 9, fans of the line will be happy to hear, does not mark any radical transformations. The shoe worked, and thus hasn’t been changed, just slightly updated and improved. The newest model is softer, and has more plush foam—there’s a 3mm stack height increase—but the tweak does not come at the cost of more weight. The newest model weighs essentially the same as the old one, which makes the HOKA combination of lightness and durability the north star of accessible running shoes.

Across the HOKA line, there’s the Carbon X3 for fans of the carbon-plate models that want that state of the art energy return, and the aforementioned Bondi, which is in its eighth iteration, cool looking, and has a 4mm heel to toe drop. No doubt by now you’ve heard about HOKA and probably someone in your family owns a pair. A running shoe doesn’t crossover the way HOKA has without gaining widespread support. Presumably now you’re somewhere in the throes of your spring training and it’s quite possible fatigue has set in. The Clifton 9 is light, cushioned, and a good value from a brand you can trust, a brand that started quickly and hasn’t lost a step in innovation or design. With a more comfortable upper and great midsole energy return and support, the newest HOKA shoe, the Clifton 9, is a winner.

No wonder HOKA repeatedly does things that no other brand can.

Women’s Health: the Goddess Squat Twist and Diaphragm Breathing 101

Ben Kaplan

March 1, 2023

If you’ve ever leaked while running or any other activity, the natural response is to tighten the muscles of your body and pelvic floor to try to stop urine loss.

But chronic holding creates muscle tension in the body, often making leaking worse.

This is because the pelvic floor acts like a trampoline, lowering and rising with breath. The amount of descent of the ‘trampoline’ is important in creating upward recoil of the pelvic floor (aka your Kegel). However, chronically holding tension minimizes the ability for the pelvic floor to descend, and therefore less upward response. This leads to a dysfunctional pelvic floor.

Often improving pelvic floor function starts with learning to relax and lengthen the pelvic floor.

Many women find a dramatic improvement in their leaking and other symptoms by focusing on releasing the tension they had been holding. This allows the pelvic floor to return to its natural trampoline action.

Try out my favourite yoga poses for opening and lengthening the pelvic floor paired with deep diaphragm breathing during the below yoga poses.

Diaphragm Breathing 101: inhale through nose as ribs expand in all directions, back and belly rise, lengthening the pelvic floor, passive exhale through the mouth. Check out this video, and this video, if you’re not familiar with it.

Deep squat: aim to maintain a long spine as the hips and pelvic floor open, press palm into palm as elbows open the inner thighs. Inhale into the ribs, back and belly imagining the inhale traveling down to the pelvic floor to lengthen. Stay for 5 breath cycles. (A note on how to modify the above: if full squat is too challenging, use a small stool for support. Prioritize a long spine by bringing the hands to chest level instead of between the knees.)

Child’s pose: knees wide, hips sit back toward heels. No upper body tension should be present. Inhale into pelvic floor, imagine lengthening toward the heels as belly drops to the floor. Stay for 5 breath cycles. (Modify: place a pillow between the bottom and calves if full child’s pose is too deep.)

Half Happy Baby: draw 1 leg up and along outside of chest, pulling down into the foot to open. Keep tailbone on the mat. Inhale into pelvic floor for 5 breath cycles. (Modify: grab behind the knee to draw thigh up and down along chest.)

Goddess Squat Twist: start with feet wider than hips, toes pointing out. Lower down into squat and bring hands to inner thigh, pressing thighs open with hands. Inhale and twist while hands continue to press inner thighs open. Stay for 5 breath cycles, stand up and repeat to the opposite side. (Modify: can’t stay for 5 breaths? Inhale squat and twist for 1-2 breaths then stand and twist to opposite side for 1-2 breaths.)

Caroline Packard is a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist and an ambassador for Uresta Canada, a company we love which helps women solve bladder issues. On March 8 at 12pm EST on International Women’s Day, Caroline will host an Instagram Live session with our own Anna Lee Boschetto on Uresta’s IG account, @myuresta. Tune in, ask anything, find a safe place and get ready to reclaim your run.

When Diabetes Came for My Father

Ben Kaplan

February 22, 2023

My dad, David Smith, was a very talented runner.

A two-time CIS (now U SPORT) national cross-country champion in the 1970s, he was one of the first inductees into the York University athletic Hall of Fame. He turned down an NCAA scholarship from Stanford to stay in Canada and enjoyed much running success at home.

Despite being an elite runner, my dad experienced many health issues in his 30s that led to him going blind in one eye and eventually being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. He was an elite athlete. He watched what he ate and lived well. Still, type two diabetes didn’t discriminate, and hit him hard. With the demands of three kids, a full-time job, poor vision, and other life commitments, running was no longer a priority.

If it can happen to him, pictured below, it can happen to anyone.

There’s a common misconception that type 2 diabetes only affects people that are overweight. But the reality is it can affect anyone, even people of all shapes and sizes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which your body cannot make enough insulin (a hormone that helps control the amount of glucose or sugar in your blood), or does not properly use the insulin it makes. It is caused by several different risk factors and type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 percent of diabetes cases in Canada.

Since I have a genetic history of diabetes, I am regularly screened for diabetes by my doctor. I am a runner in her thirties and physically fit, pictured up top. But I’ve seen the unpredictable nature of this condition up close—and take no chances.

Even if you’re a runner, you could be one of the 1.7 million Canadians estimated to have type 2 diabetes—and not know it. Some diabetes risk factors can be managed or reduced, while other factors may be beyond your control. For example, you have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you are over the age of 40, or if you have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes. Your ethnic background is also a factor: being of African, Arab, Asian, Hispanic, Indigenous, or South Asian descent can increase your risk of living with type 2 diabetes.

So what can we do? Decreasing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes involves making lifestyle changes. Eating healthy and moving more are some of the most effective things you can do to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Running is an ideal form of exercise for people with diabetes as it helps improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin. This can be especially useful for people with type 2 diabetes to help combat insulin resistance.

I am thankful to have inherited my dad’s good run genes and passion for running as I also ran collegiately at the NCAA level and continue to run well into adulthood (fortunately without type 2 diabetes). I am also grateful to be able to coach runners and give back to the community that has given me so much through the popular Toronto-based running group BlackToe.

I also want to share with my community as much as I can about type 2 diabetes. We can raise money and awareness and share what we know.

According to Diabetes Canada, one in three people across the country are living with diabetes or prediabetes. No matter who you are, learn more at diabetes.ca and for those interested, check out this old iRun magazine cover with an amazing feature on a young man with diabetes—like my father’s story, this is an issue that needs to be told.

Where To Go From Dry January, in March?

Ben Kaplan

February 22, 2023

If you’ve just finished Dry January, a big congratulations is in order. If you didn’t quite make it 30-days dry, don’t beat yourself up. It’s not an easy task to disconnect both your conscious and unconscious mind from the idea of drinking.

It was about three years ago, in February 2020 when my dread first set-in. I had tried and miserably failed at Dry January. In previous years, I scoffed at the idea of skipping booze for a month, but adored the idea of dieting, detoxing and deadlift-ing my way through the first month of the year. I was in denial, which was extremely obvious once I made a serious attempt at being ‘dry’ for the first time. The realisation I was barely able to control my drinking anymore scared the sh** out of me.

February became a reckoning time, both that year and the year after once I was truly on the path of an alcohol-free lifestyle.

As you may have found out yourself, cutting out alcohol even for a short amount of time has incredible benefits. Research shows even one month of being dry has positive impacts on your health for the rest of the year. Clear head, calm emotions, more energy and less chaos are just a few of the immediate effects you can feel and see. Now that Dry January and, perhaps, Shaky February, are over, it’s time for you to do a bit of a reckoning of your own too. Is that beer or glass of wine after a hard day worth it anymore?

As runners, you’ll know the feeling of the well-worn path in the shape of your regular route, the one you can run on auto-pilot day-in and day-out that never surprises you. Dry January is kind of like that extra mileage you decide to squeeze in mid-route and it feels uncomfortable and new. Your neurons want to get you back to autopilot, but you know you need the extra miles. In this case, you might recognize you need to cut back or cut out alcohol, but your mind will work against you to get back on the well-worn neural pathways it has developed over the years.

February is not the finish line, and, on the first day of March, we know you’re not finished training. Even if you stay on your regular route, keep extending that mental mileage throughout the year by remembering how great you felt in January. Was February improved? Remember: You are much stronger now, and the mantra “mind over matter” literally means everything. Just like running, the more you practise not drinking mentally, the easier your mind will adapt to the idea. One day your new route is going to take you completely off your ‘regular’ path and you’ll be running fartleks in a whole new direction.

Cheers to all of you, happy March—you got this—and many happy miles!

Reliability and Comfort on All Types of Runs: ASICS New GT-2000 11 Shoe

Sabrina Young

February 21, 2023

Weight 235g, heel height 22mm, forefoot height 14mm

ASICS latest legacy shoe, the GT-2000 11, provides an upgrade in material, including recyclable content, while maintaining its reliability.

What’s new

Like the NOVABLAST, ASICS has incorporated the lightweight FF BLAST foam technology, a change from the FLYTFOAM in the GT 2000 10, to provide greater bounce and energy with each step. The female shoe is 3g lighter than its predecessor (based on US women’s size 8), even though it is 1mm higher in both the heel and forefoot height. For males the weight difference is 5g (based on US men’s size 9).

The midsole is ASICS LITETRUSS construction that provides the shoe’s stability and is lightweight with plush support. The responsive midsole helps to propel you forward as your foot pushes off the ground.

Gone are the days of shoe overlays, the construction of the shoe is breathable mesh and at least 50% of the shoe’s main upper material comes from recycled material. It makes for a very comfortable fit without any obstruction from the natural shape of your foot. The toe box is roomy and ASICS also offers this shoe in D-width. Be assured of the cushioning and breathability of the shoe from the moment you slip your feet into the seamless OrthoLite sockliner to the end of your run. The OrthoLite Foam is made from 5% recycled content.

The 1mm of extra ASICS LITE rubber on the outsole doesn’t add weight to the shoe and is partially due to the cellulose nanofiber biodegradable material.

Run experience

A very stable shoe with a nice responsive kick that provides a smooth and steady run. It’s a lightweight shoe from ASICS FF BLAST foam, but doesn’t lose any of the stabilising features of the shoe due to the midsole feature. Any inward twisting during landing is mitigated by the midsole construction as experienced on uneven trail surfaces and sudden divots on the road.

Navigating winter conditions in the GT 2000s, while either road running or doing intervals on gravel, is made possible because of the AHARPLUS (High Abrasion Rubber) outer sole material. This has a durable, abrasion-resistant material that delivers on cushioning. The construction of the sole also allows for an easy transitioning between hard trail surfaces to smooth sloping paths.

Cost

Although there are new tweaks to the ASICS GT 2000-11, it continues to provide peace of mind in reliability and consistency for running. I’m looking forward to putting the training mileage into these shoes, both tempo and long runs, and I won’t hesitate to spend $180.00CDN on a pair of these shoes.

For more information or to purchase, visit a running retailer near you or go to https://www.asics.com/ca/en-ca

Achilles Canada Volunteer President Continues Running and Operating Club Despite Vision Loss

Ben Kaplan

February 15, 2023

Having just one per cent vision hasn’t slowed Brian McLean down. In fact, his loss of sight has inspired him to keep running. “Running has impacted my life in a positive way because I feel it is still the one thing that I really enjoy doing as an individual,” said McLean, who is a Toronto resident. “And now that my eyesight has gotten worse, I do enjoy group runs or running with a guide runner to just stay healthy and fit. It’s the one thing that gives me solitude and comfort. I feel relaxed and at ease.”

For almost a quarter century now, McLean has provided the opportunity for countless others to feel the same. He launched Achilles Canada in 1999. “I discovered that there was a need for a running club that could help people with various disabilities to get involved with running to stay healthy and fit,” McLean said. The main annual fundraiser for McLean’s club is the Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Run, scheduled this year for Sunday, March 12. “Now that most of the pandemic restrictions have loosened, we are really looking forward to having another sell-out year of more than 1,500 participants,” McLean said of the race, which is celebrating its 24th anniversary this year. The event includes a 1K kids’ run, a 5K run/walk and a 10K race for competitive runners. Virtual options are also available for all events for those who can’t attend in person.

BEERS TO YOU: McLean, enjoying the fruits of his trade.

“It’s a nice out-and-back route in downtown Toronto, starting and finishing at Steam Whistle Brewing,” McLean said, adding that the brewery has been a major sponsor of the race for more than two decades. “It has been a fantastic partnership for more than 20 years and Steam Whistle guarantees all participants a free pint of beer. Also, as part of your entry fee, you get a hot bowl of chilli in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.”

McLean, who has retinitis pigmentosa, started losing his eyesight when he was 16. He’s turning 60 this year. “I tell people, I’ve always been a runner—not a competitive runner, but I’ve always enjoyed running just to stay fit,” he said. McLean, the volunteer president of Achilles Canada, is thrilled his club is assisting others as well. “It brings me a lot of satisfaction knowing that I’m helping thousands of Canadians across the country that have a disability to remain healthy and fit,” he said. Funds the club raises are redirected back to the charity. “We help all the Achilles athletes to buy the proper running attire, good running shoes and we help them with entry fees into various races that they would like to go to,” McLean said. “And we do have some subsidies to help them with their travel expenses if they go out of town for a race.”

McLean added visually-impaired runners/walkers, as well as other club members with a disability, receive a tremendous boost simply by taking part in events. “They get a sense of satisfaction, joy, accomplishment,” he said. “They get a sense of ‘this is one sport that I can do,’ still partake in even with limited sight or even with another disability with the help of running guides that will help guide me to the start line and, more importantly, the finish line.”

McLean added impacts from the pandemic have convinced him to try and make Achilles Canada more of an advocacy organization. “We have noticed a large number of disabled athletes or disabled individuals have suffered from depression and mental health issues because of the pandemic,” he said. “So, we want to expand and provide more services in the mental health area.”

Those looking for more information on the club, to make or donation or for more details on this year’s Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Run can visit www.achillescanada.ca

How I Stopped Leaking When Running

Ben Kaplan

February 15, 2023

Something I never told my closest friends, I now share openly on social media—I used to pee my pants when I ran.

A life-long runner, I ran through almost my entire pregnancy until it no longer felt “good” anymore. So I was more than eager for my first run post-baby without a giant belly, only to be greeted by a leaky bladder that made running at any pace unpleasant.

While postpartum leaking is common, affecting 1 in 3 women, it’s not normal and signals intra-abdominal pressure overloading the muscular system, leading to leaks. This prevalence increases in high impact female athletes, like runners.

At 30-years-old, I found myself ‘incontinent.’ As my bladder function waned so did my joy of running, as the emotional toll of dealing with an ‘embarrassing’ issue made me avoid a sport I had always loved.

At the time, I was practicing as a “generalist” physical therapist and tried interventions on my own without success. I then sought help from pelvic floor physical therapy. I saw minimal improvement initially with therapy and after my third pregnancy a surgeon told me without urethral sling surgery, I would never be able to run without leaking. I was devastated.

Determined I had not exhausted all conservative options, I tried pelvic floor PT again. Professionally, I switched gears and dove headfirst into Pelvic Floor PT education and training. Applying all I had learned personally and professionally, I was thrilled to finally see improvement.

I was so blown away at the ability to overcome my struggle through small changes and share this knowledge helping other women do the same. While pelvic floor PT treatment should always be personally tailored, here are eight tips that can be generally helpful to those dealing with stress urinary incontinence:

Don’t empty just in case: Less urine, less leaking, right? WRONG! Like Pavlov’s dog, this teaches the bladder to hold progressively less urine AND the urine becomes more concentrated, irritating the lining of the bladder, causing MORE urge and leaking.
Identify food triggers: MANY foods and drinks can irritate the bladder. For me it was a B12-containing pre-workout supplement.
Better breathing: Pelvic floor health and function is directly correlated to proper (diaphragm) breathing.
Running form change: forward lean, short stride, faster cadence, forefoot strike—all help align the pelvic floor with the diaphragm for improved bladder control with less force on the pelvic floor.
Total body mobility: In particular, loss of mobility in the back and hips affects pelvic floor function.
Strength training: I teach women to incorporate pelvic floor function into total body strength training. It’s way more than Kegels!
Add support: Much like a bra, a Uresta pessary acts as an internal support for the bladder and urethra to stop leaks. This was truly a game changer for me, allowing me to work on running form changes without leaking.
Realistic goals: Changing habits and building strength takes time. There are no end dates, we’re looking for life-long improvement and long-term function.

What was once my source of embarrassment and emotional pain has now become my mission in life. When I first experienced leakage, I would not even tell my closest friends. Now, I share my story with the world to encourage women struggling with pelvic floor issues. I am in the process of formulating workout programs that incorporate expertise from pelvic floor specialists specifically for women who leak or have another pelvic floor dysfunction.

We can absolutely keep moving and doing the activities we love, leak free!

Caroline Packard is a pelvic floor physical therapist. To catch up with her work, and learn more about solutions, find her on Instagram @carolinepackarddpt.

Shoe Review: New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite, v3

Ben Kaplan

February 15, 2023

After running through the gamut of rock ‘n’ roll shoes, the carbon plate—dare we even say it?—seems to have lost some of its allure. Like the Tesla when it was the only car that was electric, carbon plates—a revelation in energy return used to propel momentum, lift the heel and offer midsole support—are now somewhat ubiquitous. Most major shoe brands offer some variation of more or less the same thing.

This is what makes the SuperComp Elite v3 from New Balance a revelation. We no longer instantly feel a jolt when brandishing these once nearly-outlawed shoes. The jolt must now come from the actual sneaker and the New Balance SuperComp Elite v3 feels like the start of something new. Light and peppy and low to the ground, the men’s sized 9 sneaker weighs 229 grams and has a 4mm drop. The ride is responsive, cushioned and propulsive. It’s aerodynamic, but here’s the thing: even after 35K, the lightweight trainer still provides adequate ankle support. Far from flimsy, somehow the SuperComp Elite v3 from New Balance has achieved the running shoe holy grail: light, but substantive; fast, but cushioned enough to lend a tired marathon runner support.

The shoe retails at $299 and boasts a synthetic upper and integrated tongue construction, which means there’s no extra material on your shoe: like a slipper, the whole shoe is just a single piece. On the website runningshoesguru.com, the reviewer called the shoe “nippy,” and I agree. With its elevated toe box and energy arc extending back towards the heel, the FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3 feels like you’re actually wearing a different kind of shoe—one with wings.

Give it up to the carbon plate shoe revolution. Each new model seems to elevate the science of what competitive runners can expect in a shoe. The new elite shoe from New Balance runs kilometres away from the competition. This is the next evolution of what can be done in a carbon plate shoe.

Love and Running and Win Free Things

Ben Kaplan

February 15, 2023

Big Sky Run Company is an independent running store opening next month in Winnipeg that was founded in love. Owners Caroline Fisher and Josh Markham, pictured above, were both university athletes and a friend connected them fifteen years ago. “Oh, you’re a runner. How fast do you go?” Fisher remembers asking Markham at Cousins, a local bar popular with kids from the university. “We started running together and eventually running together meant ‘running and breakfast’ and ‘running and Scrabble in the park’ and, well, the rest is history—we’ve been married ten years.”

Still feeling the warm fuzzies from Valentine’s Day, and trying to connect with the heart of our sport, we reached out to readers and asked them what is it about their running shoes that connects soles to soulmates. Many of our readers met their match on a run.

“My husband and I met at a local running store that had a Thursday night run. We continued running every Thursday night until I couldn’t push our two boys in the stroller because they got too big. To this day, our favourite date includes a run. This year will be sixteen years together,” said Megan-Workman-Major, a reader in Thunder Bay.

“I met Noel Paine when we both became ambassadors for Ottawa Race Weekend. Running is what connected us, and we’ve been together ever since,” said Ottawa’s Nina Ryan, pictured above.

Marathoner Iana Kotliarova said: “My boyfriend and I met through Midnight Runners Toronto at the start of the pandemic. Still running a year later and we ran the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon together! Next stop is the Chili Half and then Boston for him this year and, next year, Boston for me!”

It makes sense that hormones should fly on the run: people are perspiring, endorphins kick in; in the summertime, you’re barely clad—plus, there’s shared lifestyles, common goals, plenty to talk about, mutual interests and friends, and all those post-race beers. Who else will empathize with your taper crazies? Holidays in Berlin or Tokyo and forgetting about all-inclusives. Runners like going somewhere far and expensive—dedicating our vacation time to eating spaghetti and bagels, pushing ourselves on a run.

“I think for any couple it’s nice to have a goal, but running gave us something we could share and provided a shorthand: whether recovering from an injury or dealing with post-marathon blues, it’s a language we have in common,” explains Big Sky’s Caroline Fisher. “I think it’s probably the same for two musicians who are partners—somehow on a deeper level, runners intuitively understand what another runner values. Between Josh and I, running is an anchor for the relationship we share.”

We’ve long since wanted to create something like a Missed Connections portal on Sportstats, taking a page from Craigslist, which was a personals section where singles described the person they saw, but couldn’t muster the courage to meet. How many times have you seen someone at a race or a run and thought: Wow, if only I was as fast as her, we could fall in love?

“I remember running the Philly Marathon and saw this gorgeous guy running much faster than me. I tried to keep up with him,” says Joanne Merrett, “but unfortunately I didn’t catch him. I never saw him again.”

Hope springs eternal in running, and we’re always trying to find something different, whether it’s in a new training program, race, or shoe. You have to be optimistic to be a runner. Why else would you spend six months chasing a dream? In that same sense, you also need hope to embark on a relationship, to settle down with someone, to open a store like Caroline and Josh in Winnipeg, or be like Megan and her partner, and have two kids. How does running, like love, keep you hopeful? Last week, we started a contest with On, the great Swiss shoe brand, and asked readers to share how running made them feel good. We’re going to extend this contest through Friday. Tell us how running gives you hope, and On will set two lucky winners up with socks, headband and a toque.

We still have a ways to go to get through winter. Share how running makes you hopeful—and smile at the next stranger you see who just might make you want to share closet space for your sneakers for life.

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