Today is Stephane Okenge’s twentieth birthday and his mother says the boy and his family are refusing despair. Six weeks since a car accident in Nebraska left the college athlete quadriplegic quadriplegic, the family has bound together, seeking comfort in their community and actively pursuing gratitude, despite the horrific circumstances—every parent’s worst nightmare.
“If it had to happen to anyone, we’re a good family for it to happen to because we have great support mechanisms all around us; the running community, our international connections and all of Stephane’s trainers, managers, coaches and friends,” says Trisha Okenge, who recently moved back to Ottawa to look after her son after eleven years offering humanitarian aid in East Africa. “We’re feeling how important all of these connections are and have been deeply moved by our disparate networks coming together. It’s amazing and has really helped to boost our morale.”
Stephane was a passenger in a horrific car crash on October 23 and has since been moved from Nebraska to Ottawa Hospital, where his mother says the attention he’s received has been superb. Transferred from the Intensive Care Unit to the Acute Trauma Wing, Stephane has recently experienced slight mobility in his left arm, and his mother—who finds hope in small rays of light through persistent dark clouds—says the family is anxiously awaiting her boy to graduate into the Rehabilitation Unit.
“The hope is, in the Rehabilitation Unit, Stephane will see more of what’s possible in life and realize he can still end up happy—that he can have a business, relationship, family, and that all kinds of things are still possible,” says Trisha, adding that her boy’s athleticism has served him well in his recovery. Skills he’s learned from a lifetime of sports are serving him well in his struggles.
“He has an awful lot of fight in him and you can see it in the steeliness in his eyes. Even in something like his respiratory exercises, he’s pushing through for one set more than the respiratory therapists normally prescribe,” Trisha says. “I think athletic people tend to push themselves and see what’s possible and Stephane’s drive encourages all of us.”
He’s in touch with his friend, the driver, and the two teammates (and their mothers) are motivating one another not to lose hope. Encouraging the family alongside Stephane’s resiliency—which isn’t only physical but also emotional—is the generosity of strangers and friends.
The original GoFundMe raised $150,000US and saw more than 1,500 people contribute money to the family’s $750,000US American hospital bill. While insurance claims still need to be settled, Trisha says her tight knit family is also focussing on the fiscal realities of what is to come next: she left her job in Ethiopia and needs to renovate her small house to fit the adaptive devices her boy needs. There’s shock. There’s despair. And then there’s the hard work of survival.
“Today is certainly a different kind of birthday for Steph than he would’ve imagined and I’ll be honest, everything is shocking and hard, but we’re resilient and mixed in with grief and sorrow is hope and appreciation,” says Trisha. “Inspired by Stephane, we push forward doing everything we can to take ownership—we’re doing everything we can to direct how all our lives can be as positive and productive as possible as we face many new realities.”
Jeff Williams, Stephane’s uncle, recently set up a Canadian GoFundMe to help in the retrofitting of the family home in Ottawa and securing assistance devices for Steph. To make a donation, please click here.
Obviously there’s a surefire way to avoid a hangover this holiday season—but who wants to do that? So let’s just assume that you might imbibe this month to celebrate the end of a long, hard year of great running milestones, terrific friends and wonderful personal bests achieved at your races. (Isn’t that why all of us drink?) If you’re going to have a few pops, there’s a great product from Genuine Health called Detox, which does just that: in addition to other benefits, it helps your system mitigate booze. The product development manager at Genuine Health is Lauren Hauswirth, and we got her on the phone to better understand how, after our crew end-of-the-year party, we can make our long run the next day.
iRun: Why do we need to Detox?!
Lauren Hauswirth: Today, we are constantly ingesting toxins into our body. Things that are a part of our daily lives often contain harmful substances, and we may not even realize it! Chemicals in the air, in water, exposures at work and lifestyle factors (like alcohol and cosmetics). Many systems and organs in our bodies can be impacted by toxins including: kidney, liver, lungs, nervous system, and even our blood and when liver detoxification isn’t working properly, it can lead to toxic overload.
iRun: Yikes. What does that mean?
LH: That the toxins we’re ingesting are not being excreted properly and are building up within the body. When these toxins build up, they can cause symptoms such as: hormone imbalances, infertility, breast pain, menstrual disturbances, increase risk of cancer, mood swings, increase blood pressure, irritability, depression, fatigue, and poor concentration.
iRun: So how do we detox and how does detoxification work?
LH: Liver detoxification includes more than just the liver, it also includes the kidneys, skin, bowels, and lymphatic system. There are two distinct phases of liver detoxification: Phase 1 and Phase 2.
iRun: OK.
LH: Phase 1 involves enzymes responsible for breaking down fat-soluble toxins. Phase 2 involves enzymes responsible for breaking down the fat-soluble compounds that are a result of phase 1, into water-soluble compounds. These are safer for the kidneys to excrete! With the Western diet, we often have plenty of nutrients from the diet to support phase 1 detoxification; however, we often do not consume enough nutrients to support phase 2 very well. What can then occur is that our body cannot fully process these harmful substances in phase 2, and a lot of metabolites get stuck in between the phases.
iRun: That sounds awful.
LH: Compounds that leave phase 1 detoxification are still VERY harmful to our bodies. This is why it’s very important to focus on phase 1 and 2 equally to ensure we’re supporting the full cycle, and that all the harmful toxins are excreted safely.
iRun: For your Detox line, what are you leaning on as your hero ingredients?
LH: It’s important to know that our hero ingredients support both phase 1 and phase 2 detox. Phase 1: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Citrus Bioflavonoids, Broccoli Seed Extract. Phase 2: Molybdenum, Dandelion Root Powder, L-Glutamine, N-acetyl-cysteine, Glycine.
iRun: It’s interesting to see you use Vitamin C.
LH: Vitamin C has been found to promote phase 1 detoxification of several harmful metabolites.
iRun: So let’s get into it: what is your Greens+ Daily detox product?
LH: A greens powder to support your foundational nutrition, plus a specially formulated detoxifying blend to support phase I and II liver detoxification. These ingredients support NATURAL detoxification of the body, something that happens naturally—but your body could always use extra support! Our body has multiple natural defences against harmful toxins that we’re exposed to daily and these natural systems are strong, however, sometimes they could use some extra support (Like Greens+ Daily Detox!)
iRun: What does the Daily Detox do?
LH: Helps to support the function of the liver, an organ involved in detoxification, and comes in a delicious green apple flavour! It’s really important to note that our body is detoxing ALL THE TIME! Detoxing is getting rid of waste, which occurs everyday, but our body sometimes just needs extra support to make sure it’s functioning properly, which Greens+ Daily Detox supports.
iRun: Here’s the million dollar question—as we move towards the holiday season, how can Genuine Health Detox products help with alcohol consumption?
LH: Take your Greens+ Daily Detox every day during the holidays to support both phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification.
iRun: What happens to the body when we drink and how can we counteract some of our less good decisions?
LH: Drinking alcohol can be taxing on liver detoxification, so during times of heavier consumption, taking a detox supporting product can help support your liver.
iRun: How would you prescribe taking your Detox product around holiday drinks?
LH: Take one scoop of Greens+ Daily detox every day, with or without a meal, and make sure you hydrate—have a safe and happy holiday.
There are just so many great running products that making a Gift Guide is a joy. What if money was no object and you could advise your friends on the very best of everything, what would it be? What follows is a selection of products I can vouch for from companies I love that are guaranteed to make your running life better. Is there a runner in your life you want to make happy? Feel like charging up a few things for yourself? As ever, we’d advise you to shop local and independent and, as always, we’re wishing you and yours the very best for the holidays and beyond—long may you run.
ASICS, METASPEED Sky
In the battle of the extraordinary shoes we’ve tested none have come close to the METASPEED Sky. It’s explained that the design is built to keep cadence consistent as a runner lengthens their stride at increased speeds and that could be, thanks to midsole foam and the propulsive carbon plate. After years of reviewing sneakers, I still find it hard to comprehend the technical jargon. However, after running in the METASPEED Sky, especially at the tail end of a long run when it becomes hard to maintain pace, the METASPEED Sky feels like a different animal. At $325, this is a serious sneaker but, if you’re traveling to a race or have your eye on a 2023 PB, this is the shoe we’d recommend (only for someone you really, really love). Get it here, and run quickly.
Athleta, Rainer Tight
The sports line from the Gap is increasingly becoming more popular and, priced right and durable, stylish and warm, pictured above, their winter tights in choice brilliant colours, seem like a perfect gift for the cold-weather runner you love. Keep an eye on this line, and watch for sales—the Gap obviously knows something about merchandising, and comfort.
Canada Running Series
Inarguably the country’s largest race company—with events from Montreal to Vancouver, the Zoo in Toronto to the East Side 10K—CRS gave a home to everyone from Ed Whitlock, pictured below, to Lanni Marchant and continues to set the stage for Malindi Elmore to set records. There’s a half in Montreal in April and the world-famous spring run off that same month in Toronto’s High Park. Find your next favourite race, right here.
Ed Whitlock set many records at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon organized by Canada Running Series.
Catelli Smart Pasta
After discovering this brand at the Toronto Marathon, the gluten-free, fibre-enhanced penne and vermicelli have become part of my race weekend tradition. Barilla, an Italian-based company, purchased the Canadian brand in February and promised to invest a billion-dollars into pasta production, sites and acquisitions. It’s nice to see something good get rewarded, plus their director of marketing is a marathon runner! Check them out, right here.
Chilly Half Marathon
You’re buying all of this running gear but, without races, that very beautiful pair of gloves you just purchased will basically collect dust in a drawer. Nothing like an early season race on your calendar to ensure that your run stuff doesn’t get mothballed. All of Ontario comes out for the Chilly, and who doesn’t love Kelly Arnott? Get a bib here for March 5, before it’s too late.
COROS, Apex 2 Pro
With a heart sensor and improved GPS antenna, this durable, attractive new COROS watch has a sapphire glass screen and grade 5 titanium outer layer shell, making your wrist-rocket practically unbreakable. Simple to use and excellent in any weather, the Apex 2 Pro is reliable, accurate, water-resistant and attractive. And a special bonus for winter: the large digital dial is easy to use with gloves.
Decathlon Canada, everything
If you haven’t shopped Decathlon, the big European sporting goods store making waves across the country, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Excellent prices, terrific quality and superior customer service, even the great Olympian Reid Coolsaet wears their socks, makes Decathlon a no-brainer to recommend. Everything from camping gear to running shoes to backpacks, make your first shopping stop Decathlon—then take on the holidays from there.
Genuine Health, Deep Sleep
Arguably the single biggest game changer of my 2022, this light, mushroom-based sleep aid is effective without being jarring; the capsules somehow usher in sleep without leaving you drowsy the next day and almost create a psychosomatic, non-addictive cornerstone element of your bedtime routine. Without rest, even sneakers with motors can’t help. Get it here, and you’ll thank us.
Hello Fresh
It takes a while to get the hang of the recipe delivery service but, once you do, you’ll see it’s a game changer. My 11-year-old got to the point where, when we didn’t have it for dinner, she was mad at me. Surprise yourself and your family with nutritious, delicious, and, most importantly, easy to make recipes, like the Beef Taco Flatbreads my kids love. Click this, and eat well.
New Balance, Impact Run Heat Jacket
Wind-resistant, lightweight fabric is woven and warm with a dropped rear hem. Dressing for the cold is hard—you don’t want to be too chilly or too warm—and this jacket by New Balance, with zippered pockets and a hood, seems to get it just right. At $143.99, it also looks sharp and won’t break the bank.
NormaTec 2.0
The Ironman finisher, Sportstats president Marc Roy, pictured above, swears by this post-training air compression system and, given their unusual look, we were wary. However, at Mr. Roy’s home following the Ottawa Marathon, after being scrapped off the road, we understood what he meant. If you have big goals for 2023, big recovery will be essential. Nothing works like NormaTec. Trust us: we believe.
Peloton Tread
It’s as if I never really knew what shoes felt like until I wore them on the Peloton Tread. Much different then running on the roads—and, be careful, equally addictive—the Peloton Tread, with their animated instructors and, let’s face it, opportunity to not go outside, is fun, sturdy and easy to use. It integrates with Strava and has yoga, classes and workouts, plus training plans at all distances. Honestly? I never used a Peloton before this month. Honestly? I’ll never not use one again. Try it, you’ll see.
Quebec City Beneva Marathon
Hard to say what the country’s best race is. That’s like saying what’s our best city. However, the answer is probably Quebec City, which makes this race absolutely essential to any runner in Canada. It kicks off September 29 so there’s time to plan. But trust us. There’s no course more beautiful, or nowhere better for your after-race beer.
Rally Beer
Beer and running go together like chafing and vaseline but, what if you could enjoy that sensation without the hangover? Rally Beer, founded by two Canadian athletes, make light IPAs and non-alcoholic Pale Ales that give you the reward of a job well done without the punishment of too much imbibing. The Canadian company is growing and well worth your while at your run club’s holiday bash. Drink it up, here.
Rideau Canal Skateway 15.6K Virtual Challenge
With in-person racing’s triumphant return, let us not forget the communal, cross-country fun of a nationwide virtual run. The Rideau Canal in Ottawa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the finest skating rinks in the world. But it’s in Ottawa. For everyone else, this virtual event—which can be run, walked or, indeed, skated—is a great way to stay ice skate sharp this winter. Check it out, and challenge your family and friends, here.
Running While Black by Alison Mariella Desir
Probably the buzziest running book of the season and a must-read for anyone interested in not just split times, but how the times have to change. An entry in Sasha’s Stories, iRun’s new book club hosted by the great Sasha Gollish, please read Alison and let us know what you learn.
Saucony, Endorphin Pro 3
The shoes I wore in my best race this year, the Endorphin Pro 3 is light, with a thick stack of foam cushioning, of course the carbon-plate, and the overall spring and pop of a child’s bouncy ball. Also a beautiful-looking shoe, a Lamborghini, and the kind of shoe you put on that just makes you want to move. I saw a lot of these in Hamilton. A really, really fine shoe.
Servus Calgary Marathon
The longest running distant event in the country returns this May with a new title sponsor and that great Western energy making this monster marathon—with everything from a kid’s race to a 50K—perfect for locals and a smart destination race for everyone else. See you there on May 28? For your bib, before the prices increase, click here.
Sunglasses by Marsquest
At the TCS Waterfront Marathon, plenty of companies had fantastic booths, but none generated the excitement of Marsquest, a Canadian sunglasses company with energy, and great styles, to burn. Their shades are affordable and functional and won’t make you look like a volleyball from the 1980s on your next winter run.
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend
The largest race in the country, judging from the excitement around the Waterfront Marathon in Toronto, there’s no way that the party this spring won’t be in our nation’s capital (presided over by Ottawa’s new Mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, founder of iRun). If you haven’t run this event—which features the 10K Canadian Championships in addition to races at every distance, plus kid’s runs—this is your year, as the post-pandemic energy is making our sport explode. Get your Ottawa race bib, right here.
The Toronto Marathon
It’s a fast spring race in downtown Toronto and there’s a reason why Kathrine Switzer comes every year—Canada’s first big spring race is a hometown party, with great crowd support, massive medals and a course designed for your next PB (I still haven’t bested my time from 2017). With the Mississauga Marathon moving to the half marathon distance, their website already crashed with excited new registrants. The run is May 7, and here’s where to sign up.
Tracksmith, at BlackToe Running
Let’s say you’re a serious runner but also, on occasion, you care how you look. With respect to Lululemon, no one makes prettier clothing then Tracksmith. Now, through a partnership with the mighty BlackToe, you can get the Boston-based clothier in Toronto. Do you need a $100 singlet? Probably not. But as my 9-year-old said, the holidays are about what you want, not what you need.
Under Armour Base Layers
Continually making the best running clothing—and improving their high-end shoes every quarter—the Under Armour base layers for winter are affordable, durable, form-fitting, and able to sustain multiple washings after multiple years (I still have UA clothing from 2015). Watch for Under Armour in 2023.
The butter soft ride in the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer feels as if you’re running on marshmallows. After countless exploration and different models, the FuelCell, with a carbon-plate and 47mm heel stack height (in a men’s size 9.5D), is a unique offering: a training shoe built to absorb shock and endure kilometres, but carbon-plate loaded, it also lends itself to running real fast. The FuelCell SuperComp Trainer is a new type of hybrid, the Tesla of sneakers, without the political baggage of an Elon Musk.
Notably, the FuelCell SuperComp Trainer has a high rear foam stacking, which nearly engulfs half the shoe. Breaking the mold of traditional shoe design—perhaps setting a trend—the FuelCell SuperComp Trainer has a convex toe box, which creates the biomechanics of a lever when you run. The effect of the apparatus, which is really what it is, creates propulsion, and aids stride and recovery, especially on a long-distance run.
The FuelCell SuperComp Trainer is purported to provide 40% more energy return than its earlier iteration, and they do feel somewhat akin to magic shoes. We’ve road tested plenty of sneakers, but there’s nothing on the market that feels quite like this. A carbon-plated daily training shoe is something really every serious runner should covet and this model from NB is one we comfortably recommend.
The FuelCell SuperComp Trainer is comfortable, springy, durable and foam-tastic—if you want to increase mileage while maintaining pace, it’s hard to find a more excellent game-changing shoe.
Where do we even start? There’s just so much I want to share.
I guess this story should start with who I am and why I love reading.
Hi, nice to meet or re-meet you. I’m Sasha Gollish. I’ve been a member of Team Canada from everything from the 1500m to the marathon, and just last month the trails (miss you already Thailand).
Really, it’s not about the teams, the times or the distances, running, to me, is the community and all the amazing people you meet along the way.Books too are community and I want to bring these communities together.
Growing up I was not a reader. Maybe it was because at school they made us read books I just didn’t like. Then in university who had time to read between reading? Towards the end of my undergraduate engineering degree I found the books Gossip Girl (As Neil Pasricha says, no book shame!). It was the start of an escape from reality—no equations, no models, no labs—just New York City life through the eyes of high school kids.
Fast forward to now and reading is my main form of escape. I see you Netflix & Chill and I raise you a Book-Scape. I don’t think there is anything better than your mind getting lost in the characters of a great story. There is some emerging research on the benefits of Non-Sleep-Deep-Rest (NSDR) “practices that people use to direct their minds into a state of calm and focus.”
I think that research one day will agree that reading is a form of NSDR.
And so I’m excited to share this journey with you. Each month we’ll read a book together. I’ll publish a book review, give you some more time to read the book, and then ideally, we all meet with the author for book club where we’ll ask the author important questions about their life and their book.
Sound good? And what a perfect way to spend some time over the holidays and through the winter.
We’ll cover non-fiction and fiction, new books, cult classics, and some books that just demand a revisit. Of course, your book recommendations are always welcome—just fill out this form to let me know what you think we should all read. Running books, obviously, make sense, and I’m really looking forward to getting into Running While Black by Alison Désir and Lauren Fleshman’s Good for a Girl.
My first review will be out in the middle of next month. We’ll give you lots of time to read the book so that when we have our first book club with an author you’re ready with questions.
Happy early holidays and thanks for spending some time reading with me. Let’s have a blast.
When an unfortunate event occurs, we have three choices: let it define our life, let it destroy us, or use it to get stronger. On October 28, 2022, it was four years since I had my road accident. Four years of this life experience strewn with a lot of tears and incomprehension, through joys and sorrows, and me not forgetting all the anger that inhabited me at several times. In this path of acceptance, the acceptance of this new version of myself that was imposed on me—of all these physical changes despite myself—today, I am thanking life for this.
Everything is perfect like this. One step at a time!
I completed the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon on October 16th. I did it in 2 hours and 33 minutes, and I’m very proud of it. An improvement of 40 minutes exactly with the one I had done in Montreal 3 weeks before.
It was right after the neurologists told me that I was suffering from neuropathic muscle degeneration, that I replied, “Will I be able to complete a marathon?”
And immediately his response was: “Mr. Richard, your legs will never withstand a marathon.”
They tried to classify me as being disabled—the loss of autonomy, the this, the that. I don’t like being told that I can no longer do things. When the neurologists told me about this degenerative neuropathic condition of the muscles, I decided to give full power to my mind.
Stronger than the physical, it is the mental.
And now I’m going to prove it. I am now giving myself the challenge of the full marathon next September in Montreal, for the Grand Montreal Marathon in 2023—my first 42.2km marathon.
Until then, physical and mental preparation is in progress. I have my plan worked out: starting in April 2023, it’s completing a half marathon and 10k race around Canada every month until September as training for my lifetime full marathon.
The marathon tour of Canada, this is my challenge: one step at a time.
I am aware that my story has the power to inspire people, and it is “ONE STEP AT A TIME” that I will continue to do so. To do good, and to inspire people to never give up is the essence of everything for me. It’s not big enough if it doesn’t scare you. If it makes you nervous, it’s probably worth it.
It was when they said to me: “Mr Richard, your legs will never support a marathon.” That I had answered them: one day I will show you a photo of me at the marathon finish line.
This crazy promise kept me alive for the next three and a half years.
It was especially out of the question that I would be deprived of anything, especially not after having had this condition imposed on me. It was last September on the 25 at the great Beneva marathon in Montreal that I not only achieved this wonderful and great challenge of completing a half marathon, but I also finished it in a “semblance” of jogging for the few last meters before the finish line.
A feat in either case with my situation.
A feat without waiting for another, because three weeks later, I was going to run the first 6K of the Toronto half marathon and I was also going to finish the last 2k by running. The strength of the mind has really been harnessed here.
I have the deep conviction that we are the main reason for our own limitations.
We all have the power to reach the greatest heights. My life took an unexpected turn. I was involved in a road accident which left me with serious consequences, completely changing my way of life and greatly impacting my mobility. It was after an exaggerated amount of tests and examinations that it was later agreed that the accident had awakened a dormant degenerative neuropathic condition in me that I have now cohabited with for four years. My legs are now more unstable and I have to deal with several obstacles and inconveniences every day, but my mental (and physical) strength and my proud resilience guide me and help me see clearly on a daily basis.
Through these half-marathons and this wonderful journey that is mine, I want to inspire you too to overcome obstacles and never give up. Everything is perfect like this, one step at a time, is really my life mission that I want to continue to convey through my conferences and my books.
I dare to hope that my story will be able to inspire many of you, and whatever happens, always tell yourself that everything is perfect this way, and that with one step at a time, you will get yourself there:
The futuristic, ridiculously comfortable and stylish new Cloudgo shoes from the Zurich-based sportswear company On are a revelation. They’re light and they’re neutral, but many of your running shoes also successfully succeed at that. What’s special about the Cloudgo is the energy release system and springs: the bounciness almost creates a lever that makes the propulsion of running in the Cloudgo feel next to effortless. Not “easy,” exactly. But there’s an energy-return system in the design that makes the spring in your step exaggerated, and it’s helpful, and gives additional boost.
With an 11-millimetre drop and weighing 256 grams, the forefoot rocker and super foam—both trademarked On signature touches—makes the Cloudgo a distinct, pleasurable running experience. If you’re looking to change your routine, and have tried other big-foamed running shoes like Hoka or the New Balance 1080, then the On brand is well worth a try. Increasingly gaining in popularity across Canada, On is accomplishing something difficult in our sport: creating an entirely novel new product.
The Cloudgo from On, at $169, is a potentially game-changing new sneaker. Perfect for your next half marathon.
Clubs and other running groups provide challenge, camaraderie, encouragement, learning and fun. You never know who you’ll end up running around with!
Lots of reasons why Group Therapy is good:
• Safety: Someone to help in case of injury or sickness; to make sure your outfit matches your shoes
• Motivation: Seeing others of similar Kenyan genetics as yourself can spur you on, keep you inspired during runs and races
• Performance: You may just find you’re mentally pushing yourself to keep ahead of the 90-year-old and others who encourage you to push it
• Socializing: Where else can you meet a ton of like-minded people doing something healthy together? Think about it… Running groups are where ‘speed’ dating was invented!
• Brainstorming: The banter and breadth of conversations on the run can sometimes spark ideas (like “Why don’t we start a social running site and call it Pacebook?”)
• Business: Funny enough, we often run with people for weeks or months and never know what they do for a living; we just learn a lot about their running and family maybe… but occasionally we make a connection that helps with our career or business… What’s not to like about runners?
It’s not easy, which is why I think it’s worth writing down, but I ran a good marathon Sunday. I say ‘good,’ because my goal was certain: run the marathon in such a fashion that each step wasn’t spent swearing I’d never do this again. I ran my first marathon at the Waterfront in Toronto in 2009. My leg was so stiff afterwards that my mother-in-law had to massage it just so I could bend it enough to put on my pants. (I reckon it must’ve been cold that day in October, but only the detail of my mother-in-law comes back clear). Last May, I ran my last marathon. It was May 28, 2022, in Ottawa and I finished, according to Sportstats, in 4:11:29. For at least a couple of those minutes, medics had to help keep me upright and perhaps for 45 minutes, maybe more, I limped myself to the finish line.
In between that Sunday in Ottawa and that Sunday in Toronto, I’ve run at least twenty-two more marathons—two in Boston, one in Jerusalem, one in Vancouver, lots in Ottawa and Toronto, one in New York. They go sideways on me often. One time I broke three hours. One time, during the race, I drank a beer. This Sunday, at the Road2Hope Marathon in Hamilton, things worked out. How come? More importantly, how can your next race not go sideways on you—an experience a lot like copping a squat on an electric chair. These are some of the things I can recall.
1. I did the training and the training was long. Not excruciating, not exactly. I’m always running and always training with BlackToe Running and since 2009, I never stopped. But this cycle, which began in earnest perhaps late July, probably had eight long runs over 30K. I’d felt what it felt like between 32 and 36K a bunch and also knew by heart how it felt between kilometres: four minutes and, say, forty-five seconds I could recite in my sleep; so, in the race, when it got tough, let’s say at 33K, I understood nine kilometres unconsciously. I could do 9K. I’d done 9K five times a week for thirteen years.
2. Time didn’t matter. OK, that’s not entirely true. I had a time goal. Let’s say 3:20. But it moved often. 3:25? 3:15? My running partner—faster? slower? the same?—wanted 3:05. Do I race with him? Am I being cowardly? Nah, I kept my A goal in mind: finish this thing with grace, which meant: a) run the whole way, and b) don’t break my body. In Ottawa, my calves were so cramped I couldn’t stand. That can’t be good for you and that made me scared. I was scared of the marathon. And so even though time always matters to a racer—it matters to my 8-year-old—that wasn’t my A goal.
3. I ran by feel. There was a 3:20 pacer and I ran with him, for less than one kilometre. I found my natural rhythm and thus my watch and my pacer and split times didn’t matter.
4. I ran my own race (dare I say almost unconsciously).
5. I also respected Race Week. Or, let’s even say that during Race Week I got carried away. I had long quit alcohol and Halloween candy. I was eating walnuts and leaves. I was home in my house and the kids were away and on the Saturday before the race, I barely did anything. I read my book.
6. But also: I had an emergency on Thursday night and a friend needed a friend. And so I pivoted and had a Manhattan soothe my soul and guess what? (Drinking water before bed, making it home before 10:30): I survived. The lesson here is, I think, make a plan and stick with it. But remember you’re a human being and sometimes human beings have to do human being things—even during Race Week.
7. I think that mixture of being serious and staying loose did me well. Rachel Hannah, pictured above, I think has come around to that mentality. It’s a bad omen, as my dad would say, when you walk down the block—even in $350 sneakers—and the birds fall from the trees. That can’t help digestion.
8. Gels, meanwhile, were consumed at 15K, 25K, and let’s say 33. I didn’t exactly know when I’d take them and lots of people take more. (My friend who finished eleventh took five gels, but he puked two at the finish line—you decide). I took two Gu with caffeine and one fancy Maurten. I had the gels on me and I’d taken all of them before race day.
9. I also drank plenty of water. The water stations were frequent and I hit them every few kilometres. Just sips really, but also the people at the stations were present and enthusiastic. There was never a crowd, a water station crash or any cacophony. And: when I found myself crashing out there, I dumped a water on my head, maybe at 34K to wake myself up. It worked.
10. I should also say it was a beautiful course on a beautiful day and the race was two laps along the Hamilton waterfront—through a park—and I always knew where I was and where I was going and there were no parts of the course that were bleak, under a highway, completely empty or at the bottom of an Everest-like hill. Hamilton was flat, temperate, a little windy, but nothing like that 2018 Boston hail storm which saw yet another triumph of Krista DuChene, pictured below, and—come to think of it—I also very much enjoyed (and also wasn’t running for a time or using my watch).
11. I had friends along the course—in particular, Kate Van Buskirk, cheering on her father and who I saw maybe four times, once even for a soul high five—but I didn’t particularly talk to any racers and was quieter than I can be sometimes at a race. I wouldn’t quite say I was focussed, though maybe I was, but at least I stayed relatively on track and never got carried away. I can be chatty while racing and speed up when I see spectators and go out of my way to give a kid high-five. That stuff is good but energy is finite. The morning seemed to end quicker perhaps because I did fewer things while racing.
12. Be loose. Have fun. Smile at your mother. But steer clear of the clown stuff. Focus your energy where it belongs. It ends the difficult thing quicker.
13. I also slept in my own bed, didn’t touch social media, and cooked my own food: chicken and rice for dinner two days out, spaghetti the night before—bananas and peanut butter all weekend. Definitely eating is harder at destination races and Dusty Baker, World Series winning Astros manager and baseball legend, said he liked his team’s chances when the series moved back home. Control what you can control, like Alex Cutulenco (pictured below, left)—and that’s easier to do when you’re home.
14. Furthermore: I had a ride to the race, we arrived at the event super early, parking was a snap—right at the start line—and it was daylight saving’s time, which bought me an extra hour, even though I still never sleep great. I definitely charged my watch and iPod and definitely knew which shoes I’d wear: the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3, in magenta. And, even though I knew what I’d wear—shorts with two pockets so I could separate my iPod from my gel—I stayed free to pivot.
15. Because of the wind, I feared being cold in my singlet and so I put on the race shirt on race day—a cardinal sin—and guess what? It didn’t matter. Again I had a plan and I pivoted and so what?
I was intentional yet not rigid which is probably a good way to race and also probably a good way to live: we change our mind, we adjust, we make decisions as best we can and then we deal with the consequences. We—like the school strike in Ontario—progress.
Sunday’s race was a good one for me, plenty of races are not, which is why I wrote this story. I think I learn something every time, I want to, and maybe that’s part of why I even like doing this—it gives me a chance to rattle around the usual noise in my head. I guess the point is, as you head into your off-season and plan your 2023 goals: enjoy the process and stay humble. Anything can happen.
Things can even go brilliantly.
Photo of Rachel Hannah by Rob Lapensee. Photograph of Krista DuChene courtesy of the Boston Marathon. Photographs of Alex and I courtesy of the 2022 Hamilton Marathon Road2Hope.
Deep Sleep is a product from Genuine Health, a Canadian company that makes all-natural science-based supplements and they recently released a sleep aid that they wanted runners to try. BlackToe Running in downtown Toronto is where I train, and we had Michelle Lostracco, a well-known runner and Genuine Health VP explain her product to my crew.
“It’s not a magic pill,” she said, to the nineteen runners who attended our event, all with fall goal races before them. “We just think that if a runner can get 5% better recovery from 5% better sleep, then it will be something a lot of members in our community would want to try.“
The Deep Sleep capsules are made from 100mg of Organic Reishi mushrooms, 100mg of Theanine, 50mg of GABA, 50mg of Magnesium and 1.5mg of Melatonin. “The Reishi mushrooms are the star ingredient, and we use the whole mushroom, from the root to the fruit,” says Lauren Hauswirth, Genuine Health’s manager of product development. “The ground mushroom helps adjust stress levels and brings down the cortisone spikes, signalling the brain to tell the body that it’s time to unwind.“
Deep Sleep combines Reishi mushrooms with gentle botanicals and it quiets the brain without disrupting the hormones. It’s a product I’ve been using for months leading up to my goal race this weekend, and, after taking the product for six weeks, this is what the BlackToe runners said.
“Overall I noticed a big difference,” said Sarah, training for her first marathon. “I tend to not be affected by many things, so I was a bit surprised that I responded so well to these. My smartwatch also noted I had more REM and deep sleep on nights I take the capsules. I also think they make me fall asleep faster.”
80% of respondents said that the Deep Sleep capsules helped them fall asleep faster and 100% of respondents said that their sleep was deeper after taking the Deep Sleep capsules. Of course, not everyone will have these responses. But, of the runners we had test the products, the results were overwhelmingly positive.
Chris, who was also training for a fall marathon, had this response: “I already sleep pretty well, but my watch showed better sleep quality when taking the capsules,” he said, adding that he took two pills while Sarah only took one. (I also take two at a time).
“I didn’t think there was a change to how I felt in the morning, but maybe I’m too stressed or dependent on caffeine to notice,” said Chris. “I think they really improved my sleep quality and duration with no negative side effects.“
None of the runners experienced a brain fog the next day and none of the runners reported feeling less energy after a night trying the Deep Sleep product. Again, these results are not guaranteed. But it could be something worth trying, especially as you begin to plan out your goals for 2023.Sign up for the Genuine Health e-newsletter by November 30 at 12pm EST and you will be automatically entered to win a $500 prize pack!No purchase necessary.To sign up,please click here.
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