Why I run with Pride

June 22, 2022

Established in 1996, the Toronto Pride and Remembrance run is a live memorial to founder Alan Belaiche’s late friend Richard Robert-Leroux who had died from AIDs the previous year. Now on its 26th anniversary, the run serves as a massive symbol for many members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, including myself.

As a GenZ member of the 2SLGBQ+ community, I am incredibly fortunate to live in a country where my forefathers have fought for and achieved equal rights in many facets. I was born in the year 2000. By the time I figured I was bisexual in 2016, I already had friends who were part of the community. I had just witnessed the US Supreme Court legalize marriage equality across the United States. The Pride and Remembrance run serves as a reminder that without those who protested against oppressive laws or the queer people who faced violence from the police force, I would not be able to be “out and proud” the way I am today. I owe it to the “We Demand” protestors of 1971, the New Brunswick Four, the victims of the Operation Soap Raids and more for my ability to publicly broadcast my sexual orientation online and in school. These people led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2005 and are why my friends can proudly introduce their same-sex partners in public.

Of course, we must remember that the fight is not over. Despite our “equal rights” and general acceptance, there are still disparities that need to be addressed. Transgender people still have 2x higher mortality rates than cis people. In the past year, 375 trans people have been murdered in the United States. Here in Canada, Blood Canada announced that they would overturn the 2-month donation ban for men who have sex with men when they reworded their policies to exclude anyone who has had anal sex in the past three months. While the wording may seem more inclusive, it still disproportionately affects queer men who have sex with other men.

Our general public is still very uninformed about 2SLGBTQ+ issues. For example, in 2017, 53% of Canadians said they would not eat a meal prepared by someone they knew was HIV positive. As our issues are discussed in a public setting, we need to disseminate accurate information to help dispel the misconceptions spread by Facebook conspiracy theories and misguided commentators.

Running the Pride and Remembrance Run reminds me that I cannot be complacent.

There are still so many things that need to be addressed before our community can achieve acceptance and equality in society. Raising awareness of our community’s issues through the Pride and Remembrance Run is only a tiny piece of what I can do, and I aim to do more grassroots work in the future. Nevertheless, I am proud to be a Pride and Remembrance Ambassador this year, and I can’t wait to see what our fundraising can do to help our beneficiaries.

To fundraise for the cause, please click here.

“When the wrong people are placed in positions of power, it’s the young people who suffer.”

Ben Kaplan

June 22, 2022

Canadian Olympian Sarah Wells, 2019. (Photo by Peter Power for iRun Magazine)

The International Figure Skating Union has raised the age limit to compete at the Olympics. Athletics Canada should do the same.

Earlier this month, the International Figure Skating Union (ISU) voted in favour of a proposal to gradually increase the age limit for the women’s single event from 15 to 17 ahead of the 2026 Olympic Games. The ISU cited concerns for the mental and physical health of young athletes and the need to protect their emotional well-being as reasons for the increase. The ISU’s decision will undoubtedly spark conversations regarding the age limits for other Olympic sports, including track and field.

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, track and field athletes 16 years of age and older were eligible for Olympic qualification, though higher age limits were enforced for certain events. Those under the age of 18 were not permitted to compete in throwing events, heptathlon and decathlon, while those under 20 were not eligible to compete in the marathon or 50km race walk.

A few days following the ISU’s announcement, Canada’s Minister of Sport, Pascale St-Onge, announced that Canadian sport organizations have one year to meet new standards for governance, accountability and safer sports practices or risk losing government funding. This announcement comes after numerous allegations of physical, mental and sexual abuse within various National Sport Organizations (NSOs) in recent years. The most notable of allegations within the Canadian running community were those of psychological and sexual abuse against former national team coach and head coach of the University of Guelph’s cross country and track and field program. When the wrong people are placed in positions of power, it is often young people who suffer the worst consequences. Children and youth are most at risk of abuse from coaches, because they are less likely to recognize inappropriate behaviour and speak out about such behaviour. Consequently, abusive coaches tend to target younger athletes, for instance grooming a young female runner for a sexual relationship when they are only in high school. Athletics Canada needs to do more to protect young athletes and increasing the age limit for Canadian track athletes to compete at the Olympics is one of the many steps the organization should take to meet the government’s new standards. Such a decision would allow younger athletes to increase their training volume and intensity more gradually, while also reducing the risk that young athletes will be subjected to harmful and abusive relationships with their coaches.

In distance running in particular, training at a high level presents a unique risk to adolescents, as their muscles and tissues are still developing. The changes in tissues that occur during puberty can alter running biomechanics and the increased risk of running related injuries. Improper biomechanics, high mileage and previously sustained injuries are all factors that increase the risk of injury in adolescent runners. Distance runners who aim to qualify for the Olympics between the age of 16 and 20 may be running hundreds of kilometres per week all while their bodies are growing. Though high mileage is often correlated with running faster times, it is not worth the risk of injury that it poses to young athletes. Unfortunately, compared to adults, little research has been conducted on the appropriate volume and intensity of training for adolescent runners. Most training programs that are in place for young runners are based on the opinions of coaches and health professionals not peer reviewed research. Therefore, even elite high school and university athletes who are training for the Olympics may not be prescribed a training program that is appropriate for their age or stage of mental and physical development. Perhaps much of this could be avoided if young athletes were permitted to develop at their own pace and were not subjected to such rigorous training during such an important time in their lives.

By allowing young athletes to compete and train at the Olympic level at such a young age, clubs and coaches may be inadvertently limiting their potential later in life. For example, marathon runners tend to peak in their thirties, but if a young athlete suffers a career ending injury, they will never have the opportunity to compete in their thirties. A higher age limit for Olympic competition may help to prevent young athletes from suffering repeated overuse injuries, as there will be less pressure to train at an unsustainable volume or to continue training despite suffering an injury.

Amongst adolescents, the risk of running related injury is higher in females. Running injuries in young females, particularly bone stress injuries, are also associated with menstrual irregularities and low bone mineral density, both of which are signs of REDS or Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. REDS is a condition that occurs when an athlete’s energy expenditure due to exercise exceeds their energy consumption. Therefore, a third commonality amongst those who suffer from REDS is an eating disorder. Sadly, many young runners, especially young girls, suffer from eating disorders. As a result of inappropriate messaging in the media and from coaches and parents, the idea that lighter equals faster continues to be instilled in young girls. Left unaddressed, this may lead to an eating disorder, overuse injuries, REDS and in many cases forces young girls to leave the sport. According to a 2020 study, 1 in 3 girls who once participated in sport leave in their teen years. Young girls who leave sport cite low self-confidence and poor body image as reasons why they chose to leave.

Not only does this limit the level of competition in female sports, but it can be detrimental to women’s long-term health. Running helps to improve cardiovascular fitness, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes later in life.

National Sports Organizations like Athletics Canada need to do more to encourage young girls to stay involved in sports and in order to do so, they must help create an environment in which young girls feel welcomed and supported. By increasing the age limit to compete at the Olympics, high school and club coaches can focus on creating a more supportive environment for female athletes. If gradual development and body positivity are prioritized over short-term success, perhaps fewer female athletes will be forced to leave the sport before they reach their full potential.

A decision from Athletics Canada to increase the age limit from 16 to 18—eliminating Canadian youth from Olympic competition—would encourage the long-term development and protection of young athletes. Furthermore, such a decision would recognize that the main goal of youth running is not for athletes to reach an elite level of competition, but to adopt a lifestyle of physical activity and community involvement that will continue into adulthood. Protecting young athletes from overtraining, injury, eating disorders and abusive coach-athlete relationships needs to be Athletics Canada’s top priority. Young athletes are the future of our sport, but far too many are forced to leave the sport because they are not provided with the support they need. An athlete’s current performance and future potential should be equally valued.

By taking Canadian youth out of Olympic track and field competition, Athletics Canada would help reshape the environment of youth track and field in Canada from one of excessive expectations and short-term goals to one of support and understanding.

Importance, or Irrelevance, of Relaxation

Ben Kaplan

June 15, 2022

Howdy! I’m Diane Chesla and am Co-Race Director of the Niagara Falls International
Marathon (NFIM) exploring the mind-body connection of running & how lessons learned can
be applied to life. In my previous articles I talk a lot about “flow,” but, as runners, we can probably relate better to the term “runner’s high.” These terms both refer to states of mind when time seems to stand
still and we are deeply immersed in our activity at hand. After spending a fair bit of time researching and contemplating the importance of relaxation as a precursor to these fabulous states of mind, I’m going to share with you here an idea that might surprise you, as it did me. The question I asked myself for this article is: must one relax first in order to experience a runner’s high? The answer? Sometimes.

I actually don’t think it’s 100% necessary. There are other variables—in sport in particular—that affect our ability to reach these states of mind. Let me share with you an experience I had recently that led me to this thought. My dad passed away just over a year ago. Since then, it’s been a pretty awful year in terms of stress. To be honest, I’d been feeling like I was barely keeping my head above water for the better part of the year. Ironically, I lost my passion for running after my dad’s passing. No matter what I tried I couldn’t shake my state of mind. Then something magical happened. I ran.

I hadn’t even realized that my mind had “woken up” until I went to a shop and was talkative, giggly, and full of zest post run. The “old” me, full of vivaciousness had returned. It was the run. I must have really awoken my endorphins from their sleepy state. I felt FABULOUS!

Endorphins are one type of neurotransmitter that increase with exercise and are involved in runner’s high. Did I relax to enter this state? Heck no! I just went out and enjoyed every damn minute of that run. This brings me to a very important point. There are some key variables involved in entering a state of high from running. Relaxation is one. Focus is another and enjoyment is yet another. Are all necessary to experience runner’s high? The answer is probably “no.” And I was reminded of this after my rejuvenation run. That said, I’ll give you two different scenarios in running where relaxation may be key. If we think of “relaxation” as “letting go,” it might be easier to understand why it’s necessary to change our mood and enter that elusive state of high possible in running.

Consider this scenario: You have a really bad day at work. You come home to a leaking toilet. You grab your mail and some bills are marked “past due.” You head out for a run and grumble the whole way, frustrated at your situation and still obsessing over it. You trip, scrape your knee and call it a day. Mental state pre run: 1/10. Mental state post-run: 1.5/10. Consider this alternate scenario: Same bad luck as above, but your say to yourself “work is work, the leak can wait and so can the bills.” You start your run and notice the freshness of the air and the soft beauty of the night. You get in a groove, you trip, you giggle and carry on. Mental state pre run: 1/10. Mental state post-run: 9/10.

What was the difference? In the second scenario you relaxed into the run. You “let go” of thoughts and emotions from the past and enjoyed the current activity at hand. In doing so, you became more aware of experiencing your environment that you were immersed in. Hopefully these scenarios help paint a picture of the importance of relaxation—and how this can be used to experience runner’s high. But how much of scenario #2 was based on “letting go” and how much was based on “enjoyment?” Are they the same thing? In my next article, I’ll explore more of the idea of “enjoyment” as a key to runner’s high and how we can apply this to life outside of running. This will be interesting because let’s face it, running is usually damn hard and can down right suck when the weather is bad.

Fuel Your Next Race like a Genuine Health Dad, and Win!

Ben Kaplan

June 15, 2022

At 40-years old, Steve Hollingsworth, father of three, is busy. While he dreams of qualifying for the Ironman in Kona, he also works as Chief Revenue Officer of Genuine Health, a 30-year-old Canadian company specializing in natural, science-based supplements. Hollingsworth, perhaps more than most, is familiar with a working dad’s time-crunched existence. He has big goals, but also big responsibilities. He says the Genuine Health products he uses helps him maximize both training and fatherhood.

“There’s always been a balance between three critical areas for me: family, work and personal ambition and athletic challenges, and first and foremost it’s important to be clear about your goals,” says Hollingsworth, who ran his first marathon in Prague in 2007, and has children that are eleven, eight and 5-years-old. “I think when you’re pursuing the idea of ‘performance,’ it has to be done within the context of a time-starved life and then be clear about what you’re willing to have your trade offs be.”

Some trade offs include sacrificing evening chill time for early morning swims, but very rarely will Hollingsworth trade off on food. He eats what he wants, when he wants, almost as a reward for his training, and he also understands that he runs at a caloric deficiency. To augment what he doesn’t receive from his diet, Hollingsworth takes a range of daily Genuine Health products: Greens+, Advanced Gut Health Probiotics, Omega3+Joy, Clean Collagen and Whey Protein Isolate. He says the combination boosts his immune system and helps him recover quicker from his hard workouts.

“The thing I love about Genuine Health is the company has always prided itself in ensuring that what goes in the bottle is all-natural,” says Hollingsworth, who will be needing all of his supplements as he has two half Ironmans in the next six weeks in preparation for his Ironman this August in Tremblant. “Every time you workout, you’re tearing your muscles and so I like the Genuine Health supplements because during the recovery phase I build back stronger to go and train again, rest—do my job and take care of my family—and repeat.”

This Father’s Day, we all know working, busy dads with big goals for the fall and the world on their backs as they try and fit in everything they want for themselves and the people they love. Steve Hollingsworth says he’s able, as often as not, to achieve his goals through keeping everything in moderation (including moderation), resting, training and taking his supplements.

“If there’s one product I’d recommend for busy dads this Father’s Day, it’s our Greens+ Extra Energy, which takes away that need for a second cup of coffee in the afternoon,” Hollingsworth says. “From a nutritional standpoint, it’s fantastic, and from an energy standpoint, it helps you avoid that mid-afternoon crash.”

This Father’s Day, Hollingsworth convinced Genuine Health to give away five jars of Greens+ Extra Energy. To win the product, tell us in the comments below who’s the busy dad in your life who deserves it, and why. And Happy Father’s Day from Steve, from iRun, and from everyone at Genuine Health—enjoy.

Giveaway open to Canadians only, except those living in Quebec (désolé), no purchase necessary and must be 18 years or older to be nominated to win. iRun will be in contact with the winners directly and never asks for credit card information.

What To Do After Bonking

Ben Kaplan

June 15, 2022

It can happen to anyone: you train for your race, you show up on race day, you tie your sneakers and . . . bonk. What is a bonk? Well, when it happens it generally pertains to when you run out of fuel and you most certainly know it: for instance, a spectator might have to attend to you on the side of the road, like happened to me last month at the Ottawa Marathon. You might have to walk. Or perhaps you radically finish much slower than your anticipated finishing time. “With running, you have to remember that anybody can have a bad day,” says Reid Coolsaet, two-time Olympian, run coach and resident iRun expert on all things pertaining to moving fast. Coolsaet, reached just days away from his 100-mile debut at the vaunted Western States ultra-marathon, adds, “You can’t measure yourself by the bad days, only the good days, because a good day can’t be a fluke, but a bad day that doesn’t show your fitness is hard to isolate. There are so many reasons why even a properly trained runner might bonk.”

So: let’s say it happens. Let’s say it was hot (or cold), windy (or humid), your shoes were too tight, you ran poorly paced, your iPod ran out of batteries or, the night before your big race, your girlfriend broke up with you. As Tom Petty might say, “it’s time to move on.” But how? We worked with Coolsaet, well, I did, following my Ottawa Debacle, for a primer on how to get back on my feet.

1. Sign up for your next race. Running without a goal, it’s been said, is jogging. “During the pandemic when I didn’t know what my next marathon would be, my workouts weren’t going that well and I couldn’t put a finger on why,” says Coolsaet, who ran through his list: he wasn’t injured, he was in good shape, but there was something missing: purpose. “When I finally found a marathon, my next workout was awesome. I hadn’t gained fitness in two days, the weather wasn’t better and I hadn’t tapered, but all of the sudden I had a race on my calendar and that gave me extra motivation and excitement.” This week, I picked my next marathon: Hamilton Marathon Road2Hope. If Reid can run another race, so can I.

2. Review your training plan. After you decide you’re not going to swap running to write poetry, take an honest look at what went wrong. Did you run out of endurance or speed? How was your pre-race lifestyle? Did you actually do what your coach assigned? For me, I had gotten into the habit of taking little halfway walk breaks on my long runs to enjoy gels and water. I also didn’t always do my reps on everything over 30K. I also drank 411 beers. Be honest with yourself. Did you train, or did you hope for a miracle on race day? Crossing your fingers and praying is a bad way to hit a PB.

3. STOP. FREAKING. RUNNING. “Mistakes I see people often make is they don’t take enough time off throughout the year,” says Coolsaet, and that’s actually a problem I don’t have. If you raced recently, and have been racing for years; or, if you’re new to the sport, got excited, trained, raced and under-performed—relax for a bit. The idea is to become a longtime runner, not cross something off your bucket list once. Coolsaet shared a quote he likes about runners running too much: “They’re not confident enough to take time off.” Trust yourself and trust the process. Remember, the more motivated you are, the more likely it is that you’re running too much.

Reid Coolsaet: The look of a man who might run too much.

4. Adjust your training. This is a tricky one. The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again, says Coolsaet, and expecting a different result. However, that’s exactly the definition of running: you run again and again and again. “Sometimes it’s about sticking it out and consistency and you might get a better result in two years,” says Coolsaet, but he also alerted me to the flip side: in two years from now, I’ll be 50. I’m not the same athlete I was at 35. “I got into a trap trying to replicate my training,” admits Coolsaet, who ran 180-kilometre weeks, then upped it to 200K weeks and kept upping his volume, while getting older and having a life as the miles take their toll. “It worked,” he says, “Until it didn’t.” An injured runner drinking beer is just someone drinking beer.

5. Get new kicks. This is a tough one. We all love running because all you need is a pair of shorts and some sneakers and away you go. However, in the age of the super shoe, despite their price tag, there’s no two ways around it: the new sneakers are sweet. “It’s not only how fast you run, but how much better you feel towards the end of your race,” Coolsaet says. Everyone has to make their own decisions regarding $300 sneakers. Personally, I just got the Endorphin Pro 3 from Saucony (the earlier iteration is pictured on their site), and my children are still my favourite things in the world. I’m just saying: these shoes don’t need any help getting to sleep.

6. Be kind to yourself. If Reid Coolsaet doesn’t define himself by his performances, neither should you. “I remember my first Olympics. I way under-performed, but people didn’t care. I finished twenty-seventh instead of seventeenth and I could’ve been thirty-seventh and people would say ‘Good job,’” says Reid. “You can define your athletic career by good performances, but not yourself or your worth. You never want to put too much stock in performance. It’s not who you are.”

I bonked in my marathon and lived to tell the story and I’ll be back again giving high-fives to kids. If you bonk, consider it a war stripe. It’s something, says Coolsaet, that will toughen you up for life, and your next race.

Cool Fitted Fashion for Runners

Ben Kaplan

June 7, 2022

Like a lot of us, I wear running clothes oftentimes while not running. Sometimes, it works. But, more often, it’s a really fast way to arrive underdressed for an appointment, even while working in the running industry. Forward With Design, FWD, is a Canadian company that elevates the “athleisure” trend with stylish, comfortable activewear, that is easy to dress up for occasions taking place outside our shoes. Made with recycled and repurposed materials and non-toxic formulas, the company is green, sleek, minimalist and affordable. Available for everyone and in plus-sizes, FWD is a new company we like. Below are some of the clothes I’ve been digging.

A sleek $70 hoodie with no discernible logo, clean lines, and zip pockets, this comfortable, cozy sweatshirt elevates traditional casual gear in a low-key, form-fitting manner. Warning: becomes exceedingly difficult to wear anything else.

Long-sleeved simple grey pullover is soft and plush, embedded both with an anti-wicking and anti-odour finish that makes it a great value at $60.

A long-sleeved cargo green T-shirt is exactly where Forward With Design excels: it looks like something you’ve seen before (or might even have), but it’s cleaner, hipper, fresher.

Forward With Design is a Canadian company that’s fashionable, affordable, and conscious. For more information, see forwardwithdesign.com.

Joy in the Air at the Inaugural Scarborough 5K

Sabrina Young

June 6, 2022

There was a lot of joy, fun and sense of community brewing in East Scarborough on Saturday, June 4th. Not just a race, the Inaugural Scarborough 5K was a reflection of the diverse population of Toronto. Held at Morningside Park in east Scarborough, and organized by the community, 150 runners descended on the luscious green space for a run in the park. It’s an example of running members of a community building something that they know their area needs.

The course was on a bit of grass and a bit on paths; there were hills and flats to showcase the gem of a park that is located near Centennial and University of Toronto Scarborough campuses.

The event was sold out.

Melanie Murzeau, Founder of Black Runners of the GTA

The brainchild of Melanie Murzeau, founder of the group Black Runners of the GTA, and organized by the Canada Running Series Foundation, it had run groups situated downtown joining groups from Scarborough for the first time. (The largest events in the city usually begin and end near Toronto’s City Hall).

Murzeau, a runner since childhood, remembers running cross country in Morningside Park, and is a firm believer in diversity, inclusion and representation. Her actions speak louder than words. “I want to bring Scarborough into the community as a form of inclusion,” she said. As a member of the running community, she realized the accessibility of events in Toronto and participating in run clubs was a barrier for Scarborough locals, particularly if the activities—that often start early in the morning—were located in the city centre. Murzeau told me that Scarborough is a community that isn’t often exposed to running events and, by bringing an event to Scarborough, bridges the gap and brings the Toronto East community into the wonderful run world.

It’s a sentiment echoed by On shoe representative, Anoke Dunston, who has taken two night buses from Scarborough to arrive at a 7 a.m. race downtown, an experience not unique to anybody living in suburban Toronto. An active member of the running community, Anoke helped planned the event and the race course. Organizing a race in Scarborough is significant for the community because the commute isn’t an onerous endeavour, especially if one is without a motorized vehicle. And it’s that theme of inclusion that took the day—the event was all about showcasing the joys of running, and spreading the message that everybody can run (especially in a beautiful location close to home).

True to form, the event, the Inaugural Scarborough 5K—featuring local high school volunteers and the Toronto run community—did not disappoint.

Toronto run crews, volunteers & event ambassadors at the Scarborough 5K.

The event brought out many local runners. Event ambassador and founder of the Hill Run Club (HRC) in east Toronto, Allison Hill, along with Me Versus Me, Black Runners of the GTA, Parkdale Roadrunners, Raeden Run Club, Kardia Athletica, ChixRunTheSix and Kickback Connect, to name a few, all came together as participants and supporters to encourage and inspire runners of all ages, shapes, size and abilities. Local business Canbe Foods Inc donated vegetarian samosas for the post-race food and got a huge thumbs up from participant Denoja Uthayakumarr, who as a child would make samosas with her mother and continues that tradition today. Gabriela Estrada, participant and Program Director at Fast and Female, also approved of the food.

Post-race samosas are why you do events and races in Scarborough—they know how to feed you right.

Anh Vuong, director of the Canada Running Series Foundation, hopes to continue the collaboration with Black Runners of the GTA to grow the event and make it an annual race in Scarborough.

The event raised $4,550.90, surpassing their goal of $4,000, and will go to support the Boys & Girls Club of East Scarborough (BGC East Scarborough) and Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (FCFST) with Indigenous Spirit Fund. For more information, see Scarborough 5K on Instagram.

For race results, please see here. And if there’s an event that you’d like to host in your own community, if there’s a gap in the events where you think a community could benefit, please let us know. Let’s all work together and find new finish lines, for everyone.

The Race to Get Medals to Calgary Marathon

Ben Kaplan

June 1, 2022

Last Tuesday, Kirsten Fleming, executive director of Run Calgary, alerted her race participants that their medals probably wouldn’t arrive for race day. Despite being ordered in January, supply chain issues kept the medals on a vessel around Vancouver for a month and, by the time the ship docked, the line for unloading the cargo placed delivery odds on reaching Calgary at one percent.

People were happy to have in-person races return. But to run a race with no medal?

Runners understand supply chain issues and runners also empathize with the difficulties that goes into hosting a major event—especially given the labour crisis and additional work that goes into doing anything around COVID. But. . . runners really, really want their medals, which they’ve worked so hard to earn. And thus it was a personal quest for all sorts of people and all sorts of companies—including Global Container Terminals Canada, Leslie Jordan and WestJet, the Canadian airline with a steep running culture and where Sarah Barton, a WestJet employee and longtime Calgary Marathon volunteer, was determined to win the race to get the medals to the finish line.

Highlights from the 2022 Calgary Marathon at Stampede Park in Calgary, AB on May 29, 2022. (Photo: Dave Holland/Run Calgary)

Together, the team got it done and Fleming, one of the brightest lights and deepest souls of our sport, called the entire episode A Medal Miracle.

“I am so overwhelmed with gratitude and finding it difficult to wrap my head around how many people, who have nothing to do with the race, went above and beyond,” she said.

Canada’s longest-running marathon was held on Sunday and, in addition to Scott Cooper winning the 50K Ultra and Emily James winning the half, every other runner who participated in any other event, also received their medals. Fleming, standing at her finish line handing out medals, shed tears of joy.

“I teared up a lot this race day, but they were tears of joy. There were some not-so-happy tears shed in the privacy of my car last week when I thought the medals weren’t making it,” she says. “It was out of frustration and disappointment for the participants and for our team—we work so hard and then not to have the medals, which is a pretty major part of the finishing experience.”

Like her runners, Fleming didn’t give up. She said this year’s race was a memory she will never forget.

“Our team, including the board, try to be at the finish line when the last people are coming in. The participants who’ve been out more than six hours need the most hype when they cross the line, and giving those people their medals is so special because they often did something they thought wasn’t in their reach,” Fleming says. “The kid’s marathon is also so fun. Watching the kids get their first medal and seeing them so proud, we hope that over time that seed grows into a healthy, active lifestyle into adulthood.”

Seeing the medals go around runner’s necks—how surprised they were—made it super joyful.

Photographs by Dave Holland, courtesy of Calgary Marathon.

The Marathon Beneva de Montréal is Coming Back Strong!

Ben Kaplan

June 1, 2022

After two years’ absence from the calendar—for reasons we’re all too familiar with—the Marathon Beneva de Montréal is coming back strong!

The organizers of Québec’s biggest running event have spared no effort to satisfy hardcore runners looking for a challenge, but also those for whom running is more of a “contemplative” pursuit.

Quebec’s metropolis is famed for its joie de vivre, and it’s also a special place when it comes to the joys of running. All of the new routes for the Marathon Beneva de Montréal have been painstakingly mapped out to give participants a taste of the most beautiful scenic spots in this North American city with a European flair.

With more than 380 years of history, Montréal has so much to offer: people run to it for the fine dining as well as the festive moods. As you wind through its streets, you’ll discover its vibrant neighbourhoods, like the celebrated Plateau-Mont-Royal. Nothing has been left to chance, to ensure you see the best of Montréal. Along the 42.2 km route, you’ll run on cobblestones in Old Montréal, beside the Botanical Garden, and next to Parc La Fontaine, to name just a few notable spots. Montréal is an island, and your run will take you from one shore to another.

In another first this year, the Sunday starts (half‐marathon and marathon distances) will take place at Espace 67 in Parc Jean‐Drapeau, a 500-metre walkway offering unbeatable views of the city skyline and the majestic St. Lawrence River. It’s also a wise choice since it’s just a short walk from the metro entrance. The finishes of all events (1 km, 5 km, 10 km, 21.1 km and 42.2 km) will be on the Esplanade at Parc Olympique. Consisting of nine plazas of varying surface areas on four different levels, it sits next to the spectacular Olympic Stadium, which hosted the 1976 Games.

Can you think of a more iconic place to cross a finish line?

Legs starting to get restless already? Register before June 22 and pay the early-bird fee!

We all know that getting a good night’s sleep before a big race is a must (and the same goes for the night after the event). With that in mind, the organizers have secured the comfiest beds in town and negotiated preferential room rates for runners.

The DoubleTree by Hilton is the official hotel of Marathon Beneva de Montréal, and located right downtown. Rates start at $279 (continental breakfast available from 5 a.m., and American breakfast from 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday).

Two other partner hotels also offer attractive rates for race entrants.

Downtown, the Delta Hotels Montréal by Marriott is offering special Marathon room rates starting at $230. Breakfast is available from 5 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

For those who’d rather stay at a hotel near the race finish line, the Hôtel Universel is the perfect choice, with special Marathon rates starting at $169. Parking is free.

IN BRIEF

When: Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25, 2022

Distances: 42.2 km, 21.1 km, 10 km, 5 km, 1 km, combos

For more information, please see visit their site.

Everything All At Once: Results from the Ottawa Marathon

Ben Kaplan

June 1, 2022

Watching the runners at the 2022 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, I felt, as a sports fan, that I was watching the best athletes at the best sporting event in the world. Of course, it’s personal. I don’t know Steph Curry or Vladimir Guerrero, but I do know Kinsey Middleton and Natasha Wodak. Middleton, who took first place at the 2018 Waterfront Marathon in Toronto was victorious in the women’s marathon and Wodak held off Leslie Sexton to reclaim her title as Canada’s 10K champion.

“Definitely did not follow my race plan (sorry coach Trent) which was to run the first 5km more conservative (it was 22c which was pretty toasty considering Vancouver has been cold) and then pick it up if feeling good. Instead I pushed the pace from 1km—dropping a 3:06 2nd km #idiot)—and led the entire race (I was excited?!) Around 6K, the early fast pace and heat caught up to me, but I just kept on pushing & grinding—cause 4km ain’t nothing after my sufferfest at the Boston Marathon,” wrote Wodak on her Instagram account.

Flanagan, in winning the men’s 10K, fought off a fierce early battle with Rory Linkletter and Lucas Bruchet, and ran away with the title and showed real guts in the back half of his race. It was a performance as impressive as Connor McDavid en route, we hope, to the Stanley Cup. On his Instagram, he said: “Absolutely electric environment yesterday in Ottawa, a huge privilege to come away with a W and title.”

There’s something about the way Flanagan used the word “privilege” that I love. It’s like how Natasha and Leslie went back and forth after the race on Leslie’s Instagram. Leslie is a fierce competitor, one of the country’s finest runners, and won the 10K Championships last year, beating Natasha, and she wrote: “Nothing like a fast first 3k and @tashawodak kicking your ass to keep ya humble!”

Natasha responded: “I ran so scared knowing you were on my dang tail the whole way!!”

Sports bring out the best in people, but we all know that they can also bring out the worst. Between doping and fighting and corruption and the evil that lurks in coaching systems behind closed doors, it’s a relief and pleasure to find athletes at races that we can support with full hearts. These runners all know each other and, by and large, like one another.

Wodak, in her post-race note, wrote this: “Super pumped to watch my girl @kinseymiddleton WIN the Ottawa marathon this morning in a big PB 2:30:09!! So proud of her!”

Lots of runners in attendance told me that Ottawa race weekend felt like a reunion. There’s certain people that we all know we’ll only see once a year at these events, and here’s the thing: we actually like them. With all of us at every level basically doing the same thing: trying to run as fast as we can for as long as we find humanly possible, it’s not far-fetched to imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes. This adds not only energy to these events and fandom, but also compassion. And the more you show up at races, wherever you choose to show up, which are the same races where our stars compete for world records, the more ingrained into the accepting community you become.

It’s hard to find a healthy place where the heroes don’t disappoint and a community where the people are by and large decent. All weekend long in Ottawa I traipsed around the different events, and all weekend long I saw Alan Brookes working, smiling, and working hard. Brookes, a former competitive runner who used to run with the great Silvia Ruegger (who wrote this beautiful thing before she passed three years ago this August), is the founder of Canada Running Series and puts on events across the country, including the massive TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon in the fall. In his 70s, I watched Brookes stand at the finish line and not only greet the elites (many if not all of whom eked out their career at the events Brookes, now with Charlotte, his daughter, runs), but also the middle and back of the pack runners, too. These people had no idea who Alan was, who was helping them, and Alan just does it out of his love and respect for his sport.

Alan stood in the heat for two days helping friends and strangers cross that finish line and get to the next station for their water and food. I think more than the runners, the winners and the medals, it’s Brookes who I’ll think most of when I reflect back on this weekend. Selflessness, and concern when no one’s watching, and the way we all take care of and cheer on one another, is what I love about this sport.

Congratulations to everyone who raced this past weekend, and good luck to all of us as we prepare for our next run. Today is Global Running Day, enjoy.

Top three photographs by Victah Sailer@PhotoRun.

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