Discarding Masks on Race Courses is Disgusting and Out of Control

March 2, 2022

2021RunCalgary_Marathon_DH-9106091 — Highlights from the Calgary Marathon at Stampede Park in Calgary, AB, on September 19, 2021.

A race director working at the Calgary Marathon in September describes runners tossing their masks at the finish line like “graduation day, with people flinging them off as quick as they could after crossing the line.” Masks, not valedictory caps, dotted the skyline and then, after the runners received their medals, they walked away, leaving organizers, and volunteers, to take rakes to the course and sweep up the discarded masks like so many leaves on an Albertan driveway. The takeaway? Gross.

“Don’t be a slob,” says David Papineau, 53, a Vancouver-based runner with a 2:44 marathon time and 31,000 masks picked up on the Vancouver streets. “Runners are used to grabbing a cup during a race and throwing it on the ground—that’s the culture we’re used to—but masks aren’t the same thing. I just feel like: Don’t throw the damn thing on the ground.”

We feel the same way. Let’s say there’s 15,000 runners this spring at the Vancouver Marathon. And let’s say 50% of participants feel inclined to wear masks at the start line and in their corral. Say 30% of these runners toss their masks on the course like so much rice at a wedding. That’s over 2,000 dirty, sweaty discarded masks for someone else to have to inhale. “When I ran the Calgary Marathon last September, the majority of runners just threw their mask on the ground after starting,” says Leanne Loney, who was there competing at the marathon. “I put my mask on my elbow and ran that way. I got a new one when I crossed the finish line and disposed of my pre-race mask in the trash.”

This is what we’re advising all race participants to do. David Papineau has a cloth mask, and he wears it at the start line and then, when he gets going, he gingerly places it in a ziplock bag and stores his mask in his shorts. He puts it back on after crossing the finish line. A race director captured the unfathomable thinking of runners who take a different approach with materials they want to discard.

Papineau, pictured on a day when he collected 75 masks.

“I am surprised that runners feel that on race day you can pretty much treat the city like a giant garbage bin and toss anything you want on the ground and expect a volunteer to pick it up,” the race director said. “How many runners or anyone for that matter do this on a walk, run or hike? Why do the rules change on race day?”

The return of in-person racing is a wonderful thing and equally triumphant, as we head into warmer weather and spring, is the decline in COVID cases and the general reemergence of humans, and runners, from their quarantine and into the world. But with our re-joining society, there’s a social contract that must be abided by, for the general well-being of those in the community we love.

David Papineau has picked up more than 31,000 masks. “I have the desire to make the world a better place,” he says, “I think that’s ingrained in me as a runner.”

Don’t make David, or anyone, pick up your mask. It’s disgusting.

Run for Ahmaud Arbery

February 23, 2022

Ahmaud Arbery was shot and murdered in a confrontation with Gregory and Travis McMichael. It took more than two months for the men to be arrested, along with the neighbour who filmed the death.

It took a year for Gregory and Travis McMichael to be convicted. It took another year (2/22/22) from the trial for federal courts to deem Ahmaud’s murder a hate crime.

Accountability. Justice. Why did it take two months?

I could focus on the worry a Black person might have when running—the safety of running. I could talk about safe spaces for Black runners within the running community; however, my main focus is to shed light on anti-Black racism and hold the system accountable. All systems.

“Ahmaud was a kid you can’t replace because of the heart he had,” said his father at the court house after his son’s killers were convicted of a hate crime yesterday in Brunswick, Georgia. “I’m struggling with that every day.”

I know this is an American story. However, anti-Black racism does not stop at the border. It happens in Canada. As a community, we are now having honest conversations about how systems are designed for some, and different for others. Let us not forget that the former District DA, Jackie Johnson, in Ahmaud’s case, covered up the crime and was later arrested.

Would the murders have gotten away with it if there was no video? Think about that for a moment.

It has happened many times before.
If there was no video, that was shared and amplified.
No running of 2.23 miles on Ahmaud’s birthday,
No attention from Alison Désir, engaging the running community to get involved.

I wonder, would the public push to seek justice and accountability have been so great?

I run to remember Ahmaud, but I’m also running as a reminder of the other stories of anti-Black racism. To amplify the stories of victims overlooked by a system designed to manage—and not hold others accountable because of the colour of their skin.

The story of Peter Spencer, a 29-year-old shot and killed in December, is a reminder of this. Peter Spencer’s family said he was in Venango County, Pennsylvania, with a friend on a camping trip when he was killed. A story that was brought to my attention by @Browngirloutdoorworld in an Instagram post.

I run because Ahmaud Arbery could not finish his run.

I run to shine a light on anti-Black racism. In Canada, and all over the world.

To follow Melanie Murzeau and the Black Runners of the GTA on Instagram, please click here.
#BlackLivesMatter

#BRGTAfinishtherunagainstanti-blackracism

Photograph by @dre.run.

iRun Joy Club: Adaptation, Consistency, Adjustments

Ben Kaplan

February 23, 2022

You got this.

As we move through the second month of running in 2022, we’re almost done with the worst that winter. I’ve always said that if you can pick up running and train through a harsh North American winter then the spring-through-fall seasons should be a breeze. Last month, we focused on building a routine, creating sustainable habits, and starting to work on that foundation we’ll need in place for more specific workouts in the spring.

This month, we’re going to cover adaptation and how it changes the way we train through a season, consistency in execution (in training for now, but it will pay dividends in racing!), and how to make adjustments based on the feedback our body and mind is giving us.

When you are thinking about putting together a training plan for a race, a season, or even a year, it is important that you constantly use feedback to adjust. You are where you are today, and most runners typically have an idea of where they want to get to and when they want to get there (i.e.: “I want to be able to run 42.2km on May 29th,” “I want to run 5km in 25:00 on April 16th,” etc.), so the part in between can take many paths.

“To win is not important. To be successful is not even important. How to plan and prepare is crucial. When you plan very well and prepare very well, then success can come on the way. Then winning can come on your way.” Eliud Kipchoge

Adaptation

When individuals take up running they typically do so because they want to achieve some goal. Sometimes that goal is a race and sometimes it is simply to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Regardless, to achieve that goal sometime in the future they start training and the body responds to this training by adaptation. Adaptation is what allows you to run further, faster, or easier in the future compared to today after a period of training. Adaptation is how athletes improve!

So what does that mean for you? Well, the training you are doing today is likely a bit different than it was if you picked up running at the start of the year. You may be running longer, you might find your pace is a little quicker, or it just might feel easier. Either way, as you adapt to your current training load—running volume x running intensity—you are going to need to introduce some variation to continue seeing improvements over the long term. Perhaps you tack on a kilometre to your long run each week, throw in a fartlek session, or maybe you introduce some basic strength training.

The key is to continue to balance introducing new stress with recovery to continue the process of adaptation.

On the other hand, you may find that you bit off a bit more than you could chew and your body isn’t adapting positively to the training, maybe you are running too much too soon, and you need to adjust things in the other direction. This is completely okay. When I write training I fully expect that athletes will not end up doing it exactly as written. It is merely a roadmap that changes based on how the athlete progresses. The most important takeaway is to tune into how you are adapting and make the necessary adjustments to keep it positive!

You can do this. The worst of the winter is almost over. Hang in.

In March, we will cover consistency in execution—in training for now, but it will pay dividends in racing— and how to make adjustments based on the feedback our body and mind is giving us. I believe, particularly in the longer events, that many runners do not invest enough thought and effort into execution in individual sessions and races, nor do most have a framework to adjust their program if they find themselves burning out or getting too fit too early.

Keep running, keep enjoying, and stay tuned!

How Not to Run from Mayor Rob Ford

Ben Kaplan

February 22, 2022

When Toronto Mayor Rob Ford begin running in order to lose weight, the Mayor was outspoken and ambitious. He wanted to lose 50 pounds and called his journey: “Cut the Waist.” At the time, I was a reporter with the National Post and had just started a running column, and I wanted to understand what Mayor Ford’s training looked like. I went to Scarlett Heights High School, near his home in Etobicoke in the winter of 2012, and randomly found him there. He was aiming to run 20 laps around the football field. He was wearing cotton sweatpants and a hooded sweatshirt and, though snow was on the ground, his face was red and he was sweating.

“Gotta get it done,” he said when I caught up with. He was out of breath.

Mayor Rob Ford was a lot of things, but this isn’t a political column. This is a running column and plenty of new people have come to our sport during COVID-19. There’s lessons to be learned from the Mayor’s earnest attempt at losing weight and running; an attempt which, ultimately, failed. But why did it fail? For new runners getting into the sport, or even continuing runners looking to keep up their training in pursuit of a spring PB, here’s some takeaways from reviewing my running days with Mayor Rob Ford.

First, what worked.

Mayor Ford publicized his goals. It’s well known that if you have a goal, and announce it to the world, that goal is more likely to be achieved than if you keep it quiet. The Mayor announced that he’d lose 50 pounds in a City Hall press conference, and then scheduled weekly weigh-ins to publicly hold himself to the fire. These are good ideas. What’s your goal for the spring? Tell people. And this is why apps like Strava or RunKeeper are addictive—document your progress. You can’t get to a half marathon in Ottawa in late May without first getting a 10K under your belt next month. Make a goal, and document your progress.

The running worked adjacent with his dieting goals. Running doesn’t exist in a vacuum. If you really want to achieve something in your running shoes this spring, make sure your diet corresponds. It’s not just long runs and speed work, but also work in massage. Stretching. Do the little things. So often runners run and just run—it’s what we love to do and it takes up lots of time. But if you can also watch your diet, cut out junk food, avoid late nights, get a good night’s sleep, your running will simultaneously improve. Run, but also do the other stuff. Take the stairs.

Train where you’re comfortable. When I went to find Mayor Ford, I found him in the first place I looked: the track closest to his home. This is a good thing. You don’t want to make your running overly elaborate, and so it’s a chore just to begin. Set yourself up for success. Running blocks around your home is where I began running, and it’s still where I run today. Make the work the stuff you do in your sneakers, make everything else as simple as can be. This starts with where you’re running. The Mayor ran outside his home. Run where it’s easy to run, and keep it consistent. Run close to home.

Now, what didn’t work.

The Mayor was soaking wet in his cottons. It was 2012 when the Mayor started running. But running technology was already much more advanced than dressing like a work-from-home day on Zoom. Lycra and poly-blend running-specific clothing are no longer very expensive and, when spending a few dollars on the proper gear, you’re much more likely to stick with the sport. Mayor Ford didn’t look like a runner when I saw him outside hustling. He looked like a football coach, which he was. Dress for the sport and it will help put you in the mindset of successfully completing your goal—it’s not only more comfortable and more effective, but it will give you a psychological edge. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but get the proper running gear. You won’t like swimming either if your bathing suit keeps falling off.

The Mayor was running all alone. What if the Mayor had someone on staff who he was running with, and the two of them had signed up for the Sporting Life 10K? What if he trained with the Running Room or, where I run, BlackToe? Just like how announcing your goal makes it more likely to happen, so does training with a group of people for a common race. Having teammates keeps you accountable, plus it makes it more fun. It turns makes running, something physical, also something social: accomplishing two intrinsic human needs. Wherever you are in the country, there’s likely a run club. Difficult things are harder when we’re on our own. Seek out a group or team in your training. Running is an individual sport, but it’s better achieved when you’re not on your own. Run with a crew or a friend.

Don’t make your goal too massive. Mayor Rob Ford rarely went for half-measures. But, I’d argue, he would’ve had a better success ratio if he bit off as much as he chewed. Instead of trying to lose 50 pounds, he could’ve shot for losing ten-pounds five times. Before giving up on his weight loss program, he’d lost 22 pounds. Mayor Ford could’ve celebrated his success. I always tell people shooting for the marathon, run a 10K first. Make your goals achievable. And celebrate each one. Create your own momentum. Before you run a marathon, get your running consistent. We shouldn’t be in a race to achieve change, we want to create a sustainable new way of life. Set yourself goals you can likely achieve. Celebrate your journey. If the goal is miserable, you’re likely only to achieve it once.

Mayor Rob Ford is a divisive figure from a chaotic period of time. But when I think back of our run together, I wish I could’ve helped him, like I’m sure so many people have thought about his life. As a runner, the Mayor had so much potential. For all the new people entering our sport, there’s things you can learn from, and mistakes to avoid, from Mayor Rob Ford.

Photograph of Ben Kaplan with Mayor Rob Ford on January 22, 2012. Photo by CJ Baek.

Who are those people running shirtless in the freezing cold?

Ben Kaplan

February 16, 2022

Deanna Brasz knows that other runners think she’s nuts. All winter long, she runs in her sports bra and shorts and, whether jumping over snow banks or doing speed work on ice, Brasz, 28, remains shirtless. She says wintertime is her favourite time to run.

“It’s so beautiful in the winter—I can’t get enough,” says Brasz, who echoes that calibre of runner we’ve all seen running topless while the smoke forms from their breath and their run club members switch to hot chocolate from Nuun. “A lot of people tell me I’m brave, but other people tell me I’m psycho. Neither thing really bothers me. I just know I have to keep moving or I’m going to freeze.”

We’ve all been there on a February long run: showing up for a workout dressed more like for a camping weekend than for a hard session at the track. But the people who run in the wintertime dressed for summer—singlets and shorts, or else running in no shirt at all—come ready for battle. Dr. Greg Wells, a performance coach and scientist in translational medicine at the Hospital for Sick Children, is an advocate of the cold plunge, and he says these types of extreme winter warriors are tapping into deep reservoirs of motivation. “When you run shirtless in the winter, you have to live in the present moment and you can’t think about anything else,” says Dr. Wells, adding that there’s lessons to be learned for the long-distance runner in this kind of temperature challenge. “It’s all about setting intentions and, when things get difficult, letting go and relaxing. I think running without a shirt in the wintertime is incredibly valuable training for controlling your mindset.”

Of course it can also be dangerous. Brasz says sometimes her legs go numb and she can’t feel anything and Dr. Wells warns that a runner should never take a cold plunge on their own. Benhur Pereira is a winter runner who not only goes topless, but sometimes also runs on the Rideau Canal at Christmas without shoes. At minus 18, shirtless, he can talk to a fellow runner; at minus 25, he says, talking becomes more difficult. “Minus 33,” he says, “is the point where talking is not possible—you just keep running. Without being strong mentally, everything falls apart.”

The mental part is the key for embracing cold temperatures. Pereira says you have to lean into the experience and make each step intentional. It’s actively participating in your workout. Do that, or else—like a coyote still running when she’s no longer on the cliff—you freeze.

“I’m completely in a different zone when I’m running in the winter without shoes or a shirt and if you get distracted and start panicking, you’ll start feeling cold,” he says, “but as long as you focus on your breathing and keep your breathing calm and you’re not panicking, I find it empowering. I do it for my mental health.”

Mental health, especially these days, is of tantamount importance and we’re all looking for ways to stay motivated and positive, optimistic and engaged. Many runners show up for winter races in shorts and singlets and there’s something to the shirtless-in-the-wintertime concept that ties directly to keeping an edge. Brasz is an ultramarathon runner with an outgoing personality, which is also important because running in a sports bra on the snow is guaranteed to attract looks. She pays them no mind, or else draws energy from her audience. The world bends to the will of Deanna Brasz.

“People do a double-take when they see me, but I just smile. I think seeing me makes other runners feel like they have to go harder,” she says, adding that she runs faster in the winter than the summertime, when she wears the same outfit in the heat as in the cold and finishes her August runs “looking like I just came out of a swimming pool.”

“I don’t wear pants anymore when I run—ever,” she told me. “It makes me feel more alive.”

Natasha Wodak Wins Again

Ben Kaplan

February 16, 2022

At the Vancouver Half Marathon on Sunday, Olympian Natasha Wodak won again. “My desire and my passion have not wavered,” Wodak told iRun in an exclusive interview from San Diego, where she’s training for a spring half marathon before running the Boston Marathon on April 18. “My switch to the marathon from the 10,000 gave me a whole new approach to running. I feel like I just started running again.”

Wodak finished her race on Sunday—where Lucas Bruchet came in first for the men—with a time of 71:31, setting a course record and finishing ahead of her sometime training partner, fellow Olympian Malindi Elmore and Leslie Sexton, who won the 10K Championships back in October in Toronto. For Wodak, following her thirteenth-place marathon finish in Tokyo, the season back hasn’t been easy. She was understandably tired following the Games and finished in a disappointing 33:30 at the 10K Championship in Toronto. She followed that with a nagging injury and admits it’s taken some time to find her form after her massive Olympic year.

“The 10K was a difficult pill to swallow, but I’m glad I did it, I just had to work my way back to when things started clicking again,” the 40-year-old two-time Olympian says, before offering praise to Eric Chene and the Run Vancouver team behind Sunday’s race. “It just felt so awesome to do this,” says Wodak. “I’ve missed in-person running in my hometown over the last two years.”

Left to right, Malinda Elmore, Natasha Wodak & Leslie Sexton

The awesome feelings are still far from over for Wodak, who finds encouragement in the attitude, and accomplishments of Malindi Elmore. At 44, Elmore, the Canadian female all-time marathon record holder at 2:26:56, is far from ready to hang up her shoes. It’s an energy, says Wodak, that’s infectious, as well as fun.

“Malindi keeps inspiring me every day,” says Wodak, adding that, when asked about the marathon in the Paris Olympics, 2024, Elmore says: “We’re going. That’s not even a question.”

When faced with that kind of confidence, and the joy expressed all over the Vancouver race paths on Sunday—where her community, family and friends were spread out all over the course, and at the brunch spots after her win—Wodak says she’s not only excited about her next race, but also feeling gracious for the path all of us runners choose.

“I love the lifestyle and just feel very, very fortunate,” says Wodak. “It’s a dream.”

The Toronto Marathon Returns Reunited Runners

Ben Kaplan

February 16, 2022

Since 1977, the Toronto Marathon has been synonymous with good times and fast times, one of Canada’s best big city races. Drawing participants from around the world, and running icons like Kathrine Switzer, the Toronto Marathon on May 1, will be Canada’s first large-scale in-person event since the start of the pandemic.

The pent-up demand has race director Jay Glassman and his team excited to be among the first large-scale events to welcome runners back after a two year absence.

“The city has changed over the course of the COVID pandemic, but running has only increased as has the desire of Canadian runners for a big in-person event to compete in,” says Glassman, who has been race director of the Toronto Marathon since 1995. “It’s a return to running, a return to racing, and I can say that our entire team is looking forward to welcoming runners back.”

A distance for every ability, the Toronto Marathon offers a fast Boston-qualifying marathon, half marathon, 5 and 10K events. The multiple distances are all offered on a single day, May1, and the event is fun and imbued with positive feelings as runners make their way through the many neighbourhoods of Toronto to the finish line at the Exhibition Grounds. With robust cheering from the thousands of spectators lining the point-to-point course and more than 1,200 enthusiastic volunteers, the Toronto Marathon is where this author, in fact, scored his lifetime PB, finally breaking three hours in 2016. Indeed, the Toronto Marathon is poised to become the running world’s Coachella—a once in a lifetime running event that’s guaranteed to bring runners together from far and wide.

“We know, given everything that we’ve all been through over that past two years, that runners are looking forward participating in a ‘live event’ with other competitors in a race that draws people from over 60 countries,” says Glassman, adding that, for many new racers who picked up running during the pandemic, his event will be their first taste of the best part of our sport. “It’s an exciting time to be a race director. It’s an exciting time to welcome people back to our sport.”

For more information on the Toronto Marathon, please go to: torontomarathon.com.

Edibles for Runners

Ben Kaplan

February 10, 2022

Maybe the last time you tried cannabis you were in college and someone passed you a joint. Or: maybe you’re an experienced user and know everything there is to know about weed and have experimented with the new products since Canada legalized pot on October 17, 2018. Either way, for runners, there’s a whole new slew of recreational products in the cannabis market that can either help you sleep, reduce inflammation, or just give you a buzz after your race, and help you ponder the universe while you wait for your chicken to bake (dig the pun?).

Here’s a list of some recommended legal cannabis adult-only products in the market that don’t require smoking, can be taken at a low dose, are low in calories, inexpensive, and, unlike alcohol, won’t leave you miserable the next day.

Wana Quick, Orchard Peach, 10mgTHC per package

A common concern with cannabis edibles is: when will this thing work? And then, when it does, you realize: uh, oh. It works too well. Wana Quick is fast-acting, which takes the guesswork out of the experience, and they’re also vegan and gluten-free. There’s a hybrid version of Wana Quick, a 1:1 CBD-THC ratio, which also blunts the psychoactive experience—an edible with training wheels. Each package contains two 5mg pieces, take one, let it hit you, run the bath after your workout, and see how you’ll never again reach out for your wine.

Spinach Feelz, Pineapple Starfruit, 10mgTHC, 5mgCBG

Just when you were getting your head around CBD, the non-psychoactive molecule in cannabis, CRONOS Group, the maker of the Spinach brand, introduces CBG—a new cannabis compound that creates a new cannabis category: it delivers a happy and relaxed experience. The product is a one-of-a-kind edible cannabis gummy that’s designed for the wellness market—the buzz is non-threatening, tingly, warm. Tastes good, too. We’ll write more on CBG in our next cannabis story.

TWD, Mixed Berry Soft Chews, 10mgTHC, 0-1mgCBD

These edibles, from Canopy Growth, are nice because they come in a package of five gummy pieces at 3.5mg doses. If you’re buying a 10mg package, the legal limit, most companies offer two pieces of candy at 5mg each. But 3.5mg is a nice starter dosage, and you don’t have to split a small candy with your teeth. Slightly elevate your mood without rendering yourself incapable of checking Strava, the Mixed Berry Soft Chews from Canopy are a great introduction to the company, one of the biggest in the country, who also makes drinks—which we’ll get to later. For now, try the gummy: watch how much better you stretch.

Foray, Cinnamon Bun Chocolate Square, 10mgTHC, 10mgCBD

If you haven’t checked on the flavours available in the legal cannabis market recently, prepare to have your mind blown: caramel apple, salted caramel, cinnamon bun—and these are just the ones made by Foray, which is produced by the company Auxly, having a tremendous year. Foray is designed by Auxly as an entry-level cannabis product, heavy on the flavour, heavy on the CBD. The company is innovative with taste and textures and their science-first approach has challenged preconceived notions of what an edible can be. Date night? Valentine’s Day alone? Half a piece of the Cinnamon Bun Chocolate Square will have you composing training plans by candlelight on your Instagram.

MediPharms, CBN:CBD, 1:2CBN:CBN

“Relax formula,” the name of this oil from MediPharm Labs, is produced by the company that often wins prizes for CBD of the Year. Almost a medical brand, the products from MediPharm, oils designed for sleep or else concentration, elevate the category and are right for a runner not interested in eating chocolate or candy. By using an oil through a dropper syringe, this clean application that just gets dosed under the tongue, is seamless and reliably-dosed: it’s hard to hit your run when you’re exhausted from insomnia. The nighttime formula from MediPharm mixing CBD and CBN is, for this runner, preferable to a traditional sleeping pill.

Truss, Little Victory, 2.5mgTHC, 2.5mgCBD

I said we weren’t going to get into beverages yet, but why limit ourselves in February during a pandemic? Every runner knows that it’s the little victories on our way to the big ones that help us achieve the results we want. This drink—dry grapefruit, sparkling dark cherry or else blood orange—is made with real fruit, naturally-sweetened, and fizzy, like a White Claw but minus the booze with a little bit of weed. Truss is the leader in cannabis beverages and offers lots of varieties, but the Little Victory is so sweet for runners—by celebrating tiny successes in February, we can do big things in May.

The Green Organic Dutchman, Ripple, dissolvable balanced powder, 10mgTHC, 10mgCBD

This is a cool product, made organically, which is unlike 99% of the cannabis goods on the shelf. Ripple is a cannabis powder and available in different solutions, either 10mg of THC, or else a balanced mix of THC and CBD, which we recommend for an introductory hit. If you’re looking for a baby step into cannabis usage, a tiny sprinkle of Ripple added to your Thursday night cocktail, or else post-run Smoothie, transforms the experience, subtly, into a vacation from the humdrum. It also asks quickly so no annoying, heart-racing moment of, Does this thing work?

If you’re trying any of these products, obviously keep them far away from children, and please only take a little bit at first. The new cannabis products on shelves are not what you might remember from college. So seek out change, because change is good.

iRun for Fun Playlist

Ben Kaplan

February 9, 2022

Running and music, they go together perfectly and for me these are my two big loves in life. Both can take you to amazing places without having to move very far.

I, like most runners, will quickly begin to match their footfalls with the song’s pace or beat. For this reason I like to pick the music that will best suit the run I’m going to go on. This is also important to note why it’s not recommended to race with music, as the song can affect your pace. Especially for easy runs, I try to make sure the beat shifts slightly, so I don’t fall into the same trot for the entire run. Changing your pace during a run can help ward off overuse injuries and boredom.

Some of my top songs I listen to are:

Run by Daughter – This one is always on my playlist. It’s a great slow and moody song that has a great cadence to it. I find I fall into a perfect running rhythm as soon as this song comes on.

Lonely Highway Night by Matt Mays – This song has a fast-paced country beat that puts a little pep in my step and can change a bad mood to a good mood during a run. It also has the perfect beat to run to if you are looking for a zippy easy run.

The Party Line by Belle and Sebastien – I love this song because it’s so different from any other of their songs. It’s got a 70’s retro sound that puts a smile on my face.

When we smile when we run, there is no pain.

Up All Night by Beck – For the same reason I love Party Line, Up All Night has a great beat to run to. It’s consistent and matching your footfalls to the beat, will put you in a 4:40-4:50/km pace.

Quitting You (Campfire Chords) by Arkells – I like this song to slow things down a bit and change the pace of my run and enjoy listening to the songs story and forget about the run.

The Rest of My Life by Sloan – As you can see, I love my Canadian music. I can’t have a playlist without Sloan on it. This song is so Canadian but it’s a great song to run to. It changes pace and if you are like me and you follow the pace of the music, this song helps to keep you from plodding along at one pace but encourages you to change it up every verse.

Fake Empire by The National – This song starts slow and continues to build. I love running to this song because musically it’s a beautiful piece to fully listen to without any distraction and you can do that when you run.

Sun King by The Cult – The Cult delivers high energy rock ‘n’ roll. This is a great song to add to a playlist where you need to spice up your pace and hold a faster interval. Lyrically there isn’t much to listen to, so it’s a good song to get lost in the rhythm of the music.

Meet Me in The Woods by Lord Huron – I absolutely love when this song comes up in my playlist. The beat of the song is perfect for running too due to its imagery. If I’m running along the waterfront and the scenery sucks, this song lets me imagine I’m in the woods, surrounded by nature.

Title Holder by The Interrupters – This song (in fact, the album, Fight the Good Fight) is my speed workout song / album. Any ska beat music will automatically get you moving faster. I do all my super-fast running to this band, because the songs are fun, upbeat and make you want to move fast.

The Joy of Sox

Ben Kaplan

February 8, 2022

Socks in the wintertime are everything. They’re the difference between enjoying your run in frigid temperatures and being miserable. I have great socks from Decathlon, the Running Room, and Nike and, quite honestly, they have kept me on the paths in 2022. We asked readers to talk about their favourite socks and would sincerely like to encourage everyone shopping for a runner’s Valentine Day’s gift to consider the cozy winter run socks. Here are some socks for your mind.

“Dad and I love CEP long compression socks! This, pictured above, was my fiftieth marathon and I refuse to run a race without them! Dad likes to rock the single side compression.” He says, “Well, then the pair lasts twice as long.” The socks do indeed matter!”

Another reader said: “My favourites are Darn Tough and Icebreaker. Smartwool has declined in quality the last few years but they are a close third.”

“I absolutely love my Mizuno Breathe Thermo socks for winter running,” wrote one reader. “They stay toasty no matter what. For all other running its Smartwool socks.”

Smartwool and Darn Tough received many nods from our readers, as well as a brand I’d never heard of. Apparently the Running Room sells Feetures, and they also advertise a lot on Facebook.

This is what Feetures look like.

“I love my Feetures,” another reader said. “They are great wool socks, not too thick. Socks definitely matter. The wrong sock and I’ll have blisters on my heel and in between my toes.“

Endur received a lot of votes, a company I’m not familiar with. But one company whose socks I do love was popular amongst our readers. “Lululemon running socks have definitely lasted the longest for me. I’ve tried everything and Lulu are by far my fav. Second are Nike Elite. Both fit well and are comfortable, as long as you know your size. Pricy, but worth it.”

Reid Coolsaet, who we quote often, once told me he thought socks didn’t matter. But only on this one point I’ll challenge the Canadian Olympian. Many runners agreed with me, not Reid, and bemoaned a sock that’s not longer being made. “Ah, The Joy of Sox! I will only wear Wright Socks Silver Elite. They have discontinued the specific ones I wear. Fortunately I have a store of about 40 pairs in stock!”

How many socks do you need? Who makes the absolute best pair? Everyone has their own preference. But, I implore you, as a fellow runner, gets yourself some socks for Valentine’s Day. Before they’re all gone. “Running Room used to make the perfect double-layer sock,” wrote one reader. “Because they were double-layer, they were virtually indestructible—hence why they became discontinued.“

1...363738...337 Page 37 of 337