The Battle Between Ben and Sabrina to Attend the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon

January 30, 2020

Scotiabank Calgary Marathon 2019 — CALGARY, AB - MAY 26, 2019: The 55th Scotiabank Calgary Marathon was held in Calgary, Alberta on Sunday morning (Angela Burger/Calgary Marathon).

iRun magazine is a Canadian institution dedicated to spotlighting as many inspiring Canadian running stories as possible. We publish daily stories and produce beautiful covers and reach out to as many extraordinary people as we can, highlighting their adventures in running shoes. Krista DuChene is a columnist. The magazine is available at the Running Room. We’re owned by Sportstats!! And yet … we’re just not that big.

It’s a small operation and we’re based in Ottawa and Toronto and, well, this spring there’s two of us that want to go to the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon, but there’s only the budget to send one. And oh, the Calgary Marathon is sweet. Canada’s longest running marathon, it’s got 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, 50K relay and 50K events, of which no other major Canadian race can boast. Plus it’s in Calgary, Alberta, and who doesn’t want to go there? There’s a great after-party, stuff for the kids, Jugo Juice all over and probably the coolest guy in running, Trevor Hofbauer, calls it his home race. (Trevor qualified for the Olympics in Toronto without wearing a watch). This is how much fun people there have:

So, yeah—the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon is calling. But at iRun, only either Ben Kaplan or Sabrina Young will get the chance to answer the bell. Over the next few weeks, Ben and Sabrina will make their pitch to you—Sportstats and iRun readers—appealing to you directly to choose them to make the trip to YYC. As for the rest of you, it goes without saying: we think you should run Scotiabank Calgary. Go for the food, go for the fun, go for the adventure. But before you do, please vote for either Ben or Sabrina.

Tune in next week when Ben Kaplan uses his children to make a personal appeal.

How different training partners help you got the distance

Training

January 30, 2020

I know the sound of my shoes. The sound the outsole makes when it hits the cement, the pavement, the gravel. Each shoe in my collection is different and I have avoided some pairs for that very reason: that I don’t like the sound they make. Is this weird? Surely it’s an indicator that I often run alone — alone with my thoughts, dreams, fantasies.

Some may say it’s a limiting factor, to train alone, but in the world of marathon running I think it has its advantages. The roads are long, arduous, lonely at times despite the masses in front and behind. I’ve run long races in which I don’t ever get passed — or pass anyone. It’s helpful to be familiar with your thoughts, with the stream of consciousness that resonates between your ears as you urge your limbs forward.

But I am not always alone. It’s refreshing to be in the midst of conversation as the minutes speed by. Time flies with the chatter and I am thankful for the motivation of just meeting that person to share the following miles with.

And then there’s the machine. The treadmill. My running partner in a small room where the scenery never changes and the air gets heavier and warmer as times ticks on. The pace is strict and my mind plays more games here than anywhere. “Is this really half marathon pace, marathon pace?” I wonder this as my body is being whipped around at a more than steady clip. But it allows the mind to callous, I get tougher, I accomplish repeat after repeat when initially I don’t believe I will get through a single one. Stepping off the now hot belt leaves me feeling stronger, faster, tougher. One of my best training partners but also one of the least forgiving and, at times, my most hated.

But maybe that’s the secret: to have a friendly balance of all of these. The one who makes you dream, aspire, meditate might be just as important as the one that gets you out the door and makes you laugh or is your fellow commiserator of the miles run side by side in the pouring, unrelenting rain. And then maybe, the treadmill is that one who pushes you to be better, much like a faster teammate — acting like that carrot dangling just out of your reach but still in sight. Is it, perhaps, this combination of training partners that helps me get through it all, aiding me in becoming the better runner I aim to be? For me, I think it is.

There will always be days when I wish my training partner was different, when I wish the hum of the engine and slap of my feet on the rubberized surface was replaced by more words flowing toward my ears. But maybe it is those days that are key. Maybe it is those moments that make me better. And we all want to be better, right?

Dayna Pidhoresky is a Canadian elite runner and 2019 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon champion, which qualified her for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Pidhoresky will be blogging about her training up to, and at, the Olympic Games.

Skillet Chipotle Turkey Burrito Bowls

Nutrition

January 28, 2020

Pack up these burrito bowls and take them for lunch, dinner or after work out snack. These are delicious warm or cold and the fresh squeeze of lime over top gives the fresh veggies a lift and cools down the heat from the chipotle. Plus, makes use of leftover vegetable or cooked quinoa, which are the perfect way to change up the toppings for your burrito bowl.

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp (15 mL) canola or vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg (450 g) ground Ontario turkey
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1 can (19 oz/ 540 mL) white beans or chickpea, drained and rinsed
1 cup (250 mL) cooked rice
2/3 cup (150 mL) chunky salsa
1 large or 2 small canned chipotle chilies in adobo, minced
1 container grape (or heirloom cherry) tomatoes, halved
1 cup (250 mL) corn kernals
2 avocados, diced
4 lime wedges
Sour cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

ONE: In a large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic for 3 minutes or until softened.
TWO: Increase heat to medium-high and add turkey, salt and pepper; cook, breaking up turkey for about 5 minutes or until browned. THREE: Stir in beans, rice, salsa and chipotle; cook, stirring for about 3 minutes or until heated through and turkey is no longer pink inside.

FOUR: Divide rice among bowls, top each with turkey mixture then tomatoes, corn and avocado. Serve with lime wedge to squeeze over top and sour cream if desired.

iRun Radio

Why I Run

January 27, 2020

On this edition of iRun Radio:

Canadian Olympian Krista Duchene will talk about why she’ll be running Boston again this spring. Natasha Wodak just broke the Canadian record in the half-marathon in Houston. And we’ll talk to a runner who, along with her husband, is about to run her 100th half-marathon.

Arch Enemy: Strengthen Your Feet

Training

January 26, 2020

People always say running is hard on your body and it certainly can be, especially on your feet. Your feet are the shock absorbers between your body and the ground when you run. And we ask a lot of our feet; they must be rigid enough to help you propel forward, yet pliable enough to conform to different surfaces. Very rarely do we reward them for all their hard work.

By Pamela Mazzuca Prebeg BSc. Kinesiology

Your foot is a complex body part; it is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, 2 arches (medial lonitundinal and transverse) and 3 regions (rearfoot, midfoot and forefoot), and numerous ligaments, muscles, bursas and fat pads. Your foot is also capable of a variety of different movements; it can invert and evert, dorsiflex and plantar flex and abduct and adduct. With so many moving parts and the constant impact, running can lead to tight muscles and inflammation, which can lead to foot pain (usually diagnosed as plantar fasciitis). Regular release of these tight, intrinsic muscles, via tennis ball roll outs, will keep your feet healthy and pain free, which means you can continue running all season long.

Tennis ball roll outs

HOW TO: Standing, place a tennis ball underneath your right foot. Shift your weight over your right foot and roll the tennis ball back and forth under your foot slowly. When you hit a spot that is tender, hold the ball there for 10-15 seconds before moving onto the next spot. Switch sides. A golf ball also works, although this can be more intense because a golf ball is harder and smaller. Also try a frozen water bottle, especially if you suffer from plantar fasciitis as this will allow you to ice at the same time.

“Running is a part of my identity.”

Why I Run

January 24, 2020

Vanessa de Hoog, a teacher in Ottawa, is preparing to run the Boston Marathon in April. Here she shares an expert from her collection of short stories about her relationship with running, how it has helped her overcome and connect with children and adults.

Dammit.

That is the first thought that goes through my head as I wake up Sunday morning. My head pounding. My eyelids heavy. Natural consequences to last night’s lunacy. I groan and roll over and check the time.

11:45 AM. DAMMIT.

I sit upright in bed. As my bare feet slap the cold parquet, I bury my head in my hands and rub my eyes. The unwashed mascara from yesterday transfers from my eyelashes to my fingertips, blackening them. Again, the pounding in my head. I rise and walk lazily towards the full length mirror beside my bedroom window.

Nice. You slept in yesterday’s clothes. Really on a roll here champ.

I painstakingly pull my black hoodie over my head, unzip and step out of my beige pants. Still, the pounding. My freshly darkened hair seems to highlight the dark circles under my eyes this morning. They are temporary tattoos, these dark circles, carved into my face thanks to an erratic sleep pattern. My gaze tracks downwards, and I note that my mental anguish has begun to manifest physically.

My body has obviously softened. Muscles that were previously firm, toned, and visible are now hidden amongst new folds of skin. This is not good, I lament. Not good at all.

My eyes continue to work their way down and fixate momentarily on the scar on my left knee. The most pronounced scar I have.

****

Somehow, I always know which mornings he will come into my room and tell me we need to go for a run. Intuition? Seven years old and my Dad has me training for yet another 10km road race taking place in spring. Looking out my bedroom window, I almost jump when he orders me to get my running stuff on.

We run down Swan’s Way without speaking. The only sound,our feet striking the concrete in an unsynchronized rhythm. The neighbourhood, quiet. Populated by elderly families, rarely seen outside their homes at this time of day.

He peels ahead of me, as he always does. The distance between us grows further and further. The physical parallels the emotional. As he turns left onto the next street he is at least 400 metres in front of me. He never looks back, I think to myself.

Then, I trip and fall onto the concrete. My left knee splits open. Blood makes its way down my pale shin. I look down and see that the cut is full of little pieces of gravel. Tears fill my eyes. The overflow paints the walls of my cheeks. Vision blurred, I look down Swan’s Way. He is well gone. Won’t be looking back. I remove my left shoe, peel off my sock and dab at my knee. I then make my way back to the house. An orphaned sock and slight limp accompany my return home this morning. I keep looking down at my knee. It’s bad but it will heal, maybe even into a scar, and one day, I can only hope, serve as a gentle reminder to keep my head up. To keep moving forward.

****

I shake off the memory, unhook my bathrobe from behind my bedroom door and let the black silk envelop my nude body. Next to it my wedding dress hangs in a clear plastic bag to preserve its…virginity?

I enter the bathroom and execute what was now becoming an unhealthy and familiar routine. Open the medicine cabinet door. Dry swallow two extra-strength Tylenol. Take my medication. Another dry swallow. My feet dodge the scattered kitten toys on the floor as I arrive in the living room and observe the remnants of the scene from the night before. It had been fun, I thought. Irresponsible in the end – but fun. I collect the empty wine bottles one by one and bring them to the kitchen.

Too many bottles.

I collect the assortment of scattered dishes and load them into the dishwasher after rinsing off the leftovers of the meal I had prepared for my girlfriends some fifteen hours ago. You need to get those out of here today, I tell myself while looking at the collection of empty wine bottles in the corner of the kitchen. The pile has been growing over the course of the month. Beside it, a wall of thrown-out take-out containers.

I stare at the refuse. Just another form of medication. The wine, a sleep aid. The take out, a workaround, another device to avoid thinking. I feel like jumping on the pile. What’s one more empty container? How simple it is to know the right path when racing. Cones, kilometre markers, and crowds, all there to point you in the right direction.

But what about in life? In love? What are the markers here? Notes from a therapist? Fear of judgement? Fear of rejection? I so desperately desire the same clarity. I am at a loss re: my next steps. I know I have demons to battle. A broken heart in need of mending.

How do I even begin to tackle that?

Well, for starters, I am going to train my ass off for this Boston. The ramp into the underground parking lot is backed up with cars. My hands drum impatiently on the steering wheel as my Honda inches forward behind the endless line of cars. Entering the garage, I trade the grey outdoors for grey concrete. Fully packed lot. Must be an event on. While I wait to access my parking spot I continuously skip songs playing off my iPod.

Definitely can’t listen to that song right now. Or THAT one.
“I think about you…” Oh, be quiet Bryan Adams!!

Eventually I make it to my “secret” parking spot. Two motorcycle parking spots, side by side, in the west end of the parking lot. A tight squeeze for the average vehicle, but my small hatchback fits into the space easily. A routine we have perfected over the last few years. Weaving through traffic on my way to the gym entrance, I try not to breathe in too much of the exhaust expelled from the lineup of cars still waiting to park. It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

A familiar voice calls my name as I scan my membership fob and enter the gym. I look up and see my friend, breathing heavily, out of the saddle, smiling on the stationary bike. Her towel hangs between the two handlebars of the bike creating a hammock. It catches the perspiration from her forehead. I smile. She is the only other athlete I know that sweats as much as I do during a workout.

I grab two towels off the counter and make my way towards my friend.

You didn’t ‘long run’ with the group this morning?
(I hope the shame isn’t written all over my face.)
Nope. I actually needed the sleep. What’s your plan on the bike? Want to lift after? Easy 45, and sure!

During our short exchange I’ve stripped out of my track pants and hoodie and stuffed them into one of the small lockers at the front of the gym. Dressed, or barely so, in a black sports bra and black shorts I make my way to the treadmills lined behind the bikes and inform my friend I should be done in about an hour.

It is a manageable workout today. My coach, Trevor, has been adjusting my training on the fly as I provide him updates on my success (moreso lack thereof) as per the weekly training plans. Focus. You’re here now. Just think about this workout for the next hour. Step onto the treadmill. Turn on the fan. Seriously?! One of them is broken? Well, I guess a little extra salt never hurts. I smile, now that would sell on a series of Nike tees.

The machine’s belt groans to life and so do I. My rhythm adjusts to the warm up pace I have set at 5:00 min/km. Keep it sane. Adjust the incline to 1.0. My stride falls into place as my breathing regulates. My body knows this routine well. Time to check in. Chest up? Shoulders relaxed – but arms engaged? Avoiding the default heel strike? Trevor has me train these positive habits at a slow pace for automatic execution in races.

As the minutes of my warm up pass, my friend continues her workout on the bike in front of me. I watch her rise out of the saddle. Her turnover picks up. A flash of envy. She’s built like a runner. Slim. Toned. Slim. And, fast. I track her training, but what I don’t see online, someone will tell me about.

“Did you see her easy run pace on Strava?”

“Man, she’s in really good shape these days!”

“She’s been crushing her workouts!”

Suddenly, I am all too aware of my body. Wide shoulders. Large hips. Hefty quads. Not so slim. My thoughts avalanche. I feel heavy.

15:00 lights up on the treadmill clock. I click pause. And straddle the belt. Warm up done. Passing my friend on my way to the water fountain, I offer her a smile. Get. It. Together. Remember why you run.

Back on the treadmill. Time for the meat and potatoes of the workout. First up? 15 minutes at marathon pace. My legs welcome the slight increase in speed and happily cruise along to the 4:40 min/km pace. Though my most recent marathon in Toronto clocked in at 3:21:19, the hills of Boston demand a faster-than-usual training clip to balance things out.

It feels like cheating, getting to run 15 minutes of a workout at this pace. Relative to training at faster paces for shorter races, like the 5 km, this 4:40 min/km pace is a gift. Time ticks away, still, I feel myself getting antsy.

This doesn’t feel like work…I want to run faster! Would it really be a big deal if I jacked things up a bit, say, to 4:30 min/km pace?

8.0 mph is lit up in red on the treadmill’s screen. Seeing the slow speed displayed on the screen frustrates me. I want to pick up the pace. But then I think about Trevor. His philosophy on coaching is about training beyond the physical elements. Your mind has an equal role in this equation. Each workout he designs is done with intention, factoring in both my physical and mental state. I realize this part of the workout is the mental test he knows I will struggle to pass. I smirk. He knows me.
I keep it sane for the remainder of the 15 minutes (albeit reluctantly) and embrace delayed gratification. I focus on the meditative sound of my soles.
Three minutes of easy jogging, a transition to the next section of the workout, ten minutes at tempo pace. I eagerly adjust the treadmill’s speed and increase my turnover in tandem with the new 4:20 min/km pace.

My body wakes up fully thanks to a change in the agenda. The dust gathered on my legs over the past month shakes off. I am coming back to life. The muscles in my calves stretch and contract as my toes strike the belt. My core keeps me stable. My quads absorb the shock of impact with each landing. An obscene amount of sweat covers my body as I break the five minute mark.

Lactic acid, oh, I’ve missed you old friend.

Pushing through the final minutes of the tempo, I am satiated. Patience has paid off, as per Trevor’s plan. I’ve passed his test.

Running is raw.

The sport requires minimal “equipment.” Even shoes (debatable) are optional. Running is its own reward because you are solely responsible for your success. You make the difference. Regardless of speed or incline, each step you take is of your own accord, and objectively making you stronger.

Crazy endorphins. Such a high. No wonder humans have been doing it forever. My speed picks up. Two minutes left in the workout, prescribed at race pace. Don’t get cocky, kid.
Bump the speed to 4:00 min/km. Keep the arms relaxed.
3:50 min/km. Breathe.
Chest up.
3:40 min/km. Lactic.
Don’t stop.
3:30 min/km. Panting.
Sweat drips into my eyes and temporarily blinds me. I’m wrung out. Exhausted. Finished.

My jello legs carry me to the fountain. I drink greedily and splash my face. Completely drenched in sweat, I lick my lips and make my tired way back to the treadmill for a cool down.

I taste the salt.

And, just like that, I’m back in the game.

The author would like to dedicate this writing to Fitzgerald for inspiring her.

Why Malindi Elmore’s Canadian marathon record changes everything

Ben Kaplan

January 23, 2020

Malindi Elmore’s run in Houston on Sunday changed the outlook of the 2020 Canadian Olympic squad, our understanding of perhaps how we develop distance running talent, and the future of marathoning in Canada.

Her new national record of 2:24:50 demolished the previous time, which stood for just 10 months. Until recently, Canadian marathon records were frustratingly resilient. Silvia Reugger held the mark from 1985 (when she ran 2:28:36, also at the Houston Marathon) until 2013. Twenty-eight years is a long time for a marathon to stand, and although it initially signalled the quality of Reugger’s performance, eventually its empiricism only highlighted the lack of true talent, interest and level of investment in marathon running in this country during that period.

Then, Lanni Marchant and Krista DuChene seemingly took things into their own hands in 2013, pushing each other and a new generation of road runners. Marchant came out on top with a 2:28-flat, and sat on the Canadian marathoning throne for a little more than eight years, before Rachel Cliff came along and took the crown with a 2:26:56 last March in Japan. Cliff seemed the natural heir apparent, and maybe unbeatable in this country. Until last Sunday, of course.

Elmore is an interesting record holder. At 39, she’s been in the sport for a long time, and went to the Olympics as a middle-distance track runner way back in 2004—seemingly a lifetime ago. Elmore never made another Olympic squad, but importantly hung around endurance sports, dabbling in triathlon for a while and having success as a coach in B.C., where she lives. Maintaining that immersion and fitness may have helped take our country to a new plateau at the distance.

In her late 30s, Elmore decided to explore how she would respond to the demands of marathon training and racing. It turns out she’s clearly pretty resilient, and also has the brain and leg speed to close out those challenging final kilometres with panache (in Kipchogeseque-fashion, her final few kilometres in Houston were her fastest in the race).

As a former 4:02 1,500m runner, Elmore became one of the few world-class Canadian track runners to parley their speed and pedigree into an equally impressive marathon. In one race, she’s changed the narrative that track talent doesn’t easily translate to the marathon. Based on the Daniel’s VDOT calculator (a fairly reliable race prediction tool) Elmore delivered on her potential nearly to the second—the calculator suggests a 4:02 1,500m should be able to run a 2:23:59. Given that Elmore’s track times are well over a decade old, it’s fair to say that she maximized her ability in Houston.

And in the process she disrupted the entire running community in this country.

Cliff’s former record seemed like a promising step forward, but Elmore’s two-minute jump, less than a year later, is a rude awakening for the rest of the current crop of distance runners in Canada. A singular performance such as this is either going to be an aberration or it will trigger yet another sea change for women’s distance running in this country. Elmore has effectively said with her feet that the next generation of runners must hold themselves at an even higher standard, and race the distance very aggressively. Perhaps this will motivate some of our most talented young track athletes to jump up to the marathon sooner, and take bigger initial risks. And, of course, this new standard will no doubt further motivate Rachel Cliff to do something great, yet again.

There is also a dangerous possibility that Elmore’s record is just too far out of reach, and that we may enter another 28-year winter in Canadian women’s marathon running. Let’s hope that yet another incredible performance by a Canadian woman in Houston doesn’t loom too large over a generation of athletes, but instead motivates them to continue breaking through.

The Olympic Marathon Picture Shifts

The roster spots on the Olympic team have changed hands. Elmore’s Canadian record was a significant blow for those still seeking the qualifying standard, and Lyndsay Tessier got bumped from her place. Here’s the makeup of the team, for now, along with those on the outside looking in with a shot at making it:

Dayna Pidhoresky

Pidhoresky is the only guaranteed lock for a spot, as she won the Olympic trials last October in Toronto. Athletics Canada, the organization that picks the teams, has said they are preferencing the trials winner above all else. Pidhoresky also ran under the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:29:30 during her trials win, so she’s a sure thing.

Malindi Elmore

She ran the fastest time ever by a Canadian woman, so she’s going to qualify by easily making the time standard. She could also become the best all-time Canadian performer in the Olympic marathon if she can replicate her performance this summer. Her Houston time would have placed sixth back in Rio. She’s all but a lock, as her qualifying time is currently more than two minutes faster than anyone else.

Rachel Cliff

Cliff is holding down the last spot by virtue of her now-former national record run in March 2019. In a sense, she controls her own destiny here. She could opt out of a spring marathon, gambling that no other Canadian woman can match that time from now until the qualification window closes at the end of May. Or, she could take essentially a free shot at a marathon, seeing if she can take the record back, and reestablish her dominance over the distance. Trying to fit in a spring race and the Olympics would be risky, as the turnaround time to recover is tight, unless she were to run an early race, such as Tokyo.

On the Outside

Lyndsay Tessier (Qualified, but needs a faster time)

There are two ways to qualify for the Olympics: run a sub-2:29:30 or place extremely well at a world class marathon, within the qualification window. Tessier accomplished the latter when she finished an astonishing ninth overall at the World Championships last September in Doha. She held down the third Team Canada slot until Elmore came along. Tessier is capable of putting up a world-class time (her marathon PB is 2:30:47), but would have to run a sub-2:26:56 (assuming Cliff won’t run a faster marathon this spring). Tessier hasn’t run a spring marathon in years, and although she’s made massive improvements in consecutive marathons, this may be too far outside of her comfort zone.

Emily Setlack (not yet qualified)

Setlack ran one of the most self-assured and dramatic marathons by a Canadian in 2019. She came within seconds of hitting the qualifying standard last fall in Toronto, finishing just behind Pidhoresky at the Canadian Trials. She will be looking to take a big risk as well this spring. Like Tessier, she must run faster than Rachel Cliff’s now former national record just to make the team.

It might be worth it for both Setlack and Tessier to put in marathon times this spring, even if it seems unlikely that either could take a spot from the three incumbents. Training for a marathon can take its toll, and it’s sadly never guaranteed that the initially selected athletes will make it to the start healthy. Both would still need to run under 2:29:30, of course.

Michael Doyle is a co-founder of The XC, and weekly newsletter and podcast exploring the most compelling aspects of the running world. You can follow him on Twitter @mdfdoyle

Krista DuChene is Going Back to Boston

Krista DuChene

January 22, 2020

Photo: Derek Hebb

Around the time of my last few birthdays, I’ve enjoyed sharing the news about my upcoming training and racing plans. After the Christmas season, it’s a fun and motivational start to a new season, a new year, and a new age.

In 2017 when I turned 40 I had recently joined Speed River with Dave Scott-Thomas in Guelph, and booked my first trip to train at altitude. I would go to Kenya for one month in March to prepare for the London Marathon in April. Leaving my kids for that long was initially very difficult and one of the most difficult things I ever did, AND the race itself did not go well BUT I hit a deeper level of training with my new coach/club and my time in Kenya was absolutely incredible.

In 2018, I was fulfilling a desire to return to the Boston Marathon, in the elite field, thirteen years after racing it for the first time, before we had children. A third place overall and first place masters finish was beyond my wildest dreamsand has been an inspiring story to tell.

In 2019 I was again announcing my plan to return to the Boston Marathon. Not only would my husband go with me again but also our three children. The race was disappointing but at least my family enjoyed the weekend (sigh).

For 2020 I am happy to announce that I will again be returning to run the Boston Marathon.

With the new qualifying system for the Olympic Games, one can be considered for selection if they run 2:29:30, are top 5 at an IAAF gold label (e.g., Ottawa and Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront), top 10 at a world major (i.e., Chicago, Boston, Tokyo, New York, London, Berlin), or top 10 at a world championship. Choosing the Boston Marathon was a fairly straightforward and logical decision for two main reasons: 1. I could aim to place in the top 10 on a familiar course. 2. I could benefit financially to help support our family (and be able to keep calling my running career a job!). I am really looking forward to my return to a race that feels like home, having already completed it 3 times.

If recent odd years (London 2017, Boston 2019) result in disappointing spring marathons and even years (Boston 2018) bring success, this should be another good marathon for me (;

Another fun fact is that the Boston Marathon will be April 20, 2020 and my 20th marathon.

An additional development in my running career is that I am now being coached by 2 x Olympian, Reid Coolsaet. Not only is he also a University of Guelph Alumni but he is a dad, husband, 2:10:28 marathoner and now a masters age athlete. His accolades are very impressive, as the entire Canadian running community knows, and he has a wealth of knowledge and experience from which I will benefit. A few years ago, when I didn’t know if there would be a place for me with Speed River, I had actually considered asking Reid. He has been coaching a handful of athletes the last few years while continuing to train full-time and balance a family. Just this past fall he coached his wife Marie, a mother of two, to a first place finish in 2:56 at the Hamilton Marathon, which was her debut! He understands the need for flexibility in training, can meet my needs as an ageing athlete, and provide stellar guidance. I’ve already started making some changes to my training and am looking forward to more while continuing to be challenged and apply new learnings.

For my race calendar I started the season by completing the Robbie Burns 8 km on Sunday, January 19 with a win and time of 28:12. I know I have much more work to do but am pleased with a solid and strong start to 2020.

In early March I will work on gaining more fitness at the Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington, and complete a final tune-up at another half marathon later that month.

Welcome, 2020!

Five Reasons to Run the Reggae Marathon & Half Marathon

Anna Lee Boschetto

January 22, 2020

It’s December and I’m racing around already feeling like I’m behind on my holiday season tasks. Naturally, the invitation to run the Reggae Marathon and Half Marathon couldn’t have come at a better time. Let’s just say a pre-holiday escape was exactly what I needed and as you plan out your 2020 race season you should seriously consider Jamaica’s premier marathon event on your calendar and book it early. Need a little convincing? Here’s what’s instore for race day and more.

ONE: Beach Vibes On High

Situated in Negril Jamaica (about an hour and a half drive from Montego Bay airport) you’ll find some of Jamaica’s most pristine beach views. Known for its expansive seven-mile white sand beach, Negril has a chill vibe that is a welcome change from the fast pace you may be operating on this time of year. When it comes to accommodations, the Beaches Negril Resort and Spa is the ideal spot for runners and their families not only because of the close proximity to the start line but also for the range of activities including watersports, daily recreational activities and a children’s camp.

TWO: Next Level Pasta Party

Runners know the prerace pasta party well, but if you’ve never run the Reggae Marathon, then you won’t know a past a party like this one. Every resort in Negril sends it’s top chefs who offer a selection of creative pasta dishes. While you will find longstanding favourites like spaghetti and meatballs, you’ll also find seafood pasta, lasagna, and cannelloni including vegetarian options.

THREE: On Course Energy

Reggae music is a big part of Jamaican culture and it is most definitely the soundtrack for this race. But it’s not only the soundwaves of Bob Marely and the Wailers that carry you along this looped course, its the energetic waves of local residents who take the time from their morning routines to cheer runners along. With a pre-dawn race start, you might not expect runners to be such a welcomed addition to these neighbourhoods, but there is a definite appreciation, and recognition among the community, that you’re in a place where running really matters to everyone. Plus, with this pre-dawn start, an epic gradient sunrise view is guaranteed.

FOUR: Post Race Celebration

Cross the finish line and you’re instantly on white sand beaches and can dive right into the Caribbean Sea. Along with the beach party atmosphere, a Red Stripe beer, fresh coconut and Jamaican patties round out the post-race offerings which also include an added selection of Jamaican cuisine. Most races offer runners a post-race massage, but you’ve probably never had yours on the beach, which is exactly where you’ll find the recovery tents in one in Jamaica. With a reggae concert featuring a variety of current and up-and-coming artists rounding it all out, it’s one race day that is certainly ending on a high note.

FIVE: After the Race

Let’s face it, you’re in Jamaica and it’s December which means you’re going back to snow and probably right into holiday season madness which means you should seriously consider taking a few extra days to yourself. Along with the endless white sand beaches, Negril offers plenty of opportunities for added adventure from hiking trails, scuba diving and water sports and culinary classes, which allow you to truly experience the local culture. And if you’re looking for more relaxation, the Red Lane Spa at the Beaches Negril should be your pick for its tranquility and simplicity in spa service offerings.

The Reggae Marathon takes place in early December, (December 6, 2020) which might not seem like the ideal time for a destination race but that is probably exactly what many of us need, even if we don’t know it. As someone who didn’t feel she had the time to escape, I was definitely proven wrong. This was exactly what I needed to feel recharged, and ready for that mad dash through the rest of the holiday season. Sometimes you have to slow down the pace a little, to find your stride and make the moments that matter count.

Can you go faster still? “I hope so. That’s the goal.” Natasha Wodak on her new Canadian record

Ben Kaplan

January 21, 2020

Sunday morning in Houston, Texas, the 38-year-old Natasha Wodak set the Canadian half marathon record with a time of 1:09:41. Twice Wodak has appeared on our iRun cover and she was recently interviewed when her friend Dayna Pidhoresky qualified for the Olympic Games at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. She’s an Olympian, the Canadian 10,000-metre record holder and also a nice person, perhaps all these things are related. Ben Kaplan spoke to Wodak after her record-breaking race.

You looked a little green after the Houston finish line. Is that the hardest you ever ran?

I don’t know if I would say it’s the hardest I ever ran. My race experience was that I barely slept the night before. I was on west coast time and the race was early, a 4 a.m. wake up, which is 2 a.m. in Vancouver and I thought I was going to throw up in the last minute of racing. I don’t usually get nauseous, but that feeling never really went away.

When did you know you were going to do something special?

I knew I was close to 70 minutes, but I couldn’t see the clock and just knew I had to give it everything. I thought I lost so much time in the last 5K because it was so windy I actually stopped looking at my watch but when I did the clock, I was like: Oh, sweet. I was actually sort of surprised.

You didn’t look at your watch, you just went on feel?

I think I looked at it a couple of times, but i wasn’t looking at the splits after 15 and it doesn’t matter anymore by that point—your GPS is off, it doesn’t matter and anyways it was too much energy to take the time to look. We had the 2:19 marathon men in front of us and we were in that group following them. We were lucky to have them for 12.5K. I stuck behind them and was running exactly that pace 16:22 for those two 5Ks and after they peeled off it turned into a race and we had to work.

That’s where the T-Fierce intensity kicks in.

I had a great group of girls to work with and now you just need to run hard and keep your pace. I hit the wind at 14K and one gust literally almost knocked me off my feet. I really had to work my way up and after the guys peeled off, I was in the front of a pack of girls and I latched on to this guy up ahead and made our way to the other pack with [American distance star] Molly Huddle and I was in that pack for a long time and we worked together for awhile, but it was windy and I stopped looking at my watch. You just have to run.

What’s going through your mind at the time?

Fight through that wind. I look at the splits now and I did lose some time, but I had given myself such a good good cushion for 10K that I had 20 seconds to play with.

Was being the fastest female Canadian in the half marathon your goal?

Sub 70, that’s what I have been saying since I started training in November. My goal was: I’m going to Houston and break sub 70, but my fitness took a long time to come back. I took off 2 weeks in October and by the end of November I wasn’t near where I needed to be. I thought: this isn’t going to happen.

I always love when you elites have the same nagging doubts that we back of the pack runners feel. How did you get over the doubt?

I trusted Lynne’s [Kanuka] training. It will come back and in the last three weeks it was like: boom, I was where I needed to be. I had nothing to lose. My PB was 1:10:30 and I knew it was in my realm. It was a Canadian record and there’s a money bonus. In the last 5K, I was saying: this is your record. Go and get it.

And you did.

It was a battle. But yeah, I guess I did.

How is it that you get older and get faster?

Look at all these older women running fast: Malindi [Elmore, who set the Canadian marathon record that same day]; Lyndsay Tessier. I don’t think age has anything to do with it.

What’s it have to do with?

It’s been a blessing I’ve been able to stay healthy and I have all this training I’ve been able to do as a result. I can run faster now because I’ve been consistent for three years and training hard over time results in fast times. Plus, I have the experience of knowing my body and what works for me. A younger athlete might not now, but me? Whatever training it is, I’ve tried it and I feel lucky to have a coach on my wavelength.

There’s no magic bullet? A new stretch, a new workout, a new diet?

I’ve done a lot of thinking of what went wrong at Doha [World Athletic Championships] and I got wrapped up into what other people were doing. I had a hard time doing my own thing and trusting my training and it got into my head that I wasn’t doing what I needed to do and my confidence was shaken. I thought there was a certain way that my body needs to look like and I shouldn’t drink wine ever. I’m at the age where I know what works for me and going into Houston, if I didn’t run sub-70, so what?

You freed yourself from the pressure.

It didn’t matter either way and I lived my life normally. I trained my butt off, but I had wine whenever I wanted to and my body is what it is and I feel like strong as I ever was and I don’t care what the scale says. I feel great and I look great and I was confident knowing that I’m happy with my life.

Can you go faster still?

I hope so. That’s the goal

What’s next?

The PanAm cross country championships here in Victoria on February 29. A week of recovery then racing then the New York half on March 14.

I hope you get to take a minute and enjoy.

I’ll be careful and enjoy my recovery and Alan and I are going to celebrate this Canadian record, but I know that it’s not going to last long. So I’m going to enjoy this moment while I have it, but not be heartbroken when it’s gone.

Photograph by Alan Brookes, Canada Running Series.

1...787980...335 Page 79 of 335