On this week’s show Sasha Gollish will share here thoughts on moving past gender categories in running. Then, Reid Coolsaet, one of Canada’s fastest runners talks about his desire to take another shot at the Olympic marathon. Plus, an Ottawa runner on coming back to the sport after a heart attack.
By: Julie Morrill
Photo credits: Alpha Krav Maga Boston and Robert McDonald
As runners, we traverse the world. Most of the time, we have great experiences — seeing spectacular sunrises, catching a glimpse of a deer bounding through the woods, nodding a hello to the friendly man you see on the trail every morning. Sometimes, however, the experiences are not so good. For women in particular, sometimes our experiences can be downright scary.
As women runners, we’re often told “never run alone” and “always tell someone where you’ll be.” Yes, there is definitely strength in numbers, and it is always a good idea to tell someone where you plan to run. But if we’re being honest, we run alone a lot. And sometime we change up our running route on the fly. So what to do to stay safe? For starters:
BE OBSERVANT
If I could recommend one thing that would help women stay safe it would be this: be observant. Being observant helps you recognize potentially dangerous situations early, so that you can avoid them or prepare for them.
A common behavior that is a big risk (sorry, you aren’t going to like it!) is running with headphones. Headphones are dangerous because they take away your ability to hear what’s around you and distract you from your surroundings. Yeah, I know, it’s really hard to stay motivated on a long run without music. If you absolutely can’t live without your headphones, at least keep the volume low and keep your eyes up and attuned to unexpected motion or consider using headphones like AfterShokz that allow you to hear both your music and the environment around you.
BE CONFIDENT
Have you ever watched one of those nature shows on PBS where the lions stalk gazelles? Isn’t it always the weak gazelles that become lion dinner? It only makes sense — the weak gazelles take less energy to catch and can’t fight back.
Pickpockets, muggers, and sexual predators are like lions: they like easy prey. So, don’t be easy prey! Be observant of your surroundings of course, and be confident! (Fake it if you have to.) Project power and confidence, and you are less likely to be a target. No one wants to mess with a woman who is calm, cool, and collected.
In fact, science has proven this to be true. Researchers in Canada showed videos of women to inmates incarcerated for assault. The men said that they were more likely to “select ‘submissive’ women as potential victims.” How did they determine who was “submissive?” By looking for non-verbal cues — head down, halting gait, or looking lost. The serial killer Ted Bundy admitted that he profiled a victim by looking at “the way she walked down the street, the tilt of her head, the manner in which she carried herself…”
Consider this scenario. By being observant, you notice a shady-looking character approaching you from the opposite direction on the sidewalk. Rather than lowering your eyes and averting his gaze, you belt out a confident and polite, “Hello!” and keep running strong. This response indicates (1) that you recognize that he is there (he does not have the element of surprise) and (2) that you are a confident, strong woman and a force to be reckoned with! He should move on… you are not a victim!
TRUST YOUR INTUITION
You know that little feeling in the back of your mind that tells you something is just not right? This feeling is valid. Trust these feelings and learn to act on them. What does intuition feel like? Persistent thoughts, anxiety, or perhaps just a “gut feeling.” Chances are, we’ve all heard our intuition talking to us. We just need to listen.
It can be very difficult, but take some time to think about threatening situations. How would you respond? If you feel uncomfortable in a situation and your intuition tells you something is wrong, at what point would you act? What would you do?
BE “MEAN”
Have you seen the movie The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo? There is a scene near the end where the protagonist, Mikael Blomkvist, knows who the killer is and is walking around the killer’s house looking for clues. The killer arrives home as Blomkvist is leaving the house. The killer sees him outside and invites him in for a drink. Blomkvist is nervous, but goes inside. Later, when the killer is about to torture Blomkvist he says, “Why don’t people trust their instincts? They sense something is wrong…someone is walking too close behind them. You knew something was wrong. You came back into the house. Did I force you? Did I drag you in? No. All I had to do was…offer you a drink. It is hard to believe that fear of offending is stronger than fear of pain. But you know what? It is.”
Hell. With. That. When someone makes you feel uncomfortable, it is not the time for being polite. Do not be afraid of hurting someone or being considered “mean.” Make your attacker regret the moment he laid eyes on you. Retaliate with every ounce of anger and fury he deserves!
What if you just can’t see yourself as someone capable of shouting “F*CK OFF!” at the top of your lungs or nut kicking a guy? Create a badass alter ego for yourself! Sarah Connor of The Terminator, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ellen Ripley of Aliens, Olivia Pope of Scandal. Who inspires you to be fearless?
Falling to the ground can be very scary. However, with some training, you can learn how to protect yourself even in this scenario
PRACTICE FIGHTING
The military has an expression: you fight how you train, so train how you want to fight. In other words, by training soldiers in a way that simulates a real battlefield, they are better prepared to fight in real battle. There are fewer surprises, and they have educated their bodies and minds how to react under the stress of battle.
The same is true for personal defense and safety. If you take the time to train in self-defense — even if it is only a course or two — you better prepare your body and mind for the real thing. This will increase your chances of getting away safely.
Any training that acclimates you to physical altercations is good. Training in boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Judo, etc. are great. However, fighting and self-defense are two very different things, so I always recommend self-defense courses. Personally, I train and teach Krav Maga, a form of self-defense taught by the Israeli military. I like Krav Maga because it trains women to defend against an aggressive, brutal attack. It’s also good for a variety of body types and strengths.
More information about the self-defence and runner’s safety workshops this weekend is available on the Runners’ Edge website.
Olympic Champion. World Champion. The name Caster Semenya has dominated the headlines in Women’s Track and Field since 2009 where she won her first world championships title in the 800m. Unlike other athletes, it is not just Semenya’s victories that have adorned headlines, but the question of Semenya’s gender (and sex).
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on the horizon, much debate about Semenya, and other female athletes with hyperandrogenism, the IAAF tried to create a new, fair policy. The IAAF rule was reworked and reworded through 2018 and when it was released back in November, Semenya immediately appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) stating that the ruling was unfairly written against her.
The IAAF policy was written for women with DSD (Athletes with Differences of Sex Development), specifically for the 400m to 1-mile events at international athletics competitions. Given then number of DSD athletes competing, it is understandable why Semenya might feel targeted—these are the events she’s competed in successfully since 2009.
As of today, a line has been drawn in the sand—again—when it comes to women competing in Track and Field. The CAS ruled that women with DSD had to limit their testosterone levels to 5 nmol/L; for reference, the normal female range is below 2 nmol/L. Typically, DSD women have testosterone ranges between 7.7 to 29.4 nmol/L; to be eligible to compete these women must be taking testosterone suppressing drugs for at least six months prior to competition. These women have until May 8 to comply in order to be able to compete at this year’s World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Semenya has always believed that the IAAF has targeted her. It is hard not to deny that might be the reality given that the ruling only applies to events that Semenya has previously competed in. But Semenya is resilient. She’s an agent for change, and she’s not giving up. “The decision of the CAS will not hold me back,” she said. “I will once again rise above and continue to inspire young women and athletes in South Africa and around the world.”
I have the utmost respect for Semenya, for her world-class abilities and her capacity to stay positive during challenging times. Do I think it’s fair for my former middle-distance self and my current female teammates and friends to compete with Semenya? No. It’s not just the strength and power that higher levels of testosterone offer, but the ability to recover, as compared to those of us with lower testosterone. Having said that, I also do not think it’s fair to have Semenya competing with the men.
The Olympics is about bringing the greatest athletes together to compete, but it’s also about bringing the world together. Just because the Olympics has only had two categories until now does not mean we have to continue to have the same binary categories. Perhaps we are in an age where we can objectively talk about having more classifications, have a conversation on the difference between the words ‘sex’ and ‘gender,’ learn from the World of Para, and just generally be more kind to one another, because, ultimately, that brings out the best in us all.
Photograph by Getty Images.
Qualify for Boston with the Servus Edmonton Marathon
The Boston Marathon is a dream for runners all over the world, but you cannot simply register – you must qualify, and it is getting more competitive. If you are interested in the Boston Marathon, look to run your BQ (Boston Qualifier) at a course perfectly suited for a new PR (personal record) – like the 2019 Servus Edmonton Marathon!
It is certified. First things first, the Servus Edmonton Marathon event is a certified Boston Qualifier marathon course. This guarantees that the course has been properly measured by an experienced measurer and that the marathon is the full distance as advertised with a maximum discrepancy of 10 meters.
It is flat. The out and back style course in Edmonton is flat and fast with very little elevation gain allowing runners to achieve a BQ or a new PR. The maximum elevation is 673m and the minimum elevation is 642m resulting in a change of only 31m throughout the marathon.
It is your last chance. Registration for the 2020 Boston Marathon begins in early September and runners can get their qualifying time at any certified marathon in the 12 months preceding the registration. Maybe you are the kind of person who likes to wait until the last minute to do things or maybe you haven’t managed to qualify yet, but the August 17th-18th weekend is one of your last chances to get that BQ!
It is affordable. Entry costs for most marathons range from $60 to $300 with more popular races and bigger cities tending to have a higher entry cost. Although the Servus Edmonton Marathon is a more popular race in the capital of Canada’s Alberta province, entry fees range from $105 to $135 depending on when you register.
No crazy weather conditions. In August, you can’t ask for better weather for running. August in Edmonton consists of cooler temperatures in the morning around the beginning of the race and warmer temperatures later in the day around completion.
Nashville’s Chris Hennessee is one of country music’s brightest stars. His newest album is called Ramble, and, after basing his sonic signature on greats like Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt, the 45-year-old has grown into one of country’s brightest performers. Recently named by Rolling Stone, “one of 10 new country and Americana artists you need to know,” the former baseball player is making his second Canadian appearance this Friday night in Toronto at the Horseshoe Tavern. Ben Kaplan talked to him about running, drinking, harmonica, marriage, and life on the road.
iRun: It’s exciting to have you coming back to Canada.
Hennessee: I’m excited and the Horseshoe, you know, it reminds me a lot of the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.
iRun: That’s high praise, but I think if there’s any place in Toronto that comes close—it’s that.
Hennessee: Yeah, well, the Bluebird, to me, is really special. It’s where Steve Earle in the late-70s became pals with Townes Van Zandt, they helped put that place on the map and I guess in the late 80s or early 90s, River Phoenix, I think, shot his last movie here, I don’t know. But I worked here for a long while, you know Steve Earle is one of my favourites.
iRun: I love the story of how you started there.
Hennessee: I moved to Nashville, man, I didn’t know squat. All I knew was my man Steve Earle used to play the Bluebird, so I got a job at the Bluebird. I couldn’t have been more green, but I got a job working the door and listening to them play: it was mind-blowing. I learned my trade.
iRun: You’re a terrific guitar play, harmonica, and have great vocal tones and distinct phrasing, but you weren’t always a singer. You were on the track to play baseball, right?
Hennessee: Growing up where I grew up, you played baseball, basketball and football. I was in East Tennessee and yeah, I played baseball, that’s actually where I learned to run.
iRun: What’d you learn?
Hennessee: That I was running in shoes I had for five years and that ain’t the way to make it work!
iRun: People usually say shoes are good for about 400 kilometres.
Hennessee: I learned that the hard way, but I did get proper shoes, over time, and tried to keep them nice. I like running now, it doesn’t always like me, but I’ve stuck with it and really like how it feels. Man, I’ve done a lot of running and weight training over the last 30 years. Probably why I’m able to come on up to Toronto now.
iRun: Some of your heroes, they didn’t really live like that.
Hennessee: I was fortunate enough to have a background that taught me to learn from other people’s mistakes rather than your own and as much as I love those guys, it’s not my lifestyle. I don’t smoke and if I drink, it’s sparingly. That older generation, they didn’t stick around that long, but even these guys, they slowed down. Over time, you have to if you want a career.
iRun: How’d you find your centre?
Hennessee: I have to give a ton of credit to my wife, number one, and my spiritual background. For the first ten, twelve years, in Nashville I went hard like a lot of those old guys. We grew up hearing Hank Williams, Jr. talking about drinking whiskey and staying out all night—thank the lord for my loving wife. When I met her I realized all those things were wrong to base your career on, it’s not healthy. I give credit to her [my wife] and I have kids now and that motivates me even more to think about longevity rather than rock ‘n’ roll tonight, every night.
iRun: You went from working the door at the Bluebird to playing stadiums with Jamey Johnson and performing with Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris. Maybe it’s that you were an overnight sensation 15 years in the making, but what else helped you keep your head?
Hennessee: I’m aware that there’s this new age and way of promotion and becoming recognized, but I’m not the type to spend hours on social media or that kind of thing. I don’t think of music as a competition, that can drive you crazy and in the past decade, they turned music into something else with these TV shows and everything. It’s not me.
iRun: Thankfully now, it doesn’t need to be.
Hennessee: You know what, man? No matter what happens I’m going to do my thing and it will work out or it won’t, but I’ll be right here. I’ll write the same songs on the porch.
Chris Hennessee plays the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on May 3. For more information, see ChrisHennessee.com.
I never wrote about my experience at the 2018 Mississauga Marathon. There wasn’t much to say, really. An anxiety attack at 28 K took me right out of the race, which up until that point had been perfectly executed. I also never found the words to describe quite what happened and can’t really understand why it happened. There were curbside tears and the pain of watching a goal pass me by. The worst recesses of my mind began to show in an abusive internal dialogue. It wasn’t a moment I was excited to share.
This year, I’m returning to Mississauga and will race the half marathon. Perhaps because of last year’s experience, I have fallen out of love with the marathon. The half marathon just excites me more. I don’t believe I’ve shied away from the marathon because I’m afraid of the challenge or lack courage, though I have on occasion asked myself if quitting in the midst of difficulty is simply part of my character. I remind myself, however, that the ambitious goal I’ve set for myself has required me to dig as deep as I ever have. I don’t recall ever having had so many “Why the hell am I doing this?” moments as I have this cycle. I’m proud to say I’ve pushed through.
I also don’t believe anyone needs redemption from a bad race. That notion implies that a bad race indicates some kind of scar upon our character. I choose to believe instead that running is one long redemptive act and those races are simply part of that process.
When we give ourselves over to running in good faith, we discover new dimensions to ourselves and maybe unearth some of our less desirable traits and thoughts that the run teaches us to move through. We’re not defined by a single run and don’t need to correct it. We’re only called to maintain faith in our ability to take the lessons and act on them. Sometimes, doing so is slow and the path we have to take is not the one we expected or wanted. There’s a healthy path to redemption and it’s not looking for a quick fix.
The decision to go back and race the course again, or at least half of it, is about falling too far to the other side of the spectrum of how we react to moments of disappointment. The opposite of fighting for redemption, I suppose, is resignation. It’s the urge to tell yourself, “Maybe this isn’t for me,” or “I just can’t run well on that course.”
It might seem innocuous, but resignation of this sort is how you begin to limit and diminish yourself. It’s how we start to take things over which we have no power and give them power over us. I don’t want to go back to Mississauga hungry for revenge on a race that once hurt me.
On the other hand, I don’t wish for last year’s experience to leave me with a sense that the course and I just don’t get along. I don’t want to accept that there’s something about me or the race that made last year such a disaster. I want to reinforce that bad runs happen and that’s fine. The course doesn’t have some kind of vendetta against me and I don’t need to fear it.
People have returned to sites of much more significant trauma. In running we have the obvious example of those who returned to Boston following the 2013 bombings. I’ve always been inspired by those whose belief in themselves and their mission meant more than any single event, even one so tragic.
I don’t need to prove myself with a great result this weekend. If it comes, great, but mostly I just need to run. I need to show myself that all the growth I’ve experienced until now is a grab bag of runs ranging from transcendent to utterly miserable. All of it has been worth it. I’m going back to Mississauga because I’m still learning about what kind of athlete and person I can be. This run will be worth it.
All images courtesy of the Mississauga Marathon.
On Friday May 3 and Saturday May 4, the Toronto Marathon Race Expo will host speaking engagements with running legends, Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson. Switzer’s discussion will include the Canadian kick off for 261 Fearless, the non-profit organization she founded which brings the sport to woman through global running clubs.
Robinson will join two panel discussions on the history of running a topic he has written about extensively and the subject of his latest book, When Running Made History. Robinson will also available for book signings, along with Kathrine at their expo booth. In light of their upcoming visit, we caught up with the couple to find out their perspectives on the running world today including what running means to them now, how they stay inspired and what they believe is next in the sport. 
iRun: How different is the competitive field of runners now, as compared to when you running and competing? Can you give us a snapshot of what it was like for competitive runners at that time versus these days?
Kathrine Switzer: Roger’s new book When Running Made History is the first to tell the story of how a tiny minority sport grew into the global social movement we now know.
Roger Robinson: The big changes are the huge increase in women’s numbers—Thanks to Kathrine and also detailed in her book Marathon Woman—the inclusion of all age groups, and of course sheer numbers.
KS: Roger gives eyewitness narratives from his childhood on, showing how running used to be track meets where six men were watched by many thousands. Now many thousands do the actual running. In one word, the key difference is participation—actually doing it, not watching others.
iRun: Is there a moment in time that you would attribute the shift in the sport, from what it was once, to what we know the sport and athletes, in particular distance athletes?
KS: The 1980 Avon Global Women’s Marathon in the series that I organised was the transformative event that led to the inclusion of the women’s marathon in the Olympics. That 1980 race in London is brought to life from two different points of view in my memoir Marathon Woman, and Roger’s definitive When Running Made History.
RR: One other key moment that I witnessed was the 1990 Berlin Marathon, the first after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the day when running revealed that it has become the world’s “new form of celebration,” as I call it in the book.
iRun: What is your favourite moment or era in running that you think back to and it makes you joyful?
KS: For me, it was the 2017 Boston Marathon, which I ran on my 50th anniversary of the famous 1967 run. It was then I knew the women’s running revolution was an unstoppable empowering movement that will continue to change the world.
RR: My greatest stroke of luck was that I was still running well at age 40, at just the moment when Masters running became established. Free trips! Global championships! Festive big races! All new. The last chapter in my book shows how I enjoyed my mid-life crisis, as well as how important running has been in changing perceptions of age.
iRun: You are both integral to players in the world of running, and have shared history in the sport. What was the point for you both, when you thought you needed to take a role as advocates for the running movement?
KS: I knew when I crossed the finish line of the 1967 Boston Marathon that I had to do what I could do create opportunities for women in running. I knew it would empower them but they didn’t know that. I had to create welcoming events and push for official inclusion—even in the Olympics.
RR: I made important contributions to re-thinking the role of the stadium announcer and presentation at track and field and running events. In When Running Made History, I talk about running’s leadership in the environmental movement which is a place where my writing has been influential since the 1980s. My main role has been showing that running deserves the best possible writing.
iRun: How important is it for you to both have the knowledge and understanding of and passion for running as you both do? How do you help to inspire one another on your paths as speakers, writers and running legends?
KS and RR: It’s profoundly helpful to share ideas and expertise, and on public occasions, like speaking at the Toronto Marathon Expo. We love the fact that we are each 100% reliable, supportive, and inspirational as co-speakers. At the same time, we work completely independently, and Roger’s life as a successful writer, is very different from Kathrine’s as a motivational speaker and activist for the 261 Fearless.
iRun: What is the best thing about this sport, and how has that changed for you over the years you’ve been involved in the sport?
KS: Running has given me everything in my life—health, fitness, career, creative, fearlessness, husband, religion, but most of all, it’s given me myself. When I need to find me again, I go for a run.
RR: Telling the stories and sharing the ideas that help them see how significant their own running can be. I see my role as helping to find the words for something that is so important and creative in so many people’s lives.
iRun: Who could have imagined that marathons would become such a popular movement for men and women worldwide? Did either of you see it coming?
KS: I always knew that the marathon would be popular for women because it is such a big accomplishment. Women are good at it naturally because women excel at endurance. I knew that if I could run a marathon I could do anything and that is how women feel. It transforms them. It was only a matter of creating events that encouraged and welcomed them. Once that was done, they were on their way, knowing they could go further, faster, or do something else they never imagined: better job, more education, better relationships.
RR: As early as 1978 I wrote that, “running is a major social movement of our time.” When Running Made History tracks that whole process, partly from my personal perspective.
iRun: How do you see the next decade of running going? Will elites continue to get faster, is there going to be a tipping point even where we see a decrease in distance running like marathons do you think?
KS: The big marathons will continue to be popular, as they are quite spectacular shows. But I see running expanding hugely into longer events, ultra, trail and mountain runs, and women will often dominate this area. We can run forever.
RR: Two main directions: First, running will become more genuinely inclusive. One chapter of my book is a radical re-think of how we are still mainly a sport for the relatively affluent. Secondly, running will take a stronger leadership role in environmentalism. Running, as my book is entitled, makes history.
iRun: Why do you both continue to be such an incredibly active part of the running community? You’ve both been so inspiring for others, so how do you keep that inspiration going yourselves?
KS: In women’s running particularly, my motivation is because there is still so much yet to do. Most women in the world still live in a fearful situation and running can really give them a sense of hope. Plus it is easy and accessible. My non-profit organization 261 Fearless reaches out to women all over the world with a non-competitive friendly group that helps them take the first step to empowerment. This is what pushes me now: I want this charity to take the next big leap by getting women’s opportunity out there and we are using the Toronto Marathon as our first big step into starting community clubs in Canada.
RR: In a world full of negatives, running is the most positive force I know. Reviewers have called my new book a love poem to running, as well as a significant history. A personal bonus is that being involved in running seems to be a good way of handling the ageing process – or denying it.
Reid Coolsaet is a two-time Olympic marathoner and the third fastest Canadian marathon runner of all-time. Today, it was announced that he’ll be returning to racing 42.2K next month at the Ottawa Marathon, where he made his debut ten years back. We talked to Coolsaet, who turns 40 this summer, about his decision to race Ottawa, his current fixations—goals and training—and asked him about how racing changes after having two kids.
iRun: Your goal is making the 2020 Olympics. Why is Ottawa putting you in a position to achieve that goal?
Coolsaet: Ottawa is a good course and one that I know fairly well. With the new Olympic qualification rules it could be important to have a good world ranking. Ottawa is an IAAF Gold Label race and therefor if you place well it can help your world ranking.
iRun: Can you talk about what your A, B and C goals are for this race?
Coolsaet: Something around 2:13 and a top 8 would be my A goal. Achieving one of the two would be a B goal and after that I’ll fight to be as close as I can to either mark.
iRun: Why this course, why now?
Coolsaet: When choosing a Spring marathon I had originally considered Ottawa but preferred to race in late-April. With a few hiccups in training I needed extra time and Ottawa was a perfect fit.
iRun: How are you feeling? Hamburg was originally the goal race but that didn’t happen. Your back was bothering you and you got sick. What’s your current prognosis?
Coolsaet: Getting sick in mid-March was a little setback but I didn’t feel as though I lost too much training. Having my back act up on me in late-March also wasn’t a huge deal but the combination was too much time-off to feel ready for a late-April race. Since, early-April training has been going well.
iRun: Do you feel like the same guy who was chasing 2:10?
Coolsaet: No, I don’t feel as though I’m operating at the same level as when my main goal was sub 2:10. However, I still feel I can run a good marathon, even if it’s not 2:10, or 2:11.
iRun: Sleep has to be the trendiest topic in life right now. You’re now a father of two. So you’ve run more marathons and have experience, but life is demanding more from you then it once did. Does the experience even out for the other effects of getting older?
Coolsaet: Getting sleep is essential to running at a very high level and I feel that most weeks I get enough sleep. It helps that my wife is supportive and that I run full-time and can make up sleep with a nap.
iRun: Seeing Cam break the record at STWM, something you thought earlier on he might be able to do. Seeing something like that—does that psych you up on your own runs? Of course you don’t need motivation but I mean, does that motivate you?
Coolsaet: Seeing Cam come back after foot surgery and a sub-par year and run well is what motivates me most in that narrative. Seeing him break the Canadian record was the icing on the cake.
iRun: If you had to recommend one running book, one pair of sneakers, and one workout for our readers, what would each of these things be?
Running book: Kings of the RoadShoes: NB 1500. They can do it all.Workout: 15-20′ warm-up, 5 x 4min/ 90″ rest, 15-20′ cool-down.
iRun: Lotta our readers are also running Ottawa, or else certainly races this May. Can you give us a sense of your training leading into the race? When’s your last long run, for instance?
Coolsaet: My last long-run will be two weeks out and will be about 30km. I will maintain one interval and one marathon-pace session per week until the race, the length of the sessions will slowly decrease as the race approaches.
iRun: Since we have you, also, forget about your crazy mileage, and help us regular people. Say I’m training for the half marathon and it’s my first one, what distance would you say I need to top out at in my training, and when do I need to reach that goal?
Coolsaet: For you very first half marathon I would say if you can run around 16km in training that you’ll be able to get to 21.1km on race day. If you’re aiming for a serious goal time in the half you’ll want to have run the distance (and longer) several times in your build-up.
iRun: After all these years, after the Olympics, after all these races, what is it you still love about our sport?
Coolsaet: I like the process of setting goals and working towards them. When I have a goal that is highly motivating then training with a purpose is very meaningful. And heck, it’s a lot of fun.
First Ottawa runner Jane Spiteri shares her experience of a tough, but rewarding day at the Tokyo Marathon. Then, Laurel Adams shares the emotional story of entering the New York City Marathon to honour her mother, Plus, the lastest adventures from Ray Zahab, who is always up for trying the impossible.
Article and Photos by: Alexa Johnson
Ausome Ottawa Run Club Co-Captains Ruby, Jack and Eli (pictured from left to right) are serious about getting ready for Ottawa Race Weekend. They will be leading Team Ausome in just a few short weeks.
In preparation for the big day, Ausome Ottawa has re-introduced their Run Club for the second year. This will help prepare children and their families living with autism for the many distances offered at the Ottawa Race Weekend.
Providing direction is Coach Amy, former Dalhousie track and field runner and mother of two. Both of whom participate in Run Club (pictured below with the Co-Captains is Coach Amy and her son William). iRun met up with Coach Amy at the popular fundraising event “Malts for Miles” to ask her a few questions.
iRun: In one sentence how would you describe Ausome Ottawa?
Coach Amy: Ausome Ottawa provides a safe environment for children with autism to be active and have fun!
iRun: Why did you decide to help start the Ausome Run Club?
Coach Amy: I love running and wanted to share that passion with the Ausome kids. For some of the kids, this is the first time they are working on a common goal in a team setting. Running is also a very accessible sport by only requiring a pair of running shoes and Ottawa Race Weekend is a great event with such a positive vibe that Ausome Ottawa wanted to be part of the excitement!
iRun: What distance have you signed up for at Race Weekend?
Coach Amy: I will be doing the 2km race with my family and other members of Team Ausome on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday.
iRun also met up with Ausome Run Club’s Co-Captains to ask them one very important question, why do they run?
Ruby enjoyed the popsicle stick run (where every lap of the gym provides you with an extra popsicle stick) she says it gets her heart pumping which feels good. Eli likes the spirit and atmosphere at the race. Jack on the other hand enjoys encouraging other people.
Encourage Team Ausome by making a donation or even participating with them! After all, who wouldn’t want to enrich the lives of families living with autism through sport?
Our Magazine