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Sep 10 2015
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Lanni Marchant Returning to Toronto Waterfront Marathon. By Paul Gains

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments
2014 Scotiabank Toronto Marathon

Photo Credit: Photo Run

TORONTO September 10th 2015. After a season to be envied Canada’s Lanni Marchant did what any self respecting distance runner does and retreated to Thailand for a week of relaxation during which time she scuba dived and rode an elephant.

Sufficiently recovered the 31 year old then set her focus on the next major target the 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon which is an IAAF Gold Label race and also the Canadian championship. Race director, Alan Brookes, is delighted to welcome her back to his race.

“We’re thrilled that Lanni has chosen to return to Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon – -the scene of her outstanding national record setting performance,” he said. “It brings an extra sparkle, an extra buzz to have her on the start line at Canada’s number one big-city marathon. It’s National Championships; It’s road to Rio. And it’s a thrill for the entire Canadian running community to have our stars racing at home.”

It was in this race two years ago that she smashed the Canadian women’s record with 2 hours 28 minutes even. Now she has one objective – to achieve the qualifying standard of 2:29:50 for the Rio Olympics.

What a season she has had. The London, Ontario native ran a personal best 10,000m at the Payton Jordan Invitational in Palo Alto, California May 2nd recording a time of 31:46.94. That was well under the the Rio Olympic standard giving her a place on the Canadian team in what was considered her ‘B’ event.

Three weeks later she tackled a world class field at the Ottawa 10k and wound up 3rd in another personal best time of 31:49. Then came the Pan Am Games in Toronto where she battled to a bronze medal in the 10,000m before finishing 18th in the IAAF World Championships 10,000m in Beijing. From China it was just a short hop over to Thailand.

“I will have to see how training goes the next couple of weeks obviously but my main goal in Toronto is the Rio standard,” she declared during a quick visit home, “And I won’t be making moves to jeopardize that. But in 2013 my goal was to come in and just have a positive experience at Toronto after the world championships (she struggled to a 3:01.54 clocking) had gone so poorly.”

“If I am in the race and, after about 30k, if I am feeling really good then I will go for it a little bit. But you won’t see me going out at 2:24 pace. Getting to Rio and making sure I have the qualifying standard in two events is my primary target.”

Though she was a little dehydrated after her Beijing 10,000m – it was 28 Celsius and humid at race time – she recovered quickly and managed a couple of one hour runs within days.  The success she experienced in the 10,000m has also given her added momentum for the marathon.

Presuming she hits the Rio Olympic standard in Toronto she will then face a decision that few Canadian distance runners have encountered in the past: whether to double in the two events or choose one. It would be a nice position to be in. Her coach Dave Mills wants her to double, she says.

“Up until this year, definitely, I would have said the marathon is my primary event but I have had such success in the 10,000m and I have only been focusing on it for such a short period,  just a year really,” she offers. “There’s also the potential that this work I am doing for the 10,000m will benefit my marathon in the long run as well.

SVHM 2015

Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon 2015

“That’s why I am doing the marathon in Toronto. I don’t want to count myself out of the marathon. I have run 2:28 and I think I can better that mark at some point in my career. After the fall I will know better whether I should stick with the 10,000m for a couple of years or dabble in both or, if the writing is on the wall and I blow one out of the water in Toronto, then I might be a marathoner who does 10k training to up her game for the marathon.”

Marchant has been working as a criminal lawyer with a law firm in Chattanooga, Tennessee the past few years and the partners have been extremely supportive of her running endeavours. She credits them for allowing her freedom to pursue her running ambitions.

“Yes the law firm is very supportive,” she confirms. “I am in contact with them when I am at training camps, at the world championships and when I was in Thailand. They understand. They will load me up in my off season. I am not tooting my own horn but I am good at research, good at writing arguments.  That’s a role I can fill for them. It’s a really good fit. It’s not like they are losing out when I am gone. I share what I bring in. If I don’t bring anything in then it doesn’t cost them anything to have me. There is no overhead.”

As she has done in previous years Marchant plans to spend part of the winter training at high altitude in Kenya followed by another bout of altitude training in Flagstaff, Arizona in the spring. Having the chance to double in Rio would be an incredible opportunity with the two days between the 10,000m and the marathon.

But first there’s Toronto and the formality of getting that pesky standard.

“I have had good and bad experiences in Toronto,” she recalls. “2012 not so good 2013 was amazing and 2014 I was right up the middle. But Alan runs such a great race and I am so well received in Toronto.

“And now two of my best performances have been there – setting the Canadian marathon record and winning the bronze medal at Pan Ams. It made sense to go back there. It’s the first year that Toronto is the national championships. I won the national 10k and the half marathon nationals so I want to go for the hat trick and get the marathon as well.”

Time will tell if she ‘blows one out of the water.’

To join Lanni at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5k visit http://STWM.ca

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Sep 07 2015
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Getting to the Start Line. Running to the Finish Line.

By | Digital Champions, Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

TORONTO. September 7th 2015. Digital Champion Kenneth Trueman started running in Spring 2008 to lose weight and completed his first half-marathon in June of 2009. In 2010, he qualified for the Boston Marathon with 21 seconds to spare and in 2014 he ran his marathon PB of 3:13. Kenneth loves the marathon because it’s a personal project where you are ultimately accoutable to yourself. Unlike shorter distances, the marathon forces even the most elite runner out of their comfort zone. When Kenneth isn’t running you can find him cycling. Connect with Kenneth on Twitter and Instagram.

Getting to the Start line. Running to the Finish line. By Kenneth Trueman. 

Last weekend in Quebec City I finished my 21st marathon in exactly 6 years and one where I served as the 3:45 run/walk pace bunny. My next event is the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, where I hope to achieve a new personal best (PB) with the help of the 3:10 pace bunny. However, my challenge is that I started a new job in early June that has seen me travel over 50% of the time. Eek ! I am writing this during a business trip to Dallas where I headed the day after the Quebec City marathon.

kenneth blog 1I got my start in running the same way that many in this recent generation of runners have. On the cusp of turning 40, I decided that I needed to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle. I lost 35 pounds over the next 6 months and have since kept most of it off. Cycling has given me thighs and added some weight back.

Like many people, the years following high school and college were characterized by slowing down and putting on weight. In fact, I made the lifestyle switch the month following my 20th high school reunion. How Hollywood classic is that!

In November of 2014, I wrote an article describing my reasons for running, so I won’t repeat them here.

Here are some things that came to mind when I was asked to write an article as a Digital Champion for the 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. They are a mix of lessons learned, mistakes made, things I am proud of, etc. Hopefully, you will find a few items that resonate with you.

What I learned about myself from running races:

  • I can set and achieve goals. As I mentioned in my article from 2014, these goals are my goals and whether I achieve them, or not, is down to me and to me alone. They are objective in nature, and not subjective like so many other facets of life. That appeals to me. The first goal was to lose weight. The next was to qualify for Boston. And then to do it again. I have some other goals, which will discuss later in this article.
  • I can show discipline. Summer running. Winter running. Rainy weather, hot weather. I can and pretty much do run through them all. One thing that helps me is how sites such as Strava provide monthly challenges for distance covered or hours of activity. I am proud to say that Strava’s gamification effect on me is complete. I can lace up my shoes when feeling lousy on a day with lousy weather, all in the name of receiving a digital badge. The ability to share your race training and race goals with others running STWM is also pretty cool.
  • I can suffer. And then suffer some more. Long runs. Running 6 days a week. Running while jetlagged. Running marathons on 3-week break. If given the choice, I do prefer to suffer on a road bike, all things considered.

Mistakes I made:

  • Too much cross-training. Cycling is a great compliment to running, but it is no substitute. It is important to get enough core training. Based on my experience, you can probably substitute 20-25% of your running with cycling; anything more than that and you will likely have a hard time achieving your goals. And missing goals is hard mentally, taking as long or longer to put right as actual physical training. A handy rule of thumb is that 30km of cycling equals 10km of running. If your training plan calls for 80km of running, than you could ride 60km and run 60km and all should be well.
  • Not enough training. My early marathons were characterized by as little as 30-35km of training per week. There is nothing wrong with only running 30-35km per week, however doing so in preparation for a marathon with an aggressive time goal in mind is a recipe for heartbreak or for injury. Effectively doubling my training volume, while following a plan, has seen me achieve new highs.
  • Hydration. Sometimes too much. Sometimes not enough. Both can land you in the first aid tent or even the hospital. Knowing what to drink and when during a race takes practice. And what worked for one race may not work for another.
  • Mixing sports drink with energy gels. A recipe for disaster if there ever was one. Too much sugar all at once leaves your muscles yearning for water, which means cramps—and why not some gastrointestinal distress—are not far behind either. (This video from Skratch Labs demonstrates very effectively just what happens in your stomach when you take in too much sugar at once.)

Other lessons I learned:

  • Read the course map before the race. It is important to read the details of the course to understand where the hydration stops, first aid tents, and porta-potties are located. Also consider positioning friends and family at strategic spots to give you a needed emotional boost at critical times during the race. Agree in advance where you will meet up with family members or other supporters after the race to remove the drama.
  • Stop drinking an hour before the race starts. As someone who had a nasty habit of stopping mid-race to pee, I only learned this lesson after running about 15 marathons. During those first 15 races, I would very often stop to pee one or more times, with the obvious impact on my finishing time. When I didn’t have to pee, it was more a case of not drinking enough in hot weather, than any sort of proper race execution on my part. I only learned about 2 years ago that one should stop drinking about an hour before the race. That is enough for the body. Any further thirstiness up until the gun goes off is most likely nervousness.
  • The national anthem is a good time to pee in a crowd. This one applies to men only. Take an empty sport drink bottle with you to your race corral. While no one is looking down—all eyes are on the flag or the national anthem singer—slip the bottle under your shorts and get that last need to pee over and done with. Close the bottle, toss it over the crowd and call out, “Don’t drink that!” And if you hear someone else yell that out, well don’t drink it!
  • Vaseline is your friend. Apply liberally. And then some. Under your chest strap. Under your arms. Around and in between your thighs. Repeat. Especially for the thighs.
  • A pair of running shoes is a must when traveling. Other than cycling, running is hands down the best way to see a city.

What I am most proud of:

There are a lot of ways to answer that question.

  • Qualifying for Boston in spite of horrible pacing. I qualified for Boston on my 4th marathon outing based on *average* pace; in this case, my average hid some pretty wild variations. I went out way too hard, in the range of 4:00/km, and finished much slower at around 5:30/km, stopping every kilometer or so to catch my breath and calculate how much more downtime I could afford. I qualified for Boston with 21 seconds to spare.
  • Running the 2014 Tokyo Marathon at a constant pace. My goal was simple. Run an average pace throughout the course. I aimed for an average of 4:51/km and I finished with an average of 4:49/km. That is less than a 1% difference.
  • Finishing the 2012 Berlin Marathon in a world of hurt. I started the race on a bad IT band. At the 17km I felt something give out. I spent the next 25km walking, jogging, limping, sitting, etc. But I finished it nonetheless.
  • Beating a 4-year old PB twice in the same year. From 3:20 to 3:15 with a pace bunny in Pittsburgh in May 2014 and then to 3:13 on a hilly and windy New York City Course in November 2014.
  • Puking twice and still beating a PB by 7 minutes. That guy who was projectile vomiting water at the 2010 Valencia Marathon was me. Because I didn’t read the course map and details (see example of mistakes mentioned above), I missed the fact that there was no sport drink; only water. Hello hyponatremia! And hello to the nice people at that hospital in Valencia, Spain, who made me well. (I never did figure out how to ask for or find Pedialyte in Spanish.)

But the real thing I am proudest of is this: all of the people who have told me that I inspired them to start and to keep running. In doing my own thing; in setting, achieving and occasionally surpassing goals; and in sharing them on social media, I provided inspiration for others to get off the couch, slip on some shoes, and discover what is actually an amazing and accessible sport.

Where to go from here:

Did I mention that I like to set goals? Here are the ones I am working towards now in the coming months and years:

  • Completing the World Marathon Majors. Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York City. They are the crème de la crème of marathons and I have completed 5 out of 6, running NYC and Chicago two times (with another kick at Boston on tap for April 2016). If and when the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon gets added to the club, I’ll have that one completed already.
  • 60 marathons by the age of 60. After my 5th or 6th marathon, I set a goal of running 25 marathons by the age of 50, and 50 marathons by the age of 60. As someone in my early 40s at the time, that meant running between 2-3 marathons a year. A few marathons later, I upped my goal to running 30 marathons by the age 50, and 60 marathons by the age of 60. I am currently ahead of my goal, so I have set myself the goal of …
  • Completing a full Ironman-distance triathlon. I have the running and the long bike rides down pat—7 rides of 200km or more in a 7-week period in the summer of 2014—but I can’t swim a pool length. And that is ignoring the fact that skinny men who run also tend to sink in water.

But first of all, I want to get that new PB in Toronto on October 18th.

Thanks for making it this far and best of luck at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Sep 03 2015
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Deressa Chimsa Returning to Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. By Paul Gains

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

2013 Scotiabank Toronto Marathon Toronto, Canada October 20, 2013 Victah1111@aol.com 631-291-3409 www.photorun.NET

TORONTO September 3rd 2015. Deressa Chimsa thrilled spectators at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon two years ago, running away from an incredibly strong field and claiming victory in a Canadian All Comers’ record of 2:07:05.

Now the Ethiopian star has confirmed he will return and tackle his course record in this IAAF Gold Label race, Sunday October 18th.

Ironically, Chimsa wasn’t meant to run Toronto in 2013. He was a late addition after one of his training partners was forced to withdraw from the race due to an injury. Race director Alan Brookes’ budget opened up and Chimsa’s agent had, what turned out to be, the perfect substitute.

“The training is going well and with six weeks to go, if I’ll not have any problem, I hope to be able to perform at my best in Toronto,” he said from his training base in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. “I run actually 210-230 kilometres a week, sometimes fast, sometimes slowly. This week I’ll start the special period for the marathon training.”

This year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will serve as the Canadian marathon championships as well as being lauded with IAAF Gold Label status. Chimsa, who has a best time of 2:05:42 recorded at the 2012 Dubai Marathon knows he will be facing the 2014 champion, Laban Korir of Kenya, this time but relishes the challenge. A year ago he couldn’t defend his title.

“Unfortunately I was preparing for Toronto last year but an injury made me unable to train for a few weeks and I had to postpone racing this marathon,” he explains.

“No problem, when I’m ready I’m not afraid of anybody. As I said, when I won Toronto it was not my race because I entered Toronto just one month before the race. Shami Dawid from Ethiopia was injured and when they proposed it to me I accepted because I was strong in training and I did not want to wait until November and lose the shape.”

Chimsa remembers well his first glorious visit to Toronto as he knows he made a grievous error in following a pace car when it turned off the course in the finishing stretch. He is still kicking himself though he appears to have thoroughly enjoyed his time in Canada’s biggest city. Besides taking the $20,000 first place prize that day he earned another $35,000 for the Canadian All Comers’ record.

“It was one of the best days of my career,” he declares. “I won 2013 Scotiabank Toronto Marathon Toronto, Canada October 20, 2013 Victah1111@aol.com 631-291-3409 www.photorun.NETwith the course record and running in front the last 10 km. The worst thing happened to me the last 300m when I followed the television car and I went off the course and I lost, for sure, more than 20 seconds.

“We went to an Ethiopian restaurant and it was a surprise for me because in other towns where I ran the marathon there are no Ethiopian restaurants. It was a good evening because I received a lot of congratulations from Ethiopians living in Toronto and also during the race there were some Ethiopian spectators helping me.”

The course record is one challenge. But he also knows he can’t predict what shape he will be in come race time.

“All the athletes would like always to go faster but it depends not only about my shape but also about the course.” he says. “If the climate and the wind will be ok I can again run near 2:07 or under – if the pacers are ok and able to go till 30km in a correct pace. There are very many variables in the marathon but the most important thing is my shape.”

Chimsa is 28 years old now and hails from the village of Kore Edo near Holeta Genet about 35 kilometres north of Addis. His parents are farmers and when he is between marathon races he likes to return to visit them and his two sisters and three brothers.

Normally he races two top quality marathons a year. On April 12th of this year he ran 2:07:56 at the Paris Marathon good for seventh place just two seconds behind one Laban Korir. It’s no surprise that he was disappointed with the result blaming it on a poor buildup due to an injury.

What the future holds for Chimsa is anybody’s guess. He has a wealth of experience and he has ambition. But he is also pragmatic.

“I was already at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and I won a silver medal,” he reminds a journalist. “I dream of representing Ethiopia at the Olympic games, but with all the new generation running so fast I know that will be difficult. In any case my goal is to win some top marathons in the next years.

“I would like to compete for another ten years. I hope injuries will not affect me (or not so much) in the future. You know your body has to support you, otherwise it is difficult to run. Then I want to share my experiences with the new athletes coming out and I would like to remain and work in athletics. Ethiopia has many big talents, so I think it would be great to coach new athletes and develop them.”

Many of the top Ethiopians have invested their earnings in businesses at home following the example of the great Haile Gebrselassie. But Chimsa is in no rush. He is focusing on his running career now, taking it one race at a time. Along with Laban Korir it will be a fine race when they line up in Toronto.

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Sep 01 2015
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No Excuses

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

TORONTO September 1st 2015. Digital Champion Allison Slater’s most memorable running accomplishment was conquering her first race. Never in a million years did she think she’d be able to run 1km consecutively, let alone 5!  She is inspired to continue running by her family and friends who are always cheering her on through her training and at every finish line she crosses. Allison is excited to take on her first marathon this year at STWM and venture out of her comfort zone. When she’s not running, you’ll find Allison planning her next travel adventure, enjoying healthy food, or experimenting in the kitchen. Connect with Allison on Twitter and Instagram. 

No Excuses. By Allison Slater 

You know that little voice in your head that gives you a million reasons to stay put in your comfort zone? That evil little voice that just creeps up on you and tries to defend, condone and justify skipping out on that run? Whether you’re a long-time runner, just starting out, or even just thinking about giving it a go – that little voice may be all too familiar. Running is just as much a mental sport as it is physical and I find the mental part the most challenging. Being in the right state of mind, not letting yourself hold you back and just being able to push through is not an easy thing to do.

These are my top five most common excuses and what I tell myself to crush them before they get the best of me.

1. “It’s raining… But it’s snowing… It’s too cold… .It’s too Allison Slater Blog 1hot.” 

I absolutely love running outdoors and a treadmill is never an option for me. In the winter months, I wear clamps on my shoes for extra grip, double up my layers and I make sure to never leave without my gloves. On those extra hot days, running earlier in the morning or later in the evening helps beat the heat and humidity. Being prepared with the right gear for all seasons and weather conditions leaves little room for the weather to hold you back. The coldest days are the hardest for me, but also the most enjoyable once I get out there. I try to remind myself that the faster I move, the quicker I warm up.

 2. “I worked all day, I’m too tired.”

Yes, work is tiring, stress is tiring, life is tiring; but think about it, when have you gone for a run and actually regretted it afterwards? Once I get out there and get in the groove, I wake up and feel like I can take on the world. Running gets your adrenaline going and can give you a second wind.

3. “People are going to stare at me.”

People will stare, it’s human nature. Who knows, you may give that random stranger staring at you the motivation they need to get out there themselves and start running! I like to remind myself that I walk by so many different people daily that I don’t even notice, so odds are they probably won’t even remember you.

4. “I don’t have time.”

One thing I know about myself is if I really want to do something, I will make time for it. Having a routine that works with your schedule helps you to fit in a run on even the busiest of days. I enjoy waking up at the crack of dawn to hit the pavement before I start my workday. It helps increase my energy level first thing in the morning, which makes me way more productive throughout the day.

Allison Slater Blog 25. “I’m unmotivated.”

Sign up for a charity race that may be near and dear to your heart. It doesn’t have to be a marathon, it could even be a community run around your block. When I first started running, my runs were not measured by distance, I didn’t even know how long one kilometre was. I used to judge how long I ran by how many songs I listened to while out there. Every few days, I would throw another song onto my playlist and made sure not to stop until I heard them all. The tunes kept me motivated and the challenge kept me going.

The key to keeping yourself motivated it to make realistic, measurable, specific goals that keep your mission clear and attainable. You can also run with a friend or join a local run crew. Having someone to help push you to reach your goals and cheer you on when you’re feeling down may be exactly what you need.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are excuses and then there are actual reasons why you shouldn’t run. Pushing through an injury or disobeying your doctor’s orders are not excuses, they are reasons. Your body needs rest days to avoid injury and to recharge your battery. Taking a break can make you come back even stronger. Reminding yourself of your goals and what’s important to you will help you stay on track. Need a little burst of motivation? Connect with me on Twitter.

Aug 31 2015
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I Will: The journey from a 5% chance of ever being able to walk again to running STWM

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

TORONTO August 31st 2015. This is the second in a series of four special blog features by Robert MacDonald, a 28-year-old Canadian who went from an ICU hospital bed, with a 5% chance of ever walking again, to training to run the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon in October 2015. Follow Robert’s journey via Instagram and Twitter.

I Will: The journey from a 5% chance of ever being able to walk again to running STWM. By Robert MacDonald. 

The date is Thursday January 13th, 2013 and I am carefully steering my wheelchair towards the in-ground scale at the Lyndhurst Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Centre. As I roll onto the scale and read the weight I feel astonished and defeated: I’ve lost 35 pounds in one month.

You have to understand, I was fairly fit before my accident; I was active and lean. This 35-pounds wasn’t extra weight; it was lost muscle mass.  As I wheeled onward to my morning physio appointment, I felt devastated and deeply frustrated at the state of wreckage my body was in.

A few days later my older sister Becky came to visit me at Lyndhurst.  She offered to take me to the local grocery store for some snack food noticing that the hospital cafeteria wasn’t serving meals at the time.

Looking back, I’m sure she suggested it because I looked like I’d spent the last month on a hunger strike. Either way, I was excited about my first car ride out of the hospital in my wheel chair. I knew it would help take my mind off the crushing realization, earlier in the week, of how my body had atrophied.

Little did I know that there were two things that would make that Sunday trip to the grocery store unforgettable for the rest of my life…

Becky pulled up in front of the hospital and pushed my wheelchair close to the open passenger door where I transferred somewhat clumsily from the wheelchair into the car. She folded up the wheelchair and put it in her trunk.  My mood quickly turned from excited and happy to sad. I thought to myself, “This is absolute hell; I can’t believe so many people go through this routine every day.” How shallow it seemed now, that I once considered grocery shopping a burden.

On a side note, I spent slightly over two months in a wheelchair. Though this seemed like forever at the time, I can only imagine the strength and determination of those who do it for their entire life.

After repeating the transferring process at the grocery store parking lot I was operating a wheelchair in public for the first time.

My sister, noticing I was low on strength and energy, started pushing me down each aisle of the grocery store. I repeatedly had to ask her to go slower because I couldn’t register everything as quickly as before from my newly seated vantage-point. I had to ask her to stop when I saw something I liked. I had to ask her for help every time I’d try to reach for an item that was now out of my reach.

I thought my weigh-in a couple days earlier would be the low point in morale; I didn’t think I could sink any lower. But in that grocery store, unable to do the simplest tasks without my sister’s help, realization hit me like a ton of bricks: this is what my daily routine would be like if I were in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.

But the world is such a strange, confusing, amazing place, and sometimes it is at these moments of dismay that the world decides to throw you a little bit of light.

This trip wasn’t just memorable for what happened at the store, but for what happened when we arrived back at the front doors of the hospital.  Becky got my wheelchair out of the trunk and to my side of the car but had circled back to close her driver’s side door.

Rather than wait, for some reason I decided I should transfer myself right away.  I guess it was instinct or maybe I just wasn’t thinking clearly, but as I attempted the transfer I tried to put my limp legs down to help out.  As I did, I yelped in excitement.

My sister, frantic and thinking I was in serious trouble, ran back around just at the moment my legs gave way and I toppled back into my wheelchair. I wasn’t in trouble; I had stood on my own, for the first time since my accident!  Becky gazed at me and saw the tears in my eyes as she raced toward me unaware of what had happened.  I was so happy my crying turned to laughter and I explained to her that for one single second I felt what it was like to stand again.

That single second was what I latched on to, and what carried me through so many of the challenges I would face mentally and physically in the upcoming weeks.

You and I will face many challenges mentally and physically in our marathon training and in life, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this: make sure you celebrate the victories, big and small, and use them as motivation to battle through adversity.

In Robert MacDonald Second Blog Gros Mornemy training, I’ve found running is a lot like climbing a mountain, which I did this summer in Gros Morne National Park.  Even if you run or climb the same route every day, each run or climb will never be the same. You will always face different challenges and you will always have a different feeling when you reach the peak or cross the finish line. Take it from me, experiencing victory never feels as good when you don’t have to fight and battle your way through adversity to get there.

Here are four of my personal, “Victories” over the last year. I hope you and I can add our 5th victory together when we cross the finish line at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon this October.

Robert MacDonald Second Blog 10k1. Climbing the Maderas Volcano in Ometepe, Nicaragua (1,394 metres) in December 2014.

2. Completing a 10Km run with my father, sister, and best friends in April 2015 (photo at right.)

3. Climbing the challenging volcanic rock debris field of the summit of Gros Morne in Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park in July 2015.

4. Cycling 75km for the Ride for Heart (in some rough weather) in support of my grandmother, a good friend’s father, and a business mentor who all have been affected by stroke’s in their lives.

Your Training buddy,
-Robert MacDonald

To read part 1 of Robert MacDonald’s blog series click here.

Aug 31 2015
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Train With Grains Recipe: Double Breakfast!

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

Train With Grains Recipe: Double Breakfast.  By CRS Community Leader Steve Layton.

This year we’re teaming up with the Grain Farmers of Ontario to bring you the best pre and post-run recipes to fuel your marathon training! Each week we’ll feature a new and unique recipe from one of our CRS Community Leader Ambassadors. For today’s recipe Steve Layton serves up a double breakfast for those long run days where you need to fuel both before and after your run. A hearty bowl of oatmeal before and a stack of delicious pancakes for after! Do you have a recipe you’d like to share? Share a photo on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #TrainWithGrains for your chance to win a “Good in Every Grain” Prize Pack valued at $50! 

So you know the drill by now, it’s long run day!  You’re going to get up early, you’re going to fuel up and you’ll pound the pavement for hours on end until you hit the milage required to know you got it in the bag when race day comes.

For me, this part of training early on was not necessarily a pleasant one, I commonly found myself running out of steam mid run when only relying on gels and sports drinks and then was ravenous for food the rest of the day.

To remedy this I did some research (and trial and error) to determine a solid fix, and thus my long run double breakfast program was born!

Breakfast 1: Oatmeal Bowl of Champions!

I know what you’re thinking, oatmeal, super original right?  Well it gets the job done providing a solid base of slow burning carbs in your stomach for when you head out on a long effort, and you can have a little fun with it.

What to do: 

Make 1/2 cup of instant oats by mixing about 1 cup of water in a bowl with the oats and put that in the microwave for about 1 minute or until they oats are puffing up in the bowl.

Now that was hard I know, we have oatmeal!  Now the fun part!

Add the following to oatmeal while it’s piping hot so it melts in to it!

2 Tablespoons of chunky peanut butter (or whatever nut butter you got handy)

1 Tablespoon of honey because if it’s good enough for bee’s it’s good enough for me!

Then stir all that together and you’re ready to add some toppings.

1/4 Cup of Almonds and Raisins if you’re in to that sort of thing!

1/4 Cup of granola on the top cause why not add some more crunch!

That’s it!  Consume this blend of slow burning energy about 30-40 minutes before you head out the door and you should have a solid power base to run for the next few hours.

Breakfast 2: Long Run Done GIVE ME ALL THE FOOD!

We know the post long run breakfast should be a well balanced meal to aid in recovery of tired muscles but all we can think at this point is “GIVE ME ALL THE FOOD!”.

You know what, that’s fine too because this second breakfast fits that bill with a combination of carbs, protein and sugars to get you fixed up in the recovery department while taking away those short-term “OMG I’m tired, hungry and wolves are after me” feelings you have right now.

To meet this need we will once again be looking to instant oats, but this time they will be transformed into delicious oatmeal pancakes (yes I know, oats again, what can I say I like oatmeal.

This recipe is a little more tricky then the oats in a bowl so you might want to make the batter in advance of your long run so you can pour and go when you get back.

Oatmeal Pancakes:

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk, divided

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 Super soft old banana

What to do:

Start by microwaving 3/4 cup milk until you got Steve Latyon TrainWithGrains Blogsome warm to hot milk.

Pour the oats in with the warm milk and stir in the honey to hot mix and let it soak for about 10 minutes allowing the oats to hydrate as much as you might need to after a run.

In a larger bowl you need to combine the flour, baking power, baking soda and salt and whisk that all together.

Stir the egg, butter, brown sugar and a cold 3/4 cup of milk and the now fully hydrated oat mixture and mash in the soft banana in it’s own bowl, then mix that with the dry ingredients.

Whisk that until it’s smooth like Lionel Richie. Feel free to listen to “Say You, Say Me” if it helps your process! You can also add more milk, or as I like to do add coconut milk, to get the consistency of the batter to where you like it.

Now all you have to do is pour pancakes any size you like in to a medium heated frying pan that was greased with a little butter and off you go.

Personally I then like to toss a few eggs and some bacon on the side of these cakes and a liberal does of real maple syrup for the perfect post run solution to Runger.  Enjoy!

* Share your favourite pre or post run snack or meal on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #TrainWithGrains for your chance to win a $50 “Good In Every Grain” prize pack! 

Aug 27 2015
0

From East Van With Love.

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VANCOUVER August 27th 2015. Digital Champion Ryan Chilibeck started running a few years back to shed some weight and quickly got hooked on living a better and balanced life. His greatest running accomplishment to date has been founding the East Vancouver Run Crew! In just over a year he’s seen new friendships made, many beers drank, and hundreds of kilometres run with his crew. When he’s not running, you’ll find Ryan hanging out with his wife and daughter or working at his pizzeria in East Vancouver.  Connect with Ryan on Twitter and Instagram!

From East Van With Love. By Ryan Chilibeck 

Some of you are probably wondering just who I Ryan Chilibeck Blog 1am? I have yet to show up for any of the STWM training runs and am perpetually absent from starting corrals of Canada Running Series events in Eastern Canada. I am heavily removed from the Toronto running scene yet here I am, an absolute nobody with an overly enthusiastic audience. Perfect! Being the only Westerner on the STWM Digital Champions team, I’ve been given the opportunity to travel to the “Centre of the Universe” for the big foot race and BTGYYZ, a bigger summit of Run Crews from around the world. As I’ll be out there to represent the growing running scene on the west coast and the East Van Run Crew (see photo at left), I felt it was only fitting to offer a little glimpse of my path to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Let’s talk about my home, East Vancouver.

Like most people who are too distracted (aka lazy) to do strengthening exercises at home, my training starts and ends at my front door. When most people think of Vancouver, their minds immediately wander to those glorious sunrise runs around Stanley Park, watching all the beautiful people doing the False Creek shuffle or (for the adventurous folk) visions of a technical trail outing in North Vancouver while catching jaw-dropping views of the Pacific Ocean along the way. Well, scrap those thoughts. I am here to give you a street-level, urban runner’s view of hitting the uneven pavement and neglected alleyways in my area of town.

Having moved from downtown a couple of years ago, it took me a while to carve out my appetite for exercising on the East Side of Main Street. I hated running so much when we first moved; it was hilly, grungy, hard to get around without hitting stoplights, it smelled like oil tankers/chemical fires/chicken processing plants, I was randomly harassed by weirdos on a run-to-run basis, it’s inescapably hot in the summer, it rains a little harder in the winter…oh, and the alley cats are scary and have really sharp claws. It was the complete opposite of stepping out onto the seawall from our downtown condo: the scenery was amazing, people were friendly, and like-minded individuals exchanged perfect smiles as their Boston Terriers sniffed each other’s butts. It was flat. It was clean. It was basically a runner’s dreamland. Despite its apparent perfection, one thing always rubbed me the wrong way…there was no grit, no emotion, no distress. Nowadays, I’ve learned to embrace my surroundings (except the cats) and can’t seem to stop finding new gems every time I head out for a cruise. Here are some things you can expect the next time you’re on the West Coast and want to join me and the East Vancouver Run Crew on a run:

The Hills

Don’t be fooled by all this “sea level” banter. Once you cross Main Street, expect to feel a little leg burn. No matter which street you turn down, it seems like you are greeted by yet another gentle climb. It’s not quite North Shore hilly but they are big enough to be annoying and small enough to still make it fun. At the end of the day I take comfort that when the “big one” hits, we should be some of the safest people in all of the (lower main)land.

The Art

Ryan Chilibeck Blog 2I wouldn’t necessarily categorize the witty graffiti, half finished murals and countless lion statues as “fine art”, but after a while you start to see the beauty in the persistence. Aside from the iconic East Van Cross, I don’t recommend that you look at each piece of art individually; instead, view East Vancouver as a priceless collection of work that spans generations, tastes, religious beliefs, political alliances, good taste, poor humour and everything in between. Keep your camera handy.

The Scenery

The beautiful ocean and mountain views aside, where else can you sprint through water parks, by amusement parks, along urban railways, down littered alleyways and around oddly shaped tracks? After a long run, do yourself a favour and find a perch to watch the sun set behind the downtown skyline. It’s pretty cool to witness the City of Glass light up, glow and then go right back to sleep.

The Breweries

At last count, there are 14 craft breweries (and growing) on our side of town. So many beer, so little time! If you pop in to see what’s on tap, look closely and you’ll probably see someone from EVRC with a flight of beer in front of them. When you come to town, do yourself a favour and plan out a little walking tour of the area to visit the many tasting rooms. If you want to step it up a notch, get some friends together and map out a fun run from brewery to brewery. It’ a good way to kill an afternoon and a bunch of brain cells all in one hazy, beer-fueled fell swoop.

The Community

Take a stroll down Commercial Drive and tell me you aren’t a little confused, enticed and maybe a little scared. The street oozes energy from the Skytrain to Sex Shops. As you walk along, you’ll see young families, old school Italians, artists, buskers, bakers, protesters, bike polo’ers, espresso drinkers, patio dwellers and everything in-between, all living, conversing and breathing energy into this rare Vancouver neighbourhood. I really love living, working and raising my child in this community… just don’t leave anything valuable in your car.

Much like the characters of East Vancouver pump the veins of Commercial Drive, the runners that make up East Vancouver Run Crew do the same. You would think that going for runs would be the cornerstone of our crew…well, it’s not. Our growing family gathers one or more times a week to engage in a little physical activity but then we sit down to a family dinner of barley pops, cheese sticks and story time. We live by one simple rule that helps to maintain a high energy, equal and fun environment for anyone that shows up: No Jerks Allowed.Ryan Chilibeck Blog 3

So that’s it…an insider’s view of East Vancouver. No matter where you live, just remember to get out and explore every inch around you. My guess is there are some pretty confusing, enticing and scary things in your area of the world. Go find them! That said, if you ever find yourself on the left coast and itching for a run, look me up and come out with us at the East Van Run Crew. We like new people BUT the first round is on you!

Aug 25 2015
0

Train With Grains Recipe: Banana Blueberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Train With Grains Recipe: Banana Blueberry Chocolate Chip Muffins.  By CRS Community Leader Lisa Davidson.

This year we’re teaming up with the Grain Farmers of Ontario to bring you the best pre and post-run recipes to fuel your marathon training! Each week we’ll feature a new and unique recipe from one of our CRS Community Leader Ambassadors. Today’s recipe is a sweet and satisfying post-run treat, without any added sugar! As soon as you see how easy it is to make Lisa Davidson’s Banana Blueberry Chocolate Chip Muffins, we’re sure you’ll want to try them yourself! Do you have a recipe you’d like to share? Share a photo on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #TrainWithGrains for your chance to win a “Good in Every Grain” Prize Pack valued at $50!

Lisa Davidson Blog 2As the mom of a very active 4 year old, I am often on the go. Between teaching my yoga classes, hitting the gym for strength training or heading out for a run (in between all the other “mom” things I need to do), I am always busy! As a result, I am not the best at having healthy snacks to throw in my bag. I am scoring high points with meals on a regular basis, but snacks, not so much. My little guy will be content with bananas or apples or blueberries…really any fruit and my kid will inhale it. I usually have a bag of almonds in my bag, but sometimes I want more. That is when I cave in and hit up the closest Starbucks for their Banana Chocolate Chip muffin. I know, I know, you don’t even need to say it…not the healthiest choice. But it is so good, especially when they warm it up for you. I can’t help it, it is a guilty pleasure, especially as a treat the day after a race. I am not alone right? No? Just me? Alrighty then.

This began my quest to find a healthy guilt free muffin recipe. A muffin that I could enjoy eating the whole thing and not just the muffin top – Seinfeld, anyone? Again, just me? Well I found a recipe that is so, so, so good and ticks all my must-haves for a healthy muffin treat.

Banana Blueberry Chocolate Chip Muffins. Zero white sugar and zero oil.  Just all good and all delicious melt-in-your-mouth-give-me-more-I-want-all-the-muffins!

These are quick and easy to make. I will generally ignore a recipe if the ingredient list is too long or if they take too long to make, but this was perfect. These muffins are great to eat on the way to the gym or to teach, or as a snack after I have completed a training run. The best part is they are also 100% kid approved and my son doesn’t miss the sugar one bit!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurtLisa Davidson Blog 1
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups rolled oats (old fashioned or quick)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar (I use Giddy YoYo raw cane juice crystals)
  • 1½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ cup chocolate chips, mini or regular (I used a little less than ½ and then piled in the blueberries)
  • Since the original recipe is just banana and chocolate chips, I went crazy with the blueberries! Pile in as many as you want!

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F and prepare a muffin pan by spraying cavities with cooking spray or lining them with paper liners*. Set aside.
  2. Add all ingredients except for chocolate chips to a blender or food processor and process on high until oats are broken down and batter is smooth and creamy. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
  3. Pour batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each cavity until it is about ¾ full. Optional: Sprinkle a few chocolate chips over the top of each muffin.
  4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops of your muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in pan for ~10 minutes before removing. Store in an air-tight container for up to a week and enjoy!

Note:

* If using paper liners, you’ll want to spray them with cooking spray as well, since the lack of oil in these muffins could make them stick to the liners after baking.

* Share your favourite pre or post run snack or meal on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #TrainWithGrains for your chance to win a $50 “Good In Every Grain” prize pack!

Aug 24 2015
0

Seven Life Lessons I Learned From Running Marathons

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TORONTO August 24th 2015. Digital Champion Jarek Pachocki started running on the treadmill, motivated by a resolution to lose some weight. One day while he was out walking his black Labrador Retriever Sutton, Jarek passed a group of runners and thought to himself: Maybe I should try running? The next day he went to the Running Room for some advice and new gear and in April 2012 he completed his first 10k race! Since then, Jarek has run 4 marathons and this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will be his 5th. He loves the challenge of the marathon and believes that in order to grow in life, we have to go beyond our comfort zones. When he’s not running, Jarek is a Catholic priest, member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, co-pastor of St. Patrick and St Lawrence parishes in Hamilton, ON. Connect with Jarek on Twitter and on his blog.

Seven Life Lessons I Learned From Running Marathons. By Jarek Pachocki. 

There is a line in the “Spirit of the Marathon” movie that captured it all: “When you cross that finish line, no matter how slow or fast, it will change your life forever” -Dick Beardsley (an American long-distance runner best known for his close finish with Alberto Salazar in the 1982 Boston Marathon). There is no doubt that your life won’t be the same after finishing a marathon; and here are some lessons I have learned from it:

1. Enjoy Every Moment of Your Life

Jarek Blog Image 142.2km is a long distance and every kilometer brings something unique to the experience. The excitement of first kilometers, the challenging thoughts that run through your head when you reach the late 20s, the sore painful 30s, the joyful (but so long…) last 500 meters, and feeling of accomplishment and relief after crossing the finish line – all of this makes it an unforgettable experience. And you don’t want to miss any of it. The key to embracing the race is to embrace every kilometer of it with pain or joy; because when you pass it, you won’t be back there any more. Our life is a journey taken one day at a time. You certainly don’t want to miss it – since you cannot relive a particular day or particular moment. So be present and intentional in the way you live your life!

2. You Gotta Have Friends

To be honest, I’m usually a “lone ranger” while I’m running… It gives me time to workout many things in my mind, refocus in life and face and deal with my own challenges and demons. However, the experience of participating in the STWM Digital Champions this year has given me an appreciation of having “running buddies”. Digital Champions is a group of runners who share their journey towards the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon through social media and other means of the digital world. On a number of occasions we have had an opportunity to meet the person hiding behind the picture profile. Friendly chats, sharing stories, goals and aspirations, truly gave me a better understanding that we are all on a common journey. Not only in training for a marathon, but also in the best social network on the market, namely “real life”! And you need friends in real life to share the journey, to encourage and support each other. So appreciate the friends you have in life! They are a real gift.

3. Everybody Is Equal

When you put your bib on, there is a number on it and your first name (thanks for this Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon!). There are no titles, educational accomplishments, income, family background, political preferences or beliefs, or your sexual orientation… No, because we all stand on this start line facing a challenge of 42.2km ahead of us. We are in it together! Unfortunately in life we sometimes “label” people because of everything else that doesn’t appear on our race bib. Appreciate the differences, celebrate the diversity on this common journey of life!

4. Every Uphill Has a DownhillJarek Blog Image 2

There is no doubt that hills come as a challenge in any race; especially when your body has gone through dozens of kilometers already. I say this mantra as I climb every hill: “Remember, every uphill has a downhill”. A painful climb will always be rewarded by a “relaxing” downhill somewhere. One day I saw a page on my desktop Runner’s World calendar that said: “Don’t expect everyday to be better than the last. Some days will be slower than others, and some days might even hurt a bit more. But as long as you’re on the road, it’s a good day.” Keep going!

5. No Pain No Gain

I have to confess that my biggest weakness in training for a marathon is lack of LSD (Long Slow Distance) runs. I could start counting my excuses here, but the bottom line is that they are long, exhausting, boring and often painful. The marathon is a long 42.2km and you cannot count only on multiple 10k runs, you have to embrace the pain in order to gain. And just like in life, setting good intentions, giving your best effort, overcoming failures and struggles, and making an intentional effort to work on relationships will help you live your best life!  Because there is no gain without pain.

6. Living With Purpose

They say running is 80% mental effort and 20% physical effort…and they are right! So far, every marathon I’ve done, around the third quarter of the distance a question pops out in my mind, “Why am I doing this?” That’s the moment when you “make it or break it”. And just like in life, the sense of purpose will help you to accomplish the goal you’ve set up for yourself. A positive answer to this WHY question brings meaning to what you do… running a marathon, taking on particular responsibility, making commitments, building and sustaining relationships, simply living your life to the fullest.

Jarek Blog Image 37. Legacy of the Finish Line

There is that overwhelming feeling when you cross the finish line of accomplishment and relief at the same time. You’ve just done something that many people are not able (or not willing) to do. You’re a marathoner! Then the reflection follows, “How did I do?” “Was I happy with the race?” “Would I do it again?”

Believe it or not, there will be a day when each one of us will cross that final finish line of our life… Don’t wait till then! Ask the questions now, “How am I doing?” “Am I happy in life?” “What’s important in my life?” “How can I change?”

 

 

 

Aug 19 2015
0

Show Us Where You Run to WIN a STWM Prize Pack!

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“Growing up in Toronto, I always felt like I had a good sense of the city. It wasn’t until I started running that I realized how much of it there is left to discover. Every time I head out for a run, I feel like I come across a new neighbourhood, a new intersection, a new landmark.” –Danielle O’Hanley, STWM Digital Champion Ambassador.

We want to celebrate the amazing places where you run as your training for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon! We’re giving away 9 STWM Prize Packs including an Asics Training Singlet and Ciele Athletics STWM FASTcap!

Step 1: Take a photo of your favourite place to run in your hometown. Is it the local track, along the trails, or through busy city streets? We want to see the places where you’re putting in the kilometres to train for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Step 2: Post your photo to Twitter or Instagram and tell us why you love running where you do. Be sure to tag @RunCRS and use our official race hashtag #STWM when posting!

Step 3: Check our Instagram and Twitter accounts every Monday morning for the “#STWM Photo of the Week” to see if you’ve won! We’re giving away a training singlet and cap every week until the marathon so there are 9 chances to WIN!

Good Luck!

Week 1 Winner: http://ow.ly/RhV4i 

Week 2 Winner: http://ow.ly/RNLWY