All Posts By

Damien

Jun 17 2015
0

Get Motivated: The journey from a 5% chance of ever being able to walk again to running STWM

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

TORONTO June 17th 2015. First in a series of 4 special blog features by Robert MacDonald, a 28-year old Canadian who went from ICU hospital bed, with a 5% chance of ever walking again, to training to run the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon in 2015. Follow Robert’s journey via Instagram and Twitter.

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

The date is December 8th, 2012. I am lying on the ground not able to get up, move or for that matter feel my lower body.  All I can think is, “What have I done?”

I had fallen 30 feet, landing on my side, breaking 9 vertebrae, 11 ribs, my scapula, and puncturing a lung.  At that moment on December 8th, lying there, I didn’t know the full extent of my injuries yet.  But I did know one thing for certain: from that moment on, my life had changed forever.

Arriving by air ambulance and rushed to Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital I began to learn exactly how dire my circumstances were. I was diagnosed with ASIA B Paraplegia, leaving me a 5% chance of ever walking again. I was left immobilized in ICU not knowing if I would live, move my legs, or ever walk again. It was a very dark time in my life.

However, I had been raised to believe in perseverance: never giving up regardless of what you’re striving to accomplish. So I climbed out of that dark place; even though I had every odd stacked against me, I believed I would walk again.Robert MacDonald Blog 2

My rehabilitation journey would begin with the help of amazing Canadian health care system, specifically St. Michael’s Hospital and the Lyndhurst, a Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. My life was consumed by one painful day of rehab after another. Progress wasn’t made in huge strides but in small muscle twitches, or the first time I was able to stand on my own.

  • At one month in, I would stand with aid for the first time.
  • Two months in, I would walk with aid for the first time.
  • Three months in, I would walk without aid or devices for the first time.
  • 14 months in. I would jog a short distance for the first time.
  • Two years in, I would complete a 10Km jog without stopping.
  • At Just under three years from my accident, I hope to complete 21.1km without stopping at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon.

Robert MacDonald Blog 3This journey has been a long, frustrating, painful and exhausting process. I have had many ups and many downs, but what keeps me moving forward is the idea of improvement. Whether it is an incrementally small gain in balance or colossal breakthrough in muscle response, the opportunity to improve keeps me going.

One of my favourite quotes, which is framed on the wall in my apartment really hits home to my whole experience.

“There is one thing that gives radiance to everything. The idea of something around the corner.”

– G.K. Chesterton

I urge each and every one of you to get out there and challenge yourself, to start running. Start with 1 km, progress to 2 km, or just aim to beat your personal best and establish a new goal. The power of the human mind and spirit is an outstanding thing.  Anything can be accomplished if you set your mind to it.

I know, with just a little perseverance, you will find the outcome truly rewarding.

Your training buddy,

-Robert MacDonald

 

*To learn more my story, visit this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oep9KOQLG3g
or contact me via email at robert@roicorp.com.

 

 

 

Jun 17 2015
0

Running: A State of Mind

By | Digital Champions, Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

VANCOUVER June 17th 2015. Digital Champion Mike Hsiao began his running journey in December 2012. He was borderline obese, stressed from life and school and suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). After spending the night in the ER due to complications Mike decided that he needed to make a change for good, and that change was running! He started out with just two laps around the track, and after pouring hours into his training, that two laps quickly turned into his first 10k race. In 2013 he ran the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon, his first 21.1k race. Since then, mike has completed close to 18 races, including 6 half-marathons, 1 full marathon, 137 Grouse Grinds, and 1 triathlon. He’s lost 1/4 of my body weight and is now fully cured of the NAFLD. Now, Mike is raising awareness and funds to help find cures for liver diseases so no one has to go through what he did. Connect with Mike on Instagram and on his blog.

Running: A State of Mind. By Mike Hsiao 

rs_svhm15_digital champions-14Something that is often overlooked is how important the mind really is. You aren’t becoming a Buddhist monk so it’s not a thing where you sit and meditate for countless hours to get the right state. Rather, it is a process of learning and understanding your body and the little unnoticeable accomplishments that are like pieces of a puzzle that creates a bigger picture, which is an image of you.

When I started running, I was all alone and struggled with myself. But what I really struggled with wasn’t my weight or the workout, but really the little insecure monsters that creep out here and there. I would start to compare myself to other people and wonder why I wasn’t like them. At the gym I would compare myself to the guys with the six pack abs, or during a run, I would compare myself to the people who seemed to be bolting by me without breaking a sweat. Having these insecurities and not knowing what to do when your mind starts to think like this isn’t a good feeling. The mental struggle is real and probably the most challenging of all of the factors when it comes to training for a race. Until I figured out some ways to make it better for myself, racing and running felt like a drag. It really comes down to two things: realizing what your limits, strengths and weaknesses are and letting your mind grow so you can become a better person.

Realizing your limits: One key thing that I’ve learned is that everyone is different. This may sound cliché but if you think about it, it’s meaning is profound. Our genetics are different and depending on our life experiences, there is not one identical person in this world. So you can’t expect to run as fast as Usain Bolt or look the same as that really annoying guy next door with the six pack, beautiful hazel eyes and perfect teeth. You were built to be you and no one can replicate you. There’s a famous saying by Oscar Wilde “Be yourself, because everyone else is taken”. So if you put in an hour to train for a race and Mr. Super hot dude next door is also putting in an hour at the gym, but the “results” look more visible on him than you, that doesn’t mean you haven’t trained. You are both putting in an hour, you are both trying your best. The key is to find out what your best is and be satisfied with that. You can only really go as fast as you were built to go (if you go any faster, you risk injury). Once you accept yourself for who you are, then all of a sudden there is only one competitor on the race track, and that is you.

Building your strengths: This is where the challenge really begins. Once you realize what your limits are, you need to fight the inner battle on the other side of things, and this is recognizing where your weaknesses are. These weaknesses are things that you can build upon and they don’t necessarily have a limit. For example, if you always have a hard time running non-stop up hills, this is a weakness. If you have a hard time running up hills at the speed of Usain Bolt (that said, if you are Usain Bolt or an Olympian, then pretend the Usain Bolt we are talking about in here is a Cheetah or something), then the expectation maybe beyond what you were built for. Once you find your own weaknesses, this is where the mind comes in. Your mind will help you set your goals to build on the weaknesses and convert them into strengths. Your mind will keep you going to achieve your goals and overcome your weaknesses. Your mind will ultimately bring you through the hard times and help you persevere through tough training and that last few kilometers of every race.

The result: When you throw away your insecurities and just enjoy the moment of the race, the people around you doing the sport and thing they love, that is when running becomes fun. The training leading up to a race is more about the mental challenge than anything else because you are getting to know the person you should know the most, which is yourself. You are getting to know your limits, your strengths and ultimately, you are building your own owner’s manual. At the end of the race, besides being more physically fit, it is really the mind and what you have put yourself through to grow as a person that is the prize.

I look forward to seeing you at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon on June 28th! I love making friends so feel free to connect with me via Instagram or Facebook.

 

 

Jun 16 2015
0

2015 #ScotiaHalf Elite Start List

By | Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

Vancouver, BC – June 16, 2015
Elite list and numbers, for the 2015 Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon

Men’s Start List

Bib Name City Prov Twitter
2 Reid Coolsaet Guelph ON @reidcoolsaet
3 Rob Watson Vancouver BC @robbiedxc
4 Sami Jibril Toronto ON
5 Matt Loiselle Toronto ON
6 Willy Kimosop Lethbridge AB
7 David Le Porho Montreal QC
8 Berhanu Degefa Toronto ON
14 Jeff Symonds Vancouver BC
15 Jeremiah Ziak Vancouver BC
16 Nick Hastie Vancouver BC @nehastie
17 Craig McMillan North Vancouver BC
18 Corey Gallagher Winnipeg MB @CoreyGallagher4
21 David Larpenteur Bellingham WA
22 Bryan Andrews Vancouver BC
23 Drew Nicholson Surrey BC
24 Chris Napier Vancouver BC @runnerphysio
25 Tyler Cannon Bellingham WA
31 Skeets Morel Coldstream BC
32 Mark Bennett Vancouver BC @mbenvan
33 Dave Stephens North Vancouver BC
34 Barry Young Vancouver BC @BourryYang
35 Hicham El amiri Victoria BC

Women’s Start List

Bib Name City Prov Twitter
F1 Lanni Marchant London ON @ljm2525
F2 Natasha Wodak Vancouver BC @tasha_wodak
F3 Lioudmila Kortchaguina Markham ON
F4 Catherine Watkins Vancouver BC @runmommaster
F5 Kimberley Doerksen Gibsons BC @kadoerks
F10 Danya Crawford Midway UT
F11 Lissa Zimmer Vancouver BC @lissa2s
F12 Melissa Ross Errington BC @melissaross929
F14 Katherine Moore Vancouver BC @runningintoyoga
F15 Kristyn Webster Port Moody BC
F21 Melanie Kassel Chilliwack BC
F22 Margreet Dietz Squamish BC @MargreetDietz
F23 Karen Warrendorf Vancouver BC @kwarrendorf
F24 Karyn Mitchell North Vancouver BC @karyn_mitchell
Jun 16 2015
0

Krista DuChene to race Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on the road to Rio. By Paul Gains

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

It gives us ENORMOUS pleasure to announce that Krista DuChene will be on the start line at STWM — vying for overall as well as National Championship honours, chasing records, and moving inexorably towards an Olympic dream. In SO many ways Krista captures the spirit of the marathon, of what can be achieved by dedication, determination and great courage. As a marathoner, as a mom, as a nutritionist, as a Canadian hero, Krista is a great inspiration to all. Never give up! Never quit! Even against great odds. We’re thrilled she’ll be on that Start Line with us all on October 18th. 

Enjoy Paul’s feature, and stay in touch with @kristaduchene on Twitter and on Instagram. #ShareTheJourney to #STWM. #InItTogether  –Alan (Brookes), Race Director

TORONTO June 16th 2015. A little over a year has passed since Krista DuChene struggled across the finish line of the Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal with what would be diagnosed as a broken femur – a potentially career ending injury.

Yet, this 38 year old mother of three is now poised to represent Canada at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

On April 12th of this year DuChene finished 3rd at the Rotterdam Marathon with a time of 2:29:38 beating the Olympic standard by twelve seconds.

The miraculous comeback has afforded her the luxury of going into her next marathon, not having to chase standards, but to run the race the way she wants to. Accordingly, the Brantford, Ontario native has chosen to run the 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 18th.

The event is the only IAAF Gold Label marathon in Canada and this year will also serve as the Athletics Canada National Championship Marathon.

“You know it’s an absolute wonderful feeling to have that standard so early in the qualifying period,” she declares, “and just to be able to sit back and reflect, and let it soak in, and make wise decisions moving forward, as opposed to panicking and thinking ‘oh what race am I going to do now to get the standard.’

“But, at the same time, I am not taking that for granted. Certainly we do have a couple of women who are making their mark and I have to watch out for them if they do run faster than my 2:29:38.”

Krista DuChene Blog 2DuChene is fully aware that she has beaten the odds, so to speak, being much nearer to 40 than most of her competitors and being able to recover from an extraordinary fracture. There surely were times where she wondered about her future as an elite marathon runner.

“You know it all comes down to my faith, everyday,” DuChene explains. “I knew it was part of a bigger plan. I had peace in the hospital. I had my share of crying. That was difficult but, not once did I have this fear or panic that something better wouldn’t come of it. I didn’t know what it would be.

“I said, the day after surgery, it would take two years to run my next marathon. Two days after surgery I knew I could do it in one year. I didn’t think I would get the standard on my first try; I was fully mentally prepared for three tries. I think that is why my recovery from Rotterdam was longer this time. Physically I was fine but emotionally, just understanding and reflecting on the significance of the previous year, was pretty hard to grasp. So I really needed to take the time to emotionally recover from it in a good year.”

The decision to run Toronto and forego an opportunity to represent Canada at either the Pan American Games or the World Championships in Beijing was a difficult one for the athlete and her coach, Rick Mannen. They consulted and reflected and ultimately decided that she should completely recover from Rotterdam and build up gradually for a fall marathon. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon was a natural choice.

The Toronto race has been good to her. It was the scene of her assault on Sylvia Ruegger’s then 28 year old Canadian record of 2:28:36 in 2013. Though she did dip under the time with her 2:28:32 personal best she was beaten to the line by Lanni Marchant’s 2:28:00.  And, she doesn’t have to think long and hard for reasons to return to the event.

“There are numerous things I can say I love about the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon,” DuChene reveals. “Number one (race director) Alan Brookes and his amazing Canada Running Series team. I call it my home marathon because it is close in distance; I don’t need to travel. Family and friends are close, the crowd is fun. The comfort and the familiarity of the race, the international field, it’s our national championship and it’s an IAAF Gold Label event. That’s probably more than a half dozen reasons.

“There’s no pressure for me to hit a certain time. At the same time, I can maybe go for a faster time and be a bit more risky with that. I still tend to be an even paced, conservative, runner going out at a pace I think I can hold to the end. The nice thing after making the decision to not do a summer marathon I just kind of went right back to the bottom and I am going to slowly build a base and get my routine back, thin out the sweets a bit, increase the mileage and intensity in a really gradual way.”

Two of her three children are currently in school and the youngest, at 4, will start school next September which will give her a little more freedom. For the past several years she has risen at 5:00 a.m., even in the coldest winter months, to run before her husband Jonathan, leaves for work. Then she would often run on the treadmill at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre while her daughter was in childcare on site.

With the luxury of building up for Toronto ever so gradually DuChene could well be in a position to beat her personal best and challenge Marchant’s national record. The Rotterdam performance was inhibited somewhat by windy conditions and the lack of a pacemaker for the latter stages of the race. She’s proven she can beat the odds time and time again. Maybe a record is in the cards October 18th.

-30-

For further information and to register to run with Krista, visit www.STWM.ca

Jun 15 2015
0

RCH Foundation – the Van Marrewyks

By | Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

Vancouver, BC – June 15

When you google the phrase “making lemonade out of lemons” Ron and Stephanie Van Marrewyk’s name should appear at the top of the page. After finding out they were expecting triplets in 2009 they were even more surprised to learn that the Stephanie would have to have an emergency c-section at 29 weeks.

Their three girls were born just over 2lbs each and spent over 88 days in the hospital dealing with breathing issues, feeding issues and meningitis. Most of that time was spent at the Royal Colombian Hospital in the NICU.

The care and support that the family received from the health care team over that time was overwhelming. Determined to say thank you, the Van Marrewyks spent two years fundraising over $110,000 for the NICU to help other families in similar situations.

This year, with their triplets turning a happy and healthy 5 years old next week, they have teamed up with the Scotiabank Vancouver 5K Charity Challenge on June 28th, and are aiming to raise $55,000.

“We felt so blessed to be surrounded by amazing nurses and doctors, and now we want to raise money for Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation to purchase a jet ventilator so other fragile newborns can receive life-saving care.” – Ron & Stephanie Van Marrewyk

Royal Columbian Hospital provides the highest level of care to some of the most critically ill and injured patients in the province. It is the only hospital in BC with cardiac, trauma, neurosciences, high-risk maternity and neonatal intensive care on one site. Its Foundation relies on the generous support of individuals, businesses, community groups and other foundations to achieve its vision — to inspire giving and grow funding so patients have access to the best in health care at Royal Columbian Hospital.

Find out more about the foundation and how you can support them here.

 

Jun 11 2015
0

Lower Mainland Road Race Series Grand Finale

By | Eastside 10k | No Comments

Eastside 10k named as grand finale event for Lower Mainland Road Race Series

June 11, 2015 – Vancouver, BC

lmrrs-logoCanada Running Series is pleased to announce that Vancouver’s newest 10k race will be the grand finale for the Lower Mainland Road Race Series (LMRRS). The Eastside 10k event is a premiere Canadian 10 km road race celebrating its third year running through the streets and heart of Vancouver’s Eastside. The event boasts some of the best runners from within the province and from across Canada.

The unique route showcases Eastside communities: Strathcona, Hastings Crossing, Railtown, and Gastown. Working with charities that are embedded in the community has quickly cemented the run in the calendar for many local runners. Key charity partners include the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, the Vancouver Food Bank, and Watari Support and Counselling.

“It’s great to have the Vancouver Eastside 10k named as the grand finale event of the Lower Mainland Road Race Series,” said Race Director Clif Cunningham, “we are pleased that series events have chosen the Eastside 10k to be the finale at which series awards will be presented.”

The LMRRS features 11 events throughout the Lower Mainland that started February 1st with the Steveston Ice Breaker 8K in Richmond. Runners must compete in 5 of the 11 races to qualify. Runners score points in 5 year incremental age categories with awards being presented at the culmination of the Eastside 10k. More information on the series can be found at lmrrs.com

For more information about online registration for the Vancouver Eastside 10k, please visit us at Eastside10k.com

Jun 09 2015
0

Tapestry Foundation – Imelda Villeneuve

By | Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

Imelda Villeneuve has worked as a nurse at the Mount St. Joseph Hospital Providence Health Care Breast Centre since its inception in 2009. A breast cancer survivor herself, she is able to provide relatable support to patients and recognizes the importance of the clinic as a second ‘home’ to her patients.

This is one of the reasons why she started running in the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k four years ago, to raise money for the clinic that gives so much back to women like herself. The 62 year-old raised close to $12,000 last year alone and along with her running mates on Team Breast, raised a total of $26,000.

One running mate is Dr. Nancy Van Laeken, a plastic surgeon specializing in breast reconstruction. The staff at the clinic are so dedicated, that this year, on June 28th, they are running in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge again, in hopes to fundraise through the Tapestry Foundation for Health Care to expand the centre to include more patient consultation rooms and space for physiotherapy to be achieved on-site.

Check out this new video featuring the Tapestry Foundation for Health Care!

 


Featured Charity of the 2015 Scotiabank Charity Challenge

Tapestry Foundation for Health Care cares for seniors. We raise funds for hospitals, hospices and residences in Metro Vancouver that are operated by Providence Health Care.

Find out more about the Tapestry Foundation, and how you can support them, here.

Jun 09 2015
0

Going for Gold at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon.

By | Digital Champions, Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

VANCOUVER June 9th 2015. Digital Champion Karin Jackson began running in July 2008 with some good friends at work and completed her first race that fall. Over the past 7 years Karin has lost 120 pounds and has completed 13 half marathons, 5 marathons, and an Iron distance triathlon! Karin loves the social aspect of running and is grateful for all the friends she’s made on this journey. When she’s not running, she’s swimming, cycling, or yoga-ing and trying to convince others to join her! You can connect with Karin on Twitter, Instagram and on her blog.

Going for Gold at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon. By Karin Jackson.

Recently I was accused of being goal-driven.  I know, there are worse things…thinking Crocs are fashionable is one of them and thank God, that doesn’t apply. And well, it’s true. I am.  I’m a big believer in goal setting. Big, scary, dare-to-dream “stretch” goals, and smaller confidence building goals. I think they keep you focused on a place you want to get to, and motivated to continue on that journey despite any setbacks or pauses along the way. For me, they’ve also played a role in moving forward, in getting better, going further, going faster, in testing my limits. Because when you reach a goal, the logical next step is to set a bigger one, right?

Karin Blog Photo 3I started running in July 2008 with some girlfriends at work. We were following a learn-to-run program and had set a goal of running an 8k race in the fall. None of us were runners. The first day, we had to run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes, 8 times. On the fifth run interval, I had to stop and walk. I had the big October race day goal but starting out, my goal was smaller. It was about making it through each of the run intervals without having to stop and walk. And then it was about making it to that point where I could do the whole run workout without walking. Not that there’s anything wrong with walking. And if you’re worried that walk breaks make you somehow “less than” the other runners out there, let me tell you, I have been passed by walkers while I was running. When that 8k race rolled around, I ran every step of it and finished happy with having met my goal. My girlfriends? They raced doing the run/walk we had trained with and finished with faster times than me. There’s something to be said for recovery breaks. But I digress… I was talking about goals… Right.

After that fall 8k, I got it into my head that I could run a half marathon the following spring. It was the medal that hooked me. All I had to was run 21.1 km and I’d get a medal? Sign me up! In May 2009, I ran my first half marathon, finishing in 2:52, super proud and excited to do it again, but faster. That was my next goal and I ran a 2:45 in October of that year. Thinking I’d reached the limits of the speed I had in me, I had to come up with a new goal: go further. So I declared that in 2010, just after my 40th birthday, I would push back against Father Time and run a marathon. Because really, what better way is there to deny your advancing years than by subjecting yourself to a grueling physical test that will leave you hobbling around for days afterward? In case you were wondering, I finished in 6:56, just ahead of the sweeper vehicle and while much of the finish area was being dismantled. But I finished.

My goals since those first races have varied – almost always about going faster, sometimes tackling a bigger challenge (hello Ironman!), sometimes trying something new. Trail racing, anyone? In rattlesnake territory? Anyone? Bueller? And I haven’t always met my goals. And that’s OK. Alright, maybe I have had a bit of a potty mouth or shed a few tears, but it’s still OK. It just means that it’s not time to set a new goal yet. Or maybe it’s time to park that goal for a wee while, and focus on something else.

Early in my running days, a friend relayed a second hand piece of advice from a former Canadian Olympic athlete (and yes, a runner!). She talked about stepping up to events with Gold, Silver, and Bronze goals. I love that and is something I’ve tried to adopt before each race. My Gold goals are usually focused on achieving a certain time, my Silver on still netting a PB, even if I didn’t achieve my time goal, and Bronze, well usually that’s no PB, but injury free and chalking it up as a training run. You see what I’ve done there? I always podium! Incidentally, these Gold, Silver, Bronze goals can work for your training too. I always dread track sessions on my training plan. So I negotiate with myself –  if I hit my pace target for all my intervals, that’s Gold, within 10 seconds: Silver, and maybe it’s just that I finish all those hard efforts without peeing a little for a Bronze. You mommies out there know what I’m talking about.

Karin Blog Photo 2Anyone who has read my personal blog, or even my Scotia Half Digital Champion bio, knows that my goal for the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon is to run it in under 2 hours. I have come so close. So. Close. A year ago, I ran a 2:00:33. That was a PB of 3:32, and a Silver effort by my race goals. I did not celebrate. I asked myself if I could have run every kilometre just 2 seconds faster. And of course the answer is yes. Of course it’s yes. One-Mississsippi. Two-Mississippi. That much faster? Yes. I parked the sub-2 Half goal for a while and focused on something else (an Ironman), but in January of this year, I was ready to try again. Another Silver. 2:00:24. I kid you not. I’m ready for that sub-2 and I’m changing up my goals. Gold is that sub-2. But I am too close to declare a Silver performance if I PB but miss that Gold by One-Mississippi per km! No, Silver is a great race photo (unlike the one above!) And Bronze? Well Bronze would be running it hard, finishing injury free …and not peeing a little.

Jun 08 2015
0

Toronto Duo Hoping to Earn Tickets to Rio. By Paul Gains

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

TORONTO June 8th 2015. Canada sent three male marathoners to the 2012 Olympics and with the qualifying period for Rio 2016 having opened in January there is speculation that three men will toe the line in Rio next year.

Just who will wear the maple leaf, however, is the big question.

The standard of 2 hours 12 minutes 50 seconds will take some doing. Two members of the Newmarket Huskies have made the commitment to achieving it and to realising a dream of representing Canada at the highest level.

Matt Loiselle and his training partner Sami Jibril will begin their buildup towards the 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon next month. They both feel that Canada’s pre eminent marathon, which is the country’s only IAAF Gold Label marathon, is the venue to produce their lofty goal.

Matt Loiselle 2 ResizedLoiselle has a best of 2:16:01 from the 2011 Toronto event. A professional coach when he’s not putting in the miles, he understands that this time is a far cry from the standard. Nevertheless, he believes it is possible.

“I think so,” he declares. “I have got up to about 30k at 2:12 pace. Both times that I ran the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon I got to 30k at 2:12 flat pace. That’s when the pacemaker dropped out.

“I know the things I need to work on now and I will talk to (Coach) Hugh (Cameron) about it and make some adjustments and compare to previous buildups. If you look at my best half marathon time, which is under 1:04, I think it’s doable. I just believe in myself and I believe we will get good training in. And, it will help having Sami there too. If I didn’t believe it was possible I wouldn’t be really going for it. It has always been the goal.”

The 30 year old has represented Canada twice before, most recently at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon championships where he placed 55th in 1:04:59. He is fully aware that he and Jibril might well be fighting for one place.

Already Reid Coolsaet, a 2012 Olympian at this distance, has achieved the standard by running 2:11:24 in Rotterdam this past April. And Eric Gillis ran a personal best in Toronto last October with 2:11:21, albeit before the qualifying period.  Both he and Coolsaet are good bets to return to the Olympic race and, with only three to qualify, it leaves the Newmarket Huskies pair chasing one place.

“I totally expect that, actually,” Loiselle continues. “I think it will similar to what it was in 2012 probably under 2:12 (will be required). Look at Gillis. He is running as well as he ever has. Reid had a good one in Rotterdam.  And you can never really count Dylan (Wykes) out. Who knows who might be able to come out and surprise? I would be surprised if 2:12:50 did get you in actually.”

And this leads to the question what if he makes the team and Jibril is left behind? How would he feel about that?

“Yes, if I knocked him off the team it would hurt him and if he knocks me off the team it would hurt me,” he says laughing.  “It’s 42.2k and we have the same goal. Obviously if he makes the team and I didn’t I would be happy for him.”

“It’s kind of funny. I had a talk to a group of grade sixes yesterday. One guy asked me ‘Are all the guys you’re running against enemies?’ And I said ‘Well I guess when you start on the line you are enemies and then afterwards you respect each another and you can be friends. But we all have the same goals. We want to beat each other.’”

Sami Jibril Resized

Jibril, now 25, first came to national attention when he won the 2013 Harry’s Spring Run Off in Toronto’s High Park. That victory surprised many. At the time he was more attuned to running on the track and used road racing to break up the routine of winter training. Since then he has become a consistent road racer. A year ago he took the silver medal at the Canadian Half Marathon Championships, hanging on to Eric Gillis for most of the race.

“That is a tactic that I do once in a while, ‘dying to success’ as Coach Hugh calls it,” Jibril reveals. “Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t but in that race I had one option to run with Eric or separate early. I committed and it was a good run. I ran a huge personal best by 90 seconds. I definitely got good results off of that.”

“I think that was a perfect tactic. I don’t think I could have run faster if I didn’t go with Eric. The way he runs helped me out because he goes out so evenly paced, and conservative. He definitely helped me over 15 or 16k, however far we went together. It was obvious more than three quarters of the race.”

Born in Rome, Jibril is the son of Somali-Ethiopian parents who fled the strife in that region of East Africa.  He was a mediocre runner at Heart Lake Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario but under Hugh Cameron’s guidance has developed well these past three years. Loiselle speaks highly of their partnership.

“When I first met him he barely said a word,” Loiselle says with a laugh. “I thought he was pretty shy. So I had to gradually try to get him out of his shell.  Now he will actually come and hang out. We have a group of friends who will go out for a drink or for dinner and so we are starting to socialize more.”

“At least three times a week we train together. We do our intervals Tuesday and Friday and a long run on Sunday. Today I ran into him on our easy day – we run the same places. He is a great guy to train with.  No ‘BS’, we get along and we talk about anything really when we are running. I enjoy training with him.”

For his part Jibril points out that when he first began training with Loiselle he was working the graveyard shift at the Toronto Transit Commission as a mechanic and barely had any time to socialise. Now he works the 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. shift and has weekends off. The pair train at 7:00 a.m. usually.

This year the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is also the official Athletics Canada National Championship Marathon so there is added incentive for the top Canadians to contest the race. Both Jibril and Loiselle hope they run fast enough to earn a place on the Rio bound Olympic team, for that would be a dream come true.

-30-

 

Jun 03 2015
0

Tune In: The Art of the Half Marathon Playlist.

By | Digital Champions, Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

VANCOUVER June 3rd 2015. Digital Champion Ryan Chilibeck was born and raised in Alberta, but now calls Vancouver home. While training for the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon last year, Ryan got a little tired of training on his own. He thought to himself: “Running has to be more fun than this” and the next day the East Vancouver Run Crew was born! Their goal is to provide everyone with a pressure-free, organized and socially driven environment where runners of all abilities can come together to meet, chat, running, and then chat some more. Ryan is very proud of the community he’s built and he can’t wait to see the East Vancouver Run Crew grow. Connect with Ryan on Twitter and Instagram. Follow the East Vancouver Run Crew on Twitter and Instagram.

Tune In: The Art of the Half Marathon Playlist. By Ryan Chilibeck.

Whether you are an everyday goal seeker, elite athlete or anything in between, music has probably helped you with race training at some point. Most people will rely on a favourite playlist to pass the time on those grueling preparation runs. Others will put on some tunes before a race to help get the blood pumping, with many keeping those earphones in long after the starting gun has gone off. While some ‘running purists‘ may argue that earbuds and iPods have no place on the course, I am here to set the record straight. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely respect their physical mastery and ability to run without the tunes; it’s just that some of us can’t physically and/or mentally do it without some help. Plain and simple.

Me? I embrace it all. I work long hours, I have a baby, I train hard (okay fine, semi-hard) to meet my personal goals and music plays a huge part of helping me across those finish lines. Furthermore, when you are blessed with a husky Ukrainian frame like mine, having a mind-boggling playlist is absolutely essential to this whole painful process. I know it’s incredibly nerdy but for each race that I enter, I also craft a unique playlist for that specific course. The Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon is an amazing track and it deserves a pretty amazing soundtrack. From the UBC loop to Spanish Banks, through Kits and up over the Burrard Bridge, we are about talking 21.1km of pure beauty. To help you get ready for the day, I gift you with some insight into how I perfected my Scotia Half Playlist. You’re welcome. This way, if (and when) you pass me, you’ll know exactly what I am listening to. Here’s how it all goes down:

Commuting and Pre-Race

Always an audiobook. I wake up pretty anxious on race day so putting on an audiobook helps to calm me down. Having someone talk at me keeps my focus on something other than the next couple hours of emotional undulation. When I get to the race, I usually turn the music off and take in the energy at the start line. Lots of stretching. A little water. Potty Break. Sing “O Canada”. Game on.

KM 1-5

My goal here is to keep calm, settle into a rhythm and conserve some energy for later in the race. I am always a little more lucid at this point so I stick to songs that are of slower tempo and lend lyrical encouragement to the task at hand. I came out of the gate a little too hot last year and was pretty haggard by Kitsilano. I’m hoping that a mellow start will help to avoid a repeat in 2015. I’m feeling a little Beirut, Lord Huron, Say Hi & some other sappy junk.

KM 5-10

This is a funny stage. All the adrenaline I had when the starting gun went off is lying in a puddle somewhere around the first water station. The initial hints of fatigue start to set in BUT it is also balanced with the onset of a tiny runner’s high. How do you pump yourself up, but simultaneously let your endorphins do some of the legwork? Simple…just a few flowy, old school, hip hop jams. I’m cruising to classic Outkast, Big L (RIP), Naughty By Nature & some other head-bobbing junk.

KM 10-15

This is FULL ON panic mode for me. What happens in this 5km stretch can be the difference between a Personal Best or complete bonk. My mind wanders more during this section than at any other point in a race. There is doubt. There is pain. There is hunger. My goal here is to hit the eardrums with some pretty (I hate this word) EPIC songs. I want nothing but good vibes, sing-alongs, fist pumps & basically anything to keep my mind off the struggle. I’m feeling a dose of M83, Volcano Choir, Phantogram and some other epically epic junk.

KM 15-20

There is a light at the end of the tunnel and the chance of a medal hanging around your neck is on the incline. More importantly, a beer (or multiple beers) will be in your hand (or multiple hands) very soon. It is imperative to my sanity at this point to go back to High School. It’s time to bring out the big guns and go metal, punk or anything else with a boatload of treble. I’m in need of a heavy helping of Metallica, Social Distortion, Pantera, Japandroids and some other intense junk.

KM 20-21.1

Well, you did it Kiddo. Barring any natural disaster, severe injury or mental breakdown, you should technically finish this race. Turn off your music, take out your earbuds and bask in the glory of just how awesome you are. You’re a monster! There is absolutely no music that will psych you up more than the sound of complete strangers going bonkers all along Beach Avenue and into Stanley Park. The last 1100m of the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon is pretty special so go on, wave to your fans. Kiss all the babies. Drink it in. Get that medal.

For those of you wanting to listen along for yourself, below is a link to my Playlist. It might not for everyone BUT it’s for me. Caution, there might be a couple of naughty words in there so put the kids to bed before pressing play. Here:

Ryan’s Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon Playlist

Not registered yet? Sign up today at VancouverHalf.com before the race sells out!