Jul 06 2015
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Alan’s Journal: One Series. One Country. One Community. One Family. One Love.

By | Alan's Journal | No Comments

TORONTO July 6th 2015.

Hey fellow runners;

4CatsA big THANKS to everyone who made the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k weekend such a great experience! One of the most enjoyable things for me, was to see the way the race is building out into more of a long-weekend-experience, and bringing together our community from across Canada. Our #ScotiaHalf Digital Champions, our 83 official charities and SO many of you have been lighting up our CRS Social Hub, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for weeks, and it all reached a fine crescendo over the June 26th-28th weekend. Our 2-day mini-Expo was the best so far, and East Van Run Crew leader Ryan Chilibeck, aka @meatysauce, got us up and running in style on the Saturday morning with a Shake-Out Run and beer tasting at Red Truck Brewery. Check out the photos here.

The race itself was HOT, in all senses of the word. Under bright, sunny skies and 20 to 25c temperatures that felt HOT, 4,500 runners from 29 countries charged down from UBC to Stanley Park. Another 2,150 met them in the park and ran the 5K. The main bout was the #BettyandVeronica show in the 21K, Round 5, with Veronica [Lanni Marchant] taking an impressive “W” over hometown bestie Betty [Natasha Wodak], 71:08 to 72:31. Natasha also added to a great atmosphere by running to raise funds for VOKRA cat rescue, and toeing the line complete with cat-woman face paint! It was humorously billed as “Catfight in Vancouver”! The Men’s race also featured some of Canada’s very best, with Reid Coolsaet [65:40] putting on a show, to overpower dust Matt Loiselle and Sami Jibril in the heat. Read our full race report.

NickRyanBillThe weekend of Canadian running celebrations continued on Sunday and Monday evenings. On Sunday, Lanni, Natasha, Matt, Sami, and Kevin “SuperK” O’Connor were able to join our CRS crew in Gastown for a fabulous, post-race dinner. It was a great mix of athletes and organizers, and underscored how much we are all one big family, one community together. Then Monday night, Jenna, Inge and I, plus Toronto’s Bill Chaupiz from Night Terrors Run Crew and Nick Mizera from Pace and Mind, all joined Ryan and the East Van Run Crew for a beautiful recovery run in their ‘hood, including scenic Trout Lake. It was great to see the #ScotiaHalf bringing together our Toronto and Vancouver communities! Thanks for the bike loan John, and great to catch up with Leslie again – sorry I haven’t been out regularly!

It was also special to see JP Bedard among the hundreds of CRS visitors to #ScotiaHalf from across the country. If you haven’t read Paul Gains’ feature on JP, @runJPrun and his remarkable story, plus his crusade to build awareness for childhood sexual abuse, it’s a DON’T MISS! He’s now back in Toronto racking up 200 kilometres a week in preparation for his TRIPLE Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon! That’s right – not a miss-print! If we think 42.195 km is a challenge, JP will be doing the course 3 times, back-to-back-to-back on October 18th. 126.585 kilometres. One day. Indeed, we have such remarkable people in our community! Read the story, and make sure you join us in October.

As well as STWM preparations, July in Toronto 11694060_10102271365233241_153510771_nfor our CRS team is all about the Pan Am Games, where most of us will be involved in the Pan Am Marathons and Race Walks. We hope you’ll join in, especially for #PANAMARATHON on the 18th and 25th, to cheer on CRS stars Rachel Hannah and Catherine Watkins [ July 18th] and Kip Kangogo and Rob Watson [ July 25th]. On the track at York, there’ll be the #BettyandVeronica Show part 6, and SO many of our other CRS stars and friends. Four of our Toronto run crews – Parkdale Roadrunners (pictured at right), Tribe Fitness, Pace and Mind and Night Terrors Run Crew will be hosting CHEER SITES on the marathon course on both dates. I’ve written a separate blog on this with all the deets, schedules, including athletes’ Twitter and Instagram handles so we can stay connected and be part of a shared experience. I know there’s been lots of grumbling about the Games – mostly traffic related – but at the end of the day this is our city, our Games, and our friends racing for Canada. They deserve and NEED our cheers! Let’s show them how much we care; how rightly proud we are of them and of our great city, and make a home-turf difference. Go CANADA!

Gotta run! I’m doing a leg of the Pan Am Torch Relay tonight!

Looking forward to seeing 800 of you on Sunday at Beaches Jazz Training Run for STWM,

Alan

Ps. Let’s stay connected on social media! Twitter & Instagram @alnbrookes.

Jul 06 2015
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Lessons Learned After Running 23 Marathons

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

TORONTO July 6th 2015. Digital Champion David Daze is very excited to be running the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 18th. He started running marathons in 2001 at the age of 40 and #STWM will be his 24th marathon! David’s most memorable running accomplishment was qualifying for and running the Boston Marathon in 2006 and 2007. When he’s not running, David is a full time elementary school teacher and basketball coach. Connect with David on Twitter and Instagram.

Lessons Learned after Running 23 Marathons. By David Daze. David Finish Line

1. You cannot get into marathon shape quickly. Be mindful of your mileage as the training weeks progress, because ramping up too quickly will possibly lead to an injury.  Listen to your body and be sure to build in rest days to your training program.

2. Have your gear ready to go and your pre-race logistics figured out in advance of the big day. My hat, shirt with bib, shorts, socks, shoes, watch, and gels are all laid out the night before the marathon.  When race morning comes, I know what I am having for breakfast, how I’m getting to the start line, where I am going to park, and what my warm-up ritual will be.  No stress, no worries.  Just think about the run.

3. When the gun goes off don’t be in a hurry. Ease into the race and let the road come to you.  Running with a pace bunny, at least in the early stages of the race, is a good way to keep it under control and not let yourself get caught up in the early excitement of the marathon.

4. The halfway point of a marathon is the 32km mark.   The last 10 km is when it gets real and it gets tough.  So get your weekly training long runs in because they are important.  I don’t know where I first saw this quote but for me it describes the marathon perfectly: “A marathon is 20 miles of hope and 6 miles of truth.”

5. A little inspiration can go a long way. I always write the names of my wife and two daughters on my arm before each marathon.  Whatever motivates you, keep it in mind when you are making the final push to the finish line.

6. Smile when you cross the finish line and celebrate your race! No matter what place you come in, running a marathon is an accomplishment to be proud of.  Congratulate your fellow runners, thank the volunteers as you make your way through the recovery area, and wear that medal proudly because you are a marathoner!

 

Jul 06 2015
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Let’s make the Pan Am marathons ROCK! Canada Running Series stars; Toronto Run Crew Cheer sites.

By | Uncategorised | No Comments

TORONTO. July 6th 2015. We’re having not one but two once-in-lifetime run parties, on July 18th and July 25th and we’re ALL invited! The 2015 Pan Am Games is coming to OUR city: your Canada Running Series team will be working as key volunteers for the Women’s Marathon on Saturday 18th, and the Men’s Marathon the following Saturday the 25th. OK, so it’s early, both 7am starts, but we’re used to running early aren’t we?! AND the two Championship races feature 4 of our CRS stars that you all know so well!

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Our current CRS Women’s Champion @RachelHannahRD, Rachel Hannah and the fabulous @runmommaster, Catherine Watkins will be first up to rep the Maple Leaf; @KipKangogo, Kip Kangogo [4x winner of the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon; winner of the Toronto Yonge Street 10k and CRS Men’s Overall Champion in 2013] and @robbiedxc, Rob Watson [2:13:29 PB at STWM 2013 ] will take on the best of the Americas men on the 25th. We run with these peeps almost every month in Canada Running Series races. They’re our running friends and family. Now they’re putting it all on the line for Canada. THEY NEED OUR CHEERS!

There are TWO great options for you to join the Pan Am Marathon action on July 18th and 25th: 

1. There are still some Grandstand seats available for purchase from Toronto 2015, to put you right at the Start & Finish line with us. Purchase tickets here. [See Marathons on July 18th and 25th].

2. FOUR of our awesome Toronto run crews have stepped up to host 4 on-course CHEER SITES. EVERYONE is invited! You can join them for free, and show Canada and the world how Toronto rocks! It’s a unique opportunity to get to know your fellow-Toronto runners; and your cheers, your signs, your energy WILL make a difference, especially to Rachel, Catherine, Kip and Robbie. Any more fun and it would be illegal – guaranteed! Here’s where you can CHEER:

Night Terrors Run Crew

Pan Am NTRC

 

 

 

 

 

Location: Lakeshore and Jameson (South side)
Connect: @nightterrorsrun, @nightterrorsrun

Pace and Mind

Pan Am P&M Cheer Site

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location: The Queensway and Parkside Drive (West side)
Connect: @paceandmind, @paceandmind

Parkdale Roadrunners

PanAM Parkdale Cheer Site

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location: Lakeshore, right in front of Palais Royale (North side)
Connect: @Parkdale_RR, @parkdaleroadrunners

Tribe Fitness

Pan Am Tribe Cheer Site

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location: High Park (South-West corner of Centre Rd. and Spring Rd.)
Connect: @Tribe_Fitness, @Tribe_Fitness

Here’s the link to the PanAm Marathon course

The marathon course starts and finishes at Ontario Place. 270_AC_TYS10K13_0162It’s a tough one! Run a 2.195km initial loop, then 4 x 10km loops along Lakeshore West [the western half of Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon course], into High Park and back, including the Centre Road Hill we all know and LOVE from the 3km mark of Harry’s Spring Run Off 8K.

This means that if you’re at one of the Crew Cheer Sites, you’ll see the runners 8 times.  Are you ready? While our CRS team are working furiously on the final details of water stations and drinks bottles, timing, bib number allocations, marshalling and anti-doping, YOU can start on your race-day signs, banners, balloons, costumes, drums, noise-makers, cow-bells, tunes and more!

Let’s get ready… set, GO CANADA GO! July 18th and 25th. We can do it, TOGETHER!

There are other great opportunities to cheer on our other Canada Running stars on the track at York University, in the week in between the two marathons.

“Running in my home city, it’s a dream come true. And something that most athletes never get to do…  Slowly but surely I’ve been sharing this awesome news with my friends and family. Thank you to everyone who has supported me along this journey. It is just starting and I am so excited for what is to come.” – Sasha Gollish, W1500m.

LANNI MARCHANT & NATASHA WODAK in the Women’s 10,000m final with very real podium chances if we cheer loud enough! It’s the 2015 #BettyandVeronica Show part 6!

ALEX GENEST, who comes to lots of our Toronto Yonge Street 10K and STWM Tune Up runs, representing Speed River TFC, will be in the 3000m steeplechase along with Oshawa’s Matt Hughes.

GEN LALONDE of Speed River, who we’ve also run with in the CRS Tune Up training runs, in the Women’s 3000m steeple.

LUCAS BRUCHET from the BC Endurance Project [like Natasha W and Catherine], who was 4th at MODO Vancouver Spring Run Off 8k in March, plus the awesome CAM LEVINS, pride of Black Creek, in the Men’s 5000m.

NATASHA LABEAUD [2014 Vancouver Eastside Champion] along with Winnipeg’s JESS O’CONNELL in the Women’s 5000m

AARON HENDRIKX, another of our friends from U of Guelph & Speed River TFC, plus MO AHMED, pride of St.Catharine’s, in the Men’s 10,000m

SASHA GOLLISH of University of Toronto Track Club and NICOLE SIFUENTES in the Women’s 1500m

There are just SOOOOO many of our running friends to cheer for, and they need our Canada Running Series family to provide a home-field advantage!

Click here for a complete list of our Athletics Canada’s TEAM CANADA. 

Click here for a complete SCHEDULE at the York University track. 

Click here to purchase tickets. 

If you’re not able to get to all the track events, our very own scribe, PAUL GAINS, will be part of the CBC team in their coverage, so no need to miss a step. See CBC Pan Am page http://panam.cbc.ca/

Share the Games, the journey and the races directly with our CRS STARS via social media:

Name Event Date (July) Twitter Instagram
Rachel Hannah Marathon 18th @rachelhannahRD x
Catherine Watkins Marathon 18th @runmommaster @runmommaster
Kip Kangogo Marathon 25th @kipkangogo x
Rob Watson Marathon 25th @robbiedxc @rwatson26point2
Lanni Marchant W10,000m 23rd @ljm5252 @lannimarchant
Natasha Wodak W10,000m 23rd @tasha_wodak @nwodakruns
Natasha LaBeaud W5000m 21st @tashyrunner @teamanzures
Jess O’Connell W5000m 21st @jess__oconnell @jessmoconnell
Aaron Hendrikx M10,000m 21st @aaronhendrikx @aaronhendrikx
Mo Ahmed M10,000m 21st @Moh_Speed X
Lucas Bruchet M5000m 25th @lucabruca @lucabruca
Cam Levins M5000m 25th @CamLevins @camlevins
Alex Genest M3000sc 21st @papaG_steeple @papag_steeple
Matt Hughes M3000sc 21st @HugheSteeple @hughesteeple
Gen Lalonde W3000sc 24th @lalongen
Sasha Gollish W1500m 25th @SGollishRuns @sgollishruns
Nicole Sifuentes W1500m 25th @ndsifuentes @ndsifuentes

 

 

 

Jul 02 2015
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Injuries: What do you do when it happens to you?

By | Digital Champions | No Comments

TORONTO July 2nd 2015. Digital Champion Jess Collins began running as a way to complement her strength training workouts.  In 2011, she decided to challenge herself to run the Terry Fox Run (something she’d long wanted to do) as she was getting over a breakup, in order to focus her energy on a positive goal and raise money to fight cancer. She got hooked on running, and completed her first timed 10K race in March 2012. Jess’ most memorable running accomplishment was her first marathon in October 2014, at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. When she’s not running, you can find Jess baking (a lot!) and brewing beer! Connect with Jess on Twitter and Instagram.

Injuries: What do you do when it happens to you? By Jess Collins.

IMG_9990Like most runners, I’ve experienced some relatively minor injuries before (such as plantar fasciitis), but I’ve usually been back pretty soon, after some treatment. But this spring – one week before the Toronto Yonge Street 10K, and less than half an hour into what I’d hoped would be my first 25K run in several months, a twinge on the top of my foot quickly turned into a sharp pain with every step, forcing me to hail a cab home. When the pain didn’t subside, I sought out a sports medicine doctor, and a bone scan ultimately revealed a stress fracture – probably two of the most dreaded words a runner can hear, since it requires 6-12 weeks off running.

There’s no denying that being injured (especially an injury that requires you to abstain completely from running) is challenging – physically, emotionally, and socially.

Physically, I was fortunate that I was able to cycle, as long as I heeded my doctor’s orders not to put extra weight on my foot by standing on my pedals. While they kept me reasonably active, spinning workouts just didn’t give me the same satisfaction as running outdoors. Spinning became fairly dull, and my motivation waned, despite knowing it was helping keep up my fitness.

I escaped the gym with outdoor bike rides; the next best thing to spending hours outside running is spending hours outside cycling. Missing the thrill of chasing PBs in races, I unconsciously began creating new challenges. The first time I was able to cycle up the notorious Poplar Plains hill on my single-speed bike without standing up on my pedals felt like a victory (one I’d never before achieved even when not injured)!

Emotionally, I put some of the blame on myself and thought of all kinds of ways I might have avoided this (Did I stretch enough? Did I increase my mileage too quickly after my minor injury in the winter? Was I wearing the right shoes? etc). More importantly, I’ve felt shut out from an activity I love – one which helps me manage stress, and which gives me a sense of identity. If you think of yourself as a runner, as I do, who are you when you can’t run?

IMG_9829Socially, I also felt distanced from my friends and teammates. I train with Pace & Mind, a phenomenal group of people, many of whom I am lucky to consider good friends. Without being able to run, I missed the social interaction and support of Thursday and Sunday group workouts. My “cowbell” got a lot of use this spring as I cheered for friends and teammates. But, it was tough to repeatedly show up and be positive and enthusiastic when I desperately just wanted to run these races myself. I joined in for some get-togethers, but – although most likely my teammates didn’t feel this way! – I worried that my presence was a bummer, a reminder that they, too, could lose the ability to run.

It’s been 10 weeks of uncertainty and waiting – for an appointment with a specialist, for test results – and it was hard to envision that this time would eventually end. As the doctor-approved ‘Begin Running Again Day’ approached, I felt phantom pains and anxiety that I’d immediately re-injure myself. But I finally laced up my running shoes and ran/walked 1km. It is incredibly humbling to think that about 8 months ago, I completed a full marathon, but was elated to get through a single kilometre. Afterwards, I cried out of a mixture of joy and relief from built-up frustration and emotion.

Now that I’ve (slowly, cautiously) started running again, I’m having my running form and weaknesses professionally assessed, so I can reduce the chances of future injury. I’m trying to trust that my body has healed, and I’m working on getting mentally re-focused on training for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, assuming my body cooperates!

Having had a lot of time to think about it over the last 10 weeks, here’s what I’d recommend to someone else taking time off from running after an injury:

  • Listen to your health care professionals’ guidance, as well as your own body. There’s no point rushing back to running if your body isn’t ready.
  • Don’t punish yourself mentally for what you might have done differently, but do consider how to address the cause and avoid future injury. Focus on improving strength and flexibility so you come back as strong as possible.
  • Find and set new little challenges in whatever physical activities you’re able to do, to keep yourself motivated.
  • Show yourself some kindness. Accept that it’s frustrating and upsetting, and cut yourself a little slack. Treat yourself (I bought some cute, comfy sneakers to wear while recovering, but now I’ll always associate these sneakers with injury!).
  • Try to find ways to enjoy the “break”  from running, by spending time doing other activities you don’t always make time for during training (I immersed myself in a baking class!).
  • Stay connected to running friends – they appreciate your support, and will continue to support you as your recover and return to running.

Running has been a source of ambivalence for several months – I’ve desperately wanted to run, while knowing that running itself caused much pain and frustration. But recently a friend/teammate reminded me of the sheer joy and camaraderie I’d felt after a few members of our team had run 15K worth of parking lot laps in the wee hours of the morning before the Canada Running Series’ Oasis Zoo Run last September. He told me that eventually, I was sure to feel that enthusiasm and love of running again.

It’s been a tough time without running, but the anticipation of feeling that pure joy of running soon has gotten me through this.

Jun 30 2015
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Runner Aiming For Triple Toronto Waterfront Marathon. By Paul Gains

By | Community Leaders, Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

_NGE0247-B&WJust before midnight on Saturday October 17 Jean Paul Bedard – JP to his friends – will toe a the starting line outside Toronto’s University Avenue courthouse and run two circuits of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

If he has timed it just right he will have thirty to forty minutes rest before joining 18,000+ other runners – who will raise $4 million for local charities – as the official IAAF Gold Label Race begins. By the end of the day he will have run a triple Waterfront marathon – a whopping total of 126.6 kilometres!

The 49 year old has battled demons in the past including alcohol and drug addiction, suicide attempts and depression. He has overcome much but there is nothing crazy about this incredible physical challenge.

“The first thing in this is an awareness campaign,” Bedard says. “I am almost 50, I am a recovering alcoholic and addict, I have been sober for a little over 18 years. I spent a lot of time beating myself up with different substances kind of masking what was going on inside.

“About two months before the Boston marathon in 2013 I finally disclosed to my wife and adult son, who was 23 at the time, that I am the survivor of childhood sexual abuse and rape.”

Bedard ran a little over three hours for the Boston marathon that year – he has a personal best of 2:57 – and admits that he was an emotional wreck as he tried to come to terms with having shared his past. Midway through the race he broke down crying and hyperventilating. Nevertheless he completed the race. After showering and changing at the hotel he and his wife walked out onto the marathon course. That was when the terrorist bombs exploded.

The whole experience proved overwhelming and he reckons he was suffering Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. But with his family’s support he entered a treatment program at The Gatehouse which helped him and helps other adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The impact of the treatment was enormous.

“I got my life back,” he declares. “For such a long time running _NGE0666was a kind of escape, running away from myself, turning off my brain all that stuff but, through this program, I started looking at running as a way to kind of run back into myself and come to terms with all of these things in me. It became almost a spiritual practice.

“And I was so grateful to the program at Gatehouse, how much everyone there had helped me. I decided I would go back to Boston the following year and try to raise money for the Centre and, also, raise a little bit of awareness for childhood sexual abuse especially. There are very few male advocates out there. I got in touch with (retired NHL star and victim of sexual abuse) Theo Fleury and asked for help and he has been instrumental in helping me find resources.”

Returning to Boston in 2014 he decided he would do a ‘double marathon’ setting out from Boston in the reverse direction to meet up with the official entrants in time for the official start. The logistics were quite complicated. Security had been enhanced a year after the bombing but in the end he raised more than $25,000 for The Gatehouse.

The idea of doing a triple Toronto originated during a conversation he had with Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon race director Alan Brookes.

“I have an affinity to the Canada Running Series and to Alan,” Bedard explains. “I have run this marathon 10 times, this will be my 11th, 12th and 13th time running STWM. Alan is like the race ambassador. He is not in it for the cash he is in it for the love of the sport. He said ‘JP it’s great what you did in Boston but it’s going to be hard to outdo that.’ That was the genesis of the triple Toronto. I am not sure what happens next year!”

Bedard laughs as he relates this tale. Formerly a school teacher he is now a full time writer with a book coming out next Spring called ‘Running Into Yourself.” It deals with the subject of running to combat depression, anxiety and traumatic events. In a typical week he puts in roughly 200 kilometres. Thankfully he has a shoe sponsor as he goes through a pair of shoes every three to four weeks.

At this point he is still sorting through logistics for the Waterfront Marathon. His wife will likely accompany him in the car during the first two loops and he expects three or four ultramarathoners he’s enlisted will jump in and out at various points.

Bedard is not fundraising this time. He says you can only go to the well so often. Keeping the topic of rape and sexual abuse at the forefront is his aim especially since more than a dozen women have come forward accusing former CBC personality, Jian Ghomeshi, of assault.

“I have also been associating with these two twitter campaigns,” Bedard says, “one of those broke just after the Jian Ghomeshi scandal, the #BeenRapedNeverReported  campaign and also the (Kathleen) Wynne government’s #ItsNeverOkay.

“I was the victim of sexual abuse by a hockey coach when I was younger but I was also raped in a ravine by two men when I was 12 years old.  I have never told my story. So part of it is to run and keep this story front and centre. Leading up to the Jian Ghomeshi trial it’s important to keep it out there.”

Committed to marathon running, Bedard says he runs ten to twelve marathons a year mostly in the 3:10 – 3:15  range. For the triple Toronto he will scale back his pace to ensure he can cover this massive distance.

“I would like to target each of those first two marathons around 4 and a half hours, somewhere around that,” he declares. The time does not matter in any case.

_NGE0293“I think the three things I would like to accomplish are number one, keeping the conversation toward sexual violence in our community at the forefront, because I think we are at the turning point where we will see change in that dialogue. The second thing would be just to show the resiliency of being able to overcome the trauma and challenges in our life. I would like to show that despite the trauma I went through in my childhood, the addictions and depression and suicide attempts and all of that, I am still going.

“And I think the third element would be just to kind of show just how community building running is, and choosing the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon was the perfect vehicle for that. I think that is everything that race embodies.”

-30-

To join JP on the Start Line, register for Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon at www.stwm.ca

 

Jun 28 2015
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Reid Coolsaet and Lanni Marchant take convincing wins in Scotiabank Vancouver Half-marathon.

By | Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

VANCOUVER. June 28th. Reid Coolsaet and Lanni Marchant both cruised to comfortable wins on a hot morning at the 17th annual Scotiabank Vancouver Half-marathon, in 65:40 and 71:08, respectively. Temperatures were between 20 and 25 celsius under bright blue, sunny skies for the 4,400 runners who took off from UBC to run the 21k down to Stanley Park, along the Pacific shores, in one of the world’s most-scenic urban road races. Another 2,150 ran the accompanying 5K that was held entirely within the park, around Lost Lagoon and the stunning Stanley Park Seawall. Combined, the 6,500 participants were drawn from 8 Canadian provinces and 29 countries.

The men’s race got off to an ambitious start with the first ScotiaHalf Blog Reidkilometre covered in 2:55, and the second in 2:59. A group of four broke away immediately; Matt Loiselle and Sami Jibril from Newmarket Huskies High Performance group in the Greater Toronto Area pushing the pace, with Kenyan Bernard Ngeno and Reid Coolsaet of Guelph’s Speed River TFC tucked in behind. After settling into a couple of 3:08 kilometres, the pace began to slip. Reid Coolsaet moved to the front to pick things up, and Ngeno and Jibril were immediately detached. Coolsaet and Loiselle then ran together out of the UBC campus area, and down to Spanish Banks, passing 10k in 30:26. In a 2:55 12th kilometre, Coolsaet broke clear. He extended his lead after the sharp hill up from Jericho to West 4th, and cruised for home.

“I felt good and am happy with my race,” said Coolsaet. “It seemed a little quick at the start. I mixed it up in the pack for a bit. Matt and I ran together ‘til about 10k, then I pushed on. It was hard on my own, but I wanted to go hard. It was a hot one! I’m just glad there was no-one pushing me on the Burrard Bridge hill today!”    

ij_svhm15_1259

The battle for the places was perhaps a little more interesting as Loiselle faded to 3rd (66:58), with 21-year old American collegiate runner Arya Bahreini from Edmond, Oklahoma finishing strong to take 2nd in 66:34. Jibril kept going for 4th (67:14), with Rob Watson the first Vancouver man home in 69:02 for 5th. Watson is putting in some 200 km weeks currently, in preparation for the Men’s marathon at the PanAm Games in Toronto on July 25th, where he will race for Canada. “It was hot, the legs were tired, and the body took a beating,” said Watson.

ScotiaHalf Blog LanniThe women’s race featured two intriguing contests: Lanni Marchant, the country’s #1 ranked marathoner and Natasha Wodak; and top Masters’ athletes Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Toronto (still the Course Record Holder with her 70:50 from 2003) and Catherine Watkins of Vancouver’s BC Endurance Project. Wodak bested her friend and sometime Asics training partner Marchant, 31:41 to 31:46, to set a new Canadian 10,000m track record at the Payton Jordan Invitational in May. Since then, the road-race specialist Marchant has got the better of Wodak at the National 10K Road Championships in Ottawa and the National Half-marathon Championships in Calgary. Like Watson, Watkins will also be representing Canada in the PanAm Games, in the women’s marathon on July 18th.  With Wodak also running for the VOKRA cat rescue charity, wearing cat-like face make-up, the duel with Marchant was also billed as the “Catfight in Vancouver”!  ij_svhm15_8384

“Natasha and I were together for about 12k,” said Marchant. “She was more aggressive on the downhills. My hips don’t like the big downhills! I knew if I just stayed with her and relaxed, once we started climbing (at 12k and 18k), I’d be ok.” Lanni was ok, and retained her road supremacy, crossing the line in a very impressive 71:08, given the conditions. Natasha was 2nd (72:31), while Lioudmila won the Masters battle taking 3rd overall in 77:33, with Catherine Watkins 4th in 79:04. Both Marchant and Wodak will also represent Canada in the 10,000m in the PanAms next month, and then go on to race the same distance at the World Championships in Beijing in August.

While the warm weather proved a challenge for racing, it was conducive to a great post-race party in Stanley Park, with March Hare playing “live” on stage. And 83 Vancouver area charities went home smiling! Impressively, some 30% of the 6,500 participants ran for one of the official charities in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, raising almost $1 million for the community.

ScotiaHalf Blog CharityFull results available at http://www.canadarunningseries.com/svhm/svhmRESULT.htm        

Jun 24 2015
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#ScotiaHalf – Running Green

By | Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

In case you missed it, we’re striving to be Canada’s first event to receive a Gold level certification in Sustainability from the Council for Responsible Sport!

How you can help us:greenchair-svhm-expo

  • Bring your own water bottle – refill at one of our refill stations (last table at Aid Stations) to help reduce cups used and to minimize water waste
  • Bring hard-to-recycle-items (batteries, lightbulbs, old running shoes, cookie/cracker wrappers) to our Expo and Green Chair will recycling them for you
  • Bring your old iPod or MP3 players to the Music Heals booth at the Expo and they’ll be use in the Music Heals iPod Pharmacy program
  • Choose a sustainable method of getting to the race
    • transit – additional service has been added to the 99 Route, leaving Broadway Station at 6:30am & 6:45am on Race Day Sunday! There will also be an additional bus (modified 25 Route) leaving King Edward & Cambie St at 6:24am heading to UBC.
    • bike to the 5k – bike valet added to Stanley Park
    • walk/run – get your warmup in!
    • carpool to UBC then take our free shuttle from the Finish Line back to UBC

15-svhm-solarbikeOther initiatives:

  • Almost all event waste is sorted for composting and recycling, with 98% being diverted from the landfill in 2014.
  • 100% of finisher food purchased for the event is either locally produced or organic
  • Reduced carbon footprint by powering sound system and stage with solar and bike power – get ready to spin out your legs on a bike after the race!
  • Expo is bullfrogpowered with 100% green electricity! This means that Bullfrog Power will ensure that the equivalent amount of renewable electricity is put onto the energy system to match the amount consumed by the event.
  • Carbon credits from Offsetters.ca will be purchased to offset the carbon footprint from event operations (trucks, generators, supply deliveries) and participants’ travel to the event.
  • Brita Water Filters will be on site at the finish area providing fresh, filtered tap water to runners, reducing the amount of water that has to be brought into the event and cutting out single-use plastic bottles.

Read our original Press Release

Jun 24 2015
0

My Journey to 42.2

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

TORONTO June 25th 2015. Digital Champion Jonathan Greenwald started running in 2013, after being invited on a trail run with some friends. He ran 3 kilometres, started seeing stars, then walk/jogged the 3 kilometres back to his car. Despite a shaky start, Jonathan stuck with running for the next year and in October 2014, he crossed the finish line of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon, an experience he will never forget!  When he’s not running, Jonathan is usually thinking about running or discussing one of the many aspects of running with people (some of whom probably wish he had other hobbies!) Other times, he’s coaching his son’s soccer and T-Ball team or helping him clear levels on his Wii gaming system (equally as important as running). Connect with Jonathan on Twitter and Instagram.

My Journey to 42.2. By Jonathan Greenwald

Jonathan Greenwald 3On Sunday, June 23rd, 2013, I became a runner. This wasn’t the first time I attempted to earn the moniker, but unlike the many failed attempts in the past, this time would different. In the days leading up to my “first” run, I tried to recall why I never enjoyed running in the past; fortunately for me, I couldn’t recall as more than 20 years had passed since the last failed attempt.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. In the mid 90’s, I lived in an apartment building in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn which was situated two blocks from the entrance of the Verrazano Bridge; the same bridge the NYC Marathon participants cross at Mile 1. One early Sunday morning in November, I positioned myself near the first turn on to 92nd street and watched as the elite pack crossed the bridge. The sensation that soon followed as roughly 60,000 feet pounded the pavement was overwhelming. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to become a runner. For days following the marathon, I would run from my apartment to a nearby park and back. The entire run was just over 3 kilometers and each run was as rewarding as the last. I kept this up for nearly a month until I forgot why I was running and found something else to occupy my time. I guess I really didn’t want to be a runner after all; a fact which would be confirmed the two additional times I watched the marathon, laced up a pair of runners, only to toss them in the back of my closet a few weeks later.

Fast forward 20 years to the aforementioned beautiful summer day on the Don Valley Trail. I joined my buddy Gus and my sister-in-law Andrea in the parking lot on Pottery Road; days prior, we spoke about getting in shape and living a healthier life. Running sounded easy enough, so why not give it another try?! We entered the trail and started our run at a very manageable pace. I took in the sights and sounds on the trail and enjoyed the moment. Before long, we hit the 3km mark and everything changed. I started to get dizzy, nauseous, and it felt as if my heart was going to pound out of my chest. I had to sit, but I was encouraged to walk, jog, or crawl, back to the start; anything but sit.

I decided I was not going to let the experience change my views on running. I was determined to continue running for at least the remainder of the week. Three days later, I headed out for another run. This time, I would reduce the distance and pace. I ran most of the 4.5km distance; slowing down once towards the end. By the end of the week, I had three more runs under my belt.

Very quickly weeks turned in to months and I was finding I could be on my feet for longer periods of time. By November, I was able to run 18 kilometers and I started to set my sights on road races. In December, I registered for the 2014 Toronto Yonge Street 10K, the 2014 Oasis Zoo Run 10K, and the 2014 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I was running less than 6 months and already had the marathon itch! I had 11 months to prepare, so why not?! I became obsessed with running, learning how to breathe, and putting in the time to build my base and improve my endurance. 2014 was going to be a very big year for me. Then, the injuries started.

I suffered a foot injury unrelated to running late November 2013 which took a toll on my training. From December through the beginning of April 2014, I completed a total of 3 runs. To make up for the lost time, I made a rookie mistake and went for a 7km run, followed by 10km run a few days later which I couldn’t complete because of the sharp pain I start to feel in my knee. Ignoring the pain, I raced in the 2014 Yonge Street 10K. The pain increased and I started to visit a physiotherapist. I was advised to stay off my feet, but with my second race on the horizon, I didn’t listen. I barely finished the race due to the pain. I should not have run the race. The rest of May was a wash and I continued my physio visits through June and July. I was placed on a “return to running” program to build my strength to the point it was in November before the injuries sidelined me.

In September I raced in the 2014 Oasis Zoo Run without incident. By this time, I knew I would not be able to complete the full marathon in the 2014 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, so I ran the half. 2014 ended with 4x10Ks and 1×21.1K races complete.

The real turning point for my success was the Jonathan Greenwald 2introduction to running crews. I always felt something was missing from my runs and it wasn’t until I was put in touch with a group of friends who ran the Kay Gardiner Beltline on Sunday mornings. They called themselves the Sunday Run to Eat Gang. Once I joined them, I quickly realized I was missing the social and, sometimes, competitive aspect of running amongst friends. A few months later, I also started running with the Night Terrors Run Crew and my circle of friends got even bigger. Running was taking on a new form for me and I was excited about the future. So, maybe 2015 will be my big year?

So far, 2015 certainly has been a big year for me. I crushed my 10K and Half Marathon PBs and completed a 30K road race. I have a few other races planned including the 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, which was to be my first full marathon attempt, but I was convinced I was ready sooner; so on June 20th, 2015, I became a marathoner by finishing the Niagara Ultra Series 42.2 distance.

Sunday, October 18th will be my redemption run where I plan on crushing my marathon PB.

See you in October!

 

Jun 24 2015
0

Inspiration!

By | Digital Champions, Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

VANCOUVER June 24th 2015. Digital Champion Lynda Kerr was born and raised in Vancouver and is grateful everyday for the mountains, the river, the trees, and all the opportunities of living in such a beautiful city. Running wasn’t on Lynda’s radar until a few years ago when she signed up to train for the Vancouver Sun Run with some friends from work. The next year the group decided to train for a half-marathon and Lynda is excited to be conquering the distance again on June 28th at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon! Connect with Lynda on Twitter and Instagram.

Inspiration! By Lynda Kerr

I am in the middle of a sea of people – colourful, healthy, Lynda Kerr Blog 2happy.  You beautiful runners. Race day is finally here, the finish line is a few hours away.  I am surrounded by a feeling of spirit that will carry me (hopefully) to the end of the race.  As I look around, I see a community, assorted and diverse.  We all have the same goal, we’re all headed in the same direction, but what gets each of us there, our inspiration, is as unique as we are on the outside.

What inspires us to get from the start to the finish of a running race?  What inspires us to even sign up for such an event?  Here we are, today, all together. There was a moment, our own moment, when each of us said “YES!” and with friends or alone; training or maybe not so much of it; with dread, or anticipation, nursing injuries or anxiety.  The excitement… here we go!

Are you seeking your personal best?  Checking something off your bucket list?  Are you running for a better body, a clearer mind or is it because you like to eat?  Is it because, like Al Howie, you just need to  run?  Are you running because everyone else is and it seemed like a good idea a few months ago?  Did you sign up for that run clinic to meet new friends, or maybe a new love?  Are you running to get away from yourself, or maybe to have time with yourself? Are you running to fundraise, or in memory or for healing?

Each one of us has our own inspiration. The why. Here is why I am doing this. How come you are doing this?

  1. I was inspired by the challenge of becoming a Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon Digital Champion. I really like to write and the idea of writing, and people actually reading what I write was quite appealing. So appealing, in fact, that I’d run a half-marathon for that.
  2. I am very inspired by the thought of running a personal best, that’s the thought…not the training.
  3. I am inspired by the people at Dixon Transition Society. See my fundraising page and information about Team Dixon, and please donate!
  4. I am inspired by the knowledge that this is a choice I have made, the choice to run, and that I have the physical and mental ability to run 21.1 kilometres. What keeps me going, what makes me push myself, is to acknowledge my good fortune, running with full appreciation of those who have physical challenges, mental challenges, life challenges; I appreciate my strong legs that can take me down the pathway; I appreciate my mostly pain-free body and the physical miracle of being human.

6369A397-E19A-402C-8C77-D0C50B1B215EThere are so many in this world who may never have the luxury of choosing to participate in a run, in Vancouver, on a beautiful day in June.  There are so many who have to be tougher physically, mentally and spiritually then I have ever had to be.  Oh, how lucky I am to be at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon, in this inspired community.  You are in front of me, behind me, but most important around me, and your collective inspiration will carry me to the end.

Share you inspiration for running the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon on Twitter or Instagram using hashtag #ScotiaHalf! All answers will appear on our Social Hub.

Jun 23 2015
0

Alan’s Journal Returns

By | Alan's Journal | No Comments

TORONTO June 23rd 2015.

Dear fellow runners;

Hello! It’s GREAT to be back chatting to you on a regular basis through this Journal feature. We’re back up and running on a bi-monthly basis now, on the CRS Blog and Newsletter! How are you all? What’s happening out there? ¿Qué tal? How has you Spring season gone?

I must say I’ve had a wonderful, running-filled Spring at home and abroad that has allowed me to connect with so many of you worldwide. I’ve had SO many great visits with running clubs and crews in Vancouver with Fraser Street Run Club and East Van Run Crew, in Toronto with Parkdale Roadrunners, NightTerrors, and Tribe Fitness, and in London, England with Run Dem Crew (pictured above) on a magical evening in Shoreditch that took us over Tower Bridge, Millennium Bridge and St.Paul’s by night. In London I had the privilege of visiting with Charlie Dark, the founder, DJ, scribe, and visionary in the running movement, and charismatic leader of Run Dem Crew; plus Steve, Ellie, Peigh (who ran his first marathon), Jules and BitBeefy. We’ll get to run with some of them again this October at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon!

Alan's Journal - Mexico

Love the Finish Line message and Dad doing a #runfie!

And now I’m writing this from Mexico City, aka #CDMX where this amazing city of 20+ millionis celebrating Father’s Day with 16,000+ runners at the Carerra del Dia del Padre 21k, a superb sight and experience. The race raises money for the Bosque de Tlapan, an unbelievable 250-hectare oasis of green forest and trails, peace and tranquility in the midst of the teeming masses of one of the world’s largest cities. I’m here to firm up an exchange, a “sister-race” partnership between Los Corredores del Bosque de Tlalpan who organize the race (the #CDP21k), and #STWM. More on that later, but suffice it to say it’s part of our unrelenting commitment to be on the roads with you, connecting, building community worldwide, hearing what is currently exciting you, and continuously developing world-class races in Canada.  PLEASE keep connected with me on a regular basis via social media – @alnbrookes and @RunCRS on Twitter and Instagram, plus our CRS and STWM Facebook pages. And as long as you use the hashtags, we can see yours and everyone’s posts on our CRS  and STWM Social Hubs. We NEED your input; we can’t do it on our own!

Alan’s Journal is all about giving you the inside scoop, and a behind-the-scenes look at Canada Running Series. So I want to reassure you that I, plus the CRS team, are all REALLY working hard to bring you the best-organized,  innovative and exciting running events around. On May 28th we were at the Athletics Canada Race Directors’ Summit at Calgary Marathon weekend, where I gave a presentation on “Community Engagement: Does Your City Love You? Or are you just blocking traffic?” Au courant? Our Event Director Charlotte, on a panel with Mary Wittenberg, gave a terrific presentation on our Volunteer Programme, and Tom from CRS West did us proud talking sustainability, and how and why the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon and STWM are the only 2 events in Canada to earn Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport in Oregon.  Building healthy, green communities matters, and together we CAN make a difference! Then we dashed onto Chicago to participate in the Chicago Marathon Race Management Program and trade best practices with Chicago, Boston, Houston, LA, Pittsburgh and more. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a BIG shout out to everyone starting Vancouver Eastside 10k, OASIS ZooRun and STWM Training right now. Join our Canadian stars like Krista DuChene, Matt Loiselle and Sami Jibril on the Start lines. Keep your eyes on our Blogs STWM and CRS  for posts from our Digital Champions as well as Paul Gains’ great features on the stars. Let’s do it together!

Alan's Journal - Rachel Hannah

Rachel Hannah after winning AC National 10k title + CRS14 crown at Oasis ZooRun.

Need inspiration? YOU’RE INVITED to join CRS and the Toronto running community at the PanAm Games Marathons on July 18th & 25th.  It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come out and cheer on some of our CRS stars who you see at our races on a regular basis. Only now they’re running for Canada, and international stardom, repping OUR country on a world stage! They NEED our CHEERS! Our current CRS Women’s Champion, Rachel Hannah, will be racing along with Natasha LaBeaud on the 18th. Can they beat Peru’s Gladys Tajeda or Mexico’s Vianey De La Rosa? Then it’ll be fan favourites Rob Watson and Kip Kangogo on the 25th who have to take on Peruvian ace Raul Pacheco who was one place ahead of Reid Coolsaet at Rotterdam Marathon this Spring. In between the marathons, make sure you grab some tickets to see Lanni Marchant and Natasha Wodak star in the Women’s 10,000m, Lucas Bruchet in the Men’s 10,000m with Mo Ahmed; plus Cam Levins and Ross Proudfoot and Jess O’Connell in the 5,000m,  Alex Genest & Gen Lalonde from Speed River in the 3000m steeple, and a bunch of our other friends on the track at York. See full Team Canada Lists. Go Canada Go! Stay tuned for our upcoming, detailed blog on the Pan Am Marathon! #PanAmazing

VAMENOS amigos y amigas! I gotta run and catch a plane from MEX to YVR for the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon! Reid, Lanni and Natasha are calling my flight. Can’t wait to see all our awesome #RunVan friends soon!

Alan