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Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Sep 29 2016
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“Gun Runner” To Race Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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September 29th 2016 – By Paul Gains

Had it not been for the prospects of becoming a distance runner Julius Arile Lamerinyang might well have met the fate that has befallen many of his friends: death by gunfire.

From his early teens, Arile carried a gun and, together with his fellow ‘warriors,’ raided neighbouring communities in the highlands of northern Kenya, stealing their cattle. It was the only life he knew. Over a twenty year career he reckons as many as twenty of his friends were shot dead.

A decade ago the Kenyan government program offered cattle rustlers amnesty together with a pair of shoes and a track suit, in exchange for their guns. They were encouraged to take up running. Arile was one of the lucky ones who successfully made the transition.

On October 16th Arile will be among the elite runners to toe the line at the 2016 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Race, and he intends to compete for a podium place.

“I need to go with the leaders until they leave me – or I leave them,” he says laughing. “I am comfortable with a 63 or 64 minutes first half. When you run with people, who can run, you can run your best time.”

This isn’t idle boasting. With the help of his late manager, Zane Branson, he visited Prague in early 2013 where he ran an excellent 27:42 for the international 10k. But the highlight of the 2013 season, undoubtedly, was his performance at the New York City Marathon. He finished fourth with a time of 2:10:03 earning $25,000 in prize money –  a small fortune in Kenya.

Arile says the turning point was meeting former Kenyan marathon star Tegla Loroupe, who organizes an annual 10km Peace Race in West Pokot County, Kenya and encouraged hundreds of warriors to put down their arms.  More recently she served as Chef de Mission for the UN Refugee team at the Rio Olympic Games.

“The most helpful one – and I respect her in my life – is Tegla Loroupe because she changed my life, not only me, but changed many people’s lives in Kenya,” Arile declares.

“Tegla inspired me so much. She changed my life. Tegla came there in the bush and talked with us and made it her business. Then we ran. When I ran I knew I could change. I started carrying a gun at 13 years 14, 15 and changed only at 23 when I left.”

gun-runners-blog-imageArile’s current  training partners include Wilson Chebet and former world marathon record holder, Wilson Kipsang.

“The shape I am now is lower than that time (2013 New York Marathon),” he reveals, “because I was facing a long time injury. I had a knee injury then after the knee it went to the hip and then I had problems with that for a long time, for three years now. Now it is fine.

“I did a lot of long runs 30km, 35km, 38 km with Chebet and Kipsang. The last long run I did last week before I came to Canada, was 35km. Then I came here and ran 35km alone. I am ready. I am ready, I am ready!”

Victory in Toronto is worth $25,000 Cdn but he is not thinking about the money, only winning the race. At home he has three wives and seven children, a typical scenario amongst the Pokot tribe. His complicated home life also played a part in restricting his progress somewhat. There was also another event that rendered emotional havoc two years ago – the death of Branson.

“Zane did a lot of things to change my life in running. He took me to Prague, I ran there and then he did everything to help me like I was his son,” Arile says quietly. “His death affected me so much. I was even thinking about stopping running. But I remembered my children needed to eat and my family needs to see me. Everybody in my family looked to me. Then I decided to run.”

Arile’s incredible story has been brought to film and will be screened at Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre on October 7th.  “Gun Runners” was also a fan favourite at Toronto’s Hot Docs Festival and at the recent Aspen Film Festival. It is the decade long work of Montreal journalist Anjali Nayar who has made Kenya home all that time.

Nayar was working for Reuters when she met Arile at the finish of one of the Peace races. On weekends she had been traveling up to the region where the Pokot rustlers were active and with a camcorder captured the action. Things progressed much further when the National Film Board of Canada collaborated she admits. As she gained the trust of Arile and other rustlers she could appreciate the difficulty these warriors have in turning away from a criminal life.

“There are about half a million of these illegal guns in Kenya,” Nayar explains. “It’s quite a problem and that amnesty offer was open for several years. It’s one thing to go and run a race and it’s another to survive.

“They brought everything they had into the bush with them and that complicated the success of everything that they were trying to achieve later. They give up their weapons but they don’t actually know how to do anything else. You don’t know how to run a business, you don’t know how to read or write. They didn’t always put in place the training programs to get people up to speed and totally integrate them into society.”

Nayar says Arile ever so gradually revealed his story.  On a visit to her Nairobi apartment he once asked to borrow her computer, for instance. The following day she discovered he had written how he had gotten a young girl pregnant and was chased off by her family and local villagers. Somehow writing it down on a computer screen was easier than telling her.

Arile is also cautious about how much he can say about his former life. When asked who introduced him to cattle rustling as a young boy he is careful.

“That is a dangerous question my friend,” he says. “Where I live in Kenya people are fighting. When a child is born there and brought up there he finds cattle rustling. You grow up seeing people with guns. I got following that. It is major in that area of the country.”

Fellow Kenyans Isshimael Chemtan and Gilbert Kirwa, are returning to Toronto after finishing first and second respectively a year ago. They and Eritrea’s new find, Abraham Habte, will join Canada’s three time Olympian Eric Gillis on the starting line. With confidence and with commitment Julius Arile will give them all a run for their money.

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For More Information and to join Julius Arile at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon: www.stwm.ca

For More Information on ‘Gun Runners’: http://blog.nfb.ca/blog/2016/09/27/gun-runners-meet-warriors-running-lives/

 

Sep 27 2016
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Eritrean Distance Prodigy Abraham Habte to Run Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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September 27th 2016 – By Paul Gains

It may have taken an inordinate amount of time and patience to secure his visa, but Eritrean distance running prodigy Abraham Habte will be running in this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

The 20 year old is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from East Africa and his official marathon debut in the October 16th IAAF Gold Label race is eagerly anticipated.

A year ago he finished 6th in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships before recording an impressive 10,000m time of 27:53.38 at the 2016 Payton Jordan Invitational. Now he has marathon dreams.

“I want my debut marathon to be under 2:10 and I am hoping to get down close to the Eritrean national record of 2:07:27,” Habte declares with confidence.

Habte was training in a camp near Bogota, Colombia organized by his management team, when he applied for a Canadian visa. Ostensibly he had gone to Bogota to run the Bogota Half Marathon which is also an IAAF Gold Label race. He finished 5th there. After a lengthy wait, his application was initially denied and so his manager called race director Alan Brookes for help. Brookes, in turn placed a call to former Canadian Olympic marathoner, Peter Fonseca, who is now the Member of Parliament for Mississauga East – Cooksville.

“The outcome was that they seemed to think I should not have been denied,” Habte remembers. “So the advice was to apply again, which we did. This time the process proceeded at about the advised pace and a week later I received the good news that I was approved. Five days later I received the stamp and my passport back.”

The delay meant Habte stayed in Colombia an extra month, which it turns out, wasn’t so bad since the location is at high altitude and he had some good training partners to push him.

“I went to a small city called Paipa that is about two hours drive from Bogota,” Habte says. “I stayed in a very nice training camp organized by a former Colombian marathon runner, Jacinto Lopez, and his wife.  At times they have foreigners from elsewhere in South America, and from Europe, staying there.”

It is not the first time Habte, nor his fellow Eritreans, have encountered overly cautious immigration services.

“Visas are often difficult for us Eritrean athletes,” he explains. “It is not unusual to miss races because visas are denied or take too long.  Three years ago I missed going to the IAAF World Cross Country Championships because my visa was denied, along with about fifty per cent of the selected team.  So while I did not expect to have to stay in Colombia so long, it was not a complete surprise.”

Although the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is his ‘official’ debut, it will not be the first time he has completed a marathon. A glance at the IAAF world rankings shows him having run 2:15:59 at the Xiamen Marathon in China back in January of this year.

“I was in China to pace two marathons, Danzhou in mid December and Xiamen in very early January,” he explains. “In Xiamen I was hired as a pacemaker but felt so good at 30K that I decided to keep going and try for the win.”

Finishing the race caused a bit of concern for his manager, Derek Froude, who had not wanted him to run a marathon at such a young age. The New Zealander has been working with Eritrean runners now for three years and wanted to proceed cautiously with Habte.

“I was a bit distraught when I saw he had finished the marathon at 19 years of age,” Froude confirms. “To my considerable surprise I guess he discovered the lead group was fairly small at the point his pacemaking role was over and he decided to finish. He crossed the line 9th and earned some prize money.”

At present Habte lives with a group of ten other promising runners on the outskirts of Asmara, the Eritrean capital. The house is rented by Froude, who is now a certified agent for the Eritrean Athletics Federation. Located at roughly 2,400 metres above sea level, it is an ideal place for distance runners to train and accordingly Habte reports that he is in fine shape.

Like most Eritreans he has followed the successful exploits of Zersenay Tadese, the four time world half marathon champion and 2004 Olympic 10000m bronze medalist.

“The success of Zersenay Tadese was probably the one thing that influenced me the most to start running,” Habte admits.  “My coach Berhe Asgedom convinced me that I could follow in Zersenay’s footsteps. As I have mentioned, he was probably one of the biggest influences in my decision to become a runner and dedicate my life to achieving success as a distance runner.”

With his attention turned to Toronto he is approaching the race with the pragmatic attitude of a veteran.

“I do not know a lot about the race, but I do know that they often run times at the level I am hoping to run,” he allows.

With Kenyans Ishhimael Chemtan and Gilbert Kirwa plus three time Canadian Olympian, Eric Gillis, amongst the elite entries, he will have company. The lineup has the makings of a classic marathon contest.

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For More Information and to run with Abraham Habte, Ishmael Chemtan, Gilbert Kirwa and Eric Gillis: http://STWM.ca

Sep 26 2016
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Three Tips for Overcoming Adversity

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TORONTO September 26th, 2016 – By Kate Van Buskirk

It’s a hard reality to face, but setbacks are inherent in every runner’s athletic career.  Injury, illness, burnout, and life frustrations that get between our soles and the pavement—we all experience these at one point or another. Of course, we take precautions to limit their likelihood: we follow a sound training plan, fuel our bodies well, stretch and recover, and carefully carve out time for runs in otherwise busy days. And yet, despite our best efforts to prevent them, obstacles inevitably find their way into our training and race prep. Sometimes these are short-lived and have little impact on our chances for success. A missed workout here or there likely won’t do much to get in the way of your race day goals. Shin splints that develop into a stress fracture, on the other hand, can set you out for weeks.

Like every runner, I have had my share of setbacks. Last fall, less than a year out from this summer’s Olympic Games, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that causes major inflammation in my joints and leads to severe, chronic pain. In spite of great preparation and planning going into this year, the 2016 season was a patchwork of inconsistent training, symptom management, and ultimately, disappointment.  I had to not only try to understand this diagnosis and find a way to reduce my pain and discomfort, but also slowly accept the reality that I wasn’t going to make the Olympic team. It was devastating, and made me question my future and identity as a runner.

We can all relate to this in some way: regardless of the particular set of circumstances, we all feel heavy hearted when our training and preparation get interrupted and we have to reassess or redefine our goals. Whether you’re trying to complete your first 5km, qualify for Boston, or represent your country at the Olympics, you’ve made a commitment to an endeavour that can bring tremendous pride and satisfaction, but also deep frustration when things don’t go as planned.

So how do we manage these various challenges and optimize our chances for success? In my experience as an athlete and coach, I have learned that controlling the controllables, seeking out good resources, and finding opportunity in adversity are great places to start!

Control the controllables:

In any situation, there are factors that are within our control, and those that are not. Investing our time and energy in doing all the little things right to prevent and manage adversity is the best way to set ourselves up for success. Conversely, worrying about things that are beyond our control will only augment frustrations and cause stress and anxiety that could actually compound the problem.  Find a sound training program, set clear but flexible goals, eat well, sleep and recover as much as possible, replace your shoes regularly, listen to your body when it tells you that you’re pushing too hard, practice positive visualization, and put a good race day plan in place.  Take charge of the things that you know you need to do for yourself and regardless of the outcome, take pride in knowing that you set yourself up with the best chances for success and satisfaction.

Equip yourself with good resources:

Part of controlling the controllables involves arming yourself with good information and resources, as preventative measures and when adversity strikes. Learn as much as you can about the hurdle you’re facing, how it happened, and how you can reduce the negative implications.  Seek out knowledgeable, experienced professionals who can advise you well and empower you to get and stay healthy, strong, and race-ready.

View setbacks as opportunity: 

There’s a wonderful quote by Canadian Olympic rower Silken Laumann written on the wall of the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence in Victoria that reads:

“There are gifts in adversity. Behind every challenge there is remarkable opportunity.”

I read this quote every time I was at the Institute. At first I considered it cheesy and overly optimistic: how could I possibly see “remarkable opportunity” in my situation when all I was feeling was frustrated, disappointed and in pain? Over the last year, however, I’ve learned that injury is not only inevitable, but it also forces you to learn an incredible amount about your body and mind, their deficiencies and strengths, and how to work on both.  I missed out on the Olympics this year, and that was so tough. But I am completely confident that I will go into training for the 2020 Games stronger, wiser, and with greater chances for success thanks to the adversity I faced and the wealth of information I’ve gained as a result.

As we venture into the fall racing season, I encourage you to keep these things in mind, and as always, RUN HAPPY!

About Kate Van Buskirk:  Kate is a professional track and road runner representing Brooks Canada, who specializes in the 1500m. She is a 2-time National Champion, an 8-time National Team member, and a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist. She is a Duke University alumnus where she studied cultural anthropology. She currently lives and trains in Toronto where she works as a coach with Pace and Mind and Myodetox Performance. Connect with Kate on Twitter and Instagram. 

Sep 26 2016
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Digital Champions Blog: Accepting Injury

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September 26th, 2016 – By Ashley Dier

This is not the blog I planned on writing. I had a few ideas, tackling your first marathon, overcoming peak week or maybe a piece on staying confident on race day. Instead I’m staring down at an air cast with a bad case of the runners blues and a bit of denial over the fact that I won’t be running the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon at all.

Potential stress fracture, the words every runner dreads hearing. Looking back over the past four months, the signs were there, but I was in denial. “Maybe it’s the shoes” I thought, convincing myself that the growing pain in my foot was a normal running ache. Then came the long run of 24k, the run that became this training cycles breaking point. Months of running on an injury caused gait changes which lead to compensation injuries elsewhere. Everything surfaced during those 24k.  

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon was to be a stepping stone for me. In the spring of 2017 I am planning a fundraising run in memory of my Grandfather who lost his battle with cancer last year. In an effort to give back to those who made him more comfortable in his last weeks with us, I will run 80k in his memory and raise money for the cancer care centre where he stayed. It’s easy to see how this air cast has thrown a small hiccup in these plans.

Being told you cannot do something you love, in this case running, is difficult to hear both mentally and physically. We physically condition our lungs and our muscles to be able to run long distances, but we also condition ourselves mentally. That mental strength is what I find myself relying on lately. But it’s not all bad, focusing on the negatives doesn’t help anything or anyone so let’s discuss a few positives, shall we?

Nutrition: Lack of running allowed for me (forced me) to look at how I’m eating and how I can improve my diet. Eating more nutrient rich, bone healing foods and learning more about how certain foods help our bodies recover from injury has been very helpful.

Activity: Staying active has been super important for my mental health. This meant trying new things like swimming more and biking. I’ll confess, biking isn’t the easiest with a boot.

PMA:  Positive mental attitude! Perhaps the most important factor for me as been staying positive. From the beginning, I tried to not focus on the negatives, to accept the diagnosis, and to work on recovering.

I’ve never seen more runners on a daily basis than the past weeks of no running.This may not be the way I thought my first marathon would play out, but I’m okay with it. There are lessons in everything, I’m sure there’s one somewhere in my injury for me to discover. For now it’s support duty – cheering on fellow runners is something my crew takes very seriously. #crewlove

There will be other races, I will run a marathon one day and I will run 80k in the spring. For today and tomorrow and the day after that, it’s all about staying positive. I am grateful for the ability to run and move and for my health. I am grateful for my friends and family and for those I don’t know sending me healing vibes. This is all just a small chapter in my running story.

Keep an eye out for me cheering along the course October 16th!

About Ashley Dier: I’m a run leader with Parkdale Roadrunners and Academy Of Lions Run Crew. Running has become a way of life for me. I spend my days writing about running, health and fitness as a freelance writer. Through my writing I give back to the communities that have helped me, sharing the stories of others. I didn’t originally plan on running a marathon this year, but after losing my grandfather to cancer and seeing how hard he fought I was inspired to push myself. In the spring of 2017 I will run 80k as a fundraising memorial in memory of my grandfather. Follow Ashley on Twitter and Instagram. 

 

Sep 21 2016
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Ethiopia’s Fatuma Sado Returns to Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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September 21st 2016 – By Paul Gains

Ethiopian marathon star Fatuma Sado returns to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in pursuit of the victory that eluded her a year ago.

Although she has won marathons in Beijing, Hamburg, Los Angeles and Warsaw she had to be content with setting a new personal best of 2:24:16 and a second place finish in Toronto last year. Clearly, she wants more on October 16th.

“Yes I was happy and I got a new best time in the marathon distance,” she says of her debut performance at this IAAF Gold Label race. “But winning is nice too.

“This year I am looking to just run a good race and use my shape now to try to win the race and be on the podium again. If it allows me to do this in a new best time then thanks to God; this is great.”

Photo credit: Photo Run

Photo credit: Photo Run

Earlier this year the 24 year old Sado – she turns 25 on October 11th, five days before the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon –  ran in the Lanzhou Marathon finishing 5th in a rather slow time of 2:38:39. But she points out that the Chinese city lies 1,521 metres above sea level and the weather was extremely hot and humid in contrast to what she can expect in Toronto.

“I can run faster than 2:24,” she declares. “I am sure in my body. But in this race in Toronto we will let God decide for the race if it is fast again.”

Since her return from China she has been preparing for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon with one of the strongest training groups in Ethiopia. The group of some 100 athletes meet several times a week to do long runs in the rural areas of Sendafa and Sululta outside Addis Ababa.

Amongst her training partners are Mare Dibaba, the 2015 World Champion and bronze medalist at the Rio Olympics, Amane Gobena, winner of the 2009 Toronto Waterfront marathon who has a 2:21:51 best, and the two time Ethiopian Olympian, Meskerem Assefa.

“My shape is very good; I feel strong and healthy currently,” Sado reveals. “I train with many top women in Ethiopia under Coach Haji Adillo. I learn from them every day and we all push each other very hard in training. So training is like competition every day almost.”

At present Sado lives in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital at an elevation of 2350 metres although she arrived from her home in Arsi when she was a teenager. At elementary school she had shown promise and was encouraged to go to Addis to pursue a running career.

“My family is from Arsi Region,” she says of the area that has produced such talented athletes as Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, Tirunesh and Genzebe Dibaba as well as Derartu Tulu. “I was born outside of Addis Ababa; and I came to Addis after I was finished my primary school levels to pursue a training group. I was in a running club in primary school and we ran races for the club under the school name.”

Like all Ethiopians, she grew up knowing the history of the nation’s distance running success. And she says the pride in these runners spilled over to her and her peers.

“Every legend of our sport from Ethiopia inspired me and still does daily and I hope I am inspiration to some young girls right now as well,” Sado declares.

Life in Addis revolves around training and recovery and she has ambitions to be amongst the very best in the world.  Family and friends are important too.

“I have brothers and sisters, but right now I am the only athlete,” she reveals. “I have two of my brothers living with me in Addis Ababa and they help to look after me for my training and meals and physio.

“I like the cinema, shopping and Ethiopian traditional coffee in a friend’s home. After training, all athletes are very, very tired so it is difficult to see other runners.”

Each time she is reminded of her Toronto experience last year she smiles. One of the highlights was joining other Ethiopian runners, past and present, at Rendezvous Restaurant on Toronto’s Danforth Avenue for an Ethiopian dinner.

“I liked the Habesha meal very much and the people were very nice to us,” she says adding, “Toronto is very nice and beautiful to me. Maybe this time I will go to see some sights.”

The field in Toronto will be loaded with talent. Shure Demise, the 2015 Toronto champion, now 20 years old, is also returning as the favourite. Her margin of victory a year ago was a mere 39 seconds.

Sado is unlikely to allow the youngster to escape easily this time around and if the conditions are right then maybe the women’s course record of 2:22:43 held jointly by Kenya’s Sharon Cherop (2010) and Koren Jelela (2011) could be challenged. After all, this is potentially the most competitive Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in history.

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For More Information and to join Fatuma Sado, Shure Demise and Canadian Olympian Krista DuChene on the starting line:

www.stwm.ca

 

Sep 19 2016
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Digital Champions Blog Post: Running: The Best Exploration Tool

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September 19th, 2016 – By Amber Daughetry

When I first started running, I didn’t know where to go. I hadn’t heard of MapMyRun or joined a running group, so I would put on my shoes, step out my door in Cabbagetown, and see where I ended up. I ran up and down the Don Valley, along the Danforth, downtown and back, and to the beach. I learned that my place in Cabbagetown was far more connected to the rest of the city than I had realized – I could run everywhere.

Running is one of my favourite ways to travel, because it allows you to see sights in a completely new way. You’re going fast enough that you can cover some serious distance and you’re going slow enough that you have time to take in the views around you. When I was New York City last year, I got to know the area I was staying in really well because of my morning 5K runs. Starting my day running gave me ideas for places to visit later on in the day – I found lots of great shops, cafes and trails to come back to.

There’s actually an entire new industry that’s opened up based on this concept: running tours are available in countries all around the world. Fellow Digital Champion Dan Grant runs City Running Tours Toronto that shows visitors our city’s incredible history and culture. And if you’re planning a trip to Rome, Melborne, Buenos Aires or Copenhagen, you can sign up to get a tour of the city from a local runner, while getting a workout at the same time.

Having lived in Toronto for just over eight years, I’ve found that running has also been the best way to get to know the different neighbourhoods I’ve lived in. After starting my running journey in Cabbagetown, I moved to the west end and have now run all over the city. I’ve discovered how calming running through High Park can be and how some days there is nothing better than running by the lake at sunset. Running for me is so much more than exercise; it’s an opportunity to be a tourist in my own city, to discover something new, to check out communities I’ve never lived in, and to experience what different neighbourhoods are like when the seasons change. Running and exploring are now forever linked; going for a run means going on an adventure and being open to discovery, something I love and look forward to.

For your next run, try doing your own personal tour – throw on some running shoes and a good podcast and take off – let your feet guide you and see where you end up. If you’re looking at the city with fresh eyes, you just might be surprised at what you see along the way.

About Amber: In 2014 my mom convinced me to run a half marathon with her. It was such an amazing experience that I’ve been hooked on running ever since, completing two more half marathons and numerous shorter runs. I’m thrilled to be a digital champion for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and to join the incredible group of people who are running it this year — can’t wait to see you there! Connect with Amber on Twitter and Instagram.

Sep 16 2016
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Digital Champions Blog Post: In Praise of Solo Running

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September 16th, 2016 – By Lauren Simmons

Most recreational runners know the appeal of training with a group: there’s familiar faces week after week, a shared sense of purpose, and there’s always someone to keep you company for those long runs, no matter your pace. Between traditional running groups like those hosted by The Running Room, and newer, more socially-driven groups like Parkdale Roadrunners and RunTOBeer, there’s likely a group for everyone. I’ve drifted in and out of running groups, myself, but I always come back to the reason I love running and why I started running in the first place: to be alone.

I started running when I was in university, living with a roommate during the school year and my family during the summers. Running was my way of carving out a little space for myself in my day or week, and that remains true to this day. I know I’m not the only runner who has sorted out tough stuff on the road; running helped me find peace and calm through my struggles with infertility and a miscarriage. No matter how hopeless things felt, my running shoes were always waiting for me, early in the morning, filled with possibility of a faster time and a new day. I needed to be with myself on those mornings.

Now that I’m a new mom, solo running is once again my way of having some breathing room in my day. After my daughter is asleep, no matter how long the day has been, I know I can have just a few minutes of time alone, with my music or podcasts or sometimes just my thoughts. For many women, returning to exercise after childbirth can be challenging and daunting, but for me, getting back to running was something I knew I had to do. The physical adjustments have been many, and my return has been slow and measured. I may never return to the paces of my running past. But running will always be there, simple and true. In the act of putting one foot in front of the other, over and over again, I find a place for my thoughts, a way to work through my challenges, and most importantly, I find space, for just myself.

The great thing about solo running is that no matter the time of day, I always see another runner, or two, or many. We share a nod or a hello, and we continue on our own paths. In a way, this is why I’m running for Nellie’s Shelter for Women and Children in this year’s STWM Half Marathon. It’s important for me to support families at times of crisis, as a way to let them know that they, like me, are not alone.

About Lauren: I’m thrilled to be returning for my third time running the STWM Half-Marathon, raising funds for Nellie’s Shelter for Women and Children. I’ve been running recreationally for about 15 years, having conquered the sub-25 5k and the sub-55 10k, and this will be my fourth half-marathon in pursuit of the elusive sub-2. As a new mum (my baby turns one year old the day before STWM), raising funds for Nellie’s is incredibly meaningful to me, and I’m looking forward to sharing the challenges and realities of training with a baby. When I can, I also cycle and swim, I’m a pacer with the RunTOBeer crew. Connect with Lauren on Twitter and Instagram.

Sep 15 2016
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East African Rivalry Renewed at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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September 15th 2016 – By Paul Gains

Less than a second separated Kenyans Ishhimael Chemtan and Gilbert Kirwa at last year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon with Chemtan’s sprint proving to be the difference. It earned him victory in 2:09:00.

Photo credit: Photo Run

The pair will renew their rivalry on Toronto October 16th as the IAAF Gold Label race gets underway at 8:45 a.m. precisely.

“I remember it was very cold during the 2015 race,” Chemtan said recently from his training base in Iten, Kenya. “My shape and preparation is better than last year. My best time is 2:08:20 and I believe I will be able to run better this year. I am looking to run under 2:08.”

Clearly, he has the ability to run much faster having beaten athletes with superior personal best times over the years. Kirwa, for instance, has run 2:06:14. In April of this year Chemtan finished 2nd in the Milan Marathon setting that 2:08:20 personal best time.

Both Chemtan and Kirwa have been preparing to do battle on the streets of Canada’s largest city with the latter eager to turn the tables after coming so close a year ago. Losing in a sprint was more than just a matter of pride. It was also rather costly. The winner takes home C$25,000 with the runner up claiming C$15,000.

“This year I am prepared well and I hope for a good performance,” says Kirwa. “I also see this year that there is a strong field in Toronto. If we can work together, with my competitors, I am convinced that we can run faster than last year. More so if the weather will be good and favourable then it will contribute to faster times.

“My expectation is to run good and go for the course record in Toronto [2:07:05]. Training is going well and I tested myself in the Tilburg 10miles race in the Netherlands. I am in the right shape for Toronto.”

Kirwa finished 4th in Tilburg with a time of 45:40 and that is certainly an indication he is ready to duel with his compatriot again. The prize purse is a great attraction as he looks after his four brothers and three sisters. In addition, he has started a family of his own.

“I have a family with two boys,” he adds. “I don’t have any other business apart from investments. I am a landlord to tenants who make monthly payments to me.”

When he is not busy fulfilling his landlord duties, training, traveling to races and spending time with his family he enjoys an occasional game of snooker and watching movies. As the Toronto race approaches he will focus even more on getting as much rest as possible between training sessions. The course record would be a handsome reward for Kirwa and his rivals.

There is a C$35,0000 course record bonus, that escalates to C$50,000 if the time is under 2:06:00. The existing record of 2:07:05 has been held by Ethiopia’s Deressa Chimsa since 2013. It has withstood the challenge of some excellent distance runners since then.

Coincidently, it is one of Chimsa’s training partners who carries Ethiopian hopes at this year’s

Seboka Dibaba, Photo Credit: Photo Run

Seboka Dibaba. Photo credit: Photo Run

Toronto race. Seboka Dibaba – no relation to the famous Dibaba sisters, Tirunesh, Ejegayehu and Genzebe –  has also beaten the 2:07 mark with a personal best time of 2:06:17. More recently he finished 2nd at the 2016 Mumbai marathon in 2:09:20. He says his focus is entirely on running well in Toronto.

“I am physically doing good now,” says Dibaba, who is married and has a young daughter. “I am training well with full energy and a healthy body. I want to be highly competitive among the tough athletes competing in Toronto.”

All three of these leading contenders say they prefer to follow the pacemakers through 30 kilometres before contemplating a decisive move. Those pacemakers will be given instructions to set the desired pace at a technical meeting the day before the marathon. That’s when a clear weather picture will be available.  It is a given that Kirwa, especially, won’t want to see the race come down to a sprint again and will no doubt want a fast early pace.

Race organizers have put together a field worthy of an IAAF Gold Label and should the conditions be favourable, and if the pacemakers are able to tow the contenders through the first 30 kilometres, there is always the chance of a new course record. And that would be most welcomed by the thousands of spectators and participants who share the enthusiasm for this competition. It would be a blessing to the man who does break that record.

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For More Information:

www.stwm.ca

 

Sep 13 2016
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Olympian Krista DuChene to Race Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments
September 12th 2016 – By Paul Gains

After realizing her dream of representing Canada at the Rio Olympic Games, marathoner Krista DuChene has chosen the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon for her next challenge.

The IAAF Gold Label race is set for October 16th and, if that seems rather soon following the Olympics, DuChene disagrees.

“Part of me felt I can wait until I am forty to run my next marathon,” says the 39 year old from Brantford, Ontario. “But January seemed too far away.”

DuChene laughs at her witticism, but since recording her Krista DuChene Blog 2personal best time of 2:28:32 at the 2013 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon – making her the second fastest Canadian of all time behind friend and foe Lanni Marchant (2:28:00) – she should obviously be taken seriously.

“We are taking more risks,” she says of her approach to the upcoming race. “I am not going to just do it just to run. We are taking more risks in that there is, obviously, not a lot of time to recover from Rio and jump into it.

“Having said that, I felt really fresh after my recovery from Rio and mentally didn’t feel like my season was over. A lot of that probably has to do with the fact that the last marathon I did was my qualifying in April 2015 (2:29:38 Rotterdam). Some other athletes had to do spring marathons to qualify. I didn’t have that fatigue behind me.”

DuChene and her long-time coach, Rick Mannen, were pleased with her performance in Rio. Finishing 35th in the Olympic marathon is no small feat especially since she ran 2:35:29 in searing heat. Most of the women’s field ran five or six minutes slower than their best owing to the twists and turns which the course presented along with the weather conditions.

The mother of three was also delighted to experience life in the Olympic village where she shared an apartment with Canadian 10,000m record holder, Natasha Wodak, an archer and five members of the Canadian women’s basketball team.

“I definitely felt old compared to everyone else. but that wasn’t going to stop me from enjoying the experience,” she reveals. “To have three meals cooked for me every day, that was a treat in itself.

“I got to know some of the athletes. I had what I wanted to do in a day. If I met up with other people great, but I didn’t feel I needed to do something with everyone every day. I went to the 50k race walk and to the track a couple of nights. It was quite nice.”

Along with ‘Coach Rick’, her husband Johnathan, her children, her sister and two brothers were on hand to greet her at the finish. They had her walking for recovery right after the finish line.

DuChene knows she will have to be at her best for the Toronto race as it doubles as the Canadian National Championship. The next generation of Canadian women, who have been inspired by her running, are lining up to compete against her.  Kenya based Tarah Korir, Rachel Hannah, the Pan Am bronze medalist and fastest Canadian this year, along with Leslie Sexton of London, Ontario, Dayna Pidhoresky of Vancouver, and Erin Burrett of Nanaimo have all confirmed their entries.

The lure of a Canadian championship medal has been sweetened too by the prize purse. The first Canadian will earn $5000 with $3,000 and $2,000 going to the silver and bronze medalists, respectively.

It is yet to be determined whether Athletics Canada will select a team for the London 2017 IAAF World Championships from this race. They have not announced their standards which are normally superior to the IAAF standard of 2:45:00. The qualifying window opened in January of this year and all of these Canadian athletes will be keen to wear the maple leaf in London.

ij_tw10-16_b0114“I don’t have a set time goal yet,” DuChene declares, “I think it’s safe to say I’d like to go under 2:30 and obviously be on the podium for top Canadian finishers. I am not sure what kind of field there will be internationally, but I know there are going to be some strong women from Canada which makes a great national championship.

“I would like to run at the World Championships next summer so this provides an opportunity between Rio and London to go for a faster time.”

As she pushes forty, the inevitable talk of retirement from competition raises itself but she dismisses it with wisdom and experience.

“I don’t know exactly, I have always felt I am bit different from most athletes because I came from a university hockey background,” she explains. “So I have never felt I have been at this for so long. I think when there is no joy or motivation or fun in getting out the door to run 25 or 30k I am going to know that will be the time when I will start running recreationally. So age doesn’t matter to me.

“I look at people like Meb Keflezighi and Jo Pavey and Bernard Lagat. Those guys are still running well in their 40’s so they are an inspiration for me. And with the kids in school full time it’s much easier because I drop them off, I go to the gym, I go to the pool, I go for my run, get treatment. Lunch, nap, shower and pick them up again. So there are no interruptions in the day for me.”

The freedom to train as she sees fit is something she has only enjoyed since her youngest entered school full time last year. Invigorated by her Olympic success, DuChene will no doubt challenge not only for a place amongst the top Canadians but also amongst the very strong international field.

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For More Information and to join Krista DuChene and 2015 STWM champion Shure Demise (Ethiopia): www.STWM.ca

Header image photo credit: Photo Run

Sep 12 2016
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Digital Champions Blog: How to Stay Motivated with 5 Weeks to Go!

By | Digital Champions, Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments
By Karen Simpson
TORONTO September 12th, 2016

How will you feel in 5 weeks? In that time, we will all be finished our goal race, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon! But right now, we are doing our best to deal with the longest of our long runs and I have decided to write a post about how to stay motivated.

They say training is the hard part and the race is the reward. If this is true, and I believe it is, then we are currently in the hardest part of our training plan. We all need a little reminder about how and why to stay motivated. Here are 10 creative approaches I’ve been using this summer:

Raise money for charity. This has been a great motivator. It’s no longer just about you, it’s about all the people who you can help and all the donors who have helped you to help others. Be accountable to that and use it as positive motivation to continue your training. It’s not too late to pick a charity! A lot of money can be raised in 5 weeks. Check out all the official charities you can fundraise for in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge.

Hold that moment. If you track your training runs using a GPS device, go through the downloads. How has your pace improved? How has your distance improved? Often we are so consumed with where we have to go that we forget how far we’ve come. Pat yourself on the back and take a few minutes to review just how far you’ve come in training in just a few months.

Run in a group. Run alone. Mix it up. Personally I’ve learned to love both and my training during the week consists of group runs and my weekend runs are typically alone. This year, I have run with 9 different groups, met many new friends and I get something different from each group. I’ve been challenged in interval training by one group, discovered the joys of running new routes in different parts of the city with others, and met people from all over who run my pace. Just go on Facebook and search running groups, there are many.

Smile. Even when you don’t feel like it. While you’re running, smile. When you smile you release chemicals in your body that make you happier. When you smile and other people see you smile they usually smile back and this sends a whole bunch of good vibes into the world. Sometimes it’s not all about performance, but about joy and let’s face it, when we’re happier, we end up performing better.

Go back to the start. Why are you doing this race? What or who was your motivator? You must have really wanted a challenge in your life and now is the time to remember just why you chose to put yourself out there with this goal. If there’s a ‘who’ that motivated you, call them.

Just run 1 kilometer.  I’ve struggled with the heat as I’m sure many have this summer. Several of my runs have started by committing to run just 1 kilometer at a time. At some point, I realized the effort of getting dressed, finding time and getting my butt out the door was harder than actually completing the distance required. Using this technique has helped me complete many of my training runs.

Have people in your life who push you out the door. Tell them they have a role, even give them a title like ‘Kick my butt cheerleader’ and tell them to ignore you if you complain about running, make faces at them or you act like you don’t like them anymore.

Count-down to your taper. Prior to any big adventure, there comes a point where I count down the number of sleeps until I’m on the plane. Look ahead in your schedule and figure out how many runs until you start your taper! If you have a 16 week training plan you’re in the final lap of your training. One foot in front of the other and do whatever you need to do to keep your head in the game.

Get more sleep! Rest and recovery are two of the most important elements to get you to the start line. Getting to the start line injury free is your goal right now. Rest will also help you maintain a better attitude during your training.

Create 3 goals for race day. One easily doable goal, a reasonable stretch goal and a goal that will have even you shocked on race day. Over the next 5 weeks assume everything is going to be perfect on race day and finish off your final weeks of training based on the 3rd goal … you might just surprise yourself.

About Karen Simpson: I’m Karen and I’ll be running to raise awareness and funds for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. I have watched an impressive young man deal with the challenges of this disease and it really put things into perspective. We are blessed to be able to run, so let’s never forget that! There are tons of great charities to represent through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge this year. I want you to pick a charity, get a tutu and join me for some fun on October 16th. I started running in January 2013 after climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. I fell in love with climbing and wanted to train like a mountaineer — turns out most of them have distance running as part of their training. Since then, I have done a lot of running and climbing, including 5 mountains around the world and I just returned from Mt. Elbrus in Russia. Races are my motivation and I’ve completed over 60 so far! STWM was my first full marathon in 2014 and I recently ran my first ultra-marathon (53km) to celebrate turning 53. Let’s get this party started! Connect with Karen on Twitter and Instagram.