Category

Toronto Waterfront 10K

Jun 06 2024
0

Announcing the Elite Field for the 2024 Under Armour Toronto 10K

By | Elite Athletes, Toronto Waterfront 10, Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

Women’s Start List

First Name Last Name City Province
Erin Mawhinney Hamilton ON
Rachel  Hannah Port Elgin ON
Salome Nyirarukundo Ottawa ON
Asia  Dwyer Toronto ON
Celine Ho Toronto ON
Kathleen Lawrence Toronto ON
Rachel Bowick Toronto ON
Bridget Leon Mississauga ON
Miranda Thompson Toronto  ON 
Shannen  Murray London ON
Kim Brown Toronto  ON
Lauren  Kanko Toronto ON
Teagan  Robertson  Ottawa ON
Camille Maltais-Bilodeau Sherbrooke QC
Kasey Walsh Peterborough ON
Stephanie  Ryall Hamilton ON
Ali Drynan Toronto ON
Susanne Darling Peterborough  ON
Tiffany Newell Welland ON

Men’s Start List

First Name Last Name City Province
Lee Wesselius Mountain  ON
Phil Parrot-Migas London ON
Andrew Davies Vancouver BC
Kyle Grieve toronto ON
Miles Avalos Toronto  ON
Rob Kanko Dundas ON
JP Flavin Toms River NJ
Shawn Master London ON
Robert  Kajuga  Ottawa ON
Wendimu  Adamu Toronto ON
Sergio Raez Villanueva Mississauga ON
Robert  Lawand Toronto ON
Matthew  Viveiros Etobicoke  ON
Graham Baird Pickering ON
Gizachew  Negasa Toronto  ON
Melika Ghali Toronto ON
Eric Bang Toronto ON 
Tsegaye Dissasa Scarborough  ON
Daniel Fournier Toronto ON
Mathieu Moor Hamilton ON
Nicholas Pedersen Ottawa ON
Isaac Fraser South Glengarry ON
Tyler  Hamilton Toronto ON
Marcel Mongeon Hamilton ON
Paddy  Birch Toronto ON
Tiago De Oliveira Barrie ON
Esteban Clavijo Scarborough ON
Stephen Antolin Toronto ON
Jason Skillicorn Toronto ON
Kevin Beatty Frankford ON
Robert van den Heuvel Woodbridge ON
Bernie Hogan Bancroft ON
Brian Byrne London ON
Timothy Fowler Toronto ON
Shinsuke Adachi North York ON
Kevin Smith Mississauga ON
Baghdad  Rachem Verdun QC
Jose Fuentes Hamilton ON
Feb 12 2024
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Toronto’s The Running Physio Announces Partnership with Canada Running Series for 2024 Season

By | General, Oasis ZooRun, Spring Run-Off, TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

Ontario’s premier rehabilitation centre for runners will help guide athletes from their training plan to the finish line for the Spring Run-Off, Under Armour Toronto 10K, Oasis ZooRun, and the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

TORONTO, CAN (February 12, 2024) – The Running Physio, Toronto’s one-spot-shop for runners looking to recover from injury or train for a race, will be partnering with the Canada Running Series (CRS) for the 2024 editions of the Spring Run-Off, Under Armour Toronto 10K, Oasis ZooRun and the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The clinic – operating since 2016 – has treated over 6000 runners since its inception and provides physiotherapy, registered massage therapy, running analysis and customized training programs to runners of all levels.

The Running Physio will be providing training recommendations, mobility and stability exercises, and run form tips to participants leading up to each race. Their team will also be available post-race to provide hands-on therapy to athletes, and for runners attending the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, they will be providing free run form analysis and massage during Expo hours. With over 50% of runners experiencing an injury during their running careers, having The Running Physio available at each race is a perfect partnership.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have The Running Physio’s support at our Toronto events in 2024,” said CRS National Event Director Charlotte Brookes. “As a past client of the Running Physio during my running journey, I know first hand how important their services and support are to reaching your full running potential. We are thrilled to see what we can build together to elevate the event experience this year.”

With an increasing number of runners looking for specific services available to help guide them through injury, The Running Physio has seen more and more people tired of hearing “just stop running” from their physician. With a deep-rooted philosophy that “anyone can run”, the clinic emphasizes teaching clients how to listen to their bodies to push harder when they can, and pull back when they are teetering on trouble. 

Boston Marathoner and Ironman athlete Lauren Roberts is a Physiotherapist and Owner of the clinic. “With over 50% of runners experiencing injury during their running career, we created our business to be able to keep people moving – regardless of their abilities or goals. Whether you are looking for advice on shoewear or to set a new Waterfront Marathon PB, we can help you. It’s a really fun environment – our team really loves working with motivated patients.” 

Registration is now open for the 2024 season. The Spring Run-Off is April 6th in High Park, the Under Armour Toronto 10K is June 15th, the Oasis ZooRun September 14, and the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 20. 

For more information on The Running Physio, please visit www.therunningphysio.ca. 

For more information on Canada Running Series events, please visit www.canadarunningseries.com.

 

For press inquiries please contact: 

Canada Running Series: Damien Hope |damien@canadarunningseries.com | 416-944-2765 x508

The Running Physio: Lauren Roberts| lauren@therunningphysio.ca

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About Canada Running Series

Canada Running Series is Canada’s premier road race series, offering seven annual events nationwide. Since 2017, CRS’s flagship event, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, has served as the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. In 2023, CRS raised over $3.5 million for over 200 local charities through the Charity Challenge.

Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process.

About The Running Physio 

The Running Physio is a well-established Physiotherapy clinic in Toronto providing Physiotherapy, Running Analysis, Run Coaching and RMT services for people who love to move. The clinic takes pride in maintaining a reputation for effectively treating runners of all levels and abilities with precision and confidence. With personable and highly-trained staff, high-end equipment and private rooms, The Running Physio has treated over 6000 runners in Toronto and the GTA since 2016.

Physiotherapist and Clinic Owner Lauren Roberts grew tired of hearing “I tried physio before but…it didn’t really help”. She set out to create a clinic with a mission to develop a safe space where clients are listened to and provided with a step-by-step plan to get better and get back to the things that make them happy. As a female-run, family friendly clinic with a continuous drive to do things better, The Running Physio has challenged the traditional physiotherapy service industry in a continuous pursuit to connect with people and help them achieve their goals.

 

Jun 17 2023
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Woodfine and Mawhinney Victorious at Under Armour Toronto 10K by Paul Gains  

By | Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

TORONTO (June 17, 2023) — Tristan Woodfine and Erin Mawhinney put on convincing displays of front running today as they won the Under Armour Toronto 10K in warm and breezy conditions.  

Woodfine, the resident of Eganville, Ontario recorded an outstanding time of 29:12 – just six seconds off his personal best – to easily capture this Canada Running Series race that also doubled as part of the prestigious, new Athletics Canada Road Race Series. His nearest competitor was Dylan Alick who finished in 29:49 – the first time he has dipped under 30 minutes for the distance.  

Woodfine, who achieved the 2020 Olympic marathon standard only to be bumped from a potential position on the Canadian team, was delighted with the result.  

“I am really pleased to be solo and do a good hard effort, and, to come away with 29:12 is a great place to be,” he said while being monitored by a doping control officer. “We are on the right track for sure for a good marathon race this fall.”  

It was an early birthday present for the graduate of the Ontario College of Health and Technology. He turns 30 tomorrow. His performance went more or less as planned.  

“About 2K there was one guy behind me and then I kind of made a bit of a surge going downhill and it was solo from there,” he revealed adding the wind was a factor.  

“It was a headwind on the way out for 3.6K then we turned around and it was all tail wind until about 9K then you turn around. So, it was basically ‘get to 3.5K and you will get a nice boost on the way’ and try and hammer that section with the tail wind. After that you can just suffer to the finish line. I couldn’t see anyone or hear anyone, so I kept my foot on the gas and kept going.”  

He passed 5K in 14:35 about 18 seconds ahead of Alick, and the eventual 3rd place finisher, Rob Kanko (30:02), and added to that gap throughout the remainder of the race.  

Alick was equally pleased with his new personal best, especially since he has been dividing his time between training and academic work. He will graduate from McMaster University in August with a Master’s in Engineering.  

“Most of the guys on our team are in engineering. Time management is important,” he said laughing.  

“I was happy as my goal today was to go sub 30 and this was my first time breaking it, so I am happy. I raced (Woodfine) at the Canadian Championship in Ottawa and he is a very accomplished runner. I tried to stick with him as long as possible, but he made a good move at 3K.”  

Woodfine turned to two-time Canadian Olympian Reid Coolsaet for coaching help almost a year ago and among the other members of ‘Coolsaet Go’ team competing here today was Erin Mawhinney of Hamilton who scored herself both a victory and a new personal best of 33:34 for the 10K. She also ran from the front.  

“I got out into the lead early and hoped I could hang on to it,” she said through an enormous smile. “There was a bunch of really fast girls and so I sort of peeked at the turnarounds to see how far ahead I was. Salome and Rachel were behind, and I tried to hold them off.”  

“That was sort of my plan. I run a little bit better from the front and just try to hang on. This was only my second ever 10K. My first was the national championships two weeks ago in Ottawa which was disgustingly hot. So, this was a PB by a full minute.”  

Salome Nyirarukundo, who represented Rwanda at the 2016 Olympic Games before coming to Canada held off Rachel Hannah to take 2nd in 34:58 – eleven seconds ahead of the 2015 Pan Am Games marathon bronze medalist. This was her first race in several years.  

“I am a resident of Ottawa. I was in Montreal in 2018 I won the marathon there in 2:28:02, which was my first marathon, and I ran the Ottawa marathon 2019,” she revealed. “Since then, I haven’t been running again. I am so happy for this race.”  

“Honestly my expectation was to be in the top five but not top 3. For four years I have not run consistently. I started again this year. I am happy and I am very thankful for this organization to bring me back again for my first race.”  

The winners both complimented their coach, Reid Coosaet, who was all smiles after learning the results of his athletes.  

“Amazing! And they ran fast too,” he said while recovering himself from the efforts of his first road race in some time. “A bunch of my athletes were really close to their PB’s which was unexpected because it was a bit warm.”  

Asked how close he was to his PB he laughed: “Four minutes!” Coolsaet who has turned to trail running since retiring from the marathon finished second in the master’s category in a time of 32:18. He has his sightsset on the Pikes Peak Ascent race in September.  

More than 6,000 runners turned out for the Under Armour Toronto 10K and enjoyed the camaraderie of one another. The out and back course which traverses the waterfront of Lake Ontario was a popular one with most.  

Jun 13 2023
0

Tristan Woodfine Favoured at the Under Armour Toronto 10K

By | Elite Athletes, Toronto Waterfront 10, Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

by Paul Gains

Among the 6,500 runners expected for the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K (June 17th) – the third stop on the 2023 Canada Running Series – Tristan Woodfine is the favourite. It’s a situation with which he appears entirely comfortable.

Considering the ups and downs he has faced the past two years, clearly he is back in the form which saw him beat the 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifying standard in the 2021 London Marathon (2:10:51) only to be bumped from a potential Canadian team spot at the eleventh hour when Cam Levins ran 37 seconds faster.

Last fall the 29-year old – he turns 30 the day after the Toronto race – set a personal best at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon with his 62:42 clocking and more recently a personal best in the Valencia 10km (29:06). In the latter race he felt prepared to go much faster.

“There was a huge pileup and a bunch of people went down,” he recalls. “Luckily, I didn’t go down but I got caught up with people having gone down. The first few hundred meters was a complete crap show.

“There was a big group of guys running under 29-minute pace. I was about 10 seconds back at the first kilometre and missed running with the group. It would have been perfect to be in that group. Nevertheless, it was still a PB and you can never be upset about that.”

Now he looks forward to a fast time in Toronto. Although he denies lingering emotional effects from the Olympic campaign – an appeal was denied by Athletics Canada – it must have been a catastrophic moment in his running career.

“It was very disappointing at the time,” says Woodfine. “It’s tough when it’s not as simple as in the US where the top three (from the trials) go. The subjective criteria make it tougher to handle because it’s not cut and dried. I got over it and used it as motivation to train hard. The last couple of years I have just been plagued by little problems physically. Emotionally things have been great.”

After completing his paramedic studies at the Ontario Health and Technology College he put his selected vocation on hold recognizing that the energy level required for long shifts as a paramedic was not conducive to his running career. Now he is earning money with an online coaching program. At present he has about a dozen clients.

“That has taken off the past couple of years. It’s nice,” he reveals. “You are helping people achieve their goals in running. It’s a nice complement to the training you need to do for a marathon.”

Woodfine credits two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner, Reid Coolsaet, with his improvements the past year. The pair had occasionally trained together in Guelph when Coolsaet was with Speed River Track Club.

“Yes we have been working together almost a year now. It has been great. He has so much knowledge and experience in the sport which is really helpful when you are trying to navigate qualifying for the Olympics,” Woodfine explains. “He’s been there and done that. I have had a half marathon PB and a 10k PB since working with him.”

As it happens Coolsaet will also be running the Under Armour Toronto 10K along with ten of his running clients including Woodfine.

Although he is focused on trail running and not the roads where he had so much success the now 43-year-old Hamilton resident has a booming coaching business which he calls ‘Coolsaet Go’ a play on the ‘ready, set, go’ mantra. Asked his expectations this Saturday he laughs.

“Probably the least expectation I have had of a race for years just because I haven’t done any workouts on the roads,” he replies laughing.

“All my efforts have been on the trails. And, I am just coming back from an injury and getting ready for upcoming trail races. I don’t really have a clue. I have been feeling pretty good the last few weeks – I would like to break 33 minutes.”

Coolsaet’s uncertainty sets up a potential challenge with 2015 Pan Am Games marathon bronze medalist, Rachel Hannah, who is keen to put behind her the disappointment of the recent national 10k championships in Ottawa. There she was clipped from behind and fell heavily to the pavement. That cost her almost a full week’s training.

“Potentially, I think a really good day would be 33 something,” Hannah says of her target. “That would be my ‘A’ goal. It would be awesome to run under 34.

“I am focusing more on the 10k distance because it does help my fall marathon. I will start another marathon build in July.”

Hannah, who set a new Glass City Marathon (Toledo) course record in April laughs at Coolsaet’s assertion he hopes to break 33 minutes. “Maybe Reid is underselling himself. I imagine he will run faster than that,” she says laughing.

In addition to her work as a dietician at the University of Guelph’s Health and Performance Centre – she commutes from her home in Port Elgin, Ontario once or twice a week preferring to work remotely – Hannah has been working at the McMaster University’s David Bradley Centre also.

Along with 5 Canadian titles to her credit at distances from 5k to the marathon Hannah, who recently became engaged, can point to a personal best 10k of 33:08 and 32:36.17 on the track.

This is the first year of Under Armour’s title partnership, following title partnerships of the Eastside 10K in Vancouver (2017 – present) and the Spring Run-Off in Toronto (2020 – 2022). The fast course along Toronto’s scenic waterfront is sure to provide the field with a fine opportunity for quick times.

For the complete start list, click here.

 

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About Canada Running Series

Canada Running Series is the nation’s premier running circuit with seven events: four in Toronto, two in Vancouver and one in Montreal. It annually attracts over 70,000 participants and raises more than $6 million for some 320 mostly local charities. The Series includes the World Athletics Elite Label TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon and the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships. Since 1999, CRS has gained international recognition for innovation and organization.

We are passionately committed to staging great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians and international stars to healthy lifestyle people and charity runners, and to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. Our mission is “building community through the sport of running.” More info: https://canadarunningseries.com/

 

For media access on race day, please contact Bonnie Taylor at media@canadarunningseries.com or call 647-401-0974.

Jun 07 2023
0

New, inclusive prizing to be introduced beginning with the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K

By | Elite Athletes, Toronto Waterfront 10, Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

Canada Running Series is excited to announce the addition of new Open Prize categories at this year’s remaining events, beginning with the Under Armour Toronto 10K on June 17th, 2023. The events will be expanding cash prize eligibility to the Top 3 Men, Women and Non-Binary finishers. This prize money will be separate from the existing Canadian Men’s & Women’s prizing designated for elite athletes competing in the Athletics Canada Label races.

This is just the next step in an ongoing effort to make CRS events more inclusive experiences. In 2018, CRS began receiving feedback from participants looking for more inclusive gender options on registration forms.  In collaboration with Race Roster, MaxVO2, and The 519, we introduced two additional gender options for all CRS events – Non-binary and Prefer not to disclose – that were much more inclusive than the traditional Male & Female options.  

Since then, participants have been encouraged to participate as they identify when signing up for Canada Running Series events. Hundreds of events across the country and beyond have since enabled this same option on their Race Roster registration forms.  

In addition to being able to select more inclusive gender options, CRS also began providing Age Category prizing at all of our Canada Running Series events back in 2018 for the 3 gender categories awarding top 3 men, women and non-binary athletes in each 5-year age group. 

Additional awards and prizing details for Canada Running Series events can be found here. 

Jun 06 2023
0

Announcing the Elite Field for the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K

By | Elite Athletes, Toronto Waterfront 10, Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

Women’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
F1 Rachel Hannah Toronto  ON
F3 Salome Nyirarukundo Toronto ON
F7 Erin Mawhinney Hamilton ON
F9 Asia Dwyer Toronto ON
F10 Kathleen  Lawrence Toronto ON
F11 Tori Bouck London ON
F12 Andrea Hill Ottawa ON
F13 Lauren King Toronto ON
F14 Laurel Buchanan Toronto ON
F15 Livia  Coburn Toronto ON
F16 Ana Laura Fray New Tecumseth ON
F17 Jay Smith Edmonton AB

Men’s Start List

Bib Number First Name Last Name City Province
1 Tristan Woodfine Cobden ON
2 Rob Kanko Dundas ON
3 Dylan Alick Mississauga ON
4 Sergio Raez Villanueva Mississauga ON
5 Reid Coolsaet Hamilton ON 
7 Eric  Bang Toronto ON
8 Caleb Beland Sudbury  ON
9 Mitch  de Lange Thornton ON
10 Jean-Rene Caron Montreal QC
11 Mathieu  Moor Hamilton ON
14 Fernando  Medina Mossley ON
15 Cameron  Cira  Toronto  ON
16 Joshua McGillivray Toronto ON
20 Baghdad Rachem Verdun  QC
22 Timothy Fowler Toronto ON
23 Michael Logue Aurora ON
24 Shinsuke Adachi North York ON
26 Bernie Hogan Bancroft ON
27 Brian Byrne London ON
28 Jason  Skillicorn  Toronto  ON
29 Brent Poulsen Orillia ON
May 30 2023
0

Race Day Essentials for the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K

By | General, Toronto Waterfront 10K, Training Tips, Uncategorised | No Comments

The countdown is on for this year’s Under Armour Toronto 10K. We’re rounding up our top race day essentials to help you stay focused to the finish and crush your PB!

Cool, calm and comfortable:

Feeling the pressure? Don’t sweat it. Running gear from the Iso-Chill product line by our sponsor Under Armour feels cool to the touch, with sweat-wicking, quick-drying fabric to keep you ultra comfortable.

The Iso-Chill Run 2-in-1 Shorts feature built-in mesh inner shorts to disperse body heat so you can breeze past the other runners.

 

 

 

Rain or shine:

The only way to really beat the forecast is to come prepared for any type of weather.

A packable, water-repellent jacket like the Rush Woven Anorak and the lightweight, breathable Iso-Chill Launch Run Cap will keep you covered.

 

New best pace:

We know you’ve got it in you. Hit your stride and log a new best pace with shoes that put in work for you.

The insanely light UA HOVR Sonic 6 provides added comfort, breathability and cushioning for extensive performance, so you can make the distance without irritation.

 

 

A photo finish:

Show the people what they want! Whether you’re participating virtually or in person, share your favourite #UAToronto10k moments on social media to show the world why the Under Armour Toronto 10K is the best run in the city.

Who you are supporting:

The 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K proudly supports the Toronto community by working with our local charity partner – KidSport Canada, a national not-for-profit organization, that works to remove financial barriers preventing kids from playing sports. Learn more about how you can help fundraise.

We hope these race day essentials help you feel cool, calm, and comfortable from start to finish. Don’t forget to gear up, conquer the distance, and leave your mark on the 2023 Under Armour Toronto 10K by sharing your favorite moments on social media using #UAToronto10k.

 

Jun 02 2022
0

Lee Wesselius: Running Veterinarian to Run Toronto Waterfront 10K

By | Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

By: Paul Gains

With the focus clearly on the medallists at the 2021 Canadian 10K Championships, it was easy to overlook the personal best setting performance of Lee Wesselius, who missed the podium by twenty seconds. Obscurity suits him fine, though.

The 28-year-old from River Glade, New Brunswick, a rural town half an hour outside Moncton, recorded a splendid 29:13 that day. Clearly, he enjoyed running along the shore of Lake Ontario as he will contest the 2022 Toronto Waterfront 10K on Saturday June 18th on an identical course. Memories of his previous visit linger.

“It had been a while since I had been racing and my training had been going well so I knew I was ready to make a big jump (last year),” he said from his current home in Mountain, Ontario where he works full time as a large animal veterinarian.

“It was a really good field there. I was in the middle of a marathon build so I was kind of just going to race and see where I was at. I was happy because some of the guys I was able to beat are pretty good competitors. And there were a few other guys just ahead of me who have run pretty fast times themselves, so I was pretty happy how it went.”

Three weeks after that 10K race, he finished second at the Indianapolis Marathon in a new personal best marathon time of 2:16:41.

What is remarkable about Wesselius is the fact he is able to combine veterinary medicine with running.

“Usually, my days are a 7:00 a.m. or 7:30 a.m. start and I am usually done 3:30 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. -ish,” he revealed. “I usually alternate (work) weeks of five days with four days. There’s also some on-calls every fourth weekend. It sometimes makes it harder to get training in. Usually, I stay close to home and sometimes you get ten minutes into a run and you get a call.

“Usually, I am able to squeeze two runs in. I just have to wake up a little earlier. It doesn’t always happen. During a non-marathon build, I will try and hit 100 miles – 160 clicks – then with a marathon, more.”

Although he admits to having many injuries while studying first at St. Francis Xavier and then at the University of Prince Edward Island’s veterinary school, he has been consistent more recently. His efforts earned him his first international vest worn at the 2022 NACAC Half Marathon Championship in San Jose, Costa Rica on May 22nd. He earned a bronze medal there.

“It was a nice to make a national team,” he said with a smile. “Obviously it helped that a few of the top guys had other plans and didn’t declare which allowed a few of us the chance to compete in an international event. There was one guy who had run 61 (for the distance). The field was smaller, the US and Mexico didn’t send teams, but it was nice to get to race internationally in a competitive race.”

Wesselius has been self-coached since leaving St. Francis Xavier when Bernie Chisholm was at the helm. So, he takes a rather relaxed approach to his training and racing. Indeed, at the recent 2022 Canadian 10K Championships, held in Ottawa this past weekend, he finished 5th (29:58) before getting up at 5:00 a.m. the next morning to pace Canada’s Kinsey Middleton to victory in the marathon.

He is in an enviable position in that he doesn’t depend on running for his living.

“I had a lot of injuries when I was an undergrad and I don’t feel I hit my potential, but I kept working on it,” he admitted. “I keep improving year after year and I figure as long as I am enjoying it and making those improvements, I will keep working.

“Obviously everyone wants to run the Olympics and World Championships but that is out of reach at this point. But if I can keep chopping minutes or seconds off here and there, I will see how far it takes me.”

Combining a full-time job with his training load can often be a challenge. He doesn’t have the luxury of relaxing between sessions as some of his competitors might.

“Some of the calls can be hard on the body,” he emphasized. “It would be nice to be able to sit round between sessions but running is not a sport where there is a ton of money involved unless you are at the very, very high end. It’s a lot harder to commit to that as a career.”

Wesselius will take on all comers at Toronto Waterfront 10K and if he has a particularly good work week then watch out. There is more improvement on the horizon.

For further information and registration for the Toronto Waterfront 10K, please visit see https://canadarunningseries.com/toronto-10k/.

About Canada Running Series

Canada Running Series is Canada’s premier road race series, offering seven annual events nationwide. Since 2017, CRS’s flagship event, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, has served as the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. In 2021, CRS raised $4.8 million for 260 local charities through the Charity Challenge.

Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. For more information about Canada Running Series, please visit https://canadarunningseries.com/.

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Media Contact

Sam O’Neill, Manager of Communications, Canada Running Series

sam@canadarunningseries.com | 604.653.0049

May 24 2022
0

Rachel Hannah to Race Toronto Waterfront 10K

By | Toronto Waterfront 10K | No Comments

By: Paul Gains

Respect for Rachel Hannah definitely runs deep in the running community. She may never reach an Olympic medal podium, but she is a consistent force on the Canadian road racing scene, pushing the Olympians she encounters to deliver their best.

As the 35-year-old looks to the upcoming Toronto Waterfront 10K, taking place on Saturday, June 18th, it is with confidence but also with a ‘let’s see how it goes’ attitude—an approach that has carried her to the 2015 Pan American Games marathon bronze as well as an envious tally of domestic medals.

Those medals include the 2014 golds at both the Canadian 10K and Half Marathon Championships, the 2016 Canadian 10,000m Championships, and the 2017 Canadian Half Marathon Championships. Besides that hardware collection, she also finished a respectable 25th in the 2015 World Cross Country Championships in Guiyang, China, and ran a personal best marathon of 2:32:08 in Houston back in 2016. In 2014 and again in 2019, she was the overall Canada Running Series women’s champion.

Suffice it to say she is one of Canada’s best and her return to the Toronto Waterfront 10K is a celebratory moment for Canada Running Series.

She finished seventh in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon 10K in October 2021, running 34:11 that day, when in-person racing returned following Covid restrictions. The race served as the 2021 Canadian 10K Championships. This time, much will depend on how her recovery goes after her third-place finish in the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 1st.

In Vancouver, she went out too hard, she admitted with no regret.

“I raced it the way you don’t want to race a marathon,” Hannah revealed with a laugh. “I went out quite hard with the elite women. I wanted to race (Olympians) Dayna (Pidhoresky) and Lanni (Marchant). That was my race plan, but normally I wouldn’t go out at that pace.

“I think I split the half marathon almost at my PB pace, which on that course is pretty fast. If I had been pacing myself, I would have gone out at least two minutes slower. I couldn’t hold the pace, so I slowed down in the end.”

After taking a couple of easy weeks, she reported her recovery is as good as she could hope. Now her sights are firmly set on the Toronto Waterfront 10K.

“I was looking back at that (2021 Toronto Waterfront Marathon 10K) race,” she admitted during a hands-free telephone chat from her car. “I actually want to try and run faster than that. I won’t be doing as much mileage going into it. I want to focus on speed. So, I am hoping that will help. Like when I ran last year, I really hadn’t been doing workouts at that pace. It was more marathon training.

“I will have to see who is entered. I am not actually sure competition-wise so I can’t really comment on that. I would love to run under 34 minutes. If I can run 33 something, I imagine that will be in the top few. I feel I should be able to do that based on my fitness.”

Hannah spends a lot of time in her car. Twice a week she provides nutrition advice to students at the University of Guelph Health and Performance Centre, almost two hours of drive time from her home in Port Elgin. Last July, she moved to the town on Lake Huron to be with her partner, Joe, a teacher who was born and raised there. It was Joe who hung her Pan Am medal in a picture frame on the wall of their home after finding it in a box of her running memorabilia.

Two days a week she also works with Toronto-based Medcan while managing her own nutrition practice. No doubt she is applying all she learned as a nutrition student at Georgia State University where she was a scholarship athlete between 2005 and 2009.

“I am really enjoying my career,” Hannah added. “I am doing mostly sports nutrition and weight management so it’s nice I am working with more runners and athletes. It’s really nice to work with athletes.”

That’s not to say that her running isn’t a priority. Occasionally she finds training partners in Guelph but most of the time she is running solo.

“Sometimes we will have a group out for a long run,” Hannah explained. “It’s hard to coordinate with my schedule. It’s easier to do it on my own. It would be nice to have training partners for sure.”

It is quite possible that the Toronto Waterfront 10K will be another family affair for Hannah. The youngest of three sisters, their mother, Ingrid, is a Metropolitan Toronto Police officer who enjoys signing up for paid duty work at Canada Running Series races.

“She has been doing it for 20 or more years,” Hannah revealed proudly. “She does paid duties where you put your name in to do additional work above normal shifts. Sometimes she will be blocking off the roads so cars don’t hit us while we are running. She gets a lot of lip from people when she is doing that.”

Inspiration to continue past what most considered the limit of elite distance running has been presented by Malindi Elmore and Natasha Wodak, both Olympians at age 41 and 39 respectively.

“It’s hard to say. I don’t know how many more years,” Hannah stated. “I definitely want to keep competing. I don’t know that I will go past 40. At the most, probably another five years. It depends on injuries. I am still really motivated and enjoy it. I have finally figured out the training volume mix so I can stay healthy.”

Running on a course with which she is familiar—and with confidence—Hannah will be a force to contend with for all comers.

For further information and registration to the Toronto Waterfront 10K, please visit see https://canadarunningseries.com/toronto-10k/.

About Canada Running Series

Canada Running Series is Canada’s premier road race series, offering seven annual events nationwide. Since 2017, CRS’s flagship event, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, has served as the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championship race and has doubled as the Olympic trials. In 2021, CRS raised $4.8 million for 260 local charities through the Charity Challenge.

Using innovation and organization as guiding principles, Canada Running Series stages great experiences for runners of all levels, from Canadian Olympians to recreational and charity runners. With a mission of “building community through the sport of running,” CRS is committed to making sport part of sustainable communities and the city-building process. For more information about Canada Running Series, please visit https://canadarunningseries.com/.

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Media Contact

Sam O’Neill, Manager of Communications, Canada Running Series

sam@canadarunningseries.com | 604.653.0049