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Toronto Yonge Street 10K

Feb 13 2015
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2015 Canada Running Series Launches Next Month in Vancouver

By | Harry's Spring Run-Off, Modo Spring Run-Off 8k, Scotiabank Vancouver Half, Toronto Yonge Street 10K | No Comments
By Paul Gains (@PaulEGains)

TORONTO. February 13th 2015. Relief from winter’s most challenging conditions may seem a long way off but there is comfort in knowing that the 2015 Canada Running Series launches next month.

The eight race series kicks off with the Modo Spring Run Off 8k (March 22nd) in Vancouver’s scenic Stanley Park and concludes October 18th with the flagship event – the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM).

In addition to being named the 2015 Canadian Marathon Championship the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon was awarded the prestigious IAAF Gold Label recently, making it one of only four marathons in the Americas to earn that distinction. Considering the other three are Boston, New York and Chicago – all part of the World Marathon Majors – it is indeed a wonderful recognition of years of hard work.

The full series calendar includes Modo Spring Run Off 8k (March 22, Vancouver), Harry’s Spring Run Off 8k and 5k to Fight Prostate Cancer (April 4, Toronto High Park), Toronto Yonge Street 10k (April 19), Banque Scotia de 21k & 5k de Montreal (April 26), Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon and 5k (June 28), Oasis ZooRun 10k (Toronto September 12), Vancouver Eastside 10k (September 19) and Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (October 18).

Thirty years ago Race Director Alan Brookes set out to create Canadian races where participants of all levels can race on a safe, accurately measured course and receive an accurate finishing time. It would seem it’s a case of ‘mission accomplished.’ The CRS team has grown to include15 full time staff.

Striving to stay up with changing times they continually seek fresh ideas to give participants the best race experience possible.

For several years the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon – which has seen its participation grow by 36% over the past five years –  has been a member of the Chicago Marathon Best Practices Group. Members travel to each others‘ races to work and to experience other leading race organization. Indeed, CRS staff managed the water stations at the 2012 US Olympic trials in Houston and will be handling the technical end of the upcoming 2015 Pan Am Games marathon and race walks.

The CRS prides itself on its community building events and at the core is a massive charitable component.  Last year 58,009 entrants participated in the series raising $5,843,468 for charities bringing the total amount of money raised over the past five years to a staggering $28,306,914.

Alongside the fitness runners, charity fundraisers and novice runners some of Canada’s best distance runners line up at CRS events competing for prize money. In addition, points are awarded based according to position in their best three CRS races. In addition, the races are given weight depending upon the quality of the fields. The top Canadian finisher in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon for instance earns 60 points while he/she would earn 30 points for victory in the Harry’s Spring Run Off 8k, the Oasis Zoo Run and the Scotiabank Toronto Half Marathon.

Blog TYS10K Rachel Hannah

Defending Champion Rachel Hannah at the Toronto Yonge Street 10K

The defending CRS overall champions are Eric Gillis who resides in Guelph, Ontario and Toronto’s Rachel Hannah.

A year ago victories in the Toronto Yonge Street 10k, Oasis Zoo Run 10k and Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal were enough to secure the title for Gillis. He was also the leading Canadian finisher at the STWM when he finished 9th in a new personal best of 2:11:21.

Hannah, meanwhile, had a spectacular year emerging victorious in the Toronto Yonge St 10k, Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal as well as the Oasis 10k. She also won the Canadian Cross Country Championship. Like many elites the 28 year old credits the series for developing her career.

“The Canada Running Series is very important for offering athletes of all levels opportunities to race in world-class events on home soil,” says Hannah. “We are privileged to have this series in Canada.

“The financial support the CRS offers to runners in this country is outstanding for the sport.  Alan and his team make it more possible for an athlete’s life to be fiscally sustainable and, for that, I know we’re all thankful.”

Following their outstanding season Gillis and Hannah received $2,500 prizes in addition to any appearance money and prize money offered at the individual races. This year the CRS has raised the amount of prize money. The 2015 winners will receive $5000.

Blog TYS10K Eric Gillis

Eric Gillis runs to victory at the Toronto Yonge Street 10K

Gillis is set to run a spring marathon and will therefore is unsure of where he will run his first CRS event.

“The CRS provides excellent racing opportunities in Canada to both developing, and pro distance runners,” Gillis declares. “I’m a beneficiary of this and credit the Series with helping me reach the athletic level I’m presently at.

“The doubling of overall champion’s prize money is great news, it’ll only further incentivize athletes to race in Canada and increase the interest, and presumably the depth of this great Series.

“The thing I like about CRS races is the atmosphere surrounding the races. Each event has a little different flavour, and I like the mix of competition and participation, something for everyone.”

The series is likely to see several leading Canadian internationals mark their return following injuries. Dylan Wykes and Reid Coolsaet who along with Gillis represented Canada in the London 2012 Olympic marathon, are back in the fray while  Dayna Pidhoresky  the 2011 CRS overall champion is training again. Then there is Natasha Wodak whose 2014 season was ended abruptly when she succumbed to plantar fasciitis. Now training hard again she appears wanting to make up for lost time.

Rachel Cliff and Natasha Wodak at Modo Spring-Run Off Vancouver, 2014

Rachel Cliff and Natasha Wodak at the Modo Spring-Run Off 8K

“I’m so excited to be back racing this year,” she says. “I’ve got lots of races planned, so I’m really hoping I can stay healthy this year. I am being very careful and proceeding cautiously.”

Her winter schedule includes the Modo Spring Run Off 8k as well as the world cross country championships in China – she and Hannah will be teammates representing Canada – before she takes to both the road and track in preparation for a possible Pan Am Games berth.

“A fall marathon is in the plan as well,” she adds. “My major goal for the year though is just to stay healthy. The CRS races are always competitive, which creates opportunities to run fast.  And running fast is what it’s all about.”

A year ago Kelly Wiebe (24:04) and Wodak (26:39) emerged victorious in the Modo Spring Run off 8k event and are plotting to defend these titles. Neither will have an easy time.

Wodak faces her rival Rachel Cliff who finished 2nd in last year’s Modo 8k. Meanwhile Cliff’s fiancee, Chris Winter the defending Canadian Cross Country champion, will tackle Wiebe. The pair were teammates when Canada competed at the 2013 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Bydoszcz, Poland and will be fighting for local bragging rights.

Up until February 17th runners can purchase a ‘Combo Pack’ which offers discounts when they sign up for multiple CRS events at the same time. www.RunCRS.ca

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Feb 09 2015
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Make My Legs Go Fast: Earning That PB At TYS10K!

By | Digital Champions, Toronto Yonge Street 10K | No Comments

TORONTO February 9th 2015. Digital Champion Melissa Doldron initially started running to keep fit for boxing (insert Rocky theme here). After sustaining a shoulder injury, she decided to continue running to stay in shape and a new love was born!  Melissa is a registered sports massage therapist, so when she’s not running, she works with athletes and talks about running! You can also find Melissa with friends watching or playing football, baseball, boxing and UFC, and always eating and laughing.

Make My Legs Go Fast: Earning That PB At TYS10K! By Melissa Doldron.

TYS10K Melissa Doldron BlogI want a PB at this year’s Toronto Yonge Street 10K.

PB: A Personal Best. My 2015 mantra for the goals I’ve laid out for myself is Fitter, Faster, Stronger. When I decided to sign up for the TYS10K, I knew the challenge that was ahead: to run fast.

What does it mean for me to perform faster? It’s more than just running.

Strength + Conditioning

  • Fast Feet: Agility drills, weighted sled pushes and interval/track drills can help runners improve foot speed needed for fast results on the road.
  • Core Strength: A stronger core helps runners tap into more force and speed on the road.
  • Jump Jump: Plyometrics, or jumping/skipping exercises help develop the fast twitch muscles that give runners speed and strength. By building up stabilizing muscles in my legs I’m hoping to improve my speed and power for race day.
  • Armed for Speed: A strong upper body helps runners maintain speed and propel the body forward while running. Strong arms will help my running efficiency, power me through tough workouts and the added use of “track hands” will give me a kick to the finish.

Rest + Active Recovery

  • Benefits of Rest: With all the hard training, a runner’s body needs adequate rest for proper recovery. Being well rested leading up to race day will have me shooting off the start line. Besides, the sooner I finish, the sooner I can be kicking my feet up relaxing!
  • Stretch It Out: Science may not have have conclusive evidence of its benefits, but elites will tell you, stretching daily increases flexibility for muscles that are short and tight.
  • Mobility Matters: Tight spots from training build up in different areas for everyone. Working with tools like lacrosse balls and foam rollers can help reduce and eliminate trigger points in my muscles and fascia and relieve tension from training.

Having a balanced training program that includes running (on varied surfaces when possible, while mixing in intervals/tempos/track work), strength and conditioning, active recovery and rest along with proper hydration and nutrition will see me to the PB I’m after! Follow along on my journey to a PB this spring at the Toronto Yonge Street 10K!

Connect with Melissa on Twitter and Instagram. 

Feb 02 2015
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5 Quick And Healthy Post-Run Snacks

By | Digital Champions, Toronto Yonge Street 10K | No Comments

TORONTO February 2nd 2015. Digital Champion Mike Van Mil took up running after hearing about all the achievements of his runner friends and the camaraderie of the running world. A year ago he set the goal of running the Walt Disney World Wine & Dine Half-Marathon and he hasn’t looked back since! When Mike’s not running, he works full and part time as a paramedic in the GTA. You can also find him at the hockey rink and dance studio cheering on my two children or enjoying family trips to Disney.

5 Quick and Healthy Post-Run Snacks. By Mike Van Mil.

I’m at the grocery store the other day and I see all these “snacks” marketed to people like me who are looking for a quick fix after a good, hard training run. First thing I do is flip over to the nutritional chart and I can’t believe what I see! Most of these things have more sugar than your average chocolate bar! I quickly put them back on the shelf and move on, but I’m still hungry! What do I do now to fill the post-run hunger gap? Bring on my wife! She is the one who keeps me on the straight and narrow when it comes to what fuel I put in my body and I really have to give her credit. She has found quite a few post-run snack options for this running couple that we can make at home. These snacks are quick to prepare, healthy, and use natural ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store.

Since they work for me, and are quite yummy, I thought I’d share with you my top 5 snacks that I turn to when I need a little boost:

Handful of Nuts#5 Handful of plain, unsalted nuts:

My favorite nut mix is called Yuppy mix. It has smarties included in it which I love but they do increase the sugar content so I try to limit how often I buy that kind. This mix is called Sierra Mix and I found it in my grocery stores bulk section. It has a great variety of nuts in it including raisins and dried cranberries for sweetness. It’s a great source of protein.

Empty the Fridge Shakes#4 ‘Empty the Fridge’ shake:

I really like these shakes because I can mix up the flavor and ingredients and clean out the fridge at the same time. The staples are 2 cups of frozen mixed berries, two large handfuls of spinach, 4 tablespoons of soft tofu (plain or flavored) and about a cup or more of unsweetened almond milk until you reach your desired consistency . I also like to add a spoon of chia, salba, or wheat germ. Then look in for fridge for things like cucumber, zucchini, cauliflower, etc and this is where you can really get creative and mix things up! I find I enjoy these more when I change ingredients so it’s a different shake all the time.

Veggie slices with hummus#3 Veggie slices with Hummus: 

This one is pretty self-explanatory. One thing I can suggest is to try and make your own hummus. There are lots of easy recipes out there like this one that you can make in 5 minutes or less. However, when time is sometimes of the essence, I will opt for the store bought kinds and chose different flavors. The hummus shown here is a garlic flavor.

 

apple slices with peanut butter#2 Apple slices with cinnamon dusted peanut butter: 

This is one of our favorites since it’s so quick and so yummy! Simply slice an apple or two, spoon out some peanut butter (preferably the natural stuff), then sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Presto! You can even switch it up by trying almond butter or cashew butter and experimenting with different spices on top like cocoa, nutmeg or ginger.

Peanut butter balls#1 Peanut butter balls:

This one is my all-time favorite. It requires a little more prep-time and works better when you prepare them ahead of time, but trust me, you won’t be able to stop eating them! There are lots of recipes for Peanut butter balls out there,  but these bad boys were made with 1 cup of oats, ½ cup of peanut butter (natural is better but any kind will work) 1 teaspoon of chis seeds, 1 teaspoon of flax meal, and 3 teaspoon of coconut flakes. The beauty of these is that you can really mix them up by adding more or less of one ingredient as well as trying new mix-ins depending on your supplies or tastes.

I hope you find these as yummy and useful as I have! This is just a small selection of the infinite amount of choices out there but these are my top 5. Good luck with your #TYS10K training and don’t’ forget to hit me up with your training progress! I’m always around for a #HighFive, word of encouragement or my personal experiences so don’t be afraid to contact me on Twitter or Instagram!

 
Jan 26 2015
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When The Going Gets Tough.

By | Digital Champions, Toronto Yonge Street 10K | No Comments

TORONTO January 26th 2015. Digital Champion Lauren Simmons ran cross-country in grade 7 and 8, inspired by her Dad, a sub-3 Boston Marathon runner. In university, she lived near the Mt.Royal in Montreal, and ran as a way to explore her own backyard. It was in Montreal that she really fell in love with running and she’s been running ever since! In 2014 Lauren ran the Around the Bay 30k and improved her half-marathon PB by 22 minutes! When she’s not running, Lauren is a high school music teacher and librarian, involved with #WiTOPoli (Women in Toronto Politics), and is passionate about supporting local restaurants, wineries and craft breweries in Toronto’s East End, which she calls home.

When The Going Gets Tough. By Lauren Simmons. TYS10K Lauren ATB

I’ve been a runner for almost 15 years. When I look back on the early years of my running life, I can’t help but think how naive I was: running long runs three times a week, never stretching, running on worn-out shoes – all kind of bad habits. Of course, like every runner who keeps at it long enough, I’ve had my fair share of injuries in the last few years – some from over-training, some from freak accidents, and some from muscle imbalances. But I’m here to tell you that as dark as it may seem when you can’t get out and run, there is a light at the end of the tunnel – and if you’re injured now, that light can still very well be running the Toronto Yonge Street 10K.

My first running injury was a stress fracture, and it was the first time I was really humbled as to how fickle the human body can be. If you’re new to running, you’ll want to watch out for these if you’re increasing your mileage too much or too quickly. My foot started hurting about 3 weeks into my first half-marathon training plan, and by 2 months in I was benched for 6 weeks with a hairline fracture in my toe. Lesson learned: don’t run too much too soon.

I’ve had a few accidents in my time that have put dents in my running, too. I got hit by a car at crosswalk (I pushed the button, he was in wrong!) and I rolled my ankle going down, tearing tendons in my foot and ankle. I spent the first few weeks on crutches, and again had 6 weeks until I could run, and had to shelve plans for a spring half-marathon for the second year in a row. It was frustrating, even more so because I had had an injury the year before, but knowing that the accident could have been much worse put some things in perspective.

TYS10K Lauren Foam RollingI’m currently coming off of a groin/adductor tear that has had me benched from running since early December. 2014 was my banner year: I PBd in the 30, 21.1, 15, 10 and 8k distances, and had been injury free. But sadly, this injury came for me, like many do for others, from an imbalance in muscle strength. I felt my left glute tighten after and during my training for my half-marathon last fall, but I didn’t treat it. I didn’t foam roll consistently, didn’t get massage or physio, and eventually the weakness there led to compensation in my inner thigh, which ended up torn. I spent most of December hobbling and moody, mad to be missing the unseasonably warm weather and clear sidewalks ideal for winter running. I shelled out the cash to visit my sports doctor/chiro/acupuncture/ART/miracle worker almost weekly, and dutifully winced through home treatments with the foam roller, lacrosse ball and “The Stick”. Last week, I ran for the first time, only 4k, and while I felt pain the next day, I was back to running again this week, and felt less pain time.

This is how running works. It builds us up to break us down. And in that way, running is a great metaphor for life. I’ve some personal ups and downs in the last few months, too, and it’s been a huge source of frustration for me that I haven’t had my long runs to clear my mind. But I push on. We all do. Through life, through the hard times, and through the parts when our bodies let us down. If we work hard, respect our own limitations and set reasonable goals, we can all get back in the game. I’ve set my sights on building back the speed and strength I worked so hard to achieve in 2014, I’ve been cross-training and have kept my weight down – I’m ready to PB in the Yonge Street 10k, just like I did last year.

Connect with Lauren on Twitter and Instagram.

Jan 19 2015
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Couch to 10K and Beyond: My Journey to Becoming a Runner.

By | Digital Champions, Toronto Yonge Street 10K | No Comments

TORONTO January 19th 2015. Digital Champion Allison Miceli  started running after relocating to Toronto last spring. She wanted to start running for a while, but didn’t have the motivation or support in suburbia. After joining Tribe Fitness’ ‘Couch to 10K’ program last summer, Allison completed her first 10K race last fall, just 24 seconds off her goal time! When she’s not running, Allison works in advertising and is also an avid traveller, music junkie, yogi, cyclist, foodie/baker, sports fanatic, lover of family and fan of great books.

Couch to 10K and Beyond: My Journey to Becoming a Runner. By Allison Miceli 

On July 7th, 2014 my journey to becoming a runner began with 3.78k at a pace of 7’35”, my first night of Tribe Fitness’ Couch to 10K program and the first of many runs in my future. After moving to Toronto at the end of May last year, I  told myself that I would actively try to get out in the city and try new things. One of the things at the top of my list was to meet-up with this group called Tribe Fitness. A fellow McMaster alumni, social media friend and runner Robyn Baldwin had been posting for a while about this awesome group of folks that she ran with. I figured that if I was going to give running a try that I would probably fair better with a group of like-minded people for support and encouragement, plus they were running a 12-week learn to run program!

Running for me was never easy, after a few years plagued with illness and injury I tried to start running in 2013, but unfortunately my body was not pleased with my decision and I was told that I would need to stop in order to prevent further injury or damage. I spent the next 12 months working hard at strength training, cardio, yoga and cycling to get my body back on track, primed and ready to make a solid attempt at running in the near future. I hoped to run a tri or OCR at some point and running would be key to both of those goals.

The first two weeks of the Couch to 10K were hard, the week consisted of three runs and we needed to stick to plan in order to be prepared for our goal race in the fall. After a few weeks of following the walking/running program I decided to go out one night and just run a 5k – no stopping or walking – for a base time. After that night I just kept pushing myself from there – I stopped walking, focused on my breathing and pushed to the next milestone in our training.

Not too long after this, one of my coaches encouraged me to join the Tribe for their Wednesday night 5k run. I wasn’t sure I was ready but my Coach Jay reminded me that we are ALL runners, and that was the motivation I needed to attend my first Wednesday night run event. I quickly learned that the Wednesday 5k run would work in my benefit as I ran alongside other runners and pushed myself to maintain a better pace. I became friends with one runner – Diana – who to this day is my #pacepartner and we push each other every time we run together. The summer and fall progressed into a time of firsts with me challenging myself to try many new things – trail running, interval training, hill training, embracing the Canadian winter and running in the middle of a snow storm, the list goes on but with a #noexcuses training mentality, what can I say I like a challenge!

The Tribe Fitness Crew takes on the #STWM Marathon Flame Relay!

The Tribe Fitness Crew takes on the #STWM Marathon Flame Relay!

Fast forward to October when I ran my first 10k – just 24 seconds over my goal of one hour. Now I’m a Wednesday night regular, I am out for speed work or hills on Monday night, I participate in community run events on Thursday and a Saturday long run is in my future. I am a runner! I never would have believed that just over six months ago when this began, I would still be sticking with it and finding enjoyment in it as well. At the end of the day it comes down to the crew that I run with, my Tribe. There is something so special about this group of dedicated coaches and runners, the support they give one another as we hand out high-fives, compliments or cheers while we pass each other on a training route or at a race. Without this #TribeLove I would not be where I am today.

It’s fitting that I finalized this post on the last day of being 24. It’s a time to reflect on the experiences of this 7 month journey – 2 races under my belt, 52 runs on record, running at an average pace of 5’45” and I will cross the 300k mileage mark on Monday night. This year I will take on the Toronto Yonge Street 10K (#TYS10K) as a Digital Champion, complete Around the Bay in a 3x10K relay team, help individuals prep for Harry’s Spring Run-off as a mentor and hope to attempt my first triathlon, OCR and ½ marathon by next fall! I run 2 – 3 times a week and when I miss a run with my crew I get serious FOMO (fear of missing out), so maybe I’m learning to love this crazy sport. My advice – don’t ever say you can’t, you can, it’s true what my coach said, we are all runners, we have it in us so go and find it! Grab a friend, a crew or a mentor and give it a go, use it as a way to explore your city, get outside or switch up your routine. You’ll be amazed at what you can do and the things that you can accomplish when you stick with it!

If you ever want to give it a go, send a tweet my way and I’ll make sure you’ve got someone – or maybe even a whole crew of people – to support you out on your first run!

Connect with Allison on Twitter and Instagram! 

Jan 12 2015
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Welcome 2015 Toronto Yonge Street 10K Digital Champions!

By | Toronto Yonge Street 10K | No Comments

We are excited to welcome a brand new crew of Digital Champions to share their training journeys to the 2015 Toronto Yonge Street 10K! With less than 100 days to go until race day, these 10 runners will be blogging, tweeting, instagramming and connecting with the #TYS10K running community. Follow their journeys, their ups and downs, motivations and challenges, as they train for Toronto’s Premier Spring Road Race.

Meet the 2015 Toronto Yonge Street 10K Digital Champions:

1) Robert Broulliette
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RunnerRob4Life
Instagram: http://instagram.com/RunnerRob4Life

2) Jess Collins
Twitter: http://twitter.com/deptofhighfives
Instagram: http://instagram.com/deptofhighfives

3) Carmen Do
Twitter: http://twitter.com/runcarmyrun
Instagram: http://instagram.com/runcarmyrun

4)  Melissa Doldron
Twitter: http://twitter.com/melissad_rmt
Instagram: http://instagram.com/melissad_rmt

5)  Laurie McCann
Twitter: http://twitter.com/thecoffeecop
Instagram: http://instagram.com/thecoffeecop

6) Allison Miceli
Twitter: http://twitter.com/miceliaj
Instagram: http://instagram.com/miceliaj

7) Lauren Simmons
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laurendorphin
Instagram: http://instagram.com/laurendorphin

8) Matt Small
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MattSmall1784
Instagram: http://instagram.com/MattSmallRuns

9) Paul Silva
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mssginbottle
Instagram: http://instagram.com/paul_practising_life

10) Mike Van Mil
Twitter: http://twitter.com/paramedic_mike
Instagram: http://instagram.com/paramedic_mike

Be sure to use hashtag #TYS10K to share YOUR training journey and connect with Canada Running Series on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our SOCIAL HUB.