Oct 07 2016
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Foolproof Your Kitchen: Ten foods an athlete should always have on hand. By Rachel Hannah, R.D.

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October 7th, 2016 – By Rachel Hannah, R.D.

Travel, holidays, competitions and other unforeseen life events can make fueling at regular intervals challenging for athletes. Sports psychologists would agree that in training and competition it is critical to “control the controllable.” The same idea should be applied to nutrition. With adequate planning and thoughtfulness, athletes can control what goes into their grocery cart and what is available in the pantry and refrigerator at home. By making the right staple food choices, nutritious eating can be feasible even when time is tight. Consider what follows to be an excellent shopping list to bring with you on your next athlete-minded adventure down the grocery store aisles.

  1. Eggs – Not only are eggs one of the most cost-effective sources of protein, they are one of the most versatile. Use them in an omelet or frittata or simply boil half a dozen at a time to have as a quick and convenient snack.
  1. Plain Greek Yogurt – Another highly adaptable protein source that is high in calcium and low in calories (0% M.F.). Consider having it at breakfast with fresh or frozen berries, used in a yogurt parfait with low fat granola or substituted for high fat dairy products in recipes; the choices are endless!
  1. Nuts, seeds, and nut butters – Nut superstars include almonds, walnuts and pistachios thanks to their naturally occurring healthy fats and protein content. Walnuts are one of the best plant sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. Natural nut and seed butters like peanut, almond and sunflower seed can be a fine accompaniment to whole-grain toast, crackers, hot cereal or incorporated into a homemade smoothie.
  1. Oatmeal – Try multiple different varieties to allow flexibility depending on the time available to cook. Steel cut oats are the least processed but most time intensive to prepare. Consider having quick cooking steel cut oats, large flake oats, and plain quick cooking oats. Instant packages are handy when traveling since all you need is a bowl and hot water.
  1. Fresh fruit bowl – Foods we see on a regular basis can influence our food choices and cause cravings. Keep healthy choices always in sight by placing a fruit bowl on your counter with the following: bananas, apples, oranges, grapefruit, pears and avocado. What better way to satisfy a sweet tooth than with nature’s candy!
  1. Sweet potatoes – When stored in a cool, dry location this highly nutritious starchy vegetable will stay fresh for at least a month. They are an excellent source of vitamin A, fibre and low glycemic carbohydrates. Craving fries? Cut into thin pieces and toss with olive or canola oil and roast in the oven for a delicious side dish to any meal.
  1. Frozen Vegetables – Since vegetables are one of the most time intensive items to prepare, having frozen vegetables on hand will ensure half the plate is full of these nutrition all-stars. Top choices include spinach, butternut squash, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, green beans, bell peppers and stir-fry mixtures.
  1. Buckwheat – Buckwheat pasta (soba) noodles can be used as a substitute for regular pasta and are a unique grain that is high in protein and iron. Quick cooking buckwheat cereal can be used as a substitute for oatmeal in the morning and is ready in less than 3 minutes in the microwave.
  1. Canned chickpeas and bean medleys – Beans are an excellent source of fibre, protein and low glycemic carbohydrates. Try adding bean medleys into vegetable soup or chili, or chickpeas on top of a fresh salad. Combine them with salsa for a quick snack.
  1. Olive oil – A heart-healthy and versatile oil that can be used with most recipes including homemade salad dressings, stir fries or roasting vegetables.

We live in an environment where unhealthy choices are convenient and readily available at the turn of every corner. The kitchen can be a safe and controlled environment by planning ahead and keeping these healthy staple items on hand.

About Rachel Hannah: Rachel Hannah enters STWM in only her 4th ever Marathon as the Hometown Girl on home course, covering much of the same turf as the TO2015 Pan Am Games Marathon.  She works and trains amongst the Toronto downtown urban sites along with may of the STWM mass field.  She is passionate about health and wellness in all of work, sport and daily living. Hannah is currently ranked #1 in the 2016 for Female Marathoners. She is 7-time Athletics Canada National Team Member in XC and Road Racing. She was the 2015 Pan Am Games Bronze Medalist in the Marathon and she is 4-time Canadian Champion in the 10k, Half Marathon, Cross County and 10,000m on the Track. Follow Rachel on Twitter and Instagram. 

Oct 06 2016
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Competitive Fields Set for Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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October 6th 2016 – By Paul Gains

Kenya’s Ishhimael Chemtan returns to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in defence of the title he won a year ago. On that occasion his margin of victory was merely a stride length as the race came down to a final sprint.

Chemtan’s compatriot Gilbert Kirwa was on the receiving end of this desperate finish, a deficit that cost him $10,000 in prize money. In Toronto the winner receives $25,000 while the runner up earns $15,000.

The pair will reenact their rivalry at this IAAF Gold Label race October 16th. By no means are they assured of occupying the top podium places either.

Seboka Dibaba carries Ethiopian hopes with the 28 year old possessing a 2:06:17 personal best. Only Kirwa (2:06:14) has run faster. And, Philemon Rono, who trains in a group led by Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge and 2014 Toronto champion, Laban Korir, is another potential winner. Rono has a best of 2:07:07.

The race will also feature several talented East African runners marking their marathon debut chief among them Aziz Lahbabi. This 25 year old Moroccan won the 2014 Rome Ostia Lido Half Marathon in Rome with a superb 59:25 and, if he has prepared adequately, his performance shall be memorable.

Abraham Habte is the first Eritrean elite to compete in Toronto. Although he has completed a marathon he was not supposed to. The 20 year old had been hired to pace the leaders through 30km at January’s Xiamen (China) marathon and felt so good he kept going. This time he has done the work to make an impact in Toronto.

Canadian hopes rest on the 36 year old Eric Gillis who ran the race of his life to finish 10th at the Rio Olympic marathon just six weeks ago. Gillis has recovered well and with three Olympic Games to his credit has announced he will throw caution to the wind and go for a fast time in Toronto. Could Jerome Drayton’s 41 year old Canadian record of 2:10:09 finally be beaten?

Race Director Alan Brookes has done well to have both defending champions back. Shure Demise, 20, ran 2:23:37 a year ago and will be heavily favoured to win again. In January 2015 she ran an unofficial world ‘under 20’ record in Dubai (2:20:59), unofficial because the IAAF does not maintain junior records in the marathon. She will face the 2015 runner-up Fatuma Sado and also Tadelech Bekele providing a 1-2-3 punch for Ethiopia.

A Kenyan challenge will be mounted by 24 year old Rebeca Chesir who finished 2nd at the 2015 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon. Her personal best of 2:25:22 came at the 2015 Dubai Marathon.

Once again Toronto Waterfront will serve as the Canadian Marathon Championship and the women’s field, especially, is a competitive one.

Canadian Olympian Krista DuChene (2:28:32 personal best),  Rachel Hannah, the Pan Am Games bronze medalist, Tarah Korir of St Clement, Ontario  who ran a personal best of 2:35:46 in Ottawa,  Leslie Sexton (2:33:23), Erin Burrett (2:37:50) and debutante Dayna Pidhoresky all have their sights set on a berth on Canada’s 2017 IAAF World Championship team. It is very possible all three places could come from this race.

At this point Athletics Canada has not announced the qualifying time standards. The IAAF standards are 2:19:00 for men and 2:45:00 for women. The athletes know full well that the standards will be much, much tougher and, no doubt, will request pacemakers to ensure they are nearer to 2:29 than to 2:39.

For a complete Start List, click here.

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Oct 04 2016
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Tim Hutchings To Lead Live Broadcast of Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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October 4th, 2016 – by Paul Gains

One of the world’s most respected athletics commentators, Tim Hutchings, returns to Toronto this month to head up the broadcast of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

The event will be Live Streamed on stwm.ca and on athleticscanada.tv October 16th with Hutchings marking his fifth time commentating at this IAAF Gold Label race. To say his services are in demand is an understatement.

Indeed, the Englishman worked for NBC at the Rio Olympics then called a fantastic Berlin Marathon last week for the Host Broadcaster Services. He heads to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon this weekend, then onto Toronto. The New York Marathon will close his autumn marathon coverage although he also heads to Delhi to call a Half Marathon.

“I was in Rio for NBC, but as an analyst, not a play-by-play announcer,” Hutchings explains. “I prefer leading a commentary than being an analyst, but am very aware that all commentary roles are a privilege and hold great responsibility, so I try to look at all TV work as a glass at least half full and to never take anything for granted.

“Like being an athlete, a good performance is in the preparation and I try to hold to that every time, though it does mean a lot of late nights working on stats and trying to have something on every elite athlete.”

Hutchings himself was a world class runner in the 1980’s finishing 4th in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic 5000m final and earning a pair of silver medals at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships (1984 and 1989). Having worked for some of the world’s biggest TV broadcasters Hutchings, nevertheless, believes live streaming is the future.

“Absolutely it is,” he declares. “The whole planet can key in to something on the internet, far more effectively than TV will ever be able to offer. Folks can watch a live webcast from anywhere there’s a signal and, of course, the production costs and other implications that restrict access to TV coverage, are miniscule compared with a full OB (Outside Broadcast).”

Hutchings’ first Olympics as a commentator was in 1992 where he worked in a sweaty Eurosport Studio in France still trying to come to grips with the fact his own athletics career had been terminated by injury. Since then he has worked every Olympic Games. He offers a glowing assessment of the 2016 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

“It’s great that Eric (Gillis) is committed to the race, though I’m a little surprised as it’ll be just eight weeks since his brilliant Rio run,” says Hutchings of the Canadian star. “Once you’ve nailed a top ten finish in an August Olympic Marathon, I guess anything else you achieve that year is a bonus, so maybe Eric’s thinking he’s got nothing to lose.

“And for any Race Director, having the previous year’s winner back to defend his/her title, is important, so Alan’s done well to get Ishhimael Chemtan and Shure Demise to return. Chemtan is really consistent and can certainly go faster, added to which he’s coming to Toronto fresh, having not raced a marathon in well over six months.”

Another constant in the live stream broadcast has been Matt Hortobagyi the Kitchener, Ontario based producer who brings his trademark enthusiasm to the event.

“It’s a ten camera broadcast,” Hortobagyi says proudly. “We will have ten cameras, six motorcycles and this year we are going to fly a drone and broadcast from the drone as well.

stwm-bts_031

“I am working with Transport Canada to get permission to shoot (with the drone) downtown. We have a couple of site locations and one is right across from the finish area. The pilot rides with a motorcycle and he will get dropped off, get the drone up, get the shots then proceed to the next location.”

Hortobagyi, who is a partner at AstroDog Media, says the broadcast will begin at 8:15 a.m. with a thirty minute pre-show before the elite athletes set off at 8:45 a.m. They will be on air until 3:00 p.m. covering the race at the front, the Canadian Championship medal battles as well as various human interest stories.

Michael Doyle, Editor of Canadian Running Magazine, returns once again to offer his insight while the commentary team will feature a new face in Lanni Marchant, the Canadian women’s marathon record holder.

“I am excited, but I am a bit nervous as it’s a little outside the realm of what I have normally done before,” Marchant admits. “I am really excited to be part of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon weekend still. I switched roles with Krista (DuChene) because she is going to be running and she has been commentating the last couple of years

The event holds a special place in Marchant’s heart. In 2013 she beat the Canadian women’s record with 2:28:00 and then a year ago she qualified for the Rio Olympics on this course with 2:28:09. Asked if she sees this as a stepping stone to a new career she is non-committal. A criminal lawyer by profession she is bringing the same resilience to her preparation for the marathon as she does the courtroom.

“I will be there all weekend and will be at the technical meeting and will practice some of the names of the East Africans that are racing,” she says. “I want to do my homework and know who the field is and primarily the top runners but also focus on the top Canadians.

“The Canadian women’s field is especially good. It is going to be an amazing race.  I am excited that I will be able to commentate as it is unfolding. I want to make sure I am ‘me’. I don’t want to come across as robotic. That is my biggest fear.”

The broadcast team is in place and the audience awaits. Now it is down to the elite athletes to make the 2016 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon a memorable event for the world.

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Oct 03 2016
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Racing the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. By Leslie Sexton

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October 4th, 2016

The Toronto Waterfront Marathon has had a special significance for me in my running career. Although the media may be most familiar with my breakthrough race last year, I first ran this event in 2011 and competed in the half marathon. It was always meant to be a stepping stone towards my marathon debut, but being here in Toronto in 2011 really solidified my goal of becoming a marathoner and representing Canada at the distance. In 2011, Eric Gillis, Reid Coolsaet and Dylan Wykes were all chasing the Olympic marathon standard in Toronto. At the time I was a 1:18 half-marathoner with some decent results under my belt, but I lacked experience in road racing. Alan Brookes and the Canada Running Series crew were nice enough to give me an elite bib and put me up in a hotel with the rest of the elite runners for the weekend. Seeing Canada’s top marathoners go after fast times here in Toronto was inspiring, and it got me really excited about running the distance.

My path to the marathon wasn’t an easy one, and in my first few attempts I struggled to make it to the start line healthy. In 2012 I had planned to make my marathon debut at STWM, but an illness I picked up during my taper derailed my plans to do so. It took until fall 2014 to complete my first marathon. Before fall 2015, I had made four attempts at the marathon in three years and only finished two. My personal best stood at 2:39, which was much slower than what I thought I could run at the distance. Leading into STWM in 2015, I wanted to give the marathon another go, but I was starting to think that maybe the distance wasn’t for me and that I would have to step away from it if I failed to run to my potential again. Even with these doubts in the back of my mind, I worked hard through the summer and had a very good marathon buildup.

leslie_stwm15

STWM 2015

By October I knew that I was in the best shape of my life and that I was ready to run a fast time. My main goal was to break 2:35 and I knew my best chance of doing so was to run an even pace. Early on I let some of the other Canadian women go ahead at a faster pace while I stuck to my plan of running 5k splits in the 18:10 to 18:20 range. Seeing the halfway split of 1:16:34 was a little unnerving, because it was only a second slower than when I had raced the half marathon flat-out here in 2011. Yet the effort felt right and soon enough I started passing some of the elite women who had gone out faster than I had. As I approached the 32k mark, I knew that it was going to be a good race. In my previous marathon attempts, something had either gone wrong in the buildup itself or in the first ten miles of the race. But this time I reached 32k with no issues and while I was tired and my legs were starting to feel beat up, I knew I could run a strong last 10k.

While I was still pushing hard and fighting for every second in the final few kilometers of the race, I also let myself enjoy the moment and take it all in. I had been keeping a close eye on my splits and I knew that I was on pace to be well under 2:34. I felt relief I would finally have a good result to show for my years of struggle at the marathon. I finished in 2:33:23, which was a personal best by over six minutes. I had experienced a lot of frustration in attempting the marathon over the previous three years, so I was happy and relieved to have finally put it together and execute a good buildup and race. As I head into this year’s Toronto Waterfront Marathon, I can go in with confidence from a successful run last year.

Training for STWM 2016, Strava

While I am part of a track club (London Runner), I do most of my mileage and marathon-specific workouts on my own. I coach the junior program (high school and late elementary), so I am not able to run at our group workouts. Once in a while I will jump in a club workout when we are running longer intervals, but at most of our workouts I want to be available to athletes to answer questions and give them their splits or feedback. Sometimes I will run with the Runners’ Choice marathon clinic before I get into a specific marathon build to have some company.

Once I am in a marathon build (usually around twelve weeks for me), I run solo for most of my sessions. One reason for this is so I can be specific on pace during my workouts and long runs and really focus in on running at the right effort. Getting a good sense of race pace is so important for the marathon and I can best do that by running on my own and feeling it out. I think my ability and willingness to run on my own and push myself hard in workouts when no one else is around is one of my greatest strengths and it is a skill marathoners need to have. Running workouts and long runs on my own has helped me in the latter stages of long races where there are often big gaps between runners and I need to push hard on tired legs to hang on to my goal pace.

Most of my running is on the paved multi-use path systems that runs along the Thames River in London, Ontario. My place is a 500m run from Springbank Park, the site of the longstanding Springbank Road Races event, where running greats like Jerome Drayton and Bill Rodgers used to duke it out in one of North America’s premier running events. It is a great year-round training location, as the paths are plowed and salted during the winter. My running routes tend to be very repetitive, but I love the consistency of a familiar route.

Leslie breaks the tape at the Eastside 10k 2016

Eastside 10k 2016 Champion (33:17)

My buildup towards STWM is fairly similar to what I have been doing for my last few marathons builds. The important aspects of my training program are high mileage, lots of work at marathon pace, and long runs that are a bit quicker than my normal easy running pace. During this build my big mileage weeks were over 130 miles (or 210 km). I want to go into each workout or long run a bit tired from the volume to get the proper training effect of running hard on tired legs. My key workouts are longer intervals at marathon pace, like 4 X 5k and 5 X 5k earlier on and building up to 26k continuous at marathon pace about three weeks out from the race. Every other week I will do a long run between 36 and 42k at the faster end of my easy pace, which for me is between 4:00 and 4:10 per kilometer. Usually I like to run the full marathon distance twice in a buildup, as it is a good confidence boost and I think it helps prepare my legs for the pounding of race day.

Most runners who know me can attest to the fact that I’m a self-admitted Strava-addict. I love that site both for its functionality as a training log and because it lets me be a part of a social network that I would describe more as a community of runners. I have noticed that cyclists on Strava can be very competitive, while most of the runners I have encountered on there are very supportive of each other. Sure, I get as annoyed as anyone else when someone breaks one of my segment records. But runners I know on Strava are always quick to give kudos, congratulate someone after a good race, or offer words of encouragement after a bad run or workout. It has been fun to follow other runners training towards STWM this fall. I follow Kevin Coffey, who is training in Vancouver right now, and Erin Burrett, who is doing a stint at altitude in Flagstaff. Despite being hundreds of miles apart, I can see the progress of other runners taking different paths towards the same event.

There is a reason why I put everything I do on there, the good runs and the bad. (No, it’s not just to be at the top of the mileage challenges.) Elite runners aren’t robots; we struggle through the bad days just like everybody else. While it is always a goal of mine to be consistent in my training and racing, there are times when it gets really tough, and there are days when I don’t run very well. I’m not sure if I’ve inspired anyone who follows me on Strava, but if I have, I hope I have inspired them to stick with it through the bad patches and keep chasing their goals. I have certainly had a lot of ups and downs in my running career thus far. Yet the journey is worth it and those big breakthroughs feel great. I want to share both my successes and failures with others because I believe the whole picture is more inspiring.

Follow Leslie on Twitter, Instagram and Strava.

 

 

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

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