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Canada Running Series Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Canada Running Series

Mar 10 2016
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Rob Watson Tuning Up For Modo Spring Run Off 8k by Paul Gains

By | Modo Spring Run-Off 8k | No Comments

TORONTO. March 10th 2016. Rob Watson has always been known as a free spirit, someone who accepts whatever results he achieves on the roads and on the track.

Mostly those results have been impressive.

Twice he has represented Canada at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships running the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2009 Berlin championships and the marathon in Moscow in 2013. A year ago he was crowned Canadian Marathon Champion.

ROB BLOG 2Now he is counting on achieving the Olympic qualifying standard at the Virgin London Marathon.  At the age of 32 he knows his time amongst the upper echelon is limited.

“It’s my last chance to qualify for the Olympics,” he admits. “I haven’t really planned my running career past London. If I do well in London and, I am fortunate enough to qualify for the Olympics then, obviously, I will aim towards that. I don’t know where I will go with it. It’s London or bust pretty much.

“The London marathon is April 24 and that is what all the training is aiming toward. That will be my last shot at getting an Olympic qualifier so we are putting all our eggs in one basket.”

Together with his coach/brother Pete Watson he has mapped out his path to the Olympics which includes the Modo Spring Run Off 8k on Sunday March 20th. Training is, by his own admission, proceeding as he had hoped.

“It’s going quite well, quite well,” he reveals. “I am pretty fit. I qualified for the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff, Wales (March 26th) so all systems are go. The Modo 8k is kind of like a ‘blow out the carbon’ race. I like to always get a shorter faster one in before the actual (championship) race.”

Watson grew up in London, Ontario then attended Colorado State University on an athletics scholarship.  For several years he trained with the Speed River Track Club in Guelph, Ontario before selling many of his belongings and moving out west to Vancouver. He is currently living in the Kitsilano Beach area with his girlfriend, Genevieve.

“I am right down in West Kits near Jericho Beach,” he explains. “It’s about a half kilometre run to Jericho Beach. When they hold the Canadian Cross Country Championships here, it’s at Jericho Beach.

“It’s a great location. Dylan Wykes lives about two hundred metres away, Luc Bruchet is around the corner. Chris Winter is right up the street. There is a good group of us runners down here in this neighbourhood.”

Watson was pleased to learn that Music Heals is the featured charity in this year’s Modo 8k, being a huge music lover himself. In fact, the Executive Director, Chris Brandt, will be among those who toe the starting line but with slightly different expectations. Brandt says he is delighted the charity will again benefit from the association with Canada Running Series.

“Most of the music charities in Canada focus on music education,” he declares. “We are one of only two that I know of that focus exclusively on music therapy.

MUSIC HEALS“Music Heals raises money and awareness for music therapy in Canada.  We are based in Vancouver and we fund programs across the country that provide music therapy for everything from kids to palliative, seniors, autism, dementia, burn units, AIDS and HIV, bereavement rehabilitation and a whole bunch more.”

On March 5th seventy two bars across the country participated in a fundraiser whereby they donated $1 from each cover charge collected to Music Heals. Brandt points out that, in its three year existence, the charity has signed cheques in support of various music therapy programs to the tune of $500,000.

Watson himself attends as many concerts as he can fit in. A big fan of musicians like Chuck Ragan, Hothouse Music, Bad Religion and the Canadian band Propagandhi he is also one of the few elite runners who actually listens to music on some of his training runs.

“Sometimes, when I am going for an easy run I will tell my girlfriend ‘I am going to listen to music for a while’ then strap that on and go for a jog down the beach,” Watson reveals.

“Generally when I train it’s faster, louder stuff. I am a huge fan of the early 90’s skate punk scene. Loud and fast when I am training. When I am home it’s a little more low key. Anything with a guitar, you can’t go wrong.”

Genevieve doesn’t necessarily share his music tastes.

“I took her to one of the Progagandhi shows,” he says with a laugh. “She didn’t know what was going on. There is a good mosh pit and people kind of dance around and go a little crazy. I try to behave now that I am a little bit older. I don’t want to get injured. I try to behave; sometimes it doesn’t work.”

Watson expects the Modo 8k field will be a strong one and he will have a fight for the victory even if he hasn’t studied the competition.

“I know that (Trevor) Hofbauer is coming so I think he will be one of the stronger runners,” he says. “I don’t know who else is coming.

“It’s a good race. If it’s a nice day I would like to get out there and run under 24 (minutes) for sure. ‘23 mid’ would be a nice. I am just going to go out there and blow the doors off and run as hard as I can.”

The field got a lot stronger with the addition of 2012 Canadian Olympian Dylan Wykes who confirmed his entry late Wednesday. He has been battling some injuries lately. Canadian international Terrence Attema is also confirmed.  Meanwhile, Dayna Pidhoresky, the 2011 overall Canada Running Series champion, leads the women’s field.

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For More information and to register:

https://canadarunningseries.com/spring8k/

 

 

Dec 15 2015
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2015 Canada Running Series One for the Books. By Paul Gains

By | General | No Comments

TORONTO December 15th 2015. The 2015 Canada Running Series is now behind us and will be remembered, once again, for providing runners of all abilities, from novice to Olympians, the chance to lace up, strip down and challenge themselves over certified accurate and fully supported courses.

The Modo Vancouver Spring Run Off 8k (March 22nd) set the tone for perhaps the most competitive series ever with Canadian internationals Kelly Wiebe (the winner in 23:42), Geoff Martinson and Chris Winter occupying the first three places while Canadian marathon record holder Lanni Marchant fought off a challenge from hometown favourite Rachel Cliff to win the women’s race in 26:43.

Marchant would go on to win the Toronto Yonge Street 10k, the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon and finish 5th overall (and first Canadian) in the Series climax, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The event also doubled as the Athletics Canada National Championships.

Marchant’s finishing time of 2:28:09 was her second fastest time ever, missing her national record by merely nine seconds. Nonetheless, she was all smiles as she was rewarded with an Olympic qualifying mark.

The London, Ontario native’s consistency earned her perfect points in a year when no fewer than 131 runners scored points and she also claimed the $5,000 overall CRS prize. Two years ago she was also the CRS overall champion. Asked what she considers the highlight of 2015 she responds quickly.

“Qualifying for Rio in two events,” says the 31 year old. “The CRS races are kind of the bread and butter for Canadian runners; they put on the top events you are going to run in Canada, outside Ottawa Race Weekend.  (Race Director) Alan (Brookes) makes sure to put on great races and invites us out. He invited me up to Toronto Yonge St 10k where at the time it was my fastest 10k ever and it kind of gave me the confidence to run on the track.

“Winning the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon told me my fitness was still there for the longer stuff even though in the summer I had been focused on the shorter distances.  I knew I was going to be able to roll right into a good marathon in the fall.”

The $5,000 overall prize will come in handy as she prepares to represent Canada in either, perhaps both, the 10,000m and the marathon in Rio next summer.

“I was fortunate enough to get carded this year but I won’t get the enhanced funding that other athletes get that help them go to training camps and physiotherapy and stuff like that,” she declares. “So having that boost of money from CRS, well, it’s going to get put to good use this year. Definitely having that extra $5,000 in my pocket will cover Kenya and one other training camp.”

With the 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon earning IAAF Gold Label status for the first time, the international field was once again exceptional. Racing fans in over 100 countries watched the live stream on the STWM.ca website with the first four men finishing within 38 seconds of one another.

Canada’s Eric Gillis placed 7th in 2:11:31 achieving what he had come for – the Olympic qualifying standard. Should he be named to the 2016 Olympic team he would join Lea Pells, Paul Williams and Kevin Sullivan as the only Canadian distance runners to make three Olympic teams.

Gillis, who comes from Antigonish, Nova Scotia but is a long time resident of Guelph, Ontario, also had an incredible season.

Victories at Harry’s Spring Run Off 8k, Toronto Yonge Street 10k and the Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal earned him enough points, together with his Canadian championship marathon title, for the overall CRS prize for the second consecutive year.

“Definitely (the highlight) was getting the Olympic marathon standard in Toronto,” he reveals. “Setting that goal of being around the same time I had run there before and be comfortably under the standard. Setting that goal and achieving it in Toronto was special.

“The (other CRS races) were great setup races (to get the standard). I was hoping to get the standard in the spring nice and early but after a couple of injuries in the buildup for Rotterdam I didn’t feel confident going into that. I didn’t run the marathon and it was so great to have those CRS races in the spring to re-focus myself at home. It was a good ‘plan B’ and it gave me a good vibe going into the summer and in the buildup to Toronto.”

While Marchant and Gillis achieved Olympic standards, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon also saw Leslie Sexton smash her personal best with a solid performance of 2:33:20. At 28 she is poised to join a growing list of elite Canadian women thanks in no small part to the Canada Running Series.

Another leading light was Rachel Hannah, the 2014 CRS overall champion who elected to run the Pan Am Games marathon, an event for which members of the Canada Running Series staff provided on-site support. She was rewarded with the bronze medal.

Then at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront she entered the half marathon distance finishing with a time of 72:25, good enough to earn a place on Canada’s team for the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff in March. Both Canada Running Series and Ottawa Race Weekend are contributing finances to send that team to Cardiff.

Not to be outdone, there was a terrific competition for the CRS Masters’ titles with Vancouver’s Stan Jang earning the victory with 83 points while Lioudmila Kortchaguina, a familiar name to race fans, collected 135 points to win the women’s Masters’ title. They each collected $1,000 prize money for the overall titles.

“Congratulations to Lanni, Eric, Stan, Lioudmila, and all of the runners who crossed the finish lines of CRS 2015,” says Alan Brookes. “We saw so many great races, so many great achievements, so many great stories. So many runners, of all shapes and sizes, all abilities, came together to create a wonderful season. We’re already excited for 2016, which will be a massive year at home with 8 more CRS events to celebrate, plus Cardiff and Rio!”

Almost 60,000 runners participated in the 2015 Series and together raised $5.8 million for local charities. No doubt the numbers will continue to grow as the Series heads into 2016.

For complete Canada Running Series 2015 standings see http://www.canadarunningseries.com/crs/crsRESULT.htm

Registration for Canada Running Series 2016, including “Combo Packs”, is now open at http://www.canadarunningseries.com/crs/index.htm

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Dec 03 2015
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Announcing the Race Roster Spring Run-Off and Toronto Waterfront 10k!

By | Alan's Journal, Race Roster Spring Run-Off | No Comments
TORONTO December 3rd 2015.
A Message from Canada Running Series Race Director Alan Brookes:

I hope you are enjoying some nice, easy running in this down season, giving yourself the time to recover physically as well as mentally after the race season. In the planning department at Canada Running Series, we are all systems GO! The 2016 Canada Running Series season will be our 27th year and it’s shaping up to be a thriller! Most of you know our shared mission of “building community through running”, based on the twin pillars of organization and innovation. 2016 will be no exception with some exciting new changes and growth.

We have two big news items to share!

Announcing the Race Roster Spring Run-Off 8k & 5k! The Spring Run-Off is Toronto’s oldest, continuously-held road race, going into it’s 38th edition, with the killer Spring Road Hill, piper McGonigal, fresh maple syrup, Councillor Doucette flipping pancakes, and hopefully some blossoms in Toronto’s most magnificent park! Race Roster has signed on as new title sponsor and we’ll be working with them on state-of-the-art, customer-friendly online registration and referral incentives for you and your friends! And don’t forget Tribe Fitness’ free “Couch to 8k” training program, designed to get you to the start line on Saturday April 9th. Use hashtag #SpringRunOff to connect with others also training for this race. Registration opens this Monday December 7th at 12 noon!

Perhaps the biggest news of the day is that the Toronto Yonge Street 10k is evolving into the Toronto Waterfront 10k! We are working on an exciting new course with a tentative date of either Saturday June 25th or Sunday June 26th. We have submitted our application based on recommended dates and a fabulous new course which starts on University Avenue, runs down the Lakeshore, out and back past the CNE, and then returning from the West to finish at Coronation Park. Pending final approval from the City, we are planning to open registration in the new year. Stay tuned and feel free to connect with us on Twitter @alnbrookes and @RunCRS using hashtag #Waterfront10k to chat and ask us questions about this exciting new development

Are you ready?

Let’s get our CRS 2016 on! View our full race calendar at RunCRS.ca  

Connect with me on Twitter and Instagram and let’s keep the conversation going!

Nov 16 2015
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Important 2016 Canada Running Series Registration Update!

By | Alan's Journal, Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal et 5k, Oasis ZooRun, Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments
A message from Canada Running Series Race Director Alan Brookes:

Hello fellow runners;

As 2015 fades into our log books, 2016 is coming up fast! Canada Running Series is ALMOST done – bar the wrap up! WHAT a year it was! In addition to 8 great Series races, we also had the Pan Am Games to organize and enjoy. A massive THANK YOU to all of you for the important part you played in an outstanding year. Almost 60,000 participants; more than 5,000 volunteers; 19 fabulous sponsors; tens of thousands of spectators and cheer squads; and a whopping $6 million raised for our 339 Official Charities. So many great stories, and reasons to cheer. Beyond EPIC!

Although there’s still a lot of tidy-up activity happening at the CRS offices – paying bills and prize monies, mailing out unclaimed awards, writing 2015 reports for our sponsor partners, we’re also full swing into 2016 – designing next year’s medals and t-shirts, fun new activations and more.

Are you ready?

We have some VERY exciting stuff in the works, including a new race. What will it be called? When will it be held? Where will it run?

Because of these tasty updates, we’ll be LAUNCHING online registration tomorrow for the following Individual Races:

  • Banque Scotia 21K et 5K de Montreal: Sunday April 24th 2016.
  • Oasis ZooRun, 10k, 5K & Cub Run: Saturday September 24th 2016.
  • Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half-marathon & 5K: Sunday October 16th 2016.

COMBO PACKS, with multi-event discounts, for our full Eastern Calendar [including Toronto Spring races] will be coming SOON. We’ll have that up and available as soon as we have finalized our plans – and you’ll be among the first to know! ‘Til then, let’s keep running, keep in touch, and get planning for new goals, and thrilling new adventures together in 2016.

Alan, @alnbrookes

Jun 08 2015
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Toronto Duo Hoping to Earn Tickets to Rio. By Paul Gains

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

TORONTO June 8th 2015. Canada sent three male marathoners to the 2012 Olympics and with the qualifying period for Rio 2016 having opened in January there is speculation that three men will toe the line in Rio next year.

Just who will wear the maple leaf, however, is the big question.

The standard of 2 hours 12 minutes 50 seconds will take some doing. Two members of the Newmarket Huskies have made the commitment to achieving it and to realising a dream of representing Canada at the highest level.

Matt Loiselle and his training partner Sami Jibril will begin their buildup towards the 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon next month. They both feel that Canada’s pre eminent marathon, which is the country’s only IAAF Gold Label marathon, is the venue to produce their lofty goal.

Matt Loiselle 2 ResizedLoiselle has a best of 2:16:01 from the 2011 Toronto event. A professional coach when he’s not putting in the miles, he understands that this time is a far cry from the standard. Nevertheless, he believes it is possible.

“I think so,” he declares. “I have got up to about 30k at 2:12 pace. Both times that I ran the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon I got to 30k at 2:12 flat pace. That’s when the pacemaker dropped out.

“I know the things I need to work on now and I will talk to (Coach) Hugh (Cameron) about it and make some adjustments and compare to previous buildups. If you look at my best half marathon time, which is under 1:04, I think it’s doable. I just believe in myself and I believe we will get good training in. And, it will help having Sami there too. If I didn’t believe it was possible I wouldn’t be really going for it. It has always been the goal.”

The 30 year old has represented Canada twice before, most recently at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon championships where he placed 55th in 1:04:59. He is fully aware that he and Jibril might well be fighting for one place.

Already Reid Coolsaet, a 2012 Olympian at this distance, has achieved the standard by running 2:11:24 in Rotterdam this past April. And Eric Gillis ran a personal best in Toronto last October with 2:11:21, albeit before the qualifying period.  Both he and Coolsaet are good bets to return to the Olympic race and, with only three to qualify, it leaves the Newmarket Huskies pair chasing one place.

“I totally expect that, actually,” Loiselle continues. “I think it will similar to what it was in 2012 probably under 2:12 (will be required). Look at Gillis. He is running as well as he ever has. Reid had a good one in Rotterdam.  And you can never really count Dylan (Wykes) out. Who knows who might be able to come out and surprise? I would be surprised if 2:12:50 did get you in actually.”

And this leads to the question what if he makes the team and Jibril is left behind? How would he feel about that?

“Yes, if I knocked him off the team it would hurt him and if he knocks me off the team it would hurt me,” he says laughing.  “It’s 42.2k and we have the same goal. Obviously if he makes the team and I didn’t I would be happy for him.”

“It’s kind of funny. I had a talk to a group of grade sixes yesterday. One guy asked me ‘Are all the guys you’re running against enemies?’ And I said ‘Well I guess when you start on the line you are enemies and then afterwards you respect each another and you can be friends. But we all have the same goals. We want to beat each other.’”

Sami Jibril Resized

Jibril, now 25, first came to national attention when he won the 2013 Harry’s Spring Run Off in Toronto’s High Park. That victory surprised many. At the time he was more attuned to running on the track and used road racing to break up the routine of winter training. Since then he has become a consistent road racer. A year ago he took the silver medal at the Canadian Half Marathon Championships, hanging on to Eric Gillis for most of the race.

“That is a tactic that I do once in a while, ‘dying to success’ as Coach Hugh calls it,” Jibril reveals. “Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t but in that race I had one option to run with Eric or separate early. I committed and it was a good run. I ran a huge personal best by 90 seconds. I definitely got good results off of that.”

“I think that was a perfect tactic. I don’t think I could have run faster if I didn’t go with Eric. The way he runs helped me out because he goes out so evenly paced, and conservative. He definitely helped me over 15 or 16k, however far we went together. It was obvious more than three quarters of the race.”

Born in Rome, Jibril is the son of Somali-Ethiopian parents who fled the strife in that region of East Africa.  He was a mediocre runner at Heart Lake Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario but under Hugh Cameron’s guidance has developed well these past three years. Loiselle speaks highly of their partnership.

“When I first met him he barely said a word,” Loiselle says with a laugh. “I thought he was pretty shy. So I had to gradually try to get him out of his shell.  Now he will actually come and hang out. We have a group of friends who will go out for a drink or for dinner and so we are starting to socialize more.”

“At least three times a week we train together. We do our intervals Tuesday and Friday and a long run on Sunday. Today I ran into him on our easy day – we run the same places. He is a great guy to train with.  No ‘BS’, we get along and we talk about anything really when we are running. I enjoy training with him.”

For his part Jibril points out that when he first began training with Loiselle he was working the graveyard shift at the Toronto Transit Commission as a mechanic and barely had any time to socialise. Now he works the 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. shift and has weekends off. The pair train at 7:00 a.m. usually.

This year the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is also the official Athletics Canada National Championship Marathon so there is added incentive for the top Canadians to contest the race. Both Jibril and Loiselle hope they run fast enough to earn a place on the Rio bound Olympic team, for that would be a dream come true.

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May 04 2015
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Neighbourhood House Week

By | Scotiabank Vancouver Half | No Comments

Neighbourhood House Week marks 121 years of Neighbours Growing Neighbourhoods

05-04-mpnh-photoOriginally from Eritrea, Adiam Haile arrived in Vancouver via Germany. Adiam did not find that her new home was very welcoming. She said that “where I grew up, there was a strong sense of community” but found it difficult to find the same sense of belonging and neighbourhood connections in Vancouver.

Luckily she found Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House.

Ever since the first BC neighbourhood house opened in Vancouver in 1938 (Alexandra House, which had been an orphanage since 1894 and is now called Kitsilano Neighbourhood House) a wide diversity of people have found a home in neighbourhood houses.

Now there are 15 neighbourhood houses in the Lower Mainland, offering programs, services and initiatives to more than 100,000 children, youth, adults and seniors annually. From May 3-9 Vancouver is celebrating Neighbourhood House Week.

For Adiam, finding Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House three years ago offered the lonely but eager-to-learn newcomer the opportunity to connect with friendly people from many cultures who lived in the neighbourhood. Adiam, now with an infant, attends other programs in the community, but is especially connected to Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House because of the early positive experiences she had in multicultural programs. Now with an eight-month old, she says “the neighbourhood house has helped me build a history, especially now that I have my child. I am so thankful the memories and connections I have made here.”

Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House Executive Director, Jocelyne Hamel said that
“Neighbourhood Houses have amazing capacity to help people discover their strengths and find ways to grow into leadership roles. Adiam came to us looking for and finding a community. Now she’s a parent leader for one of our parenting programs.” Adiam’s experience of finding a sense of belonging is typical for those who engage in neighbourhood houses. “That’s why, for Neighbourhood House Week this year we’re celebrating around the theme, ‘Neighbours Growing Neighbourhoods’. It’s people like Adiam who get engaged in neighbourhood houses and find a way to express their passions or follow a dream who help make neighbourhoods friendlier for all.”

Operated by not-for-profit societies, Lower Mainland neighbourhood houses have combined annual operational budgets of more than $50 million, engage more than 3,000 volunteers and employ close to 1,500 individuals.

05-04-mpnh-weekFor more information on Neighbourhood House Week, visit this site.

To find out more about the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, and how you can support them in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, click here.

 

Apr 27 2015
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Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal et 5k Race Report

By | Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal et 5k | No Comments

MONTREAL April 26th 2015. Under a clear sky with favourable conditions, more than 5,500 runners participated in the 13th edition of the Banque Scotia 21k de Montréal et 5k presented by Asics, this Sunday April 26th.

Scotia21kMtl Eric Gillis winning

Eric Gills wins in 65:31

Olympian Eric Gillis of Speed River TFC in Guelph, Ontario won the 21k for the fourth consecutive year in 65:31, in from of teammate Terrence Attena (66:39) and Quebecker David Le Porho in 66:55. Le Porho improved his personal best by more than a minute.

Gillis took the lead from Behanu Degefa after the 11k mark to make it a solo effort from then on and win far ahead of everybody else.

“When the fight is on until the finish line it keeps you on the edge. There is a challenge. But I enjoy running by myself too because I run to win. If I’m alone the win is easier [laugh]. I’m very proud of this victory. I was apprehensive before the race because I had to deal with some small health issues that have preoccupied me for the last few weeks. Today’s race was like a test for me. It gave me a better sense of where my fitness is right now and my efforts paid off. I really like running the Banque Scotia 21k de Montréal. It is a great race, well organized and placed well in the race calendar. Certain years we had to fight with the wind, but this year wasn’t the case.” Gillis said.

“The conditions were perfect this morning. We were scared at the beginning of the day because it was a bit windy. It went well for me. I ran alone most of the way. I ran without my watch because wanted to run by feel. I kept the same pace and I passed runners one by one to finish in third place. It was a superb race. I realized my best time in this distance” Le Porho said after improving his personal best by more than a minute.

Scotia21kMtl Bianca Premont Winning

Bianca Premont breaks the tape in 1:20:40

It is with great joy that Bianca Prémont from Sainte-Julie won the half-marathon event with a time of 1:20:40. Pia Nehme who owns the national half-marathon record for Lebanon took second place is 1:21:39, right before Manon Letourneau in 1:21:48.

Although the marathoner, who won the Athletas Award in 2014, didn’t beat her personal record this morning, winning the race was a great accomplishment. “The lead pack I was with started at a relaxed pace. We were 5 runners up to 10k. I kept my pace. To win the race is a like a dream on the perfect day. I love this course.” Prémont said.

This annual meeting of thousands of runners, supporters, and partners is one of the sporting events that raises the most funds in Quebec. The 2015 edition kept pace with that tradition, raising $1,018,000, which is $140,000 more than the goal that was set for the event, for a total of 66 official charities. There were 3 featured charities at the event: Fondation A Pas de Géant, Fondation CHU Sainte-Justine, and Fondation les petites trésors.

Scotia21Mtl Defi Caratif

Thanks to all who helped raise over $1,000,000!

“For sure welcoming elite runners of Canada is one of the objectives of the race and we are proud of it. The organization, the course, the team of volunteers, everything is set to stage a great event, but this year what touches me the most is to know that the 2015 edition raised over a million dollars. To see all those participants mobilize to try to make a difference in the lives of others is a big thing. I hope this phenomenon will be contagious and exponential” said Francois Lecot, Race Director of the Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal et 5k. “All the participants should be very proud of their performance, along with how much money they were able to raise.”

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Montréal, 26 avril 2015. C’est sous un ciel clément et un timide retour du printemps que plus de 5500 coureurs ont participé à la 13e édition du Banque Scotia 21k de Montréal et 5k présenté par Asics, ce dimanche 26 avril.

L’Olympien Eric Gillis, de Guelph en Ontario, a remporté le 21k pour une quatrième année consécutive en 1h05min31, devant Terence Attema (1h06min39) et le québécois David Le Porho de Montréal (1h06min55).

Gillis a pris le contrôle de la course dès le départ pour distancer un à un les coureurs, au 11e kilomètre il se séparait finalement de Degefa pour faire la seconde moitié en solo et gagner loin devant les autres.

«Quand la bataille dure jusqu’aux derniers mètres, il y a un challenge qui nous pousse à nous dépasser. J’aime aussi courir en solo parce que je cours pour gagner, seul devant la victoire est plus facile [rires]. Je suis très fière de cette victoire. J’attendais cette course avec appréhension puisque quelques ennuis de santé m’ont préoccupé au cours des dernières semaines. La course d’aujourd’hui était comme un test pour moi. Ça me permet de voir où en est ma forme et que mes efforts ont porté fruits. J’adore courir le Banque Scotia 21k de Montréal. C’est une course super bien organisée, bien placée dans le calendrier et j’aime le parcours. Certaines années, on a dû se batailler contre le vent mais cette année ce n’était pas le cas.» a dit Gillis.

Le Porho a réalisé un nouveau record personnel en soustrayant environ une minute à son ancien temps sur cette distance. «Les conditions étaient parfaites ce matin, on a eu peur en début de journée parce qu’il ventait un peu et il ne faisait pas beau. Cela a bien été pour moi. J’ai couru seul tout le long et je suis parti sans ma montre, je voulais courir au feeling. J’ai remonté un à un les coureurs. C’était une super belle course.» disait-il.

C’est avec émotion que Bianca Prémont de Sainte-Julie a remporté le demi-marathon en 1h20min40. Pia Nehme, détentrice du nouveau record national pour le Liban au demi marathon s’est pour sa part classée deuxième (1h21min39) devant Manon Létourneau (1h21min48).

La marathonienne détentrice du prix Athlétas 2014, a frôlé un nouveau record personnel et réalisé un rêve ce matin. «Le peloton de tête est parti relaxe, on était environ 5 coureuses jusqu’au 10e kilomètre. J’ai gardé mon rythme. De gagner, c’est comme un rêve, c’était la journée parfaite. J’adore ce parcours.» disait Prémont après sa course.

Ce rendez-vous annuel pour des milliers de coureurs, leurs supporteurs et les partenaires essentiels est l’évènement sportif caritatif qui amasse le plus de fonds au Québec. L’édition 2015 s’inscrit dans cette même lignée généreuse! En effet, le total amassé par les 66 organismes de bienfaisance s’élève à plus de 1 018 000$, soit plus de 140 000$ que l’objectif fixé. À noter que les organismes de bienfaisance vedettes du Défi caritatif Banque Scotia était la Fondation À Pas de Géant, la Fondation CHU Sainte-Justine et la Fondation les petits trésors.

«Il est certain qu’accueillir des coureurs d’élite du Canada est un de nos objectifs et nous en sommes fiers. L’organisation, le parcours, l’équipe de bénévoles, tout est mis en place pour créer un événement de qualité, mais cette année, ce qui me touche le plus c’est de savoir que l’édition 2015 a dépassé le 1 000 000$ en levée de fonds. Voir tous ces participants se mobiliser pour faire une différence dans la vie de quelqu’un d’autre, c’est quelque chose. J’espère que ce sera contagieux de façon exponentielle.» dit François Lecot, directeur de course du Banque Scotia 21k de Montréal et 5k. «Tous les participants devraient être extrêmement fiers de leur performance, autant en ce qui concerne la course que la collecte des fonds amassés.»

Apr 20 2015
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Opening My Heart to Boston

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

By CRS Community Leader Jodi Lewchuk

Jodi CRS Gear“Let it give your feet wings,” she said, and smiled.

In desperation, with about a month left in my training schedule for my first Boston Marathon, I was sitting across from someone I hoped could help me release the load I was carrying in my heart. It was weighing me down.

I mean that figuratively, of course, but as I entered the final days of preparation for the Holy Grail of marathons for endurance runners, I knew something wasn’t right. Something was holding me back. Running itself had told me so.

Oh, sure. Toronto has just experienced its coldest winter on record, which made for some of the most challenging training I’ve done in the three years since I’ve taken up distance running seriously. But I’ve run in frigid weather conditions before, and it didn’t slow me. In fact, it had made me stronger and faster. This time, something was different. Something was off. Something was wrong.

My coach had put together a plan for Boston that would stretch me in ways I hadn’t been stretched before, but nothing she asked me to do was beyond my potential. The time goal we set for the 20 April 2015 race was tough. But it wasn’t impossible. And yet the harder I worked to fulfill that potential, the farther away the target seemed. I was defeated by tempo runs. My finishing kick was often nowhere to be found. Worst of all, on Sunday long runs, which I usually look forward to, I would be labouring along, feeling like I was giving everything I had, only to look down at my watch and see a pace time that was at least 30 to 40 seconds slower than my usual “autopilot” speed.

Running, which for so long had been my place of refuge and strength and achievement, suddenly felt like the enemy.

For anyone not familiar with my story, I took up distance running after the end of a long-term relationship. I ran my way back to myself during that time, and discovered running was the perfect metaphor for life: both joy and pain are temporary, and if you keep running, keep pushing, keep believing, you always end up somewhere – often a place better than you ever imagined. I qualified for Boston in my first marathon the year I turned 40, and I saw my race times improve each and every time I toed the line. Running became my wellspring of confidence.

And so it shook me in a very deep place when that confidence was stripped away as I battled each and every workout on the road to Boston. I thought about scaling back my time goal. I thought about not going to Boston at all. I thought about quitting running altogether.

It took time, but I eventually realized that running Jodie's Shoeshadn’t turned on me. It wasn’t trying to trip me up. Running was trying to tell me something. Running was trying to save me.

When you are the fittest you’ve ever been and there’s no medical reason for running slower than you did when you first started, it’s time to look elsewhere for answers. It’s time to look within.

If you ask me what my biggest strength is as a runner, I’ll tell you it’s my heart. There’s no doubt that I’ve conditioned my body to be lean and strong. I’ve also got an iron will. But I truly believe it’s my heart that propels me. It’s big and it’s deep, and when it decides to open to something — or someone — it does so wholly and fully and unabashedly. It flings open with abandon.

I can’t imagine living my life any other way; facing each day with such an open heart brings great rewards. It can also bring great heartache. And that’s precisely where I found myself as I entered the homestretch of my training for the 2015 Boston Marathon: bogged down in a heavy heart that was dragging my mind, and my legs, down with it.

Thus my plea to the person I entrusted with helping me release my burden. I told her I would do whatever was needed to leave it behind and move on. Her advice took me by surprise.

“Why would you want to leave something so special behind?” she asked me. “Wouldn’t it be better to find a place where its magic can always exist within you, inspire you, and open other doors? It doesn’t have to be a weight. Open your heart to it, and let it give your feet wings.”

It’s amazing what a different perspective will do. Carrying a memory wasn’t a problem; I just needed to carry the right parts of it in the right way.

The difference in my running was almost immediate. It’s like my legs woke up. I watched my pace times speed up run by run. I hadn’t left anything behind, and yet I felt lighter. I nailed my first tempo run. Going long started to feel fun again. And for the first time in the training cycle, I began to feel genuine excitement about lining up in Hopkinton for the race into downtown Boston.

All it took was someone to remind me of my own motto: “Head up. Heart open. Run.” Sometimes we say things and forget what they truly mean. But on the morning of the 119th Boston Marathon, I will open my heart with purpose. I will be grateful for everything that got me to the most legendary marathon there is — joy, tears, elation, pain, hills, valleys. I will be grateful to carry a memory that reminds me what it feels like to soar. I will fling my heart wide open and I will run where it leads me, fast or slow or somewhere in between, to Boylston Street and beyond.

It will be magic.

Apr 07 2015
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Running as Moving Meditation: The Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

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

TORONTO April 7th 2015. Digital Champion Paul Silva started running to get his body moving in a meaningful way. He knew that running would touch all parts of the mind-body-spirit connection, and it hasn’t failed to do that for him yet. Paul’s favourite distance to run is the 10K, but his most memorable running accomplishment was completing his first marathon last October at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. It was much more difficult, physically and mentally, than he had expected, but he persevered and that’s what made it so memorable. Connect with Paul on Twitter and on his blog.

Paul Silva Blog Pace and MindRunning as Moving Meditation: The Mind-Body-Spirit Connection. By Paul Silva

I never wanted to run.

For 40+ years, I was content to not strap on shoes at ungodly hours and run distances that I would normally cover with my car.  Even though my dad was a runner, I wasn’t interested.  He ran for decades.  When I was a child, he would come home all sweaty from an afternoon run, and chased my brother and I to hug us and cover us in his sweat, all of us laughing while getting grossed out.  He didn’t race marathons, but he did take part in some 5K and 10K races now and then.  In the end, he ran because it was what he did.  It was important to him.

Running came to me as a sort of calling one morning.  I don’t know why I decided that morning I would try running, but it was monumental for me.  Because for a good chunk of those 40+ years, the only running I did was to the bottle.  Getting out of my own head and escaping the world were factors in driving me to drink.  So needless to say, after about 2 ½ years of sobriety, I was shocked and surprised that something pushed me to the one thing I thought I would never do – lace up and tackle the pavement.

I started with the Couch to 5K program in 2013 and before I knew it, I was running a half-marathon eight months later.  A full marathon five months after that.  My passion and love for running gripped me like nothing ever did before.  Running gave me something that fulfilled me in so many ways .  It spoke to me on all levels – mind, body and spirit.  And that is very important for me.  I strongly believe in the mind-body-spirit connection.  Like three legs on a stool, when one of those things is out of whack, I am not on solid footing.  I am a bit askew. And being solid is what brings me contentment. And joy. And keeps my recovery strong.

When I crave running, it’s also a craving to connect.  When my feet touch the ground, I am also touching something greater than myself, spiritually.  My mind is free to wander, or to focus, or to just settle.  My body gets the nourishment it needs in being free, in working hard, in feeling growing pains.  And my soul gets the joy of chasing dreams, of being thankful, of being relieved of the weariness of material-based living. And when I run, all three of these things are in sync.  Even on the bad runs, I get something out of it.  Even when my body feels broken, or when my mind tells me I can’t do it, I get the sense of accomplishment.  I feel a sense of ease and comfort with the world and myself.

Paul Silva Blog STWMRacing with others also brings me a sense of community that I never had.  The friendships that I have formed with other runners in such a short time have been one of the unexpected benefits of running. I am always amazed at the generosity and the support the community offers.  Being in a corral, waiting to start the race, always brings both a buzz and a sense of serenity.  Everyone has their reasons for running and yet we all stand shoulder to shoulder in the same place.

I understand why my dad ran now.  I understand the peace of mind, the pride of accomplishment, the exhale of negativity and the inhale of joy.  Running is my moving meditation, and as I move through this journey, I understand just how it impacts my mind-body-spirit connection.  When I don’t run, I feel it.  Not just my body, but in how I interact with the world and myself.  I feel it deep within.  But I run, and that’s what I do.  It brings the world into focus, one kilometer at a time.

I look forward in seeing everyone at the Toronto Yonge Street 10K.  I know I will see some familiar faces, meet some new ones and cross the finish line with a smile. And hopefully my two boys will be there, so I can grab them and cover them with my own sweat.  And laugh while doing so.

Mar 28 2015
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At Harry’s Spring Run-Off, A Father-Son Tradition Is About Suits and Family Ties

By | Harry's Spring Run-Off | No Comments

By Nicholas Mizera

TORONTO. March 28th 2015. For one father-son duo, what began as a fun way to get some exercise evolved into an annual tradition involving bonding, suits and a race up one notoriously steep hill.

Greg Stephanian and his son Jason have taken part in Harry’s Spring Run-Off every year since 2010. As Toronto’s oldest continually-held road race, Harry’s takes participants on a run through High Park in support of Prostate Cancer research at The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. It’s a challenging race to the finish for elite athletes, but for the Stephanians, it’s more about the good cause and community feel that first inspired them to join up.

“The costume portion of it also adds to the fun,” said Greg. “How many chances do you get to run a race all put together in a suit?”

The season opener attracts some 4,000 runners and walkers, many dressed up in the spirit of the race’s sponsor, Harry Rosen. Jason determined to run his first Harry’s dressed to the nines after seeing a subway poster featuring a dapper runner. He convinced his power-walking father to do the same, and a tradition was born.

“It may make it more difficult, but it definitely makes it more fun,” said Jason.

HSROT Style 2012Greg and Jason started out wearing clothes they were comfortable mussing up, like a 30-year-old suit handed down from a relative. Since then, they’ve taken to the starting block decked out in bowties, tuxedos and even a Prince Charming costume one year, earning them multiple spots on our list of the race’s best dressed runners.

Jason encourages other runners to dress up, but advises them not to worry too much about race results. “I personally feel that’s not what this race is about,” he said. “If I were trying to go for a personal best, I wouldn’t be doing it in a tuxedo.”

While the Stephanians’ sense of style certainly makes them look effortless, the course veterans agree that Harry’s hilly route can be a handful at times. The final 600-metre sprint up Spring Road Hill just before the finish line is considered by many the toughest leg of the race — and even tougher in a suit. Regardless, it’s Jason’s favourite part thanks to spectators who gather there to applaud runners to the end.

“Every single time I’ve made that corner, there’s always someone who makes a comment about how I’m dressed,” said Jason. “It’s really motivating to have someone to point you out and cheer you on as you reach that last 100 metres.”

When the going gets tough, Greg advises participants to take the obstacle one step at a time. “You can’t think about the end because you’re not there yet, so you have to concentrate on what you’re doing right at the time,” he said.

Once you do get there, conquering that final crest and crossing the finish line is a moment that never gets old. For at least two generations of Stephanians, however, the opportunity to spend time together is just as important as the medal at the end.

“One of my favourite memories is just sharing the race with Jason,” said Greg. “It’s a fun thing to do and I’m glad that I can share it.

Join Greg and Jason next week on Saturday April 4th at Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8K & 5K! Online registration closes Sunday March 29th at midnight, so sign up now to secure your spot at the start line. Remember to come dressed in your best as we will have prizes for the most stylish runners!