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Marathon Training Archives - Canada Running Series

Aug 16 2015
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Vacations and Running: Tips to Keep Your Marathon Training On Track

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

TORONTO August 16th 2015. Digital Champion Danielle O’Hanley started running three years ago after signing up for a half marathon at Disney. She worked her way up through the Running Room’s training programs to a marathon clinic and 4 marathons later, 42.4k is a distance she’s still eager to master! Danielle is inspired by runners across the city of Toronto. Following the many run crews, coaching clubs, and running groups on social media pushes her to go the extra mile and keep exploring new routes. When she’s not running, you’ll find Danielle out with her friends, testing out craft beers, cross-training or checking off new restaurants from her “to try” list. Connect with Danielle on Twitter and Instagram.

Vacations and Running: Tips to Keep Your Marathon Training On Track. By Danielle O’Hanley

Training for a marathon takes months and months of preparation; when you’re preparing for a fall race, that often means you’ll be tackling your longest and hardest workouts at the height of the summer, right when cottages, camping, patios, and summer holidays are calling.

When I was training over the winter, I think I missed one, maybe two runs over a 25+ week training cycle. Miraculous, I know. So after I signed up for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and realized I had a busy summer of work travel, holidays and adventures ahead of me, I knew it was going to be a challenge to stay on track.

Here are some tips to consider before you get away, so you can enjoy your travels and still nail your fall race goals:

Go in with a plan

Don’t just tell yourself you’ll “fit in a few runs”. Write down your distances and workouts on a calendar, and research running routes near where you’ll be staying. Strava, Nike+ and MapMyRun have great route discovery tools, and some hotels like the Fairmont and the Shangri-La have running-specific packages for travelers. Try to think of your workouts as another chance to do some sightseeing: when I was in Vancouver recently, I never would have been able to see as much of the sea wall as I did if I hadn’t plotted my 25K long run along the coast. Finally, consider getting your runs done in the morning so you can enjoy the rest of your day with your travel companions.

Find a group to run with

There’s nothing more motivating than running Danielle O'Hanley Group Runwith a group. Did you know that every RunningRoom in the country has free runs on Wednesday and Sundays? If running with a crew is more your thing, there’s no shortage of options: Three Run Two (Chicago), East Vancouver Run Crew (Vancouver – pictured at right), the Parkdale Roadrunners (Toronto), Night Terrors Run Crew (Toronto/LA), District Running Collective (Washington, DC) all have free weekly runs  and offer great company. Take the time to do some research before you head off on your trip, and you’ll likely find a few “tour guides” and new friends.

Cross-train

If you simply can’t fit in all of your mileage while you’re away, try your best to stay active: take walking tours, go on hikes, swim at the beach. Everything counts. You’ll be surprised at how much ground you can cover in a day of strolling and shopping – download an activity tracker app on your phone if you want to keep track of your distance.

Consider working with a coach

The more you’re traveling, the harder it gets to build up your mileage, get your hill/tempo workouts in, and fuel yourself properly to train for your race. If you’re having a hard time fitting it all in, a running coach can work with you to adjust your training schedule in a way that makes sense for you. Cookie cutter training plans sometimes just don’t cut it, so if you’re dead set on your fall race goals, a coach can help you make sure you’re getting the right workouts in while you’re travelling, and keep you accountable throughout your marathon training.

 

Don’t sweat it

You’re on vacation, so don’t forget to relax. Listen to your body and be flexible with your training. Early morning flights, jet lag, and walking can be surprisingly taxing on your legs, so go ahead and pull back if you’re just not feeling it. Don’t risk injuring yourself for the sake of checking off the boxes on your training program. Try to remember that a run or two won’t make or break your training.

Balancing travel and training is possible – it just takes a little bit of planning. Ease back into your training once you’re back, and keep your eyes on the goal: crossing the finish line October 18!

Jul 16 2015
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Running and Family: A Balancing Act

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

TORONTO July 16th 2015. Digital Champion Jason Guy hails from the East Coast of Canada, St. John’s Newfoundland. He started running in junior high school after his soccer coach suggested he take up cross country. In 2015, he placed second in the Bluenose Half-Marathon, after Olympic Silver Medalist Abel Kirui. Jason credits much of his running success to having a very supportive family who always cheers him on and are very understanding of his 5am wake-up calls during the week! The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will be Jason’s first marathon and he’s looking forward to the challenge. When he’s not running, you can find Jason playing ultimate frisbee, hiking, and spending time with this wife and two young children. Connect with Jason on Twitter and Strava.

Running and Family: A Balancing Act. By Jason Guy. 

I’ve been running off and on most of my life, but I’ve only Jason Guy Blog 2become consistent over the last number of years. I come from a family of athletic people, and when I first started running, it was easy and I was good at it, so I didn’t take it seriously enough. Ever since I graduated from college I look at running more as a mental exercise than physical, and I need to stay focused to get better, and run longer. I use to wonder if it was working, but it really wasn’t until my children came around that I knew I was succeeding.

Everyone who has ever worked out or practiced any sport knows that you need to get into a routine to see any improvements, and at first it’s easy to make excuses. Here I was faced with the easiest excuse I could ever have at this point in my life; a baby. If ever there was a multitude of reasons not to do something, a baby is the ultimate. I can’t run today, my son is sick; I can’t run today, my son was up all night fussy, and on and on.

I pushed through, I changed my routine, and kept running, making sure not to trouble the upbringing of our son. When we had our second child two years ago, my routine needed to change again, and I had even less time to do things for myself. Every parent knows, the first thing that is given up when raising children is personal time. Once again my routine was changed, and events were combined, and certain things were given up, but not running.

Strangely I have been able to run more since our second child was born, but it really isn’t that strange when you take into account that most of my runs start at 5am when everyone else is asleep. Being in a relationship makes you learn to compromise, and becoming a parent forces you to put others before you, no matter what. I run at 5am so that I can eat breakfast with my children, and pick them up at the end of the day and have supper with them. My Sunday long run could happen at 6am, 8am, 8pm, I never know until Saturday, due to being a parent. I’ve wanted to be a parent for a long time, and I always want to be there for my wife and children and experience everything they do.

Running is a mental exercise, even more so Jason blogwhen you have to schedule around the lives of two young children (ages 5 and 2). I love running, but I love my family more, and everything is sacrificed for them. I only hope that my dedication to running inspires my children to follow me as they get older and start being active. I remember reading somewhere that it’s hard for a parent to admit when their child(ren) are better than them at something, and as a competitive person I both fear and wait in excitement for that day, because I know I have helped mold them into the person they are and will become through running.

Running takes physical and mental strength, but most importantly, you need dedication and the heart to push through when it’s hard and keep going to get the reward. If I can instill that attitude into my children, then I’ll know I can call myself a great parent.

Jun 18 2015
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Why I Chose STWM As My First Marathon And How I Plan To Get There!

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

TORONTO June 18th 2015. Digital Champion Mike Van Mil took up running after hearing about all the achievements of his runner friends and the camaraderie of the running world. A year ago he set the goal of running the Walt Disney World Wine & Dine Half-Marathon and he hasn’t looked back since! When Mike’s not running, he works full and part time as a paramedic in the GTA. You can also find him at the hockey rink and dance studio cheering on his two children or enjoying family trips to Disney. Connect with Mike on Twitter, Instagram, and his blog.

Why I Chose STWM As My First Marathon And How I Plan To Get There. By Mike Van Mil

Firsts are amazing things aren’t they?  First love, first kiss, first house, first child, first car… This could go on forever.  All significant times in your life that you will remember for the rest of your life.  And if you have any control over when, where and how they happen, you do everything you can to make sure they are special and shared with your family and friends.  So when it came time to select my very first marathon the choice was easy. Probably the only easy thing about running my first marathon!  I wanted my first to be right here at home where my family and friends could cheer me on!  A marathon where I was comfortable and familiar with my surroundings, the route, and the organizers.  There are quite a few marathons in the GTA and I needed to find one that suited me and my needs.  The choice for me actually came quite quickly and easily.  I selected the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon for a few reasons:

1. I have already established a relationship Mike Van Mil Blog Image 1with Canada Running Series as a Digital Champion for the 2015 Toronto Yonge Street 10k. This means I already have a good idea of the high caliber races CRS puts on and the amazing management team they have to ensure the whole process, from sign up to race day, goes off without a hitch.

2. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is held right here at home which makes it easy for my friends and family to come cheer for me on race day.

3. This race fits very well with my training goals and race calendar.

4. The course is quite flat and runs right along the lake, which will mean cooler temps and inspiring views!

So how the heck am I going to stay motivated over the next 4 months to get longer and longer runs in, without feeling daunted or overwhelmed? Self doubt has a nasty way of creeping into my brain sometimes, trying to take over my thought process. This is where motivation and visualization have to kick in.  My biggest motivation when I’m training is to visualize running the marathon and to remind myself that I need to be prepared for it, both in my legs and in my lungs.  The only way to prepare is to start months ahead and just run!  I will get the miles under my belt, gradually increasing my distance every week.  For me, the body is kind of like a sloth; it is very slow to react and because of this you need to tax it slowly over time, with increasing levels of exertion. Thankfully I really enjoy running! It is a wonderful stress relief for me after a busy shift at work.  I also find having a running partner or group greatly improves motivation. For me it’s my wife.  Since we do a lot of our races together, we are on the same training plans. We lift each other up and keep each other motivated.

To be completely honest, I don’t really know the first thing about training for a marathon!  For all my past races my training really had no plan or structure.  It simply involved getting out when I could and gradually increasing my mileage and run/walk intervals.  I think, though, that training for a marathon, which is twice the distance I’ve ever completed, requires a plan and a structure to be successful.  The plan I have selected begins on July 1st and slowly builds from there. It starts with 3 runs per week and slowly progresses to 4 runs per week. I will admit that I am a little daunted by the structure, the miles, and the amount of time required in the last few months of the plan.  If you don’t know a lot about me, I work a full and part time job with 12 hour shifts.  That presents a whole set of challenges to my training as well as my family life, but that’s a whole topic for another time.  Suffice it to say I need to buckle down, not make excuses, and find the time to get my training runs in, while still fulfilling all my other obligations.

“Make time for the run; the run will not make time for you!”

Mike Van Mil Blog Image 2I am really looking forward to this whole adventure.  I am excited to see where this will bring me when it’s all done.  I may love it and I may hate it but I am trying to leave expectations at the door and see what happens.  I have chosen not to set a time goal for myself either. With this being my first marathon I really want to just experience 42.2k without the pressure of abiding by a time.  I’m sure there will come a time in the future where I will set marathon time goals for myself, but for now I’m going to ride this train and see where it takes me.   I don’t doubt that there will be ups and downs and I am not afraid to share them with you. My hope is that one of you may also have the same concerns or issues that I do and you will take comfort in the fact that you are not alone.  If you are, please let me know because I also take comfort in knowing that what I am experiencing throughout this journey is normal.  I truly believe that this is going to be one of those firsts that I will remember for the rest of my life!  I am so thankful that I get to experience it right here at home with my closest family and friends!  Thank you Canada Running Series for giving me that opportunity as well as the ability share my experience with all of you!

#KeepSmilin 🙂

Mike