TTC-inspired race medals for Toronto’s largest marathon and just one of five IAAF Gold Label races in North America
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By Paul Gains
Tristan Woodfine successfully defended his Race Roster Spring Run Off 8k title today while the women’s race went to London, Ontario’s Leslie Sexton.
Held in Toronto’s scenic High Park for the 41st consecutive year, the race launched the 2018 Canada Running Series. Spring seemed to have been delayed though as runners were subjected to sub-freezing temperatures and a strong wind.
Sexton and Woodfine, who is studying to be a paramedic at the Ontario Health and Technology College, were the 2017 CRS overall champions. They both earn 45 points to go to the top of this year’s CRS points race.
Brave early front running from Kyle Grieve, proved beneficial to Woodfine.
The 24 year old towed the field through the halfway point in 12:27 with Woodfine, Trevor Hofbauer and a half dozen other ambitious contenders two seconds behind. But over the next two kilometres Hofbauer, who was using the race as both a workout and a fitness test before racing the Prague Marathon next month, took command.
The Spring Run Off finishes atop a steep 352 metre climb and it was just before the foot of this hill that Woodfine made a decisive move. Charging past the tall figure of Hofbauer he eventually squeezed out a ten second margin of victory stopping the clock at 24:36 to earn $2,000 first place prize money.
Hofbauer held on to second while Grieve was an impressive third in 24:52.
“It’s definitely a positive sign,” Woodfine said of his win. “I have been doing marathon training, lots of marathon tempo, so coming down to 8k and being able to race pretty quick is nice because I haven’t done much running at that pace. I am definitely happy.”
Tristan Woodfine. Photo Credit: Inge Johnson/Canada Running Series
“I got up that first hill at 3k feeling pretty good and thought ‘alright if I can hold this effort the next couple of kilometres I should be able to punch out that last 2k pretty good’ And, knowing this course, if you go out too hard that last ‘K’ will punish you.”
Hofbauer, who was first Canadian finisher at last year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, and was crowned 2017 Canadian Marathon Champion, was pleased with his performance.
“I was catching up on Kyle but then Tristan blew by me,” he said. “I told him to ‘go get it.’ I wasn’t concerned about pushing on that hill. Tristan got it and I am happy for him. I think I am in a good spot and will have to see how it plays out in a few weeks.”
Sexton’s victory was impressive. By three kilometres she had a commanding lead. The expected challenge from Sasha Gollish never materialized as the 36 year old Canadian international stepped off the course unable to overcome the flu.
By 4k, which she reached in 13:55, Sexton had an advantage of more than twenty seconds. At the finish she had stretched that to 59 seconds, finishing in 27:53 with Laura Desjardins of the Newmarket Huskies second in 28:52. Rachel Hannah of New Balance, the 2015 Pan Am Games marathon bronze medalist who had also been suffering from a cold, finished third in 29:21.
“I am happy with how that went,” a very composed Sexton revealed. “I actually came down with a cold a few day ago and so I wasn’t sure if I was going to be ready to race today. I was feeling alright this morning, so I thought I would go out and give it a good effort and not worry about the time.
Leslie Sexton. Photo Credit: Inge Johnson/Canada Running Series
“I am happy with it. It’s a big confidence boost going into the Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal two weeks from now. I was pushing the pace from the start. At the hill around 3k Sasha must have pulled out. The bottom of the hill I had people with me; when I was at the top I sort of looked behind me and didn’t see anyone behind me.”
Desjardins, another in the long line of national class runners coached by Hugh Cameron, was pleased to be on the podium
“To be honest, I don’t have as much experience as those other girls have. I just did what my coach said ‘stay positive throughout the whole thing.’ I knew they were ahead of me but I just stayed focused on what I was doing and didn’t worry about anyone else.
“People were telling me I was second but I just was always thinking ‘someone could be coming up behind you.’ I felt pretty strong, my coach is big into hills. So it was tough but I kept pushing until the end.”
This was the 41st running of the Spring Run Off and once again the race got underway with the traditional playing of bagpiper Dave McGonigal. Perhaps he was the only one present to have wished for a warmer day. He wore his kilt.
For full results, visit springrunoff.ca
Tristan Woodfine, defending RRSRO champion:
“I’d say to make sure to save something for that last kilometre with that hill. If you come into that too tired it’s a brutal hill. Save a little bit for that.”
Rachel Hannah, 2015 Pan Am Games marathon bronze medalist
“Obviously you don’t want to go out too hard. One thing in the back of my mind, I left something for the end (when winning the 2016 RRSRO). This one I saved a little bit extra for the end. If it comes down to you and another person on that hill you want to have as much energy as possible.
“If you have a couple of weeks of training it’s good to incorporate some hills. You can do some hills running at the end of a workout just to simulate that feeling of burning in your legs.”
Trevor Hofbauer, 2017 Canadian Marathon Champion
“My advice would be to enjoy the moment as much as possible, regardless of race time, and save some energy for the final hill. Being the first Canada Running Series event of the year and, for many, their first race of the year, it’s best to run the race with a focus on enjoying the experience over any sort of
performance goal.
“For tackling that final 365m hill, I’d advise incorporating hills into easy runs or workouts over the next few next weeks to build strength. It’s as simple as finding a 100-200m hill and running up three or four times at a race effort towards the end of your run.”
Alex Hutchinson, author of ‘Endurance: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance’:
“My usual advice for tackling hills in a race is to take it easier than you think you should, with the goal of maintaining your effort rather than your pace. For the ‘Kill the Hill Challenge’ my advice is different. Because it’s right at the end of the race my advice is simple: sprint! It’ll hurt, but that’s okay because
you’re almost done!”
Leslie Sexton, 2017 Canadian Marathon Champion and defending CRS champion:
“Don’t get sucked into going too fast too early. You can’t worry too much about the hill. It’s at the end of the race anyway so you are going to give it whatever you have left. So being smart early on can really help.”
Sasha Gollish, Canadian national team member
“The first race of the season shouldn’t be your best race, nobody wants to peak early! It’s where you get to test out the training you’ve put in over the winter, feel the roads again under your feet, compete with a whole bunch of people around you again.The hill hurts everyone, elite, newbie, veteran alike.
No matter how fast you get to the hill or up the hill, it still stings.”
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.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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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August 22nd, 2016 – By Paul Gains
As Canadian record holder Lanni Marchant realized her dream of competing in the Rio Olympic marathon and 10,000m, a number of up and coming Canadian distance runners have drawn inspiration from her mighty achievements and are poised to step onto the world stage.
Chief among them is 29 year old Pan Am Games bronze medalist Rachel Hannah who, it must be said, has hardly begun to tap her potential. So, when the resident of Guelph, Ontario lines up for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon this coming October 16 big things can be expected.
Hannah made a cautious marathon debut at the 2015 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon where she turned heads with a 2:33:30 clocking, the fourth fastest time of the year by a Canadian.
Pan Am Games Marathon, 2015
It also allowed her the option of representing the country in either the World Championships or Pan Am Games. She chose Pan Ams so she could run in front of friends and family and, similarly, this is a motivating factor in racing Toronto Waterfront. It helped too that the event is also the 2016 Canadian Marathon Championship.
“I know Toronto Waterfront is going to be custom setup for my needs,” she says of the IAAF Gold Label race. “(Race Director) Alan (Brookes) takes such good care of us. That was the main deciding factor.
“And just the strength of the hometown crowd. I was thinking about this when I experienced this during the Pan Am Games. It was incredible, it helps pull you along when it gets really tough and that was evident during the hills and the humidity. I am excited just to be back running Toronto in similar areas and hopeful the energy will pull me along and I will run a PB.”
In January she ran the Houston Marathon finishing in a new PB of 2:32:09 a time that puts her at the top of the Canadian rankings for 2016.
At that race she had kept the Olympic qualifying standard (2:29:50) in the back of her mind and when, at the half way point, the pace was slipping, she compensated mentally by breaking the race up into components and not thinking negative thoughts. It is this mindset she hopes to bring to Toronto.
“I do think that because I am pretty new to (marathoning) – I have been doing it only a year and half now – I do think there is a lot in the tank,” Hannah declares. “I can go faster. I just have to be really consistent and keep a positive mindset. There so much to the marathon that is all in your head. You know your body can do it if you put in the training and have been consistent. I think sometimes the training is harder than doing it on the day.”
The qualifying period for the 2017 IAAF World Championships opened this past January and she clearly has ambitions to wear a Canadian singlet again on the world stage.
“I’d love to do (the London World Championships),” she declares. “That’s definitely in the back of mind going into Toronto Waterfront, try to run a really quick time and be in the qualifying window. I’m not sure what the time standard will be but I hope I can get to run in London. That will be a fantastic experience to go and be able to compete.”
Hannah graduated from Georgia State University in 2009. It is there she studied nutrition. Up until December of last year she was working full time at MedCan as a dietician, but with the cooperation of her employer has now reduced the number of hours to roughly 16-20 per week, reflecting her growing athletics requirements.
Recently she moved in with her long-time boyfriend Dave Korell, who is also her coach, and so is splitting time between her mother’s place in the Flemingdon Park area of North Toronto, which is close to her work, and their home in Guelph. With more time available for training and recovery, she and Korell have been able to compose a program that incorporates some changes. Presently she trains with local runners Cameron Bush, Darren Lee, Eric Bang and Rejean Chiasson.
“We are looking at a twelve week buildup,” she explains. “I am going to do a longer tempo in my long runs. So far I have got up to 50 minutes at goal marathon pace during my long runs. This time around I am going to try and go for over an hour. That is one factor that will change. There will more long runs in general. My body is used to getting up to those distances.
“I am going to practice more with (water) tables. Dave will probably set up tables with bottles so I can become more efficient grabbing bottles because I think I lose a few seconds here and there at each station. And, now that I am working part time I can sleep more so that’s another thing I am going to incorporate. It’s so important for recovery!”
Hannah continues to learn from each marathon and is not averse to taking advice from those with more experience. In Ottawa last year she sat down with 2016 Olympian, Krista DuChene, who is also a nutritionist, and asked her questions about fuelling and the marathon in general.
“We were sitting down going over some tips the night before,” Hannah reveals. “I remember her telling me, and this really stuck with me, ‘make sure you are fuelling properly knowing that you are going to feel a little heavy going into it but you are going to be thankful when you get to 35k and have energy reserves.’”
Earlier this summer Hannah won the Canadian 10,000m championship in Guelph, easily beating Canadian Olympian and national record holder, Natasha Wodak, in the process. Winning the Canadian marathon title in Toronto would be a great addition to her medal collection but one thing is even more important: a new personal best.
If the conditions are right she can be expected to tap that potential and follow the path blazed by Lanni Marchant, and toward London 2017.
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By Amy Friel.
TORONTO June 8th 2016. With the Rio 2016 Olympic Games fast approaching, Canada stands poised to send a formidable contingent of distance runners to toe the start line with the best athletes in the world. Among them are runners like Melissa Bishop, Matt Hughes, Lanni Marchant, and Natasha Wodak – athletes who have not only risen to the top of their discipline, but who have also managed to rewrite the national record books in what amounts to a spectacular rebirth for Canadian distance running in recent years.
Earning a place on the Canadian Olympic team is no simple matter. Behind every qualifying time lies years of gruelling work, personal sacrifice, punishing race efforts, thrilling victories, and moments of doubt. It’s a challenge that demands more than mere talent, grit, or determination; earning a place on the Canadian team takes everything you’ve got.
Olympian Olya Ovtchinnikova
“You kind of drop everything for a chance to make it,” recalls Olya Ovtchinnikova, who competed in fencing for Canada at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. A former NCAA athlete, Ovtchinnikova put her studies in New York on hold and relocated to Montreal to train with Canada’s national team, a commitment that ultimately carried her to an Olympic berth.
“I’m really not exaggerating when I say, it’s like eating tuna and rice, because it’s the cheapest thing you can have,” she remembers. “I moved, didn’t know the language, didn’t know the city, and just came to train with the team because you’re chasing a dream. It sounds kind of cheesy, but this is what I did.”
Ovtchinnikova’s story of personal sacrifice and hard-won achievement is familiar to many top-level athletes in Canada, who often struggle to balance the rigours of an elite training regimen with the practical implications of an imperfectly-funded sport system.
“Fencing is not a big sport in Canada,” she explains. “So, I would say we’re almost like a perfect case study of a sport that’s just having the hardest time.”
Now a retired Olympian and the program manager of athlete marketing at the Canadian Olympic Committee, Ovtchinnikova has dedicated herself to assisting Olympic hopefuls in pursuit of their athletic dreams. This summer, she will be completing the Toronto Waterfront 10 as a charity runner, fundraising on behalf of the Canadian Olympic Foundation (COF). An official charity of the Toronto Watefront 10, COF provides funding and financial assistance for Canada’s next generation of athletes.
“There’s a lot of barriers there that make it difficult for kids to continue (in sports),” she explains. “So COF tries to invest in grassroots sports programs, to help kids continue, and to help them become the next generation of Canadian Olympic athletes. And they also support those podium performances as well, so they put some of the money towards helping Canadian Olympians perform and win on the world’s biggest stage.”
The work of organizations like the Canadian Olympic Foundation is crucial to the development of Canadian athletes. While federal funding for top athletes is available through Canada’s Athlete Assistance Program (AAP), it can be limited, with small monthly stipends available to only a handful of athletes in each sport. The practice (known as “carding”) relies on eligibility criteria which often requires the AAP to compare the performances of athletes across different sports, a subjective process that is often fraught with uncertainty.
Pan Am Games bronze medalist Rachel Hannah
“To get to the next level, getting selected for carding and evaluated to show more potential than a fellow domestic athlete is not easy,” explains Olympic hopeful Rachel Hannah. Though a top-ranked Canadian marathoner and Pan Am Games bronze medallist, Hannah was nevertheless excluded from AAP funding. “While you know deep down you ‘have it’ and will ‘make it’, proving that to a selection committee is one of the hardest things.”
For those athletes who do not receive government funding, bankrolling their Olympic dreams often relies on a patchwork system of part-time employment, grants, prize money, and corporate sponsorship. Curating these financial resources while chasing after rigorous qualification standards can be stressful and time-consuming – an experience Hannah can attest to first-hand.
“Getting by as a long distance runner aspiring to elite performances, and increased training loads, is indeed a challenge financially,” she says.
The funding and resources available to Canadian Olympic hopefuls varies widely from sport to sport, prompting organizations like the Canadian Olympic Foundation to employ a targeted approach to athlete assistance.
“It’s not an overnight fix,” Ovtchinnikova explains of COF’s strategy. “It’s a lot of work by the sport system, but also by foundations like COF, that try to really target those little pain points everywhere, instead of kind of just throwing money at the system as a whole. So slowly but surely there are improvements happening, and I’m hopeful for the future.”
In sports where funding and resources have been made available, Canadian athletes have predictably flourished.
Canadian women’s wrestling, for one, has established strong and consistent tradition of Olympic podium performances since gaining inclusion on the Olympic program at the 2004 Athens Games. It’s a success story that is tied in no small part to precisely this sort of targeted athlete assistance.
Canadian Olympic Team Wrestler Jasmine Mian
For wrestler Jasmine Mian, who is poised to represent Canada at the 2016 Games, these resources have made an invaluable difference.
“It’s had its challenges, but the whole process of balancing school and sport has been really rewarding,” she says. “I’ve always kind of had support from our national team, and I’m really grateful for that, because it’s allowed me to perform without that added pressure of financial stress.”
A former competitive track runner and all-around athlete in her younger years, Mian now lives in Calgary, where she trains at the national training centre for wrestling.
“Running is an incredibly gruelling sport,” she recalls. “You have to find a joy in that suffering, and if you don’t, I don’t think you’ll ever fully meet your potential. And wrestling is very much the same way. You have to find something within yourself that keeps you going.”
For the Canadian distance running elite, what keeps them going through challenging times is often the love and support of the Canadian running community, which has been quick to rally around its star athletes in times of struggle.
“Distance running is truly accessible to all to participate alongside us,” says Rachel Hannah. “I get some of the most enjoyment from talking to and motivating fellow runners I see out there, in spite of my financial challenges.”
In partnership with the Canadian Olympic Foundation, the Toronto Waterfront 10 offers a new and unique opportunity for the running community to unite in support of our future Olympic athletes. And with an all-star distance running lineup ready to represent the red-and-white in Rio, there has never been a better moment to lend your footsteps to the pursuit of an Olympic dream.
Find out more about how you can run and fundraise for the Canadian Olympic Foundation at the Toronto Waterfront 10 here.
Amy Friel (@AmyFrii) is a Toronto-based freelance writer, two-time marathoner, and unabashed running geek. As a Digital Champion for the 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Amy had a taste of the city’s vibrant running community – and hasn’t been able to stop writing about it since. Her work has been featured in iRun magazine, the Globe and Mail, as well as on her blog thelongslowdistance.com
TORONTO. April 9th. Robert Winslow and Rachel Hannah cruised to comfortable victories at today’s 38th Annual Race Roster Spring Run-Off 8K in High Park, in 24:42 and 27:51, respectively. It was race # 2 in the 2016 Canada Running Series, the country’s premier running circuit. Steeped in tradition as Toronto’s oldest continuously-held road race, the Spring Run Off is famous for its scenery, its challenging hills and weather, and its “Opening Day” position in the city’s running calendar. Today did not disappoint, with bright blue skies and a crisp -4 degrees for the almost 3,500 runners in the 8K, and the 5K and 800m Kids Run that followed.
This year’s main bill was a re-match between U of T Track Club’s Rachel Hannah and Vancouver’s Dayna Pidhoresky in the 8k. Hannah, who won the bronze medal in the Pan Am Games marathon in Toronto last July, and Pidhoresky raced together at the Houston Marathon in January, chasing the Canadian marathon standard for the Rio Olympics (2:29:50). They went through 25k with Dayna slightly ahead, 1:29:24 to 1:29:32, before she was forced to drop out with stomach problems. Rachel went onto set a new PB of 2:32:09, just shy of the standard. Today they again started out together, with Hannah just a step or two ahead:
Pan Am Games Bronze medallist Rachel Hannah, women’s champion in 27:51.
“I felt quite good, and comfortable throughout the race. It was really good to be out racing again,” said Rachel. “I tried to be pretty conservative the first kilometre or two. Felt really smooth. Then I started to pick it up a little bit. I felt good on the first hill (at 3k) and that gave me good confidence. I really got away from Dayna around 5k, 6k. I was feeling really strong and I didn’t want to save it ‘til that last hill!” By the time they crossed the line at the top of Spring Road hill the gap was 14 seconds. The ageless Lioudmila Kortchaguina was third in 28:35. The 44 year-old from Markham also claimed first Master’s honours. Part of the tradition of the Spring Run Off, Lioudmila was overall Women’s Champion in 2002 and 2003.
Although it was his first time racing Spring Run Off, Robert Winslow continued the strong Speed River Track Club tradition at the Spring Run Off. With teammate and defending champion Eric Gillis racing the Berlin Half-marathon last weekend as “proof of fitness” for Rio, the challenge fell to Winslow to uphold the Guelph club’s reputation – and he did so convincingly. It was the 27 year-old Winslow’s first podium finish with Canada Running Series and he couldn’t have been happier.
Robert Winslow upholds Speed River winning tradition, 24:42.
“I cruised through the first couple of K, then hit the first hill around 3k, and that’s when things started to open up. I opened the gap more on the big downhill at 5k, then just tried to maintain ‘til I got to the last hill as I knew it was going to be a tough one. I just tried to work that last hill hard – it’s easier to do when you know the Finish is right there. I’ve been getting some good workouts in with Eric and Reid [Coolsaet] and the rest of the Speed River gang. I was hungry to get going today and get some good racing in.”
A new, up and coming CRS star, 19 year-old Ehab El-Sandali of Toronto West Athletics, took second in 25:12, holding off Paris’ Josh Bolton (25:20). Ehab is the current Canadian Junior Cross Country Champion, and represented Canada at the Pan Am XC Championships in Caracas, Venezuela last month.
Canadian Running and Runner’s World magazine sport-science columnist Alex Hutchinson took the Men’s Master’s title in 27:22.
The accompanying 5K was won by Miles Avalos in 16:20 and Jenni Dwyer in 20:09.
The Kings and Queens of The Hill.
One of the highlights of the morning was a new “Kill The Hill Challenge” (#killthehill) that timed all participants up the final 365 metres of the infamous Spring Road hill. Invited, elite athletes were timed but not eligible for “King and Queen of The Hill” awards. The titles, complete with cloaks, crowns and tiaras, PowerBar and maple syrup prizing, went to Luka Senk (79.7 seconds) and Pascale Gendron (1:34.9) in the 8k; to Avalos (79.0) and Dwyer (1:40.2) in the 5k. Interestingly, both runners-up in the 8k posted the best elite times, with Ehab El-Sandali “killing the hill” in 73.0 and Dayna Pidhoresky in 1:34.
Despite the chilly temperatures there was a festive, “Opening Day” atmosphere. It was a day of family fitness, fundraising and fun in Toronto’s grandest park. More than $55,000 was raised for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. Councillor Sarah Doucette flipped pancakes in support of High Park Nature Centre. And she was joined by MP Arif Virani and MPP Cheri DiNovo to help hand out awards. Councillor Mike Layton let his feet do the talking, running the 8k and “killing the hill” in 2:36.
Complete results for the 8k and 5k, including the Kill The Hill Challenge at http://www.canadarunningseries.com/springrunoff/csroRESULT.htm
Next races in the Canada Running Series are Banque Scotia 21k et 5k de Montréal, April 24th; and Toronto Waterfront 10k, June 25th. http://www.canadarunningseries.com/crs/index.htm
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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TORONTO July 15th 2015. 17 athletes are set to toe the Start Line for Saturday’s Women’s Marathon at Pan Am Toronto 2015. CRS stars Rachel Hannah and Catherine Watkins will face tough competition from Peruvians Ines Melchor and Gladys Tejeda.
Here is the complete (unofficial) Start List for Saturday morning’s Pan Am Women’s Marathon. There are a total of 17 women, with Peru’s Melchor and Tejeda as the obvious standouts — they are the only ones with sub-2:30 qualifying times and PBs. In fact, the only ones sub-2:32.
CRS stars Rachel Hannah and Catherine Watkins also need to battle strong Americans, Lindsay Flanagan and Sarah Cummings, and Mexico’s Vianey De La Rosa for a podium spot.
The Pan Am women’s champion from Guadalajara 2011, Adriana Aparecida Da Silva of Brazil, will also be on the Start line at Ontario Place West, 7am on Saturday to defend her title.
Join Toronto’s Run Crew CHEER SITES this Saturday July 18th to cheer on Rachel and Catherine! Full details here.
| Name | Country | PB | Qualifying Time |
| Adriana Aparecida Da Silva | BRA | 02:29:17 | 02:35:28 |
| Marily Dos Santos | BRA | 02:31:55 | 02:37:25 |
| Rachel Hannah | CAN | 02:33:30 | 02:33:30 |
| Catherine Watkins | CAN | 02:42:35 | 02:44:59 |
| Erika Olivera | CHI | 02:32:23 | 02:36:08 |
| Natalia Romero | CHI | 02:34:55 | |
| Leidy Tobon | COL | 02:41:20 | 2:41:20 |
| Dailin Belmonte | CUB | 02:38:08 | 02:42:01 |
| Rosa Chacha | ECU | 02:35:29 | 02:35:29 |
| Vianey De La Rosa | MEX | 02:32:01 | 02:32:01 |
| Margarita Hernandez | MEX | 02:41:16 | 02:41:16 |
| Carmen Patricia Martinez | PAR | 02:36:01 | 02:36:01 |
| Ines Melchor | PER | 02:26:48 | 02:26:48 |
| Gladys Tejeda | PER | 02:28:12 | 02:28:12 |
| Sarah Cummings | USA | 02:34:47 | 02:34:47 |
| Lindsay Flanagan | USA | 02:33:12 | 02:33:32 |
| Zuleima Amaya | VEN | 02:42:27 | 02:42:27 |
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