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Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Archives - Page 5 of 14 - Canada Running Series

Sep 28 2017
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Catherine Watkins Chasing Canadian Masters’ Marathon Record

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By Paul Gains

If things go according to plan, Catherine Watkins will be a new Canadian Masters’ record holder in the marathon come October 22nd.

The 46-year-old from Vancouver has set the women’s 45 years+ standard of 2:40:20 as her target when she lines up for the 2017 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. That time was set by fellow British Columbian, Marilyn Arsenault at Toronto Waterfront event four years ago.

“That’s the goal,” she acknowledges with a smile. “I do think everything will have to fall into place for that to happen. It will have to be one of those days where everything goes well. I know I am physically capable of it but, if it’s windy or it’s hot, obviously that will alter that.

“I would be disappointed if the day was the right day and I felt like I should have run the time that I think I can run. I would definitely be disappointed. I know enough about the marathon and a lot of it is getting to the start line healthy. But anything can happen on the day. I have had mixed experiences in the marathon, ‘GI’ or weather-related issues.”

Two years ago Watkins won the Eugene Marathon in a personal best time of 2:42:35. She was also the Masters’ winner at the Houston Marathon earlier that same year. And, when a place on Canada’s Pan Am Games team opened up, she answered the call, finishing 8th in her first international Games. But like all Masters competitors she faces the constant aging process which makes training more difficult and recovery even more of a challenge.

“Eventually there is going to be slowing down,” she concedes. “But for the longer events the half marathon and marathon, that kind of training has a little more longevity for me. I find where I am slowing is definitely in the shorter distances. It has been harder to get the intensity, like in the 5k and 10k, I have noticed it a bit.”

Nevertheless, her Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon buildup has been encouraging. Healthy, and training consistently at 130 kilometres a week, she ran superbly at the recent Under Armour Eastside 10k in Vancouver, finishing in a time of 35:43 on a challenging course.

“I was actually really, really happy with that because it was in the middle of marathon training,” she adds. “So it’s hard to know how a 10k will go when you are in the middle of marathon training. I just felt really strong and consistent. I ‘even split’ the course and it was kind of a tough course to do that on. I ran 17:50 and 17:50 for my 5ks and it’s not really a fast course it was probably closer to a low 35 effort overall. So, I feel I am really in a good spot.”

With her two daughters in middle school she is able to do the necessary ‘pre-hab’ stretching and warm-ups prior to getting out for her training runs.

“I end up doing 45 minutes to an hour of rolling and physio before I head out the door and then in the evening more rolling and stretching,” she says of the technique which incorporates the use of massage balls.  “I am getting massages weekly and physio treatments every couple of weeks to keep everything on track. Gone are the days when I can just lace up the shoes and go for a run.”

Watkins laughs at her last statement. Clearly she is relishing her career in Masters’ running. A sponsorship from Oiselle was one of her rewards and just last weekend she spent time with other elite athletes and staff at a retreat in Sonoma, California. The break was a little relief from the constant training she has been doing with coach Richard Lee of the BC Endurance Project and fellow marathoner Kevin Coffey.

“It’s actually been going really well,” she says of her buildup. “When we first started out I thought ‘oh my gosh how am I going to do a marathon?’ as you always do when you start. The last few weeks everything has started to click at the perfect time. It has been good. I have got my last huge workout coming up this weekend, 37km I think, on Saturday.

“Richard comes on his bike and carries my bottles so I can practice feeding. This is great. That’s one of the hardest things to practice on your own, being able to drink at that pace and get the fueling. I am still practicing. I think I wear as much as I drink!”

An avid reader of books, Watkins is a member of a book club which meets every four to six weeks. The rest of her time is taken up with parenting two active girls. When possible, she admits with a laugh, she enjoys nap time.

It will be all business though when she arrives in Toronto for the Waterfront Marathon. There are records to be broken and should ideal conditions prevail the name Catherine Watkins could be in the record book.

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For more information and to join Catherine in this year’s race:  www.stwm.ca

About the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon:

An IAAF Gold Label race, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier, big-city running event, the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships, and the Grand Finale of the 7-race Canada Running Series. In 2016 it attracted 26,000 participants from 70 countries, raised $3.24 million for 182 charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, and contributed an estimated $35 million to the local economy. The livestream broadcast was watched by more than 72,000 viewers from 129 countries. http://STWM.ca

 

 

Sep 26 2017
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Uganda’s Alex Chesakit Racing at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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By Paul Gains

East African runners have dominated the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon the past two decades, but one thing this IAAF Gold Label race has never had is a Ugandan victor.

Alex Chesakit is hoping to upset the favoured Kenyans and Ethiopians when he lines up for this year’s event on October 22nd.

The 36 year-old native of Kapchorwa in Uganda’s eastern highlands ran a personal best of 2:11:01 at the 2016 Cape Town Marathon and credits the influence of 2012 Olympic Marathon Champion Stephen Kiprotich for his success.

“Stephen inspired me a lot,” says Chesakit of his famous countryman, who was also crowned the 2013 IAAF World Marathon Champion. “I am expecting a win and to run a good time in the marathon very soon.

“Stephen is the key athlete in Uganda, and Kapchorwa specifically, and a role model for the new generation like Joshua Cheptegei and other youngsters who are coming up now. I always train with Stephen when he’s at home in Kapchorwa.”

Cheptegei, of course, is the young Ugandan who pushed the British superstar Mo Farah all the way to the line in the 2017 World Championship 10,000m final before settling for the silver medal.

Kiprotich’s Olympic gold medal, Uganda’s first since John Akii-Bua’s 400m hurdles gold at the 1972 Munich Olympics, launched a newfound interest in distance running. And, when the nation’s capital, Kampala, hosted the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in March this year massive crowds came out to support their heroes.

It is precisely because of the growing interest in running that in November of last year Global Sports opened a training camp in Kapchorwa on Mount Elgon. Global manages Kiprotich as well as 2016 Olympic champion, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya. The primary purpose of the new camp is to further develop talent in the region which has produced a string of international level distance runners. Most are preparing for the track but there more whose attention is focused completely on the half marathon and marathon distances.

Two full time coaches, a massage therapist – all Ugandans – work under a mentor coach from the Netherlands named Andy Ruiter here. At present they are working with about fifteen athletes most of whom are competing on the track still. Training there has lifted Chesakit’s expectations substantially.

“I live just outside the camp, but I am mostly there during the week especially when there is a key training session like track, fartlek, a long run and tempo runs,” he explains. “My house is near the track so when we go for a track workout I walk from home and meet the guys there.”

At home he has a family, a wife and three young children. Running, he says, is a means to provide a good lifestyle for them.

“Every marathon you run you take a new experience home and we try to improve for the next,” he says of his career to date.

“In Toronto I am hoping to break 2:10:00 for the first time which will help me to qualify for Commonwealth Games. I missed the World Championships in London due to visa issues. I was supposed to compete but the visa arrived too late.”

Like most East African runners Chesakit treats running as a profession and he realizes that time is fleeting.

“My goal is through running to secure finance for my family but ultimately to inspire many young talents in the sport,” Chesakit admits.

“I hope to compete for another ten years and my desire is to be a coach after retirement and help the new generation to get opportunities in life and show them the right way.”

The Toronto field is the strongest ever assembled in Canada with Kenyans Dickson Chumba, a past Chicago and Tokyo marathon winner, and defending Toronto champion, Philemon Rono already confirmed. Ethiopia will counter through the very talented duo of Solomon Deksisa, (2:06:22 at the 2016 Rotterdam Marathon) and Endeshaw Negesse, the 2015 Tokyo Marathon champion who has a personal best of 2:04:52.

Against such opposition, Chesakit will have his hands full. But the vision of being the first Ugandan to stand on the podium is a powerful one for this talented marathon runner.

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For more information and to join Alex Chesakit at this year’s race: http://STWM.ca

About the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon:

An IAAF Gold Label race, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier, big-city running event, the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships, and the Grand Finale of the 7-race Canada Running Series. In 2016 it attracted 26,000 participants from 70 countries, raised $3.24 million for 182 charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, and contributed an estimated $35 million to the local economy. The livestream broadcast was watched by more than 72,000 viewers from 129 countries. http://STWM.ca

 

 

 

Sep 19 2017
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Djibouti’s Mumin Gala to Race Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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By Paul Gains

With their medal-winning performances at the1985 IAAF World Cup Marathon in Hiroshima a pair of Djiboutian runners left international sports journalists scratching their heads with one hand while turning the pages of a global atlas with the other.

“Where on earth is Djibouti?” they cried in unison.

Ahmed Salah and Djama Robleh finished first and third respectively, stunning the world class field and further adding to their legend by leading the country to the team gold medal.

Salah would defend his World Cup title two years later in Seoul before earning silver medals at both the 1987 and 1991 IAAF World Championships.  Although Salah and Robleh became national heroes, since then the country has not had anywhere near the level of success in the long distance events. Mumin Gala is hoping to change that.

Gala celebrated his 31st birthday on September 6th and has announced he will race the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 22nd. This will be his first marathon since finishing 12th in the Rio Olympics in 2:13:04 – just two places behind Canada’s Eric Gillis.

Though he had qualified to represent Djibouti at the 2017 IAAF World Championships, in the days leading up to the race, he decided not to run after injuring his calf. Now all his heavy marathon training is expected to pay off on the streets of Canada’s largest city.

He also represented his native country at the 2012 Olympics and finished 13th in the 5000m. He spent a few years in England racing as a member of the Newham and Essex Beagles whose most illustrious member is legendary distance runner Mo Farah. With a personal best 5000m time of 13:17.77 he realized his limitations on the track. These days he spends most of his time in Ethiopia’s high altitude, training with a marathon group.

“I was born in Djibouti City (the capital). I left Djibouti in 2003 and went to London,” Gala says. “In the past I trained with Mo Farah but not since he moved to the US. I live in Addis most of the time. I would say between nine and ten months of the year. My coach is Haji Adilo and he coaches a lot of elite athletes such as Tadese Tola and Lelisa Desisa.”

Adilo’s group can number around 100 men and women on any given day and Tola and Desisa are two exceptionally competent ‘training partners’. Tola claimed the marathon bronze medal at the 2013 IAAF World Championships while Desisa has twice won Boston.

Though he may appear to be a wandering soul, piling on the air miles as he goes back and forth between Djibouti and Ethiopia with occasional trips to England for good measure, Gala calls Djibouti “home sweet home.”

“I have a family in Djibouti and two beautiful girls ages one and four. I try to visit them as often as possible,” he declares. “I spend time with my kids at home. If I go to London I visit my brother and the rest of the time is training and going to the gym.”

Mumin is tremendously optimistic about his prospects at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and has good reason to be. That rain soaked 12th place finish at the Rio Olympics, was his first serious attempt at the distance. He had run Hamburg in April 2016, just to get a qualifying mark.  Earlier this year he improved his personal best half marathon time, finishing 3rd in the Rabat International Half Marathon in 1:02:41 and hasn’t come close to tapping his marathon potential.

“My goal is to run under 2:10,” he declares. “I am looking forward to a great race.”

And a great race is what he will surely find when the starter’s pistol fires. As the first runner from Djibouti to race Toronto he faces the formidable Kenyans Dickson Chumba (a past Tokyo and Chicago winner) and the defending Toronto champion, Philemon Rono. Ethiopia will counter with Endeshaw Negesse, the 2015 Tokyo Marathon champion (personal best of 2:04:52) and Solomon Deksisa, who ran 2:06:22 at the 2016 Rotterdam Marathon.

Clearly the stage is set for a memorable race in Toronto. Weather permitting, the course record (2:07:05) and Canadian All Comer’s records (2:06:54) are legitimate targets, but more than anything Gala wants to restore Djibouti’s name to the top of marathoning.

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For more information and to join Mumin at this year’s race: http://STWM.ca

About the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon:

An IAAF Gold Label race, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is Canada’s premier, big-city running event, the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships, and the Grand Finale of the 7-race Canada Running Series. In 2016 it attracted 26,000 participants from 70 countries, raised $3.24 million for 182 charities through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, and contributed an estimated $35 million to the local economy. The livestream broadcast was watched by more than 72,000 viewers from 129 countries. http://STWM.ca

 

Jul 18 2017
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England’s Top Marathoners to Challenge Canadians at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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By: Paul Gains

Using the 2017 London Marathon as its selection event, England Athletics has chosen six athletes to represent the country at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 22nd.

The special relationship between the sports’ governing body and this IAAF Gold Label race has existed for more than a decade.

“It is very important to us,” says Charlotte Fisher, Road Racing Coordinator for the national federation. “We are trying to provide a proper international quality opportunity for our elite road runners and we are trying to link to our own England national championship so there is an incentive there for athletes who perform well at our national championships.

“It is an important stepping stone for our elite athletes of the future. For somebody like Anna Boniface or Tish Jones, it provides them an experience of competing abroad and all that goes with that, the travel, and preparing yourself for a proper championships with a view to hopefully seeing them on England and GB international teams in major championships in the future.”

The fact that Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront is an IAAF Gold Label race is heavily promoted amongst English international athletes. The team are treated as elite athletes and as such are entitled to their own specific fuel positions on the elite tables during the race. They also eat their meals with the large contingent of international stars at the race hotel.

“Some of the athletes that go hone that experience of being on the elite start line, dealing with water stations and the fact that it has that status definitely is a factor,” Fisher continues. “I think just that whole thing with dealing with traveling to the other side of the world and with a view of preparing people for future championships is important.”

Anna Boniface. Photo credit: Marathon Foto.

Named to the team bound for Toronto are Anna Boniface, Tish Jones, Jonathan Poole, Lee Grantham, Ben Johnson and Keith Gerrard. The latter, who represented the Isle of Man at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, is one to keep an eye on. He hasn’t really begun to explore his marathon potential having run the half marathon in 63:39. At present he is preparing for Toronto from his training base in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Tracy Barlow is an example of how the relationship with Toronto has benefited English athletes. Two years ago she ran 2:38:49 in Toronto as part of the England team, a 13-minute personal best. Earlier this year she was picked to represent Great Britain at the 2017 World Championships after improving to 2:30:42 at London Marathon in April.

Boniface, who is fairly new to the marathon, knocked almost nine minutes off her personal best at London with a time of 2:37:07. The Reading Athletics Club athlete has the benefit of being able to ‘gather intelligence’ from her personal coach Rob McKim who was England team coach last year in Toronto.

“I am still quite young for a marathoner. I am 26 I have only done two marathons,” she admits.  “The big things I am still learning are the feeding strategy, and also the pacing strategy. I went into London with more of a kind of a racing target and thinking about my splits. I was just there to race it. It was more of a risky strategy.

“So, for Toronto, I might have to think differently about how I target it. Because I am in the elite field – one of the first times I have done that – I will be thinking about drink stations rather than having to load myself down carrying the gels and things. You actually get to have designated athlete drink stations to work off, so I am going to be looking at changes in my training.”

Tish Jones. Photo credit: Roger Sedres/Gallo Images.

Possibly the most anticipated performance is expected to come from Tish Jones who ran 2:36:13 in her debut to win the Cape Town Marathon last September. Then, in her second marathon this Spring, she ran 2:33:56 in London. A member of Belgrave Harriers she has traveled the African continent in recent years before settling in South Africa.

“It was a delight to be selected to represent England at such an established event,” she said recently. “My goal would be to run under 2:35 if I am in good form. The experience of participating means a huge deal to me. I love to travel and I love to run. To visit this part of Canada and to race will be an amazing achievement for me.”

Jones will be easily identified: she bears a tattoo down her right forearm with the words ‘to travel around the world’ written in the language of all the countries she has visited.

Although there will be the usual contingent of East African stars lining up in Toronto the England team will more likely be competitive with the next generation of Canadian marathoners during the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront marathon.

At this point Canadian women will include the previously announced 2016 Canadian Olympian Krista DuChene, debutant Lyndsey Tessier, who recently won the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon, Melanie Myrand and Arianne Raby. The latter ran 1:15:56 to place third at the Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal this year.

Leading Canadian men include Speed River Track Club’s upcoming duo Rob Winslow (2:19:00 at the 2015 Rotterdam Marathon) and John Mason whose personal best is ‘only’ 2:22:35 but who recently ran an encouraging personal best of 67:41 at the Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal.  Fellow Speed River athlete Trevor Hofbauer has a personal best of 64:30 for the half marathon and will make his much awaited 42km debut after representing Canada in the IAAF World Cross-Country in Kampala, Uganda in March.

While the battle for prize money will invariably be sorted between the East African stars at the front, this England – Canada confrontation represents a splendid sub plot.

For more information & entry to this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half & 5K www.STWM.ca

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Jun 27 2017
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Trio of Guinness World Records Title Seekers to Run Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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By Paul Gains

In addition to the formidable cache of elite runners from around the world, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, each year, attracts thousands running for charities and many more simply committed to the challenge of completing the distance faster than ever.

Then there are those hearty souls seeking a Guinness World Records title.

Michal Kapral set a world ‘joggling’ – juggling balls while running – marathon record ten years ago in Toronto when he completed the distance in 2 hours 50 minutes and 12 seconds. That was with three balls.

Owner of three Guinness World Records currently, Fastest 10km joggling with three objects (male) 36:27, Fastest half marathon joggling with three objects (male) 1:20:40, and Fastest marathon joggling with three objects (male) 2:50:12, on October 22nd, 2017 he will attempt to set the record for Fastest marathon joggling with five objects (male).

“I have upped the ante big time with this attempt to do five ball,” Kapral says laughing. “There is no current Guinness World Records title.

“As far as I know there is only one other person who has done a marathon while joggling five. That was back in 1993 a guy named Billy Dillon who was a kind of a five ball juggling pioneer He ran the New York Marathon in 7 hours 7 minutes. And he was a very fast runner. So you can see just how much harder it is to joggle with five.”

It has taken Kapral, who points to a personal best marathon of 2:30:40, almost six months to learn the pattern of juggling with five balls. He practices each lunch hour at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium, much to the amusement of the university football team, which also trains around that time. Learning how far ahead he must toss each ball to catch and transfer between hands has proven much more challenging.

“With the five balls I have discovered there is no such thing as an easy pace,” he explains. “Immediately my heart rate shoots up. It is really, really tiring. It is also addictive. It’s super fun when you have three balls in the air. It is a ton of fun but definitely this is going to be by far the hardest record I have tried.”

Kapral will be accompanied by his joggling rival Zach Warren during the Toronto race who will act as spotter so that he doesn’t interfere with other runners. As a precaution Kapral usually runs on the opposite side of the road to others. He has chosen to fundraise for Sick Kids Foundation, an official charity of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge.

A year ago Daniel Janetos ran Toronto wearing a chef’s costume the entire distance. He recorded a time of 3:56:21 to earn the Guinness World Records title of Fastest marathon dressed as a chef. This year Janetos, who owns the annual Mac and Cheese Festival at Ontario Place, intends to chase the record for the Fastest half marathon achieved in a chef’s costume.

“It’s a little bit goofy, I get it,” he declares. “Really the number one thing is to raise money for charity. It’s the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Foundation.

“These guys have been a grassroots agency for 25 years and with my help were able to formalize into a foundation. We were able to get some funding for them. My running helps them to take care of animals.”

Janetos is aiming to run 1 hour 45 minutes for the 21km race to claim the record title. That’s a tall order when his personal best for the distance is roughly that. Add such ingredients as a 9 pound pot and chef’s clothes and it’s certainly not as easy as someone might think. He trains as part of a group called Food Runners which aims to improve the health and fitness levels of people in the food industry.

“I try to make sure I am out at least three hours a week in the early stages. Then I follow a more rigorous program that our coach puts together for us,” he explains.

“I do train with my girlfriend Kate Boyle, She usually stops running with me when I put on my chef uniform. She is a little more low key. As soon as I put the chef’s hat on she is out.”

Running in a chef’s uniform is mind boggling. How about running 42.2km wearing a lumberjack costume complete with heavy boots? That’s what Dan Grant will attempt to do. The Torontonian has applied to attempt the Guinness World Records title of Fastest marathon dressed as a lumberjack (male) and has agreed to the costume they have assigned: a plaid/flannel short sleeved shirt, suspenders, denim pants, a stocking cap or beanie, lace up outdoor boots and an inflatable axe.

“I’ve run three marathons in the past couple years,” Grant reveals, “as well as a 60k run to Hamilton last month, so the distance doesn’t scare me. I am little worried about how much it’s going to slow and weigh me down if it rains during the STWM.”

At the Toronto Waterfront 10k on June 17th Grant finished in 44:53, claiming to be below his best. He had run another 10k race thirty six hours before.

Another concern for Grant is that he is a vegan and wants to find non leather boots in which to run.

Grant is growing a beard to further ‘grow into the part.’ He reports that Great Lakes Brewery has agreed to supply his post training fueling with a generous supply of Canuck Pale Ale. A year ago the owner of the brewery shaved Grant’s head in a fundraising event for Sick Kids Foundation. He will run Toronto Waterfront Marathon to raise funds for Good Foot Delivery one of the official charities of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge.

City marathons embrace runners of all descriptions and Toronto is no different. The inclusion of this trio of record seekers certainly enhances the enjoyment of this annual IAAF Gold Label event.

Interested in attempting a Guinness World Record at this year’s race? Please contact Jenna Pettinato, Canada Running Series’ Manager of Communications at jenna@canadarunningseries.com or visit our website: http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/guinness-world-records/

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May 23 2017
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Canadian Olympians Lanni Marchant and Reid Coolsaet reveal 2017 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon finisher medals

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The 2017 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K finisher medals were unveiled last Thursday night as more than 120 local runners led by the RunTOBeer crew and Canadian Olympians Reid Coolsaet and Lanni Marchant covered a mystery “reveal run” from Rorschach Brewery to the Leuty Lifeguard Station.

Built in 1920, the lifeguard station is an icon in The Beach neighbourhood and for Toronto’s waterfront. The medals – gold for the marathon; silver for the half; bronze for the 5K – were designed by Canada Running Series’ Inge Johnson. The design was based on a photograph by Beach artist and runner, Erwin Buck, taken one sunrise last September. “We’re thrilled to feature the Leuty Lifeguard Station on this year’s medal, and with the way the design has worked out,” said Race Director Alan Brookes. “Just like The Beach neighbourhood, its residents and businesses, the ‘Leuty’ is very special to us.”

Toronto is globally acclaimed as a waterfront city, a “city of neighbourhoods”, and The Beach is one of its finest. The Beach also comes at a critical point in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, between 30k and 35k, when runners can hit that legendary “wall”, only to have the great crowds in neighbourhood lift them and carry them to the finish.

This year’s medals are the 10th anniversary of the “Landmark Collectors’ Series”, all designed by Johnson, that has featured other famed Toronto icons such as Honest Ed’s, The Princes’ Gates at the Canadian Exhibition, and the Gooderham Flatiron Building.

The unveiling was done by Marchant and Coolsaet, who have been important parts of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon event. In 2013, Lanni ran 2:28:00 at the IAAF Gold Label race, to take out a 28-year old Women’s National Marathon Record. In 2011, Reid almost re-wrote Jerome Drayton’s 1975 Men’s Record, as he surged to take on the East Africans in The Beach section, before fading a little in the last 5k to come home 3rd (2:10:55) in a world-class field and book his ticket to the London Olympics.

The Olympians were joined in the ceremony by the artists/designer; Dr. Johanna Carlo and Jessica Wright, Director of the Beach Village Business Improvement Association and Paula Murphy of Pegasus, the neighbourhood charity for the race, who invited the world to run The Beach on October 22nd. On that day, some 26,000 runners of all abilities, from 70 countries are expected to earn one of these fabulous souvenir medals of the city and its marathon, and take them home around the globe.

For more information and entry: STWM.ca

Oct 24 2016
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Calum Neff

Six Guinness World Records achieved at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon!

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October 24th, 2016 – By Amy Friel

In the days leading up to the 2016 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, it seemed as though everyone’s mind was on one matter: the weather.

Photo Credit: Photo Run

“Throughout the week I was pretty worried,” recalls marathoner Calum Neff, who had spent the better part of a summer preparing to run down a Guinness World Records title at STWM.

Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, including rain, wind, and high humidity, Neff — along with four-year-old daughter Aley — captured the title for fastest marathon while pushing a pram (stroller), finishing in a blistering time of 2:31:21 and bettering the existing mark by more than ten minutes.

“I just said, you know, anything can happen, but I trust that it’ll be okay,” he says. “It was a little bit rainy, but I decided I wasn’t gonna let the wind be a factor on the day, and decided to get after it.”

But while the combined 60-pound weight of stroller and passenger made headwind the decisive factor for Neff, fellow Guinness record-chaser Jen Wilson was far more concerned with precipitation.

“I was starting to get nervous,” she recalls. “They were calling for torrential rain, and there was no training for that.”

Wilson had her eye on the Guinness World Records women’s title for fastest half-marathon in a suit. But the threat of a downpour exposed what she worried might be a weakness in her preparation.

“I didn’t do any training runs in my suit in the rain because, I mean, who does that?”

Clad in dress pants, a blouse, vest, tie, and blazer, Wilson (along with a handful of fellow Guinness World Records contenders) cut a conspicuous figure in a start corral packed with the usual shorts-and-singlet set.

“Everyone was kind of staring on the morning of like, what is this person doing?” she says. “But in comparison to the girl in the motocross gear, I looked downright comfortable.”

After a rainy first 5K, Wilson and her many wet layers toughed out the remaining miles to clinch her first-ever Guinness World Records title in a time of 1:42:42.

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Photo Credit: Christine Cater/Canada Running Series

At the finish line, she was congratulated on her race by a Guinness official. A laughing Wilson recalls accepting her certificate, smiling for a photograph, and then immediately stripping off the many layers of her sopping wet suit, as fast as humanly possible.

“I’ve never been so happy to be wearing a sports bra in public,” she jokes.

But though the rain proved less-than-ideal for running in a suit and tie, one thing it did not seem to impact was the spectators who came out to cheer. For Toronto chef and record-chaser Daniel Janetos, it made all the difference in the world.

“Race day, I had an incredible experience, as far as all the people that came out,” he says. “Friends, family, my girlfriend — there was a ton of support.”

Janetos claimed the Guinness World Records title for fastest marathon dressed as a chef, finishing in a time of 3:56:21, and beating the existing record by a whopping ten minutes. His race doubled as a fundraising endeavour for the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Foundation, ultimately raising about $5,000 for the charity.

“It kind of re-inspired me,” he says. “Just the way you can turn something little into a huge success.”

But whether struggling with a soaked suit and tie, pushing a stroller into a headwind, or lugging some cookware along for the ride (Janetos’ costume required that he carry a pot), the biggest challenge facing record-chasers remained the race itself.

“The pot wasn’t as bad as everyone might have thought — it was more just my legs,” Janetos recalls. “It was a really, really difficult last 10K.”

“It was a typical marathon, so it wasn’t easy by any means,” agrees Neff. “We really loved the Beaches, but that was a long uphill, and then you turn around and get the downhill right into the wind. That final 10K was the absolute toughest.”

Struggling over the final miles, Janetos was paced to the finish line by a friend and fellow runner from the Night Terrors Run Crew. That, along with the friends and family who made it out to cheer, carried him home to claim his Guinness World Records title.

“Without that support, I probably wouldn’t have been able to do it,” he says.

tf_stwm16_a4642

Photo Credit: Todd Fraser/Canada Running Series

Along with fellow runners Bridget Burns, Robert Winckler, and Jasper Moester, a total of six new Guinness World Records titles were set at STWM 2016.

Despite worries about the wind and rain, Neff recalls a day that ultimately unfolded exactly to plan.

“I was having one of those magical days you always hope for in a race,” he says. “Everything was kind of perfect.”

Oct 17 2016
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Ed Whitlock Sets World Age 85 Marathon Record

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

TORONTO – October 17th, 2016.  By Paul Gains

Ed Whitlock has made headlines once again for an outstanding road running performance.

The 85 year old from Milton, Ontario carries expectations into every race as he sets record after record and again did not disappoint his supporters at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Crossing the line in 3:56:38 he added the over 85 age class world record to the half marathon record he set this past spring.

“Have you seen the Globe and Mail?” he asks more out of astonishment than boastfulness. “They have a photograph of me on the front page of the sports section. Scotiabank and (race director) Alan (Brookes) will be well pleased.”

Whitlock laughs but admits the effort has taken its toll.

“I feel Ok. My legs are not the best,” he admits laughing. “They are very, very stiff but apart from that everything else is ok.

“I had got in sort of the bare minimum of appropriate training preparations and I had a couple of months of serious long distance training runs and I felt that was enough. Certainly, ideally, I would have liked six months instead of two months but I felt that was just enough to get by.”

Roughly one hundred yards from his house is a cemetery which he uses for training on a daily basis. The man who caught the road running world’s attention when he became the first man over 70 to beat three hours in the marathon – he ran 2:54:49 at age 73, also set on his hometown Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon course.” – still runs laps of the cemetery for hours on end.

He calls it ‘very fast walking’ with his customary humour. But as age tries to catch up with him and his future marathons will be nearer four hours, he knows he must do more.

“I actually got up to three and a half hours this time,” he says. “The thing is three hours doesn’t do it anymore. That’s the hell of it. I need four hours now. And it’s only going to get worse.”

Laughing again he turns serious when asked if he can further reduce the record in subsequent marathon races.

“I think 3:40 would have been possible if the weather had been perfect and if I had had six months training,” he declares. “I really think 3:40 would have been possible.”

Well-wishers surround him at every race and he is asked to appear at various events and dinners. In many ways he is a reluctant hero. Notoriety doesn’t suit him. Indeed, after the race last night his 56 year old son, Neil, himself a two time Boston marathon finisher, drove him home where he had a minor celebration with his wife, Brenda. They cooked dinner together then opened a bottle of Bordeaux, the race and the crowd of well-wishers now a fond memory.

“I don’t know how to respond to them. Well how do you respond to that?” he says laughing again. “I suppose it’s nice for people to say I inspire them but I am somewhat embarrassed and I don’t know what the appropriate response is to that.

“I don’t consider myself to be an inspiring person. I am not one to stand up on the stage and say ‘you all can do this.’”

Whitlock will gradually overcome this year’s marathon race and before long will be out on that cemetery road churning out the miles. There are more races to run and more records to chase. And if he inspires many to keep running as they age then that’s a good thing too.

Post-race interview by Canadian Running Magazine. 

Oct 16 2016
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Competitive Races at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

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October 16th, 2016 – By Paul Gains

Warm temperatures, high humidity and a light drizzle conspired to prevent course records at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon today.

World class fields had arrived for this IAAF Gold Label race targeting fast times but when it was over, Kenya’s Philomen Rono had won the men’s race in a time of 2:08:27, while Shure Demise of Ethiopia became the first woman to successfully defend her Toronto title.

tf_stwm16_b1248

Photo Credit: Todd Fraser/Canada Running Series

Demise crossed the line in 2:25:10 well off the course record of 2:22:43, held jointly by Sharon Cherop (Kenya) and Koren Yal (Ethiopia) and far slower than the world under 20 world record she set a year ago in Dubai. That time of 2:20:59 seemed a distant memory as she battled compatriot Tadelech Bekele (second in 2:26:31) and Kenya’s Rebecca Chesir (third in 2:28:54).

“I have a great deal of happiness for winning,” Demise said before praising her friend Bekele. “About 35km I knew that I would win the race. I would have been as happy if she won. She is my friend and we are very close; we come from the same place so I would have been just as happy.

“When we started I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with the rain. I was a bit conscious of that but it got better.”

For her part Bekele revealed she had suffered stomach cramps around 38km and slowed. She wasn’t the only athlete to have health issues.

While he was warming up Rono was injured when a barricade he was using to stretch his hamstrings tipped over. It crashed down on the side of his head opening up a bloody gash and stunning him temporarily.

His agent called one of his colleagues in Holland to discuss the predicament.  They agreed Rono could start but if he felt awkward in the opening kilometres he should drop out. Evidently he felt fine.

“I was not expecting to win today,” he said at the finish. “It was a surprise. When I fell and hurt my head I thought I would not run.”

The winner trains in the same camp as Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge and drew inspiration from his friend’s success in Rio.

“Eliud (Kipchoge) is my training partner,” Rono offered. “I thought after he won the Olympic games I should win this race. We are training partners so it was a good marathon for me. He told me I would win this race so I was very confident.”

Seboka Dibaba of Ethiopia was the last of Rono’s competitors to give way. That occurred just five kilometres from the finish when he said an old injury had flared up.  He finished second in 2:09:47 while twenty two year old Albert Korir earned a podium place with his 2:10:23 performance.

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon was, once again, the Canadian Marathon Championship and two of the country’s Olympians emerged victorious.

Photo Credit: Todd Fraser/Canada Running Series

Photo Credit: Todd Fraser/Canada Running Series

Eric Gillis finished 5th overall in a time of 2:13:44, just eight weeks after his historic 10th place finish in the Rio Olympic marathon while Krista DuChene was crowned Canadian women’s champion in a time of 2:34:02.

Rachel Hannah was second Canadian woman (7th overall) in a time of 2:34:37 proving she will be a force to reckon with over the next few years. The bronze medal went to Dayna Pidhoresky who ran 2:40:41 after running very quickly over the first 25 kilometres at one point a few hundred metres ahead of DuChene. She was legless at the end and was taken to the medical tent in a wheelchair.

The winner recognized the strength of the women’s field and paid tribute to her younger rivals.

Photo Credit: Todd Fraser/Canada Running Series

Photo Credit: Todd Fraser/Canada Running Series

“This is an emotional Krista day not a happy Krista day,” DuChene, 39,  said. “I am happy. I really wanted this win. This was my year with Rio and then deciding to do this. I wanted a national championships again. I knew with the conditions that fast times weren’t going to happen so it was all about being patient and using my marathon experience. It was my thirteenth one. So I knew I just had to wait.

“Dayna was someone I was looking to the whole time but then I knew Rachel was right behind me. So it’s exactly what you want to happen because it might end up in a footrace in the end and no marathoner wants that.”

DuChene became teary eyed when she thought of the tremendous support she has received from her coach and her family this year.

“I am lost for words. This is how I wanted it to be. I am just so blessed with my husband being so supportive,” she explained.

“My kids did the housework this summer. It was about me this time. I really want to savour this moment I am just so grateful for this moment, It’s all about my faith and how God can use me in any way He wants.”

Gillis admitted he was not at his best after running the Olympics just eight weeks ago and was disappointed with his time.

“I am fitter than that,” he revealed. “But I am glad I went out at 65 minutes I don’t think I would have been happy if  went out in 66 minutes and ran 2:13 I wouldn’t be happy but I probably would have felt better. It’s a decent race after Rio.

“It was tough out there. I really completely felt the opposite to what I felt in Rio. My hips tightened up and my right knee was sore. I think its a fine line keeping that balance on wet pavement.”

Although the professionals could not approach the course records there were, however, world records set on the day. Ed Whitlock who finished the marathon in 3 hours 56 minutes 38 seconds for an age 85 best.

Photo Credit: Todd Fraser/Canada Running Series

Photo Credit: Todd Fraser/Canada Running Series

Earlier this year he set a world half marathon record for his age group in Waterloo, Ontario and decided there was no point in trying to beat his record over that distance. Hence his quick decision to run 42.2km

The Guinness Book of World Records will soon include the name Calum Neff, 32, who knocked some twelve minutes of the fastest marathon completed while pushing a pram (stroller). His daughter Ally was the beneficiary of a course tour in 2:31:26. Neff was surprised to learn he had finished 5th overall in the Canadian championships. 5 other Guinness World Records were also set today.

Photo Credit: Todd. Fraser/Canada Running Series

Photo Credit: Todd. Fraser/Canada Running Series

-30-

Oct 13 2016
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Coach Kate’s Tips for Race Day Prep!

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TORONTO – October 13th, 2016 – By Kate Van Buskirk.

With just a few days until the race, most runners are in their final preparations for Sunday’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half Marathon & 5k! Whether you’re nearing the end of your marathon taper or psyching yourself up for the 5k, there are a few things that everyone can benefit from as they prepare to hit the streets of Toronto.

Control The Controllables

I wrote about this in my “Overcoming Adversity” post, but its worth mentioning again: take stock of the factors leading up to a race that are within your control, do everything you can to manage these, and let go of everything else. Although the weather, your competitors’ fitness, and the size of your start corral are beyond your command, there are many things you can do to set yourself up for the best chances of success on race day. Don’t leave any of your gear, nutrition, or logistics to chance. Stick with what you’ve been doing in training, have a good plan in place and develop realistic and flexible goals to maximize your potential for a positive experience!

Don’t Try Anything New

Running stores tend to get flooded in the days leading up to a big race with customers stocking up on fuel, body glide, and last minute accessories. But there also tends to be a percentage of the population who wait until race week to buy a new pair of shoes or a flashy new running outfit. Unless your wardrobe is literally falling apart, I strongly urge you NOT to wear new shoes or clothing on race day in order to avoid unforeseen chaffing or blisters. Similarly, don’t change up your fuelling regiment before or during the race. The combination of nerves and pushing your physical limits can cause the gut to become sensitive and sometimes rebel. Don’t introduce new food or beverages in the 48hrs leading up to the race, try to eat home-prepared meals, and stick to relatively bland, easily digestible carbs. Going out for pizza or hot curry the night before your race, while delicious, could wreak havoc on your digestive tract the next morning. So could experimenting with a new gel or bar mid-race. Stick with the familiar and save the adventurous eating for your post-race celebration.

Have A Plan

If you’ve ever attended a major road race, you know that they are exciting, energizing events with great crowd support and camaraderie. But this also means that there are throngs of runners, spectators and media all trying to get to the same place at the same time. The last thing you need to add to any race-day jitters is the stress of navigating the city with thousands of other race-bound folks. My advice is to plan out your day from wake-up to finish line and allot extra time for each activity so that there are no stressful surprises. Scout out your route and method of transportation to the start line in advance, taking into consideration road closures, TTC hours, and the shortage of downtown parking. I also like to do as much as possible to prepare the night before as a means of keeping stress low on race morning. Planning and laying out your race kit (clothing, shoes, fuel, accessories, bib, safety pins, warm clothes for after the race, etc) before you hit the hay will ensure that you don’t forget anything. On race day, plan to be up in lots of time to get in a light breakfast (oatmeal, bagels and bananas tend to sit well with most people), do some gentle stretching and warm-up exercises, then get out there and get pumped up with your community of fellow runners!

Set A, B And C Goals

Goal setting is a very useful tool for any runner, although it can sometimes feel defeating to fall short of a single performance goal. I recommend setting A, B and C goals so that you can feel successful regardless of what obstacles you might face on race day. These can be performance-based (ie; running a personal best time, placing in the top half of your age group, or hitting your BQ), personal goals (completing your race distance for the first time, crossing the finish line knowing you gave your all, or just enjoying every element of the race day journey) or a combo of both. You may know that you’re in shape to run a specific time, but strong winds mean that finishing 3 minutes slower is still a huge accomplishment. You may miss out on your personal best, but you learned a lot about how to fuel better for your next attempt. Ultimately, every race is a learning experience and an opportunity to celebrate your body in motion!

Speedy vibes to everyone competing on Sunday, and as always: RUN HAPPY!

About Kate Van Buskirk:  Kate is a professional track and road runner representing Brooks Canada, who specializes in the 1500m. She is a 2-time National Champion, an 8-time National Team member, and a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist. She is a Duke University alumnus where she studied cultural anthropology. She currently lives and trains in Toronto where she works as a coach with Pace and Mind and Myodetox Performance. Connect with Kate on Twitter and Instagram.