Brooks Contest Winner Announcement!!!

Hi Friends! Thank you to all who entered my contest for FREE BROOKS RUNNING SHOES!!!!!! Tonight I did the draw and the winner is announced in the video below!!

Even if you didn't win this time, there will be lots of opportunities for free Brooks gear in the future, so keep visiting my blog to be sure you don't miss them!!

Cheers and RUN HAPPY!!!

Run Happy!!

I am very proud to be affiliated with Brooks and what they stand for.

Little critters eating away at the Brooks BioMogo

Brooks is arguably the most "green" shoe company on the market: the BioMogo midsole found in many of their shoes breaks down in the landfill--get this--50 TIMES faster than the EVA which comprises most non-Brooks running shoes, without compromising the integrity of the product. The average running shoe takes 1,000 years (yes, you read that correctly) to disintegrate after you've thrown it away. In 2013 there were over 50,000 participants in the New York City Marathon weekend and over 40,000 in the Ottawa Marathon weekend: that's roughly 100,000 runners and therefore 200,000 running shoes in these two races alone. If you extrapolate that to the number of runners in North America, you can imagine how many shoes get tossed each year!! Now consider the environmental impact of a shoe that takes 20 years to biodegrade as opposed to a shoe that doesn't break down for 1,000 years! Pretty significant! Also, check out their CMP midsole manufacturing process, which further adds to their eco-friendliness!

Brooks is also committed to environmental consciousness when it comes to their packaging, namely their shoe boxes, which are made from recycled and recyclable materials, using energy-conserving methods (remember, every one of the 100,000 participants in Ottawa and NYC this year wore a pair of shoes that came from a box...thats a lotta boxes!) Plus, Brooks encourages you to be creative with your shoe boxes once you've removed your awesome footwear. They recommend creating dioramas, and I am in full support of this idea (stay tuned for Brooks shoe box dioramas!)

One of the things that drew me most to Brooks was my ability to connect with their philosophy: "Run Happy!"  There are a lot of great slogans out there, but its hard to beat this one, because what would this sport/lifestyle/challenge be without a deep sense of passion, love and happiness! There have been periods throughout my running career when I've been pretty down, and these are things we can all relate to: being sidelined by injury, feeling overwhelmed in our personal lives, being sick or just plain tired! But striving every day, through every run, with each high and especially every low, to find peace, love and satisfaction in this great sport of ours...well, that's what pulls us through and makes every stride worthwhile. I try to "run happy" every time I lace up, and although some runs--and some days--are tougher than others, this philosophy has really helped me to appreciate my body, mind and soul and develop a beautiful relationship with running. I wish the same to each of you, my dear readers!

May you always RUN HAPPY!!!

Now, in the spirit of this inspiring slogan, I have partnered with Brooks Canada to launch my RUN HAPPY tab. You can find this on the upper right tab of my website, and checking it out will not only provide you with regularly-updated info on products and events, but will also feature some awesome contests and give-aways! In fact there may be one happening right now....

Toronto's Pan Am Potential

In honour of Throwback Thursday, I wanted to take a few moments to relive one of my favourite events of 2013, the Toronto International Track and Field Games. For those who aren't as familiar with the world of athletics, the Toronto International Track and Field Games (TITFG) is one of 5 meets held across Canada during the late spring, which collectively comprise the National Track League (NTL) The NTL events are held from coast to coast--Halifax, Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria--and serve as the only elite track and field opportunities in Canada, outside of the Canadian National Championships.

With its inception in 2011 the TITFG helped to establish the NTL, and I have watched it grow tremendously over the past 3 years. I have competed in the 1500m each year, winning the event twice (2011 and 2013) and placing second in 2012. Each year the calibre of competition has improved, the crowd has grown in numbers and enthusiasm, the prize purse has expanded, and the Games have developed a renowned level of prestige and excitement.            

From an athlete's perspective, the TITFG is arguably the most ideal and elite track and field meet in Canada: Toronto is centrally located and easily accessible, the weather for the past 3 years has been close to ideal (unlike Halifax the week before when the weather is very unpredictable or the West Coast in July when the pollen is very high), it is an exciting destination for out-of-towners, the facility is in the heart of the city and therefore has tremendous visibility, and it is always 2-3 weeks before both the Canadian and USA National Championships and is therefore used as athletes' final preparation leading into their international qualifying meets. It is highly valued on the pre-Championship racing circuit, as evidenced by the 40 Olympians who competed this year.

For those of us in the GTA, The TITFG is the only event of the year that our entire support base (family, sponsors, friends, teammates, coaches, fans, etc) are

able to attend. With Nationals being held in Moncton, and other high level meets only found either in the USA or Europe (or NTL events in other provinces), this event in Toronto is the only opportunity for our community to see us live, in action. As anyone who has been to a live sporting event can attest, nothing can repliate the real-life experience of being there in person, feeding off the excitement of the other spectators, absorbed in the thrill of feeling the competition unfolding before you. This simply can't be imitated by watching a race online or reading about it after the fact.

My amazing rabbit Vanessa McLeod

The 2013 TITFG had an enormous personal impact: it is the meet at which I ran my first "World B Standard" in the 1500m, helping to secure my position as a member of the Canadian team competing at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia. Crossing the finish line in Toronto in front of my home crowd and seeing my time flash across the scoreboard was one of the most exhilerating moments in my athletics career. It simply wouldn't have been the same--nor do I think it would have even been possible--had it not been for the hundreds of supporters whose energy propelled me around the track faster than I had ever run before, and who celebrated this victory with me. It felt like a

giant, loving hug enveloped me at the finish line. Two weeks following the TITFG I won my first Senior National Title in the 1500m at the Canadain Championships, solidifying my spot on the World's team bound for Russia. The confidence I gained from the TITFG undoubtedly aided in my win at Nationals, and this confidence continued to translate throughout the remainder of my most successful season to date.

Toronto is in an incredibly exciting position: we are poised to be at the pinnacle of international sport in 2015 as host city of the Pan Am/Para Pan Am Games!

We will welcome athletes from 41 countires competing in 65 sports, and will be given the opportunity to showcase not only Canada's athletic prowess but also all that Toronto has to offer as an athletic, economic, political and cultural powerhouse. However, in order to make the 2015 Pan Am Games all that they can be, we desperately need events like the Toronto International Track and Field Games to build a strong fan base within the GTA, and give international athletes and supporters a taste of what they can look forward to in 2 years.

The TITFG serves as that major attraction for both die-hard fans of the sport and those who are looking to check out an awesome event on a beautiful June evening in the heart of Canada's largest city. There is an untapped appetite for amateur sport in Canada, and events like the TITFG are how we uncover that potential leading into 2015 and beyond! Check out what elite athletes at the 2013 TITFG had to say about the anticipation of the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games HERE! (*NOTE: all photos in this blog post are courtesy of the official Toronto International Track and Field Games Facebook page)

Steady as She Goes

As much as I wanted to, I wasn't able to attend the CIS cross-country championships over the weekend. I would have loved to have been out on the course, cheering on the competitors and soaking up the energy of so many runners performing at the highest level of Canadian collegiate athletics. Alas, earning rent and grocery money took priority so instead of spending the day as a super-fan, I worked a shift at the Running Room, staring out the window during lulls, imagining myself at the meet.

My first CIS XC experience occured when I was still in high school. As a member of the Mississauga Track and Field Club, I had developed great relationships with my teammates over the years, and continued to follow their athletic journeys into their collegiate careers. Several former MTFC members were competing in the 2004 CIS XC Championships in Guelph, and my coach Joe Sax

Joe leading the pack at Around the Bay

encouraged me to go watch the races, cheer on my teammates, and get a taste of what collegiate championship racing was like. Joe had coached me through my first three years of high school, to several PB's and to my first OFSAA and Canadian Jr. National titles. He espoused a training and racing philosophy that was predicated upon the balance between recognizing and appreciating where you were and what it took to get there, and envisioning yourself achieving far beyond your current ranking or results. He put this philosophy into practice by organizing a weekend trip each year to the McQuaid Invitational in Rochester, NY--a major high school cross-country meet attended by hundreds of east coast American schools and a handful of Canadian club teams. Joe always selected a small group of his top athletes to travel to McQuaid in order to gain the experience of racing against huge, competitive fields that just wasn't avaliable at the average Ontario meet. He also frequently recounted stories from his own racing years, when he respresented Canada at major events like the Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cross-Country Championships

Joe (bottom, middle) at the 1981 World XC Champs

or the World University Games. He was always incredibly humble and rarely talked about his success at these events, but rather shared with us the tales of grit, guts and (occasional) glory that he and his teammates accrued throughout their years as international competitors. Joe had a fierce fighter's heart, never settling for anything but his absolute best, and instilling the same mentality in us, his young, wide-eyed athletes. His approach was: train hard, smart, and patient, but when it comes to the race, compete with every ounce of fight you can muster, leave everything on the course and walk away with no regrets. This was epitomized in his 2 famous catch-phrases: "steady as she goes" and "never say die".

Joe's continual determination to expose us to high-level running and push us to discover our own potential is what led me to those 2004 CIS Championships--an event which he himself had won in 1975--as an eager and inspired spectator. My dad and I had agreed to meet Joe in Guelph that morning and go for a run on the course before the races got underway. The three of laughed and chatted through the first 20 minutes of the run, our conversation flitting back and forth between predictions for the day's races, and our team's preparations for the upcoming

Pushing for home, 2004 OTFA XC

Provincial and National XC Championships. 2004 had been my first real breakthrough year in track, and we were hoping to carry the momentum through the xc season; the week prior to the CIS meet, I had won my first OFSAA XC medal, placing second behind my high school rival (and friend) Tarah McKay. Joe had talked with me throughout the fall about my goal of qualifying for the World Junior Cross-Country Championships, and we had been focusing training towards preparing me for a strong top-6 performance at the Canadian Jr. Nationals. We were jogging along, mid-conversation about the season when Joe collapsed. True to form, Joe had kept quiet for months--maybe years--his heart condition, not wanting to worry anyone or draw unnecessary attention away from the team and towards him. My dad and I accompanied the ambulance to the hospital, learning hours later that Joe had passed away after suffering a major heart attack, and likely hadn't felt any pain. The tragic irony was that the fierce heart of this fighter would ultimately be his undoing.

I was 17 when Joe died, and although I had developed a deep respect and admiration for him during our time together, it wasn't until the months and years following his death that I truly began to understand and appreciate his prowess as an athlete, his intuition and expertise as a coach, and his tremendous contributions to the Canadian running community. In addition to

Eddie + Joe, my coaches present and past

his plethora of National team experiences at international games, Joe was a 6-time Canadian National medalist, 2-time National Steeplechase Champion, and set the Canadian Record in this event in 1977. He excelled across a wide variety of events, exhibiting his dominance on the track, trails and road, in distances ranging from the mile (OFSAA Champion) to the marathon (2:17.12). Following his outstanding athletic career Joe became a teacher and track/cross-country coach for Iona Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga, as well as the distance coach of the Mississauga TFC. He also acted for several years as the meet director for the Iona CSS Cross-Country Invitational, one of the largest meets in Ontario. Joe's passion for our sport and the people in it was nearly unparalleled; he was deeply committed to the success, health, and happiness of every student and athlete that he taught and coached, and this was clear through every interaction with him. Joe had a wicked laugh, a tireless drive, and one of the gentlest spirits I have ever encountered. I am so grateful for all I learned from him, and all that he gave us.

Joe Sax

Yesterday, November 13th, 2013 marks the 9-year anniversary of Joe's death. I think about him every day, but especially this time of year, when the winds blow, the leaves swirl, the temperatures drop, and the ferocity and beauty of cross-country season is upon us. For Joe's sake--for all of our sakes--I hope that everyone reading this post will take time to appreciate the wonderful people in their lives, and enjoy a run in the memory of those we've lost too early.                                                             Steady as she goes.

MTFC Crew with coaches Joe Sax and Mark Christie at Fall Training Camp: "Live for the Moment".

Mississauga Singlet with "Joe Sax" next to my heart. I am forever a proud MTFC alumn.

The Joe Sax Memorial ROPSSAA Steeplechase Trophy: one of the greastest honours I've ever received.

Nick Corrigan and I, winners of Joe Sax Trophy at ROPSSAA 2005. My amazing dad Jim (middle) continued Joe's middle-distance coaching legacy with MTFC for 8 years after Joe's passing.

Running Happy

With the arrival of November and "falling back" comes chilly mornings, shorter days, swirling leaves and the end of the fall road racing scene. Ontario autumn is one of my favourite times of year, and the past 2 months have proven no exception to the beauty and excitement that I always associate with the fall. After returning home from my 8-week summer racing tour of Europe I was riding the high of my "breakthrough" season, but was ready for a short mental and physical break

Hiking the Niagara Escarpment

before getting back to building mileage and a solid strength base. Unfortunately, it seems that my body was ready for a longer break than I offered it, and so, by the second week of October (the most BEAUTIFUL time of year to be a runner, in my humble opinion) I was dealing with a rather angry and inflamed posterior tibial tendon. Imaging confirmed tenoitis and (thankfully) not a bone issue, which was a relatively positive diagnosis, although it did mean forgoing the last 3 weeks of frolicking about the streets and parks of Toronto in glorious weather. It also meant reluctantly ditching my fall racing plans, including the NYRR Dash to the Finish Line 5km this past weekend in NYC.

Although I'm bummed that I didn't get a chance to take full, unbridled advantage of this season, I have been thriving off the race energy of the last

Canadian marathon record women!

several weeks, including the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and the ING New York City Marathon weekends. The Canadian Running Series events are always a thrill, whether I'm there as a competitor or spectator; the Toronto Marathon weekend was no exception. Being present to witness Sylvia Ruegger's 28 year-old Canadian record get broken by TWO phenomenal women was one of the most exciting things I've seen in my athetic career. While Lanni Marchant and Krista Duchene were busy making history at the finish line, Natasha Wodak was nearing the end of her outstanding marathon debut, Eric Gillis and Rob Watson were catching their breath after each setting personal bests, and seasonsed veterans and first-timers

NYC Dash to the Finish Line 5km

alike were gutting it out along the streets of our fair city, each linked by the sheer joy and deep satisfaction of their running pursuits. Traveling to NYC last weekend to cheer on Peter Corrigan and the plethora of elites and weekend warriors in the Dash to the Finish Line 5km was also a blast. Cruising around 5th Ave and Central Park, and soaking up the energy of thousands of runners was magical and inspiring. These experiences give me so many reasons to love the running community, and get me PUMPED about returning to racing and training!


While being forced to take time off running is always frustrating, I have been trying to see this little injury as a blessing in disguise. Any time our bodies break down or fail us in some capacity, we are forced to take a step back and figure out WHY. So often the temptation is to treat the issue at the point of the symptoms; I have tendonities in my left posterior tibial tendon so soft tissue work, accupuncture, icing and compression around that area of my body makes sense. But so does re-examining my biomechanics, identifying deficiencies and weaknesses elsewhere in my physical make-up, and working to eliminate these through comprehensive strength training, form corrections, and the goal of obtaining a more complete understanding of my body.

Brooks Shoe Box of Shoe Boxes!

One of my rookie mistakes was running too many miles in my last shoes, so that by the time I returned from France in September, my treasured Green Silence were beyond dead. Thanks to the arrival of my new Brooks kicks-- Gycerine 11, Ghost 6, PureFlow 2 and PureConnect 2-- as well as treatment and a revised strength plan from my amazing chiro and strength/conditioning coach Kris Sheppard, I am back running, and can enjoy the rest of the fall in my NEW GEAR! The awesome folks at Brooks sent me a big box of apparel and accessories to keep me warm and dry as the winter approaches, and I'm very excited to try out my new swag! Stay tuned to my blog for the inception of "Kate's Kollection" of Run Happy clothing, apparel and shoes, where I'll put together outfits from my new gear, complete with what are sure to be super dorky photos, and I'll review key pieces. There may be promotions and even the occassional give-away so check it out over the coming weeks!

Now that I'm injury-free and decked out in new shoes and apparel, I'll spend the next 2 months getting back to full run training, and start looking towards the indoor track season! My main goal this season is to represent Canada at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland in March. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying hot apple cider, running through Toronto's gold and red leafy parks, and cozying up with a good book in Peter and my new Hypoxico Altitude Training tent! However you celebrate fall, I hope you're all finding ways to stay warm, healthy, and joyful.

Run Happy, my friends!

NYC's Central Park in Fiery Splendour

Guru Sarah and I as Halloween Brooks Fairies

High Park- Athletics Toronto's Fall Training Hub 

World Champs, Baby!!!

Hello Friends,

Between challenging travel, lack of internet connectivity in our hotel, and trying to stay focused on doing all the necessary preparation for my race(s), I haven't been able to post as much as I've wanted. I'll do the abbreviated version of the past 2 weeks, leading up to this evening and the final sleep before my first World Championships race.

SportsCentrum, Kamen

I met Team Canada in Kamen, Germany 2 weeks ago, where I enjoyed the company of over 50 athletes, coaches, therapists and support staff who were brought together for the final phase of preparation before departing on Wednesday for the 2013 IAAF World Championships. The Kamen-Kaiserau SportCentrum was a great site for our base camp: our accommodations were beautiful and comfortable, the staff were friendly and obliging, and the surrounding areas are scenic and great for running. Coming into Kamen, I was warned by several of last year's Olympians (who were also based at the SportCentrum leading into London) that with very little going on in the immediate vicinity, I should be prepared to get bored pretty quickly. And although they were generally accurate in their description of the activity level of the surrounding neighbourhood, I found that the 12 days went by in a blur. Between running, meals, therapy, stretching, napping, planning with coaches and support staff, catching up with e-mails from home and writing these blog posts, my days were sufficiently busy and before I knew it, we were on our way to Moscow!

Unfortunately, a lot of my energy early on was spent focusing on my health; coming off the PB in Ninove, followed by a full day of travel, having only arrived in Europe less than a week before, my immune system took a hit and I came down with a small cold. I spent 3 straight days only moving from my bed for meals, resting as much as possible and incorporating lots of home remedies into my Klean Athlete supplement regime. Its never ideal to get sick in your final phase of race prep, and I was frustrated by the

Mid-Distance Gals

timing of the cold; however, I knew that both training through it and wasting energy worrying about it would likely prolong the illness. So I rested and waited, and was able to hit the track a few days later executing one of my strongest workouts of the year. With my legs back under me, I focused my sights on our final week in Kamen and despite a small lingering cough, I have come out of training camp feeling healthy and strong. I'm really grateful for our time in Germany: it gave me a chance to get to know my delegation in a more personal and individual way, and to have productive, encouraging conversations with a few of Athletics Canada's top administrative staff about the future direction of the federation. Our awesome team captains Angela Whyte and Justyn Warner also organized a hilariously embarrassing rookie night towards the end of our stay that really pulled us all together and kept things fun and light despite the prestige and importance of the event for which we were all preparing (it helps that my team, consisting of jumper Christabel, pole vaulter Shawnacy, sprinter Cheria Morgan and chiropractor Duriell Bernard, won the overall rookie competition!)

Arriving in Moscow!

Our trip to Moscow was eventful to say the least: we dealt with a delayed flight, team members with invalid travel visas, half our team's baggage not arriving in Moscow, and almost 3hrs spent in customs trying so sort everything out. When we finally arrived at the meet hotel, we learned that about half of our team would be in rooms with cots, despite AC requesting that we be put in rooms with 2 beds. But Canadians are resilient and optimistic by nature, and after a good meal and few laughs we were all feeling a lot better.

In the last 3 days I have undergone my first major meet doping control procedure, I've done strides a few lanes over from Usain Bolt on the warm-up track, strategized with my coaches, and have run awestruck around the track in the World Championship stadium! I have rubbed shoulders at meals and at workouts with Deena Kastor, Mo Farah, Hannah England, and many other of track and field's greats; my heroes. And although this has been an unbelievably cool experience, its also made me realize that everyone is here to do exactly the same thing: compete with every ounce of passion, pride and strength that we possess.

 

World Champs Stadium

I am so humbled a deeply appreciative of all the kind, loving, encouraging messages that I've received over the past several weeks. I have been reflecting on how incredibly blessed I am to have a vast and committed network of caring and supportive souls who have raised me, picked me when I've fallen, celebrated victories with me, and cheered me on through every step of this journey so far. I began writing down all of the people to whom I owe unending thanks, but the list goes on forever, and will take another post entirely. All of my coaches, past and present; every one of my teammates throughout the years; all the sensational therapists and medical staff who have kept me healthy and strong; my loving and patient friends; my tremendous family who offers unconditional and unending love. You have all played distinct and tremendously important roles in helping me get to the highest level of athletic competition. Tomorrow at 10:25am Moscow time I will toe the line in my first ever IAAF World Track and Field Championships, and I will be running with the collective strength of each of you. My foremost goal is to run my heart out, to leave nothing on the track, and in the process I hope to make you all proud. Many, many thanks, and much love. I'm at the World Championships, Baby!!

Streaming available at:
http://www.trackie.com/track-and-field/2013-IAAF-World-Athletics-Championships/
or via BBC Sports

VBeast Euro-Tour 2013: Chapter 1

It has been a week since I left Toronto for my first-ever European racing tour, and with today's official press release announcing Team Canada, I thought an update was in order. I began my travel in Ninove, Belgium, where I raced the Memorial Rasschaert Flanders Cup on Saturday, and am now settled in the SportCentrum in Kamen, Germany, which will serve as the base for much of Team Canada's preparation before heading into Moscow on August 7th. Here's the story so far:

Train selfie: "I'm finally here!!"

I arrived in Ninove, Belgium on Wednesday morning with a groggy Gravol-induced hangover, following a cancelled and rebooked flight from Toronto to Montreal, an overnight flight from Montreal to Brussels, and two train rides through the Belgian countryside. I had managed about 3hrs of inconsistent sleep on the plane, waking up just long enough each time to ask the flight attendant for another bottle of water, and getting more or less caught up on the plot of the new Tina Fey movie “Admission”, before conking out again in some contorted airplane-seat sleeping position (fyi, the movie is pretty good, from what I could piece together). During the 7hr flight I lost 6 hours in the time difference, so that by the time I finally got off the second train in Ninove at what felt to my body like 5am but was really noon local time, I was feeling the competing emotions of excitement, being in this beautiful new country, and utter exhaustion from the travel.

Backyard chicken coop

I was rejuvenated by a short nap and meeting my amazing hosts, the Bliki family. Peter Bliki is one of the main organizers behind the Memorial Rasschaert, and also happens to be one of the kindest, most genuine individuals I have ever met. Peter, his wife, and their 2 teenage sons made me feel so incredibly welcome, comfortable and cared for during my 5 day stay in their beautiful home. I shared meals with them, ran through the town and countryside, ate fresh eggs and veggies from their chickens and greenhouse in the backyard, and was able to focus on preparing well for my race. Ninove itself is a gorgeous little place; a town of about 35,000, with a neat mix of modern and old-style buildings, and tightly packed houses with livestock and vegetable patches in the yards. The people are friendly and while I didn't see many runners other than those who were there for the meet, I did notice that a ton of people riding bikes through the town and along the paved river-side path. I was so deeply touched by the openness of my hosts and by the character of the town--I'll definitely keep Ninove on my calendar in the future!

I met up with a group of fellow Canucks who were staying at the one and only hotel in Ninove, and it was great to have some familiar faces to share some runs and meals with. We went over to the track a couple days before the meet, and we all agreed that it felt fast. Although I was still feeling a bit jet-lagged going into Saturday, I was also excited to see what my legs could do on a quick track with some strong competition. Our rabbit had been asked to go through 800m at 2:10, splitting even 65's for the first 2 laps. The pace was hot right off the line, and I knew within the first 200m that we were well under goal time. Two women followed the speedy rabbit, and I made the snap decision to allow for a small gap to form; not generally my style, but I figured that with the pace they were running, one of two things would happen. 1) They would eventually slow and I would catch them, or 2) They would run sub-4:00 that night, in which case I thought "good for you, see ya later". I was essentially leading the second pack for the first 3 laps, when, with 350m to go, I finally made contact with the

Shaking out at the track

two ahead of me. I saw 3:19 through 1200m--ultimately slower than I wanted--and made a strong push for home. I felt good through the last 300m, but wasn't quite sharp enough to hold off a late move by the Ethiopian with the fastest seed in the race. In the end, she ran 4:07.2, and I wound up in second with 4:07.74, a new PB and only my second time ever under 4:10. I was pleased with the personal best, and with my patient race tactics, although I am always hungry for a faster time, and stronger result. (Race video HERE)

This meet reminded of something that I am being made constantly aware of: that although our performances are almost always solo endeavours, we are able to connect deeply with the emotions, trials, successes and disappointments of our competitors and teammates. I was so proud, looking around the track on Saturday and seeing so many Canadians, all acting as great ambassadors for our country and our sport. I watched Jess Furlan give one of the gutsiest performances I've ever witnessed in her valiant attempt at a World standard in the steeplechase, and felt my heart break a little as she stumbled over the final barrier in her desire to run 9:48, which she was poised to smash. Look out for this woman, she's fierce! On the other end of the emotional spectrum, I watched Anthony Romaniw lower his 800m personal best, breaking 1:46 for the first time in his life, and securing a spot on the World's team on the last possible weekend to do so.

Anthony waiting for the train to Kamen

 I also felt for Andrea Seccafien, who arrived at the track in the early evening and supported all of her teammates as she waited around for her 10pm 5000m, which kept getting delayed, and was ultimately canceled when the heavens opened up around 11pm, unleashing a major thunderstorm that closed down the meet.  People often say that what defines us is not whether we experience lows, but how we handle them. I would say that the same is true for the highs in life. Every Canadian competitor, whether thrilled or disappointed by their outcome, offered support to their countrymen and women, and handled themselves gracefully. I felt very proud to be from the True North Strong and Free!

I'll write an update on our time in Kamen in my next post. For now, it is off the bed for this gal! I miss you, my friends and family at home, but am having a wonderful adventure! More to come....

The Great Return to the Runner's High

The problem with letting a blog go untouched for over a year is that you feel more and more pressure to return to the blogosphere having produced something significant; for a while I had a hard time coming up with an adequate subject for my renaissance, but the events of the past few weeks have provided me with ample material.

I hesitated to write a post following Boston, because although I, like every other member of the running community, was deeply shaken by the hateful acts at the finish line, I wasn't actually there to experience any of it first-hand. I sifted through the articles and posts by fellow runners and was inspired and comforted by the rich currents of hope, resilience and solidarity that coursed throughout their writing. My dad Jim and our friend Ian were in Boston that day and crossed the finish line well before the explosions, although they felt immensely connected to their comrades and to the entire city as it was rocked by this unthinkable tragedy.

Jim and Ian running Boston in 1988

What has inspired me to write is that which I have become increasingly aware of in the weeks since Boston; that I am more in love with my sport and the people of which it is comprised than I am with almost anything else in my life. The story of the Boston Marathon that I will remember most is not that there was an act of terrorism against a peaceful, motivated, collaborative, inspired, healthy, happy group of runners. That tragedy is now indelibly etched in our collective memory, and is worthy of reflection, mourning and remembrance. However, it would be a great shame if the dialogue surrounding the bombings overshadowed the countless stories of perseverance, camaraderie, success and love that are truly at the heart of every race. What I will remember about that day is that my 57-year old father and his long-time friend Ian Griffin—who began as training partners over 25 years ago and raced their first Boston together the year after I was born—ran side by side again this year, working together and supporting one another every single step of those 26.2 challenging miles until they crossed the the finish line victorious and full of pride. These two men are my heroes, and I count myself unbelievably fortunate to lead a lifestyle in which I encounter heroes on a daily basis.

Jon's AMAZING signs at Payton Jordan

I watched the live feed of Boston in a beautiful California house a stone's throw from the pacific ocean, where Peter and I spent 5 sunny weeks training and hanging out with the wonderfully generous and supportive Quinn family. Our awesome hosts, all runners in their own right, opened their home to us and provided the perfect setting for an early-spring training camp. During our time in the Santa Cruz area we made friends with Jon Gugala, who became our faithful cheerleader/timer/tourguide; Jeff Moreno, an incredibly knowledgeable and kind doctor of physical therapy who kept us healthy and strong; the coaching staff at Aptos High, who invited us to train at their beautiful facility on a daily basis; and several other amazing people who made our experience unforgettable and made it difficult for us to leave paradise to return to Toronto. It is this community, that exists from coast-to-coast and allows us to transplant nearly anywhere, that makes our athletic journey not only possible but also immensely enjoyable. 

Peter, Jon and I during our day trip to San Francisco

All smiles post-Buffalo Marathon!

Since returning to the GTA my love affair with the world of running has only intensified. It began when I accompanied my dad Jim just south of the border for the Buffalo Marathon at the end of May, where--only 6 weeks after Boston--he ran a remarkable 3:07.58, his fastest marathon in at least a decade. I ran the last 12 miles with him, and was so honoured to share that experience with the man who is responsible for my introduction to the magic of distance running, and who has been my life-long coach, supporter and training partner. Next, I shared a foggy, chilly evening a few weeks ago with several tough and speedy Canucks at the Speed River Inferno, and felt such a sense of community as I looked around the room at the post-meet dinner at so many familiar faces belonging to the people who I have run with since I was a junior. Last weekend our whole family drove to Streetsville for the annual Bread and Honey event, where not only did Peter and I win our respective races, but my amazing sister Emma broke the 30-minute barrier in her second-ever 5km alongside our encouraging dad, while my mom (an injured runner but avid rehabbing cross-trainer) and Emma's daughter Charlotte cheered from the sidelines.

My incredible sister at Bread&Honey

Throwing a road-race into the middle of the track season provided a nice change of pace (literally) and environment, as I got to reconnect with several members of the Mississauga Track and Field Club family, as well as some awesome MBP athletes whom I hadn't seen in far too long. After the race I went to the car to get my dry clothes, and was stopped by a man who asked if I wouldn't mind having my picture taken with his two teenage daughters who had just completed their first 5km races. The look of pride on the girls' faces as they held up their finishers medals for the camera was humbling, and served as yet another reminder of how unifying our sport really is: at the end of the day, regardless of how fast or how far we run, we all just want to be the best we can. 

With just over a week until the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Moncton, I find myself constantly reveling in the joy of the Runner's High. With the help of the Newmarket Huskies, Peter and I have been able to cruise through some rockin' speed sessions over the past few weeks, and it has been a tremendous luxury to have 15+ guys to work through the intervals with after spending much of the spring doing workouts on our own.

Post-workout in Newmarket

I am in the shape of my life, and have never been so simultaneously excited about and unsure of what the next weeks and months hold.  I have run personal bests in every distance I've raced this season; from the Harry's Spring Run Off Toronto 8km, to my first-ever track 5000m at the Mt. SAC Relays, to 1500m's at Oxy HP and most recently Aileen Meagher, to the 800m at the Speed River Inferno. I am within striking distance of IAAF World "B" standards in both the 1500m and 5000m, and am hungry to get after them! I want so much to represent Canada at the World Championships in Moscow this August, and for the first time in my life I truly believe that I can do it.

1500m at Aileen Meagher 2013

All of that being said, throughout my quest for World qualifying, I want to make sure that I never lose sight of something that my coaches have always preached and that Peter has reinforced for me this year: although times matter (a lot!) we are often most successful when we go into the race with the intention of being present in each second and step, seeing each competitive opportunity as a good, old-fashioned footrace, and finding ways to enjoy some element of ever run, workout and meet. Run hard, have fun, and the times will come!