The Journey to the Commonwealth Games

Yesterday Athletics Canada revealed their official team list for this summer's Commonwealth Games taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. I am so grateful, excited and proud to be named to this team and to have the opportunity to wear Canada's red and white on the international stage again this year!!!

There are so many incredible people and experiences that led to this National Team nomination and the past few months have been a hell of a ride.

"Ginger Spice and 
The Left Turns"

This year marked my first exposure to altitude training, and although it came with its challenges, I found it an incredibly valuable and worthwhile experience. Everyone who has been there boasts about how beautiful Northern Arizona is, and it certainly lived up to the hype. Flagstaff and Sedona are both breathtaking and the running trails are next to none. Being there with the Athletics Canada team and under the watchful and knowledgeable eyes of our amazing staff (thank you Heather Hennigar, Trent Stellingwerff, Wynn Gmitroski, et al) I was able to deal with allergy and illness frustrations early and effectively and ultimately put in an awesome training block. The theory goes that in addition to the benefits of living and training at altitude, athletes experience a "training camp effect" anytime they're in an environment that allows them to focus solely on training, recovery, and optimising health surrounded by others who are striving towards the same goals. Rooming with Nicole Sifuentes, chasing Dan Gorman around the track at NAU, drinking delicious espresso at the famous Macy's Coffee Shop, and having evening jam sessions with Geoff Harris, Rachel Francois and Kendra Pomfret made for the best training camp effect I've ever experienced.

Mid-distance ladies all smiles post-workout at NAU

To make my trip even more exciting, my amazing partner Peter surprised me with a visit to Flag! We took a day away from the track to visit the Grand Canyon, and I was totally blown away. This was a good reminder for me that while focus and dedication to training are critical, if we don't take the time to look around, explore and really experience the tremendous places we travel to, we miss out on more than we'll ever make up for in a race.

Peter and I enjoying a gorgeous day at the Canyon

After 4 weeks in Arizona, I traveled to California and kicked off my racing season at the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford with a second place finish, my fastest ever season opener, and a World B standard. Although I was pleased with my performance, I knew I had a lot more in the tank. I spent the following 2 weeks in glorious Santa Cruz with the wonderful Quinn family, who have been my gracious hosts for the last 3 years of Californian training camps. The Quinn's live 500m from the ocean and 2 miles from a National forest, and although the scenery and running options are spectacular, I found myself preoccupied with the anxiety of racing again. I knew that in order to truly secure my spot on the Commonwealth Games team, I needed to better the World A standard of 4:05.5 and that I only had one more decent shot at it before the end of the qualifying window: The USATF High Performance Distance Classic in L.A. (formerly the Oxy HP meet). I know that I perform best when I let my instincts take over, run with composure and just race rather than chasing time standards. However, when those standards mean the difference between making a national team and not making it, letting go of the pressure can be easier said than done. I went into Oxy feeling antsy and nervous, but being back with so many familiar, supportive athletes really helped me to relax and enjoy the ride. Although I so desperately wanted an A standard, instead I left L.A. with a win against a very strong field, and another personal best of 4:06.87. I didn't run the 4:05 I was aiming for, but taking the lead with 200m to go and holding off a slew of my idols down the final stretch was pretty freakin awesome and I have no regrets. 

Gorgeous sunset off the Santa Cruz coast

While in Cali I got a chance to meet and hang out with the members of the Brooks Beasts and their amazing coach Danny Mackey. The Brooks Canada contingent is awesome but small and getting to meet so many talented athletes with the same Run Happy spirit and expand my Brooks family was a real treat. 2014 marks the 100 year birthday of Brooks as a company and in between my races I learned that they were holding a birthday bash in Seattle the day after Oxy. My running tights and racing flats weren't going to cut it for such a monumental celebration, so I bought a dress and some heels and rearranged my travel home to accommodate a short stop in Washington. It was a blast. I got to meet the Brooks CEO Jim Weber, sit in on a panel discussion about the future of elite athletes, learn about the evolution of the company, visit the new headquarters, and go on a boat tour/dance party in the Seattle harbour with some of the craziest and funnest (its a word) people I've ever known. That trip just reinforced what I'm already so sure of: Brooks is a one-of-a-kind company comprised of the most passionate, innovative, caring and happiest people in the industry! I am so grateful to be a part of it.  

Adding my name to the 100 year Brooks banner

Dennis and Jenine busting a move on the party boat.
The Canadians were far and away the best dancers!

Nick Symmonds leading the panel discussion in Seattle

A few good lookin' Canucks at the new Brooks HQ in Seattle

Charlotte helping Emma blow out her
birthday candles

I am in love with this tremendous, adventurous, unpredictable life I'm leading and I'm so grateful for the excitement and joy that the 6 weeks away brought. But as always, returning home to my family, my team and my community can't be beaten. I've hung out with my hilarious niece, celebrated my beautiful sister's 25th birthday and enjoyed Toronto in all its spring beauty. I've been reunited with my Athletics Toronto crew and returned to workouts at U of T's Varsity Stadium, where the energy on any given evening offers a boost of inspiration and pride. I've finally begun living in the apartment that Peter and I moved into only 5 days before I left for Flag, and am really enjoying feeling settled, if only for a few weeks. In the words of ruby slipper-clad Dorothy, "there's no place like home".