2022-09-01 Canadian Running

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YOUR MENTAL GAME HALF-
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september & october 2022 volume 15, issue 6
46 26 54
FEATURES DEPARTMENTS
2 Editorial Body Work Gear
Race-Day Hacks for the Marathon
4 10 Questions 12 One Workout 52 Earbud Review
28 You’ve done all the training, you’ve rehabbed
any injuries and observed all the correct
tapering protocols—now it’s go time. But as all
Regan Yee Cam Levins’s
Short Intervals
Listening Options
for 2022
6 Run in Focus
experienced marathoners know, a lot of things 14 Lab Rat 54 Fall Shoe
8 The Warmup
can go wrong on race day, and many are avoidable. The Healthiest Review
From planning your bathroom visits to preventing 9 Run Chat Distance 18 New Models
chafing and blisters, here are our best tips for opti- and Updates
16 Training Zone
mizing the race-day experience (and they apply Mental Training for
Food
equally well to the half-marathon). the Marathon
10 Runner’s 61 Club Scene
By Molly Hurford 18 Exercises Club de Trail,
Kitchen
Fast Meals By Jon-Erik Kawamoto Sherbrooke, Que.
By Kim Doerksen One-Barbell Workout
62 Back Straight
RECIPES One-Pot 20 The Science Fran Tatebe and
Rory Linkletter: Rising Star Pasta Primavera of Running Ralph Arnold
36 Born in Calgary but living in the U.S. from

a young age, Rory Linkletter may not be as
familiar to Canadian marathon fans as some of
with Shrimp,
Mexican-Spiced
Pork Meatballs with
By Alex Hutchinson
Cross Country
63 Reviews
Running
22 The Fix Through Time
our other top-level athletes. That all changed when Roasted Zucchini,
Racing while Training
he switched coaches and ran 1:01:08 to break the Greek Bowls 64 Crossing
Canadian half-marathon record earlier this year. the Line
In Praise of
The future looks bright for Linkletter, who was Places
Small Goals
justifiably proud to represent Canada in the mara- 24 Canadian Trails
thon at this year’s World Championships, where he Nelson, B.C.
clocked a two-minute personal best.
26 Destination
By Josh Kozelj
Race
Royal Victoria
Marathon
Mental Toughness: Shifting the Paradigm

Diana Bolton, Billie Design Co, Matt Stetson
46 The concept of mental toughness is under-

going a transformation. It used to mean
gritting your teeth and powering through injuries
and other obstacles with sheer willpower, but new
research suggests that this is often self-defeating
and that there are better ways to approach adversity.
Students of the sport, such as U.S. performance
coach Steve Magness, author of Do Hard Things, are
helping athletes find new ways to define toughness.
By Madeleine Kelly
runningmagazine.ca Canadian Running 1

editorial
Editor Anne Francis

anne@runningmagazine.ca
Senior Editors
Alex Hutchinson, Kevin Mackinnon
Staff Writers
Are You Marley Dickinson, Madeleine Kelly, Keeley Milne
Photo Editor Matt Stetson
matt.stetson@gripped.com
Tough ON THE COVER

Copy Editor Amy Stupavsky
Art Director Warren Wheeler (Roseander Main)
Enough?
layout@runningmagazine.ca
Steeplechaser REGAN YEE, 27,
of Vancouver, has been making Production Artist Warren Hardy
national teams since her last year Web Development Sean Rasmussen
of high school, and her career Digital Operations Dmitry Beniaminov
has followed a linear progression.
Publisher Sam Cohen
She made her first Olympic team sam@gripped.com
at Tokyo 2020 and represented
Editorial Director David Smart
Rory Linkletter Canada at the World Athletics dave@gripped.com
Championships in Eugene, Ore.,
Advertising & Sales Andre Cheuk
in July. For more on Yee, see andre@gripped.com
M arathon season is once again upon us, and runners

everywhere are well into their fall training. In
conversations with my various runner friends, certain
10 Questions (p.4).
PHOTO Brice Ferre

Account Managers
Joel Vosburg joel@gripped.com
Lorena Jones lorena@gripped.com
things keep coming up that reflect the continuing need Circulation Manager
for well-researched, thoughtful information about every Robyn Milburn robyn@gripped.com
aspect of run training—from how to get off the couch Social Media
to how to make yourself less injury-prone to how to Nikita van Dijk nikita@gripped.com
incorporate speedwork and strength training into your SUBSCRIBE
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These themes run throughout our marathon issue, ISSN: 1916–3614 Printed in Canada
@ShakeoutPodcast
from Madeleine Kelly’s excellent take on the subject
of mental toughness (p.46) to Josh Kozelj’s revealing on YouTube
profile of Canadian half-marathon record holder Rory Canadian Running Magazine
Linkletter (p.36), Brett Basbaum’s piece on training your
mind as well as your body and other content. We hope Visit:
the issue inspires you toward new milestones this season.
Courtesy Puma
THE running
Anne Francis, Editor
Shakeout magazine.ca/
PODCAST
@CanadianRunning shakeout-
podcast
2 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

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10 questions
Regan Yee
Team Canada 3,000m steeplechase runner
5.
R egan Yee, 27, made her first Olympic team in 2021, winning the
national championship in the 3,000m steeplechase in 9:27.54 (a
Canadian record, subsequently broken by Geneviève Lalonde) in the
Have you had to deal with any serious running injuries?
None, knock wood! I come from a multisport background—in
high school I played basketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton
closing hours of the Olympic qualification period at the Classique and wrestling in gym class … I never had a sole focus on
d’Athlétisme de Montréal. running. I think that gave me a strong foundation for injury
prevention later.
1.
What was it like to make the Canadian team for Tokyo 2020? 6.
The word I use is “gratifying”—so much energy and time goes into an What’s your favourite thing to eat or drink after a long run?
endeavour like this, and there is no way of knowing whether you’ll I love Rumble Supershake, which is based on Vancouver Island.
be successful. You can prepare and train, but you have no control They can be hard to find, but I can always go for a Rumble. And
over the weather, what your competitors are doing, so many things. I’m always down for a post-long-run brunch.
And there’s a certain amount of luck. I felt fortunate to have a result
7.
that reflected the hard work I’d put in, and that my support team
had put in.
Who do you most admire on the Canadian running scene?
2. Growing up in Hazelton, B.C. [445 km northwest of Prince

George], I wasn’t really exposed to track and field, but I did look
What are your goals for 2022? up to Olympic wrestlers Carol Huynh and Lyndsay Belisle, who
I’m trying to reset and get ready for the next Olympics [Paris 2024]. were from Hazelton. Now, it’s [current Canadian 3,000m steeple
Last year was high stress, high pressure, and the pandemic amped record holder] Gen Lalonde, who has been at the top of the game
things up, in terms of stress and anxiety; I couldn’t function at that for so long in women’s steeple, who is super inspiring to me.
level all the time. This year, the pressure’s off. I’m getting more
experience racing international fields in the steeple and at the world
championships. The goal is to make that team and get that experience. 8.
Do you get nervous before you race?
3.
Yes, definitely—I get some degree of nervousness before every
race. I’m learning how to strike a balance between too many
Which of your race performances are you proudest of? nerves and not enough. Nerves are good. It means you care and
Last summer at Classique de Montréal—basically my last chance want to do well.
to get the auto-qualifier for Tokyo. By that time, the [qualifying]
9.
window had been open for a year and a half; I had three hours
left to hit the standard, and I did it. I also took down the existing
Canadian record. What’s your best advice for keeping running fun?
Run with friends—it’s always more fun with other people. Run
4. in places that make you happy. Keep a training log—for me, it

helps bring a sense of satisfaction from my training.
When did you first decide to pursue competitive running?
10.
I’ve been making national teams since Grade 12, but the first time I
saw that I could have a professional career was in Portland in 2017. I
had just won the Portland Twilight 1,500m. I was running on trails If you could do one thing differently in your running career,
the next day and ran into Under Armour’s shoe developer and his what would it be?
colleague. They were impressed with my times, and they were looking My progression has been pretty textbook, so there is not a lot I
for women with size 7 feet to do some shoe testing. Fast forward to would do differently. I’ve met so many incredible people along
2021, and I became a pro athlete with them. the way!—CR

10 questions
“RUN IN
PLACES THAT
MAKE YOU
HAPPY”
Brice Ferre

RUN IN FOCUS
The Vancouver Sun Run

© 2022 ASICS Corporation. All rights reserved.
the warmup
THE WARMUP
Cam Levins smashes his own
Canadian marathon record at
World Athletic Championships
O n July 17, a cool morning in Eugene, Ore., Cam Levins

crushed his Canadian record in the marathon at the
World Athletics Championships, running 2:07:09 for fourth
place, just 22 seconds shy of the podium. Levins took two and
a quarter minutes off his previous record of 2:09.25, set at the
2018 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
The race was won by Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia in 2:05:36
(a new world championships record), with Mosinet Geremew
(2:06:44, also of Ethiopia) and Olympic bronze medallist
Bashir Abdi of Belgium (2:06:48) rounding out the podium.
Also competing for Team Canada were Rory Linkletter
(originally from Calgary), who finished 20th in 2:10:24 (a
two-minute personal best) and Ben Preisner of Milton, Ont.,
in 2:11:47 (28th), and on the women’s side, Leslie Sexton of
Vancouver in 13th with 2:28:52 (only 17 seconds off her PB),
Kinsey Middleton of Boise, Idaho (who holds dual Canadian-
American citizenship), in 2:32:56 (26th) and Élissa Legault of
Montreal in 2:37:35 (27th).
Ailsa MacDonald and Marianne Hogan take Ben Flanagan breaks 35-year-old ABOVE Cam Levins
second and third at Western States 100 Canadian 10K record in Boston breaks the Canadian
marathon record in
Two Canadian women climbed the podium at this year’s Western One of the longest-standing Canadian records Oregon
States 100 in Auburn, Calif., with veteran Ailsa MacDonald of St. finally came down on June 26, when Kitchener,
Albert, Alta., taking second place and Marianne Hogan of Montreal Ont.’s Ben Flanagan ran 28:11 at the b.a.a. 10k,
third behind champion Ruth Croft of New Zealand, who won the finishing fifth and taking six seconds off Paul
100-miler in 17:21:30—the third-fastest time in the race’s 49-year McCloy’s record, set in 1987. The race was won by
history. (Croft finished second in 2021.) U.S. Army’s Leonard Korir, who ran 28 flat.
MacDonald crossed the line just 25 minutes behind Croft, in Flanagan had been knocking at the door of
17:46:46, with Hogan following in 18:05:48—in 15th and 17th posi- the Canadian 10k record since claiming back-
tions overall, respectively. Vancouver’s Anne-Marie Madden was just to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022 and
outside the top 10, in 19:38:44. This was the first time Canadians have scoring wins at several prestigious races,
reached the women’s podium since Ellie Greenwood set the course including the Manchester Road Race in
Kevin Morris
record in 2012. (Rob Krar won the men’s race in 2014 and 2015.) Connecticut and the Falmouth Road Race on
Reid Coolsaet was the 17th male and 25th overall, in 19:27:03. Cape Cod.

run chat
RUN
Canadians win four medals at
World Athletics Championships
Team Canada brought home four medals from this
year’s world championships in Eugene, Ore. On
CHAT
July 17 (Day 3 of competition), hammer thrower
Camryn Rogers of Richmond, B.C., became the
first Canadian woman to medal at a world champi-
onships in a field event, throwing 75.52 m. Six days
later, Edmonton’s Marco Arop took bronze in the
800m, running 1:44.28. Our men’s 4x100m team,
consisting of Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon
J ust wanted to say how much I
love the Canadian Running maga-
zine. Especially during this past few
Rodney and Andre De Grasse, captured the gold years, your magazine and a few pep
medal in a national record time of 37.48 seconds. talks from my buds at the Halifax
And on the final day of competition, Pierce LePage Running Room have gotten me off
of Whitby, Ont., won silver in the men’s decathlon, the couch and out the door to exer-
with 8,701 points. cise. Thank you for all of the personal,
The 2023 World Athletics Championships will inspiring articles. Can’t wait to receive
be held in Budapest, Hungary, from Aug. 19 to 27. my next issue.
(The event is normally held every two years; the Joan Cottell,
2021 worlds were delayed until this year due to Halifax
the pandemic.)
CORRECTION
The Under Armour Machina 3,
reviewed in the May & June 2022
issue, no longer has a composite
midsole plate in the forefoot.
Incorrect information appeared in
our review; we regret the error.
WOMEN PA C E SET THE
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SUNNYBROOK PARK • Great POST RUN party
• IN-PERSON or VIRTUAL option
9:00AM IN SUPPORT OF:
Food
Fast Meals
for Frazzled
Runners
September is the busiest month
By Kim Doerksen
One-Pot Pasta
W hen it comes to refuelling after
any kind of workout, time is
of the essence. With school resuming Primavera with
Directions
1. Place pasta in a large, wide-bottomed pot
or a large, wide, straight-sided pan. Add
and fall schedules becoming crowded garlic, salt, black pepper and 3 ½ cups
with activities, quick and reliable Shrimp hot water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once
recipes are more necessary than ever. boiling, uncover and cook, setting a timer for
The three recipes below are just that: Ingredients cooking pasta according to package direc-
quick, simple and satiating. Ingredients 12 oz. short pasta, such as penne or fusilli tions and stirring often. When 5 minutes
like tofu can easily be swapped out 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced remain on the timer, stir in broccoli and
for chicken in the Greek bowls and 2 ½ tsp (or more) kosher salt green beans. Cover pot and return to a
vegan meatballs instead of pork, cheese ¾ tsp (or more) freshly ground black pepper boil. (If pot starts to dry out, add another
substitutes for feta, etc. Unlike baking, 1 (10-oz.) bag frozen broccoli florets ½ cup water.) When 2 minutes remain on
cooking savoury dishes is flexible, so 6 oz. green beans, trimmed the timer, stir in shrimp (or tofu), tomatoes,
have fun with changing ingredients to 8 oz. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on peas and butter. Cover and continue to
match your flavour preferences and use (or substitute tofu, cut into 2" strips) cook for 2 minutes, then uncover and cook,
these as a base for customized meals. 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half stirring, until pasta is tender, shrimp are
1 cup frozen green peas cooked through and the water has almost
3 tbsp unsalted butter completely evaporated, about 1 more minute.
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 2. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest and
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving ¾ cup Parmesan and toss to coat. Season
¼ cup coarsely chopped basil with more salt and pepper, if needed.
Red pepper flakes (for serving; optional) 3. Divide pasta among plates. Top with basil,
additional Parmesan and red pepper,
if using.
Kim Doerksen

food
runner’s kitchen
Mexican- Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Quarter
Spiced the zucchini lengthwise; halve cross-
wise. On a lined sheet pan, toss with
Pork a drizzle of oil, half the spices and salt
and pepper. Roast for 12 to 14 minutes,
Meatballs flipping halfway, until browned.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine
with the pork, half the garlic, half the
onions, all but a pinch of the remaining
Roasted spices and salt and pepper. Form into
10 meatballs about the size of a golf
Zucchini ball. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of oil
on medium-high. Cook the meatballs,
Ingredients partially covered, turning occasion-
340 g ground pork ally (9 to 11 min), until browned and
1 tsp minced garlic cooked through.
1 cup white onions, diced 3. Meanwhile, halve the lime; juice half
1 bunch cilantro and cut the remaining half into two
1 tomato, diced wedges. Roughly chop the cilantro
1 lime leaves and stems.
2 heirloom zucchini 4. In a medium bowl, combine the
4 tbsp Latin accent spices (garlic, tomato, lime juice, up to half the
sea salt, onion, dried tomatoes, cilantro, the remaining garlic and
ancho chili pepper, white onions, a heavy drizzle of oil, the
sesame seeds, sunflower oil) remaining spices and salt and pepper.
114 g avocado purée/guacamole 5. Divide the avocado purée between
plates and spread out in a circular
motion. Top with the zucchini,
meatballs and pico de gallo.
Garnish with lime wedges
and remaining cilantro.
Greek Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F with the
Bowls rack about 6 inches from the top. Line
a baking sheet with foil.
Ingredients: 2. Place the potatoes on one side of the
2 tbsp minced garlic baking sheet and toss in oil, dried dill,
2 lemons, sliced in half basil, sumac, onion powder and garlic
1 cup cucumber, diced into ¼” pieces powder, with salt and pepper to taste.
1 cup hummus 3. Bake for 12 minutes.
1 lb. golden potatoes, diced into 1” pieces 4. While potatoes are baking, place the
1 cup diced red onion kale in a medium-sized bowl with ½
2 tbsp red wine vinegar tbsp olive oil and season with salt.
¾ cup tomato, diced into ¼" pieces Gently massage the kale for ~30
4 cups kale, washed, de-stemmed and seconds until soft and bright green.
cut into ½" pieces Divide kale into four bowls.
½ cup feta 5. Combine cucumber, tomato, onion, 8. Once the timer goes off, set the oven to broil at 500 F and
M cup olives olives, dill, feta and red wine vinegar broil for 2–3 minutes until potatoes are golden and chicken has
¼ cup fresh dill, de-stemmed in a medium-sized bowl, season with an internal temperature of 165 F (keep a close eye to prevent
¼ cup fresh oregano, finely chopped salt and pepper. Toss to combine and burning).
4 chicken breasts, diced into 1" chunks set aside. 9. In a small bowl, combine hummus and garlic and season with
1 tsp dried dill 6. Season chicken with salt and pepper, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp of water at a time for
1 tsp dried basil then toss in a bowl with oregano, half desired consistency.
1 tsp ground sumac the lemon juice and half the garlic. 10.To serve, combine salad, chicken, potatoes on top of the kale
½ tsp onion powder 7. Once the timer for the potatoes has and drizzle with hummus dressing.
½ tsp garlic powder finished, take the tray out of the oven,
4 tbsp olive oil add the chicken to the other half of Kim Doerksen is Canadian Running’s food writer, a coach with
the tray and bake for 5–7 minutes. @mile2marathon and an elite runner in Vancouver.

Body Work body work
one workout
Short Intervals By Cameron Levins
for the W orkouts during a marathon or half-marathon build can be

very different, depending on how many weeks or months
Marathon you are from your planned competition. However, I think there’s a
tendency to do a lot of running based around your goal race pace,
with lots of long intervals to simulate racing conditions. Here is a
This workout can provide some relief from endless staple session I enjoy, and that can provide some shorter intervals to
tempo runs during a marathon or half-marathon build break up your training.
THE WORKOUT
» 25 x 400m around a track oval @10K pace with 45 seconds’ rest
I find that this workout is useful as speedwork for longer events,

while the short rest limits how fast you can go and prohibits you from
reaching into paces that aren’t relevant for your event. It’s also good
if you want to practise your goal 10k race pace without extending
into longer intervals that you may not be comfortable with or ready
to handle yet. I think its strongest point is that it can break up
your training week with some shorter repeats when you’re feeling
mentally fatigued from what feels like endless tempo runs. (This is
certainly a situation I’ve found myself in.)
MODIFICATIONS
I understand that this many repeats, of any length, can sound like a
lot and be intimidating. There are some strategies I use that can help
overcome this anxiety, and modifications to the workout that make
it more manageable while still providing a similar benefit. Here are
some examples of how to modify it:
» 25 x 60 seconds @10K pace with 45 seconds’ rest

» 25 x 400m @10K pace with 45 seconds’ rest, plus 3 minutes’ extra
rest after every fifth repeat
» 25 x 400m @ sub-half-marathon pace with 45 seconds’ rest
» 15 x 400m @10K pace with 30 seconds’ rest
As you can see, I’ve either changed the length of the repeats to be
time-based rather than distance-based, added sections with extra rest
to break up the workout into smaller sets, adjusted the goal pace to be
faster than what you may be used to for longer intervals or shortened
the total repeats while also shortening rest. (I find this is great if you
are limited by how much time you have available to work out.) Any
of the modifications can be mixed and matched depending on what
you’re prepared to take on physically, mentally or emotionally, and
there is nothing wrong with adjusting it to suit your fitness level.
Cameron Levins is a two-time Olympian, Commonwealth Games bronze

medallist, double NCAA champion, Bowerman Award winner, multi-time
national champion and broke his own Canadian record in the marathon at the
2022 World Athletics Championships (2:07:09). Raised in Black Creek, B.C.,
he currently trains in similar weather in Portland, Ore.
Kevin Morris
LEFT Cameron Levins

training on the track

Duro | Dyna ™
15:57:10
Congratulations to Osprey Athlete Tyler Green on
the brilliant performance at Western States 100.
You continue to inspire us all.
Photo Credit: Andy Cochrane (top and left),

Vasily Samoylov (right)
body work
lab rat
Is the
Half-Marathon
the Healthiest
Distance?
Which race distance offers the most
health benefits?
Michelle Dotzert
S ome people race for the thrill of the win; for others, it could be
for stress relief, as a social activity, a hobby or just for the pure
joy of it. But when it comes to health, does distance matter? A new
study published in Scientific Reports examines which race distance is
associated with the most health benefits.
It is widely accepted that running is associated with many posi-
tives, such as lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain
types of cancer and metabolic diseases. However, when it comes to
distance, it is not always the case that “more is better.” In fact, there
is evidence to suggest that endurance events ranging from half-
marathons to ultramarathons can have negative health effects, such
as increasing the risk of certain cardiovascular issues, injuries and
gastrointestinal problems.
But to find out whether there is an optimal training and racing
distance that yields the greatest health benefits, researchers conducted Overall, the results suggest there is no association between race
a study comparing the health status of endurance runners over distance and health status among the recreational endurance runners
different race distances. studied, with the exception of this single dimension.
This was part of the large Nutrition and Running High Mileage There are several things to keep in mind when interpreting these
(nurmi) Study, with participants from Austria, Germany and results, and the researchers acknowledged a few limitations of the
Switzerland. Runners were categorized based on the race distance study. The first was the use of surveys, with the accompanying
they ran most often, including 10k, half-marathon, marathon and risk of overreporting (claiming more desirable behaviours than
ultramarathon. They completed a series of online surveys with one you actually do) and underreporting (claiming fewer less desirable
focused specifically on behaviours associated with training, racing, behaviours than you actually do). They did try to compensate for
nutrition and health. this effect with control questions. Another limitation was the sex-
The runners’ health status was assessed using eight dimensions based imbalance in the different distance groups. There were more
of health, divided into two clusters: one for health-related indicators, women in the 10k group and more men in the marathon/ultrama-
including body weight, perceived stress, chronic diseases, hypersensi- rathon group, and it is possible this accounted for some differences
tivity reactions (allergies and intolerances) and medications; and one between groups.
for health-related behaviours, including smoking status, food choices, While the results of this study do not mean the half-marathon
supplement use, healthcare use and regular checkups. will make you healthier than other distances, it is still good news
Results revealed that the half-marathoners may have a slight advan- for runners. Regardless of the distance, the endurance runners in
tage when it comes to overall health. They tended to score better this study had fairly high scores for their overall state of health. This
than the 10k runners and marathoners/ultramarathoners in six of suggests that endurance running is a factor contributing to better
eight dimensions of health. However, the only dimension that was overall health.
statistically significant between the groups was “chronic diseases and
hypersensitivity reactions”—accounting for heart disease, diabetes, Michelle Dotzert is a writer, editor and runner based in London, Ont., who
allergies, intolerances, etc.—with half-marathoners scoring highest. holds a PhD in kinesiology.

TRIUMPH 20
Forget Pace, Find Rhythm.
The new Triumph 20 is here.
body work
training zone
Mind-Training for
Marathon Success
Consider training your mind, as well as your body, for the challenges of a long race
By Brett Basbaum
Y ou’re well on your way to your next marathon or half-

marathon: you’ve covered the kilometres, repeated the hills, inter-
valled, tempoed and maybe even fartleked. You’ve honed your hydration,
Run with music, or friends
Your favourite tunes can serve as a distraction, but also
as a way to synchronize your movements to make each
tasted every gel and gummy and found the fuel that works so well that step more efficient (just guard against running too fast
you’re ready to sign a sponsorship deal. You’re ready—or are you? in training, which research has shown can result from
Every runner has heard of “the wall,” and while all of the above will running with music). Listening to music can also delay
help you avoid hitting it, that infamous metaphorical structure is as much the negative messages to your brain, deferring feelings
mental as it is physical. Perhaps no one knows this better than Dr. Jennifer of pain or fatigue. Similarly, being deep in conversation
Heisz and coach Kristina Plachecki. Heisz directs McMaster University’s with a friend makes a run seem to pass more quickly, and
Neurofit Lab, which researches the effects of exercise on the brain. When social connections may make running more enjoyable.
she decided to take on a solo Ironman during the pandemic, she turned
to Plachecki, who holds a master’s in exercise physiology and co-owns Move mindfully and focus on
Plachecki Coaching, to build her a training plan. the breath
Heisz and Plachecki agree that training the mind is as important as Think meditation is out because your hips are too tight to
training the body, and that the two really should be considered together. sit cross-legged? Not to worry, mindfulness can take many
Heisz points to research that shows that strategies that help reduce the forms, and your run can easily be turned into a moving
mental challenges of racing translate to better results on the course. meditation. Focusing on something neutral (e.g., every
Mindful preparation can activate the brain’s prefrontal cortex (i.e., the time your right foot hits the ground) will help you stay
rational mind) to help soothe the amygdala, which governs the emotional/ present and move into a flow-like state. Paying attention
anxious mind. Plachecki recommends making sure to practise for the to your breathing can also reduce the pain of a long run.
specific terrain and weather conditions you might encounter on race day, Breathing in through the mouth and out through the
as well as to picture yourself crossing that finish line. Visualizing all the nose is one way to practise this. Another option is linking
possibilities will result in your “mental game” being that much stronger. breaths to a given number of foot strikes (e.g., inhale
Beside being properly prepared for the physical demands of your race, for three, exhale for two). Focusing on your breath can
what can you do to train for the mental challenge? help release endorphins that reduce pain, both physical
and emotional.
Have a key word, mantra

or visualization
Key words or mantras can be used throughout training,
as well as on race day. Try repeating a phrase like “I am
fast,” or “I am strong,” both before and during the second
half of your run. If you find a phrase hard to co-ordinate
with your movements, try a single word, like “strong,”
repeated with every footfall.
Visualization is a scientifically proven tool we can
borrow from elite athletes. Practise by imagining moving
through each stage of the race. Picturing yourself crossing
the finish line can help you develop the mental resilience
for success.
Brett Basbaum writes, reads and runs in the community of

Dundas in Hamilton, Ont. Her favourite routes start on the
Rail Trail and end at the coffee shop.

body work
exercises
The One-Barbell
Workout for Runners
Do you have access to a gym but aren’t sure how to lift using a barbell?
Here’s a simple workout to benefit every muscle group
By Jon-Erik Kawamoto
I f you want to become a faster, more efficient and resilient

runner, strength training is a must. A stronger runner will have
a more powerful stride, which is great for responding to pace changes
EXERCISE 1
Bent-Over Row
FOR: Upper back strength and improved running posture
during a race or for climbing hills. Your stride will also be elegant HOW: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold the barbell in
and efficient, as your tendons, fascia and muscles store and use elastic front of your thighs with an overhand grip. Bend your knees slightly,
energy. And the best part is that you don’t need to spend hours in the push your hips back and bow over the bar. Keep your back straight
gym each week to induce these adaptations. Here is a short and effec- and abs tight. Pause when your torso is parallel to the ground. Next,
tive workout that will address all your running-specific muscles, and pull the barbell toward your body and squeeze your shoulder blades
all you need is one barbell. together. Lower the bar until your arms are straight, then do the
next rep.
DO: 12 repetitions
THE EXERCISE 2
Single-Leg Straight Leg Raise
FOR: Glutes and hamstrings
WORKOUT HOW: After finishing the last repetition of the row, stand up to give
your low back a rest. Bow over the bar again until your torso faces the
ground. Keep your abs tight, arms straight and torso parallel to the
ground while you extend one leg behind you. Raise your leg until it is
Start with an empty barbell and gradually add weight with each set. Do not rest between in line with your torso. Lower your leg, then switch sides.
exercises, so that you flow from one exercise into the next. Take 90–120 seconds’ rest DO: 8 repetitions per leg
after completing all the repetitions for each exercise. Complete 3–5 total sets, and do this
workout once or twice a week.
1 2
JP Mullowney

body work
exercises
EXERCISE 3
Ankle Hops 3
FOR: Reactive strength in lower leg
HOW: Stand up straight after you finish the last leg raise. Bring the barbell
up and over your shoulders to place the bar across your upper back. Jump
lightly up and down, primarily through your ankles, while bending your
knees only slightly. Try to hop immediately upon each landing.
DO: 16 repetitions
EXERCISE 4
Alternating Forward and Reverse Lunge
FOR: Leg strength and hip stability when fatigued
HOW: Keep the barbell on your upper back. Take a large step forward and
bring your rear knee toward the ground. Push up and back to return to
where you started, then proceed immediately into a reverse lunge with the
same leg. Again, bring your rear knee toward the ground. Step forward to
return to the starting position. That equals one repetition. Complete all
repetitions on this side before switching sides.
DO: 6 repetitions per side
EXERCISE 5
Quarter Jump Squat
FOR: Quick, explosive power
HOW: Keep the barbell on your upper back. Stand with your feet
hip-width apart. Squat a quarter of the way down, then explode
up as you jump off the ground. Land softly and immediately
explode into the next repetition.
DO: 12 repetitions
Jon-Erik Kawamoto, MSc, CK, CSCS, is a strength and conditioning

coach, a regular contributor to Canadian Running and co-owner of
JKConditioning, a personal training company in St. John’s, N.L.
Find out more at JKConditioning.com.

Thescienceofrunning
alex hutchinson rounds up the latest in endurance research
Cross Country: Not Just for Kids

You may have thought your cross country days were behind you,
but there’s a thriving circuit of adult races out there
T he first cool day of the fall always triggers a deep

vestigial response in my brain. “Here comes cross
country season,” my neurons tell me. “Prepare to get cold,
What is it?
Cross country races typically range from about 4k to 12k. Unlike road
races, they feature natural terrain—mostly grass or dirt paths. Competitive
wet and muddy.” Like many people, I had my first expo- runners will usually wear spiked shoes with removable metal pins of
sure to organized running from school cross country, different lengths, depending on the conditions. Spikes aren’t necessary, but
all the way back in third grade. Every fall throughout if conditions are muddy, you’ll at least want a trail shoe with good grip.
elementary school, high school and university, I’d suit up The distinction between cross country and trail running is a little hazy,
in school colours and race with my friends over hill and but cross country races are usually run around loops of 2k or so, rather
dale, through parks, forests and golf courses, in whatever than long, continuous courses. This means that it’s easy to fit a cross country
weather a Canadian autumn could throw at us. course into an urban park. To purists, hills and rough terrain are desirable
And then, as an adult, I stopped. I kept running features, and some courses even include deliberate obstacles like hay bales
track races for a while, experimented with trail and or logs. Think of it as the original obstacle racing, but without the fire pits
mountain races, then moved to mass-participation road and barbed wire.
races. But classic cross country running dropped off my
radar—until a few years ago, when some friends from my How do you do it?
running club suggested putting together a team for the Running is running, for the most part: there’s no radical new technique
Ontario masters championships. There is, I discovered, a to learn. But there are a few subtleties to keep in mind. Pacing yourself
thriving circuit of adult cross country races: volunteer- through frequent steep uphills and downhills is a major challenge. Back
Maxine Gravina
driven events that are much smaller and lower-key, but in 2010, Australian researchers published a study in which runners raced
just as inclusive as the big road-race festivals. It was a ton around a hilly course while wearing a portable breathing analyzer. The
of fun—and something to consider if you’re looking for a conclusion: subjects tended to push harder than they should while climbing
change of pace (and terrain) this fall. hills, presumably because they were trying to maintain their flat-ground

body work column
the science of running
pace. In contrast, they went slower than they needed to on the down- throughout the year, there’s now a rhythm to the seasons. Fall is for
hills. Bear that pattern in mind, and don’t kill yourself on the first cross country, winter is for building base, spring is for road races.
uphill of the race. I also appreciate the lack of focus on time. I’d gotten into the bad
If you ran cross country in high school, you may remember the habit of slavishly checking my splits every kilometre during road races
stampede from the start line. Courses generally start on large, open and deciding how I felt based on what my watch told me instead of
fields, then soon narrow to paths that might only be wide enough what my senses were telling me. Cross country courses are often non-
for a few runners at a time. That makes positioning important, but standard distances, and the measurements are approximate at best. I
it also lures many runners into starting way too fast—even the pros. don’t keep track of my best time for 7.3k, so I don’t need to worry about
A 2014 analysis of pacing at a decade’s worth of World Cross Country splits. Instead, I can tune into how I’m feeling and judge intuitively
Championship races showed that pretty much everyone started fast, when to accelerate and when to back off. The experience has helped me
but only the winner was able to maintain that initial pace. Everyone break my split-checking habit even when I’m back on the roads.
else died a slow death over the subsequent laps and likely would have The biggest motivator for me, though, is the one that drew me back
been better off with a more conservative start. Positioning matters, to cross country in the first place: the team element. Running can be
but so does physiology. a solitary sport, but cross country is scored as a team event. (Add up
The most important thing you can do before your first cross the placings of individual runners on your team, and the lowest team
country race is some training on natural surfaces. Every step on the score wins.) Squad sizes can vary from three to nine, depending on
roads is pretty much identical; every step on grass, mud or rutted dirt the event. Every team member is equally important, and every rival
is different. You’ll be using small stabilizer muscles in your feet and you pass matters, because every placing counts toward that total score.
legs to stay balanced, and it’s worth putting those muscles through Over the years, many of my best races—not the fastest times, but
their paces before the race. There’s an insidious trend of trying to the contests in which I crossed the line knowing I had nothing
make cross country courses more like road races—last year’s U.S. left to give—came in cross country, when I knew I had teammates
high-school championships, for example, rolled out the grass with counting on me. And the post-race celebration is all the more fun with
heavy machinery to make the course firmer and more even. But if teammates. So start nagging your training partners and check your
you’re lucky, your local course will be left as nature intended. After provincial athletics branch’s website for details about upcoming cross
all, that’s the whole point of cross country racing. country races in your area.
Why bother? Alex Hutchinson is a Toronto journalist specializing in the science of running
There are a few things I’ve enjoyed about rediscovering cross country. and other endurance sports, and the author of Endure: Mind, Body, and the
One is a sense of seasonality. Instead of doing the same kinds of races Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance (now in paperback).
REACTIVE LIGHTING for optimized burn times.

HYBRID CONCEPT for choosing your power source.
AIRFIT headband for minimal compression on the head.
FULL-TILT lamp bodies for various wearing options.
50:50 BURN-TIME-TO-BRIGHTNESS for reliable performance.
THESE ARE THE PETZL DIFFERENCES WORTH JUSTIFYING.
© 2022 PETZL
body work
the fix
LEFT The author training/racing

at Around the Bay, Hamilton
It’s a tried-and-true practice to jump into races during

a big training block as a sort of organized workout, for
a couple of reasons: running with a wider pool of racers
can help with pacing, and the race atmosphere introduces
a variation in intensity that can boost your adrenaline.
But when your life is consumed with training for
events that require a long buildup, it can be hard to get a
measure of your competitiveness at other distances. How
can we incorporate racing all-out in shorter events into
an extended training season that requires intense focus
on periodization and recovery?
First, let’s differentiate between running workouts in
a race and racing during training season. Workouts in
a race generally follow a prescribed pace and distance,
which are incorporated into an event. At the Around the
Bay 30k race this year, for example, I ran 5k easy, then 25k
at marathon race pace. That’s a workout, and it’s helpful
in establishing the paces you’ve worked toward. But an
actual race can help you understand not just where you
are, but where you could be in the long run.
“Races are a great benchmark to have a better sense
of your ‘A’ goal race pacing,” Robinson says. “Mid-point
races can be a great indicator of where your fitness is and
what a realistic goal would be for your key race.”
Races also allow you to “go to the well,” so to speak. An
in-race workout will feel somewhat comfortable, because
it’s tied to paces you’ve been practising, but a full race
effort will tap into your mental reserves and refresh your
comfort level with being, well, uncomfortable.
To incorporate races into your training, try to match
them to similar weeks on your schedule. If you have a
long tempo followed by a recovery week, that’s a good
time to throw in a 10k race instead. Robinson advises
against “training through”—putting in a full training
week with a big race effort at the end—because it gives
you a built-in excuse not to do your best on race day. “If
you’re going to do it, set yourself up for success,” she
Racing while says. “It means the week before and after won’t have huge
mileage totals, but your body doesn’t really care about a
Monday-to-Sunday mileage week.”
Training If you really need to find a way to make the mileage

work, throw in a big warmup and cooldown. For the
Achilles race, I parked 8 km away, jogged to the race start
How to incorporate races into a marathon build and jogged back to my car afterward.
without compromising periodization and recovery The biggest payoff for a mid-season race may not even
come on race day. Emptying the tank in a competitive
environment does wonders to elevate your abilities for
the rest of your training cycle. “If you have the time
By Andrew McKay in the plan to fully recover, it can be a great training
boost,” says Robinson. “You will hit an effort which you
A s part of my buildup for the 2022 Boston Marathon, my coach, Seanna wouldn’t hit in training, so this type of effort, if used at
Robinson, wanted to put some harder efforts into my workouts. In January, the right times with the right distances, can be a great
Marathon Photos
she asked me if I wanted to run the Achilles St. Patrick’s Day 5k in March, four boost to fitness.”
weeks before Boston. “It’s January, and it’s minus 20. I don’t want to do anything
right now,” I told her. But I signed up anyway, and ran a personal best for that Andrew McKay is a proud member of Toronto’s Lower East
distance in a race environment. Siders. He’s embracing the return to in-person racing in 2022.

You don’t need to
look like a runner.
Just be a runner,
by being yourself.
Places
Nelson, B.C.
From flat, easy trails to steep
mountainous terrain, Nelson has it all
By Melissa Offner
L ocated in the West Kootenay region of British

Columbia, Nelson is a small city that is renowned
for its historical downtown, dating back to the silver
rush era that spanned the 1890s and brought an influx
of prospectors and merchants. Today, it’s home to more
than 11,000 people, including a big arts community and
a large group of outdoor enthusiasts. With the Selkirk
Mountains and Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park nearby,
there’s no shortage of trails and nature to explore on
two feet.
Easy: Waterfront Pathway

Right in the heart of Nelson, the paved Waterfront
Pathway is a 3.5-km recreational trail that borders the
west arm of Kootenay Lake. The trail goes from the City
Wharf to Lakeside Park, near the infamous Big Orange
Bridge, and is lined with benches, lookouts, monuments
and gardens. It’s easy to add a few extra kilometres to this
out-and-back by continuing past the bridge and the rcmp
station toward John’s Walk and onto Bealby’s Point Trail,
following the water.
Uncredited, Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism/Thomas Nowaczynski.

places
canadian trails
DESTINATION
NELSON,
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Details
LOCAL RACES Run Like a Mother: half-marathon, 10K and 5K road race
in May; Tackle the Toad/High E’ Nuff: 25K, 50K trail race in October
(TBC for 2022)
TRAVEL INFO By car, Nelson is eight hours from downtown Vancouver,
four hours from Kelowna or seven hours from Calgary. You can fly direct
to West Kootenay Regional Airport from Vancouver or Calgary via
Air Canada and then drive 30 minutes to downtown Nelson.
10 ESSENTIALS FOR TRAIL RUNNING Extra water, extra food,
first-aid kit, headlamp, knife, fire-starting tools, GPS, cell phone,
extra clothing, shelter (emergency bivy).
EXTRA ESSENTIAL Bear spray (Nelson is in grizzly country).
Easy: Great Northern Rail Trail Moderate: Pulpit Rock to Flagpole

Originally known as the Salmo-Troup Trail, the Great Northern Rail This 5.8-km loop gets your heart pumping, with close to 700 m
Trail is now part of the Trans Canada Trail and spans 49 kilometres. of elevation over a short distance. This beautiful but strenuous
This multi-use recreational trail is open year-round and is accessed via climb has many switchbacks, as well as rooty and rocky sections
the Mountain Station parking lot. The trail runs across the top of the that take you in and out of the forest. There are two routes up, and
town and has a slight incline. You can run south toward Cottonwood the more challenging route requires some scrambling at the top.
Lake or north toward Troup Beach. This gravel path is the ideal spot Its proximity to Nelson’s downtown and its beautiful views of the
for a long run. There are a few picnic spots, a shallow-water beach and area make this iconic trail very popular (i.e., crowded), especially
some great views. on weekends and holidays.
Moderately Hard:
Morning Mountain
What used to be a ski hill (until the lodge
burned down in 1999) is now a popular
destination for mountain bikers, hikers and
runners. Less than 10 minutes from down-
town Nelson, Morning Mountain offers an
impressive network of trails that ascend to
Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism/Thomas Nowaczynski., Uncredited
Toad Mountain, at 2,200 m. Popular routes

include Bottoms Up and Upper Bottoms,
which offer a more gradual climb with switch-
backs that lead from a cedar forest to an open
meadow. Views of the Valhalla mountains,
as well as the Kokanee Glacier, can be seen
from the top. You could easily spend several
hours clocking double-digit mileage while
exploring the connecting trails.
Melissa Offner is a television and podcast host,

the leader of the North Vancouver run crew
RUNDISTRIKT and an avid runner.

places
destination race
Royal Victoria
Marathon
Celebrate the long weekend in October with a
beautiful coastal race in B.C.’s scenic capital
DESTINATION
VICTORIA,
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Royal Victoria Marathon
DATE October 9, 2022

DISTANCES Marathon, half-marathon and 8K
FEES Marathon $135, half-marathon $105, 8K $60
TRAVEL INFO Air Canada offers direct non-stop flights to Victoria from By Melissa Offner
Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. WestJet also offers direct non-stop
flights to Victoria from Edmonton and Vancouver.
WEATHER Average high 14 C, average low 9 C, with only 10 days of
precipitation in October
C reated in 1980 by a trio of running enthusiasts (Alex Marshall, Robin
Pearson and Bruce “Gunner” Shaw), the Royal Victoria Marathon’s
initial goal was to provide a top-quality running event in Victoria that
WEBSITE runvictoriamarathon.com would attract runners from Vancouver Island, across B.C. and, over time,
around the world.
Today, the race attracts more than 8,000 participants, with three distance
options: the marathon (a Boston qualifier), the half-marathon and the 8k.
There is also a virtual option as well as a kids’ run. Although this year’s
routes are still going through permit approval as a result of recent construc-
tion and new bike lanes, the race’s general manager and race director Cathy
Noel says that all distances will start and finish downtown, with a signifi-
cant portion of the course following the city’s scenic waterfront.
After the forced cancellation of many key events during the last two
years, the enthusiasm for the upcoming edition (the 43rd) on October 9
is felt throughout the city’s running community. Technical advisor Bob
Reid points out that many races faced cancellation in the past two years;
others include the Times Colonist 10k, Harriers Pioneer 8k, Thetis Lake
Cross Country Relay and the Vancouver Island Race Series. “This left many
athletes hungry to see in-person events return, especially those with large,
competitive fields in all age categories,” he says, adding that he’s seen the
Victoria running scene rebound nicely in 2022.
Leading up to race day, there will be a virtual speaker series featuring
monthly webinars that are free to join, and a training clinic provided by
the local run shop Frontrunners, with training plans for all distances
available on the website at runvictoriamarathon.com/training. Again this
year, the chek Charity Pledge Program encourages participants to donate,
either during registration or by joining a team, for one of this year’s
Matt Cecill
11 charity partners.
Noel points out that, with October being prime running season in

places
destination race
Victoria and the race being held on the long weekend, participants can train
throughout the summer without taking time off work. Reid adds: “Victoria is
a popular tourist destination, and the race is their opportunity to stay and view
many other unique sites and features while they and their families are here.”
Those might include visiting the Royal BC Museum, a post-race brunch at one
of the city’s many excellent restaurants or craft breweries, relaxing at a spa or
strolling through Butchart Gardens or Fisherman’s Wharf—there’s plenty to keep
you busy throughout the entire race weekend.
Melissa Offner is a television and podcast host, the leader of the North Vancouver run crew
RUNDISTRIKT and an avid runner.
Billie Design Co, Matt Cecill, Matt Cecill

TOP 10
Race-Day
Hacks For the Marathon
and Half-Marathon
By Molly Hurford
You can be perfectly trained for your marathon or

half-marathon, but the secret to a successful race
may depend as much on your command of
race-day logistics as on your training

AS ALL EXPERIENCED MARATHONERS KNOW,
there are always tweaks to be made on race day that can boost your how experienced they were, they often ignored the ‘duh’ advice
performance—but there are also plenty of things that can potentially and decided they didn’t need to bother with nipple tape or testing
wreck your results. We spoke to several longtime marathoners, all that new gel f lavour until mile 13. In fact, as longtime marathoner
with different finishing times, race-day strategies and racing styles, to Andrew McKay pointed out, sometimes 20 years of experience can
get their best tips and tricks—and their biggest mistakes. make you think you know it all, only to realize you’ve forgotten
Some of these “hacks” might sound like common knowledge, but the basics. These 10 tips will help maximize your chances of a
what most of those we interviewed pointed out is that, no matter successful race.

1
PRE-PLAN
2
HAVE A BATHROOM
YOUR RACE-DAY STRATEGY
BREAKFAST
If there’s one thing longtime marathoners can agree on, it’s that the most criti-
cally important item on your list—more than shoes, clothing choices, or food—is
Are you staying in a hotel near the race? Don’t rely on pooping. Miss your morning bowel movement, and your start-line jitters may lead
the breakfast buffet being set out at 3 a.m. if you have to a mile sprint for the first porta-potty (which will have a line of other racers
an early start time. Talk to the hotel manager when you needing to do the same).
arrive; sometimes they’re able to accommodate your early How do you avoid it? First, wake up early enough to have breakfast and move
breakfast request, which can greatly simplify race day. around a bit in your hotel room; it’s easier to poop in peace in your hotel bath-
But as Toronto Harriers marathoner Ian Kinsella says, room than in a porta-potty at the race site. Second, locate the race porta-potty. If
if something like coffee or a certain type of oatmeal is a the lines are long and you’re a nervous pooper (no judgment), get in line, do your
non-negotiable, have a strategy in place. “If I’m in a hotel, business, then get right back in line. Repeat until you have to head to the start.
I test the coffeemaker as soon as I arrive, because there’s And always byotp: Kinsella points out that having a few sheets stashed in your
nothing worse than assuming you’ll have coffee access pocket pre-race can make your day significantly less … crappy.
and realizing at 3 a.m. that it’s broken,” he says. “If there is “There’s nothing more frustrating than when you start a marathon and those
no coffee machine, I’ll buy a can of plain cold brew coffee first porta-potties on course have a huge lineup, and you really need to go,” McKay
the day before.” adds. “I was in Erie, Pa., trying to improve on my Boston qualifier. By the time I
Travelling with a portable kettle, packets of instant got out, the whole point of the race was gone; I wasn’t going to improve my time.
coffee and instant oatmeal can make for a stress-free expe- Now, my number-one thing every race-day morning is to know where bathrooms
rience on race morning. are at the start and to just keep using them until it’s time to go to the line.”

3
DIAL IN YOUR
TIPS FOR BIG RACES
Huge marathons like those in Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa can create
logistical challenges, especially if you have family and friends spectating.
Even if you’re a veteran racer, remember that your non-runner BFF may
NUTRITION AND GEAR

not have a clue about race day. Here are a few simple ways to make the
day smoother, from racers who know what it’s like to stumble around
You’d be surprised at the number of runners who get to a marathon incoherently post-race, looking for their supporters.
without a pre-race nutrition strategy. And while oatmeal is considered
a race-day staple for many pros, it’s also high in fibre, so if you’re not Read the tech guide, so you know the rules for friends and family
used to eating it, that bathroom sprint may be even more critical. As around the start and finish lines, and make a mini tech guide for your
marathoner and run coach Jennifer Faraone of Toronto explains, the fan club.
day before (and the day of) your race is not the time for experimenta-
tion. That fancy new isotonic gel that’s in your race day goodie bag? Arrive early. If you’re driving to the start, know your parking options and
If you’ve never tried it before, save it for your next run. Breakfast and how long it will take you to walk to the start line, since big races rarely
dinner should be meals you’ve tested ahead of long runs in the past. allow parking right near the course. If using public transport, plan days
Gear is another place runners go awry. “At the Muskoka Marathon, before and check local schedules.
I decided to get on the Nike Vaporfly bandwagon, but didn’t want to
wear them much before race day so I wouldn’t ruin the carbon and Survey the scene the day before with your crew. That way, all of you
foam,” says Collingwood-based runner Caitlin Foisy. “Race day came know where the best place to park/cheer/etc. is, and they know where
along and I ended up with huge calf cramps toward the end of my run. to go the next morning.
I was not used to that much forefoot running! Never again will I try
something new on race day.” Bringing your phone? Share your location ahead of time.
Designate a meeting point at the finish, away from the crowds.

If they can find you before then, great, but have a spot that won’t be
crowded (like a café a few blocks from the finish) where you can
eventually meet up.
Believe mile markers, not your GPS watch. Tall buildings and tight city
streets may mess with your GPS, so don’t rely on it for pacing in cities
(and definitely don’t complain that the course was long).
Take your crew out for dinner afterward (and if needed, be sure to
apologize for snapping at them due to pre-race stress!).

5
TEST THE
START TIME
“If the race is starting at a time different
from what you are accustomed to, at
least get out for a couple of runs at
around the same time that the race
starts,” says Faraone. “This helps to
judge appropriate clothing based on
weather at that time of day, and could
also help you fine-tune your nutrition.”
For runners who usually run after
4
work, this tip could save you a lot of
gut distress on the start line!
TRAIN IN RACING CONDITIONS

You may not be able to perfectly mimic race-day conditions, but you can come close. If you know it’ll
be a hot race but you’re training in a cool climate, do some overdressed long runs to emulate how 6
ORGANIZE
a hot run will feel. If the race is often rainy, don’t use rain days as an excuse to skip a run—those
are the best days to be out! Toronto marathoner and teacher Kathi Fujino notes that running in all
YOUR
types of weather can also help you decide what to wear on race day.
Anyone who watched the Boston Marathon in 2018 will recall the torrential downpour; it became
clear that the top runners were those (like third-place finisher Krista DuChene) who were good at
running in any and all conditions. Fujino was also there, and recalls that it was “pretty much the START-LINE
CLOTHING
nightmare that everyone says it was.”
“I’ve always thought Boston was evil, because it makes you train through the winter,” she adds.
“And that year, we had a terrible, terrible winter. There were so many long runs where I would “Get everything ready the night before,
come back and a sheet of ice would just fall off my chest. A friend warned me that Boston is never so you don’t stress about doing it in the
great, though; it’s either a horrible, rainy, freezing day, or it’s so hot you can’t breathe. Nobody was morning: lay out your clothes, shoes,
prepared for that rain, though. People had garbage bags duct-taped to their feet! I was suddenly socks and anything else you need,” says
thankful for all the runs I did in the rain that spring.” Toronto-based runner Alistair Munro,

who’s raced marathons around the world. “I
also suggest writing your name and emer-
gency contact details on the back of your
running number, along with any medical
conditions or allergies you have.”
In addition to knowing what you’ll run
in, know what you’ll wear to the start line.
If it’s chilly in the morning, have layers
that you can dispose of. Never assume you’ll
easily be able to hand them off to a friend,
since start lines get hectic in a hurry. “Bring
something that you are OK parting with,”
says Faraone. “This can be old running tops,
a plastic poncho from the dollar store or a
garbage bag.” (At some big races, such as the
New York City Marathon, discarded clothing
is collected and given to charity.)
7
DON’T SWEAT
THE SMALL
STUFF
When the starting pistol goes off, big races
may make you feel like you’re in the middle of
a riptide of runners. Don’t panic, just move—
it’ll calm down in a few minutes. “I remember
the Boston Marathon, racing in a sea of thou-
sands of people,” says Foisy. “I dropped one
of my gels. I panicked and stopped to grab it.
The guy behind me screamed at me, saying
I could have tripped him and ruined his
race. The yelling was excessive, but he wasn’t
wrong. I also could have ended up trampled.”

8
CHAFE HAPPENS
9
DON’T SET JUST ONE GOAL
Gentlemen, you may have heard that taping your nipples Here’s the fastest route to a bad race: having a goal that needs to be executed
is the thing to do for marathons. If you’ve ever scoffed perfectly, otherwise all is lost. Sure, in an ideal world, you’ll PB by minutes/win
at this advice, think again. It’s worth the 10 seconds it your age group/win overall, but most races won’t go like that. Make sure you have
takes to stick Band-Aids on your nips (Kinsella swears by a few goals you can shift to if things aren’t going according to plan. Your A goal
this—and has seen what happens if he skips that step), might be to run a sub-3:30, but your B goal, while it could be a time-based one like
and to use a chafe cream, lube stick or Vaseline on any running a 3:45, it could also be something like smiling every single mile, trying
spots prone to rubbing or blistering, like inner thighs, for a negative split, taking time to thank every volunteer or just having fun and
armpits, the bra line and between your toes. enjoying the day, no matter what happens.
“You cannot lube up enough,” says Fujino. “You run It’s also a good idea to leave space for a personal best that goes beyond your
very differently on race day. In my first marathon, I primary race goal. “When I go into a race, I start with my B goal, which is what
chafed in places I didn’t even know existed.” I have been training for,” says McKay. “It’s the goal that I should be able to do if
“If you are racing in a costume, make sure you have everything goes well. But I also have my A goal, which is for those extraordinary
trained in it,” says Munro. No one wants to get three days where everything falls perfectly into place. And of course, I have a C goal to
miles in and realize that the “hilarious” giraffe costume pivot to if things get derailed.”
is chafing horribly. But beyond that, remember the oft-
cited advice of controlling the controllables. There will
be so much you can’t control on race day, from buses
getting lost on the way to the start to extra long bath-
room lines, or unexpected weather. So have plans for the
pieces you can control: your food, clothing and personal
pacing strategy.

10
GO WITH THE FLOW
If you’ve done a few marathons, you know that, inevitably, something but the temperature swung and it was super warm. I only had tights,
will throw you off of your planned trajectory. And while we can talk a so I bought some cheap shorts at the race expo and wore them—and
big game about being perfectly organized, there’s always a chance that they’re still my favourite shorts.”
you’ll soak your favourite shorts by misusing the shower curtain in So really, the best hack is simple: it comes down to attitude. Don’t
the hotel (oops) and need to buy a new pair of terry cloth shorts on a panic if you don’t have everything dialled. The less stress you can
beach boardwalk. And sometimes, those issues can still lead to a great bring to the start line, the better your race will go.
result. “I had to eat Wendy’s the night before a marathon—definitely
not my usual pre-race meal!—and I actually ran a PB,” says physical Molly Hurford is a fitness and nutrition writer, ultrarunner, endurance
education teacher and longtime runner Krista Allen of Collingwood, coach and co-author of The Consummate Athlete. She lives and trains in
Ont. “Another time, I was going to a race assuming it would be cold, Collingwood, Ont.

When he broke the Canadian record in the
half-marathon last winter, Rory Linkletter started to reveal
the potential—and the ambition—that drive him
Chasing the
Feeling By Josh Kozelj
O n a clear day in the summer of 2012, Connor Jones, a high-school junior in Herriman, Utah, was with his
teammates at a summer training camp in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, ahead of the cross country season. As the
temperature swelled to 32 C, the time approached for the team’s nine-mile tempo run. All summer, Jones heard the
same phrase over and over again:
We will win. We will win.
It was a mantra devised by Herriman High School’s cross country coach, James Barnes. A year earlier, in the fall of
2011, Herriman was projected to win the Utah 4A high-school cross country championships. Jones, a sophomore, was
ready. The Mustangs were ready to take the state title and prove that although they were still a new school, established
in 2010, they would be a force to be reckoned with.
We will win.
ABOVE Linkletter racing at the Puma

American Track League in Kentucky, 2022

Kevin Morris

Doug van Mierlo
Rory Linkletter
with his wife, Jill,
and son, Jason

The 2018 BYU
Autumn Classic
But on the day of the race, the plan didn’t come together. The
Mustangs finished fifth. Afterward, Barnes brought the team into a On this day, Linkletter couldn’t
huddle. “Hey, you didn’t perform like you needed to,” he said. “But
let’s use this failure, learn from this, and win next year.” respond, and Jones finished
Individually, Jones placed 21st in the state—second highest on the
team. Their fifth runner, Rory Linkletter, finished 39th. But Jones saw the workout looking back at
something else few people noticed at the time. Linkletter was coming.
Standing five feet tall and weighing 90 pounds, Linkletter was his teammate. He would never
starting to get taller and stronger; his body was finally starting to
catch up to his rock-hard mental toughness, and his endurance and beat Linkletter again
his love of running were growing.
That day in Idaho, the tempo started downhill, in a shaded area, but
the boys were scheduled to run from camp into a nearby town—on and he is still barely scratching the surface of his running potential.
blacktop. Linkletter got married in 2018, at 22, and had his first child last
The sun’s rays shimmered over the surface of the road as sweat year. He met Jill (a fellow student, and a gymnast) on his first day at
streamed from their bodies. Linkletter always pushed the downhills. Brigham Young University. He says she is the reason he’s been able
The pace dropped to 6:30 per mile, then 6:00 flat, then sub-6. We will win.to have a professional running career—a pursuit that requires a fine
The run finished on a flat stretch of road between farmers’ balance of daily training, sleep and nutrition. “Obviously, now that
fields. Safe on the flats, Jones made a move. On this day, Linkletter we have a kid, she has to take on a lot of roles to help me with my
couldn’t respond, and Jones finished the workout looking back at selfish endeavours,” he says. “She helps steer the ship of our lives.”
his teammate. He represented Canada on the international stage again in 2017
He would never beat Linkletter again. and 2019, signed with a professional running club, left two years
later, and managed to snag the Canadian record in the half-marathon
$$$ in January (a record that had stood for 23 years), mere weeks after
joining forces with his new coach, Ryan Hall. “I have had good
L inkletter sits in his office, his frost-coloured eyes framed by years, bad years, great years and stagnant years,” Linkletter says, “and
strawberry-blond hair. It’s a little after 7:30 p.m., and he has just through it all, I’ve always still enjoyed showing up every day to train.”
returned from a walk with his wife, Jill, and their infant son, Jason. Despite his long resumé, as a kid, Linkletter never stood out. His
Courtesy BYU
An orange hue radiates above his laptop screen, while a ceiling fan parents, who were both from Calgary, divorced when he was very
whirs, and he reflects on his young career. young, and he moved to Utah with his mom. His goal was to play
Still only 25, Linkletter first represented Canada seven years ago, sports at the high-school varsity level—any sport—but he wasn’t tall

Brigham Young University
Provo track
or big enough for basketball or football. On the first day of summer I wanted to be a great collegiate athlete, not just be on a collegiate
training, Jones persuaded Linkletter to try cross country. team. I was surrounded by people who cared about me, who were
That first day of practice did little to convince him that running invested in my success, from athletic trainers to strength and condi-
would be his varsity sport. In fact, at the time, running at the tioning coaches to our head coach.”
collegiate level seemed well out of reach. “He was slower than the His first big moment in the spotlight came in his junior year, when
varsity girls team,” Jones says. “I’m not kidding. I think he was, like, a he finished second overall in the 10,000m at the ncaa track and field
25-minute 5k-er his freshman year.” championships. The race transformed him from a relative unknown
Linkletter never got discouraged; he developed a love for the from Utah into the next big thing.
process of gradually improving, and the breakthroughs came. In his “I remember that year he came second, and I was like, ‘Oh my
freshman track season, he ran the 3,200m in 10:40. It wasn’t a time God, that was an amazing performance,’” says Kitchener, Ont.’s Ben
that would attract attention from college coaches, but a year earlier, Flanagan, who is a year older than Linkletter, and who would go on
he could barely have run that pace for a mile. When the next track to win the ncaa 10,000m, competing for the University of Michigan,
season rolled around, he finished fifth in the state, improving his the following year. “He closed in a 55-second last 400.”
3,200m time by more than a minute. Later that summer, riding a hot streak, Linkletter made headlines
“Within that first season of cross country, I wasn’t doing great,” he again by running a world record in the blue jean mile at altitude in
says. “It just blossomed into this appreciation for the fact that the Utah. His time, 4:16.00, was equivalent to a 4:11 at sea level.
sport rewards hard work. You can see your progress. You can see that After Linkletter got those glimpses of success, he expected his
what you put in, you get out.” career to continue skyward. “I was chasing that feeling,” he says. “It’s
By the end of his senior year in 2014, he had finished all-state twice elation. You only get it now and then, because every time you achieve
in cross country and four times on the track, making him one of the it, it becomes harder to get again.”
best runners in Utah.
When it came to choosing a university, Linkletter considered what $$$
he could afford and which team would set him up for a successful
post-collegiate career. He settled on byu in Provo—a perennial
cross country and track powerhouse that has produced some very G rowing up in Utah, Linkletter and Jones were inseparable. The
two were neighbours on Callander Drive, a roughly 500-metre
Courtesy BYU
successful runners, such as American Olympic marathoners Ed slice of road in south Herriman. With a fenced backyard, Linkletter’s
Eyestone and Jared Ward. home was their favourite hangout. They didn’t have to worry about
“I tasted a bit of success in high school,” Linkletter says, “but I knew a basketball rolling down the highway, or looking both ways for

After Linkletter got a taste of
success, he expected his career to
continue skyward. “I was chasing
that feeling again,” he says
Courtesy Puma
Training in
Flagstaff, Ariz.

His childhood coach
recognized early that Linkletter
had potential. He also noticed
he had a big mouth
A year after finishing second in the ncaa 10,000m, Linkletter

felt the need to repeat this in 2018. He was a senior. His blond
hair freshly buzzed, he thought there was only one way to top the
previous triumph: by winning. Linkletter put so much pressure
on himself that he was mentally exhausted by the time the race
started, and out of 24 competitors, he finished last. “I remember
getting a mile into the 10k and being like, Yep, I’m done. I’ve got
nothing left,” he says.
Despite the low moment, Linkletter graduated from byu and
signed a pro contract with hoka naz Elite in 2019. He stayed
with the club until the end of 2021, when he left to be coached,
The Trials of
Miles, Texas, unsponsored, by American half-marathon record holder Ryan Hall.
2021 “Leaving naz was purely [because] I was losing faith in myself, and
Linkletter on his way

cars. They tossed footballs and shot hoops, passed hockey pucks and to a Canadian record
double-bounced each other on the trampoline. After playing, they at the Houston Half-
would lie on the tramp and stare at the sky, dreaming of what they Marathon in 2022
wanted to be when they grew up. “I wanted to be a pro football player,”

says Jones.
Despite his small frame, Linkletter told Jones he wanted to be a
professional athlete—but he was realistic enough to also consider
broadcasting or sports marketing. But in middle school and early
high school, Linkletter was a troublemaker. He never had run-ins
with the law, but he was mischievous, and sought attention. Cross
country gave him direction and provided an outlet for his energy. “I
was causing trouble,” Linkletter says. “Then I found running, and
running gave me something to put my efforts toward and keep
me focused.”
Barnes, his childhood coach, recognized early that Linkletter had
potential. He also noticed that he had a big mouth. “He had that little
man’s personality of like, ‘I’m tougher than you,’ but [he was] this
little tiny guy,” Barnes said. “I think running was one of those things
that saved him.”
Linkletter always had a tendency to go big. In his sophomore
year of high school, when he ran a one-minute personal best in
the 3,200m, he had first place in his sights. With two laps to go, he
started kicking. He passed his competitors, crossed the finish line and
stopped, forgetting he still had a lap to go. Although he miscounted
the laps, he finished the race and still ran around 9:30, impressing his
head coach. “He had this personality where he had to fall on his face,”
Barnes says. “Once he fell on his face a couple of times, he could pick
himself back up.”
$$$
W hen the starter called the runners to the line, Linkletter

Kevin Morris
crouched, waiting for the crack of the gun to tackle 25 laps

of the track. All he could think of was how he would rather be
anywhere else in the world.

Ryan Hall with his wife,
Sara, after her win at
the 2022 Houston
Half-Marathon

I don’t blame anyone but myself,” he says.
2021 was a year of highs and lows. He had his first child, but grap-
pled with the passing of his father. He had grown up visiting his dad
in Calgary three or four times a year, but admits he didn’t spend as
much time with him as he would have liked. For the first time in his
life, he felt like he wasn’t getting the best out of himself, and that he
needed a change of scene. “I was entering races lacking in confidence,
lacking in execution,” he says, “and I just started being like, ‘What’s
my purpose in this sport?’”
The breaking point came at the Boston Marathon in October
2021, when Linkletter finished 37th, in 2:23—nearly 11 minutes off
his personal best. “I just couldn’t understand how I could crumble
so horribly,” he says. “Then I just started questioning. And once
you start questioning, you kind of have to do something different,
because if your faith in what you’re doing isn’t there, you’re never
going to have success.”
As an athlete growing up, he had greatly admired Hall, so the
opportunity to be coached by him and stay in Flagstaff seemed like
a no-brainer.
Linkletter uses the word “cerebral” when describing Hall’s
approach to training. “I feel like he’s a mad scientist,” Linkletter says.
“His brain is always thinking, ‘What does my athlete need?’”
At every workout, Linkletter enjoys how Hall explains—before,
during, and after—the purpose of the session. The guidance gives
Linkletter confidence, something he was lacking last fall. A month
after joining Hall, he ran 1:01:08 in Houston to take 20 seconds off
Jeff Schiebler’s Canadian half-marathon record—which was almost
as old as Linkletter himself. (Schiebler ran 1:01:28 in Tokyo in 1999.)
“After the initial meeting with Rory, I could tell we were cut from
the same cloth,” Hall said via email. “He loves to be aggressive in
training and racing, and I was the same way as a pro athlete. I’ve
“The Bible talks about knowing

the cost of battle before you
go to war,” says his coach,
Ryan Hall. “I wanted to make
sure Rory understood the cost”
learned from my own days of competing that this mentality has to be special every time he steps on the line. We will win.
controlled, otherwise its strength is turned into weakness.” Flanagan, who has developed a strong friendship with Linkletter,
Linkletter has a tattoo of a cross on his left shoulder, and he says knows that every time they toe the line together, Linkletter will
his Christian faith plays a big role in every aspect of his life. Hall, be ready. The two battled for the national half-marathon record in
who also has a strong Christian background, admits he was surprised Houston in January, and duelled once again in Ottawa at the 10k road
when Linkletter reached out and asked to be one of his athletes. Hall championships in May (which Flanagan won). “We’ve got a pretty
didn’t have a sponsorship (Linkletter has since signed with Puma) or close record,” Flanagan says. “I’ve got a couple wins over him, he’s got
a cushy training group to offer him. “The Bible talks about knowing a couple wins over me. We can have a meal or a beer the night before
the cost of battle before you go to war, which is super important if the race, but when it comes to the start line, neither of us wants to
one is to live wisely,” Hall says. “I wanted to make sure Rory under- lose to the other guy.”
stood the cost. His reaction of being so unflinchingly into partnering In Flanagan’s view, Linkletter’s mental toughness, and his work
was reassuring to me as a coach.” ethic, are what set him apart from other runners. “I would guess he
prides himself on being able to outwork people, and I think that’s a
$$$ big part of his success,” he says.
Jones was one of the first people to see that mental toughness up
L inkletter is still chasing that feeling—the feeling he had after

ncaas in 2017, after making his first national team and after
setting the Canadian record. He craves the chance to do something
close, back when nobody outside of Herriman knew Linkletter’s
name. The childhood best friends, members of the 2012 Herriman
Mustangs cross country team that won the state title (and which

Linkletter toes the line next
to Ben Flannigan at the
2022 Canadian 10K Road
Chamionship in Ottawa
is still the fastest 4A team in state history) remain in touch. Jones 400m speed,” Linkletter said, before the announcement. However, he
doesn’t run much any more, and now works as an accountant in couldn’t pass up the chance to represent Canada at the biggest inter-
Utah. With Linkletter now in Arizona, the two still connect for big national competition of the year. As a boy, running through the roads
life events. Jones was a groomsman at Linkletter’s wedding, and of Herriman, being a pro athlete and competing with the best athletes
they talked after the death of Linkletter’s father. Their bond, created in the world were everything he dreamed of.
during those mile repeats and long tempos under the summer sun or At the World Championships he finished 20th, in 2:10:24, a two-
beside piles of snow, is strong. minute personal best.
Competitive running careers eventually come to an end, and for Aside from his 2:23 in Boston, Linkletter has continued to steadily
some, like Jones, that time came after high school. For others, like improve in each marathon he enters. Whether or not he continues to
Linkletter, the drive to chase the dream continues. “He’s one person progress at the same clip, he is still only in his mid-20s, with plenty
from our neck of the woods that just never gave up on his dream,” of time ahead of him. His performance at worlds shows continued
says Jones. incremental improvement, which is always the goal. There will be
In June, Linkletter was named to the Canadian World many more opportunities to do something special on the startline.
Mundo Sports images
Championships marathon team. He hadn’t been planning on running Because Linkletter is still chasing that feeling.
a marathon until the fall—the plan laid out by Hall was for Linkletter
to run track until the end of June, working on his speed at shorter Josh Kozelj is a writer and runner from Vancouver who has written for the
events, and then start a marathon build. “The way we see it is, if you New York Times, Globe and Mail, and the CBC. Although he’s a morning
want to be a great 800m runner, you can’t be great without some raw person, he writes better at night.

Is Tough the
New Weak?
Shifting our understanding of
mental toughness can make us
stronger runners
By Madeleine Kelly
Diana Bolton

O n May 17, 2021, around 7 a.m., I walked across the American-Canadian
border from Buffalo, N.Y., to Fort Erie, Ont., with my friend Lucia Stafford.
We’d just spent five weeks in the U.S., racing four consecutive weekends in the
hope of qualifying for the Olympics. We’d spent several thousand dollars each,
and were both coming home empty-handed. Neither of us had run the automatic
standard to qualify.
We were walking across the border because we’d taken a red-eye flight from
Los Angeles to Buffalo, and we wanted to avoid the three-day hotel quarantine
we would have had to complete if we’d arrived at Toronto Pearson International
Airport. It was a beautiful day, about 20 C, with perfectly blue skies—one of those
days that reminds you that summer is coming. After we wheeled our suitcases
through the empty border crossing, we picked up the car my partner had left on
the Canadian side for us and drove seven hours to our quarantine destination.
I’ll never forget that day. I was so relieved to be back in Canada, but so sad that
I wouldn’t be able to see friends or family for another two weeks. We felt isolated
and stressed out, as we had for weeks, but we were doing our best to be tough,
despite the circumstances. Champagne problems, to be sure, but as I walked
across the bridge, I was overwhelmed with emotion, and for the first time after a
month of being tough and keeping it down, I really let myself feel it.
When we emerged from quarantine two weeks later, we had exactly four weeks
to try and make our dreams a reality.
&
To qualify for the 800m at the Games, I knew I’d have to be pushing through sells,” says Magness. “That’s another reason the
tough. But I don’t think I knew exactly what “tough” meant, or concept remains so prevalent.”
should mean. I’ve since learned that most people are working As he explains in the book, toughness has revolved around
with a distorted framework of what it means to be tough the idea that “the toughest individuals are the ones with the
(myself included). thickest skin, fear nothing and constrain all emotional reac-
When I thought about toughness, I saw a person drenched in tions. Compounding our confusion, we’ve resorted to tying
sweat. I thought of the athletes who were willing to play with toughness to masculinity and an ethos of machismo.” Based on
a broken rib or to run through a stress fracture. I thought of a this framework, our current definition of toughness doesn’t
person able to compartmentalize their stress and worries in the leave much room for vulnerability or nuance—instead, it places
name of performance. Those are the people we call “tough”— them on the outside, labeling them as weak. In reality, Magness
and it’s how I tried to be during the weeks and months leading explains, vulnerability and nuance are two of the most impor-
up to team selection for Tokyo. tant ingredients to helping people learn about themselves and
But is that really what tough means, or is this a cultural become truly tough.
phenomenon that could use an overhaul? These are the ques- The good news is that Magness believes running, and endur-
tions I asked myself last spring as I felt my mental health ance sport more broadly, are slowly moving the needle in the
suffering in the name of toughness. It turns out I was on right direction.
to something.
Toughness as a critical
The origins of toughness
part of running
Performance coach and author Steven Magness explores this
topic in his new book, Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Running, especially distance running, is a tough activity. In
Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness. Magness chal- fact, it’s so difficult that it’s commonly used as punishment in
lenges this common understanding of the word. “Our concept ball sports. T-shirts at high-school track meets across North
of toughness has militant origins, which has shaped our view America read, “My sport is your sport’s punishment.” For adults,
of things,” he explains. “Because of the relationship between running is something people choose to do for fitness and/or
military and sport, that focus, especially because it was so male- competition. But no matter the age or stage, running is difficult.
centric at the time, mischaracterized our view. It’s how things Even the best runners among us struggle with the decision to
were, and it has stayed in our minds.” push through discomfort.
Magness raises an important point: the Olympics started as Running’s inherent difficulty is among the reasons Magness
an antidote to war. While war and sport aren’t the same thing, believes the running community is shifting its perception of
they’re undeniably linked, and that link is still evident in toughness. “We’re seeing this shift faster in endurance sport
advertising. “This idea of toughness as gritting your teeth and because you so quickly encounter discomfort in practice and

racing scenarios,” he says. “In team sports, you can pass the ball; in
endurance you have to sit with your discomfort.” From tough to focused
When runners are confronted with discomfort, the traditional
understanding of toughness can exacerbate a problem. “Our tendency My personal preoccupation with mental toughness stems
is to put our head down and push, but our brain is trying to default from my time in elite sport. I’ve had many life-changing
to safety,” Magness says. “Our brains are essentially saying, ‘You want experiences while finding my own limits, but I’ve also
to keep going? I’m going to convince you that you need to stop.’ experienced (and watched others experience) the conse-
Instead of trying to push, runners can learn to calmly navigate the quences of pushing too hard—and of being too tough.
discomfort, as opposed to trying to silence or ‘push’ through it. You I spoke to sport science journalist Alex Hutchinson,
need to be comfortable with the alarm in your head. Running would author of Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits
be better described as comfort with being uncomfortable, as opposed of Human Performance, about this. “People are really inter-
to being tough.” ested in this idea of squeezing more out of ourselves,” he
In the fall of 2021, I was experiencing some anxiety in workouts, says. “But at what point does that become counterproduc-
especially during longer repetitions. When my legs would get heavy tive? Are you doing damage to yourself by ignoring the
and breathing would become laboured, for a few weeks in a row, I warning signs from your body or your mind, in the name
would become worried about my ability to finish, which made the of pushing further?”
heaviness feel worse. Overuse injuries are the most common running inju-
What I realized a few weeks later (with the help of a mental health ries, and they’re born of pushing too hard. “If you’re
expert) was that I could recognize the heaviness, and instead of trying to run a personal best, you will have periods that
panicking, acknowledge it for what it was—heavy legs. Reframing are hard,” says Hutchinson. “But finding the line between
that feeling sent the message to my body that there was no need to a productive form of pushing yourself versus knowing
panic, that the feeling was normal and expected. when you’re digging a big hole can be hard to know
My initial approach followed convention; I would tighten up and at the time. Really, knowing in the moment if you’re
push. But it only made the discomfort worse. When I reminded being tough or stupid is one of the biggest challenges
myself that everything was fine, and encouraged my body to accept in training.”
its circumstance, I got better results. I went from placing my attention Reframing toughness as a question of focus can help us
on being tough to focusing on what I could control. solve this age-old problem. Magness says that with focus,
you can learn the language of your body: “Runners need
to learn what a healthy run feels like. You need to learn
what is expected. The feelings and emotions you’re expe-
When I thought riencing are your body communicating with you. When
you speak the language of your body, you can understand
what is bad pain versus what is to be expected.”
about toughness, Magness and Hutchinson agree that the best time to
work on this skill is during practice, without music or
distractions. “People often listen to music or a podcast
I thought of athletes during their run,” says Magness. “But when you’re trying
to develop ‘toughness,’ it’s best to pay attention to how
you’re feeling and what your body is telling you. That’s
willing to play with how you learn the best ways to respond.”
Hutchinson agrees. “The only real way to learn this
skill is through experience,” he says. By honing in on
a broken rib or to what their bodies are trying to tell them, runners will
not only be able to understand the warning signs of
injury or overdoing it, but they’ll also develop the ability
run through a to know when to push and when to consider pulling back.
For example, a sharp pain, a sudden limp or unre-
lenting heaviness are all signs that you’re overdoing it.
stress fracture However, stiffness that subsides or fatigue that improves

over the course of a workout are common side effects of
hard training. With trial and (unfortunately) occasional
error, you’ll be able to identify the differences and stop
small issues before they become bigger problems.

My initial approach was to tighten
up and push, but it only made the
discomfort worse
Practical ways to improve toughness

A shift in perception is Step 1 in improving mental toughness, but there are practical tips that can
help, as well. Like training your body, you can shifting the sole focus from the pain they’re expe-
train your mind. Here are some ways to implement riencing to a new distraction, runners should move
that training. their focus around.” If you’re running a road or
For example, listen to music only on easy days. trail race, he suggests taking time to see the scenery
For a difficult workout, long run or race, leave the and the crowd, and thinking about controlling
tunes at home. Difficult days are when you’re most your movement. When people look at still images
likely to push too hard or injure yourself if you’re from races, they see the runners, but also the fans
not completely tuned in to your body (i.e., you’re and the location. Doing that in real time, while
using music as a distraction); they’re also the days checking in with your body, can help improve
you can practise improving your focus. your performance.
Magness explains that when our focus gets stuck By spending time listening to your body without
on one thing, our bodies can over-emphasize it. distraction, you’ll start to learn how to cope with
“Focus and attention are something we can train. discomfort, and also to differentiate between
When a run or race gets difficult, runners will want normal discomfort and possibly harmful aches
to zoom in and out—to shift their focus, so that the and pains. Olympic marathon bronze medallist
Diana Bolton
alarm bells ringing in their head don’t get too loud. Molly Seidel, who dropped out of the 2022 Boston
If they’re listening to music, that can become the Marathon, explainined why in an Instagram post
overwhelming focus,” he says. “Ideally, rather than after the race: “When my muscles started to go,

“Knowing in the
moment if you’re
being tough or
stupid is one
Do Hard Things of the biggest
Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the
Surprising Science of Real Toughness
By Steve Magness
challenges in
HarperOne, 2022
“If it were easy, everyone would do it.” That adage reminds

training”
us that it takes a lot to perform a difficult task—whether
that be running a marathon or speaking in public. Or any
other activity that requires us to be tough. Steve Magness’s
latest book, Do Hard Things, however, asserts that we
should relearn the traditional view of toughness.
Through stories of combative sports coaches, athletes, my form got sloppy and aggravated the hip impingement I’ve
the wisdom of psychology and research studies, Magness had on-and-off this build. At halfway it was hurting, and by
shows how the “old” view of toughness (overcoming 16 [miles] it was clear there was no way I could keep running
obstacles through self-discipline and stoicism and making without really injuring myself. So I made the decision to drop
quitting taboo) is damaging to humans, both physically and out.” No one would call this woman weak—this is a great
mentally. He goes on to explain that, to become truly tough, example of a smart decision by an experienced athlete (and very
we need tools and skills to navigate adversity. gutsy racer) with a focus on consistency and longevity.
Do Hard Things is an entertaining read. The introduction When things begin to feel challenging during a run or
explains why the traditional approach is all wrong; Magness workout, focus on what you can control: drop your shoul-
then presents four pillars of toughness, discussing each ders, release the tension in your body, observe your breath
in turn: embracing our reality, listening to our bodies, and remind yourself that heavy legs are expected and not to
responding instead of reaching and transcending discom- be feared.
fort. He includes exercises and visualizations throughout to Finally, make your training schedule work with your life.
help us relearn what it means to be tough. Not a morning person? Don’t force yourself to become one;
He uses numerous running examples, but asserts that run after work instead. Do you prefer training when it’s a social
relearning toughness isn’t just for athletes. Whether you’re activity? Find a running group or buddy to work out with.
a runner, a chef or a CEO, you’ll learn something about Even if this person runs at a different pace than you, having a
overcoming adversity from this book. “Being tough … is scheduled date and a partner, even if only for a few minutes, can
attainable to all.”—Brooke Smith make a world of difference to your motivation.

Mind and body
work together
“You are at your toughest when your mind and body are
working together,” says Magness. So make that synergy a
priority. Prioritizing mental well-being can seem antithet-
ical to our notion of toughness, but when it’s reframed as
focus, it makes more sense. Toughness in a classical sense
can lead people to push things down, block things out.
But its strongest application, through sound mind and
body, involves listening and paying attention. You are
at your toughest when it’s quiet and you’re able to make
a decision that feels right. This is true in a running race,
You are at your but also for any difficult life decision. Toughness isn’t
achieved by barrelling through; it’s found with focus,
consideration and, to some extent, intuition.
toughest when it’s For years I felt like I was short on toughness—like it
was a gene that others had, but that I couldn’t develop.
What I’ve learned is that I had plenty of toughness; what
quiet and you’re able I lacked was focus. Toughness is found by focusing on
what your mind and body are feeling, and allowing them
to work in harmony, rather than in opposition.
to make a decision Toughness has nothing to do with blood, sweat, tears

and broken bones. It turns out we’re toughest when we’re
clear-headed and calm. (And sometimes, depending on
that feels right the circumstances, a little sweaty.)
Madeleine Kelly, who lives in Hamilton, is a two-time national

champion in the 800m. She competed in the event at the
Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Athletics Championships.
Diana Bolton

Gear
Audio
Adrenaline
for Runners
Great tech for runners who enjoy
music or podcasts
PRO
MINI
Shokz
OpenRun Pro, OpenRun Mini
$230, $170
F ormerly Aftershokz, Shokz has introduced an update to its

Aeropex bone conduction headphones called OpenRun, now
available in two sizes.
Features
Lightweight and durable titanium construction
(OpenRun Pro is 29 g, OpenRun Mini is 26 g)
Bone conduction technology for listening while running is a great 10 hours of battery life on a full charge (eight hours for OpenRun Mini)
option; sound quality is good to excellent, and there is nothing in Charging time: 1.5 hours
your ear canal, which means you can still hear your surroundings. It’s Fast charging: five minutes of charging gets you 1.5 hours of battery life
also great for people who have trouble finding in-ear earbuds (wired Improved sound quality (especially in the bass range)
or wireless) that don’t fall out, or who simply dislike having some- OpenRun Pro comes in four colours; OpenRun Mini is available
thing in their ears. Shokz OpenRun Pro’s transducers sit comfortably in blue or black
and unobtrusively against your temples, and listening is private— Rated IP67 (waterproof)
others cannot hear your music. OpenRun Pro come with a zippered Dual noise-cancelling mics (for calls)
hard-shell case and a two-year warranty. Two-year warranty
To determine which size is best for you, use a flexible tape measure Comes with a zippered hard-shell case
with the end held behind one ear and stretched around the back of Compatible with iOS and Android
the head to the back of the other ear. If this measurement is 23.5 cm
or greater, go with OpenRun Pro. If less, you might prefer OpenRun Who They’re For
Mini (but be aware it’s normal for there to be some space between Runners who are open to trying different tech for listening, who
the headband and your head). Or use the measuring tool at shokz.com. dislike in-ear headphones or who need fully waterproof headphones

gear
earbuds
Apple
Beats Fit Pro
$250
Designed for athletes, with flexible wings to twist securely into your ears, Beats
Fit Pro delivers stellar sound quality for music listening or calls (thanks to the
Apple H1 chip), with Active Noise Cancelling as default; you can easily switch to
Transparency mode with one long press of the multi-function button on either
bud. The buds come with three sizes of silicone tip to customize the fit (use the Fit
Test in the information tab next to the device in your Bluetooth settings). Pairs
automatically with whatever Apple devices are nearby, and will pair easily with
Android out of the box (though the Beats for Android app will give you more
functionality). Up to six hours of listening time, plus an additional 18 hours of
charging in the usb-c charging case, for a total of 24 hours; if the battery is low,
five minutes of charging will give you up to an hour of listening. Apple’s mic tech
works really well for calls, too.
Features Who They’re For

Lightweight, durable (each bud weighs 5.6 g) Runners who want a fully functional
Up to 24 hours of listening time on a full charge earbud that works well with Apple
(six hours, plus 18 hours with in-case charging) or Android
Fast charging: five minutes in the case gets you
up to an hour of battery life
Sound quality is comparable to Apple Air Pods Pro
Rated IPX4 (sweatproof, rainproof, splashproof;
not recommended for water sports)
Three sizes of silicone eartips included
Available in four colours
Can be engraved with text or numbers
Siri-enabled, compatible with iOS and Android
One-year warranty
Apple
Air Pods, 3rd generation
$239
The latest generation of Apple Air Pods have a shorter stem and contoured pods
(they’re somewhere between second-gen pods and Air Pods Pro in appearance,
without Air Pods Pro’s or Beats Fit Pro’s silicone tips). And they now have better
sound quality than ever, thanks to the brand’s patented spatial audio and head-
tracking tech (though they don’t have Air Pods Pro’s/Beats Fit Pro’s Active Noise
Cancelling and Transparency Mode).
Charging is faster, and five minutes in the case gets you an hour of music
listening or talk time. Both pods and case are now rated ipx4 for the first time
(meaning they’re sweatproof and rainproof). Press the stem once to play, pause or
take a call, twice to skip a song, three times to skip back, press and hold for Siri.
For Android users, Air Pods 3 may not be the best choice, since several features,
including one-touch pairing and “Hey Siri” commands, are not supported.
Features Who They’re For

Lightweight, durable (each pod weighs 4.3 g) Runners who use other Apple
Available in white only products and who like Air Pods
Up to 30 hours of listening time on a full charge (six hours, plus 24 hours with in-case charging) design and features
Fast charging: five minutes gets you up to an hour of battery life
Rated IPX4 (sweatproof, rainproof, splashproof; not recommended for water sports)
Engraving available
Siri-enabled, compatible with iOS and Android (with limitations, above)

gear
fall shoe review
new mo
st d
be
el
FA
LL 2022
Shoes You Can Use This fall we’re seeing a lot of cushy, knit uppers
and plush midsole stacks, as well as increased
use of recycled materials and shoes made for
Fall 2022’s best new models and updates women only. You’re sure to find your next
favourite among this season’s offerings.
EDITOR’S PICK FOR

BEST NEW MODEL
Under Armour
T he Flow Synchronicity is part of a natural
evolution from the Flow Velocity, which has a
similar integrated midsole/outsole, with one major
As promised, the shoe fits true to size, and the
lightweight, stretchy upper hugs the foot comfort-
ably. Women with higher arches or a wider foot will
Flow Synchronicity difference: this shoe is designed and produced for find there’s some give to it after a few wearings. The
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning women. It’s built on a new last using 3d scans of well-padded collar is welcome, and the heel counter
(women only) women’s feet, promising a more accurate fit and does a great job of maintaining stability through
WOMEN’S: 235 g (8.3 oz.) better performance than the smaller versions of the gait cycle, providing smooth transitions from
DROP: 7 mm men’s shoes that women are normally stuck with heel-strike to toe-off. The feeling underfoot is of
STACK HEIGHT: 23 mm (and may not see as an issue until they try a shoe firmness and speed without undue stiffness. This
$180 that feels custom-made). shoe is perfect for tempo runs and 5k and 10k races.
Puma A high-mileage shoe made exclusively for women, The high-stack foam midsole is vert light and
Run XX Nitro the new Run XX Nitro is built on a women-specific responsive, and a tpu external heel counter keeps
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning last, with the female foot top of mind. (The name the foot stable through the gait cycle (though
(women only) references the female XX chromosome; women’s it’s hard to figure that the silver plastic strip
WOMEN’S: 209 g (7.4 oz.) feet are narrower in the heel and have a differ- isn’t mainly cosmetic). The shoe has a markedly
DROP: 8 mm ently shaped instep than men’s, and Puma is one curved heel spring, with a shallow groove for
Matt Stetson
STACK HEIGHT: 31 mm of several brands that are focused on delivering slight flexion on the heel strike, which feels very
$160 the type of ankle and arch support that female plush and forgiving. The shoe will appeal mainly to
runners need.) newer runners covering relatively short distances.

gear
fall shoe review
Mizuno The first thing you notice when you run in the tongue. We like the fact that the laces do not come
Wave Rebellion Wave Rebellion is how light and snappy it is—this as high up on the ankle as they do on most other
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning is a shoe that likes to go fast. The cushy, Pebax-based shoes, and yet there was no slippage in the heel. The
MEN’S: 224 g (7.9 oz.) Enerzy Lite foam and a forked, glass-fibre-rein- shoe has a very grippy outsole made of polyurethane
WOMEN’S: 179 g (6.3 oz.) forced propulsion plate combine to produce a resin rather than rubber, which is practically inde-
DROP: 8 mm peppy ride for track intervals, tempo runs and structible (though it makes a more noticeable sound
STACK HEIGHT: 36 mm races up to the half-marathon. on footstrike). The fit of the ladies’ shoe (which is
$240 The upper is light and breathable, with a nicely built on a different last than the men’s) is small—
padded heel collar and a thin, stretchy, gussetted definitely consider going up at least a half-size.
Saucony How do you update what’s already working? This is a The single-layer mesh upper is new, and there are
Endorphin Speed 3 perennial dilemma for shoe brands. The Endorphin some tweaks to the shape of the nylon midsole plate,
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning line, which encompasses a carbon-plated marathon as well as to the outsole; but overall, the feeling and
MEN’S: 229 g (8.1 oz.) shoe (the Pro), a high-stack recovery trainer (the performance are not significantly different from
WOMEN’S: 204 g (7.2 oz.) Shift) and the Speed (a daily trainer you could also the previous iteration. The midsole stack is a tiny
DROP: 8 mm wear on race day), is now in its third iteration since bit (half a millimetre) higher, for example, but the
STACK HEIGHT: 36 mm its introduction two years ago. The Speed remains a basics are unchanged—you still get unparalleled
$210 solid choice for long tempo runs, longer intervals plush comfort out of the box, lightness, cushioning
and races, and this is particularly true if you need and energy return, thanks to the brand’s pwrrun
one shoe that does a variety of things well. PB foam/midsole plate/toe rocker combo.
On The Cloudgo is a faster shoe, intended for interval noticeable rocker that propels you through the
Cloudgo workouts, tempo runs and short races—but with gait cycle smoothly and with a nice, springy toe-off.
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning a distinct difference: the unusually high drop There are overlays around the back of the heel, but
MEN’S: 256 g (9.0 oz.) (11 mm) will appeal most to confirmed heel-strikers. no external heel counter. The collar and tongue are
WOMEN’S: 214 g (7.5 oz.) The lacing system placement appears, at first both substantially cushioned. At least 25 per cent of
DROP: 11 mm glance, to slightly resemble a less extreme version the shoe is made of recycled materials.
STACK HEIGHT: 29.5 mm of the Nike Vaporfly’s offset lacing system, but
$180 this is mostly an optical illusion. The shoe has a

gear
fall shoe review
Puma This is a major update to Puma’s carbon-plated There are some cosmetic changes to the shoe’s
Deviate Nitro 2 marathon shoe that addresses issues of both fit breathable mesh upper, with a roomy, seamless toe
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning and performance in the first model, introduced in box and some strategic new overlays for support,
MEN’S: 260 g (9.2 oz.) early 2021. The brand has created a new last with a but they don’t appear to affect the feel or perfor-
WOMEN’S: 216 g (7.6 oz.) slightly lower heel-to-toe drop than the first version, mance significantly. What is different is the padded
DROP: 6 mm which is designed to work in conjunction with the heel collar, which is an improvement over the
STACK HEIGHT: 30.5 mm shoe’s new rocker geometry for smoother heel-toe first version in terms of both comfort and fit;
$210 transitions and a faster feel overall. The heel stack the tongue also has slightly more padding than
is also slightly lower, and there is noticeably more before, though our tester found that the new
cushioning in the forefoot, which gives it a respon- side gussetting (which prevents the tongue from
sive feel on toe-off for faster efforts, tempo runs and moving around while you run) may have made the
races. The midsole now has a slice of the very respon- fit uncomfortably snug through the midfoot. The
sive Nitro Elite (Pebax-based) foam, in addition to redesigned outsole offers better traction and dura-
the Nitro foam found in the first version. bility in the heel area.
EDITOR’S PICK FOR There’s no disputing the quality of Asics’ carbon- an additional 4 mm by stack height), and the place-
BEST RACE-DAY SHOE plated racers; Beth Potter wore the original version ment of the carbon plate has been adjusted in both
Asics when she set an unofficial 5k world best in 2021, and shoes—it’s now higher in the Sky+ (pictured) and
Metaspeed Sky+ (pictured), so did the men’s and women’s Olympic triathlon lower in the Edge+. (If you’re not sure whether your
Metaspeed Edge+ gold medallists in Tokyo. Competitive recreational running style is more suited to the Edge+ or the
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning runners and age-groupers can expect these shoes to Sky+, you’re definitely not alone—probably best to
(Unisex) help them maximize their speed potential, mini- decide based on your preferred heel drop (see the
SKY+: 205 g (7.2 oz.) mize fatigue in the later stages of the race and specs). Most athletes opted for the Sky in the first
EDGE+: 210 g (7.4 oz.) optimize recovery. go-round, but these tweaks to the Edge could give it
DROP: 5 mm (Sky+), 8 mm (Edge+) The most radical updates are to be found in an edge, so to speak.
STACK HEIGHT: 39 mm the Edge+, which has 16 per cent more FlyteFoam The updates retain the feather-light, breathable
$325 Blast Turbo foam in the midsole by volume (and upper and thin, perforated tongue of the originals.
e day
rac s
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FA
LL 2022
Matt Stetson

gear
fall shoe review
ng run
lo s
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EDITOR’S PICK FOR The Triumph has always been an excellent choice marathoners, and there’s a little more rocker at the
BEST LONG RUN SHOE for long runs, but this new edition has been front and rear, for smoother transitions. The toe
Saucony made even better with a redesigned pwrrun+ box is still super roomy, appealing more to runners
Triumph 20 midsole (the brand’s mid-weight tpu-based cush- with medium-to-wide feet. Like the new Tempus
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning ioning material) that’s almost 5 mm higher than (also reviewed here), this shoe contains a signifi-
MEN’S: 274 g (9.7 oz.) before; so if you like the trend toward high-stack, cant amount of recycled material.
WOMEN’S: 244 g (8.8 oz.) pillowy trainers, this shoe is for you. It’s also been
DROP: 10 mm made more democratic in the sense that the higher
STACK HEIGHT: 37 mm drop (previously 8 mm, now 10 mm) will be more
$210 comfortable for heel-strikers and less experienced
Allbirds Allbirds positions itself as the environmentally- before, and its sharp contours give the shoe a
Tree Flyer friendly alternative to traditional running shoes futuristic look. The shoe offers a moderately firm
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning made with non-renewable plastic, and the new ride, without the squishy feeling delivered by some
MEN’S: 269 g (9.5 oz.) Tree Flyer continues the tradition established high-stack trainers. The comfortable, stretchy knit
WOMEN’S: 269 g (9.5 oz.) by the Tree Dasher performance shoe from 2018. upper is tightly-woven for durability, making the
DROP: 8.5 mm For example, the brand’s new SwiftFoam midsole fit quite snug (best to opt for thin socks). Like its
STACK HEIGHT: 30.5 mm cushioning material is made from castor beans, predecessor and other popular models reviewed
$210 the upper from eucalyptus and the external heel here, the Tree Flyer has a fully integrated tongue;
counter from the excess waste created in making the toe box is ample, and there is lots of padding
the midsole; the laces are 100 per cent recycled inside the collar. The heel loop makes it easy to get
(from pet bottles). on and off, and the shoe’s natural rubber tread is
The midsole is lighter and more responsive than very grippy.
New Balance New Balance’s most highly cushioned shoe is as outsole does, which this shoe also now has). The
Fresh Foam More V4 plush as ever; this is a high-stack long-run shoe and heel cup also is slightly deeper, which contributes
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning everyday trainer for the experienced marathoner to stability.
MEN’S: 300 g (10.6 oz.) looking for the sweet spot between plush and There’s a little more springiness on toe-off, and
WOMEN’S: 254 g (8.9 oz.) responsive. It delivers both, and there are several the brand claims it has five per cent more energy
DROP: 4 mm updates in this version: the embroidered laces of return than the V3. There is just enough rubber
STACK HEIGHT: 34 mm V3 are gone, there are some new plastic overlays for in the outsole to protect against wear and tear
$190 stability in the upper and some laser perforations in without adding to the shoe’s weight (and it is a
the midsole in the lateral (outside) heel, which help very light shoe). Note this is a fairly low-drop shoe,
to spread the load on heel strike (much like a split favouring the midfoot- or forefoot-striker.

gear
fall shoe review
EDITOR’S PICK FOR The Glycerin has been around for a long time The StealthFit version has a seamless, sock-like
BEST DAILY TRAINER and is a reliable choice for a well-cushioned daily knit upper that moves with your foot; the fit is snug
Brooks trainer. The latest version comes in a regular upper, by design, and there’s plenty of cushioning below
Glycerin 20 StealthFit upper (shown) and a gts (Go-To Support) the heel collar; we had no issues with rubbing. The
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning stability version, and now has nitrogen-infused platform is roomy and stable. This shoe is perfect
(also available in GTS version dna Loft v. 3 (which was first used in the futuristic- for your daily training needs, and will appeal to
for stability) looking Aurora BL) in the midsole. Shoe experts those who prefer a more traditional cushioned
MEN’S: 266 g (9.4 oz.) claim that nitrogen makes cushioning materials trainer, rather than the high-stack models that
WOMEN’S: 238 g (8.4 oz.) softer and more responsive; all we know is the have become popular of late.
DROP: 10 mm shoe feels great and performs well on long runs,
STACK HEIGHT: 26 mm recovery runs, tempo runs or whatever you’re
$200 using it for.
Salomon Salomon has been focused on the road this year, polyamide-and-glass-fibre Energy Blade propulsion
Spectur with several new models. The Spectur is very a plate in the forefoot are designed to support a
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning light and responsive daily trainer that’s also a great smooth heel-to-toe transition with a noticeable
MEN’S: 280 g (9.9 oz.) option for speed workouts. snap at toe-off, and you can really feel the energy
WOMEN’S: 258 g (9.1 oz.) Salomon’s Energy Surge foam is made of return in the midfoot on faster efforts.
DROP: 6 mm ovf, a new acronym in the midfoot cushioning The upper is a very breathable mesh, with a
STACK HEIGHT: 32.5 mm space, which is lighter and more resilient than very well-padded collar and tongue, some minimal
$160 eva but can be combined with eva for different reinforcement at the toe and very flexible support
purposes. The combination of the foam, the in the heel.
shoe’s rocker geometry and the three-pronged,
ly tra
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Matt Stetson

gear
fall shoe review
ed tra
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EDITOR’S PICK FOR The Fuel Cell Rebel has been a reliable and very in the past), and a thin, perforated tongue—great
BEST SPEED TRAINER popular lightweight, non-plated performance for warm, late summer workouts. The outsole has
New Balance trainer since it was introduced in 2019. As with just enough rubber in strategic spots to ensure
Fuel Cell Rebel V3 previous versions, the latest has the cushy, respon- adequate grip and durability, while leaving some of
CATEGORY: Neutral cushioning sive Fuel Cell cushioning material; the midsole is the midsole exposed, for maximum lightness—and
MEN’S: 272 g (9.6 oz.) a bit thicker, as well as wider, than the previous it really is ridiculously light, almost like a spike.
WOMEN’S: 173 g (6.1 oz.) version, for an even more responsive, stable feel. All in all, a great choice for tempo runs and track
DROP: 6 mm The mesh upper has excellent ventilation on workouts or for short races.
STACK HEIGHT: 30 mm top, with a tighter weave around the toe area for
$180 durability (which has been an issue with this model
Saucony This new shoe from Saucony is unlike anything With a deep heel cup to stabilize the rearfoot
Tempus we’ve seen recently. Designed to provide medial arch and a dual-density pwrrun/pwrrun PB midsole
CATEGORY: Stability/Performance support combined with somewhat better perfor- for maximum energy return, the shoe offers plenty
MEN’S: 254 g (8.9 oz.) mance than has traditionally been available in a of stability without being heavy. It has a gussetted
WOMEN’S: 224 g (7.9 oz.) stability shoe, the Tempus is essentially a fast daily tongue and breathable mesh upper made of 100 per
STACK HEIGHT: 36.5 mm trainer for runners who overpronate—because cent recycled material.
DROP: 8 mm serious runners and age groupers need stability too, This is an innovative design that we hope
$210 and not just for easy and long runs (when they might performs well for the brand.
opt for the Saucony Guide instead).
On This is a substantial yet lightweight shoe with a very doing its job, and the collar no longer flares out at
Cloudflyer 4 supportive heel counter, a well-padded collar and the back, but curves slightly inward, holding the
CATEGORY: Stability extra-large “clouds” in the midsole for maximum heel more securely than before. Midfoot support is
MEN’S: 285 g (10.1 oz.) cushioning and support during long runs. This also substantially greater, with a cage-like arrange-
WOMEN’S: 210 g (7.4 oz.) was the first On shoe with a split in the outsole, for ment that’s stitched to the upper at the front and
DROP: 7 mm more effective weight distribution on footstrike. hugs the midfoot securely when laced up tightly.
STACK HEIGHT: 25.5 mm The new version’s upper is a more finely woven On tends to appeal to runners who like a firm
$200 mesh than the 3 had, though the crisscross lacing feel underfoot (in contrast to the trend toward very
configuration at the front remains, as do the thickly plush, pillowy midsole stacks). Altogether a great
padded tongue and the reinforcement around the choice for On fans who overpronate.
toes. The external heel counter from the 3 is still

gear
fall shoe review
est update
b
FA
LL 2022
EDITOR’S PICK FOR This is a rugged, durable, all-terrain shoe with plenty at the front and Velcro tab at the rear for attaching
BEST UPDATE of cushioning and a protective upper, but it never a gaiter, and a padded heel loop for ease in pulling
Altra feels heavy or clunky, and the stack is not as formi- it on. There is no rock plate, but you won’t miss
Olympus 5 dable as it is made to look. The Olympus is built on it, thanks to the thick midsole. If you do a lot of
CATEGORY: Trail a wide, stable platform, with an aggressively lugged running on variable technical terrain (and you like
MEN’S: 350 g (12.3 oz.) Vibram outsole that provides plenty of grip (even on a zero drop), you will love this shoe.
WOMEN’S: 295 g (10.4 oz.) wet slab) and that comes right up to the toe at the The 5 has been made slightly lighter, and the
DROP: 0 mm front. A rearfoot split enables smooth transitions, upper more durable. Our tester had some issues
STACK HEIGHT: 33 mm and the shoe has a surprising amount of flexibility with her Achilles going into an 80k trail race in the
LUG HEIGHT: 5 mm in the forefoot. Fit and lockdown are top-notch, and Rockies, but experienced no pain during the race,
$230 the shoe has lots of midsole cushioning, while still which she attributes to the shoe’s improved heel
allowing you to feel the ground. There is a D-ring support and well-cushioned collar.
Merrell This update to the Long Sky, an excellent shoe for Those looking for evidence of environmentally-
Long Sky 2 technical trail running, is slightly lighter and now conscious manufacturing will be happy to see
CATEGORY: Trail has the FloatPro midsole found in the Moab Flight; plenty in the Long Sky 2, which has 100 per cent
MEN’S: 260 g (9.17 oz.) it’s just thick enough to cushion your feet well on recycled laces, tongue webbing and mesh footbed
WOMEN’S: 243 g (8.6 oz.) relatively short outings or races while keeping you cover; the removable eva footbed is 50 per cent
DROP: 4 mm in close contact with the ground. It is very flexible recycled, and the shoe is vegan-friendly. Other
STACK HEIGHT: 23.5 mm in the forefoot. The breathable upper is reinforced features like the D-ring (for gaiter attachment),
LUG HEIGHT: 5 mm at the big toe for durability, and the gussetted nxt-lined footbed cover to prevent odour and
$180 tongue wraps the foot securely (though we recom- aggressively lugged Vibram MegaGrip outsole show
mend using the uppermost lace hole to prevent heel an attention to detail, and a versatility, that will
slippage). The toe box is adequately roomy to allow satisfy the most demanding trail runners.
for splay on downhills without sloppiness.
Salomon The Pulsar Trail is a performance trail shoe that’s which runners love (because it ensures a good lock-
Pulsar Trail designed to work for all-terrain training. It has down and never comes undone on the trail).
CATEGORY: Trail a midsole made of Salomon’s highly responsive The shoe is fast, responsive and fun for exploring
MEN’S: 280 g (9.9 oz.) Energy Surge cushioning material, a 3d mesh almost any kind of trails; it’s very flexible in the
WOMEN’S: 244 g (8.6 oz.) breathable upper (with overlays to lend structure) forefoot, making it best suited to reasonably firm,
DROP: 6 mm and a three-pronged, injected-tpu propulsion dry terrain (i.e., you might not choose it to race
Matt Stetson
STACK HEIGHT: 32.6 mm blade embedded in the forefoot of the midsole down Alaska’s shale-laden Mount Marathon, but
LUG HEIGHT: 3.5 mm that provides stability through transitions. It also it’s fine for just about anything else). Note: the fit is
$160 has the brand’s signature Quicklace lacing system, somewhat long and narrow.

club scene
Club de Trail, i n 2010, Sherbrooke, Que., was pronounced the happiest city in Canada
by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards. And it has a lot to be
happy about—nestled in the Eastern Townships (L’Estrie, as the locals call
it), Sherbooke’s access to trails, forests and mountain climbs draws people
Sherbrooke, Que. from neighbouring towns, including Orford and Magog, who left the city
for their love of the outdoors. Sherbrooke is also a bilingual region, with
Transcending language barriers two universities and cegeps. In a multi-generational love affair with the
with a common love of running surrounding landscape, the Club de Trail offers a chance for people to meet,
run and be in awe of the natural world together.
The club was started in 2009 with a small group of runners led by Martin
Ladouceur and Jean-François Gagné. Now, with sponsorship from the
By Stirling Myles Boutique Le Coureur (a staple of the running community for over 30 years)
and Salomon, the Club de Trail provides three group-training sessions a
week. Younger runners go along with more experienced runners, led by
coaches Kenny Beaudette and Anne Roisin.
On Thursdays, one of the more popular club runs happens right in the
heart of Sherbrooke, on Mont Bellevue, which moonlights as a ski resort
in winter and boasts a variety of trails that connect downtown with
the University of Sherbrooke. On other days, the club ventures outside
the city to meet at Mont Orford,
which at 837 metres is considered
Sherbrooke’s local “big mountain.”
A trail running club can
be more complex than a road
running club in terms of catering
to different levels, thanks to
the wild terrain. “Even if we
split the runners into different
groups, the difference in level
between runners is more notable
in trail running,” says Beaudette.
“That’s why we have to be careful
about the difficulty level in each
training.” The intention is to give
the runners a decent challenge
to help them get better, but still
keep everyone safe.
In recent years, Beaudette has
seen more interest and more
races appearing on the horizon.
At the club’s beginning, Xtrail
races in Orford and Sutton were
the two main events, where
almost everyone from the club
ran together. They’ve now been
going to other races around
Quebec and organizing a group
to run at the Bromont Ultra this
October. “It’s always a motivation for the club when we can take on the chal-
lenge with our friends,” he says.
CLUB DE TRAIL Both coaches and members get a lot out of the club, in mutual appre-
SHERBROOKE, ciation of the natural world. “[On the trail], we’re not even talking about
QUEBEC running,” says Beaudette. “People cheer each other on, discover their
running possibilities and develop friendships. It’s an excellent way to
Club Stats socialize with people who share the same values and the same passion as
you. Although we may not have the 1,000 m climbs of the Alps or the vistas
MEMBERS 200+ found out west, a challenge is never too far when trail running around the
MEMBERSHIP FEES $90 per season (May to October) Sherbrooke area. If you love stubbed toes, slippery roots and rocks, the
Courtesy Club de Trail
OPEN TO Runners of all levels trails in the Eastern Townships are for you.”
DISTANCES 5 km, 8 km, and 13 km
FACEBOOK @traillecoureur Stirling Myles writes about running, ultrarunning, music and mental health. He lives
WEBSITE lecoureur.com/pages/club-de-trail-le-coureur in Sherbrooke, Que., and Gainesville, Fla., and is currently training to run a 100-mile
race while sharing his love of tacos to anyone within earshot.

back straight
Ralph Arnold
and Fran Tatebe
Lethbridge, Alta.
These unconventional 60-year-olds have
explored the world in their runners
By Chantelle Erickson
A t a time when he knew few other stay-at-home

dads, Ralph Arnold, 60, gave up his career as
an analytical chemist to raise his daughter, Natalie
of runners—a pair of green Sauconys. He returns
the favour, today, by lugging around her gear and
fuel on long runs.
Fran and Ralph’s
Go-To Gear
(now 25), and allow his wife, Fran Tatebe, to build Tatebe and Arnold have travelled to the U.S., Salomon Bonatti Running
her optometry business. He achieved his marathon Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Jacket (Fran and Ralph)
PB of 2:59 while logging 5,000 km on his jogging Argentina, Bali, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, FRAN: “It’s light, waterproof,
stroller, with a bike computer attached. Since then, Japan, Nepal, Namibia, Morocco, Croatia, has a hood and packs small.”
he and Tatebe, who met at the University of Alberta Montenegro and Albania, running to explore and
in 1979, have logged thousands of kilometres while learn about each destination. Ultimate Direction
seeing the world. Together they have completed every distance Adventure Pack (Fran),
Tatebe started running while participating in a from 5k to 100k. They’ve been members of their Ultimate Direction
Grade 12 biology project about running’s effect on local marathon club, operated by the Runner’s FKT Vest (Ralph)
aerobic capacity. Arnold, at the time, was an occa- Soul shop, for 27 years, and completed a destina- FRAN: “It doesn’t move,
sional runner, but picked up his commitment when tion run around Mont Blanc in France, Italy and stays put, holds a ton of gear
he started dating Tatebe and kept her company on Switzerland in 2019. The trip featured six days of and doesn’t bounce.”
long runs while she was training for her first mara- guided running from hut to hut with one day off,
thon. Tatebe couldn’t bear to see Arnold running and covered 170 km. Saucony Exodus
in hiking boots, so she gifted him his first real pair Arnold has worked at Runner’s Soul for 10 years, Trail Shoes (Ralph)
and is one of the founders (and the current race “They’re bomb-proof.”
director) of the 20-mile Coulee Cactus Crawl,
Lethbridge’s first official trail race. He also volun- Lululemon Speed Up
teers with immigrant services and the Lethbridge Shorts (Fran)
Food Bank, and cared for other children at various “They’re so comfortable, I
times while raising Natalie, an ophthalmology resi- don’t even notice them.”
dent who has also recently taken up running.
In summer, the pair can often be found running
challenging 20- to 30-km stretches of breathtaking
mountain trails in Waterton or Banff national
parks. This fall they are off to Switzerland on their LEFT Fran Tatebe and
second destination run, where they will cover 230 Ralph Arnold in the
Grand Canyon
km of trail over eight days.
TOP Tatebe and Arnold
Chantelle Erickson is a Lethbridge, Alta.-based
marathoner, ultrarunner and coach with Personal Peak.
She’s also a certified personal trainer, pre- and postnatal
fitness specialist and freelance group fitness instructor
with her own company, Be Well Chantelle.

reviews marketplace
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Many runners are familiar with the ancient Greek Victoria, BC V8V 0A4
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(during wwi), was reported killed—not once, but twice. Vancouver, BC V6R 1N9 boutiquecourir.com
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relates all of this and more in his new book, Running The Right Shoe 6579 Rue St. Denis
1601 W 4th Ave. Montreal, QC H2S 2S1
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Robinson is the author of numerous other books on therightshoe.ca
Le Coureur
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running’s evolution, such as the origins of cross country runinn.com
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and his passionate advocacy; reports of distressed ladies
collapsing at the finish line were both exaggerated and
misunderstood, and led to the event being banned for
decades.—Anne Francis

crossing the line
By Martha Tatarnic
In Praise I am not naturally athletic. Growing up, academics

and music came easily, so that’s where I put my
of Small time and energy. When I tried to throw or hit a ball, jump,
swing a racket or run, all I experienced was the humilia-
tion of realizing I didn’t have a hope of ever being as good
Goals as my peers.
In my 20s, I was less embarrassed to pursue athletics.
I was still slow and unco-ordinated, but it didn’t seem
Music and academics came to matter as much. I started running because I wanted
easily to me, but finishing to look a certain way, and thought running was the
quickest way to accomplish that. I stuck with running as
my first 10K felt like the
that initial motivation morphed into a surprising joy in
most astonishing thing being able to get around my community on foot, not to
I’d ever accomplished mention having my body and brains continually swim-
ming in endorphins.
I also stuck with running when I realized that it was
OK to set small goals. It was 7 km between my apartment
and work, and I started tackling it on foot. At first it was
daunting, but soon felt manageable through a combina-
tion of running and walking. I remember the elation I felt
the first time I ran the whole distance.
The next running goal required dismantling my
biggest athletic hangups. When my friend Jeff invited
me to run with him, I balked. Nothing would be more
embarrassing than having Jeff, an accomplished mara-
thoner, see what an imposter I was.
Jeff persisted, and with great reluctance, I met him
after work one night for a run. I was apologetic and
red-faced. He was affirming and helpful. I discovered it
can be fun to run with a friend. I also discovered that
the running community includes an astonishing range
of skill and experience. It wasn’t just that I learned a lot
from Jeff; he also genuinely meant it when he said that
running at a slower pace could help his training, too. He
encouraged me to sign up for a race, and suddenly the
idea no longer seemed like a nightmare.
I took a deep breath and pressed “register” for a 10k
race in Ottawa. “If I can run a 10k,” I proclaimed, “that
would be the greatest pinnacle of achievement I could
imagine.” I had won awards for music and academics, but
crossing that finish line in Ottawa in under an hour felt
like the most astonishing thing I had ever done.
I have continued to set and achieve other outlandish
goals. With Jeff’s encouragement and the embrace of the
running community, I learned to improve incrementally
and not to be discouraged by setbacks and slow days.
Eventually half-marathons and marathons became both
doable and enjoyable.
I learned that it is pretty grand not to be naturally
good at things and to do them anyway. Maybe the more
valuable life skills come not from honing our innate
talents, but from learning to rely on the help of others, to
develop skills that don’t come easily and to be OK with
setting and reaching goals one small step at a time.
Martha Tatarnic is an Anglican priest and runner in

St. Catharines, Ont. Her second book, Why Gather? was
Marathon Photos
published recently and is full of running metaphors for

Martha Tatarnic
races the 2022 making sense of the world.
Ottawa Marathon

RUN XX NITRO
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BEST BUDS! EARBUD REVIEW NELSON, B.C.

Best Fast Meals

Shoes Race the

36 Born in Calgary but living in the U.S. from

Mental Toughness: Shifting the Paradigm

46 The concept of mental toughness is under-

runningmagazine.ca Canadian Running 1

Editor Anne Francis

Tough ON THE COVER

M arathon season is once again upon us, and runners

PHOTO Brice Ferre

2 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

PROPELS YOU BUILT TO MADE TO STAY CONNECTS TO

2. Growing up in Hazelton, B.C. [445 km northwest of Prince

4. in places that make you happy. Keep a training log—for me, it

4 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

runningmagazine.ca Canadian Running 5

6 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

O n July 17, a cool morning in Eugene, Ore., Cam Levins

8 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

WOMEN PA C E SET THE

10 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

runningmagazine.ca Canadian Running 11

Short Intervals By Cameron Levins

for the W orkouts during a marathon or half-marathon build can be

I ﬁnd that this workout is useful as speedwork for longer events,

» 25 x 60 seconds @10K pace with 45 seconds’ rest

Cameron Levins is a two-time Olympian, Commonwealth Games bronze

LEFT Cameron Levins

12 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

Photo Credit: Andy Cochrane (top and left),

14 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

Y ou’re well on your way to your next marathon or half-

Have a key word, mantra

Brett Basbaum writes, reads and runs in the community of

16 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

I f you want to become a faster, more eﬃcient and resilient

18 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

Jon-Erik Kawamoto, MSc, CK, CSCS, is a strength and conditioning

runningmagazine.ca Canadian Running 19

Cross Country: Not Just for Kids

T he ﬁrst cool day of the fall always triggers a deep

20 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

REACTIVE LIGHTING for optimized burn times.

LEFT The author training/racing

It’s a tried-and-true practice to jump into races during

Training If you really need to ﬁnd a way to make the mileage

22 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

L ocated in the West Kootenay region of British

Easy: Waterfront Pathway

Uncredited, Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism/Thomas Nowaczynski.

24 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

Easy: Great Northern Rail Trail Moderate: Pulpit Rock to Flagpole

Toad Mountain, at 2,200 m. Popular routes

Melissa Offner is a television and podcast host,

runningmagazine.ca Canadian Running 25

Royal Victoria Marathon

DATE October 9, 2022

26 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

runningmagazine.ca Canadian Running 27

You can be perfectly trained for your marathon or

28 Canadian Running September & October 2022 Volume 15 Issue 6

runningmagazine.ca Canadian Running 29