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Visualization

by John Stanton

As you prepare for a marathon, it can be helpful to imagine the experience in advance. Read on for a sample play-by-play of a marathon race.

After months of self-discipline and hard training, it is the morning of the marathon. You are rested and well hydrated. At the start line, some runners are silent and pensive while others are laughing and joking. There is a mixture of nervous adrenaline and anticipation all around you.

The horn sounds and you are off. At first, it is more of a shuffle than a run as laughter and noise fill the air. You hear a mixture of race chatter, both from the runners and the people lining the course at the start. Continue reading “Visualization”

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Race Giving

Race: Heritage Law Offices presents Big Gifts for Little Lives 5K Walk/Run
Charity: Big Gifts for Little Lives
Funds raised to date: $105,000

by Lindsey Kemp

Big Gifts for Little Lives was founded in 2017 by Lindsey Kemp after she found out her five-month-old son, George, was in heart failure and was going to need a heart transplant. While her son was waiting for a heart, Lindsey organized a 5K Walk/Run and silent auction where, because of generous sponsorship, 100% of the donations went towards Pediatric Heart Transplant Research at the Stollery to hopefully one day find a cure. Many people do not realize that any type of transplant is not a cure. Pediatric hearts only last about 15 to 20 years. And because this is such a niche area in medicine, funding for research is imperative. Continue reading “Race Giving”

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Instructor Profile/Ian Hunter–Slater Street, Ottawa, ON

by Justin Wall

As the Slater Street Running Room’s incumbent Ottawa Marathon training program co-instructor, Ian consistently displays the qualities we all look for in a mentor. His years of running experience—many of which were spent right here in our store—make him an invaluable wealth of information for even the most seasoned athletes. With his kind heart and genuine compassion for others, our Run Clubbers see him as a mentor, even when he’s not formally coaching. Continue reading “Instructor Profile/Ian Hunter–Slater Street, Ottawa, ON”

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Here’s to Strong Women!

Love, you.

The 2019 SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. Run for Women program raised $2.5 million for 17 women’s mental health initiatives across Canada. These programs have helped thousands of women manage the challenges that come with mental health illnesses such as depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia and post-partum depression. It takes a lot of heart to care for your mind. Thank you to the over 26,000 who participated, who donated, and who came out to cheer on the all the runners and walkers. We would also like thank our Run for Women sponsor Shoppers Drug Mart® for donating $10 per registrant and raising the majority of funds through events in your stores. We hope that more Canadians will use exercise as a great way to manage mental health. We look forward to seeing you all again next year! Continue reading “Here’s to Strong Women!”

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What Nutritional Choices Should Runners Make to Help Them “Stay Regular?”

by Tara Postnikoff

Consuming dietary fibre will help runners have regular daily bowel movements. Fibre can help normalize bowel movements and provides the bulk to keep them well-formed (not too loose and not too hard).

What foods contain fibre?
Fibre is a component of carbohydrates that provides little caloric value or energy as it passes through the digestive tract without being absorbed. It is commonly found in the skins of fruits and vegetables and the outer coat of grains, lentils, legumes, nuts and seeds. One of the main benefits of fibre is promoting a healthy colon and good intestinal function. Fibre also helps with the elimination of waste products from the body and promotes a healthy gut biome by giving the “good” gut bacteria something to feed on. Continue reading “What Nutritional Choices Should Runners Make to Help Them “Stay Regular?””

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There Are No Red Lights in Marathons

by Kalia Douglas-Micallef

“But I’m tired,” I moaned and huffed as my mother and I arrived at a crosswalk with the red hand flashing.

“There are no red lights in marathons,” my mother would say.

“Keep jogging on the spot!”

My mother, Gabriella, transformed her life through running. At times, it seemed that running was the new love of her life in place of me, her daughter. I would wait in the early mornings for what seemed like forever for my mom to come back from her long runs. I would be the last one to be picked up at birthday parties due to her running.

She travelled far and wide, just for running. Continue reading “There Are No Red Lights in Marathons”

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Tamarack Ottawa Marathon

by Phil Marsh

The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend continued its status as a double IAAF Gold Label event, along with both the marathon and 10K events serving as the Canadian Championships. Over 32,000 participants from around the world ran, walked and rolled to the finish line in events including 2K, 5K, 10K, 21.1K and the sold-out 42.2K.

It was the final race as Race Director for John Halvorsen, who is leaving Run Ottawa to return to the high-tech world. A former two-time Olympic finalist in the 10,000 metre event, John was honoured at the President’s Reception for his work to build this weekend into a world-class race. John will soon be inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame as a Builder and an Athlete, both richly deserved honours. Continue reading “Tamarack Ottawa Marathon”

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2019 Nutrience Oakville Half Marathon

On the shores of Lake Ontario, the sun rises on a calm, brisk fall morning. A certain energy falls over the streets of Oakville, where runners and walkers take their place in the Start Line chute. They are waiting to put their summer training to the test at the 13th annual Nutrience Oakville Half Marathon on October 5-6, 2019. The horn goes off and participants set off on their 21.1K journey through the streets of beautiful Oakville. 

This fall must-run event will take participants through the most scenic areas of Oakville, with a brand-new route that begins and ends at Shell Park. The new route presents runners with the opportunity for new personal bests, with sights including Coronation Park, the Lake Ontario waterfront and Bronte Harbour. When surveyed, 90% of participants said they will run the event again, and we look forward to welcoming them back this year. Continue reading “2019 Nutrience Oakville Half Marathon”

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Say Hello to the Run-elles

by Darcia Kmet

In May 1999, eight women set foot—or rather, running shoe—into the Bank Street Running Room in Ottawa, for the first day of the 10-week 10K training program. The goal? To run and complete the Rattle Me Bones race. Each of the women had an individual reason for joining this clinic: lose weight, run faster, set a personal best time, meet new people, and so on.

The clinic leaders welcomed runners, both new and veteran, and outlined how the evening and next 10 weeks would unfold. Every week, participants would be greeted by then-store manager Phil Marsh as they arrived. Runners gathered around clothing racks, perused the latest styles and eventually huddled with those of equal running pace while they waited in anticipation for the session to start. The weekly routine entailed a guest speaker and a breakdown of the evening’s workout—followed by packs of runners taking over the Rideau Canal path for their scheduled group run. Continue reading “Say Hello to the Run-elles”

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Muscle Strains

The body has hundreds of muscles of  various types—slow twitch, fast twitch, skeletal, smooth and cardiac, to name a few. Muscles provide their power by contracting and relaxing, thereby generating a force that causes movement. Running muscles require a strong anchor (where one end of the muscle attaches to a bone or ligament) and the other end of the muscle connects to the flexible part of the limb. When that muscle contracts or shortens, movement of the joint is produced.

The science behind this muscle contraction and relaxation is very complex. It involves proteins called actin and myosin, along with various other elements including calcium, potassium, sodium and water. This is why it is so important to supply the fuel (water, electrolytes, etc.) for the muscles to work while you are training. Continue reading “Muscle Strains”