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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”

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Nutrition Tips For Destination Races

by Lisa Podlecki

Racing in a different city or town can be exciting—however, changes to your food choices or eating schedule can lead to stomach issues and under-fuelling. With a bit of planning and preparation, you can optimize your fueling strategy and be prepared to perform your best on race day.

Before You Go
During the week leading up to your departure, do some advance research. If travelling on a plane, check if food and drink will be allowed onboard. Re-read the details of your accommodations to confirm if breakfast is included. If yes, see when it is served and if this aligns with your pre-race schedule. Find out what kinds of items will be provided, particularly if you have allergies or specific dietary needs. Do an online search to locate the nearest restaurants and grocery stores. Continue reading “Nutrition Tips For Destination Races”

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Guardians Half Marathon and 5K

The annual Guardians Half Marathon & 5K is the signature provincial run for the Law Enforcement Torch Run, in support of Special Olympics. What started in 2017 with 350 runners and $25,000 raised, grew to 450 runners and $32,000 raised in its second year. We are very excited for year three and hope to continue this incredible growth, supporting a cause that impacts so many lives every day. Continue reading “Guardians Half Marathon and 5K”

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Instructor Profile/Alexander Molnar–Kingston, ON

by J.B. O’Reilly

The bad winter weather of 2018-2019 made life challenging for many Canadians, including those enrolled in the Half Marathon training program at the Running Room location in Kingston, Ontario.

Despite the crazy weather conditions we encountered week after week, the good-natured personality of instructor Alexander Molnar made our clinic an enjoyable experience. Continue reading “Instructor Profile/Alexander Molnar–Kingston, ON”

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Race Giving

Race: Foodfare-WPS Half Marathon
Charity: The Canadian Cancer Society
Funds raised in 2019: over $2 million

by Nick Paulet

For the 15th year, participants from across Manitoba and beyond gathered to celebrate personal goals as well as community service. On May 5, the 15th annual Foodfare-Winnipeg Police Service Half Marathon was held in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. Continue reading “Race Giving”

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The Science of Stride Rate

Recently, there has been a recent surge in research, magazine articles, and blogs about stride rate. Let’s take a look at the science behind this commonly misunderstood biomechanical factor.

How fast you run is a function of two factors: (1) the length of your stride and (2) the frequency at which you take those strides—known as your stride rate. To run faster, either factor has to increase. For the past 30 years, the magic number of 180 steps (beats) per minute (bpm) has been discussed as the goal. This arbitrary target number has been seen as a method to increase running economy and potentially reduce joint loading during running. Continue reading “The Science of Stride Rate”