Running News Daily

Moh Ahmed, Cam Levins to face off at Ottawa 10K

Two of the fastest distance runners in Canadian history will go head-to-head.

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend will once again host the Canadian 10K Championships in 2023, and as always, this is an event that no runner or fan will want to miss. Two of the best distance runners in Canadian history, Cam Levins and Moh Ahmed, will headline the men’s race alongside former national champions. And four of the top five women from last year’s championships are returning, making the Ottawa 10K one of the most anticipated races on the 2023 event calendar.

It’s an equally fun and exciting race for non-elites, as the 10K follows a beautiful course through Ottawa, one of Canada’s most beautiful cities. The 2023 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is set for May 27 and 28.

The elite fields

Canadian Olympic marathoner Dylan Wykes has been the elite athlete co-ordinator at Run Ottawa for four years, but due to the pandemic, the 2023 race weekend will mark only the second in-person edition of the event he has worked on since taking over the role in early 2020. Wykes says this year’s race will be a special one, as “the best 10K runners in the country will be hitting the streets of Ottawa.”

Headlining the event are Levins and Ahmed, neither of whom have ever competed at Ottawa Race Weekend. Ahmed, a 2020 Olympic medallist in the 5,000m, holds the Canadian record for 10,000m (26:34.14 on the track), but has not yet raced on the roads in his professional career. Ahmed is amped about the opportunity to kick off his 2023 season at the Ottawa 10K and make his road-racing debut.

Levins told race organizers he’s eager to check the Ottawa 10K off his bucket list. “The opportunity to run in such a competitive field in Canada is really great,” Levins said. “Ottawa has always been an event at which I’ve wanted to race.” Joining Ahmed and Levins in the men’s field are 2:10 marathoner Tristan Woodfine, U Sports cross-country champion Max Turek, Canadian cross-country champion Connor Black and others. 

The women’s field is equally stacked, with four of the top five women from the 2022 Ottawa 10K returning to this year’s championship race. Natasha Wodak, who won last year’s race, will not be back to defend her title, but second-place Leslie Sexton, third-place Sasha Gollish, fourth-place Emily Setlack and fifth-place Cleo Boyd are all in the lineup and ready to fight for the win. “It’s a really great group of women,” Wykes says, pointing out that the field spans more than 15 years in age. “All these women have great stories and are an inspiration. 

“This is a great opportunity for fans of the sport to see [these athletes] in action,” Wykes continues, pointing to Ahmed and Levins, who headline the men’s 10K field. “Levins is performing incredibly well right now, as well as any Canadian ever has on the roads at the world level, so it’s an exciting opportunity for fans of the sport to get to see him compete on home soil.”

Wykes adds that the 10K isn’t the only spectacle for fans who will be in Ottawa on May 27 and 28. “The entire weekend is a great opportunity to see some of the world’s best runners,” he says. “Our marathon is a World Athletics Elite Label event and will have athletes from three of the best marathoning nations in the world: Ethiopia, Kenya and Japan.” 

The race

For runners who aren’t looking to go sub-30 at the Ottawa 10K, this is still a great race. One detail Wykes points out that makes it unique is the race’s start time. “I think it is special because it is an evening race,” he says. “Most road races are held in the morning, so there is definitely a bit of a different feel to things when the race is in the evening.” 

Wykes says fans are “a bit rowdier” than they might be at the crack of dawn, and he says there’s “a bit more of a party atmosphere.” This all adds up to a great night of adrenaline, fast racing and post-race fun. 

The race starts on Elgin Street, not far from Parliament Hill, and takes runners down to the Rideau Canal. “Elgin Street is lined with patios and restaurants,” Wykes says, so there are plenty of people to cheer runners on as they kick off the race. Once at the Rideau Canal, runners follow the water all the way to Dows Lake, then cross a bridge and head for the finish on the other side.

“The final mile of the race is packed with fans along the Pretoria Bridge and Colonel By Drive,” Wykes says. “I’m getting excited now, just thinking about it.” 

(05/11/2023) Views: 829 ⚡AMP

Former Canadian record holder Malindi Elmore will run her first Tartan Ottawa International Marathon

Malindi Elmore will be making her first appearance in the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon leading a star-studded field as part of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend on 27–28 May.

Elmore, 43, debuted in the Athens Olympics in 2004 and returned to the Olympics Games in 2021 in Tokyo. In between, Elmore has won Canadian Championships, competed in triathlon, and had two children.

In her 1500m career Elmore won a bronze at the Pan American Games and at the World University Games. She is also 4x Canadian Champion over 1500m.

But Elmore found her stride in the marathon after her debut in Houston in 2019. She proceeded to break the Canadian record in 2020, running her personal best of 2:24:50. In another outstanding run, Elmore was 9th in the 2021 Olympic Games Marathon, the second highest-ever placing for a Canadian woman. She is also the defending Canadian Marathon Champion.

Elmore is running the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon as a stepping stone to a hopeful return to the Olympic Games next year in Paris.

“I can’t wait to see what Canada’s capital has in store for me,” said Elmore. “My goals for the race are to run competitively and finish strong! The marathon is a race that requires a lot of respect so if I can achieve those two goals, I will run fast!”

“We cannot wait to host Malindi in the nation’s capital for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend,” said Dylan Wykes, Elite Athlete Coordinator. “Malindi is such a great role model in our sport as a mom, a coach, and world class marathon runner.”

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s biggest race weekend and will run on May 27–28, 2023. You can learn more and register by visiting runottawa.ca.

(04/15/2023) Views: 743 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

Canadian Cameron Levins will be seeking new national marathon record in Tokyo

Canada’s Cameron Levins is racing the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday, he will be looking to improve his own national record of 2:07:09, which he set last summer during the Eugene World Athletics Championships.

Asked if he will be going after the 2024 Paris Olympic entry standard of 2:08:10 or the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships standard of 2:09:40, he told Athletics Illustrated, “I think we’re waiting to see what the pace options are before making that decision, but certainly looking for a personal best and not just standard.”

Levins set a new Canadian half-marathon record on February 12 at the First Half Half Marathon clocking a 60:18. He finished 4:03 ahead of his nearest competitor. Although that time, according to World Athletics’ points performance scale is almost, but not quite, as good as his marathon best, it was run in less than ideal conditions. For example, in Eugene, there was a highly competitive field to race with — to bring the best out of him. Additionally, in Vancouver, although not overly challenging, the weather was cool and windy. The general consensus is he could have run the First Half Half Marathon a little faster, yet. Perhaps right at the level of his national marathon record. So, we know from that performance he is in great shape.

Looking at his options in Tokyo, Levins has a fast course and runners looking for a fast time and prize money.

The field is led by Ethiopian Lemma Sisay who has run as fast as 2:03:36 back in 2019 at the Berlin Marathon. He has also run at least three other sub-2:07-marathons. As it has been four years since Sisay set his best, anyone of Kenyans Bernard Koech (2:04:09), CyBrian Kotut (2:04:47), Titus Kipruto (2:04:54), Ugandan Stehen Kissa (2:04:48), Ethiopian Deso Gelmisa (2:04:53) could challenge for the win. There are also several fast Japanese runners led by Kengo Suzuki with his 2:04:56. He holds the national record from Otsu, Japan two years ago. There are six others who have run 2:05 to 2:07 — right in Levins’ range.

The 24-year-old Kipruto finished second in the Amsterdam Marathon last October — less than five months ago. He was beaten only by Ethiopian Tsegaye Getachew by five seconds. Gelmiso, just 25 and Kipruto won the 2022 Valencia and Milano Marathons respectively. If the weather is ideal expect a couple of 2:03 marathons in Tokyo. Currently the forecast is trending in the right direction with projected highs of 13-16 degrees.

Prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Levins ran several marathons that ended in disappointment. These included the London Marathon in poor weather as well as Chandler, AZ, where he looked fresh at 32 kilometers into the race, running with the lead pack, only to fade to a 2:12:15 clocking. At the 11th hour, he boarded a plane for Fürstenfeld, Austria and ran a small marathon event just fast enough to qualify for the Olympics at 2:10:14. However, by the time he go to Sapporo, where the event was held, some 800 kilometers north of Tokyo, it was hot at 34 degrees celsius, and perhaps he had run too many marathons leading up. The standard was 2:11:30 at the time.

The 33-year-old Vancouver Island native has had big highs with breaking the Canadian marathon record three times, competing in two Olympic Games and at one time holding the national 10,000m record. Anything can and often does happen in a marathon event. Expect Levins to improve his own national marathon record and perhaps run 2:06 plus or minus a few seconds if all works out for him.

It was not long ago that the 43-year-old Canadian record was stuck at a modest 2:10:09 by Jerome Drayton from his run in Fukuoka, Japan in 1975. Excellent Canadian marathon runners Reid Coolsaet, Dylan Wykes, and Eric Gillis among others had led the Canadian Marathon resurgence. Levins has taken the mantle from there and has run with it to repeat records. The standard he has set and will likely continue to, will be a benchmark for up and coming Canadians to follow. Perhaps to put Canada back on the global marathon map.Levins recently signed with Asics as his new shoe sponsor. Until 2021, he was with HOKA and prior to that Nike with the now defunct Nike Oregon Project that was led by the now banned Alberto Salazar. Levins is now coached by fellow Vancouver Island runner Jim Finlayson.

(03/02/2023) Views: 835 ⚡AMP
by Christopher Kelsall

Groundbreaking New Study on Pregnancy and Performance

On the morning of August 27, Allison Baca was greeted by a foreboding gloom at the trailhead beneath 13,229-foot Mount Audubon, in Colorado. She decided to give her objective a shot anyway, planning to turn around if the weather went from gloom to doom. 

With her partner Tony, she had blocked off this date on the calendar weeks in advance as her chance to spend all morning in the mountains, chasing history on the iconic Pawnee-Buchanan Loop above Boulder. Those free mornings were extra special. Free time has been much harder to find on the calendar since she became a mom last year.

On March 26, 2021, she gave birth to her first child, Mateo. The 17 months since then have been a journey, full of ups and downs that only a parent can truly understand (as a soon-to-be first-time dad, I have watched enough preparing-for-baby videos to understand that I won't understand the chaos until I live it). 

Something about that journey made Allison even more unstoppable on the trails. So she went into the mountains with confidence . . . and also some time constraints. 

Pawnee-Buchanan is a 27-mile route with 7,000 feet of climbing over technical mountain terrain. Ever since Anton Krupicka first reset what was possible in 2010 by running 4:50, Boulder trail runners have taken their cracks at the route, with plenty of cracked ankles and broken spirits to show for it. The women's record stood at 5:34, set by stellar athlete Emily Caldwell. Challenging that time would require speed and technical proficiency. But most of all, it would require strength. Luckily, over the previous 17 months, Allison had honed a new skill that she'd be taking with her: Mom Strength.

Over the 27 miles, she fought through vicious wind gusts in remote wilderness, with enough ups and downs to ruin any quad muscle. Her final time? An astounding 5 hours and 5 minutes. Allison beat her goals and made history. "It was exciting to finish the loop and realize that I was able to run faster than I had ever imagined starting the day!" she said.

When asked about how pregnancy and motherhood changed her as an athlete leading up to the performance, she paused. In that pause, I sensed a weight that someone can only feel when they have lived through the shit, for better and for worse, and are trying to summarize something messy into something neat.

"Motherhood has given me more of an identity outside of running," Allison said. "Sports used to be my identity, and they still are a part of my identity, but they are not everything. If a run doesn't go well, I used to dwell on it. Now there isn't time to dwell-I need to bring my best mom-self through the front door after good or bad runs. My life feels more well-rounded, and it can be exhausting. But I think it helps my running."

The journey was full of that uncertain chaos, and very few parenting journeys are as tidy as they can seem from the outside. For Allison, it all led to a mind-blowing FKT performance, and I think there's a strong argument that it's one of the best "FKTs of the Year" in the whole world. We can't be sure what propelled her to such a historic performance-it's some combination of talent, toughness, training, and intangibles. 

But based on a study that was just released, I think we can draw one certain conclusion about at least one of those intangibles. For some athletes, Mom Strength can be a superpower even when it comes with some mom exhaustion. 

Study Overview

The study was published online ahead of print in August 2022 in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Journal, reviewing training and performance trajectories of 42 elite runners during and after pregnancy. The author list was a who's who of top researchers: Francine Darroch, Amy Schneeberg, Ryan Brodie, Zachary Ferraro, Dylan Wykes, Sarita Hira, Audrey Giles, Kristi Adamo, and Trent Stellingwerff. The superstar team tackled a big, thorny topic that is usually full of whispers and innuendo, rather than data. 

Leaving the world of anecdotes and wishful thinking behind, what does pregnancy actually do to athletes?

Let's get straight to the fascinating finding: athletes "who intended to return to high-level competition did so at a statistically similar level of performance in the 1 to 3-year period post-pregnancy." But there's something even more exciting. A whopping 46% of these elite athletes improved performances post-pregnancy. 

A baby does not mean an athlete has to press stop and rewind. Those little poop machines sometimes just require a brief slow-down, followed by fast-forwarding to the best part of the show. It's complicated, though, and everyone is different. 

In interpreting the study, I'll try to highlight just how different it shows that every journey can be, even if those complications might not make the headlines.

Study Context

The study was such a massive leap into the unknown because it was the first of its kind. As the authors said, "we are unaware of any previous study with significant participant numbers that has systematically and statistically investigated directly published quantitative performance outcomes before and after pregnancy." 

A 2019 study in BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine had completed a pregnancy questionnaire and interview with 34 elite athletes and compared that to a control group, finding no differences in pregnancy outcomes or returns to full activity. That study didn't look at long-term training or performance levels, so the 2022 study is really talking about venturing into a new research frontier.

To explore that frontier, the research team set some constraints. They would be gathering data on an athlete's first pregnancy only. In addition, the participants would be elite athletes, with times equivalent to a 2:46 marathon or faster in events 1,500 meters and up. The participants received a 139-question survey on training during and after pregnancy, completed with data from their training logs. 35 of the 42 athletes had performance times from the 1 to 3 years before birth on the World Athletics website, and those times were compared with postpartum results.

What a cool study design! By focusing on elite athletes, the researchers set up a tough hurdle to jump. Participants had already been striving to optimize their performances, so how does pregnancy affect optimization? It seems suboptimal to have a body's processes taken over by an ever-growing parasite for 10 months, right? Wrong, of course. The study results demonstrated the complexities of long-term performance, since many of the athletes actually got faster than before.

Study Findings

First, 57% of athletes reported conceiving during a period of decreased training load, with 24% intentionally decreasing training around conception. That may show that some athletes think that elite training is less conducive to conception, or that athletes focus on family planning during a break from competition.

Second, during pregnancy, athletes decreased training load from pre-pregnancy levels. They ran significantly fewer sessions, dropping from 9 per week to 5 per week, and the proportion of intensity decreased. Running volume decreased to 64-73% of pre-pregnancy in the first trimester, 49-54% in the second trimester, and 29-36% in third trimester, with more cross training toward the end of pregnancy than the beginning. Running paces slowed significantly, up to 23% in the third trimester. But athletes still averaged significantly more training than recommended by international exercise guidelines for pregnant people.

Third, after pregnancy, participants averaged 6 weeks off running and 3 weeks off cross training. They returned to 80% of pre-pregnancy loads at 14 weeks postpartum. The error bars on those numbers were large, showing substantial inter-individual variability. 

After pregnancy, athletes raced less, dropping from 7.2 races per year to 2.8 races per year in the year after pregnancy, increasing to 4.4 races per year in the 3 to 5 years postpartum. But what's so exciting is what they did with those races.

Performance Findings

60% of the participants planned to return to pre-pregnancy levels or greater. This cohort saw no change in performance levels. Most exciting of all, "Nearly half of the athletes (46%) had better IAAF performance scores in the 1- to-2 years post-pregnancy than during the two years before birth." 

While those numbers are exciting and hopeful, they are a bit more complex than they might seem at first glance. What about the 54% of athletes who didn't improve in the 2 years after pregnancy, despite intending to? What about the stories that aren't leading off running articles like this one? That's where the discussion gets a bit more complicated.

Pregnancy and Performance

In the discussions around pregnancy and training, I think we often seek simple narratives. I'm looking squarely in the mirror when I say that. 

To start this article, I framed pregnancy as a potential superpower, which it clearly is not for everyone. While there are examples of athletes coming back stronger than ever, like Allison, there are many stories of athletes that really struggle to train during and after pregnancy. Some of those athletes never reach the same levels again, and those stories need to be told too.

As the authors say, "the limited data do not appear to support pregnancy as ergogenic for any physiological variables." Thus, the process of pregnancy alone is unlikely to be a performance enhancer. But as the study found, it can coincide with improvements in performance in many athletes, even elite athletes that were already pushing their training limits. 

Headline: WOW, that is so exciting and hopeful!

Subheading: HOWEVER, it's often so scary and uncertain.

The hopeful data need to be understood in conjunction with the negative outcomes, too. I have been fortunate to coach many athletes through and beyond pregnancy, including Allison. I was excited to tell Allison's story because she is, well, a badass, and it can be motivating to have these uplifting models of Mom Strength. This study showed that intention to return at higher levels than before pregnancy was a key element in actually returning and exceeding to those levels, so I want to support a system of all-caps BELIEF that lets an athlete know it's possible.

But it won't happen for everyone. If 46% of athletes had better performance scores in the 2 years post-pregnancy than 2 years pre-birth, that means 54% did not. Those 54% may go much faster at Year-3 or Year-5 or Year-10, and I imagine each of those data points on both sides of the improvement curve involve stories of joy and sadness that are rarely told publicly. 

This study showed that intention to return at higher levels than before pregnancy was a key element in actually returning and exceeding to those levels, so I want to support a system of all-caps BELIEF that lets an athlete know it's possible.

The authors highlight the complexity and those stories. "Our results may reflect a shift in the broader athletics culture and wider acceptance that individuals continue to compete at an elite level, and some possibly at a higher level than they did pre-pregnancy." 

An athlete like Megan doesn't neatly fit into this study. Yes, she's elite. But she hasn't been able to train through pregnancy. Yes, she hasn't gotten injured. But it's tough to get injured when reading at the creek, outside of papercuts. And yes, she intends to come back stronger and faster than ever. But it's not a choice.

If anyone can do it, though, it's Megan. This study adds a few cups to the hope bucket, for her and other athletes going through the pregnancy process. That is so exciting! And it still doesn't change the fact that many of the stories around pregnancy won't be as neat and simple as the caption of this article implies.

I know one thing for sure: Megan is the strongest person I have ever met. Whether she runs faster in the future or not, well, that's out of her control, though I think she and other athletes can be full of realistic, pragmatic hope. 

Either way, I am popping some popcorn for the show ahead. Megan is so damn strong. Now just imagine what she can accomplish in life with Mom Strength.

"Taken together, these findings indicate that childbirth can be a positive part of an elite athlete's career; the forced break may have both mental and physical benefits. Additionally, our own previous research has shown that a focus on motherhood and shifting priorities may alleviate some of the stress placed on performance outcomes particularly when athletes have strong social support and childcare."

Included in those few sentences are likely thousands of stories that the researchers know about, but aren't fit to print in an academic journal. Allison's journey has been scary and non-linear at times, and her specific stories are not mine to tell. The same goes for most journeys during and beyond pregnancy.

Some athletes get faster. Some get slower. Some love the evolving process of balancing motherhood and athletics. Some cry themselves to sleep from the weight of it all. Some bodies and brains thrive, others live through tough times that only a few loved ones might ever know about. Most mix all of those feelings and fears together at one time or another.

The Uncertainty

All of those stories are equally valid. I wrote this article now because my wife/co-coach Megan is 30 weeks pregnant with our first child. She's one of the best athletes in the world, with 5 national championships and dozens of course records that boggle the mind. But a couple months before conception, she felt chest pain that turned out to be a heart condition. She has barely exercised during pregnancy, her 20-mile runs replaced by daily trips to the creek where we read books and nature bathe. It has been a simultaneously beautiful and scary process so far, and I imagine that's not going to stop anytime soon.

(09/04/2022) Views: 1,364 ⚡AMP
by Trail Runner Magazine

Ethiopians will be vying for course records at 2022 Tartan Ottawa International Marathon

Ethiopia will again be favored to win when the Ottawa International Marathon returns to an in-person event on Sunday, May 29th.

Indeed, the Ethiopian women are expected to extend their 10-year winning streak as they vye to break the course record (CR) of 2:22:17, set in 2018 by returning champion Geleta Burka. Burka will be challenged by the 2019 defending champion, Tigist Girma, who has since run twice under 2:20

These blistering fast women will be challenged by countrywoman Bruktayit Eshetu who finished 2nd in the 2019 Toronto Waterfront Marathon with a personal best of 2:22:40 and Juliet Chekwel of Uganda, who recorded a national record of 2:23:13 in her marathon debut two years ago.

Returning to Ottawa will be Lanni Marchant who broke the 28-year-old national record in 2013 by running it in exactly 2:28:00. Marchant will be heading off against Dayna Pidhoreski, the 2019 Canadian marathon champion with a personal best of 2:29:03.

Unprecedented depth of field in the men’s event

On the men’s side, Ottawa’s new Elite Athlete Coordinator Dylan Wykes, a 2012 Canadian Olympian, has assembled an unprecedented depth of field on Canadian soil. No fewer than eight of the men lining up on the start line will be boasting personal bests under 2:08, with three of them having recently run 2:06 or faster. The course record, set by fellow Ethiopian Yemane Tsegaye in 2014 is 2:06:54.

Wykes will be looking for return competitor Adugna Takele (2:05:57) and his fellow Ethiopian competitors Tsegaye Getachew Kebede (2:05:11) and Andualem Belay Shiferaw (2:05:52) to compete for that CR. The Ethiopians could see a fight from Kenyan Alex Kibet who recently won the Berlin Half Marathon with a personal best of 58:55, indicating his preparations are going well.

“It’s been an interesting challenge to build this start list with so little in-person competition over the past two years,” said Dylan Wykes, the Elite Athlete Coordinator. “Based on what we’ve seen recently with these athletes, and with how fast road races have been generally, I think we are quite likely to see some very fast times on May 29th. I can’t wait.”

The top Canadian in the men’s field is Tristan Woodfine, who was 10th in the 2018 Ottawa Marathon and will be seeking a top 10 finish.

(05/05/2022) Views: 1,041 ⚡AMP
by Paul Gains

Previous champions will headline the men's and women's races at the 125th Boston Marathon

It’s official – Boston is back with 20,000 of the world’s best marathoners taking to the start line on Monday, Oct. 11. This year’s field is locked and loaded, for the first-ever fall edition of the marathon.

This race will feature a massive elite field of 140 athletes, headlined by previous champions Lelisa Desisa, Des Linden and Edna Kiplagat plus top American runners Jordan Hasay, Molly Huddle and Abdi Abdirahman.

The women’s race

The women’s race only features two women who have run under 2:20, Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia (2:19:52) and 2017 champion Kiplagat (2:19:50). Kiplagat has raced twice this year at NYRR races, finishing sixth and third. This will be her first marathon since finishing second at Boston in 2019. Dibaba had a DNF in 2019 and was plagued with an injury at the start of the pandemic. This race will mark the return of the 2015 world champion to the marathon distance.

Another athlete to keep your eye on is Kenya’s Angela Tanui, who won the Siena Marathon in Italy earlier this year, running a nine-minute personal best of 2:20:08. Atsede Bayisa of Ethiopia, who is a part of the NN Running Team, is competing as well, after taking four years off competition. Bayisa has two road race victories to her name, which came during her training build-up to Monday’s race. Former 10-mile world record holder Caroline Chepkoech makes her marathon debut, with a half marathon personal best of 1:05:07. Chepkoech has recently changed citizenship from Kenya to Kazakhstan and will be representing her new country at this event. 

Outside of the international favorites, American track fans continue to wait for Hasay’s breakthrough. She has been third at two major marathons and has been agonizingly close to Deena Kastor’s American record, running the second-fastest time by an American (2:20:57 at Chicago 2017). Since then Hasay has changed coaches, from the controversial Alberto Salazar to former marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe, when the Nike Oregon Project disbanded due to Salazar’s investigation. Linden was the last American to win the Boston Marathon, in 2018, and will be running Boston for her seventh time. She enters the race with a PB of 2:22:38.

Toronto’s Brittany Moran is the only elite Canadian in the women’s field, coming in with a personal best of 2:36:22. Moran won Toronto’s Yorkville 5K in mid-September in a time of 16:40.  

The men’s race

The men’s race is loaded, having eight men who have run under 2:06. It is headlined by two-time Boston champion, Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa. Desisa is one of the best marathoners in the world in recent years, having won the event twice in 2013 and 2015, and finishing second in 2016 and 2019. Desisa will be challenged by his countrymen Asefa Mengstu (2:04:06) and Lemi Berhanu (2:04:33). Berhanu beat Desisa to get on the 2016 Ethiopian Olympic team, but has only finished one of his last five marathons, which was a second-place finish at Toronto’s Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon in 2019.

Kenya’s Benson Kipruto (2:05:13) and Wilson Chebet (2:05:27) are two experienced racers in the field who can wear down opponents over the Newton hills. Kipruto won the 2018 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. 2012 Olympian Dylan Wykes is the top-seeded Canadian in the field, with a personal best of 2:10:47. The last time Wykes competed in a marathon was at the Scotiabank Toronto Marathon in 2019, where he placed 30th. Rory Linkletter from Alberta will compete in his first Boston Marathon, and will look to follow in the footsteps of his U.S. Hoka NAZ Elite training partner Scott Fauble, to run under 2:10 at this race. Linkletter ran his marathon personal best of  2:12:54 at the Marathon Project in 2020. Thomas Toth (2:16:28) of Ontario is the other Canadian in the men’s elite field. 44-year-old American runner Abdirahman will be on the start line as the top U.S. athlete, only 64 days after he competed in the Tokyo Olympic marathon.

The 2021 Boston Marathon will mark the first time the race will take place on the same day as a Boston Red Sox playoff game. The Red Sox will play Game 4 of the ALDS series at Fenway Park on Monday evening. The weather is calling for 17 to 20 degrees C in the morning, with only a 20 per cent chance of precipitation. 

How to watch the 2021 Boston Marathon

Live coverage of the event will begin at 8 a.m. ET, with the men’s and women’s wheelchair races setting off at 8:02 and 8:04 a.m. ET. The elite female runners will begin at 8:32 a.m., followed by the men at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Live race coverage will be broadcasted on NBC Sports Network for cable subscribers from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET. If you are looking for an online stream of the race, it will be on RunnerSpace, where you can sign up to follow all the action.

(10/08/2021) Views: 1,373 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson

Strength training exercises to improve running efficiency

Strength training is a crucial aspect of a runner’s program. Whether you have Olympic goals or are working towards you first 5K, a strength program has a place in your weekly routine. Brittany Moran, Jess O’Connell and Dylan Wykes are all accomplished runners and knowledgable about the benefits of a strength routine.

Moran is a 2:36 marathoner who’s also a chiropractor out of The Runner’s Academy in Toronto. On top of being a talented marathoner, Moran is a Hyland’s ambassador. Hyland’s Leg Cramp Pills bring runners relief from leg, calf and foot cramps–all of which can interfere with training and competing. Runners want to be their best on race day and one aspect of that is working strength training into their routine. Another aspect of performing at your best is having the necessary tools to succeed, like Hyland’s cramp remedy.

O’Connell also has an impressive running resume. The runner holds a 5,000m personal best of 15:06.44 and is a 2016 Olympian. She is currently training for the 2020 Olympics and has her own coaching business, Grit, on the side. Wykes is a 2012 Olympian in the marathon and the 2019 Canadian 10K champion. The runner is also the co-founder of Mile2Marathon, one of the most successful running clubs in Canada.

Together, this group of three makes up a pretty killer set of running advisors and they’ve broken down the most important (no fuss) strength exercises that runners can do anywhere.

Why strength training?

O’Connell says that runners love running, which can become a problem. She explains, “Runners love running but a lot of them would be well served by adding a strength program. Running is a repetitive motion that follows the path of least resistance, but the path of least resistance isn’t necessarily the best path. Becoming stronger means you can recruit muscles more efficiently which will speed you up and make you less injury prone.”

Activation

Every runner should be doing an activation routine. These are quick neuromusclar routines (about five minutes long) done before any run or weight session that help warm the runner up and get them ready to workout. O’Connell swears by activation and always does 10 reps of each exercise below before she heads out the door. She explains, “With these exercises I’m not looking to build strength, I’m only looking to warm myself up. But, take your time here and be mindful of what you’re trying to activate. Know the intent of the exercise.”

Dead bug

The key to the dead bug is to keep your back as flat as possible. Ideally, you can feel your low back touching the ground through the entire movement. Start at neutral and then extend your opposite arm and opposite leg.

Hip bridge

Start with your back on the ground, knees bent and push your hips towards the sky. Hold there for one to two seconds and lower.

Leg raises

This exercise works your glutes, so make sure they feel engaged through this movement. Start on your side and lift your leg before slowly lowering.

Exercises for marathoners

Wykes explains that a strength program is really helpful to marathoners at the end of their race. “Our strength program focuses on developing good function in the muscles. We do things that help you fire well while you’re running. We want you to get the most out of each muscle.”

But the runner also acknowledges that strength work needs to be functional. Wykes recommends keeping your routine simple, 30 minutes maximum, and making sure everything in your strength routine can be done at home.

Monster walks

The aim of monster walks is to engage your glutes. Start with your legs shoulder width apart in squat position and walk horizontally.

Squats

With squats be sure not to let your knees flare and focus on moving your butt back as opposed to down.

Exercises to improve your running gait

Moran reminds runners that the important areas to strength train are their core and single-leg stability. She says that these exercises don’t need to be fancy, but they do need to be intentional. She recommends working this routine into your post-run plan at least a couple times a week.

Front and side plank

The plank works your core. Be sure to keep your back level and core engaged through the entire 30 second hold.

Bird dog

The bird dog focuses on back strength, because don’t forget, your core includes your back.

Single-leg dead lift

Also known as the hip hinge, this exercises is good for you hamstrings, glutes and overall stability. Start in your a marching A position and then lower your upper body, while raising your back leg. With the marching A, you want to focus on having your toe pointed toward the sky, strong posture through your upper body and an engaged core.

(08/09/2020) Views: 1,032 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine

Natasha Wodak and Justin Kent win Canadian 10K virtual championships

Natasha Wodak proved that you can run a pretty killer solo effort on Wednesday when she earned her second-consecutive national 10K championship win, only 10 seconds behind her winning time from 2019. She finished her 10K run in 32:41 and took the top women’s spot by nearly a minute with Rachel Cliff finishing second in 33:35. 

The Canadian 10K Championships, which historically took place as part of Ottawa Race Weekend, were moved to a virtual event for 2020. Registered runners had a 12-hour window (from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time) on Wednesday to complete a 10K course of their choosing. Their route had to be an out and back. 

In the men’s race, Justin Kent came out on top with a 28:52, followed by Luc Bruchet who ran a 29:17 just days after a 10, 000m personal best on the track. Dylan Wykes, Elite Athlete Organizer for the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is really happy with how the virtual race went. 

“This year has been extraordinary in so many ways that we really wanted an opportunity to engage with Canadian elite runners and give them a chance to compete against one another in some way. Congratulations to all the runners who took part and we cannot wait to see them at the Start Line in Ottawa in 2021.”

If runners didn’t have a chance to run on Wednesday, no worries, there’s still plenty of time to participate in the The Beat the Champ race. This event will run through the month of July and invites runners to try to beat the national 10K champion at their own game.

This open competition asks runners to beat the 2020 winning times (28:52 and 32:41) by running 10 x 1K intervals, and combining individual segments to beat the winning 2020 10K result.

(07/03/2020) Views: 1,403 ⚡AMP
by Madeleine Kelly

Organizers of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend announced that they will increase the overall prize purse for Canadian athletes in the Ottawa 10K event

Organizers of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend announced today they will be significantly increasing the overall prize purse for Canadian athletes in the Ottawa 10K event to CAD 35,000 (EUR 24,000) – the largest prize for any of Canada’s championship events this year.

As it has done since 2016, the 2020 Ottawa 10k will again host the Canadian 10K Championships with CAD 6,000 going to the top male and female Canadians in the 10K.

The Ottawa 10K will also maintain its unique gender challenge whereby the women are given a head start, and whoever crosses the finish line first (man or woman) wins an extra CAD 2,000.

The event will also host the Canuck 10K Team Competition, where a Canadian elite runner will have the chance to pick 3 compatriots to form a co-ed team of four. The fastest team wins CAD 6,000 to be split evenly amongst the team, as well as an additional CAD 1,000 that will go towards the Scotiabank Charity Challenge participating charity of their choice.

Organizers also announced today they have elected not to renew their World Athletics (formerly IAAF) gold certification for the Ottawa 10K event, choosing to focus their resources on participant experience, the Canadian 10K Championships and the development of Canadian athletes. The organizers of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend have, however, renewed the gold certification for the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon.

Dylan Wykes, who won the men’s 10K in 29:56 last year, joins the organizing team as its new Elite Athlete Coordinator, replacing Manny Rodrigues, who had been in this volunteer role for the past 20 years. Wykes said: “The road racing scene in Canada is on fire right now with records being set in all distances.

I’m honored and excited by the opportunity to work with Ian and the entire Run Ottawa team as the Elite Athlete Coordinator. I know I have big shoes to fill, as Manny has done an incredible job over the past 20 years building the elite athlete program.

I’m looking forward to contributing to the Ottawa running community in a new way that doesn’t involve making my own two feet move fast”.

(02/05/2020) Views: 1,731 ⚡AMP

Two Canadian elites will be on the start line of the 2020 Boston Marathon

The 2020 Boston Marathon announced its elite lineup on Wednesday morning, and 2018 third-place finisher Krista DuChene, 43, is on the list. DuChene will be returning for her third consecutive Boston Marathon.

DuChene had a strong 2019, with her most recent result coming from the Berlin Marathon, where she won the masters race in 2:32:27–her fastest marathon time since 2015.

The new qualification system for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games allows athletes who’ve placed in the top 10 at a World Major to be considered for entry. If DuChene can have a good day, her placing in Boston could also place her in the conversation for Olympic team selection. The team will be selected at the end of May, only six weeks after the Boston Marathon.

Other women on the elite list are Worknesh Degefa (2:17:41), Des Linden (2:22:38), Edna Kiplagat (2:19:50) and Magdalyne Masai, whose personal best 2:22:16 was from her victory at Toronto in 2019.

In the men’s race, Dylan Wykes, the fifth-fastest Canadian marathoner of all time, will also be on the start line. The former professional runner has been making his way onto the elite scene for the past year and a half. The race that really caught people’s attention was when he became the Canadian 10K champion in 2019.

Other elites to watch are Lawrence Cherono (2:04:06), Lelisa Desisa (2:04:45) and Philemon Rono (a.k.a Baby Police), the three-time STWM champion and Canadian all-comers record-holder, who holds a personal best of 2:05:00.

(01/23/2020) Views: 1,777 ⚡AMP
by Madeleine Kelly

Welsh marathon runner Josh Griffiths will be seeking olympic selection at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The IAAF Gold Label race (October 20th) is serving as the Athletics Canada Marathon trials for Tokyo 2020 and Josh Griffiths, fresh off his personal best performance in London (2:14:25), has chosen to make his own run for an Olympic berth.

The 25-year-old is presently ranked fifth in Britain behind Mo Farah (2:05:39), Callum Hawkins (2:08:14), Dewi Griffiths (2:11:46) and Jonny Mellor (2:13:25). Like the Canadians he will face in Toronto, he believes a 2:12:30 performance might be enough to cement a place on his national Olympic team. Asked what he is looking for in Toronto he is succinct.

"Just a really good, competitive race," he offers. "Malcolm (Anderson, his manager) said it would be a really good Canadian field, so if I can just get in the mix and, on a good day, see how far I can go with them.

"There's three really good British guys now. Obviously, it all depends on if they all stay fit and if they all choose to do the marathon. All I can do is focus on myself and if I run the best I can then I can’t really ask for more."

Canadian record holder Cam Levins (2:09:25) will be seeking to run with the international elite and improve upon the record he set a year ago, while fellow Olympians Dylan Wykes and Reid Coolsaet want to be in that 2:12 - 2:13 range that Griffiths is targeting.

Although he represents Swansea Harriers, Griffiths has lived all his life in Gorslas, Carmarthenshire in rural Wales where there are few runners. As a result, he is self-coached and does all his training alone. He supports himself financially by providing an online coaching program as well as some funding from Welsh Athletics and the London Marathon.

"It’s mentally tough getting out the door," he says of the solitude. "Sometimes it’s the hardest part of the run. I just think if it’s going to be that grim in training I am really prepared. If it rains in Toronto, I am prepared for anything.

"The weather is not always great in Wales; it rains a lot. But on those days, you have got to think what the goal is. If I want to run well in Toronto, then I have got to put the work in. I don’t struggle like that. I am in a pretty good position I can run all these amazing races and it’s well worth putting in the work."

The toughness that has characterized so many British runners over the years is epitomized especially by Welsh hero, Steve Jones, who set the world marathon record in the 1984 Chicago Marathon and won the 1992 Toronto Marathon.

"I met Steve a few times but when he was at his peak I wasn’t born yet. I have met him many times since," Griffiths reveals.

"We met at the Welsh track championships a couple of years ago. I went along to watch and so did he. We kind of got to chatting. It was after the London Marathon. He is always supportive."

Like Jones, he recalls his early start in athletics came as a schoolboy where he was exposed to many different sports.

"When I was in university I kind of took it seriously, started working with a good group of athletes in Cardiff. In 2017 I decided to do the marathon to try and qualify for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast Australia. I had to run 2:16 and I managed to run 2:14 which qualified me for Gold Coast and for the World Championships."

In 2011 he visited southern Ontario on a schoolboy rugby trip. At the time he was billeted by families in Coburg, Brantford and Lindsay, Ontario. They also visited Toronto’s tourist sites. There will be little time for site seeing on this trip however as so much is at stake.

"I will be looking to go through halfway just under 66 minutes," he says returning to the reason for his Canadian adventure. "One thing I have learned in the marathons I have done it’s much better to feel good in the second half. I don’t want to go crazy at the start. If there is a good group, then I will work my way through."

 

(09/05/2019) Views: 1,961 ⚡AMP
by Paul Gains

Kenya´s Philemon Rono will be looking for another title at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Philemon Rono of Kenya has won the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon twice–the first time in 2016, and the second time in 2017, when he set the Canadian all-comers record of 2:06:52 (also his personal best).

Rono, who trains with NN Running (marathon world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge’s group), was dealing with a calf injury and didn’t have a great race in 2018, finishing ninth in 2:13:36, but the diminutive runner they call Baby Police is healthy and will be back on October 20, hoping not only to win, but to lower his Canadian soil record.

Rono raced at Boston in April, finishing eighth, in 2:08:57–which he was happy with. He is currently running about 200K per week with the NN Training group in Kaptagat under the direction of coach Patrick Sang.

Kipchoge has a big influence on the training, Rono says. “We watch everything he does.” Many accounts of Kipchoge’s training make note of the fact that while living in camp from Monday to Saturday, he takes his turn mopping floors and scrubbing toilets like everyone else. When not working out, the group loves to watch soccer on TV. Like Kipchoge, Rono travels home to his farm on weekends, where he spends time with his wife and young son, and tends his cattle.

Rono’s stiffest competition so far announced will be Abera Kuma, who has a personal best of 2:05:50, and Benson Kipruto, who won last year’s marathon in 2:07:24 (which was seconds off his PB).

The race will also serve as the Canadian marathon championships and unofficial Olympic trials, with the top Canadian male automatically qualifying for Team Canada at Tokyo 2020 (provided he achieves the Olympic standard of 2:11:30 within the qualifying window). 

Reid Coolsaet, Dylan Wykes, Rob Watson and Canadian marathon record-holder Cam Levins will all be on the start line on October 20.

(08/16/2019) Views: 2,039 ⚡AMP
by Anne Francis

Canadians Reid Coolsaet, Dylan Wykes & Rob Watson will return to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Three very familiar faces will be among the outstanding Canadian entries for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 20th, all lured by the Athletics Canada National Championship which runs concurrently in this IAAF Gold Label race.

Moreover, this year’s event also serves as Canada’s Olympic trials with the ‘first past the post' earning an automatic spot on the team bound for Tokyo provided he or she has achieved the Olympic standard (2:11:30/2:29:30).

Two-time Olympian Reid Coolsaet will seek a third berth, Dylan Wykes a second and Rob Watson, a three-time World Championships performer, relishes the challenge of earning another podium finish. The ‘three amigos’ between them have won twenty-one national titles.

Coolsaet turned 40 on July 29th and acknowledges his best days are behind him - he is Canada’s third fastest marathoner of all time with a 2:10:28 personal record - but believes he has the experience to make the team for Tokyo. "Yeah, it is my goal, I am totally focused on making the Olympics," said Coolsaet, who has run under 2:11:30 six times in his career. "It’s definitely my main motivation for training as hard as I do in the marathon.

"If it wasn’t for the 2020 Olympics, knowing I am not really looking for a PB anymore, I think I would have moved to the trails last year. I am happy to train this hard knowing the reward would mean a lot to me."

With Cam Levins (2:09:25) also returning to the site of his dramatic Canadian record-breaking performance, Coolsaet realises that something would have to go seriously wrong for Levins to miss the automatic place. Still, he remains optimistic he has a chance.

"I know what it takes to run the level I need to run to potentially qualify for the Olympics," Coolsaet says believing a 2:12:30 might be good enough to earn a place through the IAAF ranking system.

"Although I don’t want to get hurt, I don’t want to sell myself short and think ‘what if?’ I am going to be smart about my training and listen to my body. "I am not going to run quite as much mileage as in the past. But I know I can’t let being 40 be an excuse to back off my training because I can't handle it or something like that. Although there will be some slight changes, they are going to be very slight."

Wykes who was Canada’s top finisher in the 2012 Olympic marathon (20th in 2:15:26) has a personal best of 2:10:47 making him the fourth fastest Canadian of all time. Many were surprised by his return. After failing to make the Rio Olympic team he effectively retired to focus on his family - he and his wife Francine have two young children - and his coaching business ‘Mile2Marathon’.

Coach Richard Lee had once declared that he doubted Wykes would ever want to put himself through the disruption which ultimately led to his place on the 2012 London Olympic team. He made three attempts to achieve the standard sacrificing much in the process. His 2:10:47 came at the 2016 Rotterdam Marathon. Reminded of this the now 36-year old laughs.

"It’s certainly taken a few years to wrap my head around things and realize I am probably not going to do it again if it’s like the buildup was to London," he admits. "I would be lying if I said Tokyo wasn’t in the back of my mind. But I think I am trying to see things less ‘big picture’ and trying to focus on staying healthy and getting to the finish line in Toronto.

"If Cam Levins is on his game he’s in a different stratosphere. But I guess guys like Tristan Woodfine, Reid, Trevor Hofbauer, these kind of guys, if I am going well, I will mix it up with them.That is kind of what I am most excited about."

Following the 2012 Olympics, Wykes’ motivation was at a peak. The London experience had left him excited with endless possibilities to set about achieving. But there were obstacles that cropped up along the way. "I was as focused or more focused after London as any time in my career and the years between London and Rio were going to be my best," he reveals. "But a lot of that was injuries and kind of biting off more than I could chew.

"Some of that had to with the buildup to London and having to run so many marathons. And I made the silly mistake of trying to chase down (Jerome Drayton’s Canadian record). After London that became my focus. And, when I didn’t make Rio, I was kind of done."

A year ago Wykes and his family moved east from Vancouver after Francine received a post-doctoral position at Carleton University. Together with Rob Watson he coaches runners of all abilities through their company ‘Mile2Marathon’. With over 200 clients and ten coaches it is a thriving business. Somewhere along the way he rediscovered his own love for disciplined training. At his peak Watson achieved a personal best of 2:13:29 at the 2013 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

(08/02/2019) Views: 2,117 ⚡AMP
by Paul Gains

Kenyan Dorcas Kimeli finished first at the Ottawa 10k with heavy rainfall

The Kenyan was at the front for most of the race, sharing the early spadework with her compatriots Valary Jemeli and Paskalia Kipkoech. After the first 5km was passed in a sedentary 15:57, one by one the pack was whittled down as Kimeli went to work.

Turning on to the final straight, only Jemeli was close and the gap between the two widened to the finish. Jemeli finished second in 31:12 which was also a personal best. Kipkoech came next in 31:30. The winner collected CDN$5000.

“This is my first time in Canada,” Kimeli acknowledged. “I was confident because of my training. I believed in myself and I won. I was thinking around 7km we would push and then go on to a good time. It was my plan.

“At first I was worried (about the competition) but when the race started I was confident and I dropped them one by one. I was thinking to win the race.”

Jemeli was gracious in second place and was clearly pleased with her effort which comes only 11 weeks after her third-place finish at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon.

“The pace was good because I have not done any 10k in Canada or anywhere,” Jemeli said. “I was thinking I might win the race but in the last stretch my leg was in pain and she passed me. But I am very happy; it’s my personal best.”

Equally important to the Ottawa victory was the ‘gender gap’ contest which saw the elite women set out 3:40 ahead of the elite men. Spectators could follow the race on a split screen television as the men chased the women.

The men’s pack quickly evolved into five runners at the front with three Moroccans – Mohammed Ziani, Mohamed Reda El Aaraby and Abderrahmane Kachir – running alongside Kenya’s Moses Kibet and Wilfrid Kimetei. Kibet did a lot of the early work, taking the pack through 5km in 14:19. Then Ziani went to the front a couple of times surging.

With two kilometres remaining it was the three Moroccans who appeared likely to fill the podium as Kibet and Kimetei went to the back. Kibet dropped well off the pace and out of contention but Kimetei had other ideas.

Ziani came around the final bend in front and sprinted away to a 28:12 victory. Kimitei finished four seconds behind with El Aaraby third in 28:22 and Kachir, racing for the first time outside Morocco, fourth in 28:33.

This was the second time Ziani has won the Ottawa 10km and he was pleased with his race today. However it was the second occasion where he has been unable to close the gap on the leading women. In 2016 it was Peres Jepchirchir who won the gender gap. Today Kimeli took the CDN$2000 gender gap bonus.

“First of all I am happy with my second victory here in Ottawa,” said Ziani, who has been fasting for Ramadan. “The rain was not a big problem. I had some good training so it’s not about the weather.

“At 9km I had the confidence that I would win and I increased my pace. I wasn’t worried. There were some very strong athletes though.”

“My body was not responding well so I was like jogging back so I could run at my own pace,” said Kimitei. “When they (the Moroccans) dropped their pace, that was the time I got those two guys.”

The Ottawa 10k once again served as the official Canadian championships. Natasha Wodak of Vancouver, a 2016 Olympian at 10,000m, was the first Canadian finishing seventh overall in 32:31. The men’s Canadian champion was Dylan Wykes, a 2012 Olympic marathon runner who was sixth overall in 29:56. The Canadian champions each earned CDN$3000.

(05/27/2019) Views: 2,242 ⚡AMP
by IAAF