#43: Christmas Time (Is Here Again)

As a grad student living in Toronto, you shouldn't be surprised to know that I don't have a great deal of deposable income (let alone income!) so despite my overwhelming generosity and my desire to buy all you fine folks gifts and things for the Holiday season, I've decided to give you something even better. Something that cannot be bought or sold, or packaged or wrapped, or break or expire; but rather something that comes from the heart (figuratively) and can be shared again and again and again and will (hopefully) bring a smile to your face.

This year my gift to you is a joke!

I'll admit that it's not the greatest joke of all time and some might even say it's mediocre at best. But so am I and that's why I like it.

You may also be surprised to hear that this particular joke is NOT about running. Haha Yup, I can't recall (m)any running jokes other than the ones that end with the line: "That's what she said!" Don't get it?! Here is a conversation not atypical amongst runners.

Runner 1: You're going too fast I can't keep up.
Runner 2: Just concentrate and stay focused.
Runner 1: No really, my entire lower body is numb. My thighs are burning.
Runner 2: It's only been 4 minutes. Just a few more to go.
Runner 1: It's too long. It hurts. I think I'm going to seize up and collapse.
Runner 2: Suck it up princess, it's nearly over.
Runner 1: I shouldn't have eaten that ice cream an hour ago.
Runner 2: Okay that's it. You can stop now. Are you crying?!

See what I mean?

Getting back on topic. The joke. I realize that the delivery will not be as effective as if I gave it myself (or better yet, a gifted speaker), but I'm hoping that you'll appreciate the genius of the joke and will then spread it amongst your own family, friends and associates.

So without further adieu, here it is, my gift to you, the joke...

So a guy from Toronto is travelling to Vancouver for business. His Bay Street firm has asked him to finalize a big deal they've been working on and as a bonus for closing the deal, the firm is paying for him to stay in a nice fancy downtown hotel and then spend the weekend in Whistler with his wife.

He and his wife fly to Vancouver on Friday morning and check themselves into the hotel. While he is busy meeting with his clients and closing the deal, she spends the day shopping and seeing the city. The deal gets done early and so the couple spend the afternoon together, go to the theatre and then have a fine meal at an upscale restaurant before retiring for the evening (what happens then is not part of the joke!).

The next morning they wake early and take a rented car to Whistler. It's such a beautiful day that they decide to take a more scenic route through the countryside and avoid the traffic. They manage to find a lonely country road and spend time chatting while taking in the scenic views of farm, forest and mountainscape.

About half way through the trip whilst discussing nothing in particular, a large but otherwise ordinary pink pig darts out across the road in front of the car without warning. The husband slams on the brakes, but it's not quick enough and THUMP! The car slams into the passing porcine.

The wife lets out an alarming scream but everyone is okay as the husband brings the car to a stop along the side of the road. He calms down his wife before getting out of the car to take in the scene. He is rightly shaken by the event and his heart is still racing in his chest.

He glances a few metres back to where the large pig is laying motionless on the other side of the road. He walks toward it and as he gets closer he notices that it is still breathing shallowly. He stands directly over the beast and as he inspects it, he fails to notice any obvious evidence of what has just transpired. No blood, guts, scrapes or scars. It essentially seems as if the pig were simply sleeping silently.

Not knowing what to do next, the man reaches down to touch the fine hairs on the brutish beast when all of a sudden, without any notice, the pig immediately jumps to its feet and takes off across the field and into a nearby forest. The animal is gone as quickly as it came.

The man is now standing alone on the side of a deserted road and only then becomes fully aware of being located in rural British Columbia with no buildings, vehicles or people for many miles. He returns to the car where his wife is sitting silently and looking similarly stunned by what's happened in the past few minutes. The man checks the car and is astonished to see practically no evidence of the collision. No bumps, benders, dents or scratches of any kind. He's amazed.

The wife becomes increasingly impatient and asks that they keep moving. Without anything more to do, the man gets back in the car and they continue the drive to Whistler without incident. On the way, the man tries to makes sense of the situation and soon collects himself. They spend the rest of the day skiing on some of the finest snow the mountain has seen in several years and when the slopes close, have another delicious meal at a fine Italian restaurant before driving the 2 or so hours back to Vancouver. The wife sleeps peacefully the entire journey while the husband listens to easy rock on the radio.

The next morning they sleep in, order breakfast and watch the falling rain from the comfort of their hotel. Just before noon, they pack their things and prepare to check out before returning to the airport for the flight back to Toronto. In the lobby just as they prepare to depart, they notice two police officers who begin making their way towards them. The officers greets the couple before getting straight to it.

"Excuse me sir, sorry to bother you. Are you Scott Taylor?

"Yes, I am." The man replies. "Is there a problem?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your day yesterday."

Curious and also increasing nervous: "Okay, what is all this about?"

"Well Mr. Taylor, we have reason to believe that you were involved in a motor accident with an animal some time yesterday morning; is that correct?"

Perplexed by the officer's inquiry but with nothing to hide: "Yes, that's correct. How did you know that? We were driving to Whistler and the thing ran out in front of the car. We stopped. I went to check. It ran away. It got up and ran off. It seemed okay. Why? What's going on?"

"Well Mr. Taylor, it just so happens that in the province of British Columbia we have a number of laws pertaining to animal protection and welfare. The farmer of that pig that you happened to hit is very upset about all this and intends to press charges against you."

Shocked and confused by this, the man becomes increasingly agitated and speaks quickly: "Charges?! For what? Like I said, the animal ran away, it appeared to be fine. And there was no one in sight, no houses or farms for miles. What was I supposed to do?!"

Trying to appear empathetic and calm the man down: "It's really not a big deal sir, but we'd like for you to come with us down to the station to answer some questions for the record."

Now appearing flustered with an equally perplexed wife standing silently to the side, the man remembered that he had a flight to catch. "But my flight, it leaves in 2 hours, we really must be going, isn't there anything else..."

The officer interrupts: "I'm sorry sir, I really am. We just need to follow protocol. We'll have you on your way as soon as possible."

With no other options and still in a state of shock and surprise, the man has no choice but to agree to go with the officers. He asks his wife to hold tight for the time being. Not happy, but also not knowing what else to do, she reluctantly agrees.

The officers escort the man outside into the light rain to their patrol car parked nearby. They help him into the backseat and proceed to the police headquarters. The man is silent but his mind is racing. How long will this all take? What is going to happen to me? Will I miss my flight? When will I get back? What about work; should I call the firm? What is my wife supposed to do?

Suddenly, as the thoughts fly through his head, something occurs to him.

"Excuse me officers, I was just wondering about one thing. How did you know it was me that hit that pig yesterday? There was no one around for miles!"

...

"Well Mr. Taylor, that's just it. The pig. He squealed."

#42: Cry Baby Cry

While perhaps I should have seen this coming and thus was not totally unexpected, I am saddened to report that I am placing myself on the DL temporarily. For those who don't follow professional sports, DL stands for "Disabled List' (how they get away with calling it that, I have no idea?!). Ultimately this means that I am injured!

Yup, I am currently (like right now!) feeling extreme discomfort in my right ankle and have been for the past 2 days. I'm not entirely sure what the injury is, but it seems fairly serious judging by the amount of pain and discomfort. I'm self-diagnosing it to be a bruised, or dare I say broken (meaning a stress fracture) talus (Latin for ankle; a bone in the foot that together with the tibia and fibula makes the ankle joint). This would be particularly bad news because due to an unusual (retrograde) supply of blood, it is an area that requires increased time to heal.

Left - from below: Right - from above. Bones of human tarsus (the foot!). A - Calcaneus. B - Talus (the one I'm concerned about). C - Cuboid. D - Navicular. E, F, G - Cuneiform bones

I am planning to take about a week completely off of running and instead hope to maintain CV fitness via cycling (which I loathe) because I find water running to be ridiculous. I am also thinking this will be a good emotional/mental break from the rigors of training from which I never seem to be able to fully abstain.

So why did this happen? Well, we are now into the third official week of training for the upcoming cycle. This training involves a 4-week base-building 'alpha' phase; a 4-week speed development phase ('SWEP') and the regular 15-week 'marathon build' phase. That's 23 weeks of training! And in the past three weeks I have already logged 115, 110 and 120km respectively (perhaps too much too soon). I don't want to say that it was what caused my current injury but it was definitely a contributing factor. Others include the changing weather (cold, wet, windy); my current running shoes which may be reaching their last days and also the shoes I wear when not running!

My 'New Balance newSKY' sneakers which are made from 95% recycled materials and weigh in at under 5oz. Not used for running but also not ideal for high walking mileage. Evidence that the bare-foot movement is NOT a good idea for most people.

Regardless of the reason, it's happened and I need to deal with it. Real runners will know all too well the extreme guilt, frustration, and agitation that comes with dealing with injuries so I won't go into the intense emotional toll it can take. In sum, it sucks! We fear losing our fitness, we fear gaining weight, we fear losing ground on our close competitors, we fear having to start over again and we fear losing our desire, drive and dedication to move forward. This is why so many runners make the mistake of coming back too soon or running with/through an injury only to make matters much much worse. I've done this in the past and am happy to have learned my lessons. Despite the overwhelming urges and impulses to return, we must acknowledge that running is a long-term pursuit and these temporary blips are just that, temporary.

Here's to hoping that my temporary blip is short, sweet and over very soon...

#40: Birthday

Finally, a post today...and guess what? It’s about running! There's also a part about pancakes.

Yup, surprise, surprise, all I’ve got to talk about is running. I’ve become so boring that even I can’t stand to listen to myself talk. I think it’s why my plants are dying.

Part I: Dan Way Day 25th Edition.

So about a week ago it was my birthday and I just so happened to turn a quarter-century in age. For my special day I went home to the metropolis of Ingersoll, ON to see some friends and family and also to “run” the Rick Hansen Relay which just happened to be traveling through my hometown 25 years to the day that I was born! Cool huh. Despite only having to “run” 250m (the reason I’m putting run in quotation marks is because I had to carry this massive medal which proceeded to pound incessantly into my sternum when I tried to run so I really just jogged awkwardly), it was actually quite fun. I didn’t set any 250m personal best (it actually took about 2min) but I did have my entire fan club present (ie my mother, father and my Oma and Opa) and it was only raining slightly. I also got a sweet track suit and commemoration medal to take home; thanks Rick Hansen for the birthday present! The rest of day was spent baking gingerbread cookies, eating Oma’s pancakes and playing Mexican dominoes (something about a train…) So far, being 25 wasn’t so bad.

Me after finishing my leg of the 25th Anniversary of the Rick Hansen Relay in my hometown of Ingersoll, ON. Oh, and a woman taking bribes in the background

The celebrations actually got even better Wednesday and lasted pretty much all week long. Friday I had a party at my place in TO and it was a joyous occasion that involved some of the best people in my life, some mild binge drinking and even some of my infamous dancing (Yes! It's worse than Elaine's "little kicks"). At some point we made it to a local bar/club and my little brother (who isn't even of age!) bought us shots of tequila and while it seemed a good idea at the time, it ended up knocking me flat off my feet about 12 hours later in the mid-afternoon on Saturday. Thankfully, it was an off day. Thanks to all those who made this past year great and who will make next year even greater. Cheers.

Part II: "Great sport begins where good health ends." Bertolt Brecht

I also mentioned that we’ve starting training again and running plenty. I did 110km in the first week on the program and will do something similar this week too. It hasn’t been bad, but it’s definitely A LOT of running. And the main point I wanted to make today, which I realized at some point between km 11 and 13 on the day’s 18k easy/recovery run was this: Running this amount (and training more generally) is certainly NOT about good health! I won’t go so far as to say that it’s UN-healthy, but it’s probably not totally inaccurate to use this term, which I definitely think applies to ‘sport’ generally and high-performance sport specifically (another post for another day).

So ya, running 100+km per week is not about health. That is far from the top of my list of reasons for running. Consider that the ‘Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines' suggest that Canadian adults accumulate 150min per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), preferably in 5 sessions of at least 30min duration but can be as short as in 10min bouts. I mean I do a weekly long run that amounts to that (150min) and on average will run well over 60min per day! All in all, I’m probably doing about 3 times as much! I’m also in a state of perpetual fatigue and endure constant aches and pains. It's an ongoing process of breaking down and building back up...

Don’t get me wrong: I do it because I love it and consider it an invaluable and essential part of my life. Being committed and dedicated is important to me and provides structure and a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. My closest friends are my training partners and coaches and my social life has merged with my running life. I am also extremely physically healthy and probably fitter than most everyone I know (although this fitness specifically relates to cardiovascular function and endurance... I couldn’t lift weights to save my life!).

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that it could be problematic to equate what I do and good overall health. Again, I’m not un-healthy or anything, but health and fitness should not be considered synonymous. I also want to point out that I wouldn’t recommend what I do to most people since it would likely break them down and spit them out. For most people, I’d suggest trying to meet those Canadian guidelines would be much more worthwhile.

Some might disagree with me completely and you wouldn’t be wrong to do so. This is an opinion and a very personal one at that. From my experience, running and training is enjoyable about 90% of the time and doing it is an absolute pleasure. But there are also days when it’s brutal and I want to quit and give up more than anything else (but I don’t!). It’s also problematic in the sense that “health” is a very subjective and personal term. So what is considered healthy for some, might be downright deadly for others.

Okay, that’s enough from me. In sum: if you want to be “healthy,” go find something (physical activity related) you love to do and do it for at least 150min per week. More is often better...as long as it’s within reason.

A final note: Today, according to my 'Daily Mile' profile, I went over 4000km for the year and I'm still going strong... (Mostly) good times!

#39: Do You Want To Know A Secret?

Monday 28 November. And so it begins again...

Today is the ‘official’ start to yet but another running/training cycle and this time we are doing things a little differently...

Coach Campbell is both excited and convinced that in order to find success in the premier road running event (the marathon: 42.2km!) we’ll need to go back to the basics and adopt an ‘old school’ method. The method he has chosen is one based on the work of Bill Squires (see below; that's him) and Bruce Lehane during the “last great period of American distance running” (between 1975 and 1983) and we are assured it produced (and will produce again) some rather impressive results.

Our program is not as intense as it was for the guys in Boston, but still holds true to the basic principles. The ‘program’ begins with a 4 week ‘alpha’ phase with weekly mileage starting at 101km and topping off at 118km (4 week total= 434k). There are only 2 days off during the phase which essentially means we run 7 days a week. These runs are mostly easy/aerobic fitness runs but also include: long runs; hill interval training; surges within long runs; short speed strides and mid-intensity tempos.

The next 4 week phase is called 'SWEP' which stands for "speed with endurance process." This is supposedly a very tough 4 week schedule with track work, hill runs, long runs, surge running and periodic racing. The total mileage is somewhat low (407km), but the intensity is surely there! Again, we are given only two days of complete rest over the entire phase.

Then begins the Marathon Build...

Note that there are numerous ‘levels’ at which one can enter these phases which alters the total mileage and intensity. Depending on ones training history, past performances and expected goals, the level will vary. We are attempting Level 13 (out of like 20!)

The built lasts 15 weeks (105 days) and there are only 7 days off with no running (ie 98 days of running!). The weekly mileage ranges from 109km (week 1) to 149km (week 12) and totals just over 1850km, making the average mileage ~123km per week. There are 21 sessions of ‘doubles’ (two runs in one day; often 8k in the am and 16k in the pm). We will only ever run ~32k during our longest runs. This may worry some (as it did myself) who feel that they need to handle longer runs of 34-38k, but apparently this is not necessary as all the fundamentals are present.

I am putting my complete confidence in the program, my coaches and my training partners and am assured it will all work out on May 6th (Toronto Goodlife Marathon). http://www.torontomarathon.com/
What I cannot control so well will be the unpredictable weather and environmental conditions that only a Canadian winter can produce. There is also the small and somewhat significant desire to maintain my social and academic life (running is just a hobby after all). My evolving Master's thesis exploring the idea of exercise addiction will surely be tested more thoroughly during this time.

Needless to say, this program is not for everyone and certainly not the faint of heart. One must be totally dedicated and committed to the time and energy required for training. No one should be surprised if the outcome is poor unless you stick to the plan. Avoiding injury will be essential; eating right and getting enough sleep also. It certainly won’t be easy and it won’t always be enjoyable; but it will (or at least should) produce results. Only time will tell...

#36: A Shot of Rhythm and Blues

November thesis thoughts...

Been working on my thesis and some small ideas turned into this.

I am once again conflicted with how I intend to “sell” the idea of my thesis. Commitment to Physical Activity: More health or harm?! Do I say that exercise/PA is all fine and dandy and should be pushed and promoted for its overwhelmingly obvious health benefits. What is health anyway and how does PA really relate? Stupid question right? Maybe not. If being healthy means being happy and living one’s life the best they can, then exercise might not be ideal for that. Many/most people hate the ‘idea’ of having to exercise a couple times per week to be “healthy” and can you really blame them? If I was told to do something I hate (say swimming or lifting weights) for 30min per day for 5 days a week (for the rest of all time (ie FOREVER!!!)), I would be pissed too. And how is doing something you legitimately dislike good for you anyway? Certainly we know PA contributes to good physical health (think “healthy weight (again, what does this mean?!), low cholesterol, low adiposity, blood pressure, heart rate is “normal”, insulin is good, high fitness, decreased illness, etc. etc.) but what about mental and social health?! Are these not as important?! Having fun hanging out with friends vs running on a treadmill for an hour…you’re telling me the latter is the “better” option?!

So what’s my point here? It’s all RELATIVE! Health, fitness, normal, better…these are not absolutes; they are subjective and highly variable. I run 100km a week but then eat massive amounts of candy. You don’t do either. So which is the ‘better’ way to go; which is more ‘normal’? I prefer my way but wouldn’t recommend it.

Getting back to my thesis: I have spoken with a number of individuals who all value and incorporate physical activity (exercise, training, sport!) into their lives and appear all the better for it. They do so for very different reasons and with different goals in mind. But for those on the outside looking in, some of what they/we do is completely crazy! We run hundreds and thousands of miles every year (not to mention the supplemental training); we wake up before the sun rises and after it sets and spend prolonged (sometimes very long) periods in the snow, sleet, rain, and wind; we spend significant amounts of money on this; we travel to exotic locations to do it; we base our identity on it; our diet depends on it; we hurt ourselves doing it and then we have the nerve to say we enjoy it?! Of course we have a problem! It’s excessive, obsessive, compulsive and perhaps even addictive...damn straight it’s not healthy! We spend all our time doing it; we feel like shit when we don't; we have no energy for other things; our relationships with friends and family suffer from it; we’re bruised and broken from it...and yet we continue to do it!

You could say I’m just a tad conflicted here. We’re talking about a behaviour which is completely part of who I am; I love it and wouldn’t give it up for the world. In some ways, I’m just doing what I’ve been told to do. And yet it can clearly cause problems and has a dark side to it as well. So what am I to do?! Yes, I truly believe that being physically active is important, valuable and “healthy” and that everyone should be doing more of it. Yes, I think it’s our collective responsibility to ensure our own health and the health of those around us and perhaps that means telling people to behave and act in certain ways that they may not enjoy (think smoking). Yes, I think that health is about much more than a lower body weight, a better lipid profile and an increased VO2max and that mental and social health are equally important. Yes, I think that being happy, having a strong social network and doing the things that are enjoyable and pleasurable to us are fundamental to good overall health and well-being. No, I don’t think that being told to exercise for x min per day for y times per week at z heart rate/intensity is effective or useful for most people. In fact I think it’s kinda shit. But that doesn’t mean we can/should leave people to their own devices and allow them to do whatever they choose (ie we should provide guidance, options, education…and maybe even regulation). Physical activity is awesome. I love it and so do most of my friends and family. But it’s awesome because I enjoy it and it provides me with a sense of accomplishment and confidence; self-efficacy and satisfaction. It’s not because it means I will live an extra year or two, that my LDL cholesterol will be 15 points lower or because I can eat an extra 300 calories every day.

I still don’t know what kind of ‘story’ I plan to tell when I write my final dissertation. I hope it’s an honest one that can reflect my personal views and opinions yet remain objective, scientifically valid and reflective of reality/the "truth". It’s definitely an important issue and I hope you can see why. All that glitters is not gold; exercise/PA is not the panacea for poor health; it is not the magic cure. Don’t even get me started about sport, especially elite/high performance sport. My ultimate goal here is the promotion of health. I’m still trying to figure out what ‘health’ means and how we measure it, but I’m sure that it (or some variation of it) is attainable, affordable and worthwhile. Please don’t ask why being healthy is necessary, valuable or important; it just is!

#35: Golden Slumbers

Post-marathon Post

It's now been more than two weeks since running the Scotiabank Marathon and while I initially was eager to get back into the thick of things for fear of losing fitness, I have thoroughly enjoyed the down-time with the added rest and relaxation (well sorta). I irrationally wanted to run on the Monday and Tuesday post race, but knew my mind was winning the battle with my beaten down body. I was able to hold off the urge but went into Wednesday knowing that I would again test my legs and I was ripe with anticipation. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a terrible evening with cold rain and winds so the fact that we were only doing about 10k actually came as a relief. Despite feeling some knee pain for the first time just before heading out on the run, it went smoothly and comfortably, but clearly I was still in need of further recovery. Thursday and Friday came and went without running and I only forced myself to run for 30 or so minutes before refereeing an afternoon of intramural soccer games at U of T on Saturday. I couldn't be bothered to get up and out Sunday morning (partly due to fully enjoying a Saturday night for the first time in months!), but did end up enjoying a long slow run in the late afternoon totalling about 16k. That put my mileage, first week after Scotia, at 32k.

The second week was similarly conservative with runs on Tuesday (a beautiful 13k run through the hills around Angus Glen); Wednesday (yet but another wet and cold one on the Lakeshore in which I foolishly tried some tempo (4:00/k) for about 15min and again my knee pain flared up and forced me to slow down; 14k total); Friday (the beer mile; it doesn't really count!); Saturday (8k easy) and then Sunday, in which I was feeling my legs again and did 12k of tempo at around 3:50/k as part of a 18k 'long' run. That put my second week at about 55k.

So the beer mile. An event we've been trying to get done for the better part of 6 months. It happened at Riverdale Park at 5:30 since we were losing daylight. It almost didn't happen when I purchased a case of Pabst Blue Ribbon only to discover a few minutes later that it was only 4.9% (the beer mile must be done using a minimum of 5% alcohol beer). We headed back to the beer store and grabbed some Bud instead and then rushed to the track hoping not to be too late. Most of the guys and gals I knew from Longboat, but there were also a handful of others who knew Johanna (the unofficial organizer). We warmed up with a few easy laps and I tried to pysch myself up for the task at hand. I used to think that the mile alone was tough. At quarter to 6, we (about 15 participants) gathered at the starting line and received our final instructions. Then, on the count of three, it began… The first step is to down a can of beer (at least 355ml). The first one went down fairly easy. The second one with some slight difficulty. It was the third one that caused problems. The alcohol was settling in fast (having not eaten since noon) and I am not a good drinker to begin with (I'm all about endurance NOT speed). I think I tried to make myself vomit at one point but couldn't do it. Finally I forced it down and headed out on my penultimate lap. I don't really remember much about the actual running of the mile since it's not very fast and your mind is firmly on the drinking aspect of the event. When I made it back to the transition (drinking) zone, I knew that this last beer would not go down easy, so I simply tried to take small sips in order not to vomit and thus not have to run an extra lap. I'll admit that I definitely spit up some pretty frothy stuff during my third beer so probably should have been penalized with an extra lap or DQ'ed outright had there been more race officials or had I maintained my integrity (the alcohol wiped that clear). I certainly didn't set any records on the day so I guess it really doesn't matter in the end (others might disagree). The final beer eventually was consumed and I was thinking I'd try to run the last lap hard. It didn't happen; I was drunk! My finishing time was 11min something, so pretty much no significance. This is the one running event where just finishing actually means something (and yes, I am now indicating that merely finishing a marathon means absolutely nothing...anyone can do it!). Of particular significance and worthy of mention was the spectacular performance of one Melinda Campbell who finished fourth overall and beat me by well over a minute. She's quite a catch. Wesley (who is as Irish as they come) finished first in a time of 7:10 and Doyle not too far behind in 7:50. Fair play to all participants; this event is among the hardest I've ever experienced. The fun didn't end there on the track; that was merely the beginning. We eventually made our way back to Casa Byrne Campbell (the CBC; which seems to be throwing weekly and wonderful parties) for some post-drinking drinking, and finally to a bar (whose name now eludes me) for even more drinking. Yup, post-marathon recovery is definitely rough!

I was only slightly hung-over the next morning when I had to referee a 10am intramural game but luckily it was defaulted so I took a short nap instead. The rest of the weekend went by in a blur that saw some crazy Halloween costumes (not from me), fine dining and re-invigorated running. On Monday, Halloween, we carved a pumpkin and I ate plenty of candy!

Now it's Tuesday and this weekend is set to showcase a number of Hamilton races as well as the Angus Glen Half which some close Longboater's are also doing and gunning for PB's. I have volunteered (ie committed) to pace the half in 1:30 (4:15/k) which will be a struggle to stay on pace what with the generous downhill located from 5 until 10k (holding back will be the biggest challenge). I am also extremely tempted to 'race' the 10k on Saturday as I am again feeling fit and fresh but would likely not be able to muster anything spectacular and may well end up compromising my ability to do the Half the next day. I'm hoping that some friends, with much more sense and experience than myself, can talk me out of it. Canadian running sensation, Reid Coolsaet, is planning to also run the 10k and had indicated that he will do it in a cool and controlled 40min (a literal walk in (Confederation) Park for him) so it would be awesome to say that I could beat him in a race.

Needless to say, the past two weeks post-marathon have been interesting. With no need (or desire) to run nearly as much mileage, there was plenty of extra time and energy for other things, which had sadly been ignored for far too long. There is already talk and excitement of the upcoming training cycle which won't begin until mid-January but will require a solid base building/maintenance phase, and this is enough to temper my temptation to run fast again this year. Next year will be a good one in terms of running (key races include the Robbie Burns 8k, the Chili Half, ATB and a Spring marathon TBD) so it is now more important than ever, to enjoy these "down" weeks and take care of the body (and the mind) so it's ready when it all starts up again (A continuation of commitment or return to relapse?!).

#34: Don't Ever Change

Things are never quite as bad as they may seem...

#33: I’ll Be Back

Satisfaction, accomplishment and a yearning for more...

2:49:55

It’s a pretty fine performance for my first attempt and one I am extremely pleased with. It’s an experience I will always remember and probably hope to emulate again and again (with minor improvements along the way).

I’ve never written a “race report” before and find the idea kind of silly, but I believe it can also be informative, insightful, entertaining and educational. So I'll give it a go.

I was awake long before my alarm was set to go off at 6am. I lay in bed straining to hear the sound I most feared, but it wasn’t there; it was dead calm. Finally I got up knowing any further sleep was impossible. I headed to the bathroom for the first (of many) trips this morning and on my way downstairs, I was again listening for that sound that haunted my dreams; still nothing. When I passed the kitchen window, I told myself not to look but couldn’t help myself. I glanced outside at the blackened sky and was relieved to see that the trees were perfectly still. There was no wind! It was still far too early to make any conclusions with the race still 3 hours away, but I took it as a good sign. I made some toast and forced it down along with a banana and a bottle of Gatorade. I of course wasn’t hungry at this early hour, but it was a necessary task.

It was now just after 6am and with nothing to do, I went back to bed and tried to stay calm by listening to some music and trying to focus on the task ahead. My legs were physically shaking under the covers; they were beyond my conscious control. They were so eager to move again after so many days of forced rest. When I couldn’t take their uncontrollable shaking any longer, I again got up and took a hot shower. It was nearing 7am and the sky was beginning to brighten. I again peered outside and again the trees were still and silent. The forecast was still predicting winds of 35km/h from the west, but it seemed as if it wouldn’t be so bad. I spent the next hour doing nothing at all. I put on my short shorts, my Longboat t-shirt with the already attached race bib (an insignificant #163) and threw on a long sleeve and some jogging pants to keep warm. I opted not to bandage my heels or toes and would hope for the best. I was concerned with my shoes which had taken on a new shape after I put them in the dryer for a tad bit too long after Wednesday’s wet training run. I wasn’t too worried but knew that the smallest blister could prove disastrous. Just before 8am, I left my house with everything I would need and perhaps some things I didn’t.

As I made my way to the corner to catch my ride, a woman on a bicycle who could clearly tell, wished me luck in my race today; it was a good omen. Not a minute later, Roger picked me up with Doyle already on board. We headed downtown to try and park close to the finish and found a convenient spot on King. We engaged in our usual running/race banter and all agreed the weather was better than expected. After some light stretching and more bathrooms breaks, we did a short jog down to the finish area and then back to the jeep. Although we were together, the three of us were very much alone. We all did our own thing and each guy was psyching himself up in his own particular way. I still haven’t 'found' my pre-race routine and am not one for rituals, but this alone time is often important. I actually prefer the company of others to distract me from my own mind and the self-doubt and uncertainly that can plague me at these tense moments. With still some time to kill, Rog and Doyle continued to do their thing, while I sat in the car and visualized. For all my hard work and training, I was still about to do something completely novel and thus had no way to know what to expect. I had been told a million times that the end would be hard, that it would be terrible and terrifying, but I still didn’t quite understand what they could mean. I tried and think about those last 10km and how I wanted to feel. I almost wished that it was already over...

About 15min before the race, we ditched our pants and long sleeves and headed for the start. A short 5min jog ensued and then we were there. There among the 15,000+ runners who would be running today; it was chaos. Doyle was still busy doing his stretches and being Doyle and I was growing increasingly nervous to get into the starting corral and near to the front of the line. Finally I convinced him to go. Panic quickly followed when we were herded into the Purple corral (the slowest one) and told to follow the corrals all the way to the front. That would have taken at least 10min and we only had like 5! We decided to try and make our way across University to get to the corral quicker but found that it was totally blocked off. A security guy told us we would have to go around. That was unacceptable advice. With my patience at its end, I stepped up onto a seating platform and jumped the blockade directly into the elite starting area. Doyle soon followed and before anyone could say anything we were making our way to the start. We snuck in past the giant inflatable starting sign and squeezed past another barrier and were finally where we wanted to be. We soon found some fellow Longboaters and wished each other luck with a minute or so to spare. That minute seems to take forever as everyone is nervously looking down at their shoes and their watches ready to go. Without so much as a warning, the horn sounded and the race had begun...

The first part of any race is always chaos. There are people everywhere, most of who are running way too fast and over their heads. One must constantly watch their feet and those of others who are all scrambling to find a better position. It’s always faster than you intend as well. The first 2 and half were like this. We turned onto Wellington and headed east for the first time today. A gentle wind could be felt on the back pushing us forward. Doyle and I had gone out fast but not too fast. The first km was about 3:45, and we made an effort to slow things down a bit. The second was closer to 3:55 and we were already into a rhythm.

Things started to space out a bit and we settled into a groove. Just after the 3k mark (a 3:50 or so) as we headed west (into the wind) on Lakeshore, there came a voice from behind: “Hey Simcoe Shores guys!” ... Could that be directed at us? I looked at Doyle and then looked ever so slightly behind. “Ya, you guys, I’m talking to you.” Soon a familiar face came sprinting to catch up to us and we were reintroduced to Sean Cross, a guy who had run on an opposing team at the Simcoe Shores Relay as well as the Ingersoll 10k we had run several weeks before. We chatted back and forth and soon realized we were all aiming for around the same time of 2:48. We had found an ally and agreed to work together for as long as we could. As we continued to battle the occasionally strong winds heading west, we took turns breaking the wind and running in a close pack. We also found ourselves picking off other runners (the ones who went out way too fast) and used them to help us in our quest to make the turnaround without suffering too much from the wind.

Early on, I stuck to my plan to alternate between Gatorade and water at the fluid stations but already after just a small amount of the stuff at around 4k, was getting a cramp in my stomach. I knew I should have practiced taking fluids during training runs. I was able to battle it away after several km’s but knew it would be a recurring issue as I would need to continue taking fluids throughout the race. I opted for water more often than Gatorade and even grabbed a gel at the 17k mark to save for later. My inexperience with taking fluids meant that I managed to half-choke a couple of times which garnished a laugh from Doyle. My oversight of the importance of mid-race fuelling would turn out to be a major factor in the difference between my planned 2:48 and my eventual 2:50.

We passed the 10k mark just over 39min; our pace was still fast (3:54/k) but it didn’t feel forced and we were happy to maintain it for the time being. As we continued west, we saw the race leaders heading east on the other side of the Lakeshore. The lead group was full of pacers plus the two Kenyans favoured to win and surprisingly, our own Canadian sensation Reid Coolsaet. He was clearly going for the (Canadian) record despite the unfavourable conditions. The second group was composed of two more Canadian Olympic hopefuls in Eric Gillis and Dylan Wykes. I yelled as loud as I could “Go Eric;” I really wanted him to do it (qualify for the Olympics)!

We stayed on pace right until the turnaround at about 12k and when we made the turn everything felt a bit easier. The wind was no longer hounding us, and although I didn’t feel it was all that bad on the way out, this was a wonderful feeling. The next kilometers just floated by. Before I knew it we were at the 18k mark where the marathoners and half-marathoners went their separate ways. As Doyle noted, it was time "to separate the boys from the men." We turned south onto Stadium Road and then east again on Queen’s Quay. It was here at Bathurst Street where my one and only contingent of fan support in Kass and Sarah, greeted me and cheered me on. It was a great feeling! Soon after, we crossed the half-way point which told us we covered the first 21.1k in 1:23 and change. It was still a bit brisk (at ~3:54/k) but things still felt okay. The next 10 or so km’s are the “worst” ones (okay, not the worst as you shall soon see, but the most unspectacular). These are lonely and lazy km’s where it can become easy to lose focus and make mistakes. It didn’t help that this part of the course was also particularly dull and void of scenery. We ran to Cherry St and headed south where we did a “lollipop” turn at the bottom and headed back north to Commissioner’s and continued east for several more km’s before doing another lollipop type turn on Leslie. The details of these km’s elude me now as I tried to get into a groove and just keep going. At one point I felt like I was overheating and sweat was actually forming on my head and neck (this usually doesn't happen to me...I'm a non-sweater). I tried to compensate by taking extra water at the next station and was rewarded with another minor cramp. Soon we found ourselves on Lakeshore again, still heading east and approached the 30k mark. Things were about to get interesting...

The 30k mark was located at the top of a gradual hill just before we headed north toward Queen St. We crossed the line just over 1:58, a full minute earlier than I had expected from my pre-race calculations. We were still hitting close to 3:54/k pace and I was still feeling relatively good. That feeling however didn’t last long. Just as we headed onto Queen St to do the last 3km east before the final turnaround, my legs begin to feel the slightest bit heavier. It was barely noticeable at first, but something was definitely up and my step didn't feel as comfortable as it had for so long. I took this opportunity to take a gel just before a fluid station to wash it down with water. I was hoping that this would be enough to get me through until the end. I perked up briefly on Queen St where the fan support was really strong and the complete strangers continued to yell out words of encouragement to me personally (my name was printed conveniently on the front of my bib). The clock at 32k said something like 2:06 and it was here that I did that first bit of mental math that said that if I could hold on and do a 40min 10k, I would be well under my intended target. Unfortunately it was not long after this that my pace began to slow. Doyle and Sean seemed to be creeping away little by little, gaining a few meters every minute, and although I desperately wanted to stay close and follow them, I just couldn’t do it any more. It was here that the "race" truly began, and already I was losing...

They had probably gained more than 100m when I made the turn at ~33k. It was here that all hope of a perfect marathon debut went out the window. The wind hit with such ferocity that I immediately was panicked and devoid of hope. There were still more than 7k to go and I was all alone with no one to block the wind. A group ahead of me consisting of the fastest Canadian women and her pacer was not far ahead and I considered trying to make a surge to catch them in order to help with the wind situation. After battling to the top of one of Queen Street’s rolling “hills” I gave everything I had to pick up the pace one more time. It was only a few seconds before a powerful wind gust smacked me square in the face and brought me back to reality. I wasn’t going anywhere!

With the wind howling endlessly in my face and my pace slowing further by the minute, I was finally experiencing the true test of the marathon. I wasn’t bonking and I hadn’t hit any “wall” but I was experiencing my own personal version of what this must have meant. I began doing the mental tricks trying to imagine how much further there was to go and how fast I could run those distances on a good day. I can remember looking for the next km mark and doing everything just to get to that point and then reassess. I felt like I wasn’t even moving and refused to look at my watch for fear for what it might have said. I tried to do the math and calculate where I might be but at this point, playing with numbers was pointless. At one point I was even worried that I might not even break 3 hours and this was almost too much to bear. I had trained so hard. I had been ready for this. Why was I failing so badly?

Those long km’s somehow managed to go by. 36...37...38...39. How much time had passed I couldn't know? Finally I saw the Don Valley flyover ahead and knew that this was the 40k mark and that there were only about 4 more to go. There was a large supporter group just before the flyover full of Greeks with flags all dancing and singing and cheering my name. I tried to look at them and show them how grateful I was, but I don’t think I had to the energy to do so. I made that long journey up the fully exposed flyover and the wind hit me harder than ever before. It was here at this very point, where the terrible thought of stopping, of walking, came into my mind. I already felt like I wasn’t moving so why not? I then heard Roger’s voice: “No matter how slow you’re moving; running is always faster than walking.” I couldn't give up now. I tried ever so slightly to fight back against the wind and move a little faster. There was a lone guy at the Sportstats truck where they took our 40k split and he too said something of encouragement and told me to keep going. It was here that I saw my time and was given a glimmer of hope. 2:40 and change. I was somehow still on pace, or at least not far off of it. Just 2 more km’s to go and I could probably reach my goal. I had definitely slowed down, and was in all likeliness still slowing down, but the finish was now so near. I put my head down and carried on. I tried to move faster but it just wouldn't happen. It was here that I realized just how tough the marathon can be and why it is the ultimate running challenge.

I wanted so badly to just keep moving. My arms and legs began to tingle with those pin-prick like sensations you get when they ‘fall asleep;’ I was losing all feeling and was actually welcoming the numbness. On the other side of the flyover, the massive city buildings suddenly became so near and for a few minutes, the wind didn’t seem so strong. I saw the 41km marker and then like an angel descending from above; George Hubbard appeared at my side and began to run alongside of me. He told me I was doing great and said my time was about 2:44 something. He said I would definitely get under 2:50 and that somehow convinced me that it was true. I wanted so badly for him to stay by my side and guide me to the finish but I didn’t have the energy to say so. I told him “thanks” and just kept moving. Shortly after, a man on a bike was heading toward me and told me that it would “all be over soon.” I think I tried to smile. I went through a final barrage of supporters who yelled my name louder than ever before. The course made a slight change of direction from Front St to Wellington and it was here that I saw the “500m to go” sign. So close now. Out of nowhere, another runner appeared just ahead of me. He was clearly hurting badly and actually made a wrong turn to leave the main road and was directed by the fans back on course. I came up next to him and without actually saying it, hoped that he would follow me. My focus then reverted to the signs which spelled out 500...400... then 300m to go. Each 100m interval seemed to last a lifetime. I made the final turn onto Bay St and saw that most beautiful sight of the finish line. The clock was counting up and I could see it was already at 2:49 high. I gave what little I had left and surged toward the finish, almost unable to hear the massive crowd cheering me on. I think the announcer said my name and where I was from but I can't be sure. I looked up as I crossed the line to see the clock hit 2:49:55 and I knew I had salvaged something special. I grinded immediately to a halt but knew to keep moving which I did. Soon Roger and Rob Campbell were there to greet and congratulate me. Rob said it was an amazing first performance and I thought it might be true. I kept moving as the volunteers herded us up Bay St. A small boy put a medal around my neck and said I did great and I was truly glad to have it. Soon I saw Doyle and was happy to see him again; how long had it been seen we drifted apart? We made our way through the now hoards of people (mostly half-marathoners finishing in the same time we did), grabbed a banana and bagel and departed the finisher’s area. Rog had given me a backpack with our things in it so we found a small space at the entrance of a building and quickly changed into some warm and dry clothing. I finally asked Doyle what his time was in the race and was taken aback when he told me. The guy I had trained with all year long had just run a 2:45 in the same conditions! I was overcome with amazement and completely forgot about my own race. He had run perhaps the greatest race of him life so far. For all the training and all the time we spent running together, it seemed to have paid off and in a big way. We had both run extremely well. The difference between us was experience and I was already looking forward toward getting more.

We eventually made our way to the VIP tent right at the finish line where some Longboat members (a special thanks to Lynn and Sabrina) had volunteered and got us in with free passes. There we could comfortably watch the race and take in what we had just done. I felt surprisingly good, considering how bad I felt mere minutes earlier and was happy to take on some fluids and carbs. We watched as our fellow teammates Gerardo and then Melinda came in with their own highly impressive times; it had shaped up to be a pretty good day after all. Soon my legs began to ache and we decided it was time to head home. We walked back to the jeep and Roger drove me home.

At home I had a bottle of Gatorade and a banana knowing that I desperately needed fuel to recover but my body was wanting none of it. I had a shower in which I soaked my lower body in ice cold water but my tolerance for such discomfort is relatively low and it wasn’t long before I had switched to burning hot water instead. It was not long before I was on the move again as I was planning to head to Rogers to join the others for the CBC broadcast of the event set to air at 3. I got on my bike and again was surprised to feel comfortable in moving my legs. I stopped off at the beer store before arriving at Roger’s just before 3pm. We spent the remainder of the day drinking beers and talking shop about everything and anything, running related and otherwise. At one point, Doyle and I felt an immediate need for nourishment having drunk nothing but beer all afternoon, and so a plan was set in motion to order pizza which was subsequently devoured by all. We left just before 10pm when the beer and food was gone and my legs were beginning to ache. It had been a long day.

I made my way home and began thinking about what I had done earlier that day. Already
I was thinking about the next time I would attempt 42.2 and what I would need to do differently in order to do better. 2:50 on my first attempt; there was no limit to what I could achieve. I was suddenly very excited.

#32: Nothin' Shakin' (But the Leaves on the Trees)

Just read an article in the Globe (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/waterfront-marathon-will-finish-at-occupy-toronto-protest/article2202139/) about the Scotiabank Marathon tomorrow and had a few thoughts...

First of all, I certainly hope Mr Brookes is right in saying that there will be no problems having the finish line (@ Bay and King) at the same location as the 'Occupy Toronto' protests set to take place today and carry over into tomorrow. I respect the right for people to exercise their democratic right to peaceful protest, assembly and free speech (regardless of how hopeless their causes and how annoying their voices), but I will not be happy if some idiot with a cardboard sign gets in my way as I make my way toward the finish. I am confident this won't be an issue.

Next is a few comments made my last year's marathon winner, Keneth Mungara from Kenya, who says: "You can’t say how fast you can go, it depends on the pacemakers. I can’t push then if they go slow. I have to save my energy until they leave, then I push it on my own... They may cost a lot of money but they do a lot of the job. They cook the race. I can’t cook, I take it to the table.”


And there goes all my respect for him! Excuse me, but aren't you supposed to be an elite athlete?! Didn't you take home some $30,000 in extra cash last year for setting a marathon record on Canadian soil?! And here you're flat out admitting that the results depend not so much on how fast you run, but on how fast your (expensive) pacers run! I'm speachless. I've always respected and admired the Kenyans and West Africans and anyone really, who could run so fast for so long, but I am now at a point where I'm not so sure it's deserved. I mean how much faster could I run if I had a few pacers? We all could probably knock a few minutes off our best times with some help. What gets me the most is that we, the regular joe-shmo runners, are paying ridiculously expensive race fees which are being used to pay for greedy race directors, exordinate prize money for aging Africans who can't compete at a high level anymore, and pacers who allow them to do it! I don't giving a flying fish if there's an African leading the race or pacers helping him doing it. All I need is a course of a certified length and a clock at the end telling me how fast I went. I don't need medals, awards, fancy t-shirts, my name on a bib, or free junk! Let's go back to when races where about one and only one thing: running.

Next is something I do care about and that's our elite Canadian runners. As I sit here and worry about how the wind will likely affect my performance tomorrow; I can't imagine how it must feel for the guys who are needing to run the fastest races of their lives in order to meet the qualifying standard (2:11:29) for the 2012 Olympics. Eric Gillis, Reid Coolsaet, Rob Watson, Matt Loseille, and Dylan Wykes are the only elite runners I care about and certainly hope they will be getting the best support (race) money can buy in order to help them succeed. I would really love to see three Canadians in London next summer and wish them all the best on their journeys to achieve that goal. They work harder than anyone seems to appreciate and should be given far more support and recognition for the amazing athletes they are!


My final comment is about the weather. Yes, it's something we can't change or control and thus have little reason to complain about it, but I'll do it anyway because it's been all I've been thinking about for the past week. The forecast for tomorrow is a cool and comfortable 9 degrees with only a 30% chance of scattered rain; almost ideal for racing. What isn't ideal is a wicked westerly wind clocking at 35km/h! Wind is the bane of a runners existance. It can stop us flat in our tracks and defeat us mentally long before it affects us physically. Having done everything right in training for 14 weeks, I am nervous not because I am not prepared, but because my performance may well be dictated by a factor completely out of my control, and that sucks (actually it blows). My goal has changed slightly over the past months: first it was to run sub 3, then sub 2:55, then sub 2:50, then to run 4:00/km (2:48:48), and then to run 2:48 flat. It looks as if it may have to change yet again. I feel I am capable of the 2:48 (perhaps even better!) but I no longer have control of this, or at least not as much control as I would have liked. As of now, nothing changes. The goal is still 2:48. I will do what I am capable of doing and will deal with what happens along the way...

A race report will follow shortly.

#31: It Won't Be Long

In a few short days, on Sunday 16 October at approximately 9am, I will stand on the starting line on University Ave at Queen St with 42.195km stretched out ahead of me: The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The ultimate running challenge. (My first attempt)


I will not be alone. The event is now sold out and there will be 5,000 others attempting the same distance with 10,000 more doing the Half (21.1k) and 6,500 doing a 5k. That’s over 20,000 runners, joggers and walkers taking to the streets of downtown Toronto, all with different goals in mind. Standing on that line will be mostly complete strangers, some familiar faces and thankfully, a small number of good friends and Longboat club members. To all of them who have trained so hard to get to this point as well as directly or indirectly helped me along the way in getting through the trials and tribulations of marathon training: I wish you all the best in your own races and cannot begin to express how grateful I am to you all! To Roger, Rob Campbell, Gerardo, Christian, Melinda, Anne Byrne, Kathleen, and so many more; thank you! A special shout-out to my training partners and close friends: Darren and especially Michael Doyle, to whom I am deeply indebted for the fine fitness and cool confidence I have going forward. No matter what happens on race day, the whole journey (the whole year really!) was a wonderful experience and I owe a great deal of that to the two of you.

It's been a long journey: 14+ weeks, 100+ days, 1600+ kilometers, 110+ hours... and it all comes down to one single, solitary day and 42.2 "short" kilometres. After so much training and preparation, both physical and psychological, I feel I am now ready. I am mostly confident, am certainly excited but am admittedly nervous as well. This is my first ever attempt at the marathon distance and so I am somewhat fortunate for the blissful ignorance I still possess which will protect me from the pain and anguish that I am most certain to experience late in the race.

And if I can push past those tough final km's and come within a minute or two of my goal time (an ambitious 2:48:48. 4:00/km pace), I am quite certain that running this marathon will amount to the greatest accomplishment in my life to this point. An accomplishment that was entirely self-selected, never forced, often enjoyable but occasionally awful. Something no one asked or expected me to do but rather something I envisioned and experienced for myself. All the time, training, energy, and effort was done absolutely autonomously and thus whatever comes as a result, good or bad, is entirely of my own doing (although I do acknowledge those who helped and supported along the way).


For now, I must endure these last few agonizing days of the taper where my body begins to feel fresh and restless (an almost unheard of experience in the past weeks and months) and yet I must hold back and rest as much as possible. I will run only three times this week and always very briefly. ~45k with another 45k to come on race day. Plenty of fluids will be taken and a slightly altered diet that focuses on increased carbohydrates (the infamous "carbo-loading") especially on the 3 days before.

While I can't stop myself from checking the weather forecast several times a day (currently predicting cloudy with showers (70% POP), a high of 16 degrees, and winds at 15km/h; not ideal but not terrible either), I do acknowledge that there is nothing to be done about it and thus must be accepted. There is plenty else (within my control) which can also go wrong (hydration, fuelling, apparel, pacing) and so it's far more important to focus on these things and have a fairly good idea of what should happen on race day (while remaining flexible with plans A, B and C). Sometimes I wonder if it's all worth it; we give so much in training and get so little in return on race day.

I recently read two absolutely amazing novels by one John L. Parker, Jr. 'Once and Runner' and its sequel 'Again to Carthage' follow the journey of a young, ambitious and highly talented young collegiate runner, Quenton Cassidy, as he endures the rigorous and regimented training required to succeed in the mile and then, years later, in the marathon. I won't elaborate because these novels are essential reading for all runners of any level, ability or experience and may help explain and invigorate your own preference and passion for running that we simply don't realize and take for granted.

I mention this because there is a single chapter in 'Again to Carthage,' which I think accurately and elegantly says more about how I am feeling right now, and how I imagine many others in a similar position also feel, than any other explanation I have ever heard, read, seen or imagined.

Chapter 36: 'Otter Springs'.

"What I mean is that someone sees a race, and they think that's what you do. They sort of know you had to train, but they weren't watching then, so they don't understand how incredibly much of it there is. But to us, it's almost the whole thing. Racing is just the little tiny ritual we go through after everything else has been done. It's a hood ornament."

Unless you’ve been there and gone through it, no one can truly understand how or why we push our bodies and our minds to such limits. Why we endure the pain and how we maintain the passion. I still don’t completely understand it and I realize it might not make much sense to others… but I do know that I love it and I know I’ll do it again and again. So regardless of what happens on Sunday, in my mind, I have already succeeded...



For those interested, CBC will be streaming live coverage of the event on it's website (www.cbcsports.ca) starting at 8:30am EST as well as having coverage on CBC BOLD. There will also be a highlights show at 3pm EST on all CBC networks. Good luck to the Canadian guys (Reid, Eric, Rob, Matt and Dylan) looking to qualify for the 2012 Olympics and perhaps even set the Men's Canadian marathon record.

#30: Revolution 9

Two in one day; I'm on a roll...

Kass Gibson is one of the smartest people I know. He's also among the funniest. Those traits together, intelligence and humour, create an effective and winning combination that is surely absent in far too many academic-types. Anyway, I am extremely fortunate to get to hang out with Kass quite often, and today during a regular graduate student-style coffee break (long and often) on a simply sensational Friday afternoon, I was once again humbled and inspired by his wisdom and thoughtful insight.

I was talking to him about my most recent blog post: About what types of interventions might be most successful for increasing physical activity (PA) levels and the importance of offering incentives to increase physical activity (since persuasion and regulation are unlikely to work). The first question he asked was:

"Why is it so important that people be physically active? Why should we tell them this is important in the first place?"

It might seem ignorant but it's an excellent point. “You live your life; I'll live mine!” I would normally agree, HOWEVER in Canada, we support a ("free") publicly funded health care system. This essentially means that when you or I get sick, everyone else pays for it (literally). In theory, it's a great idea: We all help each other out in their time of need. But what happens when certain types of people benefit more from the system than others? I'm talking of course about a population that is becoming increasingly (and overwhelmingly) unhealthy. Although you could debate it; heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, many cancers, mental illness, and dementia all affect a disproportionate amount of people: People who I would argue are less healthy and who are often personally responsible for their lack of health. To make my point: I don't feel I should be paying for the millions of Canadians now developing diabetes and heart disease because they choose to be sedentary.

Without much fuss, Kass eventually agreed that was a fair point. However, rather than offer the financial incentives and tax credits (that far too often benefit the already advantaged middle and upper classes); why not remove the barriers that undoubtedly prevent so many people from becoming active in the first place (adoption) or maintaining activity in the long term (adherence). At first I brushed the idea off as far too simple-minded. "If I can overcome these said 'barriers'; then why can't others?!" But the more I got to thinking, the more one must acknowledge that barriers do exist (or perhaps more importantly...are perceived to exist).

I then began coming up with a list of potential "barriers" to physical activity and as you will see, there are a lot of them! These barriers are not necessarily physical barriers (there isn't a giant wall blocking the entrance to the park), but can be anything that limits access or opportunity to be active.

Here are but a few (mostly adapted from Trost et al., 2002) organized into different types:

Demographic and biological factors: age, sex, gender, education, working class occupation, children, genetics, income/socioeconomic status (SES), injury/illness, disability, marital status, race/ethnicity, religious affiliation, being overweight or obese

Psychological, cognitive and emotional factors: attitudes, control, enjoyment, expectancy beliefs, intension, mood/affect, normative beliefs, knowledge/understanding of health, time, locus of control, perceived current health, personality, body image, psychological/mental health, self-efficacy, self-motivation, stress, susceptibility to illness

Behavioural attributes and skills: activity during childhood, youth and adolescence, activity during adulthood, alcohol, dietary habits, coping skills, processes of change, school sports, smoking, mental illness, sports media use, Type A behaviour pattern

Social and cultural factors: exercise group size, exercise/PA models, group cohesion, family influence, physician influence, social isolation, social support from family, spouse, friends, peers, staff, instructor

Physical/built environment factors: access to facilities (actual and perceived), lighting, climate/season, cost of programs, disruption of routine, scenery, traffic, home equipment, crime rates, hilly terrain, neighbourhood safety, sidewalks, dogs, urban vs rural locations, noise

Physical activity characteristics: mode, duration, frequency and intensity of activity, perceived effort.

WOW! That's quite a list. When reading it, many barriers (perhaps better called factors, variables, correlates or determinants), will NOT seem modifiable which is true. So it then must be determined which factors CAN be changed and what the overall effect of changing those factors will be (in order to increase PA levels). We must also consider things like the feasibility, timeline, cost, and many practical considerations. This can (and should) seem pretty overwhelming.

I might be a bit of an idealist (picturing a perfect world where everyone is physically active and healthy) but I am also a realist. We can't change the world (I'm also a pessimist) all at once; rather we need to make small, gradual steps to affect meaningful change over time. Currently, I might argue that rather than change anything 'for the better'; we should simply attempt to 'stop the bleeding' and try and ensure that we don't change 'for the worse'. Either way, it's a tall order.
Okay, so I realize that I've been rambling on for quite a bit and I fear I haven't really made a point so should probably attempt to do so. Here's the take home message:

I think that 'asking' that people be physically active and healthy (as a direct result of this) is a necessary and important 'request.' The health care system is designed in such a way that we all end up paying for those who are inactive and unhealthy (here I assume that increased physical activity equates to better overall health, and am supported heavily by the literature). And rather than simply offer incentives for individuals to be active; we also need to consider removing or altering the 'barriers' that exist to prevent PA. Some of these barriers cannot be changed but many can. Demographic and biological factors cannot be changed per se, but they can be overcome. Psychological and behavioural barriers are those being addressed by myself and other exercise/PA psychologists and ultimately require "changing" the individual. Changing the build/physical environment will likely come from policy (government) and will take time. We can’t change the nature of PA: it’s physically (and mentally) tough to do and can be unpleasant; but we can change our attitudes toward it. We can embrace it.

What are your thoughts? What factors and barriers are most important and in most needing of change?! For now, I plan to stick with my monumental (and perhaps foolish) task of trying to change individuals (whether they know it or not)...

#29: Revolution 1

Many of you should be well aware that we are currently facing an “epidemic of inactivity.” Sedentary lifestyles have become the norm and less than 15% of Canadian adults meet (inter)national recommendations for daily and weekly physical activity (PA) known to improve and enhance health and well-being. This then often leads to many more complicated problems (lack of fitness -> overweight/obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, poor mental health) that ultimately end up costing every one of us since we all contribute to our publicly funded health care system. Individual health is not only a personal responsibility, but a social one too!

Knowing that Canadians are inactive is all well and good but the real question then becomes: How do we convince, promote and motivate individuals to be more physically active?

Preaching (education, public messages, etc) about the value and importance of PA doesn't seem to be working. I think most people would agree that exercise and physical activity is good for us! The evidence for this is simply irrefutable. So what are the other options? Surely we can't force people to become physically active. There is no law that says you MUST be physically active and thus regulating PA also seems bleak for meaningful intervention. Another tool then is to perhaps offer incentives or rewards for those who choose to be physically active. Incentives are very often economic in nature (think tax credits like the Children Fitness Tax Credit) but could also be symbolic and personally-derived (think an increased sense of well-being, superior health and fitness, improved body image and self-esteem, etc). So far there are few, financial or otherwise, incentives offered to promote physical activity and I feel this is an area of much potential in the near future.

For now, I would like to share/propose an idea I had for a general "program" or "project" that I hope can convince and challenge more of us to be physically active. I just came up with it an hour ago so probably haven’t thought it through…
Nevertheless, I stems from my own personal passion for physical activity and from an activity that I truly believe any one can do: running!

"Bet you can't run just one: Meters to marathon."

Starting to run can be an intimidating and daunting task and will not be successful the first time out. It takes time, patience, practice and perseverance. The first time I ever ran was back in high school and I can remember planning to go around the block (about 5k) I made it only about 2k before I was on my hands and knees gasping for air. I proceeded to walk for several minutes before trying again and sure enough it was not long before I was walking slowly again, clutching my churning stomach and pounding lungs. That is a memory I will never forget. I can't remember the second or third time I ran, or even the tenth, but I do recall the slow, gradual process of getting better and being able to go further and further. This provided me with a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction; sensations which have only intensified and accumulated over time.

Running can no doubt provide a plethora of advantages and benefits over other activities: increased physical health and fitness: endurance, strength, flexibility, speed; improved body composition, image and satisfaction; enhanced self-efficacy,-confidence and -esteem; decreased stress, depression and anxiety; social interaction, friendships and membership; social support and recognition; it is fairly inexpensive and requires no special equipment, facilities or fees; it can be done alone or within a group; feelings of pride, accomplishment and success; and ultimately a sense of self-satisfaction. Running has it all! The proposed goal of 'Meters to Marathon (MTM)' is to encourage individuals of all ages to embrace recreational running as not only a mode of exercise or health behaviour but as a lifestyle.
Beginners, amateurs and pros alike can benefit tremendously from regular running and the subculture of running. The task is simple: Take it one day at a time and try to run a little more each day. Be sure to warm up briefly beforehand and cool down afterwards, and ensure you have a comfortable pair of shoes and apparel. Start with a brisk 10min walk then try and run/jog for a few minutes, maybe 5 at the most, then walk some more. Keep track of your progress (write it down) and set a realistic goal. Start by running three days a week and add a fourth day after a week or two. Listen to your body and know when to back off or take an extra rest day. Don’t allow yourself to overcompensate on food for the activity you’ve done. This isn’t a weight loss program and the goal here is increased fitness; not decreased “fatness’ (although they often compliment each other!). The process will be invigorating, reinforcing and intensely rewarding. Good luck.

#28: I Don't Want to See You Again

Many things make me angry. People who walk extremely slowly on sidewalks are one of them. Even worse are people who don't know HOW to walk on sidewalks. But worst of all, without a doubt, are cyclists, for whatever reason, riding their bikes on the sidewalk. It's illegal, it's unsafe, and it's stupid! This makes my blood boil with rage and sooner or later I'm going to snap. I've decided to channel my anger, rage and negative energy into a more creative, constructive (and less violent) outlet and so have written a poem. It goes like this:

You're riding on the sidewalk
A place you shouldn't be
You almost hit a child
we're getting very angry

The road is right beside you
The lane is just for you
Why you have to ride on ours
It's something you need not do

You think you have a right to be there
You ring your stupid bell
If you ask me to move one more time
I'll send you straight to hell

You're speeding and you're swerving
You're texting on your phone
You're paying no attention
You think the lane's your own

It's illegal and it's stupid
Where is your common sense
You're going to hurt somebody
You're making us all tense

Get off the goddamn sidewalk
Our anger has amassed
If you don't ride off the sidewalk
This ride could be your last

#27: From Us to You

I just spent my entire Friday morning writing this blog post; I hope it's a good one.


So, I’ve been trying to come up with interesting ideas for blog posts and went from having nothing a few days ago to being overwhelmed with ideas and topics. I began by composing my personal thoughts and feelings on the topics of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide which I’ll argue (in support of) should be as much about compassion and respect as about ethics and economics. I become instantly overwhelmed in the discourse and literature so have put that off for another day (stay tuned). I then read a Globe and Mail article about fertility treatments for the obese and of course had a few things to say about that (I think they should be banned on the grounds that being biologically infertile due to obesity is a clear sign that one should not be having children as well as that I worry about the environment the resulting child will be raised in). There was also an article about another (very unoriginal) women raising money for charity by “running” a marathon and eating nothing but McDonald’s for a month (if you missed it I think this is ridiculous, foolish and doesn’t even deserve a comment). Then yesterday during my second lecture in public health policy, I (and the whole class) was challenged by the professor to actually do something to contribute to our collective understanding of the topic which is what I will attempt do today...

So I’m taking (another) course called ‘ An Intro to Public Health Policy’, which is an area I am entirely new too. I was accepted to a special program called the CIHR (Canadian Institute of Health Research) Strategic Training Program in Public Health Policy and thus am required to take some additional courses, attend ‘policy rounds’, ‘lunch and learns’ (can’t argue with free food), ‘institutes’ and ‘training pods.’

Essentially what this means is that we (40 or so students) get a comprehensive overview of the public health system here in Canada as well as what are current topics and issues being addressed. My ‘expertise’ in this area or what I bring to the table is my passion for physical activity and our dire need to get people active. I am thus going to briefly give an overview of public health and more specifically the relevance and implication of physical activity/exercise for the topic. So here it goes...

A good definition of Public Health taken straight from Wikipedia is: "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" (1920, C.E.A. Winslow).

Another one is: “Many, but not all, of its activities deal with the health of populations. Much, but not all, of the focus is on prevention. Some, but not all, of the activities are carried out by organizations designated as ‘public health” (Deber).



Public health ‘outcomes’ or goals include, but are not restricted to, the “health protection and promotion” functions such as disease surveillance, disease and injury prevention, health protection, health emergency preparedness and response, health promotion and relevant research undertakings (Kirby and LeBreton). I won’t talk at all about policy (since I still know nothing about it) but just know that public health policy is essentially concerned with the rules, laws, regulations and legislation that is concerned with any public health issue.

Confused? Relevant public health topics might include community/city water treatment and fluoridation; pesticide and chemical use; immunization for the flu, and other infectious diseases; tobacco use and second hand smoke; obesity; healthy eating and nutrition (labels on food); alcohol and drug regulation; physical activity and exercise and there are many many more.

Remember that health is multidimensional and includes physical, emotional and social components. It is not merely the absence of disease or illness. While Western cultures and societies routinely attribute ‘health’ to mean physical/physiological health, it is far more complex than this. Each individual ‘aspect’ of health is known to affect (both good and bad) the others: good physical health is known to contribute to positive emotional and social health outcomes; poor social health can compromise physical and emotional health; good social health can enhance emotional health but compromise physical health; and so on and so forth. It’s complicated!

The point I want to make is that physical activity is, should or at least can be a major component of positive health and wellbeing. It certainly contributes to good physical health (fitness) but can also benefit one’s emotional and social health as well. It is thus an important topic and aspect of public health. One’s individual health is thus not only a personal responsibility but also a social responsibly. “Personal responsibilities are social responsibilities” (MDF Doyle). Our health attitudes and behaviours both directly and indirectly impact others and society as a whole.

Currently very few Canadians are physically active. In fact only about 15% of Canadian adults meet the recommendations for daily and weekly physical activity (Colley et al., 2011). The recommendations endorsed by Health Canada (through ParticipACTION and the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiologists (CSEP)) as well as by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) are as follows:

“For adults:

To achieve health benefits, adults aged 18-64 years should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity (think brisk walking, cycling, jogging, cross-country skiing) aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes of more. It is preferred that activity be achieved as at least 30 minutes on 5 days of the week.

It is also beneficial to add muscle and bone strengthening activities using major muscle groups, at least 2 days per week.

More physical activity provides greater health benefits.”

The recommendation for older adults (65 years and older) are essentially the same as for adults, while children and youth are suggested to accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise EVERY day and vigorous and strength training activities at least 3 times per week. See the following link for more detailed info: http://www.csep.ca/english/view.asp?x=804



Now I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: telling people to go out and exercise for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week at so and so intensity (heart rate) is NOT going to work. Exercise sucks; it’s terrible! No one wants to be told they have/need to do something and certainly not told that they need to do it continuously and indefinitely, especially if it’s actually kinda hard and demanding (physically, mentally and perhaps socially). I understand why I (and we) need to do it (to become healthier and more fit), and luckily I’ve found a way to actually want to do it and to enjoy it; but I acknowledge that it’s not going to work for everyone. The idea of physical activity is far more important than exercise. It has to become enjoyable, pleasurable, and fun. It has to become routine and normalized; a lifestyle. It should become something we/you want to do, not something you need to do it. And let’s face it; you don’t need to do it! Choosing to be physically active is a personal choice; no one is going to force you to do it.


Physical activity: It can be fun too!

I’ve rambled on much longer than I should so I’m going to stop. I hope by now you a) better understand what public health is and why it’s important; b) understand that physical activity (and dare I say exercise) is an important aspect of personal AND public health; and c) what the physical activity recommendations are for you and your loved ones. I didn’t say why physical activity is important or why recommendations for it are necessary but I hope you can begin to see why they are.