• 31
  Jul
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The Red Mile, a dedication to our hometown hero, Constable Douglas James Larche

July 31, 2014 (New Brunswick) – Organizers of the 20^th annual Emera Marathon by the Sea are honoured to announce that the first mile of this year’s marathon will be dedicated to the life of Constable Douglas James Larche, Saint John’s hometown hero. Cst. Larche, along with two of his RCMP colleagues, was tragically killed in the line of duty on June 4, 2014. Members of the RCMP and their families, the Saint John Police Force and other local detachments will be in attendance for the dedication.

Raised in Saint John, Cst. Larche was an avid runner, finishing many races including a marathon, several half marathons and numerous shorter distances. In 2009, he returned home to participate in Marathon by the Sea’s half marathon.

The run will begin at the Fisher Lake parking lot, in Rockwood Park, at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 10. The first Red Mile will lead runners out of the park. Spectators are asked to be on-site at 7:45 a.m.

All runners and spectators are asked to consider wearing red during the event. Whether it be an article of clothing, or ribbon tied around their arm. A limited supply of commemorative red bracelets will be available at the event, and can be purchased with a minimum five dollar donation. Proceeds from the bracelets will go to the Moncton Fallen RCMP Members Fund. Chalk will also be available during registration and packet pick-up the day before the race for runners to scribe a dedication message on the first mile of the course. Portions of the same road surface will be lined with red to represent The Red Mile.

Police cruisers will be positioned at the start line. Their sirens will sound to initiate the beginning of the run, and uniformed police officers will be present along the first mile as runners pass by. Members will also be available with volunteers at the finish line to greet, congratulate and present medals to the runners.

More information on the 2014 Emera Marathon by the Sea can be found by visiting www.marathonbythesea.com.

Anyone looking to make a donation to the families of Cst. Douglas James Larche, Cst. Fabrice George Gevaudan, and Cst. Dave Ross, is asked to do so through the Moncton Fallen RCMP Members Fund.

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Media Contact

Lisa Caissie

(506)648-3714

• 30
  Jul
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The Running Whys – Cat Smith

The Running Whys – Cathy (Cat) Smith

Editor’s note: When this series started, we got a note from a participant in the Fredericton Marathon, who wanted to share her thoughts about another competitor – one who had walked the race instead of running it. But this was something different as this walker was fast, real fast, eclipsing the time of many who were competing. The walker was none other than Cathy (Cat) Smith, who through her friendship with Marcie Holland, has rekindled her competitive fire and now is one of the fastest walkers around. She has been turning heads all year and is ready for her next challenge – the 20^th anniversary running of Emera Marathon by the Sea. Enjoy.

=

I’d like to start this whole thing off by saying my nickname when I was a child was Turtle. I was slow at doing everything, except learning new things. I was slow at getting ready for school, walking to school and back home from school. I was slow at putting things away, playing games, colouring and eating.  My nickname lengthened to “Turtle, the Slowpoke”.

When I got to junior high school, I decided to try out for the track and field team. To everyone’s surprise, I was the fastest on the team. Every meet, I was a lap to a lap and a half ahead of the field and my teacher would always tell me to slow down. We also had speed walking races where I learned I was exceptionally fast as well.

I didn’t continue track in high school as my interests had changed.  I was more into art. Although I still won races we had in gym, I ran outside of school – not because I had to but because I liked it. I was 100 pounds and I could run with the wind. I know it’s “run  ‘like’ the wind’ but I always felt I ran ‘with’ it.

As a young adult, I started hanging with a lot of people who weren’t really into active living, running or exercising, so I slowly started getting out of it too. People started telling me I was way too skinny and that I had to gain weight. And the only way to gain was to stop running.

So I did.

Cat and Simon Whitfield at the recent triathlon in St. Andrews.

Within the first year, I gained 12 pounds and during the next 5-7 years, my weight fluctuated between 112-118 pounds. Then, somewhere over the next 10 years, I got to a whopping 154 lbs.

I met Marcie, my running partner, in 1999.  She was not like all the other new friends I’d made over the years. She was actually active, into hiking and biking. We instantly hit it off and we started hiking trails together. We had done a lot of trails over the years but I noticed I never really lost a lot of weight. But I didn’t gain any either.

I had wanted to start some sort of exercise for years. I would start it, but it wouldn’t last for very long. I kept saying “this is the month” but it never happened. Then Marcie decided we were going to start by walking faster when we walked our trails. We did and kept it up for awhile but then it died down.

During that time, I had a doctor’s appointment and she got me to step on the scale. To my shock, I was 174 lbs. I couldn’t believe it, I went home, told Marcie and we got back on the trails but not as often as either of us would have liked.

Then it was back to the doctor’s office again because as heavy as I was, I was having a lot of chest pains and even started having heart palpitations. Once on the scale, I could see why as the scale read 186 lbs.

I thought, ‘Ok, this is it, it’s now or never, something has to happen now.” The other half of my Team Marcat533 is Marcie’s sister Shelley, who asked her if she’d be interested in doing a Triathlon again with her sometime later on in 2013. Marcie started running and I decided it was time I get out there and do something, so I went with her.

I have got to say first and foremost that I’ve heard of people having good support systems and people that help cheer them on and such, but Marcie is “The” best” support system to have. She always has encouraging words and telling me I can do it. She always helps push me on when my head and feet are telling me to stop. Thankfully they listen to her and not me.

I wasn’t comfortable running at first but if it wasn’t for her, I’d have likely given up again and be having more chest and heart problems. So I want to send a big thank you out to her from my almost now perfect heart. We did routes close to home at first and even entered a few 5k’s to see how we’d do.

I also want to mention another person who is part of the reason I now have a faster pace. Marcie’s dad Brian. At first, when he heard I was walking them instead of running, he said “Cathy’s only walking?”  but then my second race into it, he quickly changed to “Cathy walked it that fast”. His positive impression motivated me to go even faster. So by the time the Fredericton Marathon came around, I used his words to help me go even faster. I went from a 7:14 per kilometre pace to a 7:04. Thanks Brian.

Marcie Holland and Cat before the Miramichi Rock N Run. Cat credits her friendship with Marcie for getting her back in the fitness game.

I’ve been told I have an exceptionally fast walk. A lot of friends didn’t like going for walks with me, saying, it was like going for a run. I never really thought much of it until I started entering races and getting out of breath really fast. I’d have to stop to walk too much for my liking. It was so weird for me to not be able to just run… but I knew I still had speed walking.

Someone mentioned to me that there are some pretty fast walkers that enter the races and sometimes even get recognized for results. I thought there’s no way I could compete with people that had been doing it for years and I’d have no idea how to train to ‘walk’ a running race… even kind of laughed at the thought.

The first one I entered was the Brent Kelly 5 Miler (in April). Marcie suggested we go walk it the weekend before, to give myself an idea of a time I could get. She figured about one hour and 30 minutes. We did it and she had to keep jogging to keep up. I got a time of 1:15:45. When we got home, I decided to look up what the fastest time that had been done. The records suggested 1:13:22. Still not really knowing how to train myself to walk faster, I decided to time myself around a few blocks where we live that amounts close to a 1k.

My fastest time was 7:35, which I though was too slow. Marcie thought it was unrealistic to try for faster. I did the route three times for 3K. That was it, no other training.

Race day came, I got in my “I’m just going for a walk” mind set and off I went. I came in first ahead of women AND men and finished with a time of 1:02:22, beating the record by 11 minutes. This race didn’t separate walkers and runners, so it just looked like I ran a slow running pace because I was ahead of a lot of the runners.

My second race was the YSJ 5K. I figured since it was shorter, I’d somehow push myself to go faster. I still had no idea how to train for it, mainly because so many people are now into “race- walking” that speed walking doesn’t come up in a search. When it does, it’s just another name for race-walking. They are not the same thing. Race walking is an Olympic event and speed walking is just a faster form of your own walk. At the YSJ 5k, I finished in a time of 36:22, which I was very happy with.

My third race was the Fredericton Marathon. I wanted to try a 10K for the first time. I had already competed in three 5K’s and one 3K and did ok, but I wanted to try for first place at something people have been telling me I am naturally good at. I never really saw it as a big thing because I only walked but I guess it’s the pace I walk at that makes it a good thing.

Cat and Paula Keating met at the Miramichi Rock N Run.

There were so many nice people in that Fredericton run. Everyone was commenting on my speed and form and saying how amazing they thought it was and the whole time, I’m thinking I’m just walking. Even runners I passed complimented me. I met a really nice woman, Mary, who paced behind me from the 6K mark until about the 9K point, where my turn around was. She was doing the half marathon. We really worked well together, she was better at stopping for the water so she’d grab me one too. We encouraged each other as we went and we’re thinking of meeting up next year to do the half together.

My most recent race was the Miramichi Rock N Run. It was a 5K and I wanted to see if I could beat my YSJ 5K time of 36:22. I came in first for the walkers, women AND men with my new PB of 35:26… I beat it by almost a minute.

I was supposed to walk the Challenge St Andrews 10K but things happened a little differently and I didn’t get to but I did meet some really interesting people by still going and cheering for and supporting Marcie and Shelley on their Triathlons.  I got to meet people, like Simon Whitfield, that I never would have otherwise met if I didn’t get into running and speed walking.

Recently, I was invited to join The Fundy Extreme Triathlon group on Facebook. They are a great bunch of people. I got invited in because I take a lot of pictures for them but I will now also pay to be a part of some training… biking and running.  They have an awesome group, both online and off.

I run now for a few reasons. I run/walk to keep my heart healthy, to get in shape, to stay fit, to practice for speed walking but of the reasons is to be a better me. I run/walk to remember the me I liked. I liked myself when I ran with the wind and until I can try it again, I’ll like the me who can at least walk with the wind or at a really close distance behind it. Most importantly, I run to remember those who ran before me.

I just received an email last week telling me “If you have received this email our records indicate you are one of 385 participants that have qualified for the New Brunswick Challenge Medallion. The next stage is the Emera Marathon by the Sea on August 10th so register early so you don’t miss out.”

I’m going to speed walk the 12K and try to get my 10K time of 1:12:12 that I won with in Fredericton.

• 24
  Jul
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The Running Whys – Mark Leger

Editor’s note: A lifelong baseball fan, Mark Leger was introduced to distance running as he watched his sister and his friend compete at the Boston Marathon. One of the rewards for making the trip was taking in a few games at Fenway Park. However, after receiving plenty of suggestions, encouragement and personal challenges, he ultimately tackled and succeeded in completing the marathon distance. Now, he has further expanded his interests and is a triathlete. Here is his story on running, fitness, his motivation and that one goal he still covets.

Enjoy.

—

For years, I made an annual pilgrimage to the Boston Marathon – as a spectator, not a runner though. My sister Allie and my friend Rami ran the race nearly every year. I was a big Boston Red Sox fan, so I made the trip to catch a few games and watch Allie and Rami finish the race on Boylston Street.

After the marathon in 2005, Rami said I should run a marathon myself. “I can’t run that far,” I said.

Rami waved me off, and reminded me of our long-distance cycling trips to Toronto in the early 1990s. “If you can bike 1,500 kilometres, you can run 42,” he said.

Of course, those biking trips were really quite a slog. I hadn’t trained for the first one, and Rami had to, literally, drag me out of the tent in the morning for the first few days, because my knees had locked up from overuse. They’d really hurt for a few kilometers before the muscles had stretched out. A doctor in Fredericton told us I couldn’t go on; Rami told him we would anyway, and asked him to recommend a pain killer and an anti-inflammatory.

I had long forgotten those painful memories and set myself on a course to run the Chicago Marathon in fall of 2005. Rami recommended that race because it was relatively flat and he would be running it as well.

I printed a training schedule from the Internet and placed it on the fridge. Over the course of 18 weeks, I completed every training run, short and long, crossing them off with a pen each time I finished one.

Looking back, that first marathon was (relatively) easy for someone who hadn’t really exercised in more than a decade. I didn’t get an injury during training, and I ran the marathon itself without ever hitting a wall.

Then, I began training for the Boston Marathon the following spring. I didn’t actually qualify; I received a media pass because I promised to do a story afterwards. The winter training regimen turned out to be much harder. I did many long runs on very cold, early Sunday mornings when it was still dark. Just as it began to warm up, I did my last long run, and woke up the next day with severe shin splints.

I stopped running, hoping they’d heal by race day. I made it a mile down the course before collapsing in pain on the side of the road. I rode the “injury bus” back into town, and spent the next few weeks on crutches.

I had recurring shin-splint problems for the next few years that kept me from running full marathons. I’d always make it to the late stages of a training program and they’d come back again. While training for the New York City Marathon, I also got a nasty heel injury.

I was then 40, and a friend told me I was too old for marathon running.

Challenge accepted.

The injury healed after a period of rest and physiotherapy. I ran the New York Marathon, the whole time waiting for the pain to come back. It didn’t and I completed the race in my personal best time.

I’ve run three marathons since then – injury free – the last one in May in Toronto. My forties have been good to me so far.

Looking ahead to a time when my knees will begin wearing down, I’ve begun swimming and biking too. Two weeks before Marathon by the Sea, I’ll compete in my first triathlon, the Rockwood Park Triathlon by the Bay.

I can’t fully explain why I love to run – and now bike and swim too. I do know the long runs are the ones that keep me going. I love the entire ritual – the preparation, the run itself, and the feeling afterwards. At our cottage in the summertime, I get up before sunrise on Sundays. I make a coffee and toast, head out for the run, and return most times just as my family is getting out of bed.

I still consider myself a sedentary person, someone who’d rather have his feet up on a deck chair at the cottage, enjoying a coffee with breakfast. But it sure feels better after those same feet pounded pavement for 20 miles.

I’m still not over the disappointment of my failed Boston run in 2006. One day, though, I will qualify for, and complete, the Boston Marathon, and erase that bitter memory. The beer and hot dog at the ball game will taste so much better too.

Mark Leger is a journalist in Saint John. He is participating in Marathon by the Sea and the Rockwood Park Triathlon by the Sea in support of the Safe Harbour transitional house for homeless youth that is under construction in Saint John. To learn more or make a donation, please visit https://www.giveffect.org/participants/77-mark-leger. To make a donation offline, contact Mark at 634-1070. E-mail: fmleger@gmail.com

• 22
  Jul
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The Running Whys – Samantha MacAlpine

As the final countdown for the 20^th edition of the Emera Marathon by the Sea approaches, many runners are nearing the late stages of their preparations for one of the region’s biggest races.

That includes Samantha MacAlpine of Saint John, who will use this year’s MBTS as another stepping stone in the progression toward her first full marathon in October.

But there is another more significant, more emotional reason this year’s race will touch her heart, undoubtedly in a moment prior to her first steps in the half marathon, when she pauses to reflect on the passing of her grandfather, news she received moments before her race started last August.

“Early that morning, as I was getting race ready, I got a call that my Grampy had passed away,” said Samantha, who was born in Saint John, grew up in Riverview and returned to the Port City when she enrolled at UNBSJ in 1995.

“A thousand emotions ran through me, but I knew I had to race as he was very proud of me and my running accomplishments. I ran proud and strong and finished under my goal time, knowing he was with me the entire time.”

It was that half marathon performance, completed under heart-wrenching circumstances, that convinced Samantha of her inner strength and later, helped her decide to tackle the marathon, a quintessential checkmark for many distance athletes.

“He lived in Gagetown, N.B., he was a proud man and very proud of my running achievements and goals,” Samantha said of her grandfather. “Shortly before he passed, we chatted about my plan to run another half marathon (MBTS 2013).

“He smiled and said, ‘Go get ’em’.  Little did I know that would be one of the last things he would say to me. I miss him dearly and carry one of his dogtags with me during my races as a good luck charm.”

Next month’s MBTS represents her 11^th half marathon and is a tune-up to gauge where her training stands in relation to her commitment for the Legs for Literacy full marathon in Moncton.

It is her latest quest in a running career that started in 2006. The sport provides a release for Samantha, who says her experiences have made her laugh, cry, earn lasting friendships and gain unique and powerful personal insight she never dreamed possible.

“I had lost a significant amount of weight, my mom and cousin had both been diagnosed with breast cancer and I was looking for an outlet for the emotion and to challenge myself,” she said of those early steps. “I eventually got up the confidence to join a 10k training clinic with our local Running Room.  Then in 2009, I completed my first half marathon at MBTS.”

In that race, she recalls preparing supporters to meet her near the finish line at a designated time, based on a 2:30 clocking.

“Funny thing, I recruited my fiancé and mother to be my cheering squad that morning,” she said. “They got up and ready early, and even helped out at the Running Room water station that day.

“The plan was when I ran past that water stop, they would go back to the finish line to cheer me through. Well, as it turns out, I ran a bit faster than expected (finishing in 2:05), and they actually didn’t make it in time to see me come in!  I was so proud….then realized there was no one there!  LOL!  I look back and laugh now, but at the time I was upset!!”

For every runner, especially those like Samantha who have almost a decade of experience on the roads, there are various ups and downs associated with training, racing and life in general. She is no exception, acknowledging the difficulty of returning to form after the birth of her son, 3.5 years ago.

“I struggled mentally with being slower and heavier, and there were times I wanted to give up,” she admits.

She points to important support and kind guidance from many in the area for keeping her interest.

Samantha MacAlpine of Saint John runs in the 2009 Marathon by the Sea, finishing her first-ever half marathon. She will compete in her 11th half marathon this August in Saint John in the 20th anniversary of the Emera Marathon by the Sea.

“Saint John has a small, but mighty running community,” she said. “Regardless of ability or fitness level, everyone is eager to help and they are full of support and encouragement.  I could not have made it this far without my running family.”

This year, Samantha’s son will also take part, and is excited for the ‘bling’ that comes as a reward for the 200-metre kids race during MBTS weekend, his first race.

It is a similar excitement that Samantha feels about her half marathon and the subsequent 42.2 km distance later on.

She recently signed up for a Running Room training program to assist in her quest to complete the marathon, one of the great endurance tests. After fighting through some nagging injuries, including a foot problem she suffered at the Blue Nose half marathon in the spring, she is getting back to normal – for the most part.

“We are into week 3 of training, and some days, I doubt my ability,” she says. “I have to think back to how far I’ve come over the years and focus on doing this for me. I am anxious, nervous, excited – like a kid at Christmas!!  My goal is to make it across the finish line – upright and smiling!”

The reaction from her family and friends is characterized by great support, although, Samantha admits they raise their eyebrows from time to time.

“In a nutshell, they think I’m crazy,” she said. “I take that as a compliment (as most runners do!) To be honest, I think I’m crazy some days.  Running through snow, sleet, hail, heat, humidity, rain, thunder; gosh, I should become a postman.” 

• 17
  Jul
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The Running Whys – Frank and Marta Kelly

The Running Whys – Frank and Marta Kelly

Editor’s note: Marta Kelly and Frank Kelly, the popular father –daughter team who can be seen racing many events in the greater Saint John area, were not always linked together as runners.

 In fact, Marta, who started running in 1998, was at it for almost a decade before Frank, at the age of 67, first tackled a race.

 It was that event – the Brent Kelly Memorial five miler in tribute to Frank’s late grandson and Marta’s late nephew – where Frank raced the course wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, wool socks and work boots.

It was his contribution to a loving family tribute honouring Brent’s memory in a race that most recently celebrated its 10^th anniversary. Brent died from Giant Cell Myocarditis, a rare and often fatal disease of the heart, when he was 12 years old. Running also allowed the family to remember Frank’s wife and Marta’s mother Dianne, who died in 2003.

It proved therapeutic in many ways and in 2007, a year after Frank’s initial race, he trained, wore proper running gear and shaved 20 minutes off his time.

From there, the love affair with the sport blossomed. Through many years of running since, Frank and Marta have raced together in five Boston Marathons and along with other family members, are regulars in many Run New Brunswick events – including Marathon by the Sea.

Here is a look at Frank and Marta’s Boston experiences as well as other thoughts, as written by Marta, who picks up the story after the 2007 Brent Kelly Memorial event.

Enjoy

==

After that, Dad was hooked on running.  He enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow runners, being active, racing against others in his age group and traveling to races, both inside and outside of the province.

Dad ran his first marathon in May 2008 and qualified for Boston, at which point I had to train like a maniac in order to go with him.  We trained together that winter and we were lucky enough to have the experience to run our very first Boston Marathons together.

The experience was incredible. I always enjoy running with Dad and having people look at him and think they should be ahead of him because he’s “older.”

They speed up only to get passed by him about a kilometer later as they underestimate the power of a stubborn Irishman.   Although we tend to bicker, a lot, when we run with me trying to get him to slow down as he races down hills and him trying to get me to stop  nagging, the bickering stopped about  mile 21 in that first Boston race.

After we made it up Heartbreak Hill, the reality that you have five more miles sets in and you start taking an inventory of your aches and pains; Will my calves start to spasm? Are my quads going to hold out? Questions like that.  So instead of bickering, we concentrated on the great crowd support and kept plugging along to the finish.

It was a moderate temperature that year so we wore long sleeves and gloves but we were never too cold until the finish, when you chill quickly.

It was certainly a memorable experience for both of us and I was so proud to be able to run Boston with my Dad.

The next two years we were at it again, Dad insisting that “I run my own race” in those years to see if I could have a faster time.  It was very hard to do so because I constantly worried about how Dad was doing. Was he feeling okay? Is it too warm out for him? Is he hydrating enough?  However, each time my fears were unfounded as he crossed both of those years in just over 4 hours.

In 2012, it was a different story because it was hot – really hot – and I was scared that Dad would have a hard time.  Once again, he was adament that I “run my own race” until we went for a 4km run the day before the race and it was so hot, he relented. We ran together – it was 28C at the start line and the temperature got up as high as 31C  to make it feel like we were running in Cuba.

However, we made it and once again, I was very grateful to have run Boston with my Dad.

In 2013, since we didn’t re-qualify due to the heat of the previous year, we went down to volunteer and we were about 1 kilometer from the finish line when the bombs went off.  It was a very crazy experience and certainly makes you realize what is important in life.  We left Boston with heavy hearts that year.

Since Dad started running, he has competed an average of 20 Run NB races each year, has run 5 Boston Marathons altogether and has a personal best marathon time of 4:00:50, set at age 74 in Fredericton.  That meant one more Boston. So again, I had to train hard and made it again for 2014.

We once again went on the bus tour and had a great time. The course support was incredible, there were 32,000 runners, millions of fans and we felt very safe.  We both requalified for 2015, so we’ll see what that brings after this running season.  Dad of course will be running 15-20 races throughout NB. I, on the other hand will be recovering from my surgery and taking a break.

Marathon by the Sea is a special event for Dad because it is where he ran his fastest half marathon (1:49:56 in 2010).  In addition, it was the first place he ran with both of his daughters (in 2006 in the 5 miler).  He also ran the 10k there when they changed the routes up one year, so he has only to run the full at MBTS, which he may do in the future.

But for this year, it will be one of his many half marathons as he plans to obtain the NB provincial medal by running all four half marathons (Fredericton, Miramichi, Saint John and Moncton).

Marathon by the Sea is a special marathon for me in many ways as it was my very first half marathon that I ever completed.  It was in 1999 and was one of the rainiest days on record.  I have since completed the 5-miler twice, the 10k once, the half marathon seven more times and the full marathon once.  It is one of my favorite races and ellicits many memories for me such as:

First half marathon in the pouring rain; First half marathon that I was dehydrated and was “ill” at the finish; First time going under 1:50 for half at Marathon by the Sea; First marathon run at home; First race with Dad (and my sister); Pacing my sister on her first half marathon; Helping my running partner with the first half of her full; Running my first sub 4 minute k down Crown Street, which nearly killed me.

This year, I will remember it as my first race after my shoulder surgery. I will likely be walking one of the shorter distances but it is all about participation, seeing my running friends, post-race running hugs, celebrating the accomplishments of others, congratulating those who do SO MUCH in planning the event, including my dear friend Patrick Grannan along with his cohorts Mike Doyle, Kelly Burge and many others.

This is an event never to be missed. I am proud of the Saint John running community and their efforts in putting on a great event.  In addition, I wouldn’t want to miss the Fundy Fog Chaser’s water stop on Douglas Avenue – they are ALWAYS the best water stop and give the runners that final push to the finish each year.

• 16
  Jul
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SPORT NUTRITION FOR INJURY PREVENTION

Sport related injuries can disrupt your workout program for weeks, months…or longer.  A proper training diet can help reduce your risk of sport related injuries no matter your current exercise program.  The following are dietary guidelines to support you and your active lifestyle.

#1  EAT SUFFICIENT CARBOHYDRATE & PROTEIN DAILY

Low dietary intakes of carbohydrate and protein can significantly increase your risk for exercise-related injury.

• Carbohydrate is the preferred fuel source to support exercise. When carbohydrate stores are low the body breaks down muscle-protein to use as fuel supplies.  Therefore chronic carbohydrate depletion may lead to decreases in strength and possibly damage to muscle tissue.
• Dietary protein is vital for muscle maintenance, growth and repair. Muscle protein breakdown occurs in both endurance and strength training activities, therefore you need an adequate intake of high quality dietary protein to repair muscle damage caused by exercise.  For active individuals, studies show that the amount and timing of protein intake are important to maximize growth and repair.

To help prevent injury fuel up with both carbohydrate and protein 1-2 hours before your workout and within 30 minutes after. Combination pre-workout meal may include a smoothie made with low fat milk and fruit.  For a convenient recovery snack, chocolate milk fits the bill.

#2 CHECK YOUR HYDRATION STATUS

A dehydrated joint is more susceptible to tears and injuries.  Dehydration creates added stress on the body including increased internal temperature, heart rate, sweat rate, early fatigue and loss of balance and mental focus.  To help prevent dehydration you should practice drinking fluids before, during and after your exercise session.  Be sure to drink water throughout your day not just around physical activity!  Water, fruit juice, smoothies and milk all count towards your fluid intake.

#3  MAXIMIZE YOUR CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D INTAKE

Preventing stress fractures are critical in preventing other exercise-related injuries.  Getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D every day helps develop and maintain strong bones.  Studies have shown that athletes who consume diets low in calcium tend to have lower bone mineral density (BMD) and increased risk for stress fractures. Great dietary sources of calcium and vitamin D are dairy products and fortified foods such as orange juice.

#4  INCLUDE HEART-HEALTHY ESSENTIAL FATS

Dietary fats provide essential fatty acids that the body cannot make on its own. Essential fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids are needed to make and repair cell membrane, and are good for the heart, a source of energy, lubricating joints and tissues and reducing inflammation in the body.  Cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines), ground flaxseed and walnuts are a few good dietary sources to include in your daily training diet.

#5  RAMP UP YOUR ANTIOXIDANTS

Vitamins C and E are injury preventing antioxidants that help protect your body’s cells from damage. Vitamin C plays a role in tissue repair and formation of collagen.  Collagen provides strength and flexibility for ligaments, tendons and is necessary to hold bone together.   Vitamin E helps protect tissues and organs from damage caused by free radicals.  The combination of these vitamins is thought to minimize damage from exercise and therefore help with recovery from your workout or training session.

Think of deep and vibrant colors when choosing which fruits and vegetables you consume. Citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, tomatoes and peppers contain tissue repairing vitamins.  Vitamin E can be found in almonds, almond butter, sunflower seeds, wheat germ and avocado.

In general, the basic dietary approach to reducing your risk for sport related injury is to provide a wide variety of nutrient-dense whole foods that support bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and other connective tissues.  Including plenty of whole grains, dark green vegetables and red, purple, and blue fruit, low fat dairy products and healthy fats and staying hydrated can help minimize your risk for exercise related injury.

Injury Preventing Pre-Workout Snack/Meal

• Power House Smoothie…Milk, blueberries, strawberries, banana, kale and ground flax seed
• Almond butter sandwich, strawberries and milk
•  Meat or cheese sub loaded with veggies, milk or fruit juice

Injury Preventing Post-Workout Snack/Meal

• Chocolate milk and walnuts
• Yogurt, low fat granola and berries
• Salmon sandwich, fruit cup and milk
• Lentil soup with rice, yogurt, fruit salad and milk, juice or water

• 15
  Jul
• Uncategorized
• By iSpire
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The Runnings Whys – Kâté Braydon

The Running Whys – Kâté Braydon

Editor’s note: You may recognize Kâté Braydon from her award-winning career as a photojournalist, which lands her in many parts of the greater Saint John area with her camera in tow. You also might know her as Josey Ramoan of the Fog City Rollers’ Shipyard Sirens of the Saint John Roller Derby League (That is her pictured in a photo courtesy of Marc Henwood). And you may have seen her running to keep fit, get ready for a race or prepare for Roller Derby. For Kâté, running and fitness are important components of her life these days, aspects she fought to incorporate into her daily routine. What follows is her story about the path to this year’s Marathon by the Sea and the Goodlife 12 k event on August 10.

Enjoy.

=

I have been trying to be ‘a runner’ for what feels like my entire life. Or at least since I hit puberty, ate too many chocolate chip cookies and gained about 15 pounds.
I grew up in the country, and I remember many times when I would declare to myself that ‘this is the week that I will start running!’ I would put on my sneakers, which were not running shoes at all but were more like hiking boots, and I would set out onto the trail that led to the woods behind my parent’s house.

I could never run for more than 5 minutes, and I remember thinking, ‘Do people really do this? HOWWW?’

It was excruciating.

Of course, I had no idea what I was doing. I had no training plan, I didn’t know anything about health and fitness, eating clean and blah, blah, blah. I gave up, tried again and gave up many times.

So in my teenage years, I was a kid who drank beers on the weekends and partied with my friends. I took up smoking. I did not play sports.

Once I got to college, I joined a gym for the first time. I remember seeing people running on treadmills and wondered how they were not falling off. I remember thinking that I could never do that. Especially in front of people!

Although I stuck it out on the treadmill (walking!), the elliptical machine and the horrible, horrible Stairmaster, I could never commit to the gym scene, much like I was never able to commit to the running in my earlier years.

After college, I somehow landed the most coveted summer internship of all time: a job at the Toronto Star. Oh yeah! If there was a coming-of-age movie made about my life, it would revolve around that summer. My career was off to a great start, I was living in a big, new, exciting place and I was feeling really motivated every morning when I woke up.

I spent a lot of time on my own that summer, because I didn’t know anyone. So I started running, again. I ran every day. I ran everywhere. It became a way for me to explore the city. I guess that was the turning point in my battle with running and exercise in general. I discovered a zone that I could sort of fall into inside my head, where I could let thoughts flow so freely. It almost felt like a form of meditation. And rather than it being something that I felt I had to do to lose weight, I was doing it because I was actually enjoying it. It was fun.

I’ve managed to keep up with it, but more so in the past 2 years, and that is thanks to roller derby. I play a sport now! I am an athlete! So in addition to running, I do interval training, I lift weights, I do plyometrics. It’s like this web, where each workout aids the other in performance. Derby has definitely kept my motivation up and has kept me on the right path to fitness. The strength that I now have in my legs and my back from derby helps me run faster and longer than I ever have. I’ve been running 5k for years now, and have never really thought about doing any more than that. But lately I have felt so good at the end of my runs, that I actually feel like I can go further, so sometimes I do. I ran my first 10k just a couple of weeks ago. I was definitely hurting at the end of it, but the feeling of accomplishment totally overshadowed the pain in my feet.

So in August I will run the Goodlife 12k. This distance would have seemed so foolish to me years ago, but now I know how attainable it is.

I know how far you can push your body and mind to endure things that you never thought possible. I don’t know if there is a marathon in my future, or even a half and I may take a break from it again someday. Right now, though, I’m really proud to finally call myself a runner.

• 11
  Jul
• Uncategorized
• By iSpire
• 1 comment

The Running Whys – Rob Long and Sheila Perry-Long

The Running Whys – Rob Long and Sheila Perry-Long

For Rob Long and Sheila Perry-Long, it is likely they never dreamed of how their lives might have changed when they started to incorporate running, then cycling, swimming and fitness into their lives. It started with a brave step forward by both approximately seven years ago and continues today with chapter after chapter of a journey that has seen them lose a combined weight of 240 pounds. Not only are they runners but regular participants in triathlon and both will be on hand August 10 for the 20^th anniversary running of Emera Marathon By The Sea. Their riveting story is below.

Enjoy.

Rob

I’ve never been an athlete.  In fact, I’ve never been very active, period.  Having grown up in a non-athletic family, I never had any interest in sports, especially running.  I was an overweight couch potato.

As the years passed, I continued to gain weight and grew from an obese child into an obese adult.  By the time I was married, I had ballooned to 275 pounds, wearing 42-inch jeans.  Being a ‘big’ guy, I had difficulty getting around.  I got tired of being out of breath constantly, so I decided that I needed to make a change.  My wife Sheila was also overweight and she decided to enroll in a ‘Survivor Clinic – Learn to Run’ clinic at the Saint John Running Room in the Fall of 2007.

 Sheila

I, like Rob, started running much later in life.   I’d tried running a few times when I was a teenager, but it lasted a few days and I lost interest, probably because I had no idea how to “train”.  I thought runners must be a special breed of people with super endurance and determination – certainly not terms I would use to describe me.

Sheila Long is shown in this photo at the 2013 New York City Marathon.

A few years ago, my youngest sister started running and really enjoyed it.  She trained for and ran a half marathon and Rob and I followed her all over the city to cheer her on.  I was SO proud of her!  A few months later I had the opportunity to enroll in the Running Room Survivor Clinic which is offered to breast cancer survivors to help them prepare for the CIBC Run for the Cure event.   I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn to run with some ladies who had been through a similar experience.  That first class was a wake-up call – I was so out of shape, I could barely run a few meters without gasping for breath and having to stop.  Rob offered to train with me and I kept at it for a while, but I was very overweight and it was hard, so I stopped.  Rob continued to run more and more and he really enjoyed it.  He’d share stories about the experience of the races he entered, the “wonderful running friends” he was meeting… I met some of the “wonderful running friends” and they really WERE fun and welcoming, but none of it was enough to convince me that this was something I needed to do!

Rob

We both took advantage of the tips and pointers she picked up, and with that big step, we became runners!  Putting the walk/run approach into practice, we could only cover short distances at first, but eventually we were able to do 5km continuous runs.  We were elated to complete our first ever 5km run!  There would have been a time we’d have considered that to be an unattainable goal!

Sheila

Over  time, I lost some weight and wanted to start exercising more to help me to continue my weight loss.  A co-worker and I joked about how we should take up running to get in shape.  What started as a joke actually started my foray into running.  We took it slow, starting with the Learn to Run basics (run/walk), going out at lunchtime a couple of times a week.  This time, it felt good to run, and I kept it up!

Rob and Sheila Long made dramatic changes to their lives approximately seven years ago and have not looked back since.

I knew if I registered for a race, it would motivate me to continue to run, so I registered for the Creepy Crawl race.  We had only trained to running 6 minutes and walking one at that point and I remember feeling so proud that I ran the whole 5K race without stopping!   I was hooked on this whole race thing!

 Rob

By 2008 I felt confident enough to do my first race, so I registered for the 3km distance at the Grand-Digue 15km road race. I finished mid-pack and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  I was hooked!

The following year I entered several 5k and 10k events while slowly working on my endurance.  By 2009 I was ready for longer distance events and entered my first Half Marathon in Fredericton as part of the Fredericton Marathon race weekend.  I ran it in 2 hours and I was overjoyed!

Sheila

I kept up with the training through the winter and ran my first 10k race in Fredericton in the spring.  Rob had run several marathons by this point and when I pondered if I should try training for a half marathon, he encouraged me to give it a try and offered to train with me.  Because of his experience, he was able to provide such good advice on pacing, nutrition and rest.   I wasn’t able to run the first half marathon that I’d registered for in the fall of 2012 – a nasty fall during a training run resulted in a fractured pelvis, so that put me out of commission for a few months.  It was during that layoff from running  that I realized how much I’d come to enjoy it – I missed my early morning runs, enjoying the sounds of birds, watching the sun come up , thinking about what the day would bring.  Once I got the go-ahead to run again, it was back to training and was finally able to run my first half marathon in the spring of 2013!

 Rob

This running lifestyle we’d adopted led us to scrutinize our diet, thinking it could only improve our running abilities.  We started making wise choices and avoiding the bad choices.  As a result of exercise and diet improvements, I managed to lose about 90 pounds and Sheila lost over 150 pounds!

2010 saw me enter my first Full Marathon – the Ottawa Marathon.  When I crossed the finish line in Ottawa, I was brought to tears.  As I stepped across the mat, all the memories of that three year journey came flooding back – the struggles, the sweat, the early mornings of logging kilometers in training.  It all flashed before my eyes in that single simple moment, a moment I’ll never forget.  I had tears streaming down my face as I walked through the Recovery Area.  I was one of them now – I was a marathoner!  And whether we finished first or last, we all had the very same marathon medal hanging from our necks.  We exchanged high fives.  We shook hands.  And we exchanged stories…many stories!

Sheila

A friend who was assured entry into the 2013 NYC Marathon asked me to put my name into the lottery “for fun”.  I never thought in a million years I would actually get IN the race, but I got what I deserved for tempting fate – I got in!  NOW WHAT??   Again, Rob assured me that I really COULD run a marathon with the proper training and that he would help to get me there.  That training was tough, but I stuck with it until I fractured the fibula in my left leg.  See a pattern here?  No running again for a few weeks.   I had planned to run the MBTS half marathon, but walked the 5-Miler with a friend instead.  It was the first race that she’d ever entered and she loved the experience, so that made up for my disappointment of not being able to run.  That injury did heal and I did run the NYC Marathon in November with the friend who had encouraged me to enter – what an incredible experience!   The race was so well organized and things went very smoothly despite the fact that there were over 50,000 runners!   The people of New York get behind this race and they came out and cheered on the runners, encouraging them through every stride.  I met some great people before and during the race.  Entering Central Park, hearing the roar of the crowd and seeing the finish line was an experience I will never forget.

 Rob

I’ll never be a fast marathoner – middle of the pack is the best I can hope for, and I’m happy with that.  I’ve completed nine marathons with times ranging from a Personal Best of 3:40 to a disappointing 5:45.  Each marathon has a story – a tale of struggles, victories, and lessons learned.

During this year’s Marathon By The Sea, I’ll be participating in the 5k distance.  Over the years, I’ve completed the Full, Half and 10km distances at MBTS, but never the 5km, a little oversight that I’ll address this year.  J

Both Sheila and I still run; in fact, running has led to a new passion – we’ve joined the triathlon community!  So spare time no longer exists for us – we’re too busy running, swimming and cycling.  J

Life is good, and it just keeps getting better!

Sheila

People ask me why I run, considering how injury-prone I am – I AM a bit of a klutz.  I love what running has brought to my life.  I’m certainly much more fit as a result of it, but it allows me to clear my head, deal with stress and get a better night’s sleep.  I have rheumatoid arthritis and running has allowed me to stay mobile better than any drug could.   Those long training runs have brought Rob and I closer together.  The friendships I’ve made and the experiences I’ve had because of running have changed my life for the better.   That’s why I run.

This year, I’m looking forward to running the GoodLife 12K at Marathon by the Sea!

• 7
  Jul
• Uncategorized
• By iSpire
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The Running Whys – Nicola Cassidy

You might remember Nicola Cassidy from the 2013 Marathon By The Sea. She says she hugged nearly everyone she saw that day after completing her first half marathon, conquering the doubts and the demons and celebrating what was to be her one and only attempt at the distance. Funny thing is, after a break, some reflection, perspective and more training, she committed to four half marathons in 2014 as well as the 12 km distance at MBTS. What follows is her story filled with humour, emotion and inspiration.

Enjoy

It all started in 2012 as a challenge.  My co-worker, who had run several marathons and triathlons, was about to start instructing a Learn to Run clinic.  He challenged those in our office to join.  He promised to give us back our registration fee if we completed the clinic.  I decided to do it.  Those first few clinic nights were difficult.  My instructor (who is also my work boss) asked us that first night why we wanted to run.  I was turning 50 that year and decided I wanted to be able to run a 5km race by the summer. I also wanted to be healthy and fit.  I had always been active and an advocate of wellness and physical activity but to run for 10 minutes without stopping seemed impossible.  My stubborn nature and the cajoling from my co-worker kept me from quitting.

What happened next was something I didn’t expect.  I actually started to like running.  It surprised me because I was the first one to complain about having to run at night after a long day at work.  I complained in the sun.  I complained in the rain.  If it wasn’t for the support and the new friendships that I made, I’m not sure I would have continued.  As I gained a little more strength and confidence, it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I could actually do this thing.  This running thing.

I still didn’t understand the obsession “real” runners had but I was literally on my way.  I completed the clinic and ran a respectable 31-minute 5km race.  My very first race only months after I started to run!  I was on fire.  Crossing that finish line was like winning the lottery.  At that point I thought well, I have achieved my little goal so I don’t need to go any further.  I still had that in my head as I signed up for a 5km and then a 10km training clinic.  As luck would have it, two of my running buddies from the Learn to Run clinic signed up with me.  We kept each other going and learned together how to find our pace, improve our speed and increase our endurance.  My running form was improving and I was at the head of the group.  I was confident, feeling great, losing weight and gaining muscle and thought myself invincible.  I was running 5 to 6 times a week.  I finally broke the 30 minute mark with a 23 minute 5km and that’s when the wheels came off.

I started to have a nagging twinge in my right hip.  I ignored it and kept running.  Soon I was dragging my leg a bit and limping after a run.  It wasn’t going away no matter how much I willed it so I went to my doctor.  Hip flexor strain from over-training was the cause.  Never a supporter of running, her recommendation was to stop it altogether.  She might as well have told me to stop breathing.  So I did what most runners do.  I bought new running shoes instead.  Thinking that would fix everything, I continued to train but at a slower pace.  The pain eased up and I went right back to my old routine.  Again the hip flared up.

Nicola Cassidy completed the Hypothermic half marathon earlier this year in Moncton.

Apparently, I’m a slow learner.  So I stopped running for a while. At this point I had finished two more clinics. I resigned myself that 10km was going to be the longest distance I could ever run.  After a couple of months of rest with a few short runs sprinkled in between, some physiotherapy and some much needed soul searching,  my hip was feeling good.  Somewhere along the way I had a burst of confidence and signed up for a half marathon clinic.  The goal race was the 2013 Marathon by the Sea in Saint John.  My training was slow and I literally thought I wasn’t getting anywhere.   I worried about my hip.  I worried about my mental preparedness.  I worried my 20 plus years as a vegetarian was not giving me the strength I needed, so I worried about my diet (completely unfounded).  I worried about the hilly course in the Port City. I worried that my bout with depression was more of a challenge to my running than I suspected.  I poured over running blogs, magazine articles and Facebook groups trying to figure out what was holding me back.  All these negative things kept floating in my brain. I am still not sure what kept me going.  Finally I think I just let go.  I started to have fun running again. I stopped obsessing.  I still had hip issues and mental issues but I had a vision of that finish line and I wanted to cross it.  Upright and with a smile (I have that written on a tag on my shoe).

The thing about running your first half marathon is that it will always be your first personal best time.  I kept that in mind as I ran those hills.  I used the 10-minute running with 1-minute walking routine.  I had completed a 23km training run so I knew I could do the half marathon physically.  My fueling strategy was lacking as I have trouble eating very much before a long run but I had lots of water, some gummies and I knew there was lots of Gatorade along the course. The mental strategy was another story.  As is the case with most runners, I battled constantly with negative thoughts.  “This was going to be my one and ONLY half marathon.  I can’t possibly run up another hill.  What was I thinking?  Why didn’t I eat more? Less?  What the hell is in my shoe that’s bugging me?  I think my running bra may be inside out.  Why did I ever think I could do this?  I wonder if anyone will notice if I just lie down here for a while and die. Just let me cross that finish line and not crawl.  I will never run anything longer than 10km again.  I’m serious about that point.  I’m not a “real” runner so what was I doing in this race?”

As I rounded that last corner after what seemed to be a million hills and saw the finish line, I had what every exhausted distance runner has. That sweet relief that this hell was over.  That satisfaction that I did this crazy thing and survived. That extra burst of energy.  I zoomed across that beautiful finish mat yelling, fist pumping and smiling so much I thought my face would split in two.  I cried. I hugged the volunteer as she put the medal around my neck.  I hugged the complete stranger who was clapping.  I hugged the reporter who wanted to interview me for the local paper.  I hugged my sweet husband who had put up with my whining and complaining and who never once lamented my absence on those early Sunday morning long runs.  I hugged my running friends who had already finished and I hugged my 2 brothers and their families who had travelled there to watch me run – one of them from Vancouver.  My time at age 51 was 2:33 and change.  I had limped part of the way and I walked when I needed it.  I pulled from every reserve I had.  I even cursed a few times when faced with another hill but I kept going. I was satisfied and proud but that was to be my one and only half marathon.  I finished the year with a few more shorter runs and garnered the first annual NB tri-city medals.  I took a much needed break.

Then I participated in a run on January 1^st, 2014.  It was a new year.  A fresh start.

Nicola Cassidy shows her medal after completing the 10 kilometre race at the Blue Nose marathon earlier this year in Halifax.

I set another goal:  Four half marathons in one year plus a whack of shorter runs.  I signed up for another half marathon clinic.  This was my first go at winter training.  I soon discovered that we Canadians are tough.  And a wee bit crazy.  Training runs in -25C weather is not for the faint of heart.  One epic long run of 18km will be forever etched in my brain.  Freezing rain, slippery road conditions, stinging drops on a ridiculously long uphill course.  I had to beat the ice off of my jacket to lessen the drag (as if I was going fast enough to cause drag).  All of it done with equally wacky running friends and we smiled the whole way even when drivers hurled insults at us.  The training went well.  My second half marathon was done in -26C temperatures but under sunny skies and it was FUN.  I had another personal best and shaved 15 minutes off my time from the half in Saint John.

Since then, I have completed two more half marathons with another one to go in the summer of this year.   After the four half marathons are completed, my dance card will be dotted with shorter runs and some much needed rest.  My racing calendar is pretty full for 2014.  I recently completed a 10k run as a member of Team Diabetes.  Raising money for charity while running is a match made in heaven for me. It gives meaning to those many kilometres.   I am looking forward to returning to Saint John to run in the 20^th year of the Marathon By The Sea.  That event will always have a soft spot in my heart.  It was where I conquered doubt, fear, pain and the urge to quit.  Once again, I am battling some injuries including a bout with plantar fascitis and now a bit of runner’s knee but I will run the 12km race there as best as I can.   After all, I am a “real” runner now.

Despite the trials and tribulations, what I have gained from running is immeasurable.  Some family and friends shake their heads and question why I run.  I respond that I know what my body can do now.  I know my limits and my strengths.  I have more confidence and this no-meat-athlete has nothing to prove to anyone but herself.  I’m not sure if that knowledge comes from age or a sudden flash of brilliance (I’m hoping for the latter).  I also love Guinness beer, chocolate and bread too much to sit still.   If you see me on the trails please wave or give a thumbs up.  Don’t worry, I’ll be going slow enough to wave back. After all, every runner needs a little love and encouragement.

P.S.  I just signed up for another half marathon race in 2015.  I’m also thinking of training for a full marathon.  Good grief.