In July of 2010, my boyfriend and I mutually decided that we wanted to find a hobby we could share. Richard has always been a very athletic and self-determined individual, and me, on the other hand – I’ve always needed that little push to get me going. One day, after hearing about the Running Free […]

Throughout my year of running in 2011, I had the assistance of two great hydration and energy products from Nathan.
Running outdoors in Ontario’s variable climate requires an awareness of fluid and nutrition needs. Experienced runners know that hydration and nutrition are keys to good training runs. That usually means taking in fluid, electrolytes and calories […]

Most people don’t realize what it takes to put on a race.  The amount of planning involved leading up to the race is only a small portion of what it really takes to make a race a success.  It is the army of volunteers on race day that truly help to ensure every racer has a […]

In the last month after making a decision to correct a 4 year old bad decision. I began researching into a more useful frame for road riding. Sure I loved my old Centurion Ironman but the problem is that the fork is dead and it’s hard to replace.
After consideration I have decided on a Cyclocross […]

In the last few weeks on MTBr.com a forum I peruse. There have been discussions about pedal types, smoothing of trails, and so on all leading to the usual internet sniping.
Yet when you put aside all the physical arguments for all these sides it really boils down to one simple issue. […]

Since I had to clean out the tool section of my larger hydration pack. I thought now was a time to share what old dirt bag type riders carry in their packs on the trail to do trailside repairs.
One has to understand that having grown up in BC and especially […]

BOOK REVIEW
Title: Outliers
Author: Malcolm Gladwell, Journalist, The New Yorker
The mystery why some people perform exceptionally well has become my interest. Just because you are clever and hard-working, or athletically gifted and train ferociously, does not necessarily mean you are going to reach the top. Look around and you will likely find many individuals who are […]

This article was inspired by the Jordan 5k. May Jerry (Subaru Series Race Director) rest in peace. And also a nod to Paul Leduc who chatted with me one day about just how hard it is to run a 5k well. We are both still searching for that perfect race.
In golf, the Tiger is nothing without […]

How Do You Run?
Ask me how I run, and I’ll tell you no different than any Kenyan. At least that’s how I think I run. After all, I have studied a few videos of the world’s best and also chased a few locals around town. I try to emulate their form and stride as closely […]

Last year, I amped up my running training for the Boston Marathon.  I hooked up with this great group of experienced runners and during one long run they started talking about the New York Marathon.  The way they spoke about it left me wondering, “is it better than Boston?”  So I asked.  “Well,” one guy […]

IMPORTANT TIPS FOR OUTDOOR WINTER RUNNING
By: Lisa Regan
Outdoor running in the winter brings a whole new list of challenges.  Make sure you are prepared for anything mother nature brings your way. Some important things to take into consideration are the lack of light, slippery conditions and temperature.  Some things that help combat these issues are making […]

Running pals,
This will be the sixth year in a row that I will pace the Scotia Waterfront Marathon. If you have not caught the buzz yet, you may want to set your alarm clock for this Sunday morning. Records are due to be broken, and Olympic dreams made or shattered.
Jerome Drayton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Drayton) has held the Canadian […]

What is FIST, you may ask? It is a system for fitting a rider to a triathlon bike, devised by Dan Empfield at Slowtwitch.com - you can read more about the key principles here: http://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/index.html
Anyway, I was fit on my triathlon bike roughly four years ago by an upscale bike store in central/West Toronto. Four […]

2011 - The Year of the Cramp
A recent article “Stop Seizing Up” by Alex Hutchinson in the September edition of Canadian Running has got me thinking. Just what has been going on with all the cramps I have been suffering this year? Why me and why now? What exactly has changed? The timing of the […]

The first annual Sears Great Canadian Run will be happening on September 24th. This is a 131 km run from Toronto to Blue Mountain in Collingwood raising money in support of ending pediatric cancer. I first heard about this event through Running Free who is a proud sponsor. Together with my team mates on Team […]

Perhaps, if you were a pro, you would train like one.

You would wake up early from a 10-hour sleep and eat an extremely well-balanced first meal of the day (probably advised by a dietician who specializes in nutrient intake for athletes).  

You would do this before beginning your first of several daily training sessions under […]

On Sunday August 7th was the Big dirty Pickering Ride organized by Nick. Another free event put on by buddies for buddies. All bikes and all pedals where accepted. After gathering at Nick’s in Pickering and the usual taking forever to get organized it was off for the ride. Especially when one […]

Where: Central Park, New York City
When: July 27, 2011

A tempo run in the New York City – this is not to be missed, and there is no better place to get ‘er done than Central Park. If you are planning a visit to the Big Apple, be sure to bring your running gear with you. […]

Ironman Lake Placid would be my 3rd Ironman in 3 years. My first 2 experiences going at this distance was far from ideal. I didn’t take enough nutrition throughout the day and / or had gone out too hard and things became a sufferfest during the run. I didn’t set up any time goals for […]

As athletes, there is really no way of avoiding the aches and pains we feel after a tough workout or race.  Unfortunately, a fairly common practice is to pop a couple ibuprofen, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) before a race or particularly intense workout session to reduce muscle and joint soreness both during and […]