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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

Anyone who has read my previous posts might have caught my occasional references to my wife and friends who have supported me both during my training for 100 milers, and during the actual races.  This has been more true during the training for the upcoming Sulphur Springs 100 miler (which is […]

On Sunday May 1 a few “new to running” members from Ajax RF did their first race – The Sporting Life 10K. Two, were paired with more experienced runners from Team RF. This buddy system is of great benefit for several reasons. First, the buddy can share their pre-race knowledge and experiences […]

People come to Running Free group runs with different athletic goals, abilities and expectations. For many runners, the phrase “Who’s doing 20?” means a mere 20 km jaunt. For the new or novice runner and power walkers, this language and goal is pretty intimidating - for this group, “doing 20” means running […]

When Running Free Ajax opened, I began power walking and have progressed to running/jogging over the course of a year to improve the health of my aging body. Most recently, I have been having trouble getting motivated to keep up my running regime and have started to say “I hate running”. I’ve been […]

Greetings everyone!
I am very happy to be back as part of Team Running Free 2011.  I am hoping to be more active with the team this year.  Last year my schooling got intense very suddenly and I was not able to participate with the team as much as I had planned to.  This year I […]

My Around the Bay 30k bib is available. If interested, enter a comment below and I will be in touch. Note the 30k can also be exchanged for the 5k race if that suits you better.
I write this piece thinking just how fortunate I have been. Over four years between injuries. But here I am, […]

Annual Alfie Shrubb Race (8k & 5K): June 5, 2011 (Bowmanville, ON)
www.alfieshrubb.ca
After posting Talent is Overrated a common sentiment was offered from several observers. There must be a case for natural talent, where genetics have played a critical role in the success of the athlete. So here is the flipside, the case of Alfie Shrubb, the […]

We are in full-fledged winter mode right now, with lots of snow on the ground, likely some icy patches too, and some frigid temperatures. So who is crazy enough to run in conditions like this? Me, and I know a lot of others too (although in my area I didn’t see many other suckers braving […]

BOOK REVIEW
Title: Talent Is Overrated
Author: Geoff Colvin, Senior Editor at Large, Fortune Magazine
Talent Is Overrated caught my eye while my daughter was looking for some magazines for her flight. As much as the book relates to the business world, it is about achieving exceptional performance in any endeavor, running included. So, do you need a […]

I’ve been active my whole life but only really began running three years ago.  My previous activities focused on hockey, skiing and golf which all meant a lot of pressure on my feet and very tight fitting footwear.  Over time, I developed an injury called Morton’s Neuroma, a fairly well-known and quite painful foot disease.  […]