By MDI Coach Lawrence Warriner

Often the shorter hills are of what I call the “Rollercoaster” variety. That means the hill will have a short downhill and then an equal uphill. These hills are usually about 15 – 35 metres in length. How you run the shorter hills and use your momentum will be a big factor in your success as a trail runner. Here is my reciepe for success on these types of hills. As you enter the downhill you reduce effort and let your momentum carry you through the downhill portion. Then as you enter the trough you accelerate with a short burst, lasting about 50% of the uphill and then finally easing back as you coast to the crest of the uphill.

Lawrence Warriner 

PURPLE POWER, PRIDE & PASSION!

Many of the two dozen Team Dynamo runners who volunteered at the 4K waterstation of the Sporting Life 10K earlier this month snuggle for a "Runfie".  You guys did an amazing job that morning - Thank you ;o)

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Truly Awesome Season Ends...& Another Begins!

Jan-May/16 - A giant too-hard hug of thanks and congratulations to YOU, the inspiring (and perspiring!) crew of runners that we coaches are lucky enough to work and run with.

In short, your efforts this past winter and spring were formidable! In just the last 11 weeks or so, you've racked up over 140 incredible race results, and that's NOT even including another couple dozen tallies from this past weekend of dangerously overheated race day conditions at a slew of races, including: Ottawa Marathon, Cabot Trail Relay, Bayshore Marathon, Buffalo Marathon, & the Toronto Womens Half Mara (which they shortened to a 12K) & 5K.

Click here to visit our website to check in on the amazing performances from the winter/spring '16 campaign by Team Dynamo: fast times, HUGE PBs, impressive age cat placings, Boston Q's and many more great tales of trial, tribulation and triumph.

GO GO DYNAMO!

It was also great to get together with many of you this past week to celebrate the season as well.  An intimate pub night in Oakville and a larger, more raucous gathering in the 6ix, for our Toronto-area crew.

At the Toronto party, 3 lucky runners (remember, luck is just hard work in disguise!), picked up awards:  Kelly Zyblock won for "Diamond in the Rough" (aka most improved), Sherlita DiBratto won for "Nutcracker" (aka hardest working), and Anu Bentley won the coveted "Closest To Perfection" prize for her fairy tale season.

(above) 3 Toronto Dynamo Award winners Kelly, Sherlita & Anu (L - R) flanked by proud coaches Jenn and Kev.

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From my perspective though, you know what the best moment of the season was?  It wasn't my own somewhat suprising race results (1st master at Sporting Life 10K in 33min, 1st master at Scotia Montreal Half mara in 1:14), or even the aforementioned 150 or so tremendous accomplishments by the runners we coach (though that was pretty damn awesome!). 

 

Instead, it was trucking down Yonge St. mid-race during the Sporting Life 10K, and coming upon that Purple Wave of energy and support at the 4K waterstation, where our crew was volunteering. The hair on the back of my sweaty neck pricked up, and then my arms raised over my head to acknowledge the support of our crew for the running community and the great cause of Camp Ooch. The sense of affiliation and camaraderie I felt was really profound.  

With Marathon Dynamics being made up of a number of other smaller groups around the GTA, it has been more difficult to forge strong teamwork bonds across and between the smaller groups rather than simply within them. So it made my already fast-beating heart thump a little louder and prouder to run by our crew doin' their thang there that morning!

 

 

Thanks again to those of you who we've been blessed to work, run and play with this past season (and perhaps many seasons past), and a shout out to those of you who would like to give Marathon Dynamics a try THIS coming season.  What are you waiting for?  We start....NOW!

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 (top) Dynamo rookies push for the finish line: Tiffany Simms powers to a 3:57 marathon debut at Goodlife, while Brian Cupit hangs on for a 1:16 performance at the Mississauga Half, good enough for top master and 5th overall...at 50+yrs old no less!  (bottom) Dynamo veterans celebrate despite the tough conditions at the Mississauga (Alison Stevenson qualified for Boston with a 4:05, Yasu Kajiwara won his age category in 3:22, and Lisa DeMarco returned to form in the half with a 1:57 comeback race.

 

Just a few of the many great Dynamo runner pics from this season to be found on our FB group page.

 

click here to see dozens more!

MY FIRST BOSTON EXPERIENCE

BY ROZ MORTON - STALWART DYNAMO RUNNER

 Alternate titles for this short story could be How to End up in the Medics Tent, or How to Freak Your Family Out. 

 I have wanted to run the Boston Marathon for many years now.  It’s a runner’s Graceland, right?  Finally, being healthy and fit enough to qualify last spring was thrilling.  My family was so excited for me that they ALL wanted to come watch. Being on a budget, I immediately booked flights and hotel rooms for my parents, brother, husband, and kids, many months before the race.

My marathon training was going very well until February when I started to suffer from mysterious foot pain.  I missed workouts and had to take painkillers before every run!  Later diagnosis confirmed that I have a cyst, a neuroma, and a troubling bunion.  Not good news, or anything that can be fixed quickly.  I opted for a temporary fix of cortisone injections, and got a prescription for an amazing topical pain reliever. The left foot sensory deprivation was successful. And so the training continued.

The days leading up to the race were very exciting.  What to pack? What would the weather be like?  And then I was offered a job interview for a long desired teaching position. The problem was it was scheduled for a couple days after the marathon, which meant that I would have to study for the required French proficiency test, and prepare for the interview questions instead of enjoying the full Boston experience.   So I began to feel very anxious in general, and decided to pick up an old prescription for an anti-anxiety medication called Ativan (aka “mama’s maxi relaxi pills”) that I had left over from my crazy post-partum days.  I thought that having a couple of these pills handy just in case I couldn’t sleep was a smart idea. I was wrong.

Our flight was scheduled to leave on Saturday morning - thankfully my husband insisted we arrive early, because the moment we made it to the airport, my mom called asking “where are you, you’re being paged to check in?!”  The flight had been changed to depart 45 minutes earlier!  We sprinted through the airport while I hustled my kids along in a yelling voice, and made it with minutes to spare…basically an embarrassing family airport scene in front of many local Toronto running friends and acquaintances boarding the same plane.

Once we arrived in Boston, the plan was for my Mom and I to head to the Runners Expo to get my bib and shop, while the rest of the family toured Boston. It took us quite a while to get across town from our hotel and navigate through the crowds to the Expo.  We got to the front of our line only to find out that I did not bring the proper ID to get my bib.  They weren’t going to give it to me!!! Near tears, we had to line up yet again, and speak with a race organizer, who finally took pity on me and let me get my bib with my Ontario health card.  So far the day was not too relaxing, but I was excited to be there regardless.

Upon checking into our rooms, I was reminded that I really did book on a budget!  We had a king size bed for my husband and I, with cots for the kids. This actually left very little floor space for luggage.

That first night we went out for dinner to a Thai restaurant where I hated my meal, and my over-tired daughter acted horribly.  We were so exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel that it didn’t even matter that our little one refused to sleep on her cot, and slept instead pressed against me in our bed.

On Sunday, I did a nice little shake-out run around beautiful Boston admiring the classically beautiful architecture.  The family headed out to a baseball game at Fenway Park, while I stayed back in the room and prepared for my upcoming job interview. 

Our pre-race dinner reservations were at popular Italian restaurant. Unfortunately, they kept bumping our time later.  Which made me feel like having a big beer to relax, so I did.  When we got to the restaurant, they still weren’t ready for us.  In anticipation of my kids acting up, I ordered another pint of beer.  Keep in mind that I had been dry for a month until this point! Good carbo loading right? Back at the hotel room I decided that I should definitely take both anti-anxiety pills right away, and lie still in my cramped bed and chill.

I had a deep, dreamless sleep and awoke on Marathon Monday psyched to race but strangely groggy.  I guess mixing the beers and Ativan (which you’re technically not supposed to do) was stronger and longer lasting than I thought…yikes!  I got dressed, took my extra strength Tylenol and applied topical pain reliever to my foot. I ate my usual oatmeal with a coffee and got on the bus.  I completely passed out on the bus ride to Hopkinton, and awoke feeling somewhat better. I took a caffeinated gel that I was saving for the race to wake up a little more and then an Advil just in case something else went wrong.  I bumped into some friends in Hopkinton before the race.  They were able to confirm what I was beginning to suspect…that I was actually pretty stoned only an hour before the race!

I decided that the best course of action would be to take more caffeinated gels along the course to counter my mistake.  I knew that there were three stations along the route where I could grab them.  Having a plan was a relief, and then I wisely applied 30SPF to my skin that hadn’t seen daylight since last October.  It was a hot, sunny, cloudless day….basically, like nothing I had trained in.

The race began well but was blurry for me.  It was super fun to run with such a large group of like-minded people and listen to the groups of screaming spectators all along the way.  I was very touched by how the people of Boston love their marathon runners.  The route was scenic and pretty, but had no real shade.  I made sure to sip water all the way, and I did take three caffeinated gels.  It seemed like all was well again until the hills.  I remember asking a runner beside me if we were on the infamous “heartbreak” hill yet.  She said “no” which was devastating.   My legs were very heavy.  People all around me started walking at this point in the race.  The hills and heat dehydration seemed to be seizing up people’s legs….but not mine surprisingly.  I even saw my family and high fived my kids at mile 24! I knew I had slowed down considerably and was not going to run my best time, but when I crossed the finish line I was super proud and happy regardless….and then things got sloppy.

With my first large gulp of fluids, I puked. Then extreme dizziness kicked in.  Medics quickly wheeled me with my shiny cape and medal to the first aid tent, where I began shaking.  I remember the doctors taking my core body temperature and saying it was only 94 degrees.  Then I was escorted to the porta potties for what I will call “gastro issues”.  I remember doctors trying to take my blood for whatever reason, and trying to get an IV in to rehydrate me, but they were unable to find a vein.  I was also given some kind of salty soup to sip from a straw.  Sticky suction things were put on my body (I can’t remember why, and this detail only came back to me later when I found one of then stuck to my race bra). I was asked what I consumed recently aside from water and oatmeal  (ummm…2 pints of beer, 2 Ativan pills, a coffee, 1 extra strength Tylenol, an Advil, and 4 caffeinated gels). Then was asked if this was my first marathon (umm no….but fair question considering). Finally I asked a nice Doctor to call my family on her cell to tell them that I was okay.  I rested and left feeling better. I got my bag, grabbed a taxi, and headed back to my hotel to meet my family as planned.  I was shocked to find out that it was almost 4pm when I got in the cab…my race finished at 1pm!!  Talk about dazed and confused!?!  

When I got to the hotel, my worried parents made me promise I wouldn’t run another marathon.  I spent the rest of the day exhausted and weak, but tried to act normal and peppy around my kids.  It honestly took me a couple of days to completely lose the sick feeling!

So the lessons I have learned from this ridiculous (and dangerous) incident are don’t consume too much dehydrating caffeine, and don’t take drugs (at least not too many all at once while running a marathon in the sun ha!). 

I also remembered that alcohol clouds your judgement and that running marathons is unpredictable and really hard. But totally worth it.

FINDING MY WAY IN GOING LONG

By Coach Jennifer Faraone

So when are you going to run a marathon?

Although one of the most commonly asked questions, its words have haunted me!  For years, I’ve been asked over and over again when I was going to run a marathon. And time and time again, I would explain that I simply wasn’t interested in running the distance. 

Physically, I found it hard on my injury-prone body. I actually tried training for a marathon 3 times—but each time I would get injured (disclaimer: looking back, I’m sure that I could have done things differently to avoid injury). Emotionally, I wasn’t very motivated and I worried that I would get bored on the long runs. I liked capping my long runs at 1h30min! Still, it felt like there was this looming unspoken expectation that I should be running longer. 

But then at the end of 2014 I had a medical episode that forced me to back-off completely from training. As I started to heal, I found that I could tolerate longer workouts so long as I kept the intensity easy. So I started training longer. And longer.

Before I knew it, I was running for 2h+ most weeks. My long run capped at 3h:45min. I ran a 37K trail race in the French Alpes (which took 5h30min due to the CRAZY elevation) followed by a 50K trail race in NY State (which had me running for just over 5H, due to the crazy but oh-so-fun hills).  And I absolutely LOVED IT ALL!!

 So what caused this sudden transformation?  First of all, I discovered that my body could handle a larger training volume - distance and intensity, by incorporating trail running.

The softer terrain, in comparison to the road or pavement, as well as the ever-changing direction and elevation of the trails, bode well for my body. Second, the time-off forced me to change my training habits and my expectations. Unlike when I was training for my first marathon, where I was gunning for a fast time, my goal this time was to simply finish the race.  Plus, I had no choice but to keep the intensity easy, otherwise my symptoms would flare up. Combined, this removed any pressure and made my training much more relaxed, enjoyable and less stressful.  I didn’t worry about nailing a certain pace for a particular run; my main consideration was to gradually build the amount of time on my feet regardless of the distance covered (disclaimer: training approach for ultra trail race is slightly different than training for road race).

I never monitored my pace, distance or heart rate—in this sense, I was totally carefree! I simply went back to the basics of listening to what my body was telling me and adjusting my run accordingly. Finally, there is the element of timing – I believe that I simply wasn’t ready to run longer prior to now. My mind knew that, and my body was trying to tell me that as well. Trying to force something that you are simply not ready for only ends in disappointment.  

To my surprise, I wasn’t bored with the solitude of the long run efforts. I rediscovered a new love and passion for running by embracing the slower pace and longer distance. My weekly long runs became therapeutic and meditative for me. And the two ultra races I did were the perfect distance – I never reached that dark lonely place where I would ask myself “why am I doing this”? Instead, I embraced every KM of the race with a smile on my face. 

 Its now been a few months since I’ve run beyond 1h30min, and I’m definitely feeling the itch to go longer again.  And I’m starting to plan for my next 50K races.  Will I ever run a marathon on the road?  At this point, my best guess is “not likely”—except perhaps when I run an Ironman! But who knows, perhaps next year I will be motivated to train again for shorter distances.  But at the end of the day, the distance covered is not what’s distinguishes me as a runner. There is NO underlying and unspoken expectation that running longer is better. 

What makes me a runner, just like all of the athletes we coach at Marathon Dynamics, is the dedication and commitment that we put into it, and the joy that we derive from it!  So whether you are training for a 5K, 10K, 21.1K or marathon this season, remember to let your passion, and not your expectations, fuel your runs!

STRETCHING...THE TRUTH

For Runners, That Is!

By MDI Coach Sarah Black

 An Introduction to Stretching for Runners

One of the key things you have to do to avoid injury as you run, jog, or any type of exercise is to stretch.  Light stretching will loosen your muscles and help you cool down. Stretching after you run or jog will help remove the lactate from your muscles. This happens during your run whether it is fifteen minutes or over an hour of running. Stretching can help strengthen your muscles, keep you flexible and help you avoid injury.

There are 3 common types of stretching: static, dynamic and PNF. Static stretching is done after your workout. Each stretch is held for 10-30 seconds. Dynamic stretching is done after your warm up, before your run workout. These are sports specific movements. PNF is done after your work out. This is done with a partner and is most beneficial when your muscles are very tight.

Types of Stretching

Static Stretching is very slow and constant stretching. This type of stretch has a straight forward start and ending position. This position is normally held for 10-30 seconds without movement. 

Dynamic Stretching is stretching carried out with 10 or more repetitions of the same movement. This helps increase your range of motion while exercising. These stretches are very specific to the work out. It is important to emphasize the key action at hand. For example: When doing “Running A’s” your focus should be on your knee moving to 90 degrees and your opposite arm following.  In this particular article, we won’t focus or elaborate on Dynamic Stretching, but instead leave that for another article.

PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) was originally developed for rehabilitation. It has since expanded to the athletic world. PNF is considered an optimal stretching method to increase range of motion. PNF stretching involves a shortening of the opposing muscle to place the target muscle in the stretch. During PNF stretching there are 3 specific phases of contraction that are used: hold-relax, contract-relax, and hold-relax with antagonist (main muscle) contraction.

Hold—Relax: this is a technique used to relax the muscle to gain range of motion. This is done by taking the limb/body part you want to stretch and moving it in a pain free range so there is a contraction sustained.

Contract—Relax: this begins the same way as Hold-Relax but this time there is a mild discomfort for 10 seconds then your partner stops and holds for 30 seconds.

For an example of PNF, click here

Muscles Of The Body

For the balance of this article, including further explanation and demonstration of stretches and tools for stretching, please click here.

 Sarah Black