As athletes know, the body cannot operate without a strong heart. The heart powers the muscles, the heart powers the brain, and the heart allows us to run. Without a strong beating heart, runners cannot do what we do best; we cannot compete, run personal bests and feel the freedom and passion of running or racing.

Although all Canadian runners rely on their heart, they also rely on another heart. By this, I do not mean another person’s arteries or atrium, but instead they rely on the heart and sole of Canadian distance running, Alan Brookes.

New Beginnings

Alan Brookes was a history professor at the University of Guelph, when in 1983 Vic Matthews asked him to assist in organizing a local running event – the Billy Taylor Memorial Jog-a-long. From here, things snowballed.

In 2015, he sat down with Ciele Athletics and mapped out the journey from 1983 to now. Brookes mentions that he turned the jog-a-long event into the Billy Taylor 15K and 5K; then in 1984 proceeded to create the Timex Race Series.

In 1986, Brookes began working on the Toronto Wang Marathon and then the next year, quite teaching to become full time. This move allowed him to set up the Coors Light Series in 1990 – a series which evolved into the GMC Running Series, then the Great Canadian Bagel Running Series, and finally in 1999, the races became known as the Canadian Running Series.

In 2000, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM) was added to the existing half marathon and 5K, and with that – the jewel of the Canadian Running Series was born.

Just like the long road athletes take to make it to the elite ranks, Brookes has taken the long road into building STWM and the whole Canadian Running Series into what they are now: world class events.

This year is a particularly important milestone for STWM as the race turns 30. When I asked Brookes about what this meant to him, considering the work he has put into race directing since 1983 he said: “It’s been a long, exciting, enormously rewarding journey. So many unforgettable moments, so many friends, so very many inspirational experiences, so much love. Our world has changed so much, and it feels like we have grown up together. So many milestones. Like that line says, ‘it’s only impossible until you do it!’ And maybe the biggest thing I’ve learned is that you can’t do it on your own.”

 

Although the 2019 edition of STWM will be one of the best in the race’s history, it is impossible to forget the 2018 edition. As Brookes puts it – it was “super special.” For those of you who do not know, last year Cameron Levins (better known as Cam), broke the Canadian record – a record which stood for over forty years.

Increasing the quality of Canadian distance running has long been a goal of Brookes, he is proud that “in our STWM lifetime we’ve claimed Canadian All-comers records for men and women, the Canadian women’s with Lanni, and last year, the last one with Cam, the Canadian men’s. So this year, with Road to Tokyo, it feels like a bit of a victory lap.” Having said this when I asked about the prospects in this year’s race, Brookes exclaimed that he is “beyond excited.”

STWM has been a training ground, a stepping-stone, and a platform for Canadian athletes to launch themselves into global marathons, the world championships and even the Olympics. Its most memorable moments include Levins’ Canadian, Reid Coolsaet almost winning the race, Lanni Marchant setting the record, Ed Witlock’s masterful, and Eric Gillis sneaking under the Olympic standard – by one second. This year, there are many storylines once again. When I asked Brookes about what he is most excited about, he fairly could not give me one answer: “The essence of sport, I think, is really the thrill of head-to-head competition. So I’m excited to see Evan go up against Rory and Tristan, and am salivating over Kinsey vs Malindi, and Baby Police vs Benson Kipruto, “the Rubber Match”. STWM 2016 and 2017, Philemon takes our title. 2018, Benson takes it away from him. Spring 2019 and Philemon 6^th in Boston, Benson 10^th.”

Brookes continued to say that for “STWM 2019, the stage is set… BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!”

STWM 2019

Although many of the Canadian debutantes excite Brookes, Reid Coolsaet and Dylan Wykes are also returning to the race is a prospect Brookes is thrilled about their return: it’s so emotional and meaningful to have Reid and Dylan in the race to hand the torch to the likes of Evan [Esselink], Tristan [Woodfine], Trevor [Hofbouer] and Rory [Linkletter]. They have been just outstanding ambassadors for the marathon [and running in general] in Canada, and have inspired so many. And maybe experience can show the young pretenders a thing or two on October 20^th.”

When I asked him about the legacy of these Reid, Dylan and others Brookes gave them all the credit: “I think on the women’s side and more recently the men’s, the first-gen group inspired us all – Lanni [Marchant] and Krista [Krista Duchene]; Reid, Gilly [Eric Gillis], Dylan, and Rob [Rob Watson]. They showed us the way, they showed us what was possible. The showed us how to break records, how to run/train with the East Africans, and how to come 10^th in an Olympic Marathon.”

Brookes added: “And thanks to our partnerships with Scotiabank and Athletics Canada, over the past decade, our high-performance distance stars have had something to train for: a goal race and a championships, not just one shot every 4 years [like the American Olympic qualifying system].”

So? Who does Brookes think will make the Tokyo 2020 team?

He didn’t really say: “Tune in on October 20^th , and we’ll all find out in real time. That’s the beauty of the marathon… who knows what can happen on any given day? As this year’s hashtag says #itsyourmoment GO grab it!”

You can watch the race live here.

Legacy

“If you can’t be passionate and love what you do, find something else,” Brookes told me at the outset of our interview.

Brookes is certainly passionate. According to Lanni Marchant, former Canadian marathon record holder, Brookes is single handily responsible for the development of Canadian distance running – especially through the Canadian Running Series. Marchant claimed that this series has created the breeding ground for Canadian athletes, providing them with the ability to access international quality races, with decent prize money, right at home.

Brookes also sponsored athletes to attend the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus Denmark this year – a gesture that enabled Canada to send full squads of athletes in each division.

As my closing question, I asked Brooks what is next for STWM? What is his vision for the race? In response, Brookes said that it is “to continue to see more community ownership, more of Toronto being part of the STWM experience, spectating, cheering, running, fundraising, celebrating fitness ad Toronto, sharing and caring — bringing the city alive and putting it more and more on the worlds stage as a reflection of our amazing, exciting, diverse, inclusive, super-cool city. The most successful, the best big-city marathons ARE a meaningful part of the city, and that city’s life. I think we’ve come a long way, but there’s still kilometres to go before we rest…”

He added, “Should I retire after this one? Who knows…”

Until his retirement, and most likely after, the heart will continue to beat.

You can follow Alan on Instagram and Twitter.

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Thanks for reading.

This is my firth article in my STWM preview series. The first was on Dylan Wykes and Reid Coolsaet returning to the race, the second on Rory Linkletter, third on Evan Esselink, and fourth on Malindi Elmore.

One more article to come!

To see more please follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Strava.

The pressure of international competition is not new for Malindi Elmore. She was competing at the world’s highest levels when I was in kindergarten. She also competed at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, perhaps the pinnacle achievement of her career.

Fifteen years later, Elmore has her eyes on the Olympics again. This time however, the distance is longer – 40.695 kilometres further to be exact.

The marathon and the 1,500m are very different. Although the events both require high mileage and hours and hours of training, they rely on different capacities and different skill sets. The 1,500 is about embracing the lactic acid, maximizing your oxygen in-take, and having an aerobic base. The marathon is very much about running long, and running a lot. You have to be comfortable at your aerobic threshold, know where your line is and working just inside it. You also must be ready to embrace the pain – not just for two laps, but for up to 10, sometimes 20 kilometres.

The Return

In January 2019, Elmore made her official return to the running scene. She pinned on a number at the Houston marathon with “a re-newed focus and enthusiasm for training and competing.” I must admit that Elmore fell off my radar (as displayed in my Houston preview) as I was focused on the stunning Canadian contingent in the half marathon, the debut of Sasha Gollish, and Tristian Woodfine’s new personal best. It was only when I was two Canadian flags on the app for the race when Elmore caught my attention. At five kilometres she wasn’t on the leaderboard, at ten her name appeared in tenth, but by the half her name has disappeared again. At 30K her name reappeared, a mere 40 seconds behind Gollish; and at 35 she maintained her 9^th place. Then things began to change, Elmore and Kelsey Bruce (USA) made their way past some of the Ethiopian challenge as well as Canada’s Sasha Gollish into 6^th and 7^th respectively with Elmore crossing the line in an impressive 2:32:10.

What is more impressive? Elmore didn’t even receive an elite bib for the race.

As we know, the idea of making a debut in the marathon is not an easy one. Recently, I spoke to Evan Esselink and Rory Linkletter about their debuts and both had hesitations about the distance. Elmore however, approached the race from a different perspective. She had run a marathon before, as apart of an Ironman and her “favourite part of the Ironman training/racing was the marathon, but as a runner, it was the least important focus.” Within these multi-sport races, Elmore ran “sub three hours … but was more concerned about being able to hit the faster paces for the whole distance.”

The key for Elmore she claims was “had been interested in doing a marathon after my first son was born in 2014 but I had a lot of post-pregnancy injuries that prevented me from running too much.”

I think it is safe to say that Elmore made her marathon debut at the right time as her 2:32:10 has put Elmore in a prime position for the Olympic battle to come. Her time is also the third fastest Canadian marathoner this year.

Canadian Champion

In May, Elmore toed the line again at Ottawa Race Weekend for the Canadian 10K Championship, where she was very much on my radar. Elmore ran an impressive race, hanging with the East Africans for the opening kilometres before joining the stacked Canadian pack. Although no one had the pace to hang with Natasha Wodak on the day, Elmore finished second Canadian, beating the likes of Emily Setlack, Jessica O’Connell, Kinsey Middleton and more.

In June, Elmore decided to go one better. She dominated the field at the Manitoba Half Marathon (also the Canadian Championship) winning by three minutes. Once again, the field was nothing to scoff at – Dayna Pidhoesky, Robyn Mildren, Melanie Myrand (recently 27^th at Worlds), Kate Gustafson and Claire Sumner (former Canadian XC Champ) all finished behind Elmore.

Recently, Elmore defeated Pidhoresky, Middleton, Sexton, and co. again at the Vancouver Eastside 10k, collecting her second major win of the year and a shiny new PB.

When I asked Elmore of her reaction to her 2019 campaign so far she said “it is super fun for me to be back at a decent level of competition with my running again … It is also fun to tackle some new distances and I love the camaraderie of road racing.”

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been previewing Canadian elites who are hoping to make an Olympic sized impact at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM). This year the STWM (also the Canadian Championship) is doubling as the Canadian Trials, so the line-up of Canadian runners is deeper than ever before.

The addition of Elmore to this field makes everything more intriguing. Like other Canadian’s in the field, Elmore told me that the decision to run STWM was simple: “I love Championships racing and the opportunity to race a big marathon in Canada is pretty special. I know that Alan Brooks and his team will have a vested interest in our success and the opportunity of potentially reaching my goals this year on Canadian soil is very exciting.”

Although she is toeing the line for many of the same reasons as the Canadian elites, it is safe to say that her training regiment is vastly different than the majority. As a mom and a masters athlete, Elmore admits “it’s a bit of a juggling act.” She continued to say that “I have had to take a more “relaxed” approach in some aspects while also being very committed to my training. For example, I have to not freak out if I am up several times in a night and just accept it as part of the journey of parenting – I think in the past it would have stressed me out much more. At the same time, I am committed to my goals so I make them happen however I can – using a treadmill during nap times, using the 80 minute childminding window at the local recreation centre and running around my husband’s work schedule.  Thankfully my husband – who is also coaching me – is totally on board with this project so he steps up a ton with the childcare / household tasks whenever he can around his own commitments.”

I think we can all learn from Elmore’s comments, whether we are elite, club or fun runners. It is important to take obstacles in stride and not allow them to interrupt the process, and with this, Elmore agrees: “I think the big keys for being a parent-athlete are committing to the goal and process (run at 5 am if that’s the only training window), being flexible when things don’t go as planned (sick kid, etc) and having a good support team in place.”

With that being said, Elmore’s process is pretty impressive. When I asked about her weekly mileage, she noted that for “the marathon I am aiming for 90-100 miles most weeks.” But Elmore mentioned that she “is more focused on the purpose of the sessions.”

As for her goal of the race, Elmore was not shy about mentioning the Olympics: “My goal will be show up fit, healthy and ready to knock off the Olympic qualifying standards.  I want to set myself up is the least ambiguous situation possible heading into the final selection phase in May next year.” Still she doesn’t want to get ahead of herself as she noted when I asked her about what an Olympic selection would mean: “I can hardly even think about what it would mean to me yet because I don’t want to jinx it! I know it would be very very special and a feat I would really cherish.  I felt like I didn’t achieve what I wanted to on the track, but came to peace with my running career over my years away from the sport. To be able to truly love the process of training and racing again, and to feel fresh in my approach is good place to be leading into the Toronto race.”

The only reasons she is in the position to take a run at another Olympic birth, Elmore admits is her team: “If I made a second Olympic team I would feel like it was such an amazing collaboration between my core team (my husband/current coach Graham Hood, my longtime coach/advisor Mike Van Tighem, and friend/advisor Trent Stellingwerff) as well as my parents, children, friends, community etc., who have all been 100% on board with this ‘project’.  I feel like this goal is less about me personally making a team and more about the role of team support and making a comeback in a pursuit where dreams had been already laid peacefully to rest.”

For the thousands of you who will be lining the streets in Toronto, Elmore added that she “really appreciates the love and support and use the energy positively to run as fast as possible to the finish line.”

Elmore is my favourite to win the Canadian title at STWM and I expect her, barring anything unexpected, to achieve the Olympic standard.

You can follow Elmore on Strava to stay up-to-date on her training. You can also read more about how Olympic qualification works on Run the North News.

Transformation of Canadian Running

When I decided to reach out to Elmore for an interview, the first question that came to my mind were about the changes in Canadian running. If you think about it, the running world as a whole has become much deeper since the 2004 Olympics. More Canadian athletes are running the marathon than ever before and Canadians are truly contenders on the track.

When I posed the question to Elmore, her answer surprised me. I was expecting her to talk about the depth of Canadian running (which she did to an extent) but instead she pivoted to social media: It feels like more of a community effort now because of the support I get through social media platforms, the connections and the accessibility of the sport through various media (steaming races, twitter feeds, blogs, Strava, Instagram etc).  I love following other athletes, like Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, Natasha Wodak, Jessica O’Connell, Krista Duchene, etc., and are super inspired by their racing and their ability to connect with the community through various platforms to share their ups and downs of the sport.

Elmore added that social media also helps with community: “I think that helps connect us all and create a sense of community and support within the sport.  I realize now how important my performance is for people outside my core circle and I think that encourages me to keep working hard.  When I was first running, it felt a bit lonelier and more maybe selfish as I wondered at times, what the purpose was.  Now having been on the other side of the sport, I realize how important role models and sources of inspiration are to everyone and that we can both give and receive at the same time.”

For me, this is what makes the Canadian running scene unique from the American or East African. There is a great sense of community and accomplishments among the majority of runners, a community which is now fostering and achieving major medals, times and accomplishments.

Personal Bests

Elmore sports these personal bests:

800 – 2:02.69; 1,500 – 4:02.64; Mile – 4:30.70; 5,000 – 15:12; 10K – 32:44; Half Marathon – 1:11; Marathon – 2:32

You can follow Elmore on Instagram, Twitter and Strava or check out her website.

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Thanks for reading.

This is my fourth article in my STWM preview series. The first was on Dylan Wykes and Reid Coolsaet returning to the race, the second on Rory Linkletter and third on Evan Esselink.

More exciting articles to come in the coming weeks!

To see more please follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Strava.

When I asked one Canadian elite who he was most excited to see run the marathon this year, he quickly exclaimed: Evan Esselink

It become quite clear earlier this summer that for Evan Esselink, all roads led to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. On his website, his race schedule denotes one date: October 20 – STWM.

For Esselink and many other Canadian elite runners, this date has been marked on their calendars for sometime. The marathon is not only Canada’s national championship, but this year it is being billed as Canada’s Olympic trials. To show the excitement and anticipation around a potential Olympic berth, Esselink is among a number of Canadian elites including NCAA stand out, Rory Linkletter, are attempting the marathon distance – for the first time.

Breakout Season

Regardless of how his race goes at STWM, Esselink has had a year to remember. In January, he entered the Houston marathon after being denied an elite bib. 62 minutes after the gun fired, Esselink would become the fourth fastest half marathoner in Canadian history. After an injury which derailed much of his international cross country season, Esselink would finish 5th at the Canadian 10,000 Championships, 2nd at the Edmonton 10k, 1st at the Edmonton half, and just last weekend, 1st at the Eastside 10k in Vancouver with an impressive second half. 

Heading into the 2019 season, Esselink made a lot of changes to his training regime, but the biggest was a move from Guelph to Vancouver with the goal of being the best version and athlete of himself. When I asked Esselink why 2019 was his breakout year, his answer was the British Columbia Endurance Project (BCEP): “This group is everything I would want in a team and more. My teammates are incredibly supportive of each other and are among some of the best all-around human beings I’ve ever met; same goes with my coach Richard Lee – he is incredibly supportive, he wants us to succeed, and he is incredibly real with us. The last one hits home with me – he is very honest and tells things how they are, whether that be positive or negative. I always appreciate his honesty and his criticism and I feel like I am always learning from him.” His result at Houston in 2019, closely following his podium placing at Canadian Cross Country, assured him that he made the right decision by moving west. He added, “I knew I was capable of this … and more.”

Something that I have discovered in speaking with Canadian distance runners is that a support network is key to any success. Without this support it is difficult for anyone to invest themselves fully in their goals. I think that it is because of this that Esselink mentioned: “I also contribute a huge amount of success to my mom and dad. They are incredibly supportive of what I’m doing, and while I’m doing this running thing for me, a massive amount of my drive comes from them and wanting to be the best athlete and version of myself I can be.”

STWM

As I mentioned, this year’s edition of STWM has the deepest Canadian field ever. Cam Levins is returning to defend is Canadian crown, Reid Coolsaet and Dylan Wykes are returning to the race, and a host of Canadians are making their debuts or hoping to lower their times from the 2:16 range into a potential Olympic qualifying mark. 

Like many others, Esselink’s eyes are squarely on Tokyo 2020 and that the upcoming Olympics are the main emphasis for him choosing to debut in the marathon this year. His experience in Houston also gave him the confidence he needed noting that “within the last year I’ve been thinking about it [the marathon] a lot.” 

When I asked what Esselink what his biggest challenge will be with the marathon he was very frank by saying: “the fear of the unknown.” Esselink elaborated to say that “I’ve never raced the distance, and I think I would be dishonest with myself if I said I wasn’t scared. This could bode well for me or not – but this is what makes our sport fun. It is without question that I will use this fear to fuel my curiosity and make the most of it.”

For those readers who are perhaps new to training, coaches often ask their athletes to choose a place, time, or process goal. For those making their marathon, it is often wise to focus on the process of the race because of, as Esselink put it, the “unknown. Rightfully, beyond his Olympic aspirations Esselink is focused on the process: “I have a rough idea of what I think I can currently run, but there’s still more training to be done. Right now, I’m really enjoying the longer workouts and I’m happy with running … right now I’m almost entirely process-focused.”

The question I am asking all of the athletes I interview is what do you want fans to know about you. As there will be thousands of fans on the course, I believe it is good to know who you’re cheering for and the importance of cheering for them. Esselink’s answer to my question simple but eloquent: “I want fans to know that I’m just a 27 year old guy with the same goals and love for the sport as my 11 year old self.”

You can follow Esselink’s training on his website.

Mile2Marathon

Mile2Marathon is running club founded by Dylan Wykes and cyclist, Mike Woods – it works to partner middle of the packers with Canadian elites to provide them new insights into their training helping them reach new levels. I have written a lot about Mile2Marathon in the past, but mostly from the perspective of an amateur athlete looking to be the best they can be. 

Esselink joined the Mile2Marathon coaching team shortly after his move west and I took this opportunity to ask Esselink what Mile2Marathon means to him. First off, he mentioned to me that he’s “learned a lot” and gained a new perspective on running.. Crucially however, he said that coaching has helped him with his own running: “There are far too many times where I ended up falling short of chasing a certain goal or trying to bang out a big workout. Negative thoughts would flood my mind, and interacting with and coaching with Mile2Marathon has helped me to remember why I started to run in the first place – because I genuinely enjoy going for runs, pushing myself in workouts, and I love racing to see what I can do. I love seeing the improvements I can make; I love achieving some of my goals and falling short of others; I love the people that I meet through this sport; I love sharing the journey with those people. The athletes remind me that we all have our own personal goals, and I feel great satisfaction in helping them achieve theirs.”

I am sure Esselink will have all of his athletes supporting him as he prepares to take on the most daunting race in athletics.

Personal Bests

Esselink sports these impressive personal bests:

1500m – 3:48; Mile – 4:13; 5,000 – 13:59; 10,000 – 28:55; Half Marathon – 1:02:17; Marathon – TBD on Oct 20.

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Thanks for reading.

This is the third article in my STWM preview series. The first was on Dylan Wykes and Reid Coolsaet returning to the race and the second on Rory Linkletter.

More exciting articles to come in the coming weeks!

To see more please follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Strava.

It is 2017 at the NCAA 10,000m Championships.

24 competitors locate their toes just behind the starting line – the beginning of a 25 lap saga.

The start list is deep, out of hundreds of college students across the country it is down to them – 24 guys from schools across the country.

But to Canadian running fans, one guy stands out.

A hush. A deep breath. And bang. The race begins.

Canadian fans keep their eyes fixed on their prospect. They watch as his blonde hair bops around – this time, not held in place by his signature bandana.

As they hit five kilometres in 14:58 (fast for us mortals, slow for these elite college athletes), the television coverage cuts away.

Pictures only return with one kilometre to go. By now the pace is hot, the pre-race favourite, struggling. With two laps to go, divisions become apparent. With one to go, it appears as though the podium is decided.

All of a sudden, the gap is closed by a sophomore – a name that the commentators have not mentioned for the entire race. Although first place is out of reach, the BYU man crosses the line for second, running the fastest closing lap in the field – a remarkable run for the Calgary native.

The commentators finally mention his name: “And it is Rory Linkletter for second.”

Turning Professional

Fast forward two and a half years later, and Rory Linkletter is making his marathon debut. But since his second place at the NCAA Championships in 2017, it has been a long road. Linkletter has battled the elements, graduated from college, and has turned professional. Still he looks back at this 2017 race as career changing, Linkletter told me that the “race opened a lot of doors and possibilities in my mind for where the sport could potentially take me.”

Rory Linkletter’s 2019 has been a year of change. He started the year training for the tough course at the World Cross Country Championships in Denmark where he finished 82^nd. He then moved onto the track where he ran 28:12 at Payton Jordan and then won the NCAA’s preliminary round. Poised to have a great race at the NCAA Championship and improve on his second place in 2017, Linkletter had a difficult race. He bounced back a couple weeks later with a 3^rd place at the Canadian 10,000m Championships – clocking a full minute faster than his race a week earlier. In August, Linkletter sported the Canadian singlet for the second time this year, finishing 6^th at the Pan American Games 10,000.

Outside of racing, Linkletter has made changes to his training too. After graduating from BYU in Utah, he moved to Flagstaff, Arizona where he joined the Hoke NAZ Elite crew. For those of you who have heard that name before, it is because Scott Fauble sub-2:10 marathoner and standout at this year’s Boston Marathon also trains with the group. When I asked about his decision, he noted that he “relocated because I took the idea of being a professional runner quite serious. I want to be a professional in all aspects, location, environment, training and team. Flagstaff and Hoka NAZ elite have provided me with that exact opportunity. Utah is an amazing place but doesn’t offer the same amount of opportunity.”

STWM

Linkletter is changing his distance, too. Last month he announced his next challenge will be his debut marathon.

My immediate reaction to him trying the marathon this year was surprise. Few Canadians graduate from college and vault immediately into Athletics’ longest distance. Recent notable graduates including Knight, Ahmed, Levins, and Flanagan have chosen to stay on the track before moving to the roads (if at all).

So why the marathon for Linkletter? He told me that he simply “wants to run one” and that the “event has always intrigued me [him].” Similar to many other Canadians, the Olympics were also a motivating factor: “I want to be an Olympian next summer and I believe the marathon offers me a great opportunity to do just that.”

The desire to make the Olympics made the decision to come to Toronto a no brainer. Linkletter added that the new qualification method as a key factor: “With the current ranking systems in place it makes the most sense to compete in your national championships and try to run fast in those races.”

He added that: “I have always wanted to debut my marathon on Canadian soil.”

In terms of his goals for the race, Linkletter is preaching that he wants to experience the process and the distance noting that he “wants to conquer the distance physically and mentally. To me doing so would be running the pace in which my training has prepared me to do and being unrelenting when the race gets tough as we all know it will!” As for a time goal, Linkletter is “ready for something in the ball park of 2:14 if conditions are fair.”

Then, Linkletter exclaimed, “I believe if I can do this, I will run well enough to be an Olympic caliber marathoner.”

As many of you will know, the marathon is not an easy race to conquer. For many people it will be the hardest thing they ever do; for others it symbolizes their ability to conquer obstacles and for some, it proves to be a bridge too far. Linkletter understands that the race will get tough but he is “pleased with how the body has responded so far.” In training with Fauble and co., Linkletter mentioned that he has learned a lot during his first crack at marathon training, but ultimately that “the important piece is quite simple. Become very good and efficient at running at marathon effort on tired legs.”

Proud to Wear the Maple Leaf

As I mentioned, Linkletter has sported the Maple Leaf on a couple of occasions this year – once at World Cross Country, and again at the Pan Am Games. When I asked what representing Canada meant to him, he was very passionate: “Running with the maple leaf means everything to me. Although I’ve been in the US for quite some time, my identity as a person lies heavily on being proud of my Canadian roots. I don’t take it lightly when given the chance to represent the country and have high hopes to do some memorable things on the international level with the Maple Leaf on my chest!”

Since Linkletter has trained in the United States for his whole career and ran in the NCAAs, Canadian fans may not know a lot about him. As thousands of fans will be cheering him and the other Canadian elites on during STWM, Linkletter would like them to know that he’s “proud that to represent this country and looks forward to racing in Canada more and becoming more familiar to them in the coming years.” He added: “I love to compete, and I look forward to earning their respect with my performance.”

Expect a solid debut from Rory Linkletter on October 20^th at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. You can follow his training on Strava.

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Thanks for reading.

This is the second article in my STWM preview series. The first was on Dylan Wykes and Reid Coolsaet returning to the race.

More exciting articles to come in the coming weeks!

To see more please follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Strava.

Its kind of poetic, is it not? Well… as poetic as a marathon can be.

In 2011, Reid Coolsaet, Eric Gillis, Dylan Wykes, Rob Watson and others took to Toronto’s streets looking to qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Marathon. Two of them secured their ticket to the Games that day, battling through the tough winds, trip-ups, and that legendary overpass at 38k.

No one will ever forget Eric Gillis sneaking under the Olympic A standard by one second or Reid Coolsaet running in the lead pack for the entire race just missing the Canadian record. Dylan Wykes, who finished as the third Canadian in 2011 and finished 6^th overall, made his Olympic dream come true in 2012, qualifying at the Rotterdam Marathon despite falling flat on his face at the start. Although Rob Watson would not finish the 2011 race, he would go on to represent Canada at Worlds, Pan-Ams and run 2:13 for the marathon.

On October 20^th, two out of four of these athletes will take to Toronto’s streets again – eight years later.

A lot can happen in eight years: Prince George was born, Ed Snowden leaked U.S. intelligence, the Russia annexed Crimea, the Raptors won the NBA Championship, Canadians elected their first Green MP, Cuba and the U.S. resumed relations, Canada turned 150, and of course, the Maple Leafs made the playoffs (multiple times!).

When Coolsaet and Wykes take to the line for the 2019 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (STWM), I am sure they will reflect on the changes in their lives as well. Reid has shaved off the mustache, got married, and had two kids: Louis and Elodie. Wykes also has been married, started a small business Mile2Marathon (which you should definitely check out), and has two kids: Spencer and Sasha.

So what should we expect from these Canadian legends?

For Reid Coolsaet, I think he has the best chance of the three to qualify for Tokyo 2020, and I can say with some certainty that STWM will not be his final race – he will give it another crack in the spring regardless. From talking to him, he thinks a 2:13 clocking will provide him an opportunity to make the Canadian team on points. Regardless of time, Coolsaet rightfully reminded me that the marathon is ultimately about the process. “I want to run to my potential and be happy with my effort, he said. It would mean a lot to have a marathon performance I’m really excited about as it’s been a few years since that has happened.”

So why STWM for Coolsaet? “I’ve had success at STWM in the past and I know the course really well. It’s hard to pass up a Gold Label race in your backyard. And the obvious reason is that the Canadian Champ gets a big advantage when it comes to Olympic selection.”

On racing with Wykes again, Coolsaet says that they will help boost his attitude and help him reflect on his previous marathons: “We’ve shared so many running experiences over the years it will be great to add another one. Both Dylan and Rob [Rob Watson recently dropped out of the race] are fun guys to be around and add positivity to an event.”

As arguably Canada’s best marathon runner ever, don’t sleep on Reid, he will be in the thick of it come race day. You can follow his training on Strava.

Dylan Wykes is a 2:10 marathoner and the fourth fastest Canadian of all time. His last marathon finish was when he placed a very impressive 20^th place at London 2012. Wykes is keeping expectations low heading into STWM, but he still feels like he “has something to prove” with the marathon. “I really just want to finish this marathon,” he told me. “But if I am being greedy, I’d love to finish top 3.”

Wykes is a co-founder of the running group Mile2Marathon and was essentially retired until earlier this year. Since March 2019 however, Wykes’ record has been impressive. He finished 3^rd at Around the Bay, won the Ottawa Sporting Life 10k, won the Canadian 10k Championships, and finished 4^th at the Canadian Half Marathon Champs. He said that these results helped to push him towards taking the start line in Toronto: “I wanted to carry that momentum into the fall and trying the marathon again made sense. … I’m more excited about racing for place than chasing a time at this stage of the game.”

On racing with Coolsaet again, Wykes is excited: “It’ll be great to have some old friends and familiar faces in the race. If we find ourselves near to each other when the going gets tough in the late stages of the race I’m sure we’ll work hard to pull/push each other along.”

Wykes is the true wildcard at this year’s edition of the race and could turn back the clock. You can follow his training on Strava.

No matter what they say pre-race however, the Olympics always find a way of getting into the back of athlete’s and athletics commentator’s minds. On route or the night before, all will be calculating what it will take for them to get to Tokyo 2020. So, how do they qualify? Run the North News did an amazing breakdown of this system, but essentially, there are three ways.

1. Time. Athletes must break the Olympic standard of 2:11:30. They must then be selected by Athletics Canada.
2. Placing. With Toronto Waterfront being a IAAF Gold Label race, anyone who finishes in the top 5 will be considered to have the Olympic standard (the same also applies for the Ottawa Marathon). They must then be selected by Athletics Canada.
3. Points. Athletics Canada can put forward a list of athletes based on points, the IAAF will then select which athletes qualify based on the number of open spots. From what I can gather, points are accumulated based on time and position. Coolsaet, as previously mentioned, has noted that he thinks 2:13 will give him enough points to get in, but who knows.

The winner of the Canadian Championship at STWM will be granted automatic selection to the Tokyo team (provided they have the standard).

Whatever the result, it is clear that Coolsaet, Wykes, Watson and Gillis (retired) have inspired and lead the charge for a new level and era of distance running in Canada. In 2012, they represented the first Canadians in the Olympic marathon since 2000 and posed the greatest threat to the Canadian record since it was set. In their wake have been kids, now growing into mature elite athletes, chomping at the bit to compete with these Canadian legends. Notably, they helped usher in an era where distance running for a profession is viable, and with that, helped spawn the growth of STWM and the new Canadian record holder Cam Levins. I believe Evan Esselink, Tristain Woodfine, Trevor Hofbauer, Chris Balestrini, Rory Linkletter, and many other Canadian men now taking a shot at the marathon and a possible Olympic birth can thank Coolsaet, Wykes, Watson and Gillis for blazing a trail, for creating opportunities in the marathon, and for putting Canadian running back on the map.

When asked about it Coolsaet and Wykes each had a different take on the title of role model. Coolsaet has had to embrace much of the limelight over the past decade and is happy that more Canadians are giving the marathon a chance: “It feels good knowing that I might encourage up-and-comers to shoot for elite performances.” He added that he “hopes young runners can see that they don’t need to be a high-school star to do well in University and beyond. Even in University I don’t think many would have pegged me as a future Olympian.”

Wykes told me that: “I’m excited to see a new crop of Canadian’s giving the marathon a go. I’ve no idea if any of these guys or woman would consider me a mentor or role model or an inspiration. I’m just happy to see some people chasing the dream; making sacrifices and decisions to be better runners. I hope it pays off for them.”

Like many in sports history, their records and achievements are made to be broken, made to be improved upon, and made to create an avenue for others to succeed. It is likely that this is the last time these Canadian running legends will take to the streets of Toronto for STWM with hopes of a high finish regardless of the outcome of this race.

In 2011, the story for Coolsaet, Watson and Wykes was just beginning – the canvass was blank.

In 2019, the script is all but written. Still, one chapter remains – can Coolsaet gain one more Olympic birth? Can Wykes recapture the glory from the spring?

What we do know is the legends will showdown on the streets of Toronto one last time.

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Thanks for reading.

This is the first article in my STWM series. Stay tuned over the coming weeks for more. If you have other topics you would like to know more about related to the race, the elites, or more- please let me know.

If you like what you read, please follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Strava for more!

3:59.59.

Heading onto the last lap, it looked improbable. After a quick start, the field had slowed to what many commentators would call a jog. Four athletes were cued up on the heels of Genzebe Dibaba. In the group was Sifan Hassan, Konstanze Klosterhalfen, Canadian Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, and American superstar, Jenny Simpson. At the bell, the pace rose. Incrementally athletes begin the fall of the pack. Then, as they rounded the final turn, Hassan found a new gear. She drove by the others with remarkable speed. Klosterhalfen tried to follow, but simply did not have the legs. Dibaba was spent, fading quickly into the field. But DeDues-Stafford charged after the others with remarkable turnover. In the end, Hassan crossed the line in 3:57 – a remarkable time. Klosterhalfen came in soon after. But right on her heels was the Canadian, Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, crossing the line in 3:59.59: a new Canadian record. Her last lap clocked in, according to my watch, at about 59.7 seconds.

Setting Canadian records is nothing new for DeBues-Stafford. She is, after all, in the middle of a breakout year. Her name has been the focus of many Canadian athletics fans since 2019 indoors and the best part is she is showing no signs of slowing down.

DeBues-Stafford is a graduate of the University of Toronto with a major in psychology and was born in London, ON. According to the UofT website, she was the 2012 OFSAA Senior girls champion and won gold and silver respectively at OFSAA track for the 3,000 and 1,500. As a Varsity Blues athlete, DeBues-Stafford continued to excel, winning OUAs in the 1500 in 2014, 2016 and 2017 as well as winning U Sports out-right in 2016 and 2017. She is also a 2016 Rio Olympian (no biggie).

Last year, DeBues-Stafford changed training camps. After getting married, she left Toronto and moved to Scotland to train with one of the best 1,500m runners in the world – Laura Muir. The coach of the group is Andy Young.

I titled this article “The Year of Gabriela DeBues Stafford.” Why? Because the new track sensation has set Canadian Records over FIVE different distances this year. On January 4^th she ran 14:57 for 5,000m indoors, then that same month, she ran 4:24 for the mile. Skip ahead to May and DeBues-Stafford continued to roll. She ran 14:51 for 5,000m in Stockholm then ran a mile in 4:17 in Monaco. Finally, after so many close calls, she cracked 4 minutes for the 1500, running 3:59.59. Her move to Scotland obviously paid off.

Her reaction to breaking 4 minutes on twitter was emotional and well deserved:

Why the sudden success? DeBues-Stafford told Doug Harrison of CBC Sports that she credits the results, in part, to a change in attitude: “Last year, my race nerves were out of control and taking away from the enjoyment of running. … I was lost and unclear about what the future held for me, but I have recommitted myself to the sport and training seriously at a high level. I’m also not as timid making moves [in a race] and not second-guessing.”

Next up for DeBues-Stafford is the Brussels Diamond League Final where she will toe the line in the 5000m. Again, speaking with CBC Sports, she noted that the 5,000 was the ultimate goal entering this season and she hoped to break the Canadian record (which she did on her first attempt). She closed by saying: “I’m fit to run a good 5,000.”

World Championships

Canada just announced its line up for the World Championships this September in Doha.  DeBues-Stafford will go in both the 1500 and the 5000.

I think DeBues-Stafford does have a good chance at a medal in the 1500. As a 5,000m runner, the multiple rounds of competition (heats, semis and final) will be in her favour and may help to subdue the finishing kick of those around her. Having a reduced pack of East African contenders will also be in her favour as each country can only send three athletes to the Championships.

In the end, it comes down the pace of the race. If the final begins at a leisurely pace, the 800m specialists will capitalize on the opportunity over the last lap. If the pace is kept honest however, I think Debues-Stafford has a chance, especially with Laura Muir coming off injury and Genzebe Dibaba not looking like her former self.

In the 5,000, things will be tougher. Although she is a great 5,000 runner, the likes of Helen Obiri (Ken) and Almaz Ayana (Eth) plus the rest of East Africa will certainly make the challenge difficult. I still expect the Canadian contingent to be competitive in this race, but it could be difficult if the pace is taken out hard.

Despite what happens at Worlds, it is clear that this has been the year of Gabriela Debues-Stafford. I look forward to watching her in the final couple of races of the season before we enter an Olympic year.

Her outdoor personal bests:

400 Metres	61.09		Toronto (CAN)	28 MAY 2013
800 Metres	2:02.48		Toronto (CAN)	29 JUN 2017
1500 Metres	3:59.59	Canadian Record	Zürich (SUI)	29 AUG 2019
One Mile	4:17.87	Canadian Record	Stade Louis II, Monaco (MON)	12 JUL 2019
3000 Metres	8:45.67		Olympic Stadium, London (GBR)	21 JUL 2018
5000 Metres	14:51.59	Canadian Record	Olympiastadion, Stockholm (SWE)	30 MAY 2019

Shopping local is important to me. When I go to the grocery store, I look for local products. I purchase the majority of my vegetables from a local CSA. And I would rather walk down the street to my local book store than ordering off of Amazon. If I am buying all of these things local, then why should purchasing running shoes be any different?

Sports4 is a local Ottawa running store with two locations – one downtown and the other in Nepean. Sports4 is the location where I purchase all of my running needs. From shirts to shoes, their service is impeccable and among the best. For those who are interested, they stock primarily New Balance, Saucony, Brooks, and Asics, but will work with you to find the best fit.

When the assistant manager approached me to become their running ambassador, it was tough not to apply. The location is nearby; the staff are relatable, knowledgeable, and friendly, and; they sponsor many of the local running events – the backbone of the Ottawa running scene.

As the downtown location’s new Running Ambassador, I can announce that we will be holding a weekly run club (starting soon) for all speeds. Whether you are just beginning or looking to get a few extra miles in during your marathon training, the run club will benefit and welcome you. As a part of the club, we will be doing giveaways, recruit guest speakers (exciting speakers are already scheduled), and more.

If you just want to shop, I encourage you to check out Sports4. To get 10% off at the store, I invite you to check out Canada Run Club – a new Canadian not-for-profit founded this year OR RunOttawa – the hosts of the Ottawa Marathon.

I invite you to join us for the start of the run club (to be announced soon on Instagram). If you have any questions, I invite you to ask them in the comments or message me on Twitter or Instagram.

 

It can be intimidating – watching elite athletes fly by you at 3:00/km or faster while looking strong and relaxed. It can be intimidating to talk to them, gain their insights, or to ask a “stupid” question to their face. After all, they are there to do a job, they are training to win, training to put food on the table, and in some cases training for Olympic glory.

I have met many elite athletes over the past couple of years, but have also been intimidated to go up to them and simply say ‘hi,’ ask for advice, or ask to take a picture. Even recently, I saw Genevieve Lalonde (Canadian Olympian and 3000 Steeplechase Record Holder) at a local triathlon and instead of asking for a quick photo and picking her brain; I froze, deciding that it would be safer to let her go about her business.

The point that I am trying to make is that for so long there has been this divide between elite athletes and the rest of us; neither group quite sure how to engage with the other – neither group understanding how to leverage the other to be better athletes or increase the popularity of distance running in Canada. The same goes for coaching – very seldom do top Canadian coaches ply their trade with us mortals and bring their wealth of experience to us, at least at a reasonable price.

The Mile2Marathon model is a brilliant one because it works to change this dynamic. It partners current or retired elite Canadian athletes with runners like you or me – front of the packers, middle of the packers and back of the packers. It creates an environment of information sharing, goal setting, and most importantly, achievement sharing. At the same time, it is a different environment than your typical track club: for starters, its cheaper, but Mile2Marathon also fosters community in a more organic, athlete oriented sense.

I joined Mile2Marathon when Dylan Wykes (co-founder and Olympian) returned to Ottawa in 2019. I immediately found the environment one I could thrive in. I met new people. Actually did workouts in my training, instead of just bailing. And I found, for the first time since my return to running in 2016, a coach. Since May, I have pb’d over the 5k and 10k distances with an eye on doing the same over 21.1 and 42.2 this fall.

I can imagine for some people that the price can be a bit of a detractor – for many it will be money that can be put to other uses. Nevertheless, if you truly want to improve, if you truly enjoy running fast, and if you want to take your ability to the next level, Mile2Marathon will provide you with platform to succeed. For runners in the Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver areas, Mile2Marathon is a no brain-er. Nowhere else will you find the ability to train with such a diverse group of athletes, all training with the same purpose: running fast and enjoying it. And the best part: your first two group workouts are free.

Here is the coaching line up: Dylan Wykes, Rob Watson, Kate Gustafson, Kim Doerksen, Tony Tomsich, Chantelle Groenewoud, Kevin Coffey, Luc Bruchet, Evan Esselink, Sheila Reid, Catherine Watkins, Garret De Jong, Lauren Prufer, and Mike ‘Rusty’ Woods (co founder, Olympian, and on the sidelines while he lights the cycling world on fire).

I encourage you to join me at Mile2Marathon and of course, you can learn more about them on their website. You can also check them out on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

This week, I suppose, is the week of Canadian Championships.

Often, many Canadians and Canadian running media neglect the Canadian half marathon championships. Previously, this was always because they were held in Calgary – on the same weekend as Ottawa (thus the attention turned to the Gold Label Races). But alas, no more! The Half Championships have moved to June and to the Manitoba Marathon.

I can promise you one thing – the course will be flat. The course is also pretty simple. It will start by Investor’s Group Field (home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and wind its way on either side of the mighty Red River. The coolest element of the course is that participants return to finish inside Investor’s Group Field.

This is the first time (at least that I could find) that a Canadian Championship for Track and Field will be held in Manitoba – so is an interesting change of pace for Athletics Canada.

The prize money is decent (for a Canadian race), and is broken down like so for our elite athletes:

1. $5000 Cash
2. $2500 Cash
3. $1250 Cash
4. $750 Cash
5. $500 Cash

So – who is on the start list?

Women’s Race

Malindi Elmore – has had a breakout year in 2019. First, she ran the Houston Marathon in 2:32 (debut) launching her back into the Canadian running scene. She then set her 10k PB in Ottawa (32:57) by finishing 2nd in the Canadian Champs. Elmore will certainly be going for her 3rd PB of the year this weekend, as she currently has PB of 1:15 – set in 2015.

Kate Gustafson – the M2M coach is lacing it up for these Championships. Gustafson has PBs of 35:51 for 10k, 1:17 for the half, and 2:40 for the full.

Robyn Mildren – is the two time defending Boxing Day 10 Mile Champion – and a prolific racer. Mildren set her Half PB this winter in Houston, running 1:13 and haf a 10k PB of 34:14. She most recently was 7th Canadian at the 10k Champs in Ottawa.

Melanie Myrand – was 9th this spring at the Rotterdam Marathon (PB in 2:33) and the half this weekend will only be her second race of the year. Myrand has a PB of 1:15 over the half marathon and 34:12 over 10,000.

Dayna Pidhoresky – only 3 weeks ago she ran the Ottawa Marathon, running first Canadian in the hot and humid weather that Ottawa always seems to offer. Like Mildren she is a prolific racer, running seven races already this spring. Pidhoresky has a marathon PB of 2:36, a PB in the half of 1:11, and 10k in 33:02.

Claire Sumner – to date, Sumner’s biggest achievement has been the domination of the field at the Canadian XC Championships in 2017, but do not let that fool you – she has a lot of potential over the half marathon. This year, Sumner finished 66th in the World XC and ran 1:14 in Houston for the half, running a mere seconds from her PB.

Also in the women’s field are: Elizabeth Tomczak, Madeline Yungblut, Janine Zajac. Kristjana Britton. Courtney Brohart, Kaytlyn Criddle, Ashley King, Karen Lawson, Melissa Paauwe, Sabrina St-Gelais, and Alice Sherwin.

Men’s Race

Chris Balestrini – is amazing (as I said in by Ottawa Race Weekend takeaways). The guy ran a 30 minute 10k one night and then proceed to run a 2:37 marathon the next day as a pacer for Pidhoresky – amazing. Beyond these performances, Balestrini ran 2:22 in Rotterdam in May, then ran a 1:05 half in Vancouver. He followed these up with a 29:22 in the Portland Track Festival only last week an now is racing in Manitoba. His half PB is 1:05.

Trevor Hofbauer – set a PB for the marathon in Hamburg with his 2016 performance, and although he hasn’t raced since, did show fitness before hand with a second place and 29:30 in the Sun Run. Hofbauer was the 2017 Canadian Marathon Champion which vaulted him into Canadian stardom. His PB for the half is 1:04

Thomas Toth – flys under the radar for Canadian distance runners. He did resprent Canada in 2017 at the World Championships in the marathon, finishing 54th in tough conditions. Toth also represented Canada at World XC that year. This year, Toth ran Rotterdam in 2:19 (1 minute off his PB) and won the Washington DC half in 1:05. His PB for the half is 1:04.

Tristan Woodfine – is another Canadian runner that keeps a low profile and is a full time paramedic. Woodfine ran an impressive PB of 2:15 for the marathon in Houston this spring and has only appeared on the racing circuit once since. Woodfine has a PB 1:06 for the half marathon distance.

Dylan Wykes – the veteran of the men’s field and Canadian Olympian. Wykes is a 2:10 marathoner who finished 20th in London in the Olympic Marathon and has won the California International Marathon. This year, Wykes has begun his return to racing and punctuated the return with a 29:55 in the Ottawa 10k a result which won him the Canadian Championship. He looks for his second crown of the year this weekend. His PB for the half (his current distance of focus) is 1:02.

Also in the field are: Abduselam Yussuf, Nicolas Browne, Esteban Clavijo, Daniel Heschuk, Adam Hortian, Nickolas Kosmenko. Matthew Lozano, Jevin Monds, Simon Poulin

Predictions

Women’s Race

1. Elmore 2. Pidhoresky 3. Mildren

Dark Horse (and probably 4th place): Myrand

Why: Coming off a full marathon only weeks ago, Pidhoresky will have tired legs. That leave Elmore as the class of the field.

Predicted winning time: 1:14

Men’s Race

1. Wykes 2. Balestrini 3. Woodfine

Dark Horse: Thomas Toth.

Why: Hofbauer is only 5 weeks or so removed from his marathon performance in Hamburg. Wykes on the other hand is fresh and just showed fitness over 10k in Ottawa. I am not sure where Woodfine or Toth are at but Balestrini has raced a lot recently, so he is a wild card coming into the weekend.

Predicted winning time? 1:04.

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Thanks for reading! Let me know your predictions in the comments or over twitter @AndersenRuns.

The race is finally here – a race which will bring innovation and change to Canadian distance running. Last year, the British Columbia Endurance Project (BCEP) announced that it would be hosting the Canadian 10,000 Championships – but would be changing how the race is run.

This year, instead of being held at a usual track meet, BCEP has is trying to recreate democratic running experience which is so often discussed on the roads, and bring it to the track. Before the elite races, Saucony will be hosting a chase the pace for local runners who will aim to get PBs over the 5,000. After their races, these participants are encouraged to head to the track-side beer garden to cheer on the elite runners.

For those not running their own race, the elite races are worth the price of admission alone. Instead of a thirty-plus lap time trial (which is often the case), organizers are providing the opportunity for Canadians to run fast AND race – and for some hopefully achieve the World or Olympic Standards.

Don’t forget, Sports Canada TV will live stream the race at this link – you won’t want to miss it!

Women’s Start List

Name	Division	Club	Seed Time
Wodak, Natasha	Open	PIHR	31:43.27
*Pagano, Sarah	Open	ADID	31:51.66
*Tabb, Elaina	Open	ADID	31:55.00
Cliff, Rachel	Open	M2M	31:56.86
Middleton, Kinsey	Open	UNBC	32:30.82
*Inglis, Sarah	Open	LANG	32:36.00
*Ramos, Beverly	Open	NEW	32:36.03
Setlack, Emily	Open	UNAB	33:03.00
Boyd, Cleo	Open	PHYS	33:11.00
MacDougall, Branna	Open	PHYS	33:14.21
Digby, Erica	Open	M2M	NT
Lee, Kirsten	Open	MI2M	NT
Yee, Regan	Open	LANG	NT

* Denotes a non-Canadian. Pagano and Tabb are Americans. Ramos is Puerto Rican. Inglis (who trains in Canada) is Scottish.

Men’s Start List

Name	Division	Club	Seed Time
*Bruce, Ben	Open	HOKA	28:09.29
Linkletter, Rory	Open	UNAB	28:12.00
Flanagan, Benjamin	Open	REEB	28:19.51
Bruchet, Lucas	Open	M2M	28:30.00
*Ward, Jared	Open	SAUC	28:36.00
Esselink, Evan	Open	M2M	28:55.98
Tate, Mike	Open	OSPR	29:09.36
De Jong, Caleb	Open	LANG	29:30.00
Travaglini, Matthew	Open	UNON	29:38.04
Kent, Justin	Open	CTC1	29:54.00
Lumb, Kieran	Open	UNBC	30:00.00
Coffey, Kevin	Open	MI2M	30:15.00
Labonté, Patrice	Open	VAIN	30:24.28
Hunt, Theo	Open	M2M	30:25.56
Wong, Brendan	Open	COQC	30:33.20
Charlton, Braeden	Open	TBIR	30:40.06
Turek, Max	Open	HARB	30:48.00
Mason, John	Open	OSPR	30:48.22
Gay, John	Open	TBIR	NT

*Denotes a non-Canadian. Bruce and Ward (who trains at BYU with Rory Linkletter) are both American runners.

5 Things to Watch

1. Cliff vs. Wodak

Rachel Cliff and Natasha Wodak have developed quite a friendly rivalry over the past couple of years – especially over the 10k distance. On the roads it has been all Cliff with wins at the 10k Champs in 2018 and setting the Canadian Half Marathon Record (Wodak just missed this mark in January). Oh, and don’t forget about Cliff setting the Canadian record over 42.2 as well. Wodak has dominated on the track however, beating Cliff at the Commonwealth Games and most recently at Peyton Jordan.

Most recently, Cliff ran 15:32 for 5,000 in L.A. The story line for Cliff is whether she can still use her track speed now that she is transitioning to the marathon. Wodak ran the Ottawa 10k at the end of May, making her Canadian Champion over the road distance – running a time of 32:12 (race recap here). That time was the second fastest of her career on the roads.

2. Linkletter vs. Flanagan

Rory Linkletter and Ben Flanagan may not be known to many Canadian fans. The pair both recently graduated from their respective schools and are now entering life as professional distance runners. Flanagan who graduated from Michigan in December is running full time with the Reebok TC (Justyn Knight also runs there). Linkletter just finished at BYU, coming from arguably the most successful NCAA distance running program.

This will be Linkletter and Flanagan’s first shot at the Canadian 10,000m title. Flanagan finished 3rd in the 5,000 Champs last year, won the 5k road champs, and also ran at ACXC in November. Linkletter also ran ACXC qualifying for the World XC Championships in Denmark.

Linkletter most recently ran a 29:55 at the NCAA D1 Champs, but perhaps a better indication of his performance was the 28:12 (pb) at Peyton Jordan. His PB for 5,000 is 13:36. Flanagan won the NCAAs in 2018 elevating him to stardom, but set his PB this May at Peyton Jordan in 28:19. Most recently, Flanagan ran 4:00.7 for the mile in St. Louis. His PB for the 5,000 is 14:06 (2016).

3. Luc Bruchet returns from injury

Lost amongst the young guns and the marathoners sometimes is Luc Bruchet. The 2016 Olympian was sidelined with an injury for much of the winter, but has slowly returned to racing in the last couple of months. When it was announced that BCEP would be hosting the 10,000 Bruchet was on the front lines pitching it to fans – now it will serve as a true fitness test to see where he is at as he looks to return to the Olympics in 2020.

Bruchet sports PBs of 28:46 (2015) and 13:24 (2016). This spring, due to injury, he has only been able to run one race in LA – 13:45 over 5,000. Since then, Bruchet has had about a month to train and fine tune.

If he is not on form, Bruchet may not even be the first BCEP runner to cross the line. The Canadian field is very deep with guys like Evan Esselink, Justin Kent, and Kieran Lumb not far behind.

Either way, this race will act as a good measuring stick.

4. International Talent

Not only is the Canadian talent amazing for this race – the best we have seen at the 10,000 Championships in a long time, but the race organizers have managed to land some names from across the border and one from across the pond.

On the men’s side Jared Ward, a 2:09 marathoner and 8th place finisher at the Boston Marathon is toeing the line. Ward has had an amazing season to date, finishing 4th at the NYC half and recently (only 6 weeks after a marathon) running Bolder Boulder 10k in 29:53 and then the Bellin Run 10k in 29:45. I do not expect Ward to be able to hang with the guys who are track focused but his toughness may surprise a few.

Also on the men’s side is top seed Ben Bruce. Bruce is coming off a 2:26 marathon in Rotterdam this spring, but also managed to run a 28:48 10k only weeks earlier. Bruce has not raced since and will provide a good challenge for the Canadian guys – perhaps even pulling them to lifetime bests. His PB is 28:09 over the distance.

For the women, Canadian all-comers record holder for the 5k, Sarah Inglis joins the fray. Inglis is well known in Canadian running circles as her all-comers record was set at the St. Patrick’s Day 5k in Vancouver. Inglis has a PB of 32:36 over the 10,000 and 32:24 on the roads for the 10k.

Sarah Pagano and Elaina Tabb also toe the line. Pagano’s PB of 31:51 rank her second in seed times for the field and I expect her and Natasha Wodak to have a good battle. Pagano’s PB was set just last month so she should be in good shape. Elina Tabb is a runner I admittedly do not know much about her PB was also set this spring and is 31:55. She has a half marathon time of 1:10 and will be competitive in this race as well.

Finally, watch out for Beverly Ramos. Aside from her times which are quick, Ramos is a great story. She is best known for running New York only weeks after her home of Puerto Rico was stricken by the worst hurricane the island has ever seen – that day she ran with a heavy heat, but touched millions of spectators who heard her story on TV and in the media. Ramos is more than a good story though – she is a 1:12 half marathoner, 32:36 10,000 performer, and 15:46 5,000 performer.

5. Who will take the next step?

Emily Setlack has had a heck of a season. First, she ran marathon Pb of 2:35 in Rotterdam then ran a PB of 33:03 for 10k on the roads in Ottawa. Look for Setlack to demolish her track PB (35:23) in this race.

Mike Tate has come a long way in the last year – look for him to drop his time over the 10,000. Tate is training for the World University Games and this race will be a fitness tester for the up-and-coming Canadian. Tate recently ran 29:24 at Peyton Jordan.

Justin Kent finished second at in the Ottawa 10k, running close to his track PB for the same distance. The run in Ottawa was hot and humid and according to his training partners, Kent is the fittest in the group. Look for Kent to take a chunk off his time in a “home” race.

Predictions

Women’s Race:

1. Wodak
2. Cliff
3. Pagano

Dark Horse: Branna MacDougall

Men’s Race:

1. Linkletter
2. Flanagan
3. Ward

Dark Horse: Mike Tate

*Watch out for Kent, Esselink and Bruchet – I am certainly not writing these guys off.

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Thanks for reading! I would love to see your predictions in the comments or on Twitter! Let me know @AndersenRuns.