Although the men’s field for the Ottawa 10k does not feature a former world record holder, elite athlete coordinator Manny Rodrigues has certainly brought two very good fields together. Is it the strongest of all time, maybe. That will be determined, in my eyes, of whether the course record falls. It will be interesting to see what the new course (previewed in my women’s race preview) does to the times of the elite athletes.

My Goal

One person I am hoping the new course helps, is myself. Before getting to our spectacularly quick friends, I feel I should first preview my race. My PB for the 10k is 38:59, which I ran this year in January when the temperature was minus 25 degrees. I certainly feel I can improve on this mark.

For me there are a few factors I need to have a good race: the weather must be cooperative (windy is ok, just not hot/humid), I need to stay relaxed and confident within myself, and I need to have a good three hours before the race where I can snack, use the washroom and be in the coral without having to rush or stress. I have had an interesting build. I got injured in March and changed from targeting the full marathon, to the 10k. I have only had two workouts, both of which I have smashed out of the park. And my milage has been much lower than usual, so fingers crossed.

With my goal of 37:30, I hope to run fairly even splits (3:45/k) and of course if I can go faster, I will. My hope is to slip into a pack traveling about my speed and turn my brain off. Often, I tend to think too much.

Anyways, enough about me. I will recap my race in the blog post after or you can follow me on Strava.

Now, let us move on to the elite field.

The East African Elite

Mohamed Reda (Morocco) – PB of 27:59. Reda is a solid athlete. He sports PBs from 13:42 (5,000) to 60:38 (21.1) to 2:09 (Full). His range is impressive. Although he hasn’t had an outstanding year to date, he did finish 3^rd in Ottawa last year so knows what to expect. He also finished 1^st in Beirut and 11^th in Tokyo and Chicago.

Abderrahmane Kachir (Morocco) – PB of 27:50. He also sports a time of 60:21 for the half. Kachir has only raced twice this season, running 63:09 and 63:10 for two half marathons in Morocco. In fact, based on IAAF records, this will be his first career sanctioned race outside of his native country, something which will certainly be an interesting experience for the 26 year old.

Moses Kibet (Kenya) – PB of 28:26. Kibet also has an impressive half marathon PB of 59:58 set in China only one month ago. His results this year have certainly shown progression and it will be interesting whether it will continue in the Ottawa 10k. Throughout his young career, Kibet has rarlely finished outside the top 3 in races and will be cool to see him continue to develop on Ottawa’s roads.

Wilfred Kimitei (Kenya) – PB of 28:02. Like so many in the race, Kimitei has an impressive range of PBs from 13:12 over 5,000 to 59:40 for the half. Kimitei has only run one race this year, finishing 5^th in a half marathon. He is the course record holder of the Karlovy Vary Half Marathon in the Czech Republic.

Emmanual Kipsang – PB of 27:47. Kipsang is a quick athlete. He has run 13:08 over 5,000 and 60 minutes over the half marathon distance. Although his placings have not been superb this year, he has run 62 and 63 minutes for two half marathons in April, showing that his form is coming around. In 2018 he found the rostrum on four spate occasions for the half marathon, running in the 61 minute range on each occasion. He also debuted in the marathon, running 2:33.

Otamne Nait Hammou (Sweden / Athlete Refugee Team) – PB of 30:27. Although he is not the quickest in the field, I felt it prudent to preview Nait Hammou. He is officially a member of the athlete refugee team and his story is probably the best in the field. He competed in Denmark for the World XC this year and with the refugee team for the very first time. He fled his native country of Morocco alone, and after a few years in France, moved to Sweden. Make sure to support this athlete across the course!

Mohammed Ziani (Morocco) – PB of 27:28. Ziani loves Ottawa and is the class of this field – he also completes to Moroccan trifecta on Manny Rodrigues’ start list. In 2016, Ziani won this race in supreme fashion, stopping the challenge of the Kenyans and Ethiopians who seemed to team up against him. Last year, Ziani ran in Ottawa, but struggled with visa issues making him a last minute arrival and finishing in 4^th. Hopefully this year, Ziani will arrive uninterrupted and ready to go to work. He sports PBs of 60 minutes for the half and 2:10 for the full.

The Canadian Elite

The men’s Canadian challenge for the past few years have looked/felt like this: Gillis, Coolseat, Gillis, Coolsaet, Gillis, Coolsaet, and then in 2018 – Esselink. This year question marks look large as to who will take the reigns of Canadian distance running. This year, Coolsaet is running the marathon (very excited about that) and Gillis is not on the start list. Also not on the line will be Ben Flanagan (reigning NCAA 10k champ), Justyn Knight, Mo Ahmed, Luc Bruchet (injured) and Cam Levins (DNS in London with a calf injury). So who is on the start line? Some pretty solid Canadian talent, lead by defending Canadian champion Evan Esselink.

Here are some of the names to watch:

Chris Balestrini – PB of 29:25 (set on the track). Balestrini is a PhD student at Western University and sponsored by New Balance. He sports a 5,000m personal best of 14:19 and a PB or 65 minutes for the half marathon. Balestrini has shown fitness of late and has been a prolific racer this year. He ran 2:22 for the Rotterdam Marathon, 67 minutes for the BMO Half in Vancouver and 65 minutes in Houston.

Conor Black – PB of 30:06 (set on the track). Black is a great story – after a year of injury he finally won the USports Cross Country title in his final year of eligibility. Black is now making his first start at the Canadian 10k road championships. Last month, Black set his PB for the 5,000 running 14:22. He should be an interesting wild card for this race, but it will certainly be a learning experience.

Evan Esselink – PB of 30:30 (28:55 on the track over 10,000). Esselink is the defending champion, but even when he won last year, he finished 1 minute slower than Eric Gillis did the year before. Esselink is a great talent, and since he has moved to Vancouver to train, has run some smashing times. After running an amazing 62 minute half marathon in Houston in January, Esselink got injured and had to WD from the World XC Championships. I suspect this race will be a measuring stick for our defending champion to test his fitness against some of Canada’s best. Do not be surprised if his experience brings him the win. Esselink has PBs of 13:59 over 5,000 and 3:48 over 1,500.

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Justin Kent – PB of 29:54. Kent is a runner that not a lot of Canadians are aware of, but he is developing into one of the best long distance runners in the country. In his vlogs and on Strava, Luc Bruchet has called Justin Kent the fittest guy in their training group, and the results certainly show it this year. Ken has a win at the very competitive Vancouver Sun Run and a second at the St. Patrick’s Day 5k. He also ran a solid leg for Canada at the World XC Championships in March. Expect Kent to go well this weekend.

Charles Philbert-Thiboutot – PB of 32:26, but it does not do the quality of his running any justice. Philbert-Thiboutot (aka Chuck or CPT) is an Olympic finalist for 1500m and is certainly one to watch. Can he be competitive over the 10k distance? That remains to be seen. Over 1,500 he has run 3:54, and over 5,000 has run 13:33, both impressive marks. Having not raced this year, CPT is the wild card in this race.

Tristian Woodfine – PB 29:54. Woodfine has had a great last few months. He was second in the Boxing Day 10 miler going under the previous course record time. He then went to Houston and ran 2:15, smashing his PB in the marathon. In April he set a PB for the 8k with his win at the Spring Run Off in Toronto. Not too shabby. Woodfine is a solid athlete, a paramedic, and avoids social media. Woodfine also has experience in Ottawa, as he was top Canadian and 8^th place in the marathon last year. He sports a half marathon PB of 66 set in Barcelona.

Dylan Wykes – PB of 29:57 (28:12 on the track). Wykes is the most seasoned competitor in the field and if it is a tactical race, could surprise. It is well known he probably will not achieve his PB form but a 30 minute 10k, like he ran two weeks ago at the Sporting Life 10k could do the trick. Wykes’ PBs are impressive: 2:10 for the marathon, 1:02 for the half, and 13:43 over 5,000. Plus, Wykes is a former Olympian and third fastest Canadian marathoner of all time. It will be interesting to see if the veteran can give the others a run for their money.

The Verdict

Can the course record go down? I doubt it. Ziani is the only guy capable of running near the time, and would still require a PB. A course record would require the perfect weather and enough men left in the lead pack around the 8k mark.

Who will win? Ziani is the favourite for sure, but unlike the women’s field, one competitor isn’t head over heels better than the rest. This is a Morocco vs. Kenya race – my bet is a Kenyan comes out on top.

My podium? 1. Wilfred Kimitei 2. Mohammed Ziani 3. Moses Kibet

Can the Canadian record go down? No. Paul McCloy’s record of 28:17 will live to fight another day. I won’t be surprised if Woodfine, Kent or Esselink give the East Africans a run for their money however, especially if the race is more conservative than last year.

Who will win the Canadian Race? Justin Kent. Based on recent performance, Kent will be the top Canadian.

Canadian podium? 1. Kent. 2. Woodfine 3. Esselink. I was really tempted to put Wykes as number 3, but even coming off injury, I think Esselink being in full training mode will take the spot. Don’t be surprised if Wykes is in there however.

Dark horse (who I didn’t preview)? This is tougher than the women’s preview. After the guys mentioned above the Canadian field is not the deepest, so I have decided to go with Benjamin Workman, the 21 year old Canadian. Workman has a PB of 30:57 set last season on the track, so there has been a lot of time for improvement. Workman had a competitive season indoors at USports this year, so the speed is there. He is one to watch, but don’t expect a top 3 Canadian placing from the 21 year-old.

Quick Facts

• The women will be starting 3:40 ahead of the men this year’s gender challenge ($3,000 bonus)
• The women’s course record is 27:24 and held by Deriba Merga
• The prize for the win is $5,000 and goes to 8^th place. The winning Canadian will bring home $3,000 and the prize money is 8 deep.
• You can access the full 10k Start List here.
• Run Ottawa are the event organizers – you can read all about the event on their website.
• A livestream of the race with Tim Hutchings and Mark Sutcliffe is here.

Ottawa Race Weekend has a history of quick fields and fast races (weather dependent, of course). This year will be no different.

Last week, when I was sent the link to the 10k start list my eyes immediately moved to one name: Peres Jepchirchir. Looking deeper into the field, I realized that if the weather cooperates, this race (especially on the women’s side) has a chance to be very, very fast.

I will come back to the start list in a minute but first let us look at this modified course for the 2019 edition.

The Course

Starting outside the Shaw Centre (Ottawa’s biggest downtown convention centre) the course is pan flat for the first three kilometres. During kilometre 4 runners will have to face the two largest portions of elevation gain on the course: a short climb after the bank street bridge that spans about around 150m and the much steeper / punchier swoop up to the Bronson bridge. Those who have run the 10k will note that this is usually the ramp which runners descend and should note that although the climb is quite short, runners will make a ninety degree left hand turn to begin the climb. Once runners reach the top the bridge, they will be at about the halfway mark. Almost immediately, the descent back to canal level begins with two ninety degree turns – the first is a more gentle downhill and turns onto Lake Side drive. The second left hander however (that turns onto Queen Elizabeth drive) will be much trickier, as runners will be moving at full speed and have to handle the corner at the bottom of the hill. The route then remains fairly flat until the conclusion of the race with the final undulation in the last kilometre – this will be almost unnoticeable to the majority of runners.

The Weather

The Ottawa 10k times will be very dependent on the weather, heat and wind most of all. Runners will have to take on many exposed kilometres along the canal and if winds are high, it could certainly make for some tough racing for us middle of the packers and some tactical racing for the elites. The temperature is also always a wildcard at this time of year in Ottawa so fingers (and toes) crossed that humidity is low.

Now, back to the women’s elite field.

The Start List

Line up notables are:

Gete Alemayehu (Ethiopia) – PB of 31:12 for the 10k. She also sports a handy 1:08 half marathon performance.

Edith Chelimo (Kenya) – PB of 31:07 for the 10k and was second in this race last year. She has a half marathon PB 1:05 but has DNF’d her two marathon attempts this year alone, most recently in London.

Joyce Chepkemoi (Kenya) – PB of 31:38 for the 10k distance. Although her times are not as fact as the other highlights in the women’s field, she is a prolific winner. This year she has won a half marathon in Turkey and finished second in a half marathon in Mexico. In 2018 she was the winner of the Trento Half Marathon and the Eldoret 10k.

Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) – PB of 30:55 for the 10k. Jepchirchir is the highlight of the 10k fields and has a half marathon PB of 1:05 where she set the WR (at the time). In 2016, Jepchirchir won the Ottawa 10k during a highlight season where she won five other races including the World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff.

Dorcas Kimeli (Kenya) – has a 10k PB of 31:37. Kimeli set her PB in a Half Marathon at the end of March, winning the race in 1:08.

Paskalia Kipkoech (Kenya) – has a PB of 30:57 for the 10k. Kipkoech sports a half marathon PB of 1:07 and a marathon PB of 2:26, which was set this year when she finished 6^th in Paris. Last year, she won 3/3 10k races and finished second in Ottawa in the 2017 edition.

Stacy Ndiwa (Kenya) – has the second fastest PB in the field at 31:00. She has no races recorded this year, but had a full year of racing in 2018. She finished 2^nd in the 10,000 at the Commonwealth Games and won two road 10ks. In addition to her fast 10k time she also has run 4:06 for the 1,500, 15:15 for 5,000, and 1:07 for the half.

Canadians

The Canadian challenge is pretty strong as well. I expect a couple of the Canadians to give this a shot and try to mix it up with the East African women. With this race doubling as the Canadian 10k Championships, it is always an interesting dynamic between the two races for the Canadian athletes. Here are some I expect to challenge for the crown:

Malindi Elmore – PB of 33:06. Elmore may not go out with the East Africans and may not be a known name to you. She returned from retirement this January, smashing her debut marathon in Houston with a 2:32 and 7^th place to boot. She has run 33* flat and 32:59* this year for the 10k. Expect a top 10 finish from Elmore.

Sasha Gollish – PB of 33:03. Like Elmore should also have a good showing in this race and also ran Houston in 2:32 to debut this past January. Gollish has impressive PBs from 1500 to the Marathon and should contend in this race for the Canadian crown. Expect a top 10 finish and top 3 Canadian placing from Gollish.

Tamara Jewett – PB of 33:04. Jewett is a wild card and does not have a distance logged on the IAAF website over 8k. Her 8k performance was when she finished 3^rd in this year’s Spring Run Off. It will be interesting to see what sort of fitness Jewett has and how she does in this race. She should be in the top 10 Canadians.

Kinsey Middleton – PB of 32:34. Middleton will also be the defending Canadian Marathon Champ this fall in Toronto where she debuted in 2:32. Middleton is certainly one of the Canadians to watch in this race. She sports a half marathon PB of 1:12 and has had a good build up going into this race logging two 10,000 performances at Stanford and Payton Jordan as well as a second place at the Sun Run. Outside of the Canadian top 3 will be a disappointment for Middleton, but I would like to see her go out with the leaders to see what she has. Middleton will be competing for a spot at the Olympics amongst the growing Canadian women’s marathon contingent.

Jessica O’Connell – PB of 32:22. O’Connell is one of Canada’s elite distance runners. She has run 15:06 over 5,000 and 4:10 for the 1,500. O’Connell ran in the World Cross Championships for Canada and March, finished 3^rd in the Milrose Games for the 3,000 (oh, setting the Canadian record by the way), and recently ran 15:30 the 5k at Payton Jordan.

Claire Sumner – PB of 34:13. Sumner is an upcoming runner for Canada who won the 2017 Canadian Cross Country Championships. Sumner who is a medical student at Queens is one of Canada’s toughest and strongest runners and it will be interesting to see how she goes this weekend. She sports a half marathon PB of 1:14

Natasha Wodak – PB of 31:59. Wodak is the fastest Canadian in the race and should be the winner of the Canadian 10k Championships. How Wodak runs the race will be of great importance to how the Canadian battle shapes up. If Wodak goes with the leaders, it is likely that Middleton and others will go as well. If Wodak sits back, which she has every right to do, the Canadian and African battles will be very separate affairs. In the past, Wodak has done both. In previous editions Lanni Marchant and herself have gone out with the leaders, but in last year’s race a rapid start saw very few be able to hang with the lead pack – even amongst the Africans itself. Wodak is on Strava, by the way. Wodak has run 1:10 for the half and 15:29 over 5,000m.

The Verdict

Can the course record go down? Of course it could. There are a few runners in the field who could certainly chase down the time, but they would all have the achieve a personal best in the process.

Who will win? The easy pick is Jepchirchir but with so many women within 1 minute of the course record anything is possible. Watch out for the twenty year old Alemayehu and the twenty-one year old Kimeli.

My podium? 1. Jepchirchir 2. Chelimo 3. Alemayehu

Can the Canadian record go down? Highly doubtful. Wodak would have to go inside her PB by 15 seconds and the record has stood since 1989. Anything is possible of course.

Who will win the Canadian race? Anybody but Natasha Wodak will be an upset. Middleton, Elmore and Gollish have the best shot. Rachel Cliff, last years’ winner, is not lining up for this edition as she’s had a busy spring.

Canadian podium? 1. Wodak 2. Middleton 3. Gollish

Dark Horse (who I didn’t preview)? Lyndsay Tessier. The full-time teacher has come on of late as a Masters runner and will for certain be the winner of that category. With a PB of 34:04 she could also challenge for the Canadian crown depending on fitness level and race tactics. I also think Robyn Mildren (also on Strava) has a shot at the Canadian rostrum. Mildren is the winner of the Boxing Day 10 Miler (two years straight), is a prolific racer, and should pose as a good competitor.

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Quick Facts

• The women will be starting 3:40 ahead of the men this year’s gender challenge ($3,000 bonus)
• The women’s course record is 30:55 and held by marathon super star Gladys Cherono
• The prize for the win is $5,000 and goes to 8^th place. The winning Canadian will bring home $3,000 and the prize money is 8 deep.
• You can access the full 10k Start List here.
• Run Ottawa are the event organizers – you can read all about the event on their website.
• A livestream of the race with Tim Hutchings and Mark Sutcliffe is here.

The Houston Marathon and Half Marathon went off on Sunday. Both races sported excellent fields as you can read in my preview. Being not cold and not snowy in Houston, Canadian athletes were there in force.

Results:

Men’s Marathon

You can check out the full results here.

Malindi Elmore is back.

The 2004 Olympian in the 1500 made her debut at marathon distance this past weekend in Houston. Elmore had a great race, sporting fairly even splits throughout the race.

What this means for Elmore’s future is uncertain. As you might know, she is a triathlete, and the multi-sport events may draw her back. At the same time, Elmore’s strength in the multi-distance events may just provide her the strength to do an even faster marathon. It will be interesting to see if Elmore runs another elite marathon this year, and I am sure the folks at STWM are recruiting her right now.

More competition for those three Olympic spots.

In addition to Elmore, Sasha Gollish also made her marathon debut at Houston. This wasn’t Gollish’s first time toeing the line (as she DNF’d in Berlin with an injury), but it was her first marathon finish. Gollish was only slightly behind Elmore, who passed her in the late stages of the race, but from her social media reaction was happy with her race.

Gollish’s splits were like so:

Gollish and Elmore are intriguing additions to what was already going to be an interesting race for the spots on the Canadian Olympic Team for the marathon distance. You should consider adding their names to this list:Marchant, Duchene, Middleton, Cliff, Sexton, Tessier, Pidhoresky. Should be a great 2019.

Wodak/Esselink ready for Aarhus 2019

They both set personal bests in the half marathon. They both finished top 3 at ACXC. And they are both headed to Denmark for the World Cross Country Championships in Denmark. Natasha Wodak and Evan Esselink both raced astonishing races on the weekend.

Wodak (who finished 10th) went within 30 seconds of Cliff’s Canadian record and seems to be ecstatic with her PB. Wodak splits are just below:

If this was indeed a building race for Wodak, expect a strong performance in Denmark, especially since World’s on the track will not happen until the fall.

Evan Esselink smashed his PB, taking around four minutes of his PB. According to the Canadian Running Magazine, Esselink was ready for this breakout and his workouts were showing as such. You can check out his training here. Splits below:

This also spells good times for Esselink at World XC. Will be interesting to see the Canadian team score.

Woodfine flying under the radar.

The performance which has been least discussed (and I even missed him in my race preview) is Tristain Woodfine. Woodfine smashed his PB of 2:18:55 from Ottawa, running 2:15:16, putting him square in the competition to run at the World Championships for Canada in the Marathon. Of course, many of our marathoners (Woodfine included) will probably pass on this Championships as Doha is going be a very warm championship.

Woodfine flies under the radar all the time unfortunately. Not only has the media attention missed on his Houston performance, but he also finished a stellar 2nd at the Boxing Day 10 Miler to little fanfare. In retrospect, that was a great indicator of his fitness for this race.

It is important to note that this would have been the second fastest time by a Canadian male in 2018.

His splits for the race were:

Tough times for Hofbauer

Trevor Hofbauer struggled. It is fair to say this wasn’t his best race. Although Hofbauer won some 10ks in 2018, his last massive achievement was in 2017 where he was the Canadian Marathon Champion.

It isn’t poor training which has led Hofbauer here, but also bad luck. The Calgary Winter isn’t conducive to running super fast times, but his actual goal race was cancelled due to the California forest fires.

You can check out the Hof’s splits below:

Thanks for reading! Disagree with me? Say so in the comments!

As always, follow me on Twitter @AndersenRuns.

With the first semi-major marathon and major half-marathon occurring in Houston, I was thinking this would be a great race make my first 2019 race predictions.

To check out the full start lists, click here.

Here are my predicted podiums:

Women’s Half:

I predict the top 3 will be:

1. Gladys Cherono (pb: 1:06:07)
2. Fancy Chemutai (pb: 1:05:52)
3. Brigid Kosgei (pb: 1:06:35)

Dark Horse: Emily Sisson (1:08:21). The American has been on the up-and-up in the last two seasons and rumours are she is looking to take a crack at the American Olympic Trials and Tokyo 2020.

There is also a tonne of Canadian Content:

Natasha Wodak – 1:11:20
Dayna Pidhoresky – 1:12:38
Lyndsay Tessier – 1:14:29
Catherine Watkins – 1:16:48

Expect Wodak to give the Canadian Half Marathon Record by Rachel Cliff (1:10:08) a run for the money. If Wodak doesn’t break it, look for Cliff to do so in a week’s time.

Dayna Pidhoresky is perhaps one of Canada’s most underrated runners. Making her World Championship debut in 2017, Pidhoresky had a quieter 2018 but should also be looking for the Olympic standard in the full this year.

Lyndsay Tessier has had a breakout two years, and a runner I left off my list to consider for Tokyo. If she puts in a big run this weekend, perhaps I should reconsider.

Catherine Watkins is a runner I do not know much about. Her pb of 1:16:48 is crazy fast but the slowest in the elite field. Will she be pulled along on Sunday?

Men’s Half:

I predict the top 3 will be:

1. Bedan Karoki Muchiri (58:42:00)
2. Jemal Yimer (58:33:00)
3. Bernard Ngeno (59:22:00)

Dark Horse: Dewi Griffiths (1:01:33). Don’t expect a Griffiths victory as the field for the men’s side is incredibly deep, but expect him to challenge for the top 8 and brea up the East African dominance in the top 10.

What to watch: This race features Five sub-60 minute male athletes: Bedan Karoki Muchiri, Shura Kitata, Bernard Ngeno, El Hassan El Abbassi, Geoffrey Koech

Houston Marathon: Stories to Watch

Sasha Gollish of Canada is toeing the line in her second marathon attempt. Although she did not finish in Berlin, expect her to finish this time. I predict a 2:31 which would put her in the Tokyo conversation. This story was one of my top 15 questions going into 2019.

Kara Goucher is making her return. Goucher, one of the best American Marathoners in history, is toeing the line for the first time in a while. Goucher has few expectations but has admitted her eyes are on the Olympic trials.

Are you interested in the Houston Marathon and Half Marathon? Will you be watching? Do you have predictions? Let me know in the comments!

As always, please follow me on Twitter @AndersenRuns.

“Better late than never” they say. Well these questions are certainly late, but they are still worth the read. These are my top 15 questions for the 2019 season.

Will Coolsaet get the Olympic Standard?

As Canada’s most popular distance runner, people have asked me whether I think Reid Coolsaet can get the Olympic standard again for Tokyo 2020. My answer to them is – absolutely. Despite a tough STWM (where he was still second Canadian, by the way) Reid was 9th at Boston and won a plethora of 10ks around the country. Coolsaet, at this moment, has not confirmed his spring schedule, but one could assume he will aim for London or Rotterdam in order to get the time he needs. With he and Cam Levins the only two marathoners with a realistic Olympic shot, I hope Athletics Canada does not create a tougher standard than they did for Rio. Reid is 39 and has two kids, but based on my interview with him last month, the fire is still there. Expect Reid to hit the standard this year.

How fast can Levins go?

2:09. That is the number which is now the fastest in Canadian history for the marathon. I bet Cam Levins can go even faster. Like Coolsaet, it will be interesting to see where Levins chooses to toe the line in the spring. As was made perfectly clear on twitter, the Boston Marathon seems to be interested at attracting the up and coming Canadian talent, but Levins has said he wants to run fast. Does that mean he could also be heading to Europe? I wouldn’t dare to put ceiling on Levins this year, but I predict he can potentially run in the 2:06 range.

Will Cliff run another marathon?

Rachel Cliff just missed the Canadian record in her surprise marathon debut this fall. Cliff ran 2:28 mid in Berlin and was the talk of Canadian marathoning until Cam Levins did his thing at STWM. If Cliff does toe the line in another marathon, this would put her in contention to make the 42.2 kilometre event for Tokyo 2020. Therefore, I think this decision will depend on what Cliff wants to target in Tokyo.

In terms of location, it depends on what Cliff’s priorities are. She could target Ottawa or STWM if her goal is a paycheque, but if she wishes to run in the world’s best fields, Boston, or Chicago may be calling…

Will Gillis return?

Since Boston of this year, Eric Gillis has not toed the line in an elite race. The Canadian marathon veteran is now a coach at St. Francis Xavier University, where he coaches up-and-comers like Angus Rawling.

Canadian marathon fans are wondering where they will see Gillis next. Will he give Boston another go? Will he ever run another marathon?

When will we see Andre De Grasse (outside of commercials)?

He’s changed coaches, training locations and is looking to put an injury plagued 2018 behind him. When will see see Andre DeGrasse first? If I were to guess, DeGrasse will give his 100M and 200M speed a test in North America, before heading to Europe for a diamond league event.

DeGrasse has a few hurdles in front of him. First, he must regain his crown as fastest Canadian, before looking for medals at Doha this fall. The late date for the World Track Championships this year sets up nicely for him.

Can a Canadian get into the top 20 at World Cross?

Perhaps the first big events for Canadians on the IAAF schedule is in the form of the World Cross Country Championships to be held in Denmark. The course looks awesome, by the way.

Anyone who follows this page regularly knows – I love cross country. I am particularly pumped for this championship as I think a couple Canadians can potentially sneak into the top 20. Luc Bruchet is the most likely of these. The King of Canadian XC is expected to lead a men’s team with a lot of potential. A dark horse, and relative unknown in the team is Mike Tate, who followed up his good showing at ACXC with a great race on Boxing Day. The team is rounded out by Evan Esselink, Ehab El-Sandali, Rory Linkletter and Ben Preisner.

The women’s team is lead by potential top 20 runners Geniveve Lalonde and Natasha Wodak. Wodak will hopefully becoming off a good run at the Houston Marathon; whereas Lalonde, who destroyed the field at ACXC is looking to keep  the momentum going. A late World Championship in Doha will help both of these two prepare specifically for the 10k XC distance. The women’s team is rounded out by Claire Sumner, Katelyn Ayers, Jessica Jessica O’Connell, Andrea Seccafien, making for what should be a strong team score.

There is finally depth in the women’s marathon, what will our Tokyo Team look like?

Marchant. Duchene. Middleton. Sexton. Hannah. Cliff. Tessier. Gollish.

These are only a few of the names who could be contention for the Tokyo 2020 team. From having no marathoners in London 2012 to two runners in Rio, Canada could very well be sporting a full squad on the womens side.

If I were to make a prediction, the team will feature: Marchant, Cliff and Middleton; but a lot can change between now and the end of the year.

How long will it take Melissa Bishop to get into form?

Coming off having a baby in 2018, Melissa Bishop (according to her Instagram) is already getting back into form, and quickly. When will we see her return to the track? Will she return in the 800 or the 1500?

Like DeGrasse, Bishop is fortunate that the World Champs are taking place in the fall, allowing her some more time to get in some Diamond League events. I suspect Bishop is targeting the Canadian Championships, once again to be held on her home track in Ottawa.

What will Justyn Knight’s first year as a pro look like?

The NCAA standout is heading in to his first full year as a pro. This includes big changes to training, location and focus. Look to see Knight target the World Championships, especially in the 5,000 where he and Mo Ahmed and even Luc Bruchet/Ben Flanagan could do some serious damage for Canada.

Knight, from around the GTA, will probably appear in numerous Diamond League events and gain a tonne of experience in the year ahead. Hopefully we will even see him in Vancouver for ACXC 2019.

Mo Ahmed. What will he do next?

I am calling it right now. Mo Ahmed will podium in the 2019 World Championships. This medal will most likely come in the 5,000 but I wouldn’t rule him out of the 10,000 either. Without Mo Farah to dominate the pace, Ahmed’s kick could surprise the East Africans. A medal will be a tall order but is in his wheelhouse.

Sasha Gollish is running the Houston marathon. How will she do?

Her DNF in Berlin sucked, but Gollish is back at Athletic’s longest distance. Gollish has been putting in the work, even asking people to join her Long Runs around Toronto.

I believe Gollish will debut under 2:32, which would put her in the middle of the Olympics Conversation.

Tate and Cliff in 2018, who will be Canada’s next breakout stars?

I do not know how to answer this question. Canadian distance running, and Athletics in Canada have a lot to be excited for. Your thoughts in the comments would be appreciated!

New international talent at STWM?

Alan Brookes and STWM brought in a lot of new talent this year to Canada’s fastest marathon. Jake Robertson, Phillemon Rono, Stephen Kiprotich, and of course, Cam Levins and Reid Coolsaet.

Who will Brookes bring over this year? It would be great if Jake Robertson could give Toronto another go. I think he liked the city and usually STWM isn’t that cold. I do not think Rono or Kiprotich will be back, but perhaps Felix Kandie and John Korir will return from the elite field.

On the women’s side, expect to see a Canadian showdown. The ladies will be vying for that Olympic standard, and it should make for a good race. These is also a new course record to shoot for on the ladies side, potentially a factor to bring in some new international talent.

Will the Ottawa Marathon get the all-comers record back?

Two years ago, the Ottawa Marathon lost the Canadian all-comers record when Rono ran 2:06:52. Ottawa has the women’s record, but the race would like to get them both back in 2019. Getting this record back however will take a fast field, will Manny Rodrigues bring in the fastest field the race has ever seen?

How will the new 10,000m Canadian Championships go?

Despite Ontario losing the XC Champs and the 10,000m Championships this year, I am excited to see what Chris Winter and co. do with 10,000m Championships in Vancouver. In partnership with Mile2Marathon, the BC Endurance Project is working to revolutionize Championship racing in Canada and will hopefully bring out more fans and more racers to this event.

What are your predictions? Let me know in the comments.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @AndersenRuns

Recently named to Athletics Canada’s team for the World Cross Country Championships, Ben Preisner joins me on the blog this week. 

I ran against Ben in high school track and cross country. Actually, I stand corrected, I ran in the same race as Ben, but he was so far ahead of anyone else, no one really ran against him. Ben was gracious and humble on every start line, while the rest of us just stared at him in disbelief. On one occasion, a runner attempted to go out with Ben and after a lap or two, pulled off to the side of the track and began walking. But I digress…

In his last year of high school, 2013-2014, Ben finished 4th in OFSAA XC, 3rd in the OFSAA 3000m (behind Justyn Knight), and 1st in the 2000m Steeplechase.

After high school Ben was accepted to Tulsa University (in Oklahoma for those who aren’t strong in geography) where he is currently in his 5th, and final, year of NCAA eligibility.

Ben’s personal bests are:
3,000SC: 8:49
5,000: 13:57
10,000: 29:08

At his last race, Ben’s ran against Canadian marathoner Reid Coolsaet, Olympic Steeplechaser Matt Hughes, Mike Tate, Tristan Woodfine and many more top athletes. You can read the race recap for the Boxing Day 10 Miler here. You can also follow him on Strava at Ben Preisner.

It was a pleasure to interview Ben, for the blog, and was great catching up. You can check out the 8 Questions below.

As a kid, if I recall, you played competitive hockey and ran competitively. Why did you originally begin to run and why did you choose running over hockey?

Yes, I played rep hockey for Milton from grade 2 through grade 11. I loved playing hockey, and my life definitely revolved around the sport for a very long time. It just eventually got to the point where in high school if you weren’t moving up into the better leagues (OHL, Jr. A), then there wasn’t really anywhere to go with the sport. At the same time, I started running in grade 9 and was having some pretty good success. [Author note: pretty good success is the understatement of the year, Ben won our region in Cross Country.] I joined Speed River TFC in grade 9 and my coach Jeff Haller gave me a really good foundation, which made me fall in love with the grind and pursuing success in the sport. So, in the end, I guess it just came down to a good introduction into the sport of running and a dwindling career in hockey.

Can you walk me through your experience at the Canadian Cross Country Championships and your feeling when you were selected to the team for worlds?

I had a great time at ACXC. I hadn’t run the National Cross Country Championships since my first year of university (2014) and I was excited to compete at the national level in Canada again. ACXC usually coincides well with American Thanksgiving, so I got the full week off classes before the race. My girlfriend coincidently lives in Kingston, so I was able to go down early in the week and run the course a few times.

The race itself went pretty well. I think it’s a natural tendency of all runners to look back on a race and think about different ways you should have executed certain aspects, but part of growing up in the sport is just realizing that you can’t change anything after the race is over. So, all in all I was definitely happy with my effort, but not completely satisfied. There were definitely a few anxious days between the race and when I got the email from Athletics Canada, because I knew there were four guys that could take the at-large spots but it all worked out in the end.

Do you have a specific goal for World XC?

It’s hard to set a specific goal going into a championship like World XC. If I was going to put a quantitative personal goal out there it would be to make a meaningful impact for Team Canada. That being said, it wouldn’t be a bad thing if I was the 6^th man on the day simply because all the other guys had a great race, or it could be a not so great thing if I have a sub-par day and I am still in a scoring position on the team. All in all, I just want to get in the race, not be afraid of the people I am running against and help Team Canada achieve the decided upon team goals. 

“It’s a natural tendency of all runners to look back on a race and think about different ways you should have executed certain aspects, but part of growing up in the sport is just realizing that you can’t change anything after the race is over.”

-Ben Preisner

What are you doing to prepare? Will you have an indoor season?

Training will not be affected too much for me. I am training for the 10k for the outdoor NCAA track season, so regardless I will be putting in a solid base of training early in the year. I will have a minimal indoor track season, probably 3-4 races. I think the indoor track races can help with sharpness going into the NACAC championship and then Worlds a few weeks after that.

[Author note: Athletics Canada requires Canadian Athletes who compete at Worlds to compete at NACAC prior to the big championship]

As a talented high school runner, I am sure you had many offers. Why did you choose Tulsa. How would you categorize your experience after five years?

My main way of deciding where I wanted to attend university was a lengthy pros/cons list of my potential options. I think it would have been foolish for me to only look at NCAA schools or vice versa, so I applied to a few Canadian schools while also talking to a few American schools. The factors I placed emphasis on were: academics (wanted a strong engineering school), running (good program, got along with coaches and athletes), student life, and proximity to home (did not want to be too close to home – sorry Mom). In the end, Tulsa had everything I was looking for.

I could not be happier with my choice. I am graduating with a respected degree in chemical engineering and have really enjoyed my time on the team here. The coaches here have been nothing but supportive and I hope I have proven my worth over the years. I have one more semester to give it my all here and help the team as much as possible.

Would you rather race on the track, roads, or cross country?

I love training for cross country, but I am a fan of running track races. Especially running in the NCAA, cross country races can get overwhelming real quick with the amount of depth. This is why I tend to prefer the smaller fields of talented athletes, so I can maintain composure and execute proper race tactics throughout the race. In terms of 2019 I am looking forward to World XC, and then my main goal is to qualify for the NCAA 10k outdoors.

By the end of the spring, you will have graduated from college. Outside of World XC, what are your priorities for 2019?

After I graduate I honestly don’t know what I will do in terms of running, I guess I’m still looking at my options. The priority would be finding a job, preferably in the field of chemical engineering. 

I assume your goal in the next two years is to qualify for Tokyo 2020. Is that in the back of your mind? What distance will you be aiming at to qualify?

Making the Olympics would be amazing, and if the opportunity presents itself I obviously wouldn’t be opposed to it. In terms of distance, typically the longer the better for me so who knows, maybe the marathon would be my best option.  As I said in the previous question, I love running but I also don’t want to put my actual career on the side burner. I think my last semester at Tulsa will answer a lot of questions, particularly what I want to do with running.

Thanks again to Ben for joining me!

For more interviews, check out my awesome interviews: Reid Coolsaet, Evan Dunfee, and Steve Fleck.

As always, follow me on Twitter @AndersenRuns!

Yesterday, the 98th Annual Boxing Day 10 Miler went off in Hamilton Ontario. For those of you who know the city, the race began at the Go Station, proceeded through Bayfront Park, around part of Cootes Paradise, and up Longbow Drive before returning along the same route to finish at Hughson and King William.

It was a stacked field. On the men’s side, Olympians like Reid Coolsaet and Matt Hughes battled veteran Tristan Woodfine and youngsters Ben Preisner and Mike Tate. On the women’s side, returning champion Robyn Mildren sought to fend off local challengers Victoria Coates, Tanis Bolton and others.

In the end, Matt Hughes (Canada’s top steeplechaser) won in a course record time of 48:05, which works out to 4:49/mile. Hughes edged out Tristan Woodfine (second place at 48:09) and Mike Tate (48:38 for a solid third). All three of the top males broke the previous course record. Notables Reid Coolsaet and Ben Preisner finished fourth and fifth respectively. The top ten were rounded out by Wendimu Adamu, Sami Jibril, Ben Carson, Kyle Wyatt, and Bonsa Gonfa.

On the women’s side, Robyn Mildren won in a time of 55:46 to defend her crown. Local runner and Saucony sponsored Victoria Coates finished second, with Mengistu Emebet rounding out the podium.

In the Four Miler, Hussein Hashi won the men’s race, while Colleen Wilson won in the women’s race.

You can find the full results for the 10 Miler and the 4 Miler below:

10 Miler Results

4 Miler Results

For myself, the race was a tough go. I had a head cold the days before and knew the 10 Miler would be a bit of a slog. Mistakingly, I went out at goal pace anyways and paid for it on the hills.

With about 800m to go, I knew I was still on for just under 67 minutes when my group was stopped on course for a passing ambulance, a necessary but annoying stoppage which cost me around 30 seconds. Still 67:01 was great considering my health.

It was cool to run in such a fast race during the Winter months however, as well as catch up with Ben Preisner, who I ran against in high school.

With a noon start time, I recommend this race for anyone in the GTA who is looking for a Winter race.

Anyways, without further delay, here are my three takeaways:

1. Mike Tate is fit.

Mike Tate runs out of the Speed River Track and Field Club. After returning to Canada after a five year stint at Southern Utah, Tate has put himself on the map in Canadian distance running this fall. After impressing at ACXC, Tate qualified for the World Cross Country Championship team.

At the Boxing Day 10 Miler, Tate finished an impressive third, beating Olympian Reid Coolsaet and fellow college standout, Ben Preisner. Tate hung with Matt Hughes and Tristan Woodfine until the final kilometres before the veterans eventually pulled away.

After listening to Luc Bruchet and Evan Esselink on the Rob Watson Show and their discussion about Tate’s training, I am pumped to see how he fairs at World Cross in March.

2. The Boxing Day 10 Miler is THE Winter race in Southern Ontario.

This is my first time ever running Hamilton’s Boxing Day 10 Miler. It’s the second oldest race in Canada, second only too Hamilton’s Around the Bay. The course is a challenging one with plenty of sharp turns, undulations, hills and pedestrians to dodge, but it also sports the best Winter field of any event in Canada.

The race hands out prize money to its winners, 1st – $600; 2nd – $400; and 3rd – $200, which for elites athletes is not a ton of money, but better than nothing.

Walking to the startline I was amazed about those who were around me, even the quality oft he ameteur field is strong, and for the serous runner, I highly recommend giving this race a try.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Br3neKWhqzh/

You can check out their website here.

3. Coolsaet is ready to attack 2019. 

As I have mentioned a few times in this post, Reid Coolsaet ran in the Boxing Day 10 Miler and actually missed the podium, a shock to all I was standing around the results board with.

In his post race social media post however, Reid was not overly disappointed: “So I can’t even finish top 3 at a local road race anymore! 🤪 I’m actually pleased with this result. Top 3 guys broke the course record.”

Reid continued to describe his race: “I lost contact with the top 3 around the 7km mark and watched them run away from me. Happy to have kept the pace respectable after that.”

Contrary to his placing yesterday, Coolsaet is showing no signs of slowing down. His time in this year’s event was actually faster than his previous year’s effort (granted, the weather was horrible last year), but Reid has his eyes on a bigger prize: Tokyo 2020.

Here is a snipped from my interview with Reid last week: “Now that it’s almost 2019 I’m planning races to attempt to qualify for the 2020 games. If I qualify I believe that I could achieve my highest Olympic finish.”

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more…