Run Canada Podcast

Cheryl Zealand is smart, funny, kind, and one of the biggest boss ladies I know. If you live in Manitoba and are active, you probably already know her as the owner of Cranked Energy, producers of freshly made high protein energy bars that she spent years perfecting the recipe of. Since Cranked is celebrating its tenth anniversary this week, we talk all about business, fitness, and running and how they are so deeply connected in her life that you can't separate them. We also talk about how her running has evolved over the years. She may still run marathons on the reg, but her goals for what constitutes success for the training and execution have changed over the years. Cheryl is all about community: she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal for all her generosity and caring. Manitoba is a better place because this warm-hearted lady is part of it.  Follow Cheryl on Instagram @cherylzealand Follow Cranked Energy @crankedenergy   EPISODE SPONSOR: Oasis ZooRun Get ready to run on the wild side: registration for the Oasis ZooRun is now open! Taking place at the Toronto Zoo on September 14, this unique race brings together runners of all ages and abilities in support of wildlife conservation. Make this your next great adventure: register today at www.canadarunningseries.com    THEME MUSIC: Joseph McDade  

We have reached the third installment of our chat with Emelyn Jade and we find her ten weeks out from her race. Things are heating up: she's swimming three days a week, getting in some brick sessions and long runs, and learning how to fuel herself properly through all of it to have successful outcomes. We also discuss what she's eating. Are eggs a good pairing with honey and/or peanut butter? What exactly makes the perfect banana? The journey continues...   EPISODE SPONSOR: Spring Run-Off, April 6, 2024 in person, April 1-30, 2024 virtually Do you want to see your name cheering you on from your race bib? The deadline for personalized bibs for the Spring Run-Off is rapidly approaching: register by Tuesday, March 26 at 11:59 PM to lock it in. Don't miss out on this special touch to make your race day even more memorable. Register now at www.canadarunningseries.com    ----- Theme song: Joseph McDade

If you don't already know Gaby Estrada, get ready to meet your new favourite boss. Gaby and I last spoke a year and a half ago when she had just officially taken on her new role as Executive Director of one of my favourite not-for-profit organizations, Fast & Female. Gaby and I caught up on what it's been like taking on this challenging role and all of the work she and her team have been busy doing to ensure that the charity is moving in the best direction possible. We also discussed Fast & Female's March initiative: Play Today, Lead Tomorrow. This campaign aims to raise $15,000 to support their REAL Role Models and grow their National Youth Advisory program. These programs help build girls up to become tomorrow's leaders, in sports and life. In-person and virtual events are happening all through the month.  Follow Fast & Female @fastandfemale Read more about Play Today, Lead Tomorrow: https://fastandfemale.com/playtodayleadtomorrow2024/  Register for the March 22 International Women's Day event at Sweat Society TO: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/international-womens-day-workout-fast-and-female-x-sweat-society-tickets-840717898867?aff=oddtdtcreator  Get your tickets for Fast & Female Women in Sports Night with Toronto FC: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fast-and-female-x-tfc-women-and-girls-in-sports-night-tickets-852308516717?aff=oddtdtcreator Get your Hillberg & Berk Always On Sparkle Hoops (20% of proceeds go to Fast & Female) https://hillbergandberk.com/products/always-on-sparkle-hoops   EPISODE SPONSOR: Oasis ZooRun Get ready to run on the wild side: registration for the Oasis ZooRun is now open! Taking place at the Toronto Zoo on September 14, this unique race brings together runners of all ages and abilities in support of wildlife conservation. Make this your next great adventure: register today at www.canadarunningseries.com    THEME MUSIC: Joseph McDade

In the third installment of recordings from the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon stage: Women in the Marathon. This event was the second live discussion held by Canada Running Series to examine women's challenges in getting to the start line, this time focusing on the marathon. Moderated by Michelle Kay with Sasha Gollish and Melanie Murzeau, the panel was a beautiful cross-section of female runners: Gaby Alcala, Cory Freedman, Allison Hill, Nattalyee Randall and Lauren Roberts. These amazing humans have both experienced their own challenges in getting to the start line AND helped others overcome their obstacles, so the discussion was honest and open. There is always more to talk about, but this was a great way to continue the conversation.  Follow our panelists on Instagram: Gaby Alcala @aztitlan Cory Freedman @towomens_runs Allison Hill @byallisonhill Michelle Kay @yo_mk Melanie Murzeau @blackrunnersofthegta Nattalyee Randall @nattalyee Lauren Roberts @the_running_physio Canada Running Series @runcrs @runcrswest   EPISODE SPONSOR: Oasis ZooRun Get ready to run on the wild side: registration for the Oasis ZooRun is now open! Taking place at the Toronto Zoo on September 14, this unique race brings together runners of all ages and abilities in support of wildlife conservation. Make this your next great adventure: register today at www.canadarunningseries.com  

Lauren Mantha is deep in the midst of figuring out her path in life and trying a bunch of new things along the way. This is how running came to her: she likes to be active and fit and is open to new experiences. You will notice we talk a lot more about her career than usual on the show: she is shifting gears from working as a Registered Nurse to completing a Graduate Certificate in Public Relations. This seemed to be the common thread in her story: whatever Lauren does, she wants to feel passionately inspired by it. So when running became part of her lifestyle, she was motivated to try attending run clubs. This sparked a new passion and she created A Running List: a website that breaks down barriers to participation in run clubs and crews and is working to bring the running community closer together. Her website currently lists as many run clubs and crews as she could find in the GTA, but thanks to a feature in Canadian Running, she has connected with all kinds of new friends and has expanded to include cities all across Canada. Her interest in getting active feedback from the run community drives her to always look to do more and make the resource even more inclusive. Lauren is incredibly driven and giving: she does all of this work in her spare time and the site is free to anyone who wants the information. And that's pretty awesome if you ask me.  Follow Lauren on Instagram @laurenmantha A Running List can be found at @arunninglist and www.arunninglist.com  Photo Credit: @johnwithlenses   Things we talk about in this episode: Puppy yoga!!! https://doggos.ca/products/puppy-yoga-toronto Run Clubs and sidewalk sharing in the GTA https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/running-club-toronto-sidewalks-1.7076506   EPISODE SPONSOR: Spring Run-Off Wish winter a fond farewell by participating in the Spring Run-Off in person on April 6, 2024, at High Park or virtually wherever you are. With an 8K, 5K, and Kids Race, there's a distance for everyone. Participants receive a super cute participant shirt and medal or learn more about CRS' Green Bib program. Whether you are aiming for a personal best on this hilly course or just looking to enjoy the beauty of spring with fellow runners, this is your next start line. Register at www.canadarunningseries.com   Theme Music: Joseph McDade

Ailsa MacDonald has already had an incredible athletic career, but in so many ways, she's just getting started. As someone who has been sporty since birth, Ailsa has done it all: cycling, road running, triathlon, Ironman, and now she focuses her talents on ultra distances and trail running. She has had such a myriad of accomplishments it was impossible to talk about all of them. But what makes Ailsa such a truly exceptional athlete? Her resilience, her mental strength and her ability to thrive in the unknown stood out to me. She grabs ambitious goals by the ears and wrestles them to the ground. We talk about how she balances her training with a demanding career, going back to races and trying them again, and how her family's stubborn streak works in her favour.    Follow Ailsa on Instagram @ailsamacdonaldrunner   EPISODE SPONSOR: Spring Run-Off Wish winter a fond farewell by participating in the Spring Run-Off in person on April 6, 2024, at High Park or virtually wherever you are. With an 8K, 5K, and Kids Race, there's a distance for everyone. Participants receive a super cute participant shirt and medal or learn more about CRS' Green Bib program. Whether you are aiming for a personal best on this hilly course or just looking to enjoy the beauty of spring with fellow runners, this is your next start line. Register at www.canadarunningseries.com   Theme Music: Joseph McDade  

This week was Valentine's Day, so to keep it on brand, I asked my SOLE mate, founder of Black Runners of the GTA & the Scarborough 5K Melanie Murzeau to spend some quality time with me.  Melanie and I both came up with a list of four runners that we love and came back together to discuss our picks and why and see if we had any of the same answers. This would also not be an episode of the pod without me veering dangerously off-topic, so we also talk a fair bit about books we love.  SPOILER ALERT: Skip the show notes if you want to be surprised by our picks as you listen.      SHOW NOTES The Runners We Love that you can find on Instagram: Lanni Marchant @lannimarchant Perdita Felicien @perditafelicien Kara Goucher @karagoucher Sifan Hassan @sifanhassan Karla Del Grande @karladelgrande Carol Lafayette Boyd @carollafayetteboyd Marge Jean-Louis @bymarge Heather Colasuonno @variations.of.heather Allison Hill @byallisonhill   Titles of some of the books we mentioned: My Mother's Daughter: A Memoir of Struggle and Triumph by Perdita Felicien The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike's Elite Running Team by Kara Goucher The Woman in Me by Britney Spears The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright   EPISODE SPONSOR: Move your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause There's still time to register to run or walk the 5 or 1 K distances at the 10th Move Your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause on February 24, 2024, at the Toronto Zoo. All participants will receive an exclusive Move Your Paws toque, personalized bib, official time, professional photo and finisher medal with this year's featured polar bear - a young Juno. Visit www.canadarunningseries.com for more information and to register. --- Theme Music: Joseph McDade

This episode is for all of my runner friends who love the science behind the sport as much as I do. Megan Kuikman is a Registered Dietician, sports nutrition specialist and is currently completing her PhD at the Australian Catholic University in Sydney. Megan is passionate about addressing the gender gaps in sports nutrition information, so she is diving deep into female-driven studies. Megan talks about some of her most recent research and what the next steps on what she's learned could be. She also shares her thoughts on what she thinks it's going to take to keep girls and women in sport long term.  The title of the book we mention in the episode is Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Female Athletes by Christine Yu Follow Megan on Instagram @megankuikmanrd   EPISODE SPONSOR: Canada Running Series Don't let the early bird slip by for the Move your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause! Register before midnight on February 16, 2024 to secure your spot. This fun and meaningful race is a great way to support polar bear conservation and enjoy the crisp winter air.  Register now at www.canadarunningseries.com --- THEME MUSIC: Joseph McDade

In the second in our series of recordings from the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, we join Miguel Pink and Quinton Jacobs on the Emergence of New Run Crews.  Migz founded Me vs Me, a run crew he started during the pandemic to help himself and others improve their mental and physical health. Running helped him transform himself and at the same time, create a community space where people connect and do great things together. Q is a community organizer and connector who is passionate about the running community. He wants everyone to know that running is for them, and that they can find a space to support them: "Running teaches us that we can get through the tough parts of life, and keep going. We need to tell that story to as many people as we possibly can." Follow Migz @migzpink @mevsmementality Follow Q @quinton_jacobs @ubuntu.fam @escape_to___   EPISODE SPONSOR: Canada Running Series Don't let the early bird slip by for the Move your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause! Register before midnight on February 16, 2024 to secure your spot. This fun and meaningful race is a great way to support polar bear conservation and enjoy the crisp winter air.  Register now at www.canadarunningseries.com   THEME MUSIC: Joseph McDade  

Katie Rylance is a teacher and a mother of four. During COVID, she felt deeply dissatisfied with her health and physical fitness, so she decided to take the first steps. She bought herself a treadmill and started walking and then running. She learned to run; and she learned to treat her body well with proper fueling. In time, she ran her first 5K, which led to more races, which led her to the start line of last year's Chicago Marathon. Katie and I talked about how she came to a place where she felt like a "real runner", what the experience of coming to the sport during a pandemic was like, and how races can make the experience more comfortable for first-time participants.  Check out Katie's article about her journey on iRun Magazine's website: https://www.irun.ca/index.php/the-non-diet-runners-diet-that-helped-a-marathoner-drop-50-pounds/  EPISODE SPONSOR: Canada Running Series Don't let the early bird slip by for the Move your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause! Register before midnight on February 16, 2024 to secure your spot. This fun and meaningful race is a great way to support polar bear conservation and enjoy the crisp winter air.  Register now at www.canadarunningseries.com --- THEME MUSIC: Joseph McDade

Running in January is hard. Finding inspiration in January is hard. So this one is for all of you on the struggle bus because this is going to light your fire. Recorded live at the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, this session was hosted by the incredible Allison Hill and the beautiful women of Hill Run Club. Allison shares the core of what HRC is all about; Class of 2023 Coach Nadia Clarke Cordick talks about her ongoing research into the experience of black women in fitness and sport. Then, get mentally prepared to be blown away by a panel of HRC women who talk about their inner voice as they prepared for their events at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I am. I can. I will. I did.  www.hillstudioto.com/hillrunclub Follow Allison on Instagram @byallisonhill   EPISODE SPONSOR: Canada Running Series Don't let the early bird price slip by for the Move Your PAWS for the Polar Bear Cause. Register before midnight on February 16, 2024, to secure your spot. This fun and meaningful race is a great way to support polar bear conservation and enjoy the crisp winter air.  www.canadarunningseries.com  Theme music by Joseph McDade

Do you want to talk about new goals for the new year? Me too! Founder and Head Coach of Skyline Run Coaching Lynsey Romano and I dig deep into setting ourselves up for success in 2024. We start with the basics of why goal setting is so important,  then talk about what goals can do for us as runners and people. We also talk about the feelings that come with working hard towards a goal and dealing with the outcomes of achieving them or maybe missing the mark. So much good stuff in here!   Books we reference in today's episode: Happiness Studies: An Introduction by Tal Ben-Shahar (and a few others worth checking out) The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success that Feeds - Not Crushes - Your Soul by Brad Stulberg Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness by Steve Magness   Theme Music: Joseph McDade Episode Sponsor: Canada Running Series No matter what your 2024 run goals are, Canada Running Series has a race for you! Visit canadarunningseries.com to learn more and get registered. 

Welcome back to installment two of this series! Emelyn Jade has been hard at work training, and we talk all about the challenges of getting motivated in the off season, working through the weather, and dragging ourselves out of bed on hard days. We also go off on a tangent about pineapple, and I look forward to hearing your feedback after you listen... the divide is real. Emelyn also shares what happens when you put your name in for race lotteries that you never expect to get into... Spoiler Alert: she got in. 

 Have you ever imagined yourself coming up to the finish chute of a race, seeing the tape held out in front of you, running up and breaking it? Ana Fray did. And then she went out and made it happen. Ana is a masters elite marathoner who ran their 24th marathon at the 2023 P’tit Train du Nord in Quebec and broke that beautiful tape as the first female. Ana and I talk about how the lack of ellipticals started her on the course to running, some of the races that helped her gain strength and confidence along the way, and how having a solid support system (including a good coach) is so crucial if you want to reach big goals. Her confidence and perseverance as a runner will have you visualizing being faster as a master too. Follow Ana on Instagram @analau_77   SPONSOR: Set your sights on a new goal by planning your 2024 Canada Running Series finish lines. Canada Running Series has a race for everyone, from The Spring Run Off to the Under Armour Toronto 10K to the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Check out all of their races and learn more about their Green Bib program @runcrs Instagram @womenruncanada SUPPORT the Women Run Canada podcast! If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a rating, and review it on Apple Podcasts. Spread the love: if you like this episode, please share it with a friend.  Theme song: Joseph McDade

Gaby Alcala was born in Oaxaca, Mexico and came to live in the United States when she was just 19 years old. And she had a six-month-old baby. And she didn’t speak English. If this all sounds ridiculously brave to you, buckle up. Gaby is an ultra runner and a Running with Purpose Advocate for Rising Hearts: an indigenous-led grassroots organization that works to elevate indigenous voices and support intersectional collaborative efforts across all forms of movement. Gaby is passionate about using her running to elevate the voices and causes of indigenous people and connect to communities and the land through mindful movement and prayer runs. Gaby’s generous spirit and joy in life are truly remarkable, and I hope her story helps you think about ways to use your own running to give back to the land you are connected to.  Follow Gaby and her company Luminous Body on Instagram @luminous_body_therapy Follow Rising Hearts on Instagram @rising_hearts Photo Credit: @boyleheightsbridgerunners   Theme Music: Joseph McDade

We are keeping the fourth-anniversary party going a wee bit longer so that we can relisten to one of the most downloaded and one of my favourite episodes to date. This episode was originally recorded in 2020 during lockdown when Gabriela DeBues Stafford and her younger sister Lucia Stafford were quaratined with their family in Ontario. I was so lucky to catch them together at the same time and reflect on life and training in and out of lockdown.  These multi-record-holding sisters have been very busy getting things done since this interview, including attending the 2020 Tokyo Olympics together in the 1500m. I love how they share such a bond and a love for each other, both in the sport and out of it. I hope you enjoy this relisten as much as I did! Follow Gabriela on Instagram @gabrielastafford  Follow Lucia on Instagram @luciastafford7   Theme music: Joseph McDade

I let the fourth anniversary of the show slip by unnoticed in October, but it's time to get up and celebrate! In this episode, I look back at just a handful of this year's amazing guests and think about what it has meant to make change in the running industry in 2023. Many things are happening, and it's a great time for us to take a beat and celebrate the fantastic people standing up and making this community a more inclusive, beautiful place for us to share. Featuring clips from Jake Federoski, Alison Mariela Desir, Jon Bird, Jenny Tough, Rach McBride, and Sage Watson.  Theme Music: Joseph McDade

At the end of November 2023, we lost a Canadian women's Masters icon, Helly Visser. At 89 years old, she left us still holding twelve Canadian Masters records and three world masters records. She was inducted into the Canadian Masters Hall of Fame in 2010 and twice honoured as Alberta's Masters Athlete of the Year.  Helly was a mainstay of the Calgary running community. She was always there encouraging people to find joy in sport and even helped with the campaign to build a field house in Calgary.  Helly served as an inspiration as to what was possible at any age. This episode was originally recorded in 2019 with the support of Helly's daughters and the Executive Director of Run Calgary, Kirsten Fleming. I am honoured to have the chance to reshare it in her memory.    EPISODE SPONSOR: Canada Running Series Don't let the early bird price slip by for the Move Your PAWS for the Polar Bear Cause. Register before midnight on February 16, 2024, to secure your spot. This fun and meaningful race is a great way to support polar bear conservation and enjoy the crisp winter air.  www.canadarunningseries.com  --- Theme music by Joseph McDade

EPISODE ONE: "I'm so delulu" When I saw that friend of the show, Emelyn Jade, was planning to take on her first Half Ironman in Victoria in May 2024, I couldn’t think of anything more fun than following her journey to the start line. In the first episode of this series, Emelyn and I chat about her why, first emotions, and how the first couple of weeks of training are going.   Follow Emelyn's training vlog on Instagram @emelynjade Theme song: Joseph McDade Sponsored by Canada Running Series www.canadarunningseries.com 

Nadia Clarke Cordick is a powerhouse: she is a fitness, nutritional and wellness coach through her company Repetitions Fitness, but also an educator who is committed to continuing her own studies as well. I met Nadia at the Speaker Series of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, where she talked about her work with Hill Run Club's Class of 2023. Nadia is constantly learning more about the things she is passionate about and then finds ways to take the knowledge and turn it outward to serve her community. She is a full-hearted giver who is leaving the education system and the people she works with the tools to better connect to themselves and the world they live in.  Follow Nadia on Instagram @repetitions_fitness Learn more about Hill Run Club at https://www.hillstudioto.com/hillrunclub   Theme Music by Joseph McDade