Meaux, Inspiration!

The athlete inspiring the country on Canada’s Ultimate Challenge has big plans for her next act.

Hint: expect loads of fun

he wasn’t the fastest or the strongest athlete, but she always had the most heart. Meaux Redman has had a lifelong connection with sport, and says that, from early on, athletics was all about connecting. A natural introvert, she discovered something unlocked inside her built around movement. This would later serve her as she inspired the country and got comfortable on TV. Back then, she says, as a university athlete, competition and the friendships she built because of her athletic endeavours went hand in hand. “I really enjoy my alone time,” she says, “but movement has given me energy and gotten me to like social interaction.”

Always looking for new challenges, Redman turned to running. “Whether you’re running a 5K, 10K or longer distances, there are so many options with running,” she explains. As many runners know well, the mind-body connection racketsandrunners.ca as important as your hard days and should be scheduled regularly into your training plan to allow your body to recover and rebuild. Make sure to listen to your body and adjust your training as needed to avoid overloading yourself. Remember, a properly fitting, well-cushioned running shoe can go a long way in alleviating stress on your body and keeping you on the move. In any case, the key to improving endurance and moving up in distance is consistency, patience, and gradual progress. It’s important to listen to your body, take rest when needed, and always have a quality pair of cushioned running shoes along for the ride. of running is undeniable, addictive, and transcendent. “It’s a moving meditation—a way of calming my mind, without being still,” says Redman. “Mental stillness doesn’t have to come from physical stillness.”

Running, time and again, has helped her boost her self-confidence and find steadiness. She says she uses our sport to find her pace— one foot in front of the other—regain a sense of calm, find peace, and return to her life ready to take on the world. The dopamine boost, she says, is unparalleled. “Running is the most humbling form of movement,” says Redman. “That’s part of why I come back to it.”

Her passion for sport has made Redman open to facing new challenges, including taking on the competition on CBC’s new reality television show, Canada’s Ultimate Challenge. “Sports is a sense of home that I take with me anywhere I go,” says Redman. “Sport is a connection I have with everyone around me.”

When it came to competing on Canada’s Ultimate Challenge, Redman’s meditative approach was helpful in tackling the obstacles. Balance, pace, endurance: all of running’s cornerstone skills came together to help her succeed. Even in unchartered waters.

“I had anxiety when I saw a new challenge,” she explains, “but I dialed it down, knew my strengths and what I was capable of doing because of my skills as an everyday athlete.”

How does an everyday athlete get cast on a reality television show that turns the country into a giant obstacle course? It all comes down to being open to challenges when an opportunity— like a random DM—drops into your social media feed. “I received a link about the show being in its first season and thought: I’ve done difficult things before, it doesn’t hurt to try.”

As a result, Redman had the opportunity to participate with 26 athletes traveling over 1,300 kilometres in 32 days: the adventure and challenge of a lifetime.

“It was a mindblowing experience,” she says. “I hope I inspire the people that watch.”

Through the encouragement of a fellow Canada’s Ultimate Challenge competitor and professional obstacle course racer, Redman signed up for her first 15K obstacle course last summer. As runners know, when crossing one finish line, the next thing to do is seek out the next. “Obstacle

Always on the run Everything Fuel, by Frontrunners

What can you tell me about race day fuel?

Fueling can be the difference in succeeding or failing at your goals. Ensuring that you are properly fuelled before, during and after training and racing is almost as important as the training itself. Just as you practice your pacing etc, you should be testing different food to see what works for you. I personally try to have a similar meal the evening before my long runs and races: chicken, rice and veggies. I find this sits well in my stomach overnight and race day. I also chose this meal because if I travel around the world for an event, I can basically guarantee I’ll find this meal anywhere I go.

course racing isn’t only about me,” she explains. “I want all of us to get to the finish line.”

Having a common, positive focus is one of Redman’s biggest takeaways from television stardom, especially her new obsession with running. Like shared knowledge between all of us who have crossed the finish line at a race, Redman says she’s become an evangelist for that revitalized feeling of accomplishing a goal.

She says, “We’re all lucky to be doing what we do.” frontrunners.ca

The morning of long runs/workouts/races, I use Quaker Oatmeal and coffee. This is again something I can easily bring with me if I travel and all you need is hot water. In the mornings I try to avoid any acidic fruits or dairy products as they can give you stomach cramps and mucus. I also pre-load using with Maurten drink mix or Tailwind Endurance for hydration and during workout I use Maurten gels to keep me fuelled during the workout/race. Again with anything is test different products during your training to find what tastes good and sits well in your stomach while you are active. Key is to test while working out. Sampling a gel at an expo or store for flavour is very different than when tried during activity.