Trail Running Canada Issue 12 by Trail Running Canada

ISSUE 12 Free to Run

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Crewing

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What’s

INSIDE

Photo credit: Lindsay Neufeld

YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO IT ALONE by Mallory Richard

FREE TO RUN by Stacey Cleveland

FINDING JOY IN THE SLOW RUN by Elaine Fung

THE TERRIFIC TRIO by Erik Moortgat

TRAIL INTERVIEWS

12 EDITORIAL TRAINING TRAIL RUNNING WOMB by Linda Barton-Robbins

ASK THE COACH by Eric Carter

4 28 30

TRAIL PLAYLIST 31

FORWARD MOTION CURES ALL by Kent Keeler

TRAIL DOG TUCK IN

by Andrew Titus

TRAIL STORIES

IRON HEART

by Devin Featherstone

REVIEWS

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EDITORIAL

EDITORS Linda Barton-Robbins Gary Robbins DESIGN & LAYOUT Alex Whyte ADVERTISING & MARKETING Josh Barringer Jonathan Schmidt CONTRIBUTORS Josh Barringer Linda Barton-Robbins Eric Carter Stacey Cleveland Devin Featherstone Elaine Fung Keith Iskiw Kent Keeler Erik Moortgat Mallory Richard Andrew Titus Kelly Anne Wald

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It’s easy to say this about every issue, but this one could honestly be my favourite. We have an incredible staff who volunteer their time to create fantastic articles that are informative and often inspirational. Many of the articles in this issue seem to lean towards the inspirational side of what we try to do at Trail Running Canada. There’s a focus on philanthropy and giving back our trail community and to communities around the world. You’ll read about Stephanie Case, a woman who is creating sports programs for women in countries where women are often not even allowed to walk alone. You’ll learn about Brian Culbert who does endurance events to raise money to help train pediatric nurses in Ghana to help children receive the care

they need. We also share with you one way you can give back to our own niche community by crewing for a friend or family member. We also focus on women in trail running in this issue. It wasn’t a planned theme, but happened organically, which I find encouraging as we see our trail and ultrarunning community shift and lead the way in bringing more media attention to women in sports. There’s been a great deal of discussion as of late of the lack of coverage women’s sports receives and I am proud that we are highlighting both issues that women face along with some pretty amazing female athletes. Not only do we have the aforementioned interview with Stephanie Case, we also have a feature on three athletes from Ontario who are both talented and

great ambassadors of the sport. Additionally, we have two pregnancy centered articles: a review of a very exciting book that’s leading the way for women who wish to continue training while pregnant and an article based on my own experience with pregnancy and trail running. I hope you enjoy this issue and get as much out of it as I did. We will continue to endeavor to bring you quality articles and features that enhance your knowledge of the sport and keep getting you out on the trails! /\/

Linda Barton-Robbins is based out of North Vancouver, BC. She is the Chief Editor of Trail Running Canada. Photo credit: PG. 4 Linda Wong

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TRAIL INTERVIEWS Stephanie running laps around the UN compound in Afghanistan, which was armed by Nepalese Gurkhas (2012)

An interview with STEPHANIE CASE

by Stacey Cleveland

If Stephanie Case wore any more hats, I’m quite certain her delicate neck would bend under the weight. A multi-tasking extraordinaire who was born in Canada and routinely travels the world, she’s wracked up an impressive list of accomplishments, both personally as an ultra runner and professionally as a human rights lawyer. And she’s not done yet.

Case has an endless amount of passion and energy, which she channels into projects close to her heart with remarkable results. Her latest initiative is a non-profit organization called Free to Run (freetorun.org) whose aim is to empower and educate women living in conflictaffected communities through running, fitness and adventure. Currently working for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Gaza, Case shared with Trail Running Canada her reasons behind creating Free to Run, some of the challenges and triumphs they’ve faced and what she hopes to achieve. Trail Running Canada (TRC): As a lawyer, ultra runner, writer and avid traveler, I don’t imagine you have a lot of downtime. What

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prompted you to create a non-profit organization? Stephanie Case (SC): There’s a saying that if you want something to get done, give it to a busy person. I’m most efficient when I have a billion things on my plate! But really, it is just about making time for things that are important and if you are passionate about something, you don’t need to make time for it – it will find its way into just about everything you do. I have always wanted to be a part of something that combined my passion for women’s rights and sport, but the idea of starting an organization really took seed in my mind when I moved to Afghanistan in 2012. I was raising money for a women’s shelter by training for three ultra marathons while living inside a compound in Kabul, which I thought was all that I could really to do support women in Afghanistan

through sports. They thought of actually engaging the women themselves in running, hiking and other types of activities seemed way too far outside the realm of possibilities. This was Afghanistan, after all – these women were dealing with systemic discrimination, gender-based violence, insecurity.... Why would they want to do sports? It didn’t take long for me to realize how wrong I was. These women were yearning for opportunities to move freely, play games and discover the outdoors just as much as I did. They just didn’t have the same opportunities. The more I looked into it, the more I became interested in trying to find creative solutions to engage women in sports in Afghanistan. I saw some space opening up at the national level for women. There was Tahmina Kohistani, the Afghan women

who ran in the Olympics, and a number of national female teams like boxing, football and cycling. However, at the grassroots level, much more needed to be done. I wanted to work with women and girls who might not otherwise have the chance to try sports and who could really benefit from the opportunity. I saw the potential in the beautiful outdoors that Afghanistan has to offer and in the strength in Afghan women themselves. The challenges of starting an organization like the one I envisioned for Free to Run was extremely daunting, but at some point it wasn’t a choice for me – I couldn’t turn my back on the women that I’d met. TRC: What difficulties have you had implementing programs for women in countries like Afghanistan and South Sudan? SC: Working in conflict zones is a headache, as you might imagine. There are obstacles at every step in the process. From the tiniest matters to the most important things, every move needs to be carefully thought through and supported by a plan B (and C and D). For Afghanistan, we had to delay the launch a number of times due to the presidential elections and concerns about the overall security situation in the country. No matter how many months you prepare for something, all your work has to be put on hold if there is any kind of serious heightened risk to the women we work with. In South Sudan, security is also an issue, but the main challenges are related to logistical matters and resource constraints. When our team from Juba, the

capital of South Sudan, needed to travel to the project site, the roads became washed out by heavy rains. We ended up having to send one by helicopter and the other two by boat down the Nile overnight. It was quite the adventure! TRC: How do women in these conflict-affected areas find out about Free to Run and the services you offer? SC: In Afghanistan, we’re quite lucky because we work with some amazing partners. In the Central Highlands Region, we are helping a high school and a university to create a sports club for female students. My project manager there,

Habiba, is from a family that has lived in the area for hundreds of years, so she pretty much knows everyone. In Kabul, we work in shelters for women who have suffered domestic violence. I got to personally know the shelter managers when I was working in Kabul before for the UN, so it definitely helped to already have established those relationships. In South Sudan, we benefited from the fact that I had lived in the area for internally displaced people where we ran our pilot project, so we were able to work closely with the local women’s committee on spreading the word about the volleyball

skills training that we were providing. All in all, it comes down to good contacts, good relationships, and solid programming. We aren’t just another international NGO jetting into a country that we don’t know. I, and the vast majority of our board members, are either living in the areas we work or have spent a number of years there. TRC: What are some of the hurdles these women must overcome in order to participate in fitness or adventure programs? SC: Although some improvements have been made since the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan is still

one of the worst places in the world to live. Women face insecurity, poverty, discrimination, and cultural norms that tend to limit their opportunities. Amnesty International has recently come up with a new report saying that the gains made in human rights for women since the fall of the Taliban are at risk of being rolled back. Women are facing violence, threats, sexual assault and even death in some extreme cases. Women often have to get permission to do things outside the home – not just sports. They face risks walking in the streets alone, let alone exercising. And

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there are a number of internal battles that many women are forced to confront. The connection between the body and the mind has been cut for such a long time for these women that when they finally start to exercise and experience a freedom of movement, it can be scary at first. But the benefits are clear and they are palpable. The smiles that come through last forever!

TRC: In the places where Free to Run operates, what has the response been like from the community? SC: Especially starting out, it is critical that we ensure the support of the family members of the women and girls we work with and involve the communities as much as possible. However, at the same time, we have to be careful not to push the boundaries too far, too fast. In

We aren’t just another international NGO jetting into a country that we don’t know. I, and the vast majority of our board members, are either living in the areas we work or have spent a number of years there.

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the Central Highlands Region, we work closely with a local environmental organization that has close connections with the local farmers and families out in the villages on the mountains. In this way, we are more easily accepted when we go out hiking. A lot is based on relationships. If you can get a few key members of the community behind you, that will go a long way towards drawing further support. It isn’t easy though. As you might imagine, not everyone thinks what we are doing is acceptable. Our two women training for the ultra marathon in China have faced street harassment that has made running in the city impossible. And the women we work with in shelters have already been shunned from society by virtue of having to be there.

It takes time to change people’s minds about the role of women and what they can or cannot – or should or should not – do. But if you look at what Afghanistan was like just a few decades ago, women had so many more freedoms. If progress on women’s rights can reverse, it can progress again. These ideas about women are malleable so long as you’re using the right approach. The response from the women and girls themselves has been overwhelmingly positive. There is a thirst for more and I’m keen to do everything I can to meet that need. TRC: Can you describe some of the organization’s greatest successes? And biggest challenges? SC: The challenges are immense. There have been quite a few times, especially

when I was preparing for our launch, when I just wanted to give up. Some people laughed at my ideas, told me I was crazy, or simply raised their eyebrows. Even those who were most supportive at times questioned whether what I was tried to do really was impossible. But something told me that if I kept at it, it could work. After all, if it was easy, wouldn’t someone already be doing this? There are many ways to judge our success, but for me, I look at the individuals that we are helping. After our first Pilates class in one of the shelters that we work

foot in Afghanistan, let alone being involved in sports programs for women. However, we believe that it is still possible to operate and be effective with the right precautions. We let concerns about security guide and shape our programs, not stop them. Of course, the safety of our beneficiaries has to be paramount, but the reality is that they are living in areas fraught with conflict and social tension. Their lives go on. The key is to support them without exposing them to greater risk. We get permission from parents of anyone under age and

Even those who were most supportive at times questioned whether what I was tried to do really was impossible. But something told me that if I kept at it, it could work. After all, if it was easy, wouldn’t someone already be doing this? with, one of the women came up to me and wrapped her arms around me in a firm bear hug. She stayed like that for almost ten minutes. It was incredibly powerful to see how just one class had made her feel. I’ve had the privilege of climbing up to 3500 meters with a group of university girls who had lived amongst the mountains their entire lives, but never climbed them. And I’ve seen the transformation of our ultra marathon team from nonrunners to confident athletes. Our greatest successes lie in these individual stories.

take as many precautions as possible, including keeping a low profile and not disclosing events ahead of time. If something seems too risky, we simply postpone or cancel altogether. This might be frustrating, but it is essential. We also have a social media policy to protect our beneficiaries that may be stricter than other NGOs, but we have to put the lives of our women and girls ahead of the organization – their well-being is ours as well!

TRC: Are there safety concerns for those participating in Free to Run programs?

SC: My goal is to make sure that what we do, we do really well so that we are here for a long time. Right now we are strengthening

There are major safety concerns for anyone setting

TRC: How do you see the organization growing or evolving?

and growing our programs in Afghanistan and I would like to continue the work we started in South Sudan over the next year. As soon as I move to a new mission with the UN, I will be allowed to operate in Palestine, so this would be a next logical place to start activities. However, Afghanistan is clearly our focus for 2015. We have two Afghans hired part-time to assist me on the ground, but I need an international staff member as well who is willing to intern for us in Kabul and expand our programs. TRC: What can someone living in Canada or the United States do to get involved and help support the efforts of Free to Run? SC: Lots! We really rely on the support of the running community and other interested individuals to help keep us going. We have runners and other athletes who train and participate in events on our behalf, which is a fantastic way to raise funds and awareness. While we are waiting for 501c3 status (tax-exempt status in the US), individuals can set up personal fundraising pages on youcaring.com. We are a small organization, so even a few hundred or a few thousand dollars makes a massive difference to us. In turn, we provide training support, encouragement, and we are currently working to get our athletes special discounts on gear from some top companies. For the non-runners, we can always use help spreading the word about what we are doing through social media. There are lots of creative ways to help. We have a race director in the US who has

renamed his race the Free to Run 50 and is donating all of the registration fees to our organization. Others have offered support with public relations, media, or contacts with potential donors. The sky’s the limit! TRC: Any final thoughts that you want to leave readers to consider? SC: We take the ability to do sports for granted, probably because most of us don’t really know what life would be like without it. Having lived in three different conflict zones around the world Afghanistan, South Sudan and now Gaza this is something that is on my mind on a daily basis now. I am not allowed to walk outside on the street here, let alone run. But these restrictions are temporary. For women and girls living in areas of conflict, their restrictions are much more pervasive and they have much less support. That is why Free to Run is needed-because everyone deserves the chance to run, play and experience the outdoors! /\/ For more information on being a Free to Run athlete or offering your support in other ways, go to: freetorun.org/ take-action/get-involved.

Stacey Cleveland is a former Trail Running Canada The North Face Trail Ambassador and trail runner out of BC. Photo credit: PG. 7-10 Jan Gerrit Brouwer

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started running during my later high school years as a way to motivate myself to quit smoking. At that time, I ran mostly in secret, either very early in the morning or late at night when I was sure nobody would see me. TRC: How long after you started running would you guess you decided to try your first ultra marathon? What gave you the desire to try it? Was it road or trail? How did it go?

THE TERRIFIC TRIO by Erik Moortgat This trio of bad-ass runners from Ontario are all about having fun, yet are incredibly talented at the same time. They recently represented Canada at the IAU 24-hr World Championships in Torino, Italy and are also tearing up the trail circuit here in Ontario. They are also always smiling, chatting and making the miles just seamlessly melt away when you run with them. Let’s jump into learning about Lisa VanWolde, Marylou Corino and Maryka Hladki. Trail Running Canada (TRC): How did you get started in running? Did you pursue any other sports growing up? Lisa VanWolde (LVW): I was never a runner in my childhood. I played pretty much every sport growing up and it was my love of sports, which led me to study Human Kinetics in University. But it wasn’t until after I had my first child

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that I started running. I was looking for a way to lose the weight I put on during pregnancy and a neighbour asked if I wanted to join the Running Room’s Learn to Run Clinic. It sounded like fun. That was 11 years ago. I remember running my first 5 km race and I felt like a rock star having run that far. But afterwards I thought, why stop at 5 km? So I signed up for the 10 km

clinic, followed by the half marathon clinic and then the marathon clinic. I ran my first marathon a little over a year after my first 5 km race. Marylou Corino (MLC): I ran elementary and high school cross-country and track. I was also an avid soccer player from the ages of 5-18. Maryka Hladki (MH): In elementary school I was heavily into ballet and I also played basketball for my school team. When I was in the eighth grade I broke my femur playing basketball and I wasn’t able to do anything very athletic for over a year. By the time my leg healed completely I was too far behind in my ballet to pick it up again and by the time I got to high school I was very nonathletic. I

LVW: I put running on hold as I became pregnant with my second child. It wasn’t until a couple of years after I had my second child that I started to miss running long distances. I was reading an article about an ultrarunner I went to University with, Denise McHale, and began wishing I could do something like that. I thought there was no way. Not with a full time job, 2 small children and a husband who worked shift work. But, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to run an ultra. So I started to squeeze in runs any chance I could get. I amped up the mileage pretty quickly. I ran a couple of more marathons and then set my sights on a 12 hour event for my first ultra attempt. It was a trail race and I had never been on trails before. I had also never run farther than 42 km so when I ran 70 km that day I felt like the rock star I had when I ran my first 5 km. However, I was quite sore for about a week afterwards so knew that if I was going to do this again, I’d have to train better. The next year I ran 11 ultras and I knew I was hooked. It’s been 5 years since my first ultra and I’ve run over 50 ultra races. [Lisa was the Ontario Ultra

Series and 50km Champion in 2012, the Canadian National Ultra Champion in 2013 and on the Canadian National 24-hr Team in 2013 and 2015, running a PB in 2015 of 198.56km]. MLC: Three years. I had made my goal of running the Boston Marathon and was looking for something new. My first ultra was a success. It was 50km road and I finished third in my age group. I have never placed that well before! MH: I attempted my first ultra nearly 20 years after my first foray into running. I had done quite a few marathons at that point, and while I loved the distance, I was looking for new challenges that didn’t involve shaving a few minutes off of my marathon time. I had started to read more about ultradistance running -- I believe the first time I’d even heard about ultramarathoning was through Dean Karnazes’s book Ultramarathon Man. I was intrigued and I found myself looking for local races. I settled on a trail race, the 50 km Run for the Toad, which I’d heard was a good introductory trail ultra for roadrunners. It didn’t go terribly well. I was overzealous with the sports gels and water early in the race and was throwing up halfway through, but I managed to struggle through and finish before the cutoff. I was sure I could do better so I immediately signed up for another 50 km race two weeks later -- Vulture Bait in London. I managed my nutrition much better and had a wonderful time. From then on I was hooked on the trail-racing atmosphere.

TRC: A lot of runners, including myself, started out in road and switched to trail with little penchant for going back or including a lot of road in their annual mileage/ goals. You have a mix of both road and trail in your annual schedule and have excelled in both. Do you find it easy/ difficult to switch between the two? Do you find that each compliments the other quite well? LVW: Given the opportunity I’d choose a gnarly trail over a road any day of the week. However, I log most of my long miles on country roads near my house. During the week I do most of my shorter runs on trails near where I work. I find that the road is good when you want to get lots of miles. It’s also good for speedy runs where you can work on quick leg turnover. However, I find that the roads put greater stress on the body. Trails are more forgiving because you have to use a lot of different muscle groups. The hills help build strength and power, which will help you on the road. MLC: I love mixing up the two. You are constantly using different muscles this way and alleviating boredom. I never get tired of either because I am always switching it up. MH: First off, I don’t see myself as “excelling” in running at all. But what I lack in speed I make up for in perseverance. Second, I’m an equal opportunity runner. I like to run, period. I love running on trails because it puts me closer to nature and it’s both visually and mentally stimulating. There are very real obstacles to overcome beyond simply

moving your body forward. You have to be on the ball at all times or you’ll end up flat on your face. In a road or track race, you’ve stripped away all other obstacles and you’re relying on pure endurance. You’re own body is your only obstacle. I enjoy both challenges and I like to mix it up. TRC: How did it feel representing Canada at the World’s? Was it your first time in the red and white? What are some of the challenges/ benefits of running a closed loop course? LVW: Definitely an honour. To say I was happy to be a part of the team is an understatement. There is such a feeling of pride once you put on your singlet and toe the line with the best runners in the world. I tried to soak it all in and not let any discomfort I might be feeling during the race take away from the

experience. At both of the World Championships I was at, I kept reminding myself that this is what I worked so hard for so don’t get down when things are tough. MLC: I have represented Canada twice at the world championships. I have done many closed loop courses. I find some of the benefits are that you are never far away from washrooms/aid/ food and you don’t need to carry anything. Some of the challenges are that it is easy to stop and boredom. MH: This was my third time running on the Canadian 24 hour team and it’s always an amazing feeling. The opportunity to be in the presence of so many great athletes from around the world is truly a gift. Unfortunately, this time around I was just recovering from a calf injury so wasn’t really able to put in my best effort. But the beauty of a

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would have been possible. He understands how important running is to me and shares my goals and does whatever he can to make sure I succeed. He picks up the slack on the weekends when I’m logging long runs, by shuttling the kids to hockey, taking care of the grocery shopping, cleaning the house, etc.

short-loop course is that you are constantly surrounded by other runners -- you are always either passing or being passed by other runners. So I get to see my team-mates every once in a while, as opposed to a long course where I might go several hours without seeing another person. In Italy, one of my teammates was going through a rough patch late in the race, during I time when I had been forced to do more walking than running myself. It gave us the opportunity to walk a loop together and have a good chat. After that we were both mentally and physically refreshed and able to finish much stronger. The challenge with short loops, of course, is that the chair is always beckoning. It’s very easy to find excuses to sit down when the opportunity is always there. In a trail race, when you’re in the forest 20 miles from the finish and you

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feel nauseous or have a terrible blister, you have no choice but to suck it up. TRC: Are you very critical of yourself and your performances, ie. do you put a lot of pressure on yourself to compete at a high level? LVW: Juggling a family, a full-time job, time with my husband and trying to train up to 20 hours a week is quite a feat. It’s not easy by any stretch, but anything worthwhile takes work. I’m often asked how I find the time. I guess I’m willing to do what it takes. If that means getting up a couple hours earlier than normal so I can squeeze in a workout or running during my lunch hour, I do it. I also have very little down time. If I want to get all that needs to be done accomplished, I can’t just sit around and relax. Also, my husband Mark is super supportive. Without him, none of my accomplishments

MH: Not at all. I only ever compete against myself. Truth be told, the few races I’ve done well in have been complete accidents. In timed races, I’m often in last place for many hours. With time, many of the faster runners slow down or drop out, while I tend to maintain an even pace and gradually move up in position. I once finished first female in a 48-hour trail race simply by not sleeping and maintaining a pretty consistent pace. I might have finished first overall but as I was catching up to the lead male his crew hauled him out of bed and back on to the course. It was a total Tortoise and the Hare situation! But I would have been just as satisfied with my performance if I had put in the same effort and came in last place. TRC: Favourite places to run? Bucket-list trails/races? LVW: My favourite race distance is the 24-hour event. I like that it’s a full day of running which seems unfathomable to most people. I like that you know exactly when the race is going to be over. It’s just you against the clock to hit whatever mileage you hoped for. My most challenging 24 hour race, both physically and mentally, has got to be the SelfTranscendence in Ottawa

which is around a 400 metre indoor track. I find it hard on the body and with no change from day-to-night; time seems to creep by slowly. It takes a lot of discipline to not stop and rest. My favourite Ontario race is the Dirty Girls 24-hour Trail Race. It’s on a hilly 8km loop course, mostly single track and it’s close to home. I’ve run the race five times and I think I have every turn and hill memorized. It’s in the summer and the weather has always been great. As for races outside of Ontario, I’ve only done a few. I tend to try and stay close to home because of my kids. I think there will be a time in the near future when I can start venturing farther from home for races without feeling as guilty about leaving because they are getting older. I’m just not there yet. My favourite place to run my longer runs is on the Bruce Trail. The Bruce Trail is about 885 km long and I’m fortunate to have close access to sections of it. MLC: My favourite place to run is the Bruce Trail. Two of my Bucket List races are Comrades and HURT 100. MH: My favourite places to run are my local forests, including the Bruce trail and the Durham regional forest tracts. I’d love to try the Rimto-Rim at Grand Canyon, but I might have to get over my extreme fear of heights first. Badwater is definitely on my bucket list as well. I crewed for Marylou two years ago and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. TRC: Any issues ever come up with your partner because of the number of hours that you need to put in on a weekly basis in order to be able to stay at the level that

you run at? Are they into the scene as well? LVW: Is it always easy? No. I think as a mother, we feel guilty when we take time for ourselves to do something we love. I often feel guilty about the time I spend training or away from home while at a race because I know everything my husband is doing at home or what I might be missing with the kids. My first couple of years of running I was running a race every few weeks from spring to fall, but it’s difficult to keep that pace and not let other things in your life slide. Now, I’m pickier about the longer races I do. I only want to do the ones that are going to be a real challenge or test of endurance. My next race is Vol-State which is a 300 mile race across the state of Tennessee. I vacation there every summer and I know that the heat and humidity are going to be real obstacles. However, I’m super excited! The idea of pushing myself past my limitations and discovering what I’m truly capable of is intriguing. If I make it to the end, I think it’ll be my greatest accomplishment as a runner. MLC: My husband is not a runner in the least. He has been my number one fan and has crewed for me at almost every race. I strategically try to work out, so, for example, I will try to do all my workouts early morning when he is sleeping and at lunchtime during work. MH: I’m very lucky in that my husband is extremely supportive and proud of what I do. He is not a runner, but he often crews for me at races, and a few times he’s even come

out and participated in a shorter distance of one of my events just to be a part of the scene. And since most of my training is done early in the morning it gives him an excuse to sleep in on the weekends. TRC: What are your favourite foods/drinks of choice in your training and racing? LVW: I mostly stick to water when training and add Gatorade during races. I also like some Coke during a race for an extra shot of energy or ginger ale to calm an upset tummy. But generally I have a pretty good stomach during races. As for food, I don’t use gels but like to stick to bars, bananas, peanut butter sandwiches, hummus on a pita. When running 24 hours, I like to add some real food at night, basically if whatever they are offering appeals to me, I’ll eat it. MLC: I thoroughly enjoy salted potatoes, hummus wraps and I do love the occasional glass of Coke once and a while. I use Gatorade and maltodextrin (carbohydrate drink) quite often. MH: I have a pretty low tolerance for food when running and I do much better on mostly liquid diet. My main source of fuel is water with plain maltodextrin and a Nuun tablet thrown in for electrolytes and flavour. When I get tired I’ll take cola for the caffeine/sugar boost. TRC: What has been the highlight of your running so far? MLC: Representing Canada the World Championships in 2012 and 2015. MH: Being on the Canadian 24-hour World Championship team.

TRC: Playlist music player?

your

LVW: I love listening to any dance music with a good beat when I run, especially some 80’s stuff. MLC: U2, Guns and Roses, Mumford and Sons, Van Halen, Coldplay, Beatles. MH: Mumford and Sons, Florence and the Machine, Queen, Of Monsters and Men and a lot of 80’s tunes.

MLC: Vol-State 500km. MH: Fun on the trails in my local Ontario trail running series for the summer. I’m hoping to end the year at the 6-day race at Across The Years (AZ, Dec). /\/ Update: Lisa and Marylou ran Vol-State 500km together in July and secured the top two spots for the women’s race with a time of approximately 128 hours and 6 minutes.

TRC: Comfort foods? MLC: McDonald’s hash browns and french fries. MH: pizza, pasta, grilled cheese sandwiches...pretty much anything with carbs and cheese. TRC: Goals for 2015? LVW: Vol-State 500km (MO to GA, July) and That Dam Hill 24-hr race (ON, Sept). Erik Moortgat is Trail Running Canada’s The North Face Ambassador for Ontario. He’s enjoying his summer in and around Collingwood.

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FORWARD MOTION CURES ALL by Kent Keeler Brian Culbert is one of many parents whose lives have been touched by the work of the doctors, nurses, and staff at the Hospital for Sick Children, known simply as SickKids, in Toronto, Ontario. Fifteen years ago his son Matt was born with a rare genetic skin disorder and required care at SickKids. Today Matt is happy and healthy, and his Dad is dedicated to doing what he can to make sure other children have access to this kind of medical care when they need it. Since 2009, Brian has focused on raising funds for the SickKids International Charity program to train pediatric nurses in Ghana so that children

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there can benefit from early medical interventions and get the best start possible. He began as the program’s only fundraiser and was able to fund the training of the first round of 50 nurses, but he wasn’t done yet. Culbert founded the charity Racing4Lives to raise money and awareness for children’s charities using the challenge of endurance sports, now specifically ultra trail running. Through his past races, he has already raised over $650,000 for various children’s charities and in 2009, was named the first Ambassador for the SickKids International Charity.

Brian’s path to ultra trail running started on two wheels. After working his way up to great success in 24-hour mountain bike racing, he suffered a significant injury that required surgery and ended his days of competitive racing. Rehabilitation prohibited any cycling, so he turned to hiking. Hiking led to running, and his feet haven’t stopped since. Through mountain biking, Brian began working with a coach, Dave Battison, in 2004. Over the years Coach Dave became Brian’s trainer, great friend, and fundraising partner. Culbert says that Coach Dave and he found

the transition from mountain biking to trail running training like simply “stepping from one room to another.” Ultra trail running allowed them to train, race, and most importantly, to continue raising money for children’s charities together. In the early days of preparation for their follow-up challenge to successful races at Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in 2012 and 2013, Coach Dave passed away in his sleep from a heart attack. This sudden and unexpected loss of Brian’s friend, coach, and mentor, left him adrift and he abandoned the plans they had discussed, as “his heart just wasn’t in it.” He

toed the line at a couple of Ontario ultras, but found the sadness faced on those trails too painful. As he says of his 2014 racing, “I knew how to train and prepare for a race but not having Dave in my life made it all feel hollow.” Over the winter of 20142015, Brian was asked to speak at a number of conferences about how he has combined endurance racing with charitable fundraising. With time to reflect, Brian came to the realization that the best way for him to honour Coach Dave’s life was to finish what they had started. In 2015, he is carrying on with a challenge that is closer to home, but perhaps even harder than what he has already done: The Fat Dog 120 in British Columbia. Brian and Coach Dave had picked this 120 mile trail race after a magazine article listed it as one of the toughest ultras out there. It sounded perfect to up the ante from UTMB which Culbert said was “the most difficult from both a physical and mental standpoint.” To date, he has personally raised over $68,000 and is on his way to an amazing goal of collecting $100,000 by the time he races at Fat Dog in August. The money raised will continue to support SickKids International in their program to train nurses in Ghana. This round of fundraising will receive an extra boost as the Canadian Government has agreed to match every dollar raised with $3 more. There are now more donors contributing to the SKI Ghanian nurses program, and they have graduated 221 students to date. The ultimate goal is

1500 trained nurses, and Brian’s 2015 efforts will help to get them closer. Along with his charity work and requisite training, Brian spends a lot of his time helping out the local trail running community in Toronto where he lives. He can be found most Wednesday nights leading a trail running group from the Salomon Toronto store on the nearby trails that he puts a lot of weekend sweat into building and maintaining. He sees trail maintenance as great cross training and loves sharing every twist, turn, and hill with anyone willing to join. The cornerstone of all this, is his family. His wife Denise and children, Emily and Matt support everything Brian does. Brian sums up his reasons for doing these events very simply “I’m blessed with the ability to run great distances. I was trained by one of the best Olympic coaches in Canada and I know for every dollar I raise I’m able to save a child’s life. That is something to keep running for. As Coach Dave always said, ‘Go from A to B the best way you can. As long as you don’t stop, forward motion cures all.’” /\/ If you would like to contribute to Brian’s 2015 campaign, please visit: sickkidsdonations. com/registrant/ TeamFundraisingPage. aspx?teamID=613345

FUNDRAISING HIGHLIGHTS 2004 Racing for Miracles (various children’s charities) - $225,000

2005-2008 Funded construction of a child burn victim recovery centre in Cambodia

2009 SickKids International (SKI) Ghanian Nurses Program - $127,000

2011-2013 SKI Ghanian Nurses Program - $200,000

2015 Kent Keeler is a regular contributor to Trail Running Canada and a trail runner, and photographer, based in Ontario.

SKI Ghanian Nurses Program - $68,000 to date, goal is $100,000

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TRAIL DOG TUCK IN: For the love of a trail dog by Andrew Titus Reading quotes on the internet about dogs is painful, though I’m not exactly sure why I expected it to be anything else. Call it optimism or a belief in humanity’s ability to say something true and touching. To be real. Call it hope for some poetry. But the pithy statements are just trite and all too often they’re polarized to boot, either emptily waxing about unconditional love of the beast, or glorifying/ bemoaning the ‘fight in the dog’. The reality is just so much heavier. It’s not so different really from asking people about kids; that is, they’re either little darlings or snot-nosed brats. Full stop. And yes, having a dog is like having a kid and it’s okay for

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me to say that because I have three of those too and they all, very much, see our buddy Tuck, a mix breed Shepherd, as another member of the family. How could we not? He rescued us. Rewind to September 1st, 2013: we were at brunch when the phone rang, my wife answered and everything changed. Our house was on fire! Around the corner, I dropped off the kids at a neighbour’s so they wouldn’t have to see it and ran for it. The scene was surreal -firefighters working the blaze into submission, a crowd gathered and talking in hushed tones, black smoke curling like ugly industry around collapsing eves. I yelled at them that this was my house and where was the dog? Had they seen the

dog? Firefighters passed the word, eventually the chief, a tall and strong woman with blackened hands, brought me out back. Wrapped in a tarp, our dear friend laid out on the lawn. I asked the chief what I should do. ‘Bury her’, she said, ‘what was her name?’ Poette, I said, shocked. ‘Bury the Poette in the backyard’, she said. And as they tamed the blaze, smoke filling the sky, I did exactly that. For six months we lived in a house loaned to us by a friend. The kindness that surrounded us was remarkable and as we rebuilt our home we tried desperately to also rebuild the sense of security that a tight knit family is made of. We were still working and going to school though and it was an arduous

process to settle ourselves emotionally. Building a house with planks and beams and wires and plans is easy -- taking care of the delicate business of rebuttressing your life takes tact and strength, compassion, tenacity and love. As the weeks went by things seemed to be healing, but... In November I started actively looking for a dog. I checked out photos online and dropped in on the SPCA. Then one day, there he was. I picked the kids up from school, went out with them, paid the folks their money and then told my wife. Generally speaking, I don’t condone this kind of approach -- a strong marriage is built on a solid foundation of mutual ideas

and beliefs... but sometimes you just go with your gut and hope you’re right.

that’s a fact -- in utter irony to his name, he simply cannot be tuckered out.

All of sudden, we were a family again. Tuck wasn’t a replacement for Poette -- I am 100% confident that he needed us as much as we needed him -- but he certainly helped heal a deep wound.

More than just clocking the mileage though, we trade looking out for one another; he has taught me the real value of living in a pack. When I was young I saw a dog chase down and clamp onto a kid. Turned out that the kid had been chucking rocks at the dog daily, but the whole thing scared the living bejesus out of me, so I have had to learn to love and trust dogs on my own. And, in Tuck’s case, stand up for him -- see, being the alpha is more than being the one in control, it’s being the one that can be stood behind, that the others come running for if the tides of the fight turn, and I have inserted myself between Tuck and

It was right around that time that I started ramping up for my first 100k and putting in some serious miles at seriously weird times. The place that we were staying was across from a park and Tuck and I logged the miles. Early morning snow days, late nights, long runs, sprints and hills hills hills. I did my research to see if his kind of dog could handle that kind of mileage and all I ever got back were variations on ‘you’ll never run this dog down.’ And

other dogs who were looking to have a go at him. That’s what dads do. And he’s always on the lookout for me, scanning the woods and watching for bears or coyotes or whatever else is in there. Even a country boy like me gets freaked in the forest at night; unless, that is, I have him with me. Alone we are vulnerable, but together we are a pack. It’s funny too how people will talk if you have a dog. They pet him, ask his name and I’m reminded that even though the world often seems filled with pain, violence and saccharine statements about immeasurable value, I believe humanity to be good. It’s true that atrocities, neglect and ignorance are rampant, but I’ve met more people, from the person behind the counter of a corner store in New York to a doctor who’s there to deliver my child, that are kind, gentle and sincere

than are truly malevolent. Tuck isn’t just an excellent running mate, though having racked up some 6000 kms he’s definitely that too, he’s a patient, compassionate teacher. He’s taught me about optimism and shown me something touching and true about humanity. He’s shown me what it is to be real. He’s been a fast friend and fine poet. In trail running we often talk about how we don’t do it (just) to win races, but to become better people -- and what irony, I need add, that a dog should teach me that most. /\/

Andrew Titus is The North Face Trail Running Canada Trail Ambassador for New Brunswick.

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TRAIL STORIES Mallory’s crew stand by to provide support as she changes her clothes during the Superior 100 mile race.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO IT

ALONE

by Mallory Richard

USING CREW AND PACERS TO MAKE YOUR RACE SAFER, FASTER AND MORE FUN 20 | Issue 12: 2015

Joel Toews and Joanne Richard, Mallory’s mother, wait for her to arrive at an aid station.

The first time I had friends and family agree to crew me for a race, I spent more time writing out crew notes and arranging logistics than studying the course. It was a useful exercise in carefully planning my fuelling and gear, but it was also my way of acknowledging the responsibilities I had to set up my crew to succeed and to minimize the inconvenience of them sacrificing a weekend so I could run 100 miles. If you’re privileged to know people who will take time out of their busy lives to be your support crew for an ultramarathon, it can add so much to the experience. Your crew can help keep you motivated, monitor your fuelling and pace you in the later stages of the race. If your goal is to finish a race as quickly as possible, your crew can help you realize that goal by making you more efficient at aid stations, telling you your splits or even giving you updates on

how far ahead or behind the competition you are. The first race I ever did with the assistance of crew (including a pacer) was the Superior 100 mile in Minnesota. My crew consisted of a friend and fellow runner, Joel Toews; my partner, Shawn Defoort; my parents; and my friend Dwayne Sandall, an ultra runner, who started the race, but when he decided to pull, joined my crew instead. My parents are nonrunners and Shawn hasn’t

done an ultra, so my crew instructions included some basic information on my goals and expectations for the race. My primary goal was to finish, so they really just needed to remind me to keep moving and as long as I was ahead of cut-off times we weren’t going to worry about my pace. I gave them written instructions of what supplies to give me at each aid station, and even tips for how to motivate me if I hit a rough patch. It certainly isn’t necessary to have a crew this large. For the aid stations where more than two people on my crew were there to help, only one or two helped me directly to keep things efficient. If we had planned better, having more crew would have them to work on shifts, so that fewer people had to crew all night. Having Joel and Dwayne, experienced ultrarunners, on my crew made a big difference. They were able to draw on their own experience to anticipate my needs and

to remind my mom not to tell me my position in the pack during the first half of the race. The other half of my team, Shawn and my parents brought lots of enthusiasm and an ability to decipher my mood and well-being from just a glimpse or a brief exchange because they knew me so well. My crew, and especially Joel pacing me through the nighttime portion of the race, made me run smarter, faster and with higher morale. In the end, they helped me to finish the race and finish with a faster time than I’d dared hope. A few months later, I toed the starting line of Across the Years with Shawn and my parents on the sidelines to cheer me on and provide support. I was running for 24 hours on a roughly 1-mile loop, and I’d told my crew their job would be easy. My goal was to run for the full 24 hours with only brief walking breaks. We didn’t talk about what my crew

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CREWING TIPS AVOID THE GEAR-PLOSION

Stay organized. Keep things in order and you’ll be more efficient. When your runner comes through an aid station, things will get messy, but always take a moment before moving on to reorganize so you don’t lose track of anything. Encourage your runner to invest in drop bags that can make this easy, like Josie and the Rhino Bags - josieandtherhino.com

KEEP YOUR AID STATION SET UP CONSISTENT

When you lay out your runner’s supplies, keep it the same from aid station to aid station. Your runner will see the set-up once and then unknowingly expect to see the set-up the exact same way each time. It will save confusion for everyone. Lay out food options, clothing options, and medical options on a tarp or blanket. Seeing everything will help your runner remember things she or he needs.

KNOW YOUR RUNNER’S GOALS AND RACE PLAN It’s important to know what your runner wants out of the race. It will shape how you approach your crewing style. But also be as informed about your runner’s race plan as possible. Know what they want to eat from aid station to aid station. Know when they need a headlamp or if they will want a change of clothing or shoes. Before they leave the aid station, ask if there are any requests for the next one. If you don’t think you can fulfill the request, be honest and let them know.

UNLESS IT AFFECTS THE RUNNER’S RACE, DON’T LET YOUR RUNNER KNOW OF PROBLEMS Keep everything going on behind the scenes, behind the scenes. Your runner does not need to know you ran out of gas or had a flat tire or that you have a headache. It will only stress your runner out needlessly and there is nothing your runner can do about it. Keep them blissfully unaware until well after the race when it’s time to share battle stories.

BE SELF-SUFFICIENT

Read the race’s website and any race update emails your runner received! Print out driving directions and be aware of the race rules. Be as prepared for race day as you can. Do not rely on race volunteers for answers as they might only be there doing a specific job for a few hours. Do not rely on the race directors for answers, especially the day of the event, as they will be very busy.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF TOO

Crewing is a tough job and most likely will be more exhausting than you anticipated. You need to stay on top of your own game to help stay on top of your runner’s. Make sure you eat good food and take rest whenever you can find it. Pack meals and snacks. Bring camping chairs, changes and layers of clothing, blankets and pillows.

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should do if that goal was no longer possible. I started the race with gastrointestinal issues, and by 14 hours into the race it had become clear that I wouldn’t hit my goal. I hadn’t prepared my crew for this scenario, so when I got cold, tired and demoralized, they weren’t sure quite what to do. Should they force me back out on the course? Should they tell me to walk a few laps? Should they let me quit? In the end we decided to quit. I have since regretted that decision, but I only have myself (and maybe the restaurant where I ate the night before the race) to blame. I didn’t give my crew directions for what to do if I was having a horrible race or even a disappointing race. I took that lesson to heart for my most recent race. Joel agreed to crew and pace me at the Black Hills 100. Since he had crewed me once before, we opted for discussing logistics and strategy over beer instead of more formal written race plan. We had a common understanding that my goal was to finish the race, and that he would switch from aid station crew to pacer if I needed and motivation in the latter miles of the race. Our pre-planning set me up to succeed. The result? I got to take home a trophy, and Joel got a 20-piece chicken nugget meal which, he tells me, is one of the less altruistic reasons he gives his time and energy to helping fellow runners achieve their race goals.

HELP THEM TO HELP YOU If you’re fortunate enough to have friends and family meet you at aid stations and/or

pace you during a long race, there are a few things you can do to get the most from the experience.

KNOW THE RACE RULES AND SHARE THEM WITH YOUR CREW Always check first to confirm that a race permits support crews. If there are certain aid stations where crew are not allowed, you need to ensure your crew knows this. Most races that allow pacers have a rule that your pacer may not carry any of your gear for you. It is common for races to have policies that violation of these rules will result in a runner being disqualified.

FACTOR YOUR CREW INTO YOUR RACE LOGISTICS Ideally, it’s all about you during the race. Before and after, though, you’ll need to book accommodations, print driving directions for the aid stations, and take care of other details. For the Superior 100, I provided my crew with chairs, snacks, American money and a folder of relevant information about the race and the local area.

BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR GOALS Your goals can change how your crew works with you. If your only goal is to finish the race, there may not be any urgency for you to leave the aid station within five minutes of arriving. If, on the other hand, you have a time goal or you’re racing for the win, you may want pre-filled water bottles and updates on your progress at every aid station.

When Mallory told her crew she was thinking of dropping at Across the Years, they told her that if she quit before midnight, they’d take her to the Grand Canyon the next day. It was hard to stay motivated to stay in the race, but a good way to distract from a disappointing run.

BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR CHALLENGES Do you struggle running in the heat? Do you slow down and get dispirited running in the early hours of the morning before the sun rises? Are you nervous about the big climbs? If you share these details with your crew, they’ll know when their encouragement and support is most needed.

DISCUSS WHAT MOTIVATES YOU Your goals and challenges will help your crew know how to keep you motivated, but being specific about what words or types of encouragement can help them know what to say to you. Do you need tough love? Or do you prefer gentle words of encouragement to push you along? Do you want them to keep you laser focused or is it more helpful for them to

keep things light or provide distractions? Those insights will help them when they need to pull you out of a low.

BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPECTATIONS Let them know what exactly you need them to do for you and when. For example, if you know you’ll need your headlamp at mile 50, tell your crew they’ll need to be there and have it handy by the time you arrive. Also let your crew know if they’re expected to be at every aid station where crew is permitted, or if they are expected to give you advance notice before skipping an aid station to look after themselves instead.

don’t always go according to plan. Tell them how they can help you improvise, if the need arises. If you provide your crew with estimates of when you’ll get to the next aid station, remind them they shouldn’t assume something terrible has happened if you fall behind your “schedule.”

HAVE CONTINGENCY PLANS

Want more tips on how to use support crew and pacers during a race? Check out Hal Koerner’s Field Guide to Ultrarunning. He has expert suggestions on how to select your crew and pacers. Just remember to consider any advice you receive (from any runner, myself included) against your own needs and experience.

If you are allowed to have drop bags, taking advantage of this option will allow you to take care of yourself in the event your crew gets lost between aid stations or you run a leg faster than they expected. /\/

REMIND THEM IT’S AN ULTRA

Mallory Richard is The North Face Trail Running Canada Trail Ambassador for Manitoba.

Make sure your crew understands what it means to run this far and that things

Photo credits: PG. 20, 21(right), 23 Mallory Richard PG. 21(left) Randy Ericksen

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IRON HEART by Devin Featherstone Bragg Creek, Alberta is a quaint hamlet located 44km West of Calgary. It’s located at the foot of the rocky mountains, and is a piece of paradise known to those who enjoy hiking, mountain biking, trail running and adventure junkies looking to experience the great outdoors. Many people venturing to Alberta for the first time have their eyes set on places like Canmore and Banff; breathtakingly beautiful in their own right. Bragg Creek offers a more down to earth, homegrown, holistic feel.

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It’s not surprising when you stop to have a coffee in the quaint community centre that you start recognizing some of the locals who have resided on the farms and acreages surrounding for if not their entire life, a nearly close amount. Bragg Creek is not only known for it’s coffee shop the Cinnamon Spoon, or the local General Store. It’s also the home of one of Alberta’s most inspiring races: Iron Legs, a race owned and operated by passionate people who continually give back to their local community.

Jamie Nott is the creator of Iron Legs. In 2006, Jamie had pondered the idea of creating a race. In 2009 when his wife gave him the notorious kick in the pants, along with his passion for trail running that led him to create one of Alberta’s best trail races. Iron Legs 50 miler was designed to challenge experienced runners, and entice those who have never participated in ultra running to sign up. Racers have an opportunity to test their skills on the mostly single track race, and take in the views of the

majestic rockies as they embark on their journey. After speaking with Jamie it’s obvious how important the people who participate in his race are to him. Every time something changes, be it the terrain or location, Jamie focuses on his volunteers and his racers. The initial course for Iron Legs was mostly a single track loop, around Moose Mountain: it offered amazing views when going over Powderface Saddle and then the racers would

have stunning views when they got up onto Jumpingpound Ridge. In June of 2013 Alberta was devastated by rising waters. In a 24 hour period between June 19th and June 20th, 98mm of rain fell. An incredible amount of damage was done to the trails that people know and love. Iron Legs was scheduled to take place a mere two months from when the floods struck. Due to the damage done in the area, Jamie had to make the choice of moving the race to parts of BC or cancel it all together. He decided to choose the latter, not wanting to add increased distance for his racers or volunteers, worrying that the further travel time would be too taxing on them. Although the 2013 race was cancelled, Jamie and his wife decided to create and

Not only is this race known for being wellflagged with incredible volunteers, it’s also a race that shows the true Canadian colours of generosity and a love for community. organize a trail building day in which they had the support of 30 people. Although they didn’t have an opportunity to see anyone cross the finish line, they did get to see the creation of a new bridge, as well as a rebuild of a few hundred meters of trail. That year Iron Legs donated a substantial amount of money to the Greater Bragg Creek Trail Association, which is run by volunteers dedicated to designing trails and pathways of Bragg Creek. Each race year Iron Legs donates money to a different organization.

Upon review of the original racing track the following year, it was decided that the original location was no longer a viable option for the race. Jamie spent countless hours deciding where to relocate Iron Legs. The new location offers additional elevation, but still holds the breath taking views that were originally sought after. Because of the additional elevation gain, Jamie decided to add an alternate race option so as not to intimidate first time racers. Racers now have the opportunity to choose either the original 50 miler, or a

60km distance. As always there is an opportunity for people to participate in either a two or three person relay. Not only is this race known for being well-flagged with incredible volunteers, it’s also a race that shows the true Canadian colours of generosity and a love for community. /\/ This year Iron Legs was held on August 16th. The author, Devin Featherstone was second overall. For more information on Iron Legs check out ironlegs.ca

Devin Featherstone is The North Face Trail Running Canada Trail Ambassador for Alberta.

CANADIAN FASTEST KNOWN TIMES Newfoundland-based runner, Caroline McIlroy set a new fastest known time (FKT) on the East Coast Trail on June 28th. She ran the entire beastly 215 km trail in an incredible 34:40, besting the previous record by a mere 37 minutes. McIlroy attempted to break the record in 2014, but succumbed to fatigue partway through, needing to be carried off the trail. This year, she increased her motivation by raising money for charity and she reportedly focused on pace and fueling to keep up her energy and had a great team of support helping her complete the rugged trail. Coincidentally, the previous East Coast Trail record holder, Gary Robbins set his own FKT on July 1st. The Newfoundland native now British Columbia transplant chose to celebrate Canada Day by making a supported attempt on the Wonderland Trail, a 145 km trail with 6700 meters of climbing which circumnavigates Mount Rainier in Washington State. The previous record of 20:53 was held by Kyle Skaggs for nine years and was considered by most to be untouchable. Robbins managed to drop all but one pacer during his attempt and successfully brought down the record by just over two hours to 18:52. Photo credit: Kimberly Teshima-Newberry

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TRAINING

FINDING IN THE SLOW RUN by Elaine Fung My first year of trail running was a mishmash of runs that yielded many fun days on the trails; however, they left me woefully unprepared for my first 50k ultra, the beast known as the 2013 Squamish 50 (SQ50). In preparation for the SQ50 the following year, I thought I would give myself a fighting chance and approach my training with a little more, well, training. What was a girl to do but strap on the old heart rate monitor and slow down the pace from slow to glacial. A lot of runners are quick to tell you how slow they are. I

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do it all the time, but when I learned that the appropriate pace for the bulk of my training was akin to a brisk walk, it redefined the meaning of slow. I was demoralized. It seemed counterintuitive. But since I was still in my running infancy, I had nothing to lose and I would trust the science and follow my prescribed training plan to a tee. WHAT MAKES SLOW RUNNING SO BENEFICIAL? According to Dave Cressman, the owner of the specialty running store in Vancouver, BC, Distance Runwear, who is also an experienced coach and endurance competitor

himself, the benefits of going slow are many, but most important to runners is the strength gained by spending more time on your legs than you would if you were to run faster. By running slowly you also teach your body to burn the fat that most of us have plenty of and reserve the carbs and sugars for faster runs. Cressmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most often shared piece of advice is, "Run your slow runs slower and your fast runs faster." Slow running is the catalyst for many positive physiological adaptations in your body. It develops capillaries, myoglobin and

mitochondria content in your muscles that are crucial to delivering oxygen and converting energy for your cells. Your heart and lungs become stronger and deliver oxygen more efficiently to your system. Slow running also helps prevent overtraining and injury by putting less stress on your musculoskeletal system which can lead to quicker recovery times. After a hard workout like a speed session or hill repeats, microtears form in our muscle tissue. Running at an easy pace on your following run helps deliver the necessary

oxygen and nutrients to repair these micro-tears and, in turn, build you into a stronger runner. Despite learning all the wonderful ways my body would benefit, it was a painful act, this slow running. Utterly frustrating. Because of my commitment to the training, I exiled myself from my trail running group. Not only could I not bare to inflict this ridiculous pace upon my friends, but any attempts at a group run left my heart rate tick-tick-ticking upwards and my watch beep-beepbeeping at me to slow down. So for the meantime, I would remain a recluse.

One evening a couple weeks into my training, I made the conscious decision to shut down the commentary in my head. I would no longer berate myself with thoughts of how stupid this was or how ridiculous I must look and doubting whether I could even do this. That was when it all came together. I emptied my mind of thought and opened my senses to the world around me. I found that if I listened to what was not going on inside my head, but settled into the rhythm of my footfalls and breath, I felt at peace. I let my preconceived notions of what running should be fall away and just

enjoyed the act of moving my body through wilderness space. It was freeing. Now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to realize that when I first started my heart rate training, my mindset was backwards. I expected that by building my aerobic base, I would improve my ability and be able to enjoy trail running more because I would be more fit. I made the mistake of putting enjoyment at the end of the equation. I wanted heart rate training to make me a better and stronger runner and it did in all the ways that was expected - my second SQ50 was nearly an hour faster.

What I didn't foresee was that it would show me why I love trail running. It forced me to get out of my head. By learning to put the joy of running first, it didn't matter that I was running slow, but that I was just running. /\/ Elaine Fung is The North Face Trail Running Canada Trail Ambassador for British Columbia. Photo credits: PG. 26-27 Linda Wong

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TRAIL RUNNING WOMB by Linda Barton-Robbins As I write this, my stomach looks like I’ve swallowed a beach ball and I’m quickly approaching my due date. I have continued to run or hike throughout my pregnancy. I’ve raced two 25k trail races, one of which four pregnant ladies lined up at the start line and the two of us that were the farthest along at seven months, were the two to finish. Baby Robbins has his own Ultrasignup page. All this time, my uterus has stayed in place. Exercise during pregnancy is no longer the taboo it once was and we pregnant women are no longer relegated to simple yoga stretches and brisk walks, although those are lovely options. You’ll still find an abundance of long, cautionary articles stating how dangerous exercise is to you and your baby. One article advised me not to lift more than 10 pounds. My pregnancy app told me after I’d hit my sixth month that I needed to avoid bouncing and “herky jerky dancing.” But medical science is now telling us that much of what we’re told is old news and that if you were active before you were pregnant, chances are you can remain pretty much as active as ever. It is always important to discuss your activities with your doctors and follow their recommendations.

sooner. By keeping those muscles active, they don’t lose as much strength or speed as they would sitting on the couch, so bodies and fitness levels bounce back more quickly.

Active moms tend to have shorter, easier labors and they will be less likely to require surgical interventions. What else do you need? But to continue, fit moms recover faster and get back to regular activity and pre-pregnancy weight

It can also help regulate weight gain. On average, fit moms gained seven pounds less than moms who didn’t exercise and were less likely to get gestational diabetes. Pregnant women should, of course, gain weight. The recommendation is

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Exercising moms find their energy stays closer to normal, along with their state of mind. Going from active to inactive can cause changes in the levels of serotonin in your brain, leading to depression and a lack of energy. Activity can help stave off pregnancy nausea. During my first trimester, while I didn’t have morning sickness, I had an overall aversion to food and what I did eat was plain and bland. When I was able to run, I found that my appetite increased and I was able to eat a more diverse and nutritious diet.

25-35 pounds, depending on pre-pregnancy weight or 3-5 pounds during the first trimester and about a pound every week after that. There is variance in what women will gain, but it’s never good to gain too much (what too much is can be determined between you and your doctor). We aren’t eating for two; it’s more like 1.05. Baby is tiny and only needs a little bit of calories of which he will suck all the nutrients he needs right out. It’s recommended that women increase their intake by 250-300 calories per day. For those who exercise, you can add 200-300 calories per hour of exercise, depending on intensity, but even that isn’t very much. Exercise itself will help regulate your appetite and help you continue to make other healthy choices. Exercising benefits baby too. Babies born to fit moms are usually a healthier birth weight. They are leaner while their organs and head circumferences are still normal sizes. This follows them throughout their lifetimes as it leads to a lower incidence of obesity. And because mom’s cardiovascular system is still pumping and working hard, it sets baby up to have a life with a stronger heart as well. Newborns of active mothers also had higher brain activity which may lead to smarter kids. Every body and pregnancy is different, however. While Michelle Yates was able to

win a 50k at 9 weeks and a 100k at 4 months, I was napping a lot more during my first trimester. Running or walking did boost my energy, but not enough to crank out an ultra. Baby creating is a lot of work and so my mileage greatly dropped and I often chose to sleep in or take a nap over pushing myself to slog through a run. Generally, the second trimester is the golden trimester for most women. Energy levels come back and it’s easier to get back to doing the things we love to do. My running increased to close to normal mileage. What’s important is to not compare yourself to someone else who is doing something other than you. You often have no control over what your body will do during this wild process. I’ve known active moms who had the worst morning sickness and those who felt strong enough to power through 50ks. Every woman should do what makes them feel comfortable and healthy and not let what other women are doing influence their choices. The pregnant body goes through so many changes, some expected, some just plain weird. The one I didn’t expect? Super sensitive gums. But we can all expect to get bigger and that can certainly have an impact on your joints. Luckily for us trail runners, it’s often recommended that runners switch to softer surfaces. Check! Yet that growing tummy can also affect your

balance and center of gravity and while that belly grows, ligaments stretch resulting in what’s called round ligament pain. Taking a little extra caution isn’t a bad idea. We also have an appropriately named hormone called relaxin that courses through our bodies. Relaxin is meant to help joints loosen so the body can make room for baby, so it’s not surprising that hips might feel loose or painful. Relaxin also indiscriminately relaxes everything else, including sphincters, causing more heartburn and, I’m sorry to say, the need to pass gas, and every single other joint in the body. Wobbly joints can make for some clumsy days, so again, it’s good to stay cautious. Relaxin also relaxes the joints in the feet causing them to grow a half or full size. Most women find this during the third trimester when they are at their heaviest or discover it the first time they go shoe shopping after giving birth. I’ve read that feet might bounce back, but I’ve yet to meet a woman who can confirm this. It’s probably best to hold off on investing in an expensive pair of trail runners until post-partum. Breasts grow and become incredibly sore. I found the pain was the worst during the first trimester. Before we’d announced our pregnancy, I was hugged by a friend wearing a running pack with his water bottles on the front, which hit me right in the chest. I yelped and tears sprung to my eyes, greatly confusing my poor friend who didn’t know what had happened. There’s not much one can do about the pain other than

trying to secure your breasts as much as possible to alleviate bouncing. Investing in high quality sports bras or wearing more than one is almost a must. As your breasts continue to grow, you may need to go up in size more than once. That growing baby is making room for himself by unceremoniously shoving all of the organs aside. Intestines will be pushed back and the stomach up and squeezed to a smaller size slowing down digestion and increasing heartburn. The bladder will not only be flattened, it will potentially become baby’s favorite resting spot. I pee a lot and running doesn’t help the

in the 30 years since then, there have not been any studies done to conclusively back that number up and the American Congress of Ob/Gyns have long since abandoned that number. Instead, moms should rely on their perceived rate of exertion and simply do what still feels good. Long gone are the days of not lifting anything. Weight training is now considered a wonderful thing to do, including working your abdominals. Having strong muscles and a strong core will again help during labor and recovery and with the balance growing pregnant women need as they get bigger. However, exercises

Every woman should do what makes them feel comfortable and healthy and not let what other women are doing influence their choices. frequency one bit. I try to choose routes that either have easy access or plenty of hiding spots. The lungs also get squished, making it difficult for some to breathe well. Eventually and luckily, baby will drop later in the third trimester, so lungs can be fully filled with air again.

done flat on the back should be avoided. There is a large vein called the vena cava that pumps blood right into the lower body that can be cut off by the expanding belly and uterus and cut off blood flow. Circulation is a good thing, so skip the bench presses for now.

It’s important to know that some of the recommendations that are floating around out there are no longer true. Three out of four doctors still tell their patients that while pregnant, they should not let their heart rates go above 140, which turns out to be an arbitrary number. This was recommended in 1985 and

While you never want to overheat, regardless of whether you are pregnant, pregnant bodies tend to regulate temperature better. As the pregnant body’s metabolic rate increase, the body’s temperature decreases resulting in an overall lower base temperature. Getting hot and sweaty is a great thing to do

and active moms can worry less than was previously thought. Again, do what feels good. Hot yoga is still not recommended. Being out of breath is not usually harmful either. There are many reasons why it’s harder to breathe during pregnancy. I’ve already mentioned the squished lungs, but it’s also due to increases in the hormone progesterone which affects the lungs and the respiratory center of the brain. Likewise, there is a big increase in blood volume which is a result in moms’ hearts pumping harder than ever while also making the lungs work harder than before. While the old adage states, “if you feel it, baby feels it,” it’s okay to be a little out of breath because baby probably doesn’t really feel it. Running and hiking will very likely make anyone breathe harder, but the pregnant body will always make sure that baby gets the oxygen needed. As long as mom is still breathing, baby will be just fine. The pregnant body is a baby protecting power house! Running will not bother baby one bit, but rather rock him or her right to sleep. Baby is essentially encased in a water bed that supplies oxygen, hydration and nutrients. It’s the perfect place for baby to be and by exercising and continuing to run, the active mama is making it even better and keeping herself healthier at the same time. Be sure to talk to your doctor or midwife first, but most likely, you’ll get out there and train for two! /\/

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ASK THE COACH I’ve seen footage and photos of elites hiking up big climbs with their hands on their knees. Are they pushing off their knees or just resting their hands because they’re tired? Does this help them hike faster and would it be good for me to train this way? This is a great question, but really part of a broader discussion on running vs. power hiking and then it leads to a completely new question of hiking poles vs. no hiking poles. First things first, I think of the difference between running and power hiking as similar to the

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difference between gears in your car. On a flat trail, running is highly efficient, meaning that for your energy output, your speed is high. As the angle of the trail kicks up, eventually you reach the point where the energy expenditure to maintain a run is too great. At this point, you must switch to power hiking (downshift) to reduce energy expenditure. Well trained power hikers can hike steep uphills just as fast or faster but with much less effort than other athletes attempting to run the same slope. There are three key

with Eric Carter Photo by Elaine Fung

things to remember when power hiking: As soon as you recognize that the trails is getting steep and your running economy is suffering, immediately switch to power hiking. Don’t rev the engine too far into the red by attempting to run. Make sure you are keeping a quick cadence with a small stride length. Some runners are tempted into taking slow and long steps when they switch to power hiking. Taking long strides stresses your quads and calves inordinately. Instead,

use the big muscles, your glutes to push off as you take short strides. When the slope angle eases back to a runnable grade, don’t hesitate to switch back to running to keep your momentum. Now that we have covered running vs. power hiking, we can get on to the original question. When terrain becomes steep enough to require a power hike, it is natural to bend at the waist to keep your centre of gravity forward (it keeps you from falling backwards downhill). While bending

The next question is poles vs. no poles. Race photos from European vertical kilometer events are rife with athletes grinding up steep inclines with lightweight ski or running poles. Most athletes find power hiking with poles more efficient than knees on hands. It allows you to utilize your arm muscles even more as well as stand slightly straighter, allowing for improved breathing.

you anticipate lots of fast running with a little bit of power-hiking, use hands on knees and leave the poles behind. Poles are, however, helpful when footing is poor. If you anticipate lots of slow moving sections where you may be forced to walk (boulder fields, creek crossings, etc.), a pair of poles may be useful. Poles make things difficult when you need your hands on the terrain. If you will be scrambling rather than just hands on knees, consider going without poles or poles that can pack away easily. Finally, the most important factor is how comfortable you are with poles. Athletes with a nordic or backcountry ski background are more likely to use poles than athletes without those hundreds or thousands of hours strapped in. If you’re considering using poles for an upcoming race, be sure to train with them for an ample amount of time. The most important thing to remember is to choose a style that is the most efficient and comfortable for you. /\/

Dirt covered ankles, the smell of hot pine, and that feeling of the first dunk in a cool lake; this is summer on the trails. Most of us are finally approaching the start line that has slowly come in to view over months of focus. The mountains give us a window of access into their wild views before the season’s end begins our retreat from the summits. This full on summer edition of the TRC playlist is inspired by the earthy and gritty pursuits of play out on the trails.

TRAIL PLAYLIST

over is necessary, it also puts great strain on the muscles of your lower back. By pushing with your hands on your thighs, you first reduce this strain on your back, but also reduce the muscular demands on your legs by transferring power from your arms. Because ultra runners typically experience tired legs before their arms become tired, it is preferable to utilize arm muscles when the terrain is steep enough to power-hike, but not steep enough to use your hands for actual climbing. While it might not necessarily make one faster, it is an efficient way to power hike and something you could consider incorporating into your training when you hit those steep inclines.

1 “Forest” - Castlecomer 2 “Run” - Delta Rae 3 “Home We’ll Go” - Walk Off the Earth 4 “Orphaned” - K.S. Rhoads 5 “As We Ran” - The National Parks 6 “I Keep Ticking On” - The Harmaleighs 7 “Wishingbone” - Winter People 8 “Demon” - Kandle 9 “Gone” - The Show Ponies 10 “Half Crazy” - The Barr Brothers

Several factors dictate whether poles may be appropriate. Running fast with poles is not ideal. If

11 “The River’s Rise” - Nobel 12 “Hide” - Little May 13 “The Fire” - Seryn Eric Carter is a trail runner and trail running coach based in BC with Ridgeline Athletics. He’s currently working on his Ph.D. in kinesiology at University of British Columbia. You can email him your questions: coach@trailrunner.ca

14 “Home” - Johnnyswim 15 “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” The Wind and The Wave 16 “When the Stars Come Out” The Hawk In Paris Josh Barringer rocks it out on the trails around Vancouver, BC. He is Trail Running Canada’s Advertising Liaison.

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REVIEWS by Kelly Anne Wald

ARC’TERYX: LYRA SHORT Welcome to summer in Canada! It’s sunny, hot and can be very humid. The lightweight Lyra short is designed for these warm days. PROS: There are so many things about these shorts that work well. They’re true to sizing, so if you live in an area where it’s hard to get Arc’teryx goodies, you can order online with confidence. They have a built-in brief, a wide stretch elastic waistband and drawcord, all great for later in an ultra if your stomach starts to fuss. It`s also nice to see colour options other than black, like violet. But one of the best features is the loose fit combined with a high split on the sides. There is complete freedom of movement and breathability, yet they don’t have that revealing retro look of high cut shorts. CONS: There is a pocket for a key or gel, however it’s

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INOV-8: RACE ULTRA 270 an open pocket which isn`t trustworthy. A zipper on this pocket would be good. With all Arc’teryx gear the quality is very high, however, at $60, they are pricy. OUR TAKE: You could forget you’re wearing these shorts. They work seamlessly with no chafing and no restriction of movement and are super light. VALUE: 7/10 COMFORT: 10/10 FEATURES: 9/10 DURABILITY: 10/10 WEIGHT: 9/10

Inov-8’s new lighter version of the Race Ultra, weight 270g / 9oz, 4mm drop with a standard fit. Meta-Shank III is a multi finger design that aligns with each individual metatarsal plus, a MetaFlex groove in the forefoot of the outsole that provides a natural flex point. PROS: Good for all terrain running distances where you’ll be traversing everything from hard packed dirt or gravel trails, to muddy wet or snowy peaks in one race. The standard fit by Inov-8 is designed with a wide toe box, perfect for toe splay if you’re a forefoot runner or have a wide foot. They drain and dry well after stream crossings and are breathable for cooler feet. The low to the ground ride provides that one-with-thetrail feel and stability. And it comes in fun bright colours. CONS: Even though the outsole has fairly aggressive

lugs, they’re not deep lugs for soft trails. With the standard fit, you get a wide fit overall, so I had trouble getting a secure fit in the heel having a more narrow foot even when using all the lace eyelets. I also went up a half size with the rounded toe box. OUR TAKE: Designed for long distance running over trails and mountains, these offer cushioning and comfort. They hold up well for high mileage training. They come with some unique features such as the on-the-shoe clip gaiter system to work with the race ultra gaiter and an arrow marking on the outsole heel to highlight the shoe’s drop. This is a great shoe for ultra running. inov-8.com VALUE: 8/10 COMFORT: 9/10 RESPONSIVENESS: 9/10 DURABILITY: 8/10 WEIGHT: 8/10

NIKE: TERRA KIGER 2 Weight 204g/7.2oz for a women’s size 8, 4mm drop. Zoom Air units in the forefoot and heel. Flymesh construction on the upper is lightweight and breathable. PROS: This is a responsive race shoe that feels minimal, yet offers a fair amount of cushion. Right away I loved the comfortable upper that wraps the foot in a seamless sock like feel. With the tongue integrated into the side of the upper, it immediately felt snug and secure. Along with the great fit, I also really liked the Flymesh upper, which was true to keeping my feet cool and dry. The fit is neutral with plenty of toe splay. The outsole was surprisingly more grippy than it first appeared; it held up well in most conditions. CONS: The toe box is shallow. While there is plenty of toe splay room, I felt as if the tops of my toes

BROOKS: PUREGRIT 3 were strangely close too or hugged by the upper. It didn’t seem to cause any issues on my runs, but this would be the first time I’ve felt this in a shoe. They`re slightly stiff and it took a couple runs to break them in. The sticky inner outsole wore down quicker than anticipated. OUR TAKE: Great shoe for 50k or 80k events. For me it feels more of a race day shoe. I did find it wore down fast with added training on a daily basis. They`re very responsive with a nice snug fit and cushioning. They come in creative bright colours and patterns and have an aggressive outsole for all terrain minus deep mud. nike.com VALUE: 8/10 COMFORT: 9/10 RESPONSIVENESS: 10/10 DURABILITY: 8/10 WEIGHT: 8/10

Brooks PureGrit 3 is a completely new design with Hex lugs, a propulsion plate for responsiveness, BioMoGo DNA midsole for cushioning, a rounded heel for better joint alignment and a Nav-band that wraps your foot for security. Ideal for medium to high arches, normal pronation, midsole drop 4mm, weight 8.1oz. PROS: This is a durable shoe designed to last 400-500 kilometers, offering lots of protection with a toe guard and Ballistic Rock Shield. There are three Omega Flex grooves in the outsole creating flexibility with almost no need to break these in. The shoe bends at all the right spots with great cushioning and a nice wide toe box. The Nav-Band is an interesting feature and could be a win or lose. It works well for me where I normally find I have troubles with getting

a snug fit. However, I could also see how this could be inhibiting for some. CONS: The Hex lugs wear down fast and if the conditions are right, they can hold on to and gather dirt in the lugs making them less grippy. The Nav-band in combination with a unique shape to the lace system seems odd in that you can tighten the laces tighter than the Nav-band. OUR TAKE: Big positive changes in this new version compared to the PureGrit 2. Love the look and feel of this shoe with its bright appealing colours and a comfortable fit with the wide toe box and cushioning. brooksrunning.ca VALUE: 9/10 COMFORT: 10/10 RESPONSIVENESS: 10/10 DURABILITY: 10/10 WEIGHT: 9/10

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by Keith Iskiw

ARC’TERYX: MOTUS SLEEVELESS

JULBO: VENTURI SUNGLASSES

For warm weather running and high intensity training, lightweight moisture wicking with Phasic SL provides SPF 25+ sun protection.

Trail running with sunglasses can often be problematic. When the fit is wrong they slip and slide on your face causing a distraction or they are too dark for the changing light conditions and then become one other piece of kit you have to stow during your run.

PROS: This is the lightest weight version of the Arc’teryx next to skin fabric designed for warmer temperatures. It has flatlock seam construction and reflective blades on the back for visibility at night, but you almost wouldn’t know it by looking at its unique design. Good coverage for your running bra and my favourite feature is the scalloped hemline at the hip for ease of movement. CONS: Even though this piece is designed to fit close to the body for moisture wicking, it seemed short for a fitted medium if you have a longer torso. OUR TAKE: Perfect summer running piece. It would also make a great first layer when

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it gets cooler with its moisture wicking abilities. /\/ arcteryx.com VALUE: 7/10 COMFORT: 10/10 FEATURES: 9/10 DURABILITY: 9/10 WEIGHT: 10/10

Kelly Anne Wald is an ultra runner in Barrie, Ontario.

While testing the new Julbo Venturi, I thought a lot about these problems and I couldn’t be happier with the Venturi’s performance. PROS: First, let’s talk about fit. Julbo provides the user with a dialed overall fit. The curved, grippy arms hold the glasses snug to the head and the nosepiece adjusts for a personalized fit that can change for comfort. Second, the lenses change with the light, like a pair of transition lenses. This helps so you’re not hampered with stowing the glasses whenever tree cover keeps

the sun at bay. It was also nice to have the extra eye protection, which I discovered when a tree branch decided to give my face a high five! CONS: The lenses do provide a lot of coverage, meaning they are large, so if you have a small head these glasses will be somewhat too big. At $130 these might be out of reach for some athletes. OUR TAKE: Overall the glasses have and continue to exceed my expectations of what trail running sunglasses should be. Given the lightweight construction, fit and versatility, these could be the only sunglasses you ever need. julbo-canada.ca VALUE: 8/10 COMFORT: 10/10 DURABILITY: 9/10 WEIGHT: 9/10

BOOK REVIEW: ATHLETIC MOM-TO-BE: TRAINING YOUR WAY INTO PREGNANCY AND MOTHERHOOD // WRITTEN BY

JENNIFER FARAONE AND DR. CAROL ANN WEIS

by Linda Barton-Robbins

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR: GHOST LITE JACKET This is a super lightweight (3 oz) hooded training jacket for when you want the peace of mind of knowing you have something to protect you from the elements without the bulk. PROS: Seriously lightweight. While testing the Ghost Lite, it was easy to forget it was on. I liked that the jacket had a hood for the really bad weather conditions and enjoyed the fact that when the weather turned nice again I could just pack it away within itself and stash it. Honestly at 3 oz., you can’t find a lighter jacket that performs as well as this right now. CONS: Some people (not me mind you!) would like to see one without a hood. The fabric itself is maybe a bit too shiny and I found that, like a lot of wind shells, the fabric is makes a lot of noise.

OUR TAKE: The fact that this is the lightest shell I have ever tested makes this a winner. I could stow this jacket in my pocket and hardly notice it, but still know it was there just in case. Keeping with the idea of fast and light, it would be ideal for those who call the mountains their training ground. At $110 CAD, it is comparable to other jackets in its class, but none can currently match the featherweight nature of this piece of kit. /\/ mountainhardwear.ca VALUE: 9/10 COMFORT: 9/10 FEATURES: 8/10 DURABILITY: 8/10 WEIGHT: 10/10

Keith Iskiw is Trail Running Canada’s gear guru.

A quick Internet search will help you find all kinds of information on pregnancy and exercise. But much of it is conflicting or wildly out of date. As a momto-be, I grew disheartened that it was so difficult to find articles that seemed relevant to me and my abilities. Now, athletic moms-to-be need search no more. Jennifer Faraone, a mom based in Ontario who is a runner and triathlon competitor teamed up with Dr. Carol Ann Weis to help cull through all the information out there and give clear guidelines for fit moms everywhere. It’s incredibly comprehensive with information from a vast number of studies and experts and anecdotes from over 40 athletes. The book covers everything about fitness and pregnancy beginning with getting the body ready for fertility and pregnancy itself. It continues by providing guidelines with the scientific explanations behind them for what pregnant women can do. Furthermore, it guides mothers through post-partum recovery and fitness during nursing. Everything is evidence based, thoroughly researched and presented in an easy to follow manner. Aside from the factual aspects, one section I particularly appreciated focused on how every woman is different and every pregnancy is different. Stories are shared from many different athletes, some who continued to train, some who cut back a great deal, and some who opted to use pregnancy as a long break from hard workouts. Each story is meant to help the reader decide what is best for her and her baby and show that no two women will feel exactly the same way and that’s okay. I only wish this book was published before I became pregnant, but I will definitely be using it after my baby is born to guide me through a successful recovery to get me back to my pre-pregnancy fitness. Athletic Mom-To-Be is a book every athletic woman who is pregnant, or even thinking about pregnancy should add to her diaper bag. /\/

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