The Longest Stride
By André Morgan and Jonathan Greenwald
The Longest StrideOct 15, 2020
55. Ben Preisner on His Journey to The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
Ben Preisner joined the cross country team in Grade 9 as a way to stay fit while playing hockey. As he progressed through High School, his relationship with running took an unexpected turn. Ben, still relatively new to the sport, represented Canada for the first time as a junior, placing 11th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 16th in the 2,000-meter steeplechase at the IAAF World Junior/Youth Track and Field Championships. The following year, he won the 2,000-meter steeplechase and placed 3rd in the 3,000-meter run at the OFSAA Track and Field Championships.
Ben would go on to compete at the collegiate level for the University of Tulsa where he had success in various distances both indoors and out. In his senior year, Ben represented Canada at the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships held in Aarhus, Denmark. After graduating with a degree in chemical engineering, Ben started to think about the next chapter of his life and didn’t see himself competing post-collegiate in the distances he ran at Tulsa. That’s when Ben discovered there was a half marathon taking place in Vancouver and, one month after graduating from university, he broke the tape at the 2019 Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon. Five months later, he broke the tape at the 2019 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon.
Looking to build on his success in road running, Ben set his sights on the marathon distance and the Canadian Olympic Standard. When his goal race, the 2020 London Marathon, was pushed back from April to October, he reached out to the organizers of The Marathon Project and pleaded his case to join the list of 50 men and 50 women invited to the exclusive event. Ben would ultimately better the Canadian Olympic Standard time in the marathon distance and, seven months later, Ben Preisner would once again represent Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
To learn more about Ben, you can follow him on Instagram at: @ben.preisner
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54. ManDem Cycling Club on Building Community One Pedal Stroke at a Time
At the height of the pandemic and increasing racial tensions in the United States, Chris McGarrell found himself in a dark place. With gyms and basketball courts closed, Chris would return from work, curl up on his couch, and immerse himself in the social injustices in the world playing out on social media. It was then that two events would change his life. As restrictions were lifting, Chris noticed one of his friends would cycle to the basketball courts. Around the same time, Chris bumped into another friend who was noticeably fit after he discovered cycling. Chris knew what he had to do.
Chris made a pledge with a friend to purchase a bike to navigate the pandemic and started to share his experience as a cyclist on social media. The former captain of his High School football team pulled together a few friends to form a different kind of team and that’s how ManDem Cycling Club was formed. In this episode, we discuss the commonalities between the running and cycling community and Chris shares the secret to the club’s success or what he calls, the “sauce.” ManDem Cycling Club has been rapidly growing under Chris’ leadership and what started out as a pledge between two friends is now a prospering community with a strong foundation built on respect, community, and altruism.
To learn more about Chris, you can follow him on Instagram at: @116morningside
To learn more about ManDem Cycling Club, you can follow them at: @mandemcc
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53. GoldFinger Track Club on Driving Change Through Running
Jerry Francois always had a sense he could run fast but the schools he attended growing up in Brooklyn didn’t have access to a track nor the funding for a cross country team. By the time Jerry entered High School, he started to get in trouble. In his junior year, Jerry lost his mother and struggled to cope with the loss; realizing he needed something to ground him, he turned to running in his senior year and attended his first track meet at the Armory in Manhattan. Running made Jerry feel normal again.
Fast forward to 2016 when Jerry and a few friends were invited to a track meet. When asked for a team name, Jerry made up a name on the spot, drawing inspiration from his streetwear brand, GoldFinger. The team won their heat and the GoldFinger Track Club was born.
Together with Co-Captains Gemma Kitchen and Thomas Laurado, Jerry shares the journey of GoldFinger Track Club and the work they are doing to bring change to the community. In 2020, GoldFinger Track Club started organizing solidarity runs for the Black Live Matter movement, which included hashtags like Black Miles Matter and the now popular BLK Mile. GoldFinger Track Club’s activism and support of Black owned small businesses is well documented and their approach to introducing running and a sense of community to athletes of all walks of life is truly driving change through the sport.
To learn more about GoldFinger Track Club, you can follow them on Instagram at: @gftcnyc
To learn more about Jerry, you can follow him on Instagram at: @kingparkergold2001
To learn more about Gemma, you can follow her on Instagram at: @gemma.kitchen
To learn more about Thomas, you can follow him on Instagram at: @lllllaurado
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52. Fuel Simply with Endurance Tap
In 2014, two friends came together to solve a problem in the sports nutrition market. Matt Smith and Patrick Stark, both passionate about sports and nutrition, recognized the market lacked real natural fuelling options that not only tasted great, but contained real food; that’s when Endurance Tap was born. To start, Matt and Pat didn’t have to look any further than Canada’s number one export, maple syrup, and after months of experimenting with different ingredients, settled on just two more simple ingredients; ginger and sea salt. The combination of these three simple ingredients not only resulted in an all natural source of fuel for endurance athletes, they’re easy to consume, are easy on the stomach, and ensure athletes avoid sugar spikes.
In this episode, we’ll learn more about the genesis of Endurance Tap and all the great work Matt and Pat, together with the Global Endurance Tap Changemakers like Gary Robbins, Kim McMullen, Jacob Puzey, and others are doing to combine their passion for endurance sports with their personal passion for organizations that better the planet and their communities.
To learn more about Endurance Tap, you can follow them on Instagram at: @endurance_tap
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51. Jay Crews on Fitness Photography and Social Media
"I’m very happy that I personally work in an industry of photo that’s all about movement, because I think that movement is something that iPhones haven’t really got to yet. You have burst mode on your phone, stuff like that, but actually really capturing a strong photo of a very quick movement is something phones really haven’t mastered yet.” - Jay Crews
There’s no question platforms like Instagram and Facebook have transformed how we create and share content and how brands leverage content in marketing and advertising. In this episode, we chat with Jay Crews, a commercial photographer who works with brands like Lululemon, Saucony Canada, and Bauer Hockey to name a few. We discuss her decision to pursue a career as a photographer and how her active lifestyle led to her becoming one of the most sought after photographers for active brands! Jay also shares her thoughts on how smartphones have disrupted the commercial photography space and how it impacts how brands approach content creation.
To learn more about Jay, you can follow her on Instagram at: @jaycrewsphotography
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50. Latoya Shauntay Snell on Body Politics in Athletics
“I got to a place where I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired. I’m looking at all these people curate their lives on social media and their everyday lives. It started off as a thought. It started off like a blank canvas and that’s what I looked at myself as.” - Latoya Shauntay Snell
Throughout life, Latoya Shauntay Snell had to overcome adversity. Growing up in Brooklyn during the crack epidemic, Latoya watched as her dad struggled with drug addiction. While the experience made life difficult for Latoya and her family, it exposed her to the many facets of human life. Latoya’s dad was also a huge inspiration and exposed her to various creative outlets like arts and music. These forms of expression would become the foundation for Latoya’s calling as an advocate for body positivity and inclusivity as a multi-sport athlete.
Latoya also had to overcome physical adversity; in 2013, Latoya graduated culinary school and, just as she was starting her career, she was diagnosed with disc degeneration and sciatica. The diagnosis kickstarted Latoya’s weight-loss journey and she lost 100-pounds in the first year. While Latoya received positive feedback on her transformation, she was not expecting the negative comments from people who accused her of abusing drugs and being “too skinny” The experience sparked Latoya to advocate for body positivity and exposed the phrase “body politics” where marketing tends to showcase just one dimension of a person’s physical appearance, race, or physical disability. Latoya’s advocacy work would take on a life of its own four years later when she when a spectator heckled her about her weight in the 2017 NYC Marathon. Latoya wrote about the experience in her blog and soon after was invited to be interviewed by Redbook Magazine. Latoya’s online presence exploded when The Root, a well-known African American-oriented online magazine, picked-up her story and invited her to become a contributing writer. Latoya now uses her platform to educate others on body positivity, body politics, and several other causes.
We’re so grateful for the opportunity to chat with Latoya and it’s clear in this episode how captivated we were by her storytelling and positive outlook on life!
To learn more about Latoya, you can follow her on Instagram at: @iamlshauntay
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49. Eddie Lee and April Cockshutt on The Healing Power of Zen & Tonic
April Cockshutt and Eddie Lee met at Sir Wilfrid Laurier University while April was pursuing a degree in International Business and Marketing and Eddie was pursuing a degree in Kinesiology. When April started to experience digestive issues and wasn’t seeing any improvements in her health following the advice of Western medicine, Eddie introduced her to someone in his family who practiced traditional Chinese medicine; April quickly started to feel better and that’s when she realized her true calling. At first April was working part-time practicing herbal medicine, but Eddie convinced her to pursue her passion and leave the corporate world and Zen and Tonic was born.
By combining Eddie’s practice of both western and eastern modalities and April’s practice as a clinical herbalist and Certified Nutritional Practitioner (CNP), the two have found the perfect blend to to guide their clients toward health and provide their clients with the tools and education needed to heal their underlying issues in order to lead a life full of energy, vitality and positivity for year to come.
We are a running podcast, so we also discuss the success both April and Eddie have seen in multiple sports and how their clinic helps runners stay healthy and perform at their best!
To learn more about April, you can follow her on Instagram at: @acockshutt
To learn more about Eddie, you can follow him on Instagram at: @djdijon
To learn more about Zen & Tonic, you can follow them on Instagram at: @zenandtonicwellness
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48. Jacky Hunt-Broersma: Cancer Survivor, Amputee, Ultramarathoner
“That’s part of the reason why I do a lot of these hard races is to show well, you know what, you can do anything that you put your heart and your mind to. You can do it. You can achieve it and you don’t have to be held back by a disability.” - Jacky Hunt-Broersma
At 26, Jacky Hunt-Broersma discovered a sensitive spot on her leg which doctors initially thought was scar tissue from a prior surgery; however, when Jacky woke up one morning to discover a lump on her leg, her doctor quickly scheduled a biopsy. Two days later, Jacky received the news she had Ewing Sarcoma and while she was mentally preparing for her battle with cancer, a specialist shared the news she was not prepared for; it was recommended that Jacky have her leg amputated due to the location of the tumor.
Jacky credits her stubbornness for what would happen next. Jacky not only had to learn to walk with a prosthetic, she quickly decided she wanted to run and that set her off on a mission to research the different options available to amputee runners. Once Jacky started running, she couldn’t stop and her journey has been truly inspiring. Last April, Jacky ran 100 miles in 23 hours and 38 minutes on a treadmill and became the first amputee to accomplish this incredible feat. When she’s not running incredibly long distances on a treadmill, she’s crushing ultramarathons in the trails and this coming October, Jacky will be attempting the Moab 240; a 240 mile race in Moab, Utah.
When Jacky isn’t running, she’s helping other amputee athletes prove they not only don’t have to be held back by a disability, they can run even further than they have before.
To learn more about Jacky, you can follow her on Instagram at: @ncrunnerjacky
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47. Filsan Abdiaman on Exploring Matters of The Heart Through Running
“My relationship with running shifted. It was around the time I started doing ultra racing and trail running when it actually really switched for me. I would run to just work on me and my relationship with my mind and my relationship with my body and find a better way to love myself even more.” - Filsan Abdiaman
Filsan Abdiaman’s love for running came at a time of self discovery. In 2014, Filsan traveled from Canada to her hometown in Kenya following a breakup and, in the process, discovered she was struggling with depression, eating disorders, and anxiety attacks. Upon returning to Canada to get her life on track, Filsan started to focus on her health and mental wellness. Initially she was introduced to running as a way to lose weight and escape her mental health issues, but Filsan quickly realized the true transformative power of running. After much recovery and healing, as well as seeking help from professionals, Filsan discovered new skills and tools to cope with her mental health and her relationship with running shifted to time spent focusing on self love.
In 2016, Filsan started Project Love Run; a safe space where self-identifying womxn could meet others, move their body in an inclusive environment, and talk about matters of the heart. With chapters in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Toronto, and Montreal, Project Love Run has grown into a community that advocates for and advances mental and physical health for all womxn.
Filsan, André and Jonathan met when we first started discovering run crews in Toronto and it was truly wonderful reconnecting with this incredibly inspiring athlete and advocate for mental health.
To learn more about Filsan, you can follow her on Instagram at: @runnersinstinct
To learn more about Project Love Run, you can follow them at: @projectloverun
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46. April and Melanie Boultbee on Ultrarunning and the Indigenous Running Community
April and Melanie Boultbee are twin, Indigenous runners who have been blazing a trail in the running community for more than 25 years. Early on, April and Melanie had great success running cross country in school and continued to have success later in life, even after taking a break in High School to party. After dominating the roads, both April and Melanie transitioned to trail running where they continued to have success. In 2016, April finished first overall in That Dam Hill 24 hour race by running 204.25km in the alloted time.
When April and Melanie are not racing, they're both very active in the running community. They’re ambassadors for Fast and Female, Endurance Tap, and INKnBURN and they raise awareness for women’s health, mental health, and the indigenous running community. In June, April and Melanie teamed up with Native Women Running to set a goal to run 215 miles in the month to honor the 215 Indigenous children who were discovered buried at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in Kamloops, BC.
We’re grateful to April and Melanie for speaking with us about this difficult subject and we hope you feel as inspired as we do after listening to this episode.
To learn more about April, you can follow her on Instagram at: @aprilboultbee
To learn more about Melanie, you can follow her on Instagram at: @melboultbee
To learn more about ON Canada Project, you can follow them on Instagram at: @oncanadaproject
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45. Lindsay Scott on Building Better Runners
“The fun part about running is every experience, every race, every training run is an opportunity to learn something. Put that into your back pocket and try to tease out what works best for you. It’s kind of this endless curiosity of how do we just fine tune just a little bit more.” - Lindsay Scott
After University, Lindsay Scott moved to Nepal, where she would spend the next eight months teaching life skills through sport play, leadership, and goal setting. The trip was also an opportunity for Lindsay to connect with the sport of running while discovering the community at the same time. The experience of running on her own terms gave Lindsay the luxury to fall in love with the sport without the pressure of competing.
When Lindsay moved back to Toronto to pursue her Master of Science Degree in Physical Therapy, running became a means to commute from home to school. Eventually Lindsay would connect with the Toronto running community as a Lululemon ambassador where she would introduce people to the joy of running. In 2016, Lindsay started working at the Runner’s Academy, a health and wellness clinic dedicated to helping anyone who enjoys, or wants to enjoy, running. As a Registered Physiotherapist, Lindsay strives to get to the root of runners’ issues and aims to get them back in action, stronger than ever; she also enjoys helping clients achieve their personal goals through a balance of education, manual therapy, personalized exercise prescription, acupuncture, health promotion, and injury prevention.
Lindsay is not only a student of the sport, she’s helping others recognize their true potential by teaching them how to be better runners and it’s not just runners she is coaching and mentoring; she also runs mastermind and mentorship programs to bring together a collective of like-minded clinicians and coaches who want to excel in supporting runners!
To learn more about Lindsay, you can follow her on Instagram at: @lindsayscottphysio
To learn more about the The Runner’s Academy, you can follow them on Instagram at: @therunnersacademy
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44. Baring it all with the Toronto Wolfpack Run Club
Wolves are social animals and occasionally a lone wolf will break off from a pack to join another pack or form their own. Unlike wolves, Jon Suckling and Paul Brioux didn’t stray from their original pack; they just formed another one within it.
Blacktoe Running is a local running store in Toronto owned and operated by Mike and Maya Anderson. Not only do they sell the latest and greatest products, they also do a lot of great work in the running community; giving back to the athletes who make this amazing community. Back Toe Running also offers a run club with a coached program suitable for both beginners and experienced runners. This is where Jon and Paul met; the two were grouped together with other runners who ran similar paces and soon discovered they had similar interests. Very quickly, the pack would expand with the addition of Kyle Stolys, Dan Baggaley, and Alex Desroches. The group of friends wanted to connect with the running community in different ways, while continuing to run with the Black toe Run Club, so they established the Toronto Wolfpack Run Club.
In their relatively short existence, the Wolfpack is leaving their mark (pun intended) in the running community through their hilarious instagram account, their dominating results in virtual races, and time trials and, just like wolves, this group of friends show how collaboration, sharing knowledge, and their special bond can bring out the best in themselves and each other.
To learn more about Jon, you can follow her on Instagram at: @jon.suckling
To learn more about Paul, you can follow her on Instagram at: @mrpaulbrioux
To learn more about Wolfpack Run Club, you can follow her on Instagram at: @wolfpackto
To learn more about BlackToe Run Club, you can visit their site at: https://www.blacktoerunning.com/products/blacktoe-run-club
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43. Get to Know the High Park Rogue Runners
This week on the pod, we’re chatting with Dr. Meghan Hughes and Danielle O’Hanley, two members of The High Park Rogue Runners Executive Team. Both Meghan and Danielle found themselves at the High Park Running Room for different reasons, but ultimately they would meet Colin Murray-Lawson, a coach at that location. When Meghan qualified for the Boston Marathon, she wanted to find a group of runners who could train with her, so Colin and Meghan created the High Park Rogue Runners.
Today, the High Park Rogue Runners have over 60 runners on custom plans and countless others who drop-in on a weekly basis (pre-pandemic, of course!). Their unique approach to training is the secret to their success. In lieu of coaching fees, the executive team asks their runners to support the community through volunteerism, gifts in kind, gear donations, and monetary donations. It’s a concept they coined the “energy exchange” and the outcome is an inclusive space where runners exhibit the values and standards modelled by the executive team.
To learn more about Meghan, you can follow her on Instagram at: @meghug17
To learn more about Danielle, you can follow her on Instagram at: @dohanley
To learn more about High Park Rogue Runners, you can follow them on Instagram at: @roguerunners
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42. Krista DuChene on Setting the Canadian 50K Record
“I’ve traveled all over the world to race in big events and sometimes it comes down to those simple things that motivate you and push you to be your best and create those memories and how I can be that to my daughter and other girls. Those things excite me and motivate me.” - Krista DuChene
Krista DuChene is one of Canada’s most decorated marathon runners with an impressive list of accomplishments that started back in 2010 when she first became the National Marathon Champion. In 2012, Krista and teammate Lanni Marchant both ran faster than the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Olympic standard in Rotterdam; however, neither athlete met the Canadian standard. While both athletes appealed, the decision to not send them to the 2012 Olympics in London was upheld. The experience fueled Krista to return to Rotterdam three years later where she improved her time and punched her ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Two years later, Krista conquered a gruelling Boston Marathon with wind, rain and cold temperatures to place 3rd overall and 1st masters. After the race, many blog posts discussed how Krista was the most prepared for the elements that day. We ask Krista about preparing for the race and how patience and perseverance led her to the podium.
Last, but not least, we discuss the decision for Krista to attempt the Canadian 50K record and her approach to fueling, heat training (spoiler alert: it was HOT that day!) and what it was like to share the experience with her daughter. Krista also shares how her coach, and previous podcast guest, Reid Coolseat was instrumental in preparing her for the record attempt.
To learn more about Krista, you can follow her on Instagram at: @kristaduchene
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41. Canada Race Organizers on Porta-Potties, Virtual Races, and The Future of Racing
As the World starts to return to normal ways of living, we’re also starting to see the return of live racing in cities like Boston, New York, and elsewhere. So what does this mean for Canada? We invited two of the top race organizers in Canada to share their thoughts on everything from porta-potties to motivating runners in a virtual race format. We’ll also discuss what’s required to pivot from virtual racing to in-person racing; it’s harder than we thought!
As the Event Director for Canada Running Series, Charlotte Brooks is responsible for organizing and managing events in Montreal, Edmonton and Toronto. Perhaps the most well known race is the IAAF Gold Label Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
Cory Freedman is the CEO/Founder of MAX VO2 Event Management Inc.
and the Toronto Women’s Run Series. Cory is the Race Director for many races in Toronto, including the Sporting Life 10k.
We can’t wait to see our listeners and friends in Canada and the rest of the World in person at the start line of our favourite races and when that day comes, let’s remember all the hard work race organizers and volunteers are doing to make your race day special!
To learn more about Canada Running Series, you can follow them on Instagram at: @runcrs
You can also find them at: https://canadarunningseries.com/
To learn more about Max VO2 Management Inc., you can find them at: http://www.maxvo2inc.com/
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40. Celebrating 25 Years of The Toronto Pride & Remembrance Run
"It's not just a race, it's a party. Yes we're taking it serious, yes we're running fast, yes we're trying to win, but you can't help but party; you can't help but dance." - Gabriel Jarquin
In June, LGBTQ2S+ communities around the world come together to celebrate love, diversity and acceptance. The month of June was chosen to commemorate the riots held by members of the community against a police raid that took place at the Stonewall Inn in New York City on June 28, 1969.
In addition to the parades, parties, and concerts, various cities around the world organize a Pride Run. Twenty Five years ago, Alan Belaiche started the Pride & Remembrance Run in Toronto to honour his friend who died of AIDS the year prior.
In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Brohman, President of the Pride and Remembrance Association, and Gabriel Jarquin, Experience Director who provide a behind-the-scenes look at the Pride and Remembrance Foundation, the run, and what the event means to the community and the beneficiaries of every dollar received through the foundation’s fundraising efforts.
To learn more about the Pride & Remembrance Run, you can follow them on Instagram at: @priderunto
You can also find them at: https://www.priderun.org/
To learn more about Chris, you can follow him on Instagram at: @chrisbrohman
To learn more about the Gabriel, you can follow him on Instagram at: @gabrieljarquin
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39. Aristotle Domingo on Losing His Legs to Reclaim His Life
“I’ve already been living 15 years in this pain. How do I want to live the rest of my life? If I was given a second chance 15 years ago, what else can I do now? I was willing to try anything, so I said, ‘I think I want the leg gone.’" - Aristotle Domingo
In 2001, Aristotle Domingo’s mom discovered him unconscious in the hallway in their home and he was rushed to the hospital where he lay in a coma, on life support, for the next three months due to sepsis. Aristotle would beat the odds and survive, but that was not the end of his fight. For the next 15 years, Aristotle endured physical, mental, and emotional pain from multiple surgeries to his feet; a result of complications from his bout with sepsis.
Aristotle desperately wanted his life to change from surviving to thriving and that’s when he decided to proceed with a below the knee amputation to his left leg. Aristotle immediately started to rediscover all the activities that brought him joy in his past which, for starters, meant simply standing or walking his dog without pain. Aristotle even registered for a 5K run while in the hospital, recovering from the surgery!
Two years later, Aristotle experienced issues with his right leg and discovered he had an infection in the bone due to an untreated fracture or break in the leg. Aristotle wasted no time electing to amputate his right leg as well.
Aristotle is now an advocate and ambassador for the limb loss community and shares his story, and the stories of other limb loss athletes on his podcast, The AmpuTO Show. In 2017, Aristotle founded the Amputee Coalition of Toronto, a peer support group for other amputees and, three years later, he won the ParaSport Ontario 2020 Ambassador of the Year Award.
Aristotle is proving losing his limbs hasn’t disabled him; instead, it enabled him to live his very best life!
To learn more about Aristotle Domingo, you can follow him on Instagram at: @amput_o
You can also connect with him through his website at: http://aristotledomingo.com/
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38. Rach McBride on Non-Binary Athlete Inclusion in Sports
"Generations are growing up with a completely different identity of gender and understanding that you don't have to fit in these boxes. It's a fluid, self expression, wonderful, everyone accepted, kind of thing and that it is about being curious about each other which I think is so powerful." - Rach McBride
Rach McBride (they/them) is a three-time Ironman 70.3 champion, course record holder, and one of the strongest cyclists on the world circuit; very impressive for someone who got their start at the sport “later in life!” TRS Radio dubbed Rach "the most interesting [person] in triathlon" and we agree!
We chatted with Rach about their triathlon journey, how they became known as the “Purple Tiger,” and the importance of inclusivity of non-binary athletes in sports. Rach is the first professional triathlete to come out as gender non-binary and is advocating for changes in how race directors in all sports enact changes in registration, washrooms, and prize money. Rach also shares the importance of the proper use of pronouns and offers advice to non-binary athletes and others who are struggling with their identity.
At one point, Rach recalls a race in Philadelphia who not only took the initiative to update the registration process, they also created a prize category for non-binary athletes. For more information, please check out https://www.philadelphiadistancerun.com/.
To learn more about Rach McBride, you can follow them on Instagram at: @rachelmcb
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37. Rally Beer. The better (for you) beer
After a nice, long run, or really any run for that matter, many runners like to reward themselves with a well deserved donut or their favorite post-run drink. While some may head for the beer fridge, there really aren’t enough electrolytes in their favorite pint to help their body recover. In July 2020, three friends came together to solve that issue by launching a functional beer that is also rich in electrolytes.
We know our listeners will recognize the name Rally beer, so we’ve invited the co-founders, Alan Wood, Spencer Sgro, and Michael Mavian to share their experience launching the brand. Rally was founded with an adventurous spirit and a firm belief in being better by doing better; a mission that is not only seen in their products, but also in the work they do to promote health, community, and minimizing the impact on the environment.
To learn more about Rally Beer, you can follow them on Instagram at: @rallybeerco
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36. Bernard Abarquez on running a marathon a week for 42 weeks at 42 years old
“When there were no races I said, OK, I’m still going to run my 42, but who knows how long this pandemic is going to be, when races will come back online, so how can I extend this running calendar, and so that’s when I came up with the project 42.” - Bernard Abarquez
When Bernard Abarquez turned 40, he celebrated by mapping out a 40 kilometre route that resulted in gps art representing 1979, the year he was born. A year later, he did it again, although this time the route was 41 kilometres. For his 42nd birthday, Bernard wanted to do something special to commemorate the number 42, the marathon distance in kilometres. When his plan was put on hold due to the pandemic, Bernard didn’t let that stop him; instead, it inspired him to think bolder. This past February, on his 42nd birthday, Bernard kicked-off Project 42.42.42 with the goal of running a marathon (42.2 kilometres) each week for 42 weeks!
In this episode, Bernard shares his approach to the four key elements of his project (recovery, hydration, performance, and fuelling), where he draws inspiration, and how brands and the community are helping him achieve his goal!
To learn more about Bernard Abarquez, you can follow him on Instagram at: @everydayfit.bernard
You can also follow along on his journey at: @Project 42.42.42
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35. Aire Libre. Discover the World Through Running
“Their answer was, ‘yes you can do this because we see this as a sacrifice that you guys are going to take on and that’s going to bring good to our land and our people.’” - Mauricio Díaz
The literal translation of the words libre and aire from Spanish to English are free and air; however, together they form aire libre or outdoors. For Mauricio Díaz, running started as a journey to push himself further and faster, but he soon discovered the trails and running became a medium of spirituality, healing, and connection to the outdoors. In University, Mauricio participated in an international program where he spent a year in Germany, the United States, and Southeast Asia. The experience changed Mauricio and upon his return home to Mexico City, he started rediscovering his hometown through running.
When Mauricio’s friend Manuel invited him to run with him from the city to the coast of Mexico, the two friends discovered an opportunity to change the route and instead run through the Mexican State of Sonora; home to the Seri people. The 90-kilometre trip sparked the idea for Aire Libre Running. Together with their friend, Daniel, Mauricio and Manuel curate travel experiences for runners and hikers of all levels for the purpose of immersing them in the culture where they combine running and storytelling for a truly transformative experience.
To learn more about Aire Libre Running, you can follow them on Instagram at: @airelibre.run
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34. Sté Hetherington on Coaching, Superheroes, and Guinness World Records
“It’s not super fun, going to practice, hammering out repeats, doing long runs. It’s fulfilling, we all know that and when you’re younger you get attracted to it because not a lot of people have those abilities.” - Sté Hetherington
This week we’re joined by Sté Hetherington, who discovered he was an outstanding runner while playing rep soccer in his teens and joined the Etobicoke Track and Field Club in Grade 9, running middle distance. Sté continued running through High School, earning a scholarship to Columbia University in New York City.
After graduating University, Sté participated in the Brooks Marathon Project and then moved to Southern Alabama to pursue a passion in coaching at Troy University, an NCAA Division I school. Sté coached the men’s and women’s distance groups for several years before applying to become a head coach somewhere at another university. Sté thought he found his dream job, but after a series of unfortunate events, the job fell through and Sté found himself back in Toronto.
Just a few months later, one of Sté’s training friends from Alabama reached out to let him know he would be in Toronto four weeks later to participate in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Sté’s friend not only convinced him to participate in the race, he convinced him to pursue a Guiness World Record wearing a costume, the first time these records were introduced.
Sté shares his experience chasing not one, but two Guinness World Records and his approach to maintaining a successful coaching business. Sté’s journey was adventurous to say the least and we’re glad he shared it with us!
To learn more about Sté, you can follow him on Instagram at: @coachstedotcom
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33. Food Runners: Run, Refuel, Relax, Repeat
“We’re giving all these chefs a space to run and it’s a huge ask for someone who’s never run before. It’s a huge ask for someone who isn’t in that lifestyle, so early on we realized we need to give them creativity or a space to have creativity.” - Chuck Ortiz
In 2014, Chuck Ortiz wanted to highlight the mental and physical stress many chefs and other industry folks experience due to long hours, intense conditions, and demanding customers. Initially he considered sharing his thoughts in an article in Acquired Taste magazine where he is the editor-in-chief, but Chuck decided to approach it from another angle. Chuck pitched Nike his idea to bring together a few chefs for the purpose of encouraging physical activity in a stress-free environment. Chuck considered organizing these activities around basketball games, then quickly switched to running because the sport was more easily accessible and didn’t require specific skills.
Today, Food Runners is so much more than a run crew. They’re a support system for chefs and other industry folks as well as a community to share ideas ranging from recipes to race fuelling. Their impact can be seen in the events they organize and the programs designed to give back to the community. Several years ago, the crew started Project Refuel to explore the connection between running and recovery and who better to experiment with all the possibilities than the Food Runners?!
To learn more about Food Runners, you can follow them on Instagram at: @thefoodrunners_
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The Sprint 3. Celebrating Women With The Women Run Canada Podcast
March is Women’s History Month and on this episode of The Sprint, we’re celebrating the incredible women in running. To help us, we’re joined by Kirsten Parker, Host of the Women Run Canada podcast. Women Run Canada celebrates Canadian Women runners from all walks of life and the community they create within this fantastic sport. Kirsten has interviewed Olympians, Running Legends, Community Builders and more on her podcast and we ask her what she learned from speaking to her inspiring guests and what some of her favourite moments were.
Kirsten also shares her own journey as a runner as well as her thoughts on Women’s History Month.
To learn more about Women Run Canada, you can follow them on Instagram at: @womenruncanada
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32. Kat Stefankiewicz: Don't Believe in Regrets
“Opportunities, some of them, are once in a lifetime. I don’t believe in regret. I believe in taking yourself out of your body and then, watching from the outside, what should I do? That’s often how I tackle situations.” - Kat Stefankiewicz
Kat’s running journey started when she went through a challenging time ten years ago. At a time when Kat found herself competing for auditions as an on-air personality, running was her escape. Kat would eventually start her career with Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), joining the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak. After five seasons, Kat became the in-game and digital host of the Toronto Raptors.
The experience gave Kat a unique opportunity to run in different cities and we asked her which cities were her favorite to run through! Kat also shares her experience as an Adidas Women Ambassador with Adidas Canada and her passion for working with various charities.
We recorded this episode on International Women’s Day and, as a bonus, Kat opens up about her feelings about the day and what it means to her.
To learn more about Kat, you can follow her on Instagram at: @matterofkat
To learn more about The Longest Stride Podcast, find us here
Web: thelongeststride.com
Instagram: @thelongeststride
Facebook: @thelongeststride
Twitter: @longest_stride
31. Connor Emeny: Living an Intentional Life
“Focus on building your life resume and not your paper resume. Go after things that scare you, that are so big and audacious, that you put them on your piece of paper and you keep going back to them. Those are the things that are worth pursuing.” - Connor Emeny
Connor Emeny learned about the importance of encouraging and motivating others while playing ball hockey with his older brothers. In University, Connor and two friends tried out for the triathlon club to meet new people and it was that experience that prepared him for his biggest challenge. In 2016, Connor set a goal to complete his first Ironman after a teammate at university competed at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. Four years later, Connor achieved his goal when he became an Ironman in New Zealand; however, Connor wanted more. Connor is aiming to be the youngest person to complete an Ironman on 6 continents.
When Connor was informed the Taiwan Ironman would be postponed due to the pandemic, he decided to put his training to good use by completing the 4 x 4 x 48 challenge over New Years Eve in the Rocky Mountains; the challenge, made famous by American ultrarunner David Goggins, requires participants to run four miles every four hours for 48 hours and tests runners both physically and mentally.
For Connor’s next project, he decided to challenge his fellow Canadians with the introduction of Project 24. What started as a small idea for a few runners to run as far as they can in 24 hours, resulted in over $1,000 raised for charity and over 1,500 kilometres!
Connor experiences are a great example of living an intentional life!
To learn more about Connor, you can follow him on Instagram at: @connor.emeny
30. Reid Coolsaet: Float On
“Coaching's fun and it’s definitely a passion of mine and I’m looking forward to helping as many athletes as I can.” - Reid Coolsaet
In this episode, we’re honoured to chat with one of Canada’s fastest marathon runners and two-time Olympic Athlete, Reid Coolsaet. Reid’s accomplishments and dominance at many of the popular races in the GTA and on the world stage is well documented and what many might not realize is he was just as impressive at trail and road racing as he is riding a skateboard; recording a time of 3:49 in a skateboard mile.
We discuss Reid’s experience at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic games in both London and Rio respectively, his approach to training, why it’s important to respect those easy days on your training calendar, and his thoughts on sharing workouts on Strava.
When racing came to a screeching halt in 2020, Reid focused on expanding his coaching services. Reid splits his time between Coolsaet Go, his personal coaching service and Bayfront Endurance, a free weekly interval session he runs with fellow Olympians Anthony Romaniw and Krista DuChene.
To learn more about Reid, you can follow him on Instagram at: @reidcoolsaet
To learn more about Coolset Go, you can follow them on Instagram at: @coolseatgo
To learn more about Bayfront Endurance, you can follow them on Instagram at: @bayfrontendurance
To learn more about The Longest Stride Podcast, find us here
Web: thelongeststride.com
Instagram: @thelongeststride
Facebook: @thelongeststride
29. Chix Run The 6ix
“Our mission was really to give women of any age this approachable, social, supportive and non-competitive community that builds on their confidence and creates a belonging for anyone who wants to be a part of it.” - Kim Munro Roberts
In this episode, we chat with Amanda Richardson and Kim Munro Roberts, two of the four founders of Chix Run The 6ix. We discuss their personal running journeys and what inspired them to start a run club with both an awesome name and purpose. Chix Run the 6ix got its start when Amanda suggested to a few friends who enjoyed working out together at the park to go for a run. Eventually one run turned into several and when everyone realized how much fun they were having, they decided to share their experience with other women in the running community.
Fast forward just a few months and Chix Run the 6ix has created a vibrant community for women to build confidence and feel a sense of belonging. These extraordinary women aren’t just creating a space for women in the running community, they’re also giving back through their charity work in support of menstrual health of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and anyone experiencing a barrier to safe menstrual products.
To learn more about Amanda, you can follow her on Instagram at: @plantbasedmotherrunner
To learn more about Kim, you can follow her on Instagram at: @kim_runs_toronto
To learn more about Chix Run The 6ix, you can follow them on Instagram at: @chixrunthe6ix
To learn more about The Longest Stride Podcast, find us here
Web: thelongeststride.com
Instagram: @thelongeststride
Facebook: @thelongeststride
Twitter: @longest_stride
The Sprint 2. Celebrating Black Runners
In this episode of The Sprint past guests Olivia Levy and Melissa Doldron celebrate Black History Month by discussing past episodes and some of the great work happening in the running community to elevate the profile of Black Runners and ensuring running continues to be an inclusive space.
Below are some of the links to topics discussed by your hosts:
https://kickbackconnect.com/founders-note
https://www.oiselle.com/blogs/oiselle-blog/alison-mariella-desir-joins-oiselle
https://journal.tracksmith.com/no-man-left-behind
28. Fatma Ramadan: A Women's Run
“I saw the number of minority women that would show up, specifically Muslim women, and how much of a difference it made and how excited they were and I thought maybe it’s not really a temporary thing.” - Fatma Ramadan
Shortly after Fatma Ramadan relocated to Toronto to attend University, she experienced a heartbreaking event which resulted in her focusing on her health and wellbeing. Initially she started power walking, but over time she got comfortable with running on a treadmill. Fatma would do most of her running on the treadmill because as a hijabi woman, she felt ashamed to run through the streets of Toronto in her scarf.
Eventually Fatma would muster the courage to start running outdoors and that’s when she discovered the Nike Run Club. While she was nervous about running in a group, Fatma quickly realized just how welcoming and supportive the running community is. Fatma would finish her first marathon with the support of the club, but when the Nike Run Club closed its doors, Fatma wanted to recreate the sense of community she experienced and, in 2019, A Women’s Run was born.
In this episode, Fatma shares how her short term project turned into a movement for women in sport; specifically women of color and other hijabi runners and how the running community stepped up to bring her vision to life.
To learn more about A Women’s Run, you can follow them on Instagram at: @awomensrun
27. Mel Offner: Influence from Music to Motherhood
“I think we can all influence people and I think we can all hopefully share things. Even if that’s one person who reads an article that I write or something that I share that says ‘Hey Mel, that made me think about something differently’ or ‘Oh cool, I never heard of this athlete, or this mom, or this business,’ that’s awesome and I think we all have the power to do that.” - Mel Offner
From her early days working at a record label, writing for magazines, and touring with bands, music had a strong influence on Mel’s identity. Prior to the introduction of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, Mel used to shoot live photography for concerts and shared the content on newspapers and magazines.
While working at a TV network, Mel was looking for something to cope with her anxiety and turned to running. Mel would eventually get introduced to the running community through a friend who invited her to a Nike Run Club event and the experience inspired her to share her running and fitness journey on social media and create content for Canadian Running Magazine, Global News TV, and other outlets across Canada and the US. Mel would eventually move to Vancouver, start the Run Distrikt run club, and welcome her daughter Buffy into the world; inspiring Mel to keep creating content about her running journey, her passion for music, and motherhood.
To learn more about Mike, you can follow her on Instagram at: @melsays
26. Marcus Brown: The Power of Belief, Hard Work, and Representation
"You have doubts in your head and there’s times when you’re by yourself thinking how is this even possible and then you come through and you think actually when I believed in myself and when I trusted myself these things do happen." - Marcus Brown
Marcus Brown’s journey to break the 3-hour marathon mark is an accomplishment in itself considering he started his journey North of 4 hours; however, Marcus is so much more than the time on a clock. In this episode, we discuss Marcus’ running journey which includes becoming a World Marathon Major 6-Star finisher and the work he’s doing to raise awareness to social injustice by leveraging his social media presence to affect real change. The power of belief, hard work, and representation is a common theme throughout the episode.
To learn more about Marcus, you can follow him on Instagram at: @themarathonmarcus
The Sprint 1. Host Hot Seat: Q&A with Jonathan + Dre
We’re back! For our first episode of Season Two, we’re introducing a format called, “The Sprint.” The Sprint is a short distance episode (see what we did there?) where we cover various topics throughout Season Two. Don’t worry, we’ll still bring you the marathon full length interviews with inspiring runners as well!
For our first sprint, the hosts become the guests and past guest, Olivia Levy will be asking the tough questions. We'll share our experience starting a podcast and our future plans. We'll also answer questions from previous guests!
Feels good to be back!
André and Jonathan
25. Mike Krupica, Co-Founder Parkdale Roadrunners
As we close out our first season of the podcast, it’s only fitting we invite someone who, together with a few friends, was responsible for putting the Toronto running community on the map and kicking off the groundswell of running crews who make our running community one of the best in the world.
Mike Krupica is the co-founder of Parkdale Roadrunners and if you’re a runner in Toronto who has been following the run scene, you’ll know it was just ten years ago when the explosion of Toronto run crews took place. Longboat Runners were already on the scene since 1980 and you can even go back further than to 1954 when the Toronto Olympic Club got its start, but the likes of Parkdale Runners, Night Terrors, and Tribe (now Kardia Athletica) helped pave the way and inspired those who would follow afterwards.
Mike takes us back to the start, when a few friends would meet at The Mascot, a cafe located in the Parkdale neighborhood of Toronto. We’ll also discuss Parkdale Roadrunners’ purpose and how they managed to stick around for ten years. Mike pays homage to some of the great run crews in NYC and London and finally, discusses how the crew made the most of their ten year anniversary, with support from some really cool brands, despite the global pandemic.
To learn more about Mike, you can follow him on Instagram at: @mike_krupica
To learn more about Parkdale Roadrunners, you can follow them on Instagram at: @parkdaleroadrunners
24. Pedro Malvar
In this episode we chat with Pedro Malvar about his impact on the Toronto Running Community. We look back at Pedro’s introduction to athletics as a competitive curler and soccer player. When his curling team started to see some success, competing at the highest levels through High School and University. After graduating University, Pedro set his sights on the Toronto running scene.
Pedro’s first introduction to the run crew culture occurred when he started running with Bond Running, a now retired run crew. Pedro eventually channeled his competitive spirit and joined Unleashed Running, a run crew led by Coach Devon Liversidge that helps runners see their true potential and run their best race.
Community has always been Pedro’s greatest passion, whether he was leading runs for Lululemon or leading the community for Myodetox, a full-body treatment that improves the way people move and helps them live pain-free. There’s no question Pedro’s impact on the community is seen and felt and considering the current events impacting the world, it’s great to know people like Pedro are continuing their mission to build and cultivate the Toronto running community.
To learn more about Pedro, you can follow him on Instagram at: @peddywap
23. Lisa Sweetman
Ten years ago, Lisa Sweetman had an MRI following a year of ill health and no clear answers to explain why. It was then that doctors identified a tumor in Lisa’s pituitary gland. On December 6th, 2010 Lisa underwent brain surgery to remove the tumor in what Lisa describes as a difficult, eventful surgery. Lisa would then spend the next ten days in the hospital recovering.
Lisa considers her life after surgery as a bonus life and has lived the past ten years as if she was reborn. Lisa ran her first marathon in 2016, saying she would never run the distance again and shortly after traded her road shoes for trail shoes. In 2017, Lisa attended the screening of “Where Dreams Go to Die,” a film documenting Gary Robbin’s multiple attempts to complete the Barkley Marathons. It was then that Lisa decided she would attempt her first ultramarathon and what better race to do it than the Squamish 50, where Gary Robbins himself is the race director.
We’ll discuss Lisa’s decision to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of her surgery by running 100 kilometers through the streets of Toronto! We’ll also discuss logistics and what the experience meant to her. We hope you find Lisa’s story as incredibly inspiring as we do!
To learn more about Lisa, you can follow her on Instagram at: @thislisasweetman
22. John Harrison Pockler
Growing up in Germany, John Harrison Pockler’s introduction to running occurred at the age of 18 when his dad received an entry to the Berlin Marathon. John would end up participating in the race, finishing 13th in his age group! The experience made John realize how much he enjoyed running and running long and far was what gave him the greatest satisfaction. John would eventually make the switch from road to trail running where he competed as an ultramarathoner. His running resume includes the Ultra-Trail Cape Town 125 km and placing 1st at the Schinder-Trail Grauer Kopf 125 km.
5 years ago, John moved to Canada for work and set his sights on several great Canadian races including the Canadian Death Race 125 km in Alberta and the North Face Endurance Challenge - Ontario - 50K and Niagara Ultra 50 km in Ontario.
John set his sights on a big goal for 2020 and with races being canceled, he decided he wanted to create his own race. John heard about the Bruce Trail from friends in the trail running community, so after consulting Christian Flugel, a friend from Germany, the decision was made to attempt the Fastest Known Time running the 890-km Bruce Trail from end to end.
We’ll discuss everything from start to finish, including the approach he took to select a crew to support him, some of the challenges he faced, and why he chose to fundraise for The Bruce Trail Conservancy! We hope you’re as inspired as we were chatting with John!
To learn more about John, you can follow his on Instagram at: @jpultra
To learn more about John’s extraordinary accomplishment and support The Bruce Trail Conservancy, you can visit: http://brucetrailultra.com/
21. Heather Gardner
It’s hard to imagine just 10 years ago the Toronto Running Community barely existed except for the 1 or 2 run crews just appearing on the scene. At the time, Heather Gardner moved from Hamilton to Toronto and would occasionally run past the Lululemon Store on Queen Street, stopping from time to time to chat about running. Eventually, Heather was asked to become an ambassador and help build-up the community by leading group runs. Three years later, Heather’s time with Lululemon ended, but thanks to her entrepreneurial spirit, Tribe Fitness was born. Initially, Heather and the team offered over 500 free community fitness events, but she soon realized they needed a space where the community can come together, so Heather, and her husband Mark, opened a fitness studio on Lower Spadina Avenue. The studio offered yoga, spinning, and running groups (making Heather the first female leader of a Toronto run crew!).
In this episode Heather will share what the Toronto Running Community means to her as one of the founding leaders; she’ll also discuss the decision to rebrand the studio earlier this Summer in response to the global awakening connected to Black Lives Matters.
While the global pandemic may be a challenging time for fitness, Heather and Mark are finding new ways to invite the Toronto community to stay active while staying safe by sweating local.
To learn more about Heather, you can follow her on Instagram at: @catchingheather
To learn more about Kardia, you can follow him on Instagram at: @kardiaathletica
20. Galan Yousuf
Galan Yousuf’s first exposure to running came at an early age when his Elementary School basketball coach made the team run laps. In High School, Galan was invited to join the XC team and his coach would end up mentoring him; by grade 12, Galan realized he had what it took to compete.
Galan went on to attend the University of Toronto and, because he wasn’t recruited to join the XC and Track team, he was required to attend an open tryout. When he missed the required time, he was dejected, but not to be deterred. Galan joined Longboat Runners and the experience built confidence and strength as a runner. When he attempted the University of Toronto tryouts again, he made the team; it was a dream come true.
While at the University of Toronto, Galan’s friend asked if he would help coach grade 6 and 7 kids attending the University of Toronto Track & Field Junior Development Academy. The experience enriched Galan and he would eventually become a named coach for both the Middle Distance & Cross Country and High Performance Middle Distance programs.
In this episode, we’ll also cover Galan’s road race experience and his latest venture, String Track Club! STC is a way for Galan to give back to the community by providing athletes access to an affordable track club; Galan also created String it Back, a community outreach program where runners can attend free track sessions in exchange for new socks to be donated.
To learn more about Galan, you can follow him on Instagram at: @strringer
To learn more about String Track Club, you can follow them on Instagram at: @stringtrackclub
19. Run The Fifty
This week the host becomes the guest as we discuss Jonathan’s recent experience becoming an ultramarathoner when he ran the Happy Trails Racing The Beav 50K course in the Hilton Falls Conservation Area. When the race was canceled due to the global pandemic, Jonathan was determined to cover the distance, even if it meant doing it unsupported (or self-supported). We’ll cover everything from the decision to attempt the distance to the feeling of finishing and everything in between! Every race is an adventure for Jonathan and running 50-kilometers through technical trails was no exception!
We wouldn’t want Jonathan to do all the talking, so we invited Jenn Coleman to the podcast to keep him honest and share her experience that day. Jenn is no stranger to trail racing, having recently completed her first 100-miler, so if you’re new to trail running or wonder how trail runners fuel for an ultramarathon, we’ll cover it all in this episode.
To learn more about Jenn Coleman, you can follow her on Instagram at: @colemania
To learn more about Happy Trails Racing, you can follow them on Instagram at: @happytrailsracing
18. Ekua Cudjoe
Growing up the youngest of six children, Ekua Cudjoe watched her older siblings participate in various sports. As she got older, Ekua participated in almost every sport imaginable and, in High School, she competed in sprints and hurdles with the Junior Varsity Blues. Prior to graduating High School, Ekua stepped away from sports to focus on her education and upon entering her first year at UoT, she discovered she couldn’t compete on the track at a competitive level given her absence from training. Ekua really wanted to compete on the team, so her coach suggested she try throwing (both shot and weight) and eventually, she moved on to compete internationally in these events with great success.
When Ekua finished her varsity career, she turned to recreational running. Initially, Ekua was intimidated by the concept of running with a run crew, thinking she had to be fast or competitive to be welcomed. Ekua was also discouraged by the lack of Black Runners, specifically Black Women in run crews, so she created a space for them called Soleful Runs. The group encourages “movement from the mind to the sole” and offers varying options for runners of all abilities. Ekua encouraged new members to participate by either running, jogging, or walking!
Realizing early on how much the crew meant to the community, Ekua took it a step further by creating guided runs like Blackhurst Tuesdays and Scenic Saturday with the purpose of connecting with the Black Community and paying tribute to Canadian Black History.
To learn more about Ekua, you can follow him on Instagram at: @ekuacudjoe
To learn more about Pace & Mind, you can follow them on Instagram at: @solefulruns
17. Marco Li
When Marco Li noticed he was always one of the last runners to finish Elementary School XC races, he was so determined to improve, he started running everyday when school ended. Two years later, he won the TCDSB XC Boys race and the rest is history. Or so he thought.
Marco had some success in High School and eventually attended Queen’s University, making the travelling XC and track teams. While Marco’s times his first year at university were nothing to brag about, he was once again determined to improve. Over the Summer, Marco ran 25 kilometers every day and, when he returned to Queens as a sophomore, Marco was one of the top two runners on the team. Marco would ultimately suffer stress fractures in his shins, ending his running career.
More than 10 years would pass before Marco would return to sports, only this time, it was road cycling and cycle cross where he competed on the pro circuit for a period of time before he and his wife started a family; realizing he no longer had the time to compete, Marco started running again.
Marco’s return to running was a series of fortuitous circumstances. Initially, Marco ran as a teacher in the TDSB, while his students trained for XC races and eventually he would get introduced to Seanna Robinson, founder of the Lower East Siders run club in Toronto. From there, his journey would take him to MB Performance, Black Lungs, and eventually, to his latest training partner, Lyndsay Tessier.
Marco’s success as a runner is astonishing and his journey is a lesson in grit and determination.
To learn more about Marco, you can follow him on Instagram at: @_ocramli_
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16. Chad Holt: Saucony Associate Product Line Manager
If you’re a fan of Saucony shoes or simply like to stay informed on what’s happening in the industry, you’ll know the global running brand released their first carbon plated shoe, the Endorphin Pro, this Summer to rave reviews. Shortly after, they released the Endorphin Speed, and followed that up with the Endorphin Shift. Instead of your hosts trying to explain the difference between the three shoes, we’ve invited Saucony’s Product Line Manager, Chad Holt on the podcast to help us out! Chad shares the typical product life cycle of a running shoe and as well as the thought process for launching a series of shoes for the purpose of covering all aspects of training (easy, tempo, and racing). Chad also covers the process of testing shoes and gathering feedback (both good and bad) to influence future models.
We’ll also cover Saucony’s Run For Good campaign to spread goodness through the transformative power of running; a topic near and near to our hearts!
To learn more about Chad, you can follow him on Instagram at: @saucony.cholt
To learn more about Saucony, you can follow them on Instagram at: @Saucony and @SauconyCanada
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Twitter - @Longest_Stride
15. We Run North York
The We Run North York run crew may be relatively new to the Toronto community, having recently celebrated their one year anniversary, but you wouldn’t know it by the number of new runners joining their ranks and their presence on social media!
Joyce Law and Lisa Sun met when they both ran with another crew in 2017. When the leader of the run crew decided to move on. Joyce and another runner, Matthew Ma, took over are rebranded the crew as We Run North York.
In this episode, we discuss why the crew decided to plan destination brunch runs early on and why they continued the tradition a year later. The crew now has four executive team members, Joyce Law, Lisa Sun, Matthew Ma, and Chris Womg. Joyce and Lisa will also discuss how they attract new runners, give back to the Toronto running community, and keep runners safe during a pandemic.
If you’re a fan of madeleine pastries, you don’t want to miss this episode!
To learn more about We Run North York, you can follow them on Instagram at: @werunnorthyork
To learn more about Joyce Law, you can follow her on Instagram at: @joysofrunning
To learn more about Lisa Sun, you can follow her on Instagram at: @belovedrunner
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Twitter - @Longest_Stride
14. Rejean Chiasson
Growing up in a small fishing village in New Brunswick, Rejean’s first real exposure to running came when he joined the army, shortly after graduating high school. As a member of the infantry unit, Rejean ran several days a week and recalls being surprised by how easy it felt.
In 2004, nine days before he was to be deployed to Haiti, Rejean was attacked by a group of men and, as a result, wasn’t able to deploy due to his injuries. Rejean was invited to join a run club started by some of the soldiers at his home base and after noticing how well he ran, convinced him to take it more seriously.
In this episode, we’ll discuss how these events and Rejean’s struggles with drug and alcohol abuse paved the way to a short, but successful running career. Rejean will also share how several of his coaches and mentors motivated and inspired him to start his own run club, Pace & Mind.
Today, Pace & Mind has become a pillar in the Toronto running community and many of it’s athletes have experienced tremendous results in distances from the 5K to Marathon.
To learn more about Rejean, you can follow him on Instagram at: @coachrejean
To learn more about Pace & Mind, you can follow them on Instagram at: @paceandmind
Follow The Longest Stride:
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Twitter - @Longest_Stride
13. Phil Suzor-Morin
This week we chat with Phil Suzor-Morin. Back in 2003, Phil signed up for a half marathon and trained exclusively on a treadmill. After finishing the race, Phil felt unfulfilled and gave up on running; he would ultimately return to running years later, participating in 1-2 half marathon races a year. On Christmas Day 2015, Phil was watching a documentary on the Kona Triathlon World Championships and was inspired by the stories of athletes who overcame obstacles to compete; shortly after, Phil registered for the 2016 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
While Phil lost 50 lbs in the process of training for his first marathon, weight loss was not the primary reason he committed to the process; instead, Phil wanted to see how far he could push himself.
This brings us to one of his major accomplishments, his still active runstreak that hit the 365 day mark this past May! Phil got the idea after suffering an injury which set him back 3-4 months. Initially, Phil set a goal of running 7 days in a row. Phil then took advantage of run commuting home from work and eventually he was hooked.
Phil put “push himself” to the ultimate test when he decided to run both an 80 kilometre and 100 kilometer run through Toronto and parts of the GTA respectively. Without the ability to register for a race to cover these distances, Phil had to work out the logistics on his own. We’ll walk through the thought process, logistics, and challenges covering these distances.
Phil has no plans on stopping and hopes to add a 100-miler to his running resume whether there’s an official race or not!
You can follow Phil’s journey at: https://www.instagram.com/flywithphil/
Thanks for listening to this episode!
If you know someone who would make a great guest or you just want to share feedback, please email us at thelongeststride@gmail.com. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
To support the show, please rate and review this episode on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews help our show by making it easier to find in the iTunes rankings. The higher we climb, the easier it is to find us!
Thanks again!
André and Jonathan
12. Jamal Burger: Founder of Kickback Connect
This week we speak with Jamal Burger, Founder of Kickback Connect. We discuss Jamal’s vision for uplifting youth and how his love for sneakers turned into a youth-led organization whose impact is felt around the globe. Unlike traditional programs, the Kickback aims to empower underserved youth dreams to change their world.
Jamal’s passion for connecting people is not only visible in the name of his organization, it comes through in his messaging throughout the interview. We’ll also discuss how Jamal applied the same thinking to start Tier Zero, a toronto-based production company, with a group of friends who share the common passion of producing work at a premium.
There’s no question Jamal is a connector, but what also comes through in our conversation is his passion for empowering others to become leaders in the community; whether they’re youth in one of his many programs or business partners and friends.
Thanks for listening to this episode!
If you know someone who would make a great guest or you just want to share feedback, please email us at thelongeststride@gmail.com. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
To support the show, please rate and review this episode on Apple Podcast. Your ratings and reviews help our show by making it easier to find in the rankings. The higher we climb, the easier it is to find us!
André and Jonathan
11. Sasha Gollish
This week we chat with Sasha Gollish, one of Canada’s most decorated competitive runners. Sasha opens up about the impact her parents had on her childhood and ultimately her decision to quit her job to pursue a career as a professional runner.
At an early age, Sasha grew up on a healthy diet of sports, which included field hockey, cross country running, nordic skiing, downhill skiing, swimming, water polo, and track and field. By the time she entered the University of Toronto, Sasha fell out of love with running and ultimately applied to the University of Western to pursue a degree in Engineering. Thankfully, Sasha would return to the sport and hasn’t looked back!
We’ll also cover Sasha’s incredible running resume, which includes her dominating performance at the 2015 CIS Championships, her views on women in sports, and the truly inspiring work she’s doing in the community to uplift women.
As an added bonus, we’ll also hear from Harper, Sasha’s adorable rescue pup!
To learn more about Sasha, you can follow her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/sgollishruns/
To learn more about Fast and Female, you can follow them at https://www.instagram.com/fastandfemale/
Thanks for listening to this episode!
If you know someone who would make a great guest or you just want to share feedback, please email us at thelongeststride@gmail.com. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
André and Jonathan
10. Chris "Hawaii" DeKoning
In our 10th episode, we chat with Toronto’s running ambassador, Chris DeKoning about skateboarding, cats, and the hilarious (we think so!) story behind the nickname, “Hawaii.”
We also discuss Chris’ progression as a runner as well as his experience as the assistant director of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Broadcast. Chris also shares his thoughts on the Toronto running community, the future of racing, and his experience trying to keep up with kids on a track.
To learn more about Chris, you can follow him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/misterhawaii/
Thanks for listening to this episode!
If you know someone who would make a great guest or you just want to share feedback, please email us at thelongeststride@gmail.com. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
To support the show, please rate and review this episode on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews help our show by making it easier to find in the iTunes rankings. The higher we climb, the easier it is to find us!
Thanks again!
André and Jonathan
9. Richard Kuchinsky
In this week’s episode, Richard Kuchinsky from the Directive Collective tells us how designing running shoes for 10 years led to him becoming a runner and ultimately one of the most sought after race experience designers in the Toronto running community.
Richard’s designs can be found on the shirts of many races in the GTA, but perhaps one of his proudest design moments came last year when he was named the Creative Director for the Pride Run in Toronto. In his capacity, Richard designed everything from the shirts to medals and everything in between! Richard shares his design process, his experience working with different race directors, and his approach to collaborating with various brands; specifically the work he’s doing with RunToBeer.
Richard’s designs aren’t the only thing getting attention in the running community; his progression from casual runner to sub-3 marathoner is equally inspiring!
To learn more about this Richard, you can follow along at: https://www.instagram.com/rkuchinsky/ and https://www.instagram.com/directivecollective/
Thanks for listening to this episode!
If you know someone who would make a great guest or you just want to share feedback, please email us at thelongeststride@gmail.com. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
To support the show, please rate and review this episode on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews help our show by making it easier to find in the iTunes rankings. The higher we climb, the easier it is to find us!
Thanks again!
André and Jonathan