The UTMB is one of the epic ultra races and is set in Chamonix, France. The race circumnavigates the beautiful Mont Blanc and starts at 6pm on a Friday in late August. Runners have 46 hours and 30 minutes to complete the race. The UTMB is a lottery and in order to enter you have to have gained points from other eligible races*. The UTMB attracts elite ultra runners from across the globe. Kilian Jornet, Jim Walmsley, Katie Schide and Marrianne Hogan were just a few of the elites at the UTMB this year. The UTMB race has been on my wish list for the last 10 years, ever since I finished the Marath ..read more

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail" Benjamin Franklin I know, I have written about mental strength before, but it is so important and impacts so many things we do. Mental strength does not only impact ultra or long distance running, but all aspect of our lives. It is important to practice our mental strength techniques regularly, so when things do not go quite as we had planned, we can turn them around and come out the other side. Photo at the Bugaboos. Focusing on running, we can improve and work on our fitness to the best of our ability. You can also see results and see impro ..read more

How many of you have set a New Year resolution for 2021? And how many of you have already given up? You are certainly not alone!! According to Reaume & Park (2018), 3 in 10 Canadians make resolutions, and 73% forget about them by March. I have even read research suggesting people stop by the 7th January! So why do people give up so quickly? It seems to relate to how achievable the resolution is. A resolution is often a promise to ourselves on how we can alter some aspect of our life. Resolutions can be rather unclear and open ended which means the outcome will be rather vague. Resolutions ..read more

We all know that working out makes us feel good, helps reduce our stress, gives us more energy....etc, etc. I could go on. But do you find that some weeks your workouts are the last thing you want to do or they completely slip off your schedule? Well you're not alone! I get it! The number of times I have found that there is suddenly a "really important" piece of work I need to do NOW, and it can't wait; or the dog needs to be walked NOW. I convince myself that my run can wait, particularly if it is a long run and I will do it tomorrow. Then the guilt kicks in... So what can you do about this ..read more

Winter running can be very cold here in Alberta. But it also can be incredibly exhilarating! Running through trees that are covered in snow, trails thick with a recent snow fall, majestic views and the cold crisp air is very grounding and incredibly beautiful. It has probably taken me around 8 years to work out how to be comfortable and warm when running in the winter here in Alberta. I have experimented with different types of layers, jackets and shoes. I now know what will work for me at a variety of different temperatures. I do not have set clothes that are specifically for skiing or runni ..read more

Running for me has never been so important. I am getting up daily to head out for an early morning run. Some days are great and I feel full of energy; other days, it is just hard to get that motivation to go. But I force myself to get out because I know my day will be better for it. Running has become the go to for many people since the recent closure of the gyms and fitness classes with the COVID-19 outbreak. I have seen this increase over the past couple of weeks when I have been out running. Some people I can see are embracing it and others are really not enjoying their journey!! As a runni ..read more

So you are now working from home as your offices are closed. Your children are home from school as schools have shut down. Your bootcamp or Cross-fit sessions have been postponed. Your gym is closed. And possibly a race you have entered has been cancelled. To add to this, there seems to be nothing else on the news apart from bad news and the risk of running out of Toilet Paper could be real……....Life seems very unsettling at the moment. I completely get it. Since last Thursday, things have become unpredictable. I personally like to plan and be a bit in control of life and things around me. Bu ..read more

"Let's get up really, really early and run really far!" Anonymous. Ever since we moved to Calgary back in 2011, I had heard people talk about the infamous Rim to Rim to Rim (R2R2R) run in the Grand Canyon. I was curious as it sounded hard but an amazing adventure. I remember adding this to my bucket list of runs I would like to do and then to be honest, I sort of forgot about it until a friend of mine in September asked me to join her and run R2R2R. Of course, my answer was "Yes!" (Having done the quick check with my husband and family to see if they were OK with this idea!) Training was a lit ..read more

U12 Hockey team. Croydon High School for Girls. G.P.D.S.T. London, UK. 1979. I suppose I am incredibly lucky. I love to move, I always have. Ever since Junior High School, I played sport and was selected for most of my school teams. Playing and being fit was a big part of my life back then and it is now as a running coach. Playing sport gave me confidence, boosted my self esteem and keep me busy. All good things, particularly as my school was known for high achieving academic girls. So when I hear about girls or boys not enjoying or participating in sports or even being active, it does sadden ..read more

Sinister 7: July 7th. At the finish line of Sinister 7, 28 hours after the start. "James, I am thinking of running Sinister 7 this July." The reply is a groan and sigh. "Boys, I want to run Sinister 7 again this July" Insert sighing from both boys. C then asks "Are you sure? You know what happened last time?" Yes I know what happened last time. A DNF because I didn't want it. I thought I could just turn up and run a 100 miles with no mental preparation and just do it. So not surprisingly, I set myself up for failure. This was a great learning though, as I now know that I can't just wing this ..read more