Commemorate your Race Weekend with a photo finish

Get the photo finish of your race and frame your participation at this year’s Race Weekend thanks to Action Sports International. Again this year, ASI’s team will be on site to take a photo of every single one of you. You can register already for Saturday’s and Sunday’s events to be notified when your pictures will be ready or view your pictures from last year.

Share your story with us and win!

Over the years, we’ve seen it all: marriage proposals, cancer survivors, skipping runners, families bonding together at the finish line. Race Weekend is so much more than running. It’s about a journey. We’d love to hear about yours. Log on to our site and share your story with us. All stories submitted between now and May 15 will be entered in a draw for a pair of Mizuno running shoes and Rudy Project sunglasses.

What are you doing Race Weekend?

Can’t run this year but you would still like to be part of the action? Easy. Register now to be one of our 1,200 volunteers throughout the weekend. Cheer on the runners and ensure their safety. Be there to see it all. And enjoy the after party for a job well done!

Fundraising

The MDS Nordion Ottawa Hospital Race Weekend Challenge

Champions “Run for a Reason”

There are many champions at the Ottawa Race Weekend, not only those who cross the finish line but those who run and raise funds for The Ottawa Hospital as part of the Ottawa Hospital Race Weekend Challenge.

Their reasons for fundraising are many and varied: to honour a loved one, to support a specific hospital department or to simply give something back to the community.

In 2001 life altered its course for Andrea Nicholls, an employee of MDS Nordion, and her family when her sister Jennifer was diagnosed with colon cancer. While the care and treatment Jennifer received at The Ottawa Hospital managed to prolong her life, unfortunately she passed away on July 5, 2004 with family and friends by her side. She was 39 years old.

As Race Weekend approaches Andrea looks to her sister as a source of motivation and inspiration – and her reason to run for The Ottawa Hospital. She remains focused on the motto Jennifer used while undergoing treatment “Stay Strong”.

Andrea hopes that this same inspiration, or something special within you, will help sustain every participant at Race Weekend, whether you are a professional runner, a running enthusiast or a walker.

Read more of this story, along with those of other inspirational supporters, at www.ohfoundation.ca.

You can join Andrea and complete your Race Weekend experience by raising funds online at www.ohfoundation.ca

Don’t forget: Raise Funds, Run for Free! The Ottawa Hospital Foundation will reimburse your race registration fee if you raise $150 or more in pledges.

Elite Athletes Update

MDS Nordion 10K: Men's champion Bairu returns to stiff competition

Canadian Simon Bairu will be returning to defend his title. He will have stiff competition as the best road racers on the US circuit will be here to try win the gender challenge and break the 20-year-old course record still held by Race director John Halvorsen. His principal rivals will be George Misoi (KEN), Robert Letting (KEN) and Chala Lemi (ETH).

MDS Nordion 10K: Deep field expected for women

With 14 women that have run faster than 33 minutes as their personal best, it should be close race this year. It will also have an international flavor as favorites include Genoveva Kigen (KEN), Dorota Gruca (POL), Rehima Kedir (ETH), Kathy Butler (UK) and Claudia Camargo (ARG).

Lindsay Carson wins Ottawa Race Weekend’s National Scholarship for 2008

The Ottawa Race Weekend recently chose Lindsay Carson as its 2008 National Scholarship winner. Unanimously selected by the judging committee, Lindsay is already making her mark in distance running, with her latest achievement including being crowned the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) athlete of the year and rookie of the year. The National Scholarship is intended to encourage rising stars in distance running. According to elite athlete coordinator, Manny Rodrigues, “Lindsay embodies the type of athlete that we are proud to assist”. Lindsay is also model student who also finds time to volunteer in the community.

ING Ottawa Marathon last stepping stone for Canadian Olympians

The competition will be fierce again this year as the ING Ottawa Marathon is host to the Canadian Marathon Championships. Canadian athletes vying for a spot on the national team going to Beijing will be there in what will surely be one of the most exciting finishes. Already, 2007 Canadian champions Lioudmila Kortchaguina and Matthew McInnes have confirmed their return to defend their crown. Lioudmila will be challenged by Nicole Stevenson, Tara Quinn-Smith and Lauren King. On the male side, Matt is expected to be challenged by Charles Bedley, Steve Osaduik, Jerry Ziak and Andrew Smith.

ING Ottawa Marathon Tops Boston Qualifier in Canada

Planning to run Boston next year? There’s no better way to reach your personal best and qualify for Boston Marathon in Canada! According to Marathonguide.com, the ING Ottawa Marathon had the highest Canadian percentage of Boston qualifying finishers in 2007 with 22.8%. For more information on marathonguide.com’s list: http://www.marathonguide.com/races/BostonMarathonQualifyingRaces.cfm

ING Ottawa Marathon and MDS Nordion 10K receive IAAF silver label

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the governing authority for the sport of athletics across the world, recently bestowed its renowned silver label to the ING Ottawa Marathon and MDS Nordion 10K. The label is attributed to races that satisfy a number of important criteria concerning the organizational standard of the race, course measurement, safety and medical standards and media services. The deciding factors for the attribution of a Silver Label are the number of elite athletes engaged and the level of international TV coverage achieved by the participating races.

John Stanton Tips

Tips for Getting the Right Shoes

Motion control, Cushioning and Stability Running Shoes

Motion control shoes, for runners whose feet roll in, with low arches, knees move towards each other in a bending position. Foot strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls inward excessively. This runner needs a firm midsole and a sturdy heel counter.

Cushioning shoes are for runners whose feet roll to the outside, arches are high or rigid, and knees stay neutral or move outwards through foot strike. They wear their shoes on the outside of the sole. This runner should wear a cushioning shoe with a flexible forefoot and no motion control features.

Stability shoes are for runners with a normal sized arch, lands on the outside of the heel and then moderately rolls inward. They have a semi- flexible arch and their knees roll in slightly when bent. Require extra cushioning and some degree of stability no excessive pronation.

The fit of your shoe is most important it should fit snugly particularly in the heel cup if you want to avoid ankle and knee problems. You should be able to wiggle your toes at the front of the shoe. Drop by your local Running Room and visit with one of our experts.

Threshold or Tempo Sessions

During tempo sessions are run at a steady pace, just hovering over your lactate threshold. About 85% of your maximum heart rate if you are wearing a monitor. If you are not wearing a monitor, it is the point at which speaking would become difficult. Do not be discouraged by these hard effort runs. Take a short break to get your breathing under control. These sessions increase your lactate tolerance, your capacity to exercise with high levels of lactate in your blood. These sessions also improve your ability to run faster with the same energy. Tempo training uses carbohydrates for energy rather than fat, we burn more calories with the higher intensity. You improve your ability to run under stress, build confidence and running economy. Tempo runs are an essential part of your running program. Try them with a buddy or in a group environment for some added fun.

Speed Training

High intensity, speed training runs are best done as intervals. Speed training is high quality running requiring 85% - 95% percent effort of your maximum heart rate. Speed training is a high quality session, not high – quantity, so intervals should be no longer than 7 – 12 minutes. Start with a two minute interval and build slowly. Your heart rate should recover to about 120 beats per minute after 1 – 2 minutes of rest before starting the next interval. Include a warm up and cool down for each session of easy running and stretching. Hold the speed sessions until you have strengthened your legs on the hill repeats. Keep the speed session to once a week, any more will fatigue your legs and compromise your long run. Disciplined training in these sessions prevents injury. Speed improves your coordination and the ability to run faster, beyond your current comfort level.

Speed Session

Run sessions run at 1 minute to a 1 ½ faster than race day pace, provide a sense of running in a discomfort zone while maintaining form.

The Runner's Side Stitch

Runners often experienced a side stitch while running. The pain usually occurs just under the ribs. The common problem may be related to food allergies, particularly milk, gas, or eating just prior to running. Other causes can be running a longer distance, or running at a higher intensity than usual. The diaphragm is usually the source of the problem. The diaphragm is a muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. It moves up and down as the runner inhales and exhales. It is subject to a cramp or stitch when it moves more and faster during exercise.

The liver has a larger right lobe and it is commonly thought that this may be the reason that the diaphragm moves more on the right and that generally the pain is on the right side of the abdomen just under the rib cage.

Keep your breathing relaxed and rhythmic and work on your core strength.

Pace Training

Pacing is a critical aspect of successful running, because the goal is to maintain the desired pace for the entire race or workout – to finish each interval in the same amount of time. If you burn out and slowed the pace during past intervals, you probably started too fast: if you speed up throughout the workout, you probably started too slowly. Pacing really takes practice. Speed training uses short intervals distances because the pace is hard enough that it can only be maintained for a short period of time about 3 – 6 minutes. Keep you pacing simple by using your target for the 10K. Be sure your goals are realistic. Work on improving pacing and improving speed with no more than 6 minutes of high intensity running with an easy recovery run between the sessions. Maintain control of your form, leg turnover rate and breathing. Listen to your body and increase the intensity that’s right for your current level of fitness.

Overtraining

Running by its very nature produces this fast endorphin-filled sense of "I feel good juices". Running makes you feel aglow, invigorated and ready to run. If we are not careful we easily suffer from overtraining. It may be that type "A" personality hidden within all of us that strives for perfection and the achievement of our best.

Some signs of overtraining:
* Tired and fatigued throughout the day
* Headaches

Muscle aches and pains

* Sudden weight loss
* Lost appetite
* Trouble concentrating
* Low sex drive
* A cold or flu

*Clumsiness

* Trouble relaxing

Simple solution to overtraining is a day or two of rest

John Stanton