Tuesday, September 16, 2026 – Gift yourself a dose of sport

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Hi Everyone!

 

No races that I know of this past weekend – lots of people are right in the thick of training and doing so well! This is the crescendo of hard work for many – it’s ok if you’re feeling tired and looking forward to the end at this stage – that is normal. You are almost there; just keep putting one foot in front of the other and the pep will come back for race day. Remember: It’s SUPPOSED to feel like this! You’re all doing awesome.

This week, my mind has been swirling with thoughts, and absorbing news, and worrying about the present and the future. This is not a great place for my mind to hang out. So I’ve been super grateful that the World Track and Field Championships have been on. It is in times like these that I find the simplicity and purity of sport so refreshing. There have been some great stories so far of effort and determination and grace. And also the necessary counterparts to those – defeat, disappointment and tears. Many of the victories and medals so far have been surprises to spectators and athletes alike. The bronze medal winner of the women’s marathon didn’t realize she was a medal winner until she was told after she finished! And some of the best in the world have been knocked out of contention in the rounds. It makes for some very good distraction and entertainment for tired brains.

One of the things I love the most about watching sports is the deep respect the athletes have for one another. They represent over 200 countries, and a wide array of religious beliefs. They come from different economic backgrounds and hold many different political beliefs. But the thing that unites them is so much more powerful than all that. Despite probably as many statistical differences as you could list, they are all still more similar than different. And the respect they have for each other comes through. I just watched the men’s steeple chase final (spoiler alert) where the reigning champ was just unsuspectingly nipped at the line. He crumpled to the ground in tears, banging his head with his fists, but was still able to rise and hug the athlete who beat him. This spread of emotions plays out at almost every finish line. There is heartbreak and high high emotions, but there is nothing but love and respect shown for fellow athletes. They go and do battle and then come together and hug. Every single time. They know this is sport, there are rules, and if they’re not happy with the outcome they either have to learn to live with it, or go home, train harder, and try again. There are no good guys or bad guys. No us and them. They are all ‘good’ and they are all ‘us’. At least while in the arenas. I can’t tell you how refreshing this has been for me. So if you find you could use some feelings of unity, goodwill and pure entertainment, tune into the World Track Champs. Thank-you athletes – for allowing the optimism back in!

 

On to tomorrow’s workout: We’ll be dividing into two groups: Fall Marathoners and Everyone else. Everyone else is on hills. I just don’t think the marathoners who are running mostly flat courses need hills at this point in their training.

Hills People – let’s do Riverdale Hills! (that’s the 200m hill for beach ppl, although I think Riverdale is closer to 150). Let’s do 3 sets of 4 x hill followed by 5 min tempo. 4 sets if you’re feeling strong. This gives us a little more hill volume than the one full, one half, which some trail runners could use.

 

October Marathoners:

6-8 x 1K @ HM to 10K w 3 min – group up and decide where you want to do it. Lakeshore may not be the best bet for 1K.

 

I will meet at the top of the Riverdale hill at 6:15-ish.

 

That is all – see you in the a.m.!

 

Seanna

 

Tuesday, September 10, 2025 – Cost of doing business

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Hi Everyone!

 

What a weekend of racing! In the Georgina Full we had Rob Dunne who nailed his goal time and BQ and is going to Boston Baby!!! Jason also ran a BQ but tbd if it will get him in – these Boston standards are for serious! Michelle S ran the half, and although not a race, nailed a very tough training run! And in the Yorkville 5K, Brianna set a PB and came 2nd in her age group, Steph got a PB (while training through) and came 4th in her age group, and Kerry ran a solid race (not quite a PB) and came 3rd in her age group! And Monica ran a super brave race in her first comeback race after a very serious injury, which while not a PB, got her 3rd in her age group! Way to go all!!

 

This leads me to what I’ve been thinking about this week: the limits of our bodies. All of us here are fortunate to have bodies which allow us to move swiftly through the world under our own power, and experience the bliss, empowerment and exhilaration that this elicits.  This is a gift. Not everyone’s bodies’ allow them to do this. We often take it for granted that we can just step out the door, and decide how hard to push our bodies on any given day. And we follow training plans which stress our bodies in the right ways and right amounts so that they’ll respond by building back stronger. But sometimes the formula goes wrong, and we can feel betrayed by our bodies. They don’t build back as quickly in some places, and we get injured. Or sometimes our systems can’t keep up, and we get overly tired and can’t bounce back. Or sometimes it’s something outside of running which impacts our bodies in a negative way, and we are taken out from running for a while. I’m sorry to be the one to say this, but this is just the cost of doing business. I can say this because having just been diagnosed with anemia, I’m experiencing it too. Of course not all of these things will happen to everyone, but at some point, we’re all going to have to take our turn sitting on the sidelines or taking a step back. It sucks, but it is just how it is.

Being sidelined, or slowed down a bit, is not always all bad. Often in fact, it is just a sign. Maybe we forgot to be grateful for all the great things our bodies were doing and we asked a bit too much. Maybe our brains and minds needed a rest, so our bodies took control and forced it. Maybe there was something slightly off balance in our approach or routine, and we needed to be alerted to an area for improvement and strengthening. Or maybe it was just bad luck and we have to learn to be patient, resilient, and perhaps even pick up some cross-training skills.

We are actually lucky in a way that we’re runners, because we immediately notice every weakness or instance when the system isn’t running smoothly. We are highly attuned to these things. If I didn’t care about how running felt, or let’s be honest, performance times, I am sure I would let my physical health and imbalances slide a lot more than I do. And maybe this is one of the reasons runners tend to be healthier than the average population: it’s not the running, it’s the high demand of health from our bodies, and figuring out ways to stay there when we have it. So I’m sorry if you’re one of the ones experiencing bodies which aren’t cooperating exactly as we’d like them to. It is frustrating. But just know that you’re not alone, and it WILL get better. It just feels like it never will. I know because I’ve been through it a billion times. Cost of doing business. Luckily we’re all tough bad-asses and will always come back stronger and wiser.

 

On to tomorrow’s workout! I think this might be the last Fartlek on the spit bc it’s getting dark to start. Meet at Lakeshore and Leslie: 6:05 drills, 6:15 GO!

 

6 min tempo, 2 min easy, 5-8 x 2 min on, 1 min off, then marathoners finish w another 6 min @ MP to tempo (after a 3 min break)

The full workout is a BIG workout and only for marathoners who aren’t on a recovery week. And only if they’re feeling good. Lots of options in this one, so pick the poison that is right for you!

 

That is all – see you in the a.m.!

 

xo

 

Seanna

 

 

Tuesday, September 2, 2025 – Feeling and running

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Hi Everyone!

 

Huge congrats to Graeme who ran his 7th Major with the Sydney Marathon and finished in 3:31 which is a BQ! Great job Graeme! And happy back-to-school and back to the office for many. Fresh starts are the best – there have been quite a few people who have written about “the fresh start effect” – and that is not what this newsletter is about, but if you’re interested, look it up. Notably, Freakonomics podcast has a great episode about it. Basically it’s a real thing and we can become more motivated and better at what we do when we turn a page and start a new chapter. So take advantage and reinvent yourself without any of the baggage you don’t want and with all the routines and habits you DO.

What I have been thinking about this week is emotions, and how they can affect our running. Probably an age thing again, but I have been feeling big emotions lately! And it’s insincere to say they have no effect in how we show up for runs and workouts. The trick, I think, is in acknowledging what the emotions are that we’re feeling, and deciding what kind of run they best line up with. Because we are going to run most days regardless, and we are all going to cycle through the emotion wheel again and again, so we’d better learn how to feel and run at the same time. Here are some common ones and some good run pairings to go with them:

 

Nervousness/ Anxiety – Sometimes I’m not sure whether this is an emotion or just a physical sensation, but when we’re feeling it, our brain does try to find a cause. So sometimes it helps to actually do something anxiety producing, lean in, and after you’re done, the itch is scratched. Temporarily anyway. When I’m feeling anxious, I like to do hard runs or workouts which I’m not sure I can complete. This gives a reassuring cause for my anxiety, and a sense of relief (even if short-lived), when the thing is complete.

Sadness/ Nostalgia/ Grief – Ah, this is a tricky one. We need to let these feelings in, but they can really drain your energy and take a physical toll, so you won’t want to run far or fast. Depending on where you are in the process, walking might be where you start. But movement definitely helps with processing, and when you’re ready, bring others along. Silent runs together are ok too. Ask for what you need, take your time, and keep moving slowly and gently. Moody runs while thinking and processing are one of my go-tos.

Anger – Along with other strong emotions, I’m embracing my angry woman phase these days. I like it. I get to think about all the things I’m mad about – dysfunctional systems, injustices over the years, awful people who do awful things – the usual stuff, and I really let myself get worked up. It’s empowering. Just let yourself rage. For this emotion, I recommend a good ol’ progression run. Start regularly, and as you think of more and more enraging things, allow the pace to pick up. By the end you might be flying and raging and looking like a mad-woman, but really, it feels so good. There is nothing like a good rage run and some days it is all that is called for.

Happiness/ Fulfillment – The holy grail of emotions! Sometimes we feel happy, fulfilled and content. When this is the case, just go for a good ol’ happy run. Spread your vibes as far and wide as you can. Wave at the snarling angry runner passing the other way, say “lookin’ good” to the anxious runner sprinting her demons away, and give a smile to the contemplative looking runner in her own world. These are the best runs because you start feeling good and finish feeling even better. And if done well, you’ve spread your happiness like fairy dust along your whole route. It is basically your civic and social duty to go for a run when you’re feeling happy.

There are many more emotions on the vast spectrum, and I’m pretty sure there is a run pairing to complement or support every one of them. The trick is to listen to your emotions so you get the run-solution right. Shuffle things around if you have to, or change up your plans. Because matching the wrong run to your emotional state can feel dissonant, but getting it right can be the best feeling in the world.

On to tomorrow’s workout: Lakeshore and Leslie! 6:05 Drills, 6:15 GO!

Two options: Option 1 is for those building for a fall marathon, Option 2 is for those looking for 5K speed and/ or running the Yorkville 5K this weekend:

Option 1:

2 x 1 mile tempo w 2 min rest

2 x 800 @ 10K w 1:45 rest

4 x 400 @ 5K w 1:30 rest

3 min rest

1 mile @ choice

Option 2:

1 mile tempo

3 min rest

4 x 400 @ 5K w 1:30 rest

Finish w feel-good strides

That is all – see you in the am!

 

xo

Seanna

 

 

 

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 – Be here now

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Hi Everyone!

I don’t think there were any running races this past weekend. Don’t forget to send your results in to me if you do race! Coming up the weekend after this we have the Yorkville 5K as well as the Georgina Half and Full! And the perfect racing weather has arrived just in time.

This week is the last week of summer. As if I needed to remind anyone. Everyone is off to university, or getting ready for a new grade in school, or getting prepared to head back into the office a lot more.  It’s a change of seasons and a change of routines and activities. We all approach this with different mindsets. Some love the energy of fall and fresh starts, some feel nostalgia for the summer and lack of structure which already feel in the past, some have a bit of dread for the oncoming winter, some look forward to the cozy shortening of the days. Count me as having a little bit of all of these feelings. Transitions are great because they help us appreciate where we’ve been, and plan for where we’re going. But it’s important to remember to not always look ahead and behind, but to sometimes appreciate fully being where we are. I came across a quote to this end by philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau:

 “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”

Basically – be where you are now. There are pluses and minuses to every season and stage, so just fully immerse yourself in the one you’re in.

I was trying to embrace this concept as I did my first long(ish) run this week. After enjoying a season of short, fast running, with low mileage followed by a week off, my long run did not feel like it had when I had left it a few months ago. My usual impulse to pick up the pace and enjoy the effort of speedy flow did not kick in the way I remembered. I felt tired early on and my legs were not flowing and did not want to keep going. Which was a bummer. But then I reminded myself “just be where you are”. I do not regret the season I just had. I hadn’t been doing long runs because I needed to focus my running energy elsewhere. And I don’t regret my week off because my body needed to heal and rest up and recover. I know I now have to build in order to get into a different kind of shape. This is just the season I am in. And with running, we might all be experiencing different seasons at different times. So we can’t compare with each other either. I remember listening to professional marathoner and Olympian Des Linden talking about the process of getting into marathon shape. She said, there are weeks on end where you’re not in the shape you need to be and it’s just a lot of grinding and working and wondering if you’ll get there. Then there are about two weeks where it all comes together and you feel fit. Then you have to taper and you feel awful. Then you race. Then you have to let yourself get out of shape in order to start over from the beginning. In about a 12-14 week span, there are hopefully about 2 weeks that you’re where you want to be. She had a humorous philosophical take on it, which I guess you’d have to if you made it your life’s career, and I found it very relatable. So instead of thinking about how fit I once was, or wishing I was a few weeks ahead in fitness, I’m going to just be where I am, breathe this air, and live in this season. Because all we know for certain is that this too will fade away and become something else.

Good luck to all the back-to-schoolers, leaving for university-ers and back-to-the office-ers! We got this.

 

On to tomorrow’s workout: Hills + Tempo!

It’s cooler now, so we can keep including the longer hill. Let’s keep it the same as last time with 1 long (400m), 1 short (200m), and 4 min tempo. Beachers at Glen Manor, Riverdalians at Pottery Road.

 

That is all – see you in the a.m.!

 

xo

 

Seanna

Tuesday, August 19, 2025 – Hurtling Obstacles

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Hi Everyone!

 

 

Congrats to all our racers this weekend! In the TrackSmith5K we had Pearce making his rust-busting return to racing, and despite battling ahead cold, put himself in the fastest heat of the night! Way to put it out there. And down in baking hot Ohio where the water was covered in algae, Leigh Anne did the Ohio 70.3 and PB’d by 30 minutes! Here in Toronto, Tanis, Shauna and Madalyn all competed in the TO Island sprint tri! Madalyn and Shauna came 1st and 2nd in their age categories, and Tanis came 2nd only because she did an extra lap on the bike – otherwise would have come 1st! And somewhere in the mountains in Quebec Anna undertook a 45K mountain trail race and managed 38K before being pulled off for the cut off time. Way to go for the unkown. It sounds like there were plenty of obstacles challenging all of our racers, and they all did their best at hurtling them and knocking them down to get to their goals.

 

 

That is in fact what I’ve been thinking about this week. Overcoming obstacles. I also raced this weekend – my last 1500 of the season. It turned out our race was 45 minutes late, so we were all standing around in the hot sun waiting for updates which were not forthcoming. But in the midst of this, one of the competitors arrived, and said “thank goodness for the delay – there were two accidents on the highway!” She had been sitting in her car watching her arrival time move further and further back until it said she would arrive at the exact time that the race was supposed to start. So she just practiced deep breathing and prepared herself to sprint from the car directly to the 1500m start line. As it turned out, she did have plenty of time, and ran the race no problem, but another racer saw she wasn’t going to make it and turned around and went home. There were many factors outside of these competitors’ control, but one of the athletes decided to try to overcome the obstacles while the other lost hope and gave up.

 

It’s good to practice not giving up, because often times that is not an option. My daughter is using bike share city bikes to get to work every day at the EX. She’s a bit nervous riding bikes in the city and is also learning how to use the system for the first time. On her first day, she got partway there and realized she’d forgotten her baseball cap which is part of her uniform. She’s a bit of a perfectionist, so this rankled her but she thought she might be able to buy one on her way in. Then the bike port would not accept her bike to lock it at her destination. She tried the only two ports available and they were not working and it said she’d be charged $1000 if she left it unlocked. Her timing for not being late for work was slipping away and she still didn’t have her hat. She called me, very upset, saying she hated all of this and just wanted to quit and go home. But of course that was not an option. She had to take a deep breath, confront one obstacle at a time, and figure it out. Guess what … she survived! A person came to take out a bike and she locked hers into that port. Then the first kiosk she saw was selling baseball caps for $5. And she was on time for work. And isn’t this just how we get through life? It’s almost like a video game where we’re trying to reach our goal but Donkey Kong keeps throwing down those damn barrels! And by the way …they won’t stop coming. So we’d better learn to jump over them or else we’re going nowhere.

 

When we plan out our race schedules and training calendars, we don’t plan for obstacles. No one ever does. But I have never in my life seen anyone get through an entire cycle without at least a few – some bigger than others. Often the immediate urge is to want to throw in the towel and say I give up. Or as my dad would say, “Stop the world, I want to get off”. And as my one and a half year old once declared loudly while still on the runway before taking off on a trip, “Hugo all done airplane!” But try to overcome the urge to fold into the fetal position and pull a blanket over your head. The more we learn to hurdle and swat aside these obstacles, the better we get at it. Unfortunately we can’t plan this type of practice, but every time life serves up hurdles, just think of it as training for the next ones. Because there will be next ones, and we will bet better at navigating them. Just take a deep breath, and start hurtling.

 

On to tomorrow’s workout! I won’t be there, but it will be fartlek on the spit – meet at Lakeshore and Leslie at 6:05 for drills, 6:15 GO!

 

2-3-4-5-4-3-2 minutes on with 2 mins bw all. Start to finish it will take 35 mins.

 

Have a great one and I’ll see you next week!

 

xo

 

Seanna