Just back from Toronto where I attended the race expos for the Toronto Marathon and the Mississauga Marathon. What a great weekend (apart from the weather).

I always love talking to other runners who are getting ready for race day. There was lots of excitement and anticipation. And I had the pleasure of meeting Maureen Mancuso, the former women’s world record holder in the marathon who we wrote about in iRun, and Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson, the prolific authors.

And, most importantly, we raised some money for two cancer charities with the sale of Why I Run, which is hot off the press. We got to the Toronto expo Thursday morning and opened the first box of books from the printer. Thanks to everyone who dropped by to pick up a copy. ]]> http://www.irun.ca/blog/index.php/hot-off-the-press/feed/ 0 http://www.irun.ca/blog/index.php/tune-in-for-the-april-16-edition-of-irun-the-running-show/ http://www.irun.ca/blog/index.php/tune-in-for-the-april-16-edition-of-irun-the-running-show/#comments Sat, 16 Apr 2011 14:19:19 +0000 MarkSutcliffe http://www.irun.ca/blog/?p=7313 I love hearing stories about new runners. Sarah Millar wrote in the Toronto Star recently about what she learned doing her first 5k. She isn’t necessarily hooked on running yet, but she got a lot out of the experience. And she joins us today on the iRun radio show and podcast, along with Sheri McReady, an Ottawa runner who is off to Boston for the 11th straight year.

In January, my family headed off for a vacation in Florida. After slogging through winter running for a few weeks, I was desperately looking forward to running on the beach. I bought a new pair of running shoes a few days before the trip and began dreaming of warm weather.

I try to pack light and avoid filling up suitcase with footwear. So my plan was this: pack sandals and wear my running shoes on the plane. But when the taxi arrived early (and parked in our neighbour’s driveway), I tried to keep the driver occupied by bringing out luggage to him. I slipped on my everyday shoes and made a few trips back and forth to the house.

When the rest of my family made it out to the taxi, I locked the house, got in the taxi and we were off to the airport. Halfway there, I realized I was still wearing my regular shoes (the same ones I would later wear on the elliptical) and not my runners.

I considered cabbing it back to my house to get the shoes, but that would have cost the same as a new pair. So, when we got to Florida, I found a cute little running shop and bought a duplicate pair of brand-new shoes, setting in motion a course of events that would lead me to having two right feet at the gym.

They’ve worked out well, at least when I’ve remembered to pack the right items into my backpack. One time, I forgot to bring a towel (It’s surprising how quickly you can air-dry if necessary). One time, I didn’t bring soap or shampoo.

And a few nights ago, I made a bigger mistake: I brought two right shoes.

Yes, instead of bringing a pair of running shoes, I brought the right shoe from two different pairs. I paid my $8 one-day gym fee, went into the locker room, unpacked my bag and discovered I had two right shoes.

I’ve been accused of having two left feet, but I’ve never had two right feet.

I went back to the counter and asked the attendant if I could run barefoot on the treadmill or the elliptical trainer. He said no. I explained my predicament. The only thing I could do, he said, was wear my outside shoes on the elliptical, as long as they were clean.

So I marched into the training room wearing a nice black running t-shirt, a fairly new pair of running shorts and my brown Merrell hiking shoes that serve as my everyday footwear.

I haven’t used an elliptical trainer in years, but I wasn’t going to run on the treadmill in anything but running shoes. So I signed up for Elliptical #2 and walked over feeling like the eyes of the gym were on me, the guy with the dusty brown shoes.

I started pushing up and down on the machine, feeling like something was completely wrong. Then I realized: I was on Stairmaster #2. I climbed down, found Elliptical #2 and walked toward it, feeling like the rest of the gym population thought I was on my first visit to an exercise facility.

I got in a light workout and slinked away quietly. I’ll have to add something to my checklist: bring one shoe per foot.

But this winter my step-daughter started taking swimming lessons. Swimming is not a good spectator sport for parents. You don’t get to see much more than a head bobbing up and down in the water for 45 minutes. So I figured I would go down the hall and get in a run at the gym.

Surprisingly, I found it a welcome change from running outside. Part of the pleasure was running in shorts in January. But the televisions were also a welcome distraction (something that didn’t exist in the gym where I ran on a treadmill 10 years ago). The other benefit was that I was making use of a dead spot on my schedule. By running during the swimming lesson, I was opening up an hour earlier in my day when I would have been running.

I’ve started looking forward to swimming-lesson day.

How our friends at Mizuno are helping their colleagues in Japan.
Race director John Halvorsen runs through the new courses at Ottawa Race Weekend.
Introducing the new ‘Goode run in Osgoode on May 14.
And meet Brock Skywalker from the iRun Runner Makeover.

Join us Saturday at 12 on the Team 1200 in Ottawa. Or listen to the podcast at team1200.com.

Plus, we’ll talk about the latest in gear for barefoot running and a cool program you can download from iTunes, and we’ll get an update on the GoodLife Fitness Toronto Marathon, which has been moved to May this year.

And of course, my weekly chat with iRun’s runner-in-chief Ray Zahab, who is actually resting a bit these days after his latest crazy adventure. Ray and I will talk about my new book and how Ray sees running as a metaphor for life.

Listen in live at 12:00 noon on Saturday on Team 1200 in Ottawa , at team1200.com,  or listen to the podcast of this show or past editions.

For runners who’ve done Ottawa before, it will make for a fresh experience. I talked to one runner this morning who was so excited about the new course, he registered for the marathon immediately. For anyone new to Ottawa, it will be a chance to run through much more of the city than on the old course. And the new course will likely bring out many new spectators since it will pass through a number of residential neighbourhoods that it never touched before.

As race director Jim Robinson said on the iRun radio show on Saturday, it’s hard to fit more people into this event until a new start/finish area is created, perhaps at the revitalized Lansdowne Park in a few years.

In the meantime, if you were planning to do the half, you’re not completely out of luck yet. You can buy one of a limited number of race entries that are available through the Ottawa Hospital Foundation, a cause I am proud to support. You’ll not only get into a sold out race, you’ll get a copy of my new book.