Articles
In this section of the web site we have provided articles from various media coverages.
Corenia Price running strong through a water stop at DL TM 2009.
(larger version)
On the "Trapline": Learning the right way to run a marathon
Labrador Life Magazine, Fall Winter Edition 2009/10
In mid-September 2008 a co-worker of mine encouraged me to run the Trapline Marathon, an annual event held annual on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving Day weekend to honor the many trappers that left North West River and trekked inland to tend to their traplines each fall.
I had never trained for a marathon and to be honest it was never a goal of mine. I had run over the summer a little with my daughter Candice, but the furthest we'd gone was five kilometres. I considered it our time together. So when co-worker Brenda Kennedy encouraged me to run my initial reaction was: "Not!"
But Brenda doesn't give up easy, and within a week she had me thinking. Two weeks before the marathon, a warm Friday evening, I got off work and went for a run: just over two hours and 21 kilometers later I arrived back at my house. During the next 11 days I started what you might call my training regime. While most runners were tapering down their preparations I was getting started.
I ran the marathon that year with little training and no experience. I very seldom drink water or other fluids during sports and didn't drink anything during the 11 days I trained, so on the day of the marathon I thought it was best I didn't start then. I asked myself a 100 times over: "Are you nuts?" Then I'd picture myself talking to our girls and about how proud they'd be. After all, what better way to teach your children they can do whatever they set their minds to?
Once the marathon started it took about five minutes before my heart stopped racing and I settled into the run. At 31 kilometers I was once again at that point where I needed a reminder of why I was doing it and, as luck had it, runner an friend Cathy Jong appeared at my side encouraging me to keep going and reminding me how proud our girls would be. I hadn't eaten or drank since the evening before and was pretty much running on nothing.
With some persuasion by Cathy I gave in and drank at the 32-kilometer mark and at each stop after.
By the time I finished the race, I was exhausted, extremely hungry and (if you asked my husband) hallucinating. Yes, I could tell our girls I finished my first marathon, but to say I enjoyed it would be nothing less than a lie.
In May 2009, Labrador Grenfell Health had its "Miles in May" challenge. It's a way of getting staff active while having a little competition. The department that ran the most during the month won the competition. I chose to run to and from work each day, but when May finished I continued. It became my source of relaxation. I'd put my MP3 player on and I listened to all mellow music, becoming lost in it while I ran. There was no effort in my runs, no competition, no timing: just plain relaxation.
Running on the road didn't have the same effect so the majority of my runs were off on my own. I enjoyed running on the bike trails away from people, traffic or any distractions.
About two weeks before the marathon, people started asking: "Are you going to run?"
I had two fears. Number 1: competition. I didn't want to compete. Running was my form of relaxation and competition would rob me of that. Secondly, people would now have expectations that I would do better this year than last since, after all, I'd just been running all summer and last year I only trained for 12 days. My fear was: What if…I don't? I had run, but I hadn't really trained for a marathon-at least not the way real marathoners do.
That's when my husband stepped in and made it quite clear: "You run this time, you drink." No matter how long my runs were I always neglected to take fluids. I was convinced they did nothing, but I agreed to try them. Two weeks beforehand, I had my schedule planned out and on Day 14 did a 23-kilometer run. My husband Goronwy followed me in our vehicle and approximately every five kilometres he got out and forced Gatorade into me. On Day 7 he decided it was time to introduce me to a watch that paced my run, my speed, my heart rate and the course. This totally changed my run. I could no longer relax because now I was being timed. My husband also increased my fluid consumption and forced me to drink every 2.5 kilometers. My time had improved and I started to notice my own energy level increase and remain stable throughout the run.
"Hmmm," I wondered. "Was the Gatorade working?"
I thought so, but I wasn't ready to admit it yet – at least not out loud. I was starting to think more about the marathon and about what the difference might be if I drank along the course. I was still a little nervous considering how I had felt a year earlier, but more importantly I was also very excited to see if the fluids would actually help.
On Oct 10, I set out on the marathon from North West River to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. At first thought: "Wow, this feels too easy. Maybe I'm running too fast. Perhaps I should slow down." But I felt great: good music, Gatorade. I was totally relaxed. It didn't even feel like I was competing. At the 10-kilometer mark I thought, "Wow, this feels great: 10 kilometers already."
At 21 kilometers and 32 kilometers, I was still feeling good. I couldn't get over the difference, I was actually enjoying the run. At 42.2 kilometers (the finish line) I felt like I could just keep on going. I am sure there are many who would say it was the training. Yes, since May I had run just about every day, but did I work hard, watch my time, increase my speed? No, I ran for relaxation. I'm sure it was beneficial, but there is no way I can explain the energy and the mental alertness I felt at the end of the marathon without crediting it to the fluids I drank. Those who do not drink and think fluids will harm their run (I was on of them) should give it a try.
In mid-September 2008 a co-worker of mine encouraged me to run the Trapline Marathon, an annual event held annual on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving Day weekend to honor the many trappers that left North West River and trekked inland to tend to their traplines each fall.
I had never trained for a marathon and to be honest it was never a goal of mine. I had run over the summer a little with my daughter Candice, but the furthest we'd gone was five kilometres. I considered it our time together. So when co-worker Brenda Kennedy encouraged me to run my initial reaction was: "Not!"
But Brenda doesn't give up easy, and within a week she had me thinking. Two weeks before the marathon, a warm Friday evening, I got off work and went for a run: just over two hours and 21 kilometers later I arrived back at my house. During the next 11 days I started what you might call my training regime. While most runners were tapering down their preparations I was getting started.
I ran the marathon that year with little training and no experience. I very seldom drink water or other fluids during sports and didn't drink anything during the 11 days I trained, so on the day of the marathon I thought it was best I didn't start then. I asked myself a 100 times over: "Are you nuts?" Then I'd picture myself talking to our girls and about how proud they'd be. After all, what better way to teach your children they can do whatever they set their minds to?
Once the marathon started it took about five minutes before my heart stopped racing and I settled into the run. At 31 kilometers I was once again at that point where I needed a reminder of why I was doing it and, as luck had it, runner an friend Cathy Jong appeared at my side encouraging me to keep going and reminding me how proud our girls would be. I hadn't eaten or drank since the evening before and was pretty much running on nothing.
With some persuasion by Cathy I gave in and drank at the 32-kilometer mark and at each stop after.
By the time I finished the race, I was exhausted, extremely hungry and (if you asked my husband) hallucinating. Yes, I could tell our girls I finished my first marathon, but to say I enjoyed it would be nothing less than a lie.
In May 2009, Labrador Grenfell Health had its "Miles in May" challenge. It's a way of getting staff active while having a little competition. The department that ran the most during the month won the competition. I chose to run to and from work each day, but when May finished I continued. It became my source of relaxation. I'd put my MP3 player on and I listened to all mellow music, becoming lost in it while I ran. There was no effort in my runs, no competition, no timing: just plain relaxation.
Running on the road didn't have the same effect so the majority of my runs were off on my own. I enjoyed running on the bike trails away from people, traffic or any distractions.
About two weeks before the marathon, people started asking: "Are you going to run?"
I had two fears. Number 1: competition. I didn't want to compete. Running was my form of relaxation and competition would rob me of that. Secondly, people would now have expectations that I would do better this year than last since, after all, I'd just been running all summer and last year I only trained for 12 days. My fear was: What if…I don't? I had run, but I hadn't really trained for a marathon-at least not the way real marathoners do.
That's when my husband stepped in and made it quite clear: "You run this time, you drink." No matter how long my runs were I always neglected to take fluids. I was convinced they did nothing, but I agreed to try them. Two weeks beforehand, I had my schedule planned out and on Day 14 did a 23-kilometer run. My husband Goronwy followed me in our vehicle and approximately every five kilometres he got out and forced Gatorade into me. On Day 7 he decided it was time to introduce me to a watch that paced my run, my speed, my heart rate and the course. This totally changed my run. I could no longer relax because now I was being timed. My husband also increased my fluid consumption and forced me to drink every 2.5 kilometers. My time had improved and I started to notice my own energy level increase and remain stable throughout the run.
"Hmmm," I wondered. "Was the Gatorade working?"
I thought so, but I wasn't ready to admit it yet – at least not out loud. I was starting to think more about the marathon and about what the difference might be if I drank along the course. I was still a little nervous considering how I had felt a year earlier, but more importantly I was also very excited to see if the fluids would actually help.
On Oct 10, I set out on the marathon from North West River to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. At first thought: "Wow, this feels too easy. Maybe I'm running too fast. Perhaps I should slow down." But I felt great: good music, Gatorade. I was totally relaxed. It didn't even feel like I was competing. At the 10-kilometer mark I thought, "Wow, this feels great: 10 kilometers already."
At 21 kilometers and 32 kilometers, I was still feeling good. I couldn't get over the difference, I was actually enjoying the run. At 42.2 kilometers (the finish line) I felt like I could just keep on going. I am sure there are many who would say it was the training. Yes, since May I had run just about every day, but did I work hard, watch my time, increase my speed? No, I ran for relaxation. I'm sure it was beneficial, but there is no way I can explain the energy and the mental alertness I felt at the end of the marathon without crediting it to the fluids I drank. Those who do not drink and think fluids will harm their run (I was on of them) should give it a try.
The True North Strong, Free and Fast: The Great Canadian Marathon Guide
By Erin Sheard, iRUN Magazine, March 2010
First-time marathoners often embrace the comfortable familiarity of a local race. You can sleep in your own bed, the airline won't lose your lucky shorts, and family is close by to carry you home. But when the marathon siren calls again and again, many runners are lured to far off places and races. They dust off their passport, buy a plane ticket, and cross the border for a 26.2-mile adventure; not realizing that, with almost 60 marathons from sea to sea to sea, our home and native land is hiding multiple 42.2km gems worthy of a race registration. This year, look no further than your neighbour's backyard for your perfect marathon course.
Best political shakedown. The bureaucrats at Parliament Hill might be known for running at the mouth or running scared when scandal breaks, but runners around the world flock to the National Capital Region for The Ottawa Marathon (May 30). Look closely and you might just see a famous face cheering through the gates at 24 Sussex Dr. With a record 3,577 runners crossing the finish line last year the Ottawa Marathon has now become the largest marathon in Canada.
Most Northerly finish line. Take a cue from our national anthem and head to the true north where the remote northern terrain awes and challenges runners. Some 800km north of the Arctic Circle, the Arctic Watch North West Passage Marathon (August 1) in Somerset, Nunavut is North America's most far-flung marathon. Twenty-four hours of arctic sun light up the demanding trail course marked by eye-catching Inukshuks. Animal sightings are all but guaranteed on this wild route, with camera-clad runners spotting polar bears, beluga whales, seals, and muskoxen.
Snowiest starting line. Canadians are a tough lot. We can handle a frigid run. The marathon tends to hibernate until spring, but two cool races dare to brave the deep snowdrifts and ominous wind-chill factor. Only a fool would want to start their new year off with a 42.2km bang instead of a 5km resolution whimper. Lucky for them, the January (date TBD for 2011) Fool's Marathon in St. Catherine's, ON offers a no-chip, no-frills race for runners with warm base layers and a lot of gumption. As winter peaks in February the Winterman Marathon (February 11) in notoriously bone-chilling Ottawa will test your resolve. Loosen up post-marathon with a skate down the Rideau Canal and watch the winter training blahs fade away.
Beginner's luckiest. Some people shy away from inaugural races, preferring to wait a year or so until the kinks are worked out. Sure, new races might be kinky, but that's part of the first-time charm. Run the inaugural event and 20 years later return to the race as one of the fore-running celebs -- you might even get a free pasta dinner. Even better, become a lifer by running every edition of the race. This year, two road races are making a debut. With the hulking land formation known as the Sleeping Giant watching over your run, the Thunder Bay Miles with the Giant Marathon (September 19) along the shores of Lake Superior is sure to be a crowd pleaser. On the shores of Lake Ontario the Whitby International North Marathon (May 23) debuts in the hometown of reigning Olympic track and field medalist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep.
Zen-est race. The Log Trail Marathon (August 15) in Port Alberni, BC is proudly billed as a non-race. This laidback event is not timed and prizes are awarded by draw instead of finishing placement. The course follows old logging railway and finishers literally go home with a piece of the route -- a gold spike from the old railway.
Best t-shirt. We run for the challenge, the accomplishment, and the addiction; but secretly we also run for the swag. The race medal has its limits when it comes to boasting mileage, but a t-shirt lasts forever. The high-tech Generic City Marathon shirts are practical and garner the requisite oohhs and aahhs, but a really great race t-shirt stops you dead in your sneakers. It impresses, amuses, or intimidates. If for no other reason you must run Look Matters Gopher Attack Marathon (April 2) in Regina, SK so you earn the right to wear the long sleeve shirt. The snarling gopher wearing the bloody nipple bib number 11 will impress the most seasoned of runners.
Best trip back in time. In the days of old Sunday was a day of rest, so running on a Saturday is a must for racers tackling this historic trapline route. The Destination Labrador Trapline Marathon (October 9) in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NF dares you to run full tilt. With the website specifying the average speed of both the mosquito and the moose, full tilt is the best gear. At the finish line head to the trapper's tent for warm tea and a traditional aboriginal feast. Yes, they serve flummies.
Best double (and triple) play. The largest city in Canada, Toronto, ON, offers back-to-back fall marathons. The races are often pitted against each other, but I'm a lover not a fighter. Like the nearly 170 runners who accepted the challenge in 2009, run both. On September 26 follow an international group of elite runners along Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront's flat, fast course to the roaring crowds at City Hall. With a blistering 2:08:32 men's finish last year, Toronto Waterfront holds the record for the fastest marathon on Canadian soil. Then rest for a couple of weeks before lacing up for the Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon's 42.2km foot tour of Toronto on October 17. The vibrant fall colours brighten the city's most famous street and the 70 historic sites dotting the route. The rolling route with a pleasing net downhill leads you to the Ontario legislature and a grand finish in Queen's Park.
Of course, if you want to complete the GTA trifecta of full marathons, your planning will have to start early enough in the year to include the Mississauga Marathon (May 16) -- a speedy, net-downhill point-to-point course that takes runners from Mississauga City Hall to the shores of Lake Ontario.
Best run for the border. The Niagara Falls International Marathon (October 24) is the only marathon in the world that begins in one country and ends in another. The next time someone asks you "how far was this marathon?" you can answer "it was so far I needed a passport." Now that is impressive. Start in New York, run across the Peace Bridge into Canada, travel around historic Fort Erie and end your race at the famous Niagara Falls. With a course record of 2:10:19 and the cool temperatures of late fall, PB seekers may find good fortune in the mist -- and if you play your cards right, at the casino later that day.
Host with the Most. If you really want to see a city and not just the over-populated tourist haunts in your Lonely Planet travel guide, take the 42.2km marathon tour. The so-called Paris of North America, Montreal's European charms are hard to resist. The Marathon Oasis du Montreal (September 5) showcases this cosmopolitan metropolis as old historic districts and modern attractions blend seamlessly along the route. Top off your race with the grandest marathon finish in Canada as you cross the line in the 1976 Olympic Stadium. Bravo!
Richest Race. Run down streets paved with gold. In the 1930s prospectors followed the gold rush north. In the new millennium wealth seekers are after the diamonds, but runners land on the shores of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories in search of a shiny medal and a race shirt. With the brilliant colours of the aurora borealis lighting up the sky, the Yellowknife Overlander Marathon (August 1) is a gem of a race.
Greenest Course. It's not easy being green, but that isn't stopping the Manitoba Lotteries Presents: Manitoba Marathon (June 20). Compostable cutlery and dishes at the race dinner, FSC certified print materials, quick-degrading bags, on-site composting, and an admirable waste-diversion program are just a few of their many eco-friendly initiatives. Tread lightly indeed.
Most memorable miles. Johnny Miles is a marathon legend. In 1926 the unknown 19-year old kid from Nova Scotia beat the fastest marathoners in the world to win the Boston marathon and shatter the world record. As historians are always keen to note, he won the race wearing cheap canvas sneakers. He did it again in 1929. The Johnny Miles Marathon (June 20) honours this great runner in a small town event with big community support. On the other side of the country in Mayerthorpe, AB, the Fallen 4 Marathon (June 6) runs in honour of sacrifice. The race marks the community's loss of four young RCMP constables in a tragic 2005 stand-off, but has become a show of strength and support. Now that's a race worth running.
Best post-race tipple. If the 'will run for vino' shirts are an accurate indicator, runners enjoy a glass or two of the good stuff. Lucky for runners, vineyards tend to be beautiful places to run. Clever race organizers bring the runners to the wine, staging scenic races with finish line perks. The dry climate and moderate temperatures in Kelowna, BC are ideal for the BMO Okanagan Marathon (October 10) runners and the local wine growers. If you indulge in enough celebratory wine you might just spot the famous Ogopogo, the mysterious lake monster residing in Okanagan Lake. The Niagara Marathon (June 19), held in conjunction with the Niagara Ultramarathon in Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON, will test your resolve as you run past the front door of local wineries - twice. And last but not least, The County Marathon (October 3) doesn't just wind its way through the up-and-coming wine region of Prince Edward County; it's also renowned for serving runners free beer at the finish line. Now that's the kind of carbo-loading we believe in!
Best bragging rights. Flat and fast may entice most runners, but others are attracted to a gruelling course promising blood, sweat, and tears. The Powderface42 Marathon (July 17) in Bragg Creek, AB, is a race to be respected. Run entirely on single track trail through the Rocky Mountain foothills, the path climbs 2,020 metres by the halfway point. River crossings, loose rocks, perilous ascents and descents, and animal encounters of the grizzly and cougar variety are par for the course. This just may be the toughest marathon in Canada. That's why you want to run it.
Best history lesson. Almost every block in Quebec City, QC has a historic plaque of interest. An entire section of the city, Old Quebec, is a designated UNESCO world heritage site. The Plains of Abraham, the fortified walls, and the Saint Lawrence River are reminders of long ago battles studied by school children across the country. The SSQ Quebec City Marathon/Marathon des Deux Rives (August 29) route brings grade nine history to life, one footstep at a time.
Best off-roading. The Yukon River Trail Marathon (August 1) is run on tricky terrain with drop-offs, quick turns, and narrow trails. The route is devilishly designed so that each upcoming leg is harder than the previous. In the final leg awaits Heart Break and "Pee Wee" hill. Extreme caution is advised -- the glorious scenery is tempting, but keep your eyes on the trail.
Best shot at a podium finish. Those of us with speed more like the tortoise than hare may never know the glory of a podium finish. That is, unless you choose your race wisely. Running is its own reward, but an age group trophy is nice too. Small races have the advantage of personal attention, freedom to run without jockeying for position, and routes that may be a bit off the beaten track. With almost 20 marathons running with fewer than 50 marathon finishers, you have your pick of podium potential. Good things come in small packages and these pint-sized races pack a full-sized punch. Check out the Treherne Marathon Run for the Hills (September 12) in Treherne, MB; the Oil Sands Marathon (September TBA) in Fort McMurray, AB, Cape Breton Fiddlers Run (June 6), or the Kennebecasis Valley Challenge Marathon (October 17) in Rothesay, NB. With numbers now exceeding 50, the Rock's Newfoundland Provincial Marathon (September 26) in St. John's, Nfld isn't as tiny as some, but crowds aren't a concern. Yet.
Best Deal. At $50 ($45 for Run Nova Scotia members) the Nova Scotia Marathon (July 25) in Barrington, NS offers all the perks of a champagne race on a beer budget. The pasta dinner is another bargain at $9. For this low price you can run like the elite -- in addition to the race supplied refreshments the organizers will transport your own personal food/drink concoctions to the aid stations. Post race, feast on clam chowder and pie instead of stale bagels and bruised bananas.
Most Regal Race. The Royal Victoria Marathon (October 10) will dazzle you with a trip through the quaint town, almost constant views of the ocean, and handshake from the race organizer at the finish. The stately city's namesake, Queen Victoria, showed endurance befitting a marathoner as she ruled for over 63 years. If ten is your lucky number this year's race on 10-10-10 is a once in a lifetime bonus. In truly regal style, celebrate your accomplishment with a traditional English high tea at the historic Fairmont Royal Empress hotel.
Most Extreme Makeover, Race Edition. Everything old is new again. New changes are in the works for the 2010 edition of the Intact Insurance Edmonton Marathon (August 22) as this race joins forces with the popular Canadian Derby horse race. This is a rare opportunity to run a fast summer marathon on a re-routed flatter course with spectacular views along the Edmonton River Valley. I'm rooting for a man versus horse 42.2km showdown.
In 2009, the neighbouring Calgary Marathon (May 30) successfully left the hustle and bustle and heat of The Stampede weekend in favour of a new spring date and a slightly hillier route, but the signature belt buckle medal remains.
Best place to wear a hula skirt. For 20 years, Fredericton, NB has hosted the Not The Honolulu Marathon (December TBA). With fewer than ten hardy souls running the full 42.2km, this may be the smallest marathon in Canada. The sparse crowds and unpredictable weather (cold and windy is almost a guarantee, snowstorms are optional) will satisfy tough runners looking for a new challenge or an excuse to run a marathon in a grass skirt in December.
Prettiest Park. So many people long to get back to nature. National parks and reserves are a proud feature of the Canadian countryside; isn't it time to run in one? The Edge to Edge Marathon (June 13) is not your average marathon. Running on road, trail, and packed sand through the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, the haunting beauty of an ancient rainforest and picture-perfect oceanfront views distract you from the demanding course.
Provincial bigwigs. 2010 marks the 10th anniversary of Regina's SaskCentral Queen City Marathon (September 12). This limited entry event, capped at 600, sells out well before race day. Well-known for the small size and friendly volunteers, the winding pedestrian paths lead runners around one of the largest urban parks in the world, including the man-made Wascana Lake.
Best place to find a kindred spirit. Visitors on an Anne Shirley pilgrimage head to the National Park, home to the Green Gables House and starting location of the province's only marathon. Imagine running the BMO Nesbitt Burns Prince Edward Island Marathon (October 17). As you travel from the national park to the confederation trail to Charlottetown, PEI, sweeping sea vistas, classic lighthouses, miles of sandy beaches, charming villages and deep sea fishing boats in the gulf delight your eyes. As Anne would say, when you're imagining, you might as well imagine something worthwhile.
Biggest hills and thrills. Triumphing over a race course's notorious hills is a badge of honour. Halifax, NS is not known as a flat city. Add in the unpredictable weather and the Scotiabank Blue Nose International Marathon in Halifax (May 23) is a recipe for race adventure. Some runners shy away from a hilly route, but others know that the ups and downs give our legs and brain a break from the monotony of long flat straightaways.
Best place to witness a Guinness World Record. Where are the highest tides in the world? Although hotly contested, Guinness still crowns New Brunswick's famous Bay of Fundy. The Tim Horton's Marathon by the Sea (August 8) in Saint John leads runners past the record-setting tides and the mesmerizing reversing falls for a watery run you won't forget. For once you have reason to embrace the wind -- the bigger the gusts, the more exciting the tides.
Best stunt run. You can follow your training schedule religiously, pick the perfect course, dot your "i"s and cross your "t"s, but when mother nature plays roulette with the weather your PB might become a long slow slog to the finish. Thunder Bay's Thunderwolves Indoor Marathon (2011 date TBA) guarantees perfect weather. Runners complete 211 laps of the Lakehead University Hangar track, reversing direction every 60 minutes to minimize puking and uneven leg development. 2010 was the inaugural race, but organizers are promising an annual event.
Kid Friendliest Marathon. With the near extinction of childhood Phys Ed classes parents need to get creative with exercise. Make your race weekend a family affair. The BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver International Marathon (May 2) offers the McDonald's Kids MaraFun, a program in which kids run 40.6km in the six weeks leading up to the marathon and a final 1.6km on race day. The mini-marathoners cross the finish line for a total of 42.2km and their first finisher's medal. While the little runner in your life completes their MaraFun you can run one of the most popular courses in Canada. The glorious Stanley Park is still a route fixture, with the inaugural race looping the park five times, although runners today are treated to the best of city and country.
Best run for a reason. Most races have a charity program, but in Moncton, NB, philanthropy is front and centre. The Legs for Literacy Marathon (October 24) is a grassroots fundraiser for school literacy programs started by a local runner. This is a race to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. If you're really lucky you might just spot a tidal bore en route. Don't know what that is? Me either. But I'm definitely curious.
Best Last Chance. You made a New Year's Resolution to run a marathon, but time is running out. You just know you have a Boston Qualifying run in you, but time is running out. You just want to add one more marathon to your ever-growing list before New Year's Eve, but time is running out. In Canada the marathon pool dries up as the last of the leaves fall, but there is still one race left - the November 7th Road2Hope Marathon in Hamilton, ON is the last certified marathon of the year. Lucky for you, it is a fast one. According to marathonguide.com, Road2Hope runners lead the way to Boston, with 33.4% qualifying.
Best Spring Tune-up. A special mention goes to the oldest road race in North America. The fluorescent t-shirt doesn't lie; it really is older than Boston. The Around the Bay 30K (March 28) is the tune-up race of choice for spring marathoners. The weather is unpredictable in early spring, a gamble runners grudgingly embrace. The hills are notorious and the grim reaper mocks as you make your way past his graveyard to the fanfare waiting in Copps Coliseum.
Best of the rest. My best may not be your best. Every marathon in Canada is an adventure waiting to be discovered. With fewer than 60 races in total I challenge the marathon collector to run them all. That's right, run every marathon in Canada and show up those slackers who only aim for fifty marathons in fifty states.
First-time marathoners often embrace the comfortable familiarity of a local race. You can sleep in your own bed, the airline won't lose your lucky shorts, and family is close by to carry you home. But when the marathon siren calls again and again, many runners are lured to far off places and races. They dust off their passport, buy a plane ticket, and cross the border for a 26.2-mile adventure; not realizing that, with almost 60 marathons from sea to sea to sea, our home and native land is hiding multiple 42.2km gems worthy of a race registration. This year, look no further than your neighbour's backyard for your perfect marathon course.
Best political shakedown. The bureaucrats at Parliament Hill might be known for running at the mouth or running scared when scandal breaks, but runners around the world flock to the National Capital Region for The Ottawa Marathon (May 30). Look closely and you might just see a famous face cheering through the gates at 24 Sussex Dr. With a record 3,577 runners crossing the finish line last year the Ottawa Marathon has now become the largest marathon in Canada.
Most Northerly finish line. Take a cue from our national anthem and head to the true north where the remote northern terrain awes and challenges runners. Some 800km north of the Arctic Circle, the Arctic Watch North West Passage Marathon (August 1) in Somerset, Nunavut is North America's most far-flung marathon. Twenty-four hours of arctic sun light up the demanding trail course marked by eye-catching Inukshuks. Animal sightings are all but guaranteed on this wild route, with camera-clad runners spotting polar bears, beluga whales, seals, and muskoxen.
Snowiest starting line. Canadians are a tough lot. We can handle a frigid run. The marathon tends to hibernate until spring, but two cool races dare to brave the deep snowdrifts and ominous wind-chill factor. Only a fool would want to start their new year off with a 42.2km bang instead of a 5km resolution whimper. Lucky for them, the January (date TBD for 2011) Fool's Marathon in St. Catherine's, ON offers a no-chip, no-frills race for runners with warm base layers and a lot of gumption. As winter peaks in February the Winterman Marathon (February 11) in notoriously bone-chilling Ottawa will test your resolve. Loosen up post-marathon with a skate down the Rideau Canal and watch the winter training blahs fade away.
Beginner's luckiest. Some people shy away from inaugural races, preferring to wait a year or so until the kinks are worked out. Sure, new races might be kinky, but that's part of the first-time charm. Run the inaugural event and 20 years later return to the race as one of the fore-running celebs -- you might even get a free pasta dinner. Even better, become a lifer by running every edition of the race. This year, two road races are making a debut. With the hulking land formation known as the Sleeping Giant watching over your run, the Thunder Bay Miles with the Giant Marathon (September 19) along the shores of Lake Superior is sure to be a crowd pleaser. On the shores of Lake Ontario the Whitby International North Marathon (May 23) debuts in the hometown of reigning Olympic track and field medalist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep.
Zen-est race. The Log Trail Marathon (August 15) in Port Alberni, BC is proudly billed as a non-race. This laidback event is not timed and prizes are awarded by draw instead of finishing placement. The course follows old logging railway and finishers literally go home with a piece of the route -- a gold spike from the old railway.
Best t-shirt. We run for the challenge, the accomplishment, and the addiction; but secretly we also run for the swag. The race medal has its limits when it comes to boasting mileage, but a t-shirt lasts forever. The high-tech Generic City Marathon shirts are practical and garner the requisite oohhs and aahhs, but a really great race t-shirt stops you dead in your sneakers. It impresses, amuses, or intimidates. If for no other reason you must run Look Matters Gopher Attack Marathon (April 2) in Regina, SK so you earn the right to wear the long sleeve shirt. The snarling gopher wearing the bloody nipple bib number 11 will impress the most seasoned of runners.
Best trip back in time. In the days of old Sunday was a day of rest, so running on a Saturday is a must for racers tackling this historic trapline route. The Destination Labrador Trapline Marathon (October 9) in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NF dares you to run full tilt. With the website specifying the average speed of both the mosquito and the moose, full tilt is the best gear. At the finish line head to the trapper's tent for warm tea and a traditional aboriginal feast. Yes, they serve flummies.
Best double (and triple) play. The largest city in Canada, Toronto, ON, offers back-to-back fall marathons. The races are often pitted against each other, but I'm a lover not a fighter. Like the nearly 170 runners who accepted the challenge in 2009, run both. On September 26 follow an international group of elite runners along Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront's flat, fast course to the roaring crowds at City Hall. With a blistering 2:08:32 men's finish last year, Toronto Waterfront holds the record for the fastest marathon on Canadian soil. Then rest for a couple of weeks before lacing up for the Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon's 42.2km foot tour of Toronto on October 17. The vibrant fall colours brighten the city's most famous street and the 70 historic sites dotting the route. The rolling route with a pleasing net downhill leads you to the Ontario legislature and a grand finish in Queen's Park.
Of course, if you want to complete the GTA trifecta of full marathons, your planning will have to start early enough in the year to include the Mississauga Marathon (May 16) -- a speedy, net-downhill point-to-point course that takes runners from Mississauga City Hall to the shores of Lake Ontario.
Best run for the border. The Niagara Falls International Marathon (October 24) is the only marathon in the world that begins in one country and ends in another. The next time someone asks you "how far was this marathon?" you can answer "it was so far I needed a passport." Now that is impressive. Start in New York, run across the Peace Bridge into Canada, travel around historic Fort Erie and end your race at the famous Niagara Falls. With a course record of 2:10:19 and the cool temperatures of late fall, PB seekers may find good fortune in the mist -- and if you play your cards right, at the casino later that day.
Host with the Most. If you really want to see a city and not just the over-populated tourist haunts in your Lonely Planet travel guide, take the 42.2km marathon tour. The so-called Paris of North America, Montreal's European charms are hard to resist. The Marathon Oasis du Montreal (September 5) showcases this cosmopolitan metropolis as old historic districts and modern attractions blend seamlessly along the route. Top off your race with the grandest marathon finish in Canada as you cross the line in the 1976 Olympic Stadium. Bravo!
Richest Race. Run down streets paved with gold. In the 1930s prospectors followed the gold rush north. In the new millennium wealth seekers are after the diamonds, but runners land on the shores of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories in search of a shiny medal and a race shirt. With the brilliant colours of the aurora borealis lighting up the sky, the Yellowknife Overlander Marathon (August 1) is a gem of a race.
Greenest Course. It's not easy being green, but that isn't stopping the Manitoba Lotteries Presents: Manitoba Marathon (June 20). Compostable cutlery and dishes at the race dinner, FSC certified print materials, quick-degrading bags, on-site composting, and an admirable waste-diversion program are just a few of their many eco-friendly initiatives. Tread lightly indeed.
Most memorable miles. Johnny Miles is a marathon legend. In 1926 the unknown 19-year old kid from Nova Scotia beat the fastest marathoners in the world to win the Boston marathon and shatter the world record. As historians are always keen to note, he won the race wearing cheap canvas sneakers. He did it again in 1929. The Johnny Miles Marathon (June 20) honours this great runner in a small town event with big community support. On the other side of the country in Mayerthorpe, AB, the Fallen 4 Marathon (June 6) runs in honour of sacrifice. The race marks the community's loss of four young RCMP constables in a tragic 2005 stand-off, but has become a show of strength and support. Now that's a race worth running.
Best post-race tipple. If the 'will run for vino' shirts are an accurate indicator, runners enjoy a glass or two of the good stuff. Lucky for runners, vineyards tend to be beautiful places to run. Clever race organizers bring the runners to the wine, staging scenic races with finish line perks. The dry climate and moderate temperatures in Kelowna, BC are ideal for the BMO Okanagan Marathon (October 10) runners and the local wine growers. If you indulge in enough celebratory wine you might just spot the famous Ogopogo, the mysterious lake monster residing in Okanagan Lake. The Niagara Marathon (June 19), held in conjunction with the Niagara Ultramarathon in Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON, will test your resolve as you run past the front door of local wineries - twice. And last but not least, The County Marathon (October 3) doesn't just wind its way through the up-and-coming wine region of Prince Edward County; it's also renowned for serving runners free beer at the finish line. Now that's the kind of carbo-loading we believe in!
Best bragging rights. Flat and fast may entice most runners, but others are attracted to a gruelling course promising blood, sweat, and tears. The Powderface42 Marathon (July 17) in Bragg Creek, AB, is a race to be respected. Run entirely on single track trail through the Rocky Mountain foothills, the path climbs 2,020 metres by the halfway point. River crossings, loose rocks, perilous ascents and descents, and animal encounters of the grizzly and cougar variety are par for the course. This just may be the toughest marathon in Canada. That's why you want to run it.
Best history lesson. Almost every block in Quebec City, QC has a historic plaque of interest. An entire section of the city, Old Quebec, is a designated UNESCO world heritage site. The Plains of Abraham, the fortified walls, and the Saint Lawrence River are reminders of long ago battles studied by school children across the country. The SSQ Quebec City Marathon/Marathon des Deux Rives (August 29) route brings grade nine history to life, one footstep at a time.
Best off-roading. The Yukon River Trail Marathon (August 1) is run on tricky terrain with drop-offs, quick turns, and narrow trails. The route is devilishly designed so that each upcoming leg is harder than the previous. In the final leg awaits Heart Break and "Pee Wee" hill. Extreme caution is advised -- the glorious scenery is tempting, but keep your eyes on the trail.
Best shot at a podium finish. Those of us with speed more like the tortoise than hare may never know the glory of a podium finish. That is, unless you choose your race wisely. Running is its own reward, but an age group trophy is nice too. Small races have the advantage of personal attention, freedom to run without jockeying for position, and routes that may be a bit off the beaten track. With almost 20 marathons running with fewer than 50 marathon finishers, you have your pick of podium potential. Good things come in small packages and these pint-sized races pack a full-sized punch. Check out the Treherne Marathon Run for the Hills (September 12) in Treherne, MB; the Oil Sands Marathon (September TBA) in Fort McMurray, AB, Cape Breton Fiddlers Run (June 6), or the Kennebecasis Valley Challenge Marathon (October 17) in Rothesay, NB. With numbers now exceeding 50, the Rock's Newfoundland Provincial Marathon (September 26) in St. John's, Nfld isn't as tiny as some, but crowds aren't a concern. Yet.
Best Deal. At $50 ($45 for Run Nova Scotia members) the Nova Scotia Marathon (July 25) in Barrington, NS offers all the perks of a champagne race on a beer budget. The pasta dinner is another bargain at $9. For this low price you can run like the elite -- in addition to the race supplied refreshments the organizers will transport your own personal food/drink concoctions to the aid stations. Post race, feast on clam chowder and pie instead of stale bagels and bruised bananas.
Most Regal Race. The Royal Victoria Marathon (October 10) will dazzle you with a trip through the quaint town, almost constant views of the ocean, and handshake from the race organizer at the finish. The stately city's namesake, Queen Victoria, showed endurance befitting a marathoner as she ruled for over 63 years. If ten is your lucky number this year's race on 10-10-10 is a once in a lifetime bonus. In truly regal style, celebrate your accomplishment with a traditional English high tea at the historic Fairmont Royal Empress hotel.
Most Extreme Makeover, Race Edition. Everything old is new again. New changes are in the works for the 2010 edition of the Intact Insurance Edmonton Marathon (August 22) as this race joins forces with the popular Canadian Derby horse race. This is a rare opportunity to run a fast summer marathon on a re-routed flatter course with spectacular views along the Edmonton River Valley. I'm rooting for a man versus horse 42.2km showdown.
In 2009, the neighbouring Calgary Marathon (May 30) successfully left the hustle and bustle and heat of The Stampede weekend in favour of a new spring date and a slightly hillier route, but the signature belt buckle medal remains.
Best place to wear a hula skirt. For 20 years, Fredericton, NB has hosted the Not The Honolulu Marathon (December TBA). With fewer than ten hardy souls running the full 42.2km, this may be the smallest marathon in Canada. The sparse crowds and unpredictable weather (cold and windy is almost a guarantee, snowstorms are optional) will satisfy tough runners looking for a new challenge or an excuse to run a marathon in a grass skirt in December.
Prettiest Park. So many people long to get back to nature. National parks and reserves are a proud feature of the Canadian countryside; isn't it time to run in one? The Edge to Edge Marathon (June 13) is not your average marathon. Running on road, trail, and packed sand through the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, the haunting beauty of an ancient rainforest and picture-perfect oceanfront views distract you from the demanding course.
Provincial bigwigs. 2010 marks the 10th anniversary of Regina's SaskCentral Queen City Marathon (September 12). This limited entry event, capped at 600, sells out well before race day. Well-known for the small size and friendly volunteers, the winding pedestrian paths lead runners around one of the largest urban parks in the world, including the man-made Wascana Lake.
Best place to find a kindred spirit. Visitors on an Anne Shirley pilgrimage head to the National Park, home to the Green Gables House and starting location of the province's only marathon. Imagine running the BMO Nesbitt Burns Prince Edward Island Marathon (October 17). As you travel from the national park to the confederation trail to Charlottetown, PEI, sweeping sea vistas, classic lighthouses, miles of sandy beaches, charming villages and deep sea fishing boats in the gulf delight your eyes. As Anne would say, when you're imagining, you might as well imagine something worthwhile.
Biggest hills and thrills. Triumphing over a race course's notorious hills is a badge of honour. Halifax, NS is not known as a flat city. Add in the unpredictable weather and the Scotiabank Blue Nose International Marathon in Halifax (May 23) is a recipe for race adventure. Some runners shy away from a hilly route, but others know that the ups and downs give our legs and brain a break from the monotony of long flat straightaways.
Best place to witness a Guinness World Record. Where are the highest tides in the world? Although hotly contested, Guinness still crowns New Brunswick's famous Bay of Fundy. The Tim Horton's Marathon by the Sea (August 8) in Saint John leads runners past the record-setting tides and the mesmerizing reversing falls for a watery run you won't forget. For once you have reason to embrace the wind -- the bigger the gusts, the more exciting the tides.
Best stunt run. You can follow your training schedule religiously, pick the perfect course, dot your "i"s and cross your "t"s, but when mother nature plays roulette with the weather your PB might become a long slow slog to the finish. Thunder Bay's Thunderwolves Indoor Marathon (2011 date TBA) guarantees perfect weather. Runners complete 211 laps of the Lakehead University Hangar track, reversing direction every 60 minutes to minimize puking and uneven leg development. 2010 was the inaugural race, but organizers are promising an annual event.
Kid Friendliest Marathon. With the near extinction of childhood Phys Ed classes parents need to get creative with exercise. Make your race weekend a family affair. The BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver International Marathon (May 2) offers the McDonald's Kids MaraFun, a program in which kids run 40.6km in the six weeks leading up to the marathon and a final 1.6km on race day. The mini-marathoners cross the finish line for a total of 42.2km and their first finisher's medal. While the little runner in your life completes their MaraFun you can run one of the most popular courses in Canada. The glorious Stanley Park is still a route fixture, with the inaugural race looping the park five times, although runners today are treated to the best of city and country.
Best run for a reason. Most races have a charity program, but in Moncton, NB, philanthropy is front and centre. The Legs for Literacy Marathon (October 24) is a grassroots fundraiser for school literacy programs started by a local runner. This is a race to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. If you're really lucky you might just spot a tidal bore en route. Don't know what that is? Me either. But I'm definitely curious.
Best Last Chance. You made a New Year's Resolution to run a marathon, but time is running out. You just know you have a Boston Qualifying run in you, but time is running out. You just want to add one more marathon to your ever-growing list before New Year's Eve, but time is running out. In Canada the marathon pool dries up as the last of the leaves fall, but there is still one race left - the November 7th Road2Hope Marathon in Hamilton, ON is the last certified marathon of the year. Lucky for you, it is a fast one. According to marathonguide.com, Road2Hope runners lead the way to Boston, with 33.4% qualifying.
Best Spring Tune-up. A special mention goes to the oldest road race in North America. The fluorescent t-shirt doesn't lie; it really is older than Boston. The Around the Bay 30K (March 28) is the tune-up race of choice for spring marathoners. The weather is unpredictable in early spring, a gamble runners grudgingly embrace. The hills are notorious and the grim reaper mocks as you make your way past his graveyard to the fanfare waiting in Copps Coliseum.
Best of the rest. My best may not be your best. Every marathon in Canada is an adventure waiting to be discovered. With fewer than 60 races in total I challenge the marathon collector to run them all. That's right, run every marathon in Canada and show up those slackers who only aim for fifty marathons in fifty states.
Canada Day Participants 2009
(larger version)
Canada Day off to a running start
The Labradorian, July 6, 2009
With 175 people participating, this year's Canada Day run is a sure sign that running in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is picking up speed.
Local all-star soccer teams are recognizing the value of running in their training and new runners who recently completed a Learn to Run program were eager to test out their new skills. This added up to a large crowd at the start line in front of the Town Office, setting off to run 3, 5 or 10 km along the bike path.
Mayor Leo Abbass got the runners underway at 9 am and the weather cooperated with cool, overcast conditions, ideal for running. In less than 20 minutes the first runners were crossing the finish line and the fastest 3 km runners were young soccer players. Kyle Bartlett arrived first with a time of 17:45, followed by Jake Roberts in 18:05 and Laura Harvey in 20:09. The 5 km event was the most popular with 87 runners registered.
First across the line in this event was James Goodridge at 20:21 followed by U12 soccer player Curtis Scales in 21:50 and U16 soccer player Eric Fradsham in 22:37. Rebecca Ramey took first place among the 5 km woman in a time of 24:14.
Trappers' Running Club President Jamie Snook set a fine example in the 10 km event with a first place finish in a personal best time of 42:20. Dennis Rashleigh and Robert Russell followed with times of 46:58 and 47:17 respectively. Frances Ralph took first place among the women in a time of 50:27.
Full results are available at www.traplinemarathon.ca .
Regardless of finish times, there were lots of smiling faces at the finish line and many runners took great pride and satisfaction from completing their chosen distance for the first time or at a personal best time. As one participant noted, "Events like this are great for the health of the community!"
The Canada Day run was supported by the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and 5-Wing, and runners enjoyed refreshments along the trail and at the finish line. In turn, participants supported the Terry Fox Foundation with donations totaling $695.40.
Local runners can look forward to the upcoming runs including a Birch Brook trail run on Sept 7, the Terry Fox Run on Sept 13 and the Trapline Marathon on October 10.
Anyone interested in the 'Learning to Run' program can join the next session which begins July 8 at 5 pm at the Minipi Fly Shop parking lot.
With 175 people participating, this year's Canada Day run is a sure sign that running in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is picking up speed.
Local all-star soccer teams are recognizing the value of running in their training and new runners who recently completed a Learn to Run program were eager to test out their new skills. This added up to a large crowd at the start line in front of the Town Office, setting off to run 3, 5 or 10 km along the bike path.
Mayor Leo Abbass got the runners underway at 9 am and the weather cooperated with cool, overcast conditions, ideal for running. In less than 20 minutes the first runners were crossing the finish line and the fastest 3 km runners were young soccer players. Kyle Bartlett arrived first with a time of 17:45, followed by Jake Roberts in 18:05 and Laura Harvey in 20:09. The 5 km event was the most popular with 87 runners registered.
First across the line in this event was James Goodridge at 20:21 followed by U12 soccer player Curtis Scales in 21:50 and U16 soccer player Eric Fradsham in 22:37. Rebecca Ramey took first place among the 5 km woman in a time of 24:14.
Trappers' Running Club President Jamie Snook set a fine example in the 10 km event with a first place finish in a personal best time of 42:20. Dennis Rashleigh and Robert Russell followed with times of 46:58 and 47:17 respectively. Frances Ralph took first place among the women in a time of 50:27.
Full results are available at www.traplinemarathon.ca .
Regardless of finish times, there were lots of smiling faces at the finish line and many runners took great pride and satisfaction from completing their chosen distance for the first time or at a personal best time. As one participant noted, "Events like this are great for the health of the community!"
The Canada Day run was supported by the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and 5-Wing, and runners enjoyed refreshments along the trail and at the finish line. In turn, participants supported the Terry Fox Foundation with donations totaling $695.40.
Local runners can look forward to the upcoming runs including a Birch Brook trail run on Sept 7, the Terry Fox Run on Sept 13 and the Trapline Marathon on October 10.
Anyone interested in the 'Learning to Run' program can join the next session which begins July 8 at 5 pm at the Minipi Fly Shop parking lot.
Cathy and Michael Jong
(larger version)
Downhome Magazine - November 2008 Issue
Web Site: http://www.downhomelife.com/article.php?id=653#
Labrador's Trapline Marathon
By Kim Kielley
On October 11, a group of enthusiastic runners set out to complete the first ever Trapline Marathon. The event not only offers a unique fitness challenge, but it also gives a respectful nod to the natural resource that played a critical role in the settlement of Labrador.
Starting at North West River, the 42-kilometre race route follows a path to Happy Valley-Goose Bay originally used by trappers more than 260 years ago. In 1743, a Frenchman by the name of Louis Fornel established a year-round settlement at North West River where he traded European goods for the local aboriginals' furs. The signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763 saw control of Labrador pass from the French to the British, and before long the Hudson's Bay Company enjoyed a monopoly over the central Labrador fur trade that continued for a century.
But by the 1940s, many trappers had turned to the newly built air force base in Goose Bay for steady employment and a chance at a better life. This move contributed to the eventual collapse of the fur trade. The Hudson's Bay Company's Trading Post in North West River, built in 1923, remains today as a museum run by the Labrador Heritage Society. Next to it is a bronze statue of a trapper, situated on the banks of North West River as a tribute to the trade and the Hudson's Bay Company.
Now there is another tribute to local fur trading history, the Trappers' Running Club and its Trapline Marathon. Club president, Jamie Snook, says the idea for the marathon came after he and four other local runners ran the Bluenose marathon in Halifax last spring. "We were in the airport and everyone was saying how they had such a good time. Then someone said, 'How hard would it be to organize a marathon here in Labrador?' And then someone casually said, 'Oh, that shouldn't be too hard. Let's do it!'"
A committee was quickly formed and a Web site created. Once Air Labrador signed on as the marathon's first sponsor, "it really took on a life of its own," says Jamie.
Deciding on the route the marathon would take was the next step. They chose the route from North West River to Happy Valley-Goose Bay and that naturally led to the naming of the race.
"We decided to call it the 'Trapline Marathon' because the route coming up Highway 520 and from the (Trappers') monument is somewhat symbolic of what the trappers would do in the fall, leaving the community and going up the river. They went a lot farther than 42 kilometres, but it was in that direction," Jamie says. A map of the traditional trapline from North West River is on the club's Web site.
"It's just promoting the heritage aspect of the area," he continues. "It is a bit of a tourism thing. A lot of runners do travel and are looking for a unique event where they can see new areas."
He adds, "People are looking for something different. Some of the most successful marathons are in the north, like Iceland. Some people just like to run in cooler climates."
As proof, there is already a very active running community in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and so there should be no shortage of local representation in the Trapline Marathon, including Jamie, who's relatively new to long-distance running. "It started out with me walking to work for some exercise, and then I just started gradually running," he says.
The Trapline Marathon will be Jamie's third long-distance race. But there are a few participants for whom this is their first marathon experience, including Cathy and Michael Jong. They have lived in Happy Valley-Goose Bay for almost 25 years and have been married for 22 of those years. Cathy is a former physiotherapist-turned-consultant, and Michael is a doctor and medical director at the Labrador Health Centre.
Never in Cathy's wildest dreams would she have envisioned herself running a marathon. "I'm not really a good runner," she chuckles. "It's way too far - I think of myself more as a skier, a rower and a biker than a runner. I run for cross-training."
In fact, if it wasn't for Jamie's enthusiasm for the marathon and the opportunity to host it in Labrador, Cathy might have found herself conveniently "busy" on the day of the race.
Instead, Cathy's become quite serious about the event. The Jongs have taken up a training program that sees them running three times a week. Cathy says juggling practice runs, her career and home life has been a challenge.
"It's given me a much greater respect for people who run marathons on a regular basis. It's not a small-scale commitment," says the mother of two. With her youngest child now 16, Cathy says he's old enough and independent enough now for her and Michael to commit to their rigorous training schedule. "I could never have done this when he was two and three years old," says Cathy.
Cathy and Michael can cover 10-18 kms on weekday runs, while they stretch it to 22-32 kms on the weekends. But even with plenty of practice, Cathy expects the last 10 kms of the 42-km Trapline Marathon to be brutal - advice she picked up from other marathon runners. "There's a reason why the training programs don't go beyond 32 kms. It just eats up your body. So there's no point in brutalizing your body every time you go out," she says.
So why do this if it's so physically demanding? "I'm not in this for racing purposes. I'm in it to see if I can do it," Cathy says. "It's one of those things that are out there that's a physical challenge that I've never done before. And it's just a question of, can I do it? Is it possible?"
For Cathy, running a marathon for the first time "inspires people and provides a goal to shoot for. It's a positive thing and encourages people to be active and get fit. If nothing else, it's been a positive experience thus far. It is one of the ingredients, not the only thing, to a happy marriage," she adds with a laugh.
While Cathy and Michael are not yet looking beyond finishing their first marathon, Jamie Snook notes the Trapline route does serve as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon - so who knows where this one race could take runners in the future?
"We're hoping the (Trapline) Marathon will be an annual event," says Jamie. Not only does it create a healthy challenge, but it also could also contribute to the local tourism economy and make a welcome addition to the long list of outdoor adventures for which Labrador is so widely known.
Labrador's Trapline Marathon
By Kim Kielley
On October 11, a group of enthusiastic runners set out to complete the first ever Trapline Marathon. The event not only offers a unique fitness challenge, but it also gives a respectful nod to the natural resource that played a critical role in the settlement of Labrador.
Starting at North West River, the 42-kilometre race route follows a path to Happy Valley-Goose Bay originally used by trappers more than 260 years ago. In 1743, a Frenchman by the name of Louis Fornel established a year-round settlement at North West River where he traded European goods for the local aboriginals' furs. The signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763 saw control of Labrador pass from the French to the British, and before long the Hudson's Bay Company enjoyed a monopoly over the central Labrador fur trade that continued for a century.
But by the 1940s, many trappers had turned to the newly built air force base in Goose Bay for steady employment and a chance at a better life. This move contributed to the eventual collapse of the fur trade. The Hudson's Bay Company's Trading Post in North West River, built in 1923, remains today as a museum run by the Labrador Heritage Society. Next to it is a bronze statue of a trapper, situated on the banks of North West River as a tribute to the trade and the Hudson's Bay Company.
Now there is another tribute to local fur trading history, the Trappers' Running Club and its Trapline Marathon. Club president, Jamie Snook, says the idea for the marathon came after he and four other local runners ran the Bluenose marathon in Halifax last spring. "We were in the airport and everyone was saying how they had such a good time. Then someone said, 'How hard would it be to organize a marathon here in Labrador?' And then someone casually said, 'Oh, that shouldn't be too hard. Let's do it!'"
A committee was quickly formed and a Web site created. Once Air Labrador signed on as the marathon's first sponsor, "it really took on a life of its own," says Jamie.
Deciding on the route the marathon would take was the next step. They chose the route from North West River to Happy Valley-Goose Bay and that naturally led to the naming of the race.
"We decided to call it the 'Trapline Marathon' because the route coming up Highway 520 and from the (Trappers') monument is somewhat symbolic of what the trappers would do in the fall, leaving the community and going up the river. They went a lot farther than 42 kilometres, but it was in that direction," Jamie says. A map of the traditional trapline from North West River is on the club's Web site.
"It's just promoting the heritage aspect of the area," he continues. "It is a bit of a tourism thing. A lot of runners do travel and are looking for a unique event where they can see new areas."
He adds, "People are looking for something different. Some of the most successful marathons are in the north, like Iceland. Some people just like to run in cooler climates."
As proof, there is already a very active running community in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and so there should be no shortage of local representation in the Trapline Marathon, including Jamie, who's relatively new to long-distance running. "It started out with me walking to work for some exercise, and then I just started gradually running," he says.
The Trapline Marathon will be Jamie's third long-distance race. But there are a few participants for whom this is their first marathon experience, including Cathy and Michael Jong. They have lived in Happy Valley-Goose Bay for almost 25 years and have been married for 22 of those years. Cathy is a former physiotherapist-turned-consultant, and Michael is a doctor and medical director at the Labrador Health Centre.
Never in Cathy's wildest dreams would she have envisioned herself running a marathon. "I'm not really a good runner," she chuckles. "It's way too far - I think of myself more as a skier, a rower and a biker than a runner. I run for cross-training."
In fact, if it wasn't for Jamie's enthusiasm for the marathon and the opportunity to host it in Labrador, Cathy might have found herself conveniently "busy" on the day of the race.
Instead, Cathy's become quite serious about the event. The Jongs have taken up a training program that sees them running three times a week. Cathy says juggling practice runs, her career and home life has been a challenge.
"It's given me a much greater respect for people who run marathons on a regular basis. It's not a small-scale commitment," says the mother of two. With her youngest child now 16, Cathy says he's old enough and independent enough now for her and Michael to commit to their rigorous training schedule. "I could never have done this when he was two and three years old," says Cathy.
Cathy and Michael can cover 10-18 kms on weekday runs, while they stretch it to 22-32 kms on the weekends. But even with plenty of practice, Cathy expects the last 10 kms of the 42-km Trapline Marathon to be brutal - advice she picked up from other marathon runners. "There's a reason why the training programs don't go beyond 32 kms. It just eats up your body. So there's no point in brutalizing your body every time you go out," she says.
So why do this if it's so physically demanding? "I'm not in this for racing purposes. I'm in it to see if I can do it," Cathy says. "It's one of those things that are out there that's a physical challenge that I've never done before. And it's just a question of, can I do it? Is it possible?"
For Cathy, running a marathon for the first time "inspires people and provides a goal to shoot for. It's a positive thing and encourages people to be active and get fit. If nothing else, it's been a positive experience thus far. It is one of the ingredients, not the only thing, to a happy marriage," she adds with a laugh.
While Cathy and Michael are not yet looking beyond finishing their first marathon, Jamie Snook notes the Trapline route does serve as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon - so who knows where this one race could take runners in the future?
"We're hoping the (Trapline) Marathon will be an annual event," says Jamie. Not only does it create a healthy challenge, but it also could also contribute to the local tourism economy and make a welcome addition to the long list of outdoor adventures for which Labrador is so widely known.
Canadian Running Magazine - November and December 2008 Issue
Web Site: http://www.runningmagazine.ca/
Club Profile
Trappers Running Club
By Jamie Snook
The Trappers Running Club may be a case of the cart before the horse. In the spring of 2008 a group of Labrador runners were returning from the Blue Nose Marathon and someone asked how hard it would be to organize a Labrador Marathon? Somebody else quickly replied stating, "it wasn't that hard" and it took off from there.
Eventually the route and name were adopted and the Trapline Marathon was born. It was not until later that organizers realized that there was a need to have an actual running club too and subsequently the Trappers Running Club was created.
The club is unsure how many members there are because no one has been asked to sign up formally. That will probably happen after the inaugural Trapline Marathon runs its course on October 11, 2008. The members that fear meetings and titles and reluctantly signed up for executive positions on the club come from all walks of life. Some are new to running; some are first time marathon trainees and others like Eric Skoglund the club coach is a veteran marathon runner and source of wisdom and training advice!
The Trapline Marathon will have a 42.2-kilometer route from North West River, Labrador to Happy Valley – Goose Bay. Using different starting positions there will also be a half marathon and a 10-kilometer race that end at the same finish line. While catering to the competitive runners with chip timing and course certification the organizers are also keen to promote the rich heritage of Labrador and welcome people to the region. You will get the local flavor of this by visiting www.traplinemarathon.ca.
All runners are welcome to join the club, of all ages and running levels. The club slogan is to "Run Full Tilt" and that is a play on words. Trappers used small wooden structures to live in during their time on the trap line and they were called "tilts". The origins of "Full Tilt" means top speed and maximum energy, all appropriate for enthusiastic running!
On a weekly basis a core group of runners meet Wednesday's at 5:00 p.m. from the Labrador Training Center and Saturday's at 9:00 a.m. from the 5 Wing Gym. The Saturday morning runs are often a challenge and include the locally well-known Dome Mountain!
In addition to the Trapline Marathon the club organizes community runs on Victoria Day, Canada Day, Terry Fox Day and in 2009 plan to enter a team into the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life.
One thing is for sure; if you join us in Labrador for a run there is plenty of time to reflect in solitude. The region is vast, scenic and we trust it will be yet another of your more memorable running destinations.
Club Profile
Trappers Running Club
By Jamie Snook
The Trappers Running Club may be a case of the cart before the horse. In the spring of 2008 a group of Labrador runners were returning from the Blue Nose Marathon and someone asked how hard it would be to organize a Labrador Marathon? Somebody else quickly replied stating, "it wasn't that hard" and it took off from there.
Eventually the route and name were adopted and the Trapline Marathon was born. It was not until later that organizers realized that there was a need to have an actual running club too and subsequently the Trappers Running Club was created.
The club is unsure how many members there are because no one has been asked to sign up formally. That will probably happen after the inaugural Trapline Marathon runs its course on October 11, 2008. The members that fear meetings and titles and reluctantly signed up for executive positions on the club come from all walks of life. Some are new to running; some are first time marathon trainees and others like Eric Skoglund the club coach is a veteran marathon runner and source of wisdom and training advice!
The Trapline Marathon will have a 42.2-kilometer route from North West River, Labrador to Happy Valley – Goose Bay. Using different starting positions there will also be a half marathon and a 10-kilometer race that end at the same finish line. While catering to the competitive runners with chip timing and course certification the organizers are also keen to promote the rich heritage of Labrador and welcome people to the region. You will get the local flavor of this by visiting www.traplinemarathon.ca.
All runners are welcome to join the club, of all ages and running levels. The club slogan is to "Run Full Tilt" and that is a play on words. Trappers used small wooden structures to live in during their time on the trap line and they were called "tilts". The origins of "Full Tilt" means top speed and maximum energy, all appropriate for enthusiastic running!
On a weekly basis a core group of runners meet Wednesday's at 5:00 p.m. from the Labrador Training Center and Saturday's at 9:00 a.m. from the 5 Wing Gym. The Saturday morning runs are often a challenge and include the locally well-known Dome Mountain!
In addition to the Trapline Marathon the club organizes community runs on Victoria Day, Canada Day, Terry Fox Day and in 2009 plan to enter a team into the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life.
One thing is for sure; if you join us in Labrador for a run there is plenty of time to reflect in solitude. The region is vast, scenic and we trust it will be yet another of your more memorable running destinations.
Running Room Magazine - November and December 2008 Issue
Web Site: http://www.runningroom.com/hm/inside.php?id=2670
Paul Fewer and Laura Pomeroy, both from St. John's, Newfoundland,
won the inaugural Trapline Marathon with times of 3:30:12 and 3:41:12
respectively. Laura is the manager of the Running Room in St. John's,
Newfoundland.
Laura commented, "…one of the best events I have ever participated in!
I would highly recommend taking the trip to Labrador just to see the
beautiful scenery and meeting the fantastic people. Make it a goal race
and your weekend is set."
Peter Soucy and Emily Osmond win the half marathon with times of
1:25:08 and 1:59:55 respectively. Peter Soucy ran a personal best and
stated, "I'll be back for the full marathon next year for sure." Keith Dort
and Birte Steuerberg take the 10K event with times of 46:08 and 53:55.
David Lepine and Eric Lemieux, from the Running Room in Brossard,
Quebec, ran the half marathon in times of 1:36:28 and 1:48:05. David
ran a personal best.
David says, "Such a professional event like this in Labrador just makes me
think that I want to go again next year. Congratulations everyone!"
Eric Lemieux also had a great time stating, " e Trapline Marathon was
THE event to run in 2008! Perfect organization, amazing course and
wonderful people. Congratulations! We can easily predict a great future
for this unique race."
The Trapline Marathon is named in commemoration of the trapping
heritage in central Labrador. The first-ever Destination Labrador Trapline
Marathon was held on Oct 11, 2008, and attracted a total of 110 runners
from central and eastern Canada.
Participants gathered on the Friday evening for a pre-race pasta supper and
motivational talk from Canadian Olympian Maxime Boilard. e next
morning, bright sunshine, minimal wind and slightly cool temperatures
combined to provide ideal conditions for the runners.
The scenic marathon route took runners from the Trappers' Monument
in North West River past an array of fall colours along route 520 to
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, with nine water stops along the way. Staggered
starts brought the half-marathon and 10 km participants onto the same
route and provided additional encouragement to runners doing the
full distance. All participants crossed the finish line at Kinsmen Park in
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, where a crowd of supporters and a selection of
traditional Labrador foods and entertainment supplied by the Labrador
Metis Nation met them.
The runners were very satisfied, many of whom posted personal best times
in the marathon, half marathon and 10 km events. e post-race awards
presentation and barbeque steak dinner with entertainment by East Coast
Music Award winners, the Flummies, rounded o this very successful
inaugural event. It had participants making plans for next year.
Jamie Snook, chairperson of the organizing committee, stated, "The
organizing committee are excited about the success of this event and the
level of corporate, community and volunteer support that came together
to make it happen. Thee success of the inaugural Destination Labrador
Trapline Marathon marks Happy Valley-Goose Bay as a unique marathon
destination. Planning is already underway for the October 10, 2009
Destination Labrador Trapline Marathon.
Paul Fewer and Laura Pomeroy, both from St. John's, Newfoundland,
won the inaugural Trapline Marathon with times of 3:30:12 and 3:41:12
respectively. Laura is the manager of the Running Room in St. John's,
Newfoundland.
Laura commented, "…one of the best events I have ever participated in!
I would highly recommend taking the trip to Labrador just to see the
beautiful scenery and meeting the fantastic people. Make it a goal race
and your weekend is set."
Peter Soucy and Emily Osmond win the half marathon with times of
1:25:08 and 1:59:55 respectively. Peter Soucy ran a personal best and
stated, "I'll be back for the full marathon next year for sure." Keith Dort
and Birte Steuerberg take the 10K event with times of 46:08 and 53:55.
David Lepine and Eric Lemieux, from the Running Room in Brossard,
Quebec, ran the half marathon in times of 1:36:28 and 1:48:05. David
ran a personal best.
David says, "Such a professional event like this in Labrador just makes me
think that I want to go again next year. Congratulations everyone!"
Eric Lemieux also had a great time stating, " e Trapline Marathon was
THE event to run in 2008! Perfect organization, amazing course and
wonderful people. Congratulations! We can easily predict a great future
for this unique race."
The Trapline Marathon is named in commemoration of the trapping
heritage in central Labrador. The first-ever Destination Labrador Trapline
Marathon was held on Oct 11, 2008, and attracted a total of 110 runners
from central and eastern Canada.
Participants gathered on the Friday evening for a pre-race pasta supper and
motivational talk from Canadian Olympian Maxime Boilard. e next
morning, bright sunshine, minimal wind and slightly cool temperatures
combined to provide ideal conditions for the runners.
The scenic marathon route took runners from the Trappers' Monument
in North West River past an array of fall colours along route 520 to
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, with nine water stops along the way. Staggered
starts brought the half-marathon and 10 km participants onto the same
route and provided additional encouragement to runners doing the
full distance. All participants crossed the finish line at Kinsmen Park in
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, where a crowd of supporters and a selection of
traditional Labrador foods and entertainment supplied by the Labrador
Metis Nation met them.
The runners were very satisfied, many of whom posted personal best times
in the marathon, half marathon and 10 km events. e post-race awards
presentation and barbeque steak dinner with entertainment by East Coast
Music Award winners, the Flummies, rounded o this very successful
inaugural event. It had participants making plans for next year.
Jamie Snook, chairperson of the organizing committee, stated, "The
organizing committee are excited about the success of this event and the
level of corporate, community and volunteer support that came together
to make it happen. Thee success of the inaugural Destination Labrador
Trapline Marathon marks Happy Valley-Goose Bay as a unique marathon
destination. Planning is already underway for the October 10, 2009
Destination Labrador Trapline Marathon.
Anastasia and son after the 2009 DL TM.
(larger version)
TAKING CONTROL
By Anastasia Qupee
After I ran the Trapline Marathon this past fall, there was a banquet that same night in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Pete Soucy, otherwise known as Snook - a well-known Newfoundland comedian - also ran the marathon, and he was a guest performer at the banquet. During his act, he asked if Chief Anastasia Qupee was in the room. I was seated near the back and grabbed onto a friend next to me, afraid of what was coming. Snook then said that he heard I?d lost a lot of weight, about ?half a voter?!
Maybe you needed to be there, but that was a really funny moment.
My journey to weight loss and better health hasn?t always been funny, but I am very happy about how far I have come and how I now feel about myself.
In May of 2008, I began to walk. I walked around Sheshatshit, I walked up the North West River highway, I walked with friends and family and many times alone. I started walking because I didn?t feel good about myself. I didn?t have the energy that I wanted to have and I didn?t like how I looked. I was unhappy.
I didn?t always feel this way. When I think back to what being healthy meant to me as a child, I think about my older sister Elizabeth. She?s one of my 14 sisters and brothers. As an older teenager she kept a poster up on the wall with blocks of different colors. She?d write on it what she was eating. She would say she was watching what she ate, and that stuck in my mind. I always wondered what that meant.
Growing up, we all ate what was cooked up in a big pot - macaroni and tomatoes, mashed potatoes, corned beef hash, tea and Innu bread. My mother made the most wonderful yeast bread in a frying pan as well as dough boys she put on top of stews.
We didn?t really have any sweets, but I remember my mother stretching out molasses to make candies. She would do this in the country and when we were in the community. We didn?t have regular meal times or all sit down to eat together. We ate when there was food and when we were hungry.
My dad died when I was eight-years old. He worked in the summers as a prospector and when he came back in the fall from being in the country his employer would give him Coke and bars. It was junk food to him and not what he would have enjoyed eating, but he would save it and wake me on his early morning returns to give me his back pack and say ?matnue?, share, and I would with my brothers. This was special.
One time I went for supper at Sister Coffey?s house. She was the school principal and another girl my age from Sheshatshit lived with her. We ate pork chops and peas from nice plates and we were told to mind our manners. I was wondering what was going to happen next when my friend asked to be excused from the table. I asked her why she was asking to be excused. In this house what happened about food was quite strange to me.
We didn?t eat that much country food in the village unless it was shared by others with us. There were no trucks to go up the Churchill Road (Trans Labrador Highway). Sometimes my grandmother would give my mother some beaver. Sometimes my mother went over to Edward Rich?s house which was next door. Mr. Rich would send someone over to ask my mother to come over and I knew it was special if my mother was being asked over because he too had a big family to feed. There would be a table in the middle of the room and it would be covered in a cloth. It would be full of plates and tea. Other adults would be there too. I wouldn?t have a plate of my own, but my mother would give me some caribou meat and bread from hers. I remember seeing white and pink stuff on her plate and it looked like candy to me. My mother didn?t share - it was the caribou bone marrow.
I think I became aware of my appearance when I started spending time at a teacher?s house in Sheshatshit. The teacher was caucasian, but her husband was aboriginal. Their daughter was my age. I?d hear her mother tell her to take a bath, brush her teeth, wash her face. Just hearing that made me think about how I looked. The bathroom in our house was a small room with a mirror, a basin and a bucket. We didn?t have any running water. People used to wash outside in the spring and the summer.
There were other situations that made me think about myself in the way others saw me. I did sports at school and sometimes we traveled to other schools. I really liked sports, but one time a teacher at my school said ?you guys all stink... When you go home throw water over yourselves?.
Even though I told the vice principal, and other teachers were encouraging me to stay in school, I never again felt good about myself, so I stopped going.
Looking back to when I was younger, I don?t think Innu adults or children had problems with weight. Women became larger after having babies, but obesity wasn?t a problem. As a teenager I wasn?t heavy, but I was tall, and I became conscious of my size in a negative way. My older brother Guy would always be with me and people would ask if he was my little brother.
I hated the way it felt that people thought I was big.
As a teenager I thought that others judged Innu in a negative way because we had darker skin. I was about 16 and in the country in the spring time.
I wore a scarf around my face because being outside all the time meant my skin would get much darker and I didn?t want that. Now, when I see Innu coming back from being in the country, I see their darkened skin as a sign of health.
I really began to put on a lot of weight in my twenties when I moved to Petawawa, Ontario with my husband and our two young children. We lived on the base and I really missed home. My mom was afraid that something bad would happen, that nothing good could come from my family being so far from Sheshatshit. I didn?t go visiting. I didn?t know anyone, so I stayed in the house. I was eating more. I craved food from home. I really wanted Innu bread and I phoned home to ask my mom how to make bread and beans.
My husband came home to find this meal of bread and beans and asked if we were celebrating something. I guess I was, although I was very sad about not being home. Eating the food I loved made me feel better.
We returned to Sheshatshit a year later. I was much heavier than when I left, and I continued to put on weight over the years.
My first jobs in the community was working at the band council in health programs until I became the chief several years ago.That has been very challenging, often stressful work. I spent a lot of time away from home to attend meetings.
Often, our meetings would take place over dinner or around food. If not, we?d later decide where we were going to eat. After we ate, we?d go to bed. The next day we?d get up and start the same all over again.
There was a part of me that knew I was not paying attention to myself, that I was not treating myself well. I also knew there could be consequences. Several of my older brothers and sisters have high blood pressure and diabetes and I knew that?s where I was heading, but I continued to just let things go.
I remember watching my mother struggle to walk when she was older and heavier and I thought about the health issues for her and that maybe in terms of my health I wasn?t too far behind. She died of a heart attack at 63, in 1996, and at the time, that seemed old.
Two years ago, I started to think my mother wasn?t so old when she died.
There were people I knew and cared about who were dying too young - people like Rose Gregoire, Mary May Osmond and Apenam Pone. They were community health workers as well and had a lot of stress in their lives - maybe they were so busy trying to take care of others, that they weren?t taking care of themselves. I think over the last many years, during stressful times, my family and others have tried to support me and show they cared by offering me food -food as comfort, food as love.
Just by walking and watching what I eat, I?ve lost a lot of weight. I feel more confident. I feel strong. People notice the change and that?s really positive reinforcement. My sister Elizabeth used to check off her boxes on what I came to know was the Canada Food Guide. Maybe that helped keep her motivated.
Elizabeth died from breast cancer in 2009, and I still think about her... when she was a teenager, working with what we had to be healthy.
I know know I need to stay motivated. I get up in the morning and I want to get my walk in - it?s something that I have to do.
There was a recent meeting in the community about diabetes, which is having a terrible impact on Innu. I took the opportunity to speak about myself and the benefits to my health that have come because I watch what I eat and exercise regularly. I told people that I used to weigh almost 300 pounds. There was silence when I said this.
At that same meeting another Innu woman got up to speak. I stood beside her because it was very hard for her, but she was brave. She said that she hadn?t taken care of herself, she didn?t value herself, that there were so many other things going on her life that she put ahead of herself and that, as a result, her health is now very poor. I know there are many other similar stories, but I also know there are more people out walking.
There are people who use the gym at the community clinic.
Being overweight and having poor health isn?t just a medical problem. I think the poor health I was experiencing, that many in my community still experience, is all about stress. I wanted to make a change and I needed to believe that I could make it better for myself. There are lots of things I can?t change, but I went about changing some of the things that I could, even though it was really hard. I struggled with it. I put up barriers. I told myself I need a pedometer, that I?d walk when I had better shoes. I was making excuses.
Now when times are hard for me, and when I find it difficult to get motivated, I know I have a choice. There are so many people who have no choice.
I should be grateful. I am grateful.
?Half a voter? is gone, but I?m here... stronger, healthier and much happier.
After I ran the Trapline Marathon this past fall, there was a banquet that same night in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Pete Soucy, otherwise known as Snook - a well-known Newfoundland comedian - also ran the marathon, and he was a guest performer at the banquet. During his act, he asked if Chief Anastasia Qupee was in the room. I was seated near the back and grabbed onto a friend next to me, afraid of what was coming. Snook then said that he heard I?d lost a lot of weight, about ?half a voter?!
Maybe you needed to be there, but that was a really funny moment.
My journey to weight loss and better health hasn?t always been funny, but I am very happy about how far I have come and how I now feel about myself.
In May of 2008, I began to walk. I walked around Sheshatshit, I walked up the North West River highway, I walked with friends and family and many times alone. I started walking because I didn?t feel good about myself. I didn?t have the energy that I wanted to have and I didn?t like how I looked. I was unhappy.
I didn?t always feel this way. When I think back to what being healthy meant to me as a child, I think about my older sister Elizabeth. She?s one of my 14 sisters and brothers. As an older teenager she kept a poster up on the wall with blocks of different colors. She?d write on it what she was eating. She would say she was watching what she ate, and that stuck in my mind. I always wondered what that meant.
Growing up, we all ate what was cooked up in a big pot - macaroni and tomatoes, mashed potatoes, corned beef hash, tea and Innu bread. My mother made the most wonderful yeast bread in a frying pan as well as dough boys she put on top of stews.
We didn?t really have any sweets, but I remember my mother stretching out molasses to make candies. She would do this in the country and when we were in the community. We didn?t have regular meal times or all sit down to eat together. We ate when there was food and when we were hungry.
My dad died when I was eight-years old. He worked in the summers as a prospector and when he came back in the fall from being in the country his employer would give him Coke and bars. It was junk food to him and not what he would have enjoyed eating, but he would save it and wake me on his early morning returns to give me his back pack and say ?matnue?, share, and I would with my brothers. This was special.
One time I went for supper at Sister Coffey?s house. She was the school principal and another girl my age from Sheshatshit lived with her. We ate pork chops and peas from nice plates and we were told to mind our manners. I was wondering what was going to happen next when my friend asked to be excused from the table. I asked her why she was asking to be excused. In this house what happened about food was quite strange to me.
We didn?t eat that much country food in the village unless it was shared by others with us. There were no trucks to go up the Churchill Road (Trans Labrador Highway). Sometimes my grandmother would give my mother some beaver. Sometimes my mother went over to Edward Rich?s house which was next door. Mr. Rich would send someone over to ask my mother to come over and I knew it was special if my mother was being asked over because he too had a big family to feed. There would be a table in the middle of the room and it would be covered in a cloth. It would be full of plates and tea. Other adults would be there too. I wouldn?t have a plate of my own, but my mother would give me some caribou meat and bread from hers. I remember seeing white and pink stuff on her plate and it looked like candy to me. My mother didn?t share - it was the caribou bone marrow.
I think I became aware of my appearance when I started spending time at a teacher?s house in Sheshatshit. The teacher was caucasian, but her husband was aboriginal. Their daughter was my age. I?d hear her mother tell her to take a bath, brush her teeth, wash her face. Just hearing that made me think about how I looked. The bathroom in our house was a small room with a mirror, a basin and a bucket. We didn?t have any running water. People used to wash outside in the spring and the summer.
There were other situations that made me think about myself in the way others saw me. I did sports at school and sometimes we traveled to other schools. I really liked sports, but one time a teacher at my school said ?you guys all stink... When you go home throw water over yourselves?.
Even though I told the vice principal, and other teachers were encouraging me to stay in school, I never again felt good about myself, so I stopped going.
Looking back to when I was younger, I don?t think Innu adults or children had problems with weight. Women became larger after having babies, but obesity wasn?t a problem. As a teenager I wasn?t heavy, but I was tall, and I became conscious of my size in a negative way. My older brother Guy would always be with me and people would ask if he was my little brother.
I hated the way it felt that people thought I was big.
As a teenager I thought that others judged Innu in a negative way because we had darker skin. I was about 16 and in the country in the spring time.
I wore a scarf around my face because being outside all the time meant my skin would get much darker and I didn?t want that. Now, when I see Innu coming back from being in the country, I see their darkened skin as a sign of health.
I really began to put on a lot of weight in my twenties when I moved to Petawawa, Ontario with my husband and our two young children. We lived on the base and I really missed home. My mom was afraid that something bad would happen, that nothing good could come from my family being so far from Sheshatshit. I didn?t go visiting. I didn?t know anyone, so I stayed in the house. I was eating more. I craved food from home. I really wanted Innu bread and I phoned home to ask my mom how to make bread and beans.
My husband came home to find this meal of bread and beans and asked if we were celebrating something. I guess I was, although I was very sad about not being home. Eating the food I loved made me feel better.
We returned to Sheshatshit a year later. I was much heavier than when I left, and I continued to put on weight over the years.
My first jobs in the community was working at the band council in health programs until I became the chief several years ago.That has been very challenging, often stressful work. I spent a lot of time away from home to attend meetings.
Often, our meetings would take place over dinner or around food. If not, we?d later decide where we were going to eat. After we ate, we?d go to bed. The next day we?d get up and start the same all over again.
There was a part of me that knew I was not paying attention to myself, that I was not treating myself well. I also knew there could be consequences. Several of my older brothers and sisters have high blood pressure and diabetes and I knew that?s where I was heading, but I continued to just let things go.
I remember watching my mother struggle to walk when she was older and heavier and I thought about the health issues for her and that maybe in terms of my health I wasn?t too far behind. She died of a heart attack at 63, in 1996, and at the time, that seemed old.
Two years ago, I started to think my mother wasn?t so old when she died.
There were people I knew and cared about who were dying too young - people like Rose Gregoire, Mary May Osmond and Apenam Pone. They were community health workers as well and had a lot of stress in their lives - maybe they were so busy trying to take care of others, that they weren?t taking care of themselves. I think over the last many years, during stressful times, my family and others have tried to support me and show they cared by offering me food -food as comfort, food as love.
Just by walking and watching what I eat, I?ve lost a lot of weight. I feel more confident. I feel strong. People notice the change and that?s really positive reinforcement. My sister Elizabeth used to check off her boxes on what I came to know was the Canada Food Guide. Maybe that helped keep her motivated.
Elizabeth died from breast cancer in 2009, and I still think about her... when she was a teenager, working with what we had to be healthy.
I know know I need to stay motivated. I get up in the morning and I want to get my walk in - it?s something that I have to do.
There was a recent meeting in the community about diabetes, which is having a terrible impact on Innu. I took the opportunity to speak about myself and the benefits to my health that have come because I watch what I eat and exercise regularly. I told people that I used to weigh almost 300 pounds. There was silence when I said this.
At that same meeting another Innu woman got up to speak. I stood beside her because it was very hard for her, but she was brave. She said that she hadn?t taken care of herself, she didn?t value herself, that there were so many other things going on her life that she put ahead of herself and that, as a result, her health is now very poor. I know there are many other similar stories, but I also know there are more people out walking.
There are people who use the gym at the community clinic.
Being overweight and having poor health isn?t just a medical problem. I think the poor health I was experiencing, that many in my community still experience, is all about stress. I wanted to make a change and I needed to believe that I could make it better for myself. There are lots of things I can?t change, but I went about changing some of the things that I could, even though it was really hard. I struggled with it. I put up barriers. I told myself I need a pedometer, that I?d walk when I had better shoes. I was making excuses.
Now when times are hard for me, and when I find it difficult to get motivated, I know I have a choice. There are so many people who have no choice.
I should be grateful. I am grateful.
?Half a voter? is gone, but I?m here... stronger, healthier and much happier.