On the Run - Manitoba Runners` Association

On the Run
ISSUE 1,2016
Frostbite River Run
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
2
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
3
YOUTH CORNER
4
RUNNING BETWEEN
TWO CONTINENTS
6
A STRONG BODY IS
RARELY A PAINFUL
BODY
8
MEMBER PROFILE
9
RUNNING IN TARRAGONA, SPAIN...
10
CONTINUUM OF INJURY & TREATMENT
12
TUSCOBIA WINTER
ULTRA
14
PROPER WARM-UP
FOR RUNNERS
20
MEMBERSHIP FORM
24
92 runners start the Frostbite River Run at the Riverview Community Centre on January 24, 2016
See write-up about the run by Race Director, Dennis Cunningham on page 2
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
John Murphy - President
Dreena Duhame - Secretary
Judy McMullen - Treasurer
John Wichers
Brenlee Muska
Ken Perchaluk
Rocky McKay
Bobbi Nicol
Sam Neis
Audrey Goertzen
Leni Campbell
Executive Director:
Kathy Wiens
Newsletter Editor:
Leni Campbell
Manitoba Runners’ Association
Box 34148 Fort Richmond
Winnipeg, MB R3T 5T5
Ami Samuel talking with a finish line volunteer
Page 2
Issue 1,
4, 2008
2016
Executive
ExecutiveDirector’s
Director’sreport….
Report….
byby
Leni
Kathy
Campbell
Wiens
W
calling the MRA office at (204)477-5185. New this year is graduated pricing so don’t wait to order your tickets!
ell, I now have 7 weeks under my belt as
Executive Director and I have a great deal more respect for Leni
and the job she has done for the past 18 years! I spent 6 weeks at
the end of 2015 working with her two days a week, trying to
amass years of knowledge into a few short hours. The learning
curve has been very steep for me but I have Leni to count on
whenever I need help as she has agreed to stay on the board for
another year to provide assistance.
Our president, John Murphy is also just at the other end of a telephone call whenever I need him. Thank goodness for the help and
patience of such great people!
The 2016 Race Calendar has been finalized and posted to the
website, along with the races that have been chosen in the MRA
Race Series (17) and the MRA Youth Series (17). We have more
races than ever this year, many of them on certified courses.
Now’s the time to renew your membership and start planning
your 2016 running year! Why not consider an out-of-town race
this year? We have races at Birds’ Hill Park and in Steinbach,
Winkler, East St Paul, Hecla, Headingley, Altona, Swan River,
Grand Beach, Gimli, Treherne, Stony Mountain, and even The
Pas! We truly are the MANITOBA Runners’ Association!
Please invite your friends to join the MRA. All new members will
receive a 20% discount coupon from Stride Ahead Sports in the
Grant Park Shopping Centre. It can be used towards any regular
priced items in their store including running shoes! A list of member benefits is below my report.
Speaking of races, can you believe that we’ve already had the first
race of the season? The Frostbite River Run was held on January
24th at the Riverview Community Centre. The weather was beautiful (for January!) and the turn-out was great. The race winds
through the Riverview area and goes down onto the river itself
toward The Forks and then back. This was the first year for me
attending this run and I would highly recommend it as a winter
run! Thanks to Dennis Cunningham for putting on another very
successful race.
Our annual Hall of Fame Banquet is coming up soon on April 11,
2016 at the Canad Inn, 1824 Pembina Hwy. We will be inducting
a pretty incredible group of people this year: Joanne Schiewe
(Athlete/Builder), Stephanie Roberecki (Builder-Race Director)
and the Prairie Sky Road Runners (Club). As well, we will be
awarding the Male Road Runner of the Year to Robert Beinke. It
should be a great evening with Ace Burpee of Virgin Radio as our
Keynote Speaker. Tickets can be ordered online at: https://
www.registrationlogic.com/secure/Register.aspx?ID=2084 or by
We still have openings on our Board of Directors so if you are interested in working with a fantastic group of people and want to
give back to the running community, please come to one of our
meetings and learn what goes on behind the scenes. Our Annual
General Meeting will be coming up soon and it’s a great time to
meet the members of your board and learn about what we do to
promote road running in Manitoba. The tentative date for the 2016
AGM is May 2nd. Updated information will be posted to the website when available.
Don’t forget to visit our Facebook page! Bobbi Nicol is back managing it and she does a great job posting pictures and information
of interest. We enjoy your postings-please keep it up! And if you
have any suggestions or things you would like to see on our page,
please let us know.
I look very forward to being of service to the MRA members. Like
Leni, I believe that there would not be a Manitoba Runners’ Association without the support of runners like all of you. You truly are
of utmost importance to the MRA and I thank you for your patronage. OTR
Member Benefits
 A 20% discount on your first purchase of sports equipment at
“Stride Ahead Sports” located in the Grant Park Shopping
Centre, when you become a member or if you renew before
Dec. 31st preceding the next calendar year.
 10% discount at Stride Ahead Sports for all future purchases
 10% discount on all purchases at City Park Runners
 Discounts at other Winnipeg businesses (on-going updates)
 A discount on your entry fee for many MRA sanctioned runs
 E-mails to members keeping them informed about what is
happening in the Manitoba running community
 Insurance coverage for you when participating in an MRA
sanctioned race
 We support and recognize the best in our sport as participants
and builders through our annual Hall of Fame
 Earn points in the MRA Race Series or Youth Series, with an
annual wind-up evening and awards presentation
 Two annual fun family running events (Ice Cream Runs)
 We communicate through our web site (Check it out) and our
quarterly publication “On the Run” with race results and
member interest stories as well as on our Facebook page.
Issue 1,
4, 2008
2016
I
Page 3
President’s Report….by John Murphy
hope you have been able to take advantage of
the mild weather this winter and get in some out door running/
walking, as the day’s continue to get longer our thoughts turn to
this years running events - how many will I run, the distances,
date of the event, etc. We believe that the MRA sanctioned
events on our calendar this year are the best variety of quality
events we have ever had and we suggest before doing anything,
go to the Manitoba Runners’ Association website and check it
out. Then pick the events you will participate in and register as
soon as registration is available. We also hope you will share this
information with your friends and encourage them to check out
the MRA website for all their running information.
The MRA, once again this year, is very proud to host the MRA
Hall of Fame banquet. This is our annual signature event of the
year, where we induct the new MRA Hall of Fame members. We
are very fortunate here in Manitoba to have such a large number
of worthy recipients to choose from, making the selection process a challenging one. Once again thanks to our selection committee. They have done a great job in selecting this years worthy
inductees. We hope you will come out and join us on April 11th
for a great evening as we honour our own. For more details you
can go to the Manitoba Runners’ Website, www.mraweb.ca.
While we are all aware of the health benefits of running, some
times we can be a little careless, so as we prepare for another
season of outdoor running, we need to be reminded to stay safe
and healthy:
 Make sure you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
 Avoid eating directly before going for a run.
 Avoid running during the hottest part of the day in summer.
 Drink plenty of water before, during and after your run.
 Take your mobile phone with you.
 If using an iPod or headset, do not have the music too loud –
stay alert and aware.
 Wear reflective materials if you're running in the early morning
or at night.
 Tell someone where you plan to run and when you think you'll
be back.
 Choose well-lit, populated routes and avoid dangerous and
isolated areas.
 If you injure yourself while running, stop immediately. Seek
medical advice
We always encourage you to send us your comments, suggestions
or articles you would like to see in our On the Run issues.
Have a great running season and I hope your 2016 goals are not
only met but far exceeded. OTR
Take care,
John Murphy
Frostbite River Run
This year’s Frostbite River Run had 92 runners (our highest participation yet) finish the five mile fun run organized by the Riverview
Community Center.
We had ideal winter running weather - not too cold, not too windy,
and not too icy. A little snow had fallen the night before so runners
had to work a little harder in the fresh snow, but that was the only
real challenge they faced.
Because we’ve had such a mild winter this year it was looking like we
might not be able to have runners race on the river trail that is set on
the ice once the Red River has frozen. At the very last minute the
hardworking team at The Forks blazed a trail just for us and the Frost
Bite River Run was held on the ice. For a while we thought we were
going to have to change the name to the Frost Bite (Along the) River
Run.
Thirty volunteers helped to set up signage, manage last minute registrations, get post-run snacks and food ready and marshal the course.
The run would not have been successful without them. We received
great media exposure from Virgin 103 Radio and the Sou’wester
weekly newspaper.
We also had some fantastic sponsors this year… Ibex Payroll returned as our presenting sponsor; ICEBUG Shoes provided four
pairs of Anima3 BUGrip shoes as prizes and loaned us a demo fleet
for runners to test out; and KnightArcher Insurance sponsored the
Fastest Riverview Runner awards.
More importantly, the runners left Riverview Community Centre very
happy. Proudly wearing our one-of-a-kind wooden finishers’ medals,
well-fed (you just can’t beat homemade chili, cookies, fresh fruit, and
hot chocolate and coffee) and enthusiastic about having just run five
miles on a very fine January day.
We’ve already set the date for next year’s Frost Bite River Run - January 29th, 2017 and I hope we’ll finally break the 100 runners mark.
OTR
Issue 1, 2016
Page 4
Youth Corner 2016
H
APPY NEW YEAR and BONNE AN-
NEE A TOUS!
We are VERY excited for the 2016 Youth Series Season with
some new races and a potential new program! Please read on!
“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to
start.” John Bingham
Have a goal, test yourself and finish strong!
Have you renewed your membership for 2016? We have great
prices of $15.00 for youth 16 years and under as well as a family
member of $40.00 for the first member and $5.00 for each additional member.
What do you think about this new program? Your feedback to
office@mraweb.ca would be much appreciated. Our goal is to
give each and every child the opportunity to be active within their
capacity.
Parents and Guardians…it would be wonderful if you could help
out at the races in a small but much appreciated way while your
child runs! Please let me know if you are available by e-mailing me
at: bmuska@mymts.net. OTR
Submitted by: Brenlee Muska
2016 Youth Series Races:
A benefit of membership is a $3.00 discount for race registration
at many MRA races. Also, with your MRA membership there are
discounts at many places which can be found within this newsletter.
1. April 3, 2016 - MEC Winnipeg Race One - 3k or 5k
“A good day is when we get to run. A great day is when we inspire someone
else to run.” We have $20.00 gift certificates from local running
stores to give out to the first 7 current members who sign up a
new youth member for 2016. Please email office@mraweb.ca if
you sign up a friend.
3. April 17, 2016 - Triathlon Manitoba April Run Series #2 - 2k or
5k
The Youth Series Race Calendar consists of 17 Races from AprilOctober 2016 which are posted on the website. Participation
Awards Levels will remain as last year: Level 1 - 3 races minimum,
Level 2 - 6 races minimum and Level 3 - 9 races minimum and will
be celebrated at the year-end awards dinner. Refer to the MRA
website for more info. http://
www.mraweb.ca/14_MasterYouthRaceSeries.htm
New for 2016: Double points will be awarded to Youth Series
races outside of the city!
Finisher ribbons will be given out to all youth runners in races
April-June 2016. A great keepsake for years to come.
As we are including some shorter distances at some of the races
throughout the season you may require a second race bib to wear
for the race for placing. PLEASE COME BY OUR MRA TABLE
TO CONFIRM IF NEEDED. It would be great to see you even
if it’s not required. There will be popcorn to enjoy!
New for 2016: It is our hope to introduce a program based out of
Texas for kids that would like to take part in our series but are
unable to attend races due to monetary or transportation issues.
Participants would have to be a Youth MRA Member for $15.00.
Each participant tracks their physical activities (walking, running,
cycling, etc) which is signed off by a parent. Points would be
awarded according to the number of minutes spent in physical
activity which qualifies them for year-end awards for reaching
specified milestones. This would be run separate from the Youth
Series for year-end awards.
2. April 10, 2016 - Triathlon Manitoba April Run Series #1 - 2k or
5k
4. April 23, 2016 - Go for the Burn Run - 3k or 5k
5. April 30, 2016 - Run at the Ridge - 2k or 5k
6. May 14, 2016 - Physio Fit Run - 3k or 5k
7. May 28, 2016 - Headingley Fire Dept Run for Wishes - 3k or 5k
8. June 5, 2016 - Commit to Get Fit Run - 5k
9. July 1, 2016 - East St. Paul Canada Day Run - 3k or 5k
10. July 6, 2016 - Family Ice Cream Run #1 - 1k or 2.2k
11. July 10, 2016 - Grand Beach Sun Run - 3k or 5k
12. August 3, 2016 - Family Ice Cream Run #2 - 1k or 2.2k
13. September 17, 2016 - Run the Awesome Twosome with Haiti
- 5k
14. September 24, 2016 - Stony Mountain Run - 2.5k or 5k
15. September 25, 2016 - Ted's Run for Literacy - 2k or 5k
16. October 2, 2016 - Linden Woods Fall Classic - 5k or Mighty
Mile
17. October 30, 2016 - MEC Winnipeg Race Five "Spooky Dash"
- 3k or 5k
Issue 1, 2016
Page 5
2016 MRA Race Series
 Safe and well organized running events.
 Races on distances certified accurate by Athletics Canada
MRA Race Series and distances
 Races must be timed by someone approved by the MRA
Board.
 Only one series race per weekend.
 Where possible have races spaced over the year with many
different distances.
1. April 3, 2016 - MEC Winnipeg Race One – 5k
The MRA Race Series races and points are listed at:
http://www.mraweb.ca/14_MasterMRARaceSeries.htm
4. April 23, 2016 - Go for the Burn Run - 10k
The top three point scorers (male and female) in each five year
age category will be awarded for their achievement at the MRA
Awards Event in the fall. The MRA Race Series consists of 17
races, sponsored by “Stride Ahead”.
3. April 17, 2016- Triathlon Manitoba April Run Series #2 10k
5. May 14, 2016 - Physio Fit Run - 10k
6. May 28, 2016 - Headingley Fire Dept Run for Wishes - 5k
7. June 5, 2016 - Commit to Get Fit Run - 10k
8. July 1, 2016 - East St. Paul Canada Day Run - 10k
2016 MRA Race Series Point System
A MRA membership is required to accumulate MRA Series
points. A minimum five (5) races competed are needed to qualify.
The points in your best 10 of 17 races will be used for final calculations. The age category will be determined as of January 1, 2016.
Place Points
Place Points
Place Points
1
300
2
285
3
275
5
255
6
245
7
235
9
215
10
205
11
195
13
175
14
165
15
155
Points will continue to decrease by 1
2. April 10, 2016 - Triathlon Manitoba April Run Series #1 -5k
Place Points
4
265
8
225
12 185
16 154
Age Groups (Male & Female)
14 & Under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 5054, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75+
2015 Trophies
MRA mission statement is to: Promote and support the sport
of running for health, fun, and fitness for life to runners of all
ages and abilities.
9. July 10, 2016 - Grand Beach Sun Run - 10k
10. July 17, 2016 - MEC Winnipeg Race Three - 10k
11. July 31, 2016 - Islendingadagurinn 10 Mile Road Race - 10
mile
12. September 18, 2016 - Fort Garry Rotary Half Marathon Half Marathon
13. September 25, 2016 - Ted's Run for Literacy - 10k
14. October 2, 2016 - Linden Woods Fall Classic - 10k
15. October 8, 2016 - Winkler's Thanks for Giving Run - Half
Marathon
16. October 15, 2016 - Lakeview Hecla Half Marathon - Half
Marathon
17. October 30, 2016 - MEC Winnipeg Race Five "Spooky
Dash" - 10k
Issue 1, 2016
Page 6
Running between two continents in a single day...by Linda Whitfield
Turkey had long been on my list of “must-see” destinations, and
when I learned that the Istanbul marathon started in one continent (Asia) and ended in another, (Europe), I thought: “How cool
is that?” I decided it was a “must-do” race. So it was then that I
set out last November to participate in the 37th running of this
fantastic race.
The race is truly international, with many runners from Turkey
but also from Kenya, the United Kingdom, France, Germany,
Russia, China and more competing in the 2015 edition. Over 2700
finished, with the winning male crossing in 2:11, and the first female in at 2:31.
What began as the Eurasia Marathon in 1978, the course route
has changed three times over the years, making a comparison of
finishing times over its history near impossible. Now, the marathon starts behind the Bosphorus Bridge on the Asia side of Istanbul. Shuttle buses from Sultanahmet Square and Taksim
Square on the Europe side transport racers to the start.
The route includes some of the most iconic sites in Istanbul. After
crossing the bridge, marathoners are divided from the 15 and 10K
runners (there is no half marathon) and head along the coastal
road until reaching Karakoy, one of the oldest and most historic
districts of the city, and now a trendy neighbourhood as well as an
important commercial center and transportation hub.
After crossing the Galata Bridge, the course goes through Gulhane Park, a historical
urban park in the Eminonu district that is one
of the largest public
parks in the city. Runners
head towards the Blue
Mosque, an early 17thcentury masterpiece that
is one of only a few in
the world with six minarets. It’s not really blue, but the beautiful
Iznik tiles on the walls inside are predominantly so. On the same
complex, (on another day), you’ll be able to see the tomb of Sultan Ahmed I, the man after whom the Sultanahmet Square is
named.
The route is mainly flat, but the hills come when you least expect
them, and least want them – near the very end. Running along
cobbled stones, the finish is the Hippodrome, the heart of Con-
stantinople’s political and sporting life, and the scenes of sporting
events and riots through 500 years
of Ottoman history as well. It’s
now a city park. The finish line is
between the entrance gate of the
Blue Mosque and the Egypt Obelisk, a narrow chute lined with uproarious spectators yelling encouragement in a cacophony of different languages.
Since returning, I’ve read reviews
of the race that bemoan its lack of
organization, a shortage of porta potties and water stops, and the
fact that the expo is a long way from the Old City, which is where
most people stay and is closest to the finish. I didn’t have issues
with any of these things. I easily made my way onto one of the
first shuttle buses out to the start, and didn’t lack the amenities
when I needed them. My finish time of 4:09 was longer than I’d
hoped, but that was certainly not the fault of the organizers. Note
to self: start training earlier!
And where else but Turkey can your post-race recovery include
the experience of a Turkish Hamam? After a few beers and pretzels, (my post race treat) my travelling companion and I headed to
the closest Hamam to lie on a warm marble slap and be soaped,
scrubbed and pummeled by our attendants. What a glorious way
to recover!
At the time of this writing, Istanbul was a recent target of a suicide bomber who officials say was affiliated with the Islamic State
group. On January 12, the explosion, just steps from the Blue
Mosque, killed ten German tourists and wounded fifteen others. I
fear that as a result, potential visitors will refrain from visiting this
magnificent city. I would wholeheartedly encourage you to consider it regardless, and to add the Istanbul marathon to your racing plans.
After all, where else can
you say: “I ran from Asia
to Europe today. What did
you do?”
Linda Whitfield is an avid
traveler and runner who likes to
combine both passions whenever
possible. OTR
Issue 1, 2016
Page 7
Upcoming Events
March
May
Sat. 12 Great Grain Wellness Relay/5person 2hour relay
12:00 noon Start; Max Bell Centre, U of M
Steve Pazdor: (204)793-1134; www.greatgrainrelay.ca
Sun. 1
Sun. 13 The People’s 4th St Paddy’s Day 5k Fun Run/Walk
9:30 a.m. Start; The Forks-Rink area
Guy Madill; (204)930-4425; theguyman@mymts.net
April
Sun. 3 MEC Winnipeg Race One - 3k, 5k & 10k
MRA#1 MRA Race Series - 5k/Youth Series - 3k & 5k
YS#1 9:00 a.m. Start; Assiniboine Park
E-mail: tara.kenny@mec.ca
Sat. 9
Freedom Run 10k & 5K Fun Run; 1k Family Run
9:00 a.m. Start; St Peter’s Roman CC (748 Keewatin St)
Contact: Aileen Layacan (204) 918-5790
Luz Sanchez (204) 228-8891
Winnipeg Police Half Marathon,
2 Person Relay & 5k; 7:55 a.m. Wheelchair &
Challenged Start; 8:00 a.m. Half Start; 8:10 5k Start
Assiniboine Park
Nick Paulet: questions@wpshalfmarathon.ca
Sat. 14 Let’s Run—Steinbach 10k, 5k & 2k
Athletics MB 10k Provincial Championship
2k Start: 8:30 a.m.; 5k & 10k Start: 9:00 a.m.
Steinbach/Stoney Brook Middle School
Contact Greg Penner: letsrunsteinbach.ca
Sat. 14 Physio Fit Run 10k, 5k Fun Run, 3k Walk
MRA#5 MRA Race Series - 10k/Youth Series - 3k & 5k
YS#6 8:30 a.m. Start; Assiniboine Park (Duck Pond)
Stephanie Roberecki: (204)771-7844 or Lori Pisclevich:
(204)794-6569
E-mail: physiotherapyworks@shawbiz.ca
Sun. 10 April Run Series 2k & 5k
MRA#2 MRA Race Series - 5k/Youth Series - 2k & 5k
YS#2 9:00 a.m. Start; Assiniboine Park Conservatory
Contact: Ashley Hole - (204)955-0099
Sun. 15 MEC Winnipeg Race Two - 10k, 15k, &
Half Marathon
7:00 am Start ; Birds Hill Park/Group Use Area
E-mail: tara.kenny@mec.ca
Mon. 11 MRA Hall of Fame Banquet
5:30 p.m.; Canad Inn - 1824 Pembina Hwy.
MRA office:: (204)477-5185; office@mraweb.ca
Sun. 15 Lace Up for Diabetes 10k, 5k, 3k Walk
and Kid’s Fun Run
8:30 a.m. Start; Assiniboine Park Conservatory
Kelly Lambkin: (204) 925-3400 ext 224
E-mail: kelly.lambkin@diabetes.ca
Sun. 17 April Run Race Series 2k, 5k & 10k
MRA#3 MRA Race Series - 10k/Youth Series - 2k & 5k
YS#3 9:00 a.m. Start; Assiniboine Park Conservatory
Contact: Ashley Hole: (204)955-0099
Sat. 23 Go for the Burn Run 10k, 5k & 3k
MRA#4 MRA Race Series - 10k/Youth Series - 3k & 5k
YS#4 Start: 9:30 a.m.; Assiniboine Park (Conservatory)
Contact: Ashley Wilson: (204)298-1379
Sun. 24 April Run Series 2k, 5k & 15k
9:00 a.m. Start; Assiniboine Park Conservatory
Contact: Ashley Hole - 204-955-0099
Sun. 24 Manitoba Mutts Annual Run Your Heart Out5k Fun Run
9:00 a.m. Start; St. Vital Park (Duck Pond)
Amanda Agostino: events@manitobamutts.org
Sat. 30 Run at the Ridge 2k & 5k Race
YS#5 Youth Series - 2k & 5k
8:30am Start-2k; 9:15am Start-5k
Whyte Ridge Elementary School, 400 Scurfield Blvd,
Sue Zajac: (204)299-9709; szajac@pembinatrails.ca
Sat. 28 Headingley Fire Dept. Run for Wishes 5k Run/3k
MRA#6 Walk -Athletics MB 5k Provincial Championship
YS#7 MRA Race Series - 5k/Youth Series - 3k & 5k
9:00 a.m. Start; Headingley Fire Hall - 126 Bridge Rd.
Matt Isaac: (204)471-6494
Sat. 28 Run and Walk to Remember (10k Run/5k Run/
Walk); Sponsored by the Curtis Klassen Memorial Fund
9:00 a.m. Start; Altona Park, Altona, MB
Wendy Dyck: (204)324-7681; Find us on Facebook
E-mail: ckmemorialfund@hotmail.com
Sat. 28 Winnipeg Frontrunners’ Pride Run 5k Fun Run/
Walk
9:00 a.m. Start; Stephen Juba Park
Wally Mah: priderun@winnipegfrontrunners.ca
Sat. 28 Color Me Rad 5k Winnipeg
9:00 a.m. Start; Red River Exhibition Park
Wyatt Grow: (801)787-4387
Issue 1, 2016
Page 8
A Strong Body is Rarely a Painful Body….by Kim Senechal
W
hen you're not running, do you spend
more time stretching or strengthening? In my work as a physiotherapist at the Running & Gait Centre at the Pan Am Clinic, I
have had the opportunity to perform many running gait assessments since we launched in November. We have been performing
assessments on injured athletes and on those who simply want to
identify any “red flags” within their running biomechanics that
could lead to injury in order to prevent any down time. Already, I
am starting to see some patterns and themes develop that confirm
what many coaches and successful runners already know. A strong
body is rarely a painful body.
I have been known to say that if runners would spend as much
time strengthening as they do stretching, I would see a lot less
running injuries in my practice. Coincidentally, lately I have found
myself prescribing far more focused strengthening than stretching
exercises to the keen runners who have come to our centre seeking solutions to their running injuries.
Strength needs to be balanced and it needs to be functional. A
joint needs to be supported on both sides, side to side and front
to back. Multiple joints need to be able to work together as part of
the whole lower kinetic chain in order to produce the desired motion for any sport. Strengthening exercises for running need to
replicate the desired muscle, joint or lower kinetic chain function
as closely as possible to result in optimal biomechanical function
and performance.
As your running season progresses and you find yourself spending
more and more time logging miles, it’s easy to neglect your
strengthening regime. However, even a few short strengthening
sessions per week can create better balance in your body and protect you from injury. Here are some suggestions when choosing
your strengthening exercises:
Make it functional. Always ask yourself, ‘why am I doing this exercise?’ Keeping in mind this article is intended for runners, try to
do most of your exercises standing up. Better yet, consider standing on one foot as much as possible, as 100% of running is spent
with either one foot or no feet on the ground. You will improve
not only in strength, but neuromuscular control, balance, proprioception and your ankle and foot cannot help but get stronger.
Go minimal while strength training. As long as it is safe and allow-
able to do so, wearing minimal shoes or going barefoot while
doing your functional strength training encourages your foot and
ankle muscles to work more. You will be able to sense fine adjustments needed to stand stronger on one foot while barefoot than
you will with your running shoes on. Try to keep your arch engaged (pretend there is a pebble or tack under your arch) and your
toes relaxed, while avoiding rolling onto the outer edge of your
foot. This encourages the deep muscles in the sole of your foot to
work optimally.
Work multiple muscle groups at once. Not only is this more functional, but it is more efficient and every runner knows that time is
precious.
Don’t neglect eccentrics. The eccentric or negative function of a
muscle is a controlled lengthening contraction. Running is essentially a controlled fall with every foot strike and your muscles need
to slow the impact force of your body weight as each foot hits the
ground. This happens eccentrically for most muscle groups and is
where breakdown of the body and injury most often occurs. For
each exercise you do, try a 2:1:4 tempo, where you shorten the
muscle on a 2 count, hold for a 1 count, and lengthen or return to
the starting position on a 4 count.
Optimize your core for running. We all know that having a strong
core is important and there are dozens of great exercises out
there. Generally, while running the core functions to control rotation and derotation as we transfer energy from one limb to the
other with our arms swinging in the opposite direction. While you
will be generally working your core if your workouts are functional, you should incorporate specific core exercises that involve
reciprocal motions similar to running, such as mountain climbers,
reverse mountain climbers, and the bicycle.
If you have very little experience with strength training, consider
asking for help from a professional such as a coach, personal
trainer, or physiotherapist. If you know your body is a little bit
complicated or cranky, and you want a tailored plan to address
your specific weaknesses, consider visiting us at the Running &
Gait Centre for a comprehensive biomechanical and physical assessment. We’d love to help!
Kim Sénéchal is the lead physiotherapist at the Running & Gait
Centre: Foundation Rehabilitation Services at the Pan Am Clinic.
She is also an ultra marathon runner and run coach. OTR
Issue 1, 2016
Page 9
Member Profile….by Andrew Swan
I
was born and raised here in Winnipeg. My dad
was a mechanic with Air Canada and I grew up under the flight
path in Silver Heights.
I started running after I stopped playing
football. I played for 10 years and was
lucky enough to avoid any chronic injuries.
One summer in law school I went away on
an exchange program and found running
around Halifax much to my liking. The
next year I was convinced to join a relay
team for the Manitoba Marathon and I
stepped it up to the Half-Marathon the
year after. Running is a great release from
stress and also the best way to manage
weight.
My favourite distance is the ten-miler – I
have run Islendingadagurinn 19 times in
the last 20 years - although I am also a fan
of the 10K and the half-marathon. I am a
notoriously bad 5K runner, as it takes me a
few miles just to get up to cruising speed.
My best time in the half was 1:39:22, but
that was 15 years ago. I have been close
but never able to break 1:15:00 for 10
miles, nor 45:00 for 10K.
My race times are remarkably (painfully?)
consistent. Of the last 50 half-marathons I
have run, I have finished 46 within 3 minutes of 1:45, and I have ready excuses for
each one I ran slower. I have been fortunate to avoid serious running injuries,
which has allowed me to finish the Police Half-Marathon all 11
years and the Manitoba Half-Marathon each of the last 20 years.
I live near the recently departed Palomino Club, which gives me
easy access both to Garbage Hill and also the amazing routes
along the Assiniboine River – I can run from the Forks to Woodhaven without ever having to wait for traffic.
I am married and have two girls, 17 and 15. My wife began by
tolerating my running, became enamored of the “destination” race
(as long as our hotel is close to the finish line and has a Starbuck’s), and last year started running herself. I don’t offer her
unsolicited advice because I know better.
My “cross-training” takes place on the ice – I am part of a drinking team with a curling problem. My
friends and I also get together to play
street hockey every Christmas.
Usually I run alone, with my old iPod
shuffle for company. Springsteen motivates me the most, but I mix it up. Sometimes I even download some of my kids’
music. In the winter you will find me upstairs at Cindy Klassen Recreation Centre,
it’s a great place to work out with good,
unpretentious people … most of whom I
hope will vote for me in April.
I find all the motivation to run I need in
the amazing people I have met in our
sport. People like Jeff Vince, the cheeriest
yet toughest guy you will ever meet on the
road; Leon Clegg, a generation older than
me but still running like the wind; Bobbi
Nicol, already one of our bravest runners
who has taken on the biggest challenge of
her life; and Larry Konotopetz, who simply will never, ever let me catch him in a
race.
As a politician, I really do believe that you
need to run more than once every four
years. I am proud to be part of the running
community in Manitoba, and a member of
the Manitoba Runners’ Association.
I am the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Minto, in the
West End. I was first elected in 2004. I served as the Minister of
Competitiveness, Training, and Trade (I used to joke that when
Gary Doer appointed me, he didn’t know all my race medals were
for finishing, not winning) and then the Minister of Justice. I am
now the Special Envoy for Military Affairs. OTR
Issue 1, 2016
Page 10
Running In Tarragona, Spain and the Canary Islands...by Albert Martens
T
he Grand Canary Islands are absolutely beau-
tiful, located in the Atlantic Ocean off the
coast of North Africa. These Islands are attractive for many Europeans who holiday there every winter.
I went to Tarragona, Spain, invited by a running friend who lives
in La Laguna, Tenerife, for the purpose of the Athletes in Action
Spain work. Tarragona, Spain is about 100 km south of Barcelona,
on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. My AIA friend and I
joined the Tarragona Marathon for the purpose of preparation of
the Spanish AIA work involvement of the 2017 Mediterranean
Games. I had decided to run only 10 km. My purpose of the marathon trip was more of a media/promotion/sharing my experiences/encouraging other runners.
After this event, we flew from Barcelona to Tenerife, one of the
Grand Canary Islands. Here we also connected with several runners from this Island’s running club. We joined these runners going to the Gran Canarias Marathon in Gran Canarias, another
Island about an hour boat/ferry ride from Tenerife. We were
about 50 runners with family, traveling to this famous marathon in
Gran Canarias. Here again I ran only 10 km.
The Grand Canary Islands are 7 Islands with Tenerife, Gran Canarias, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote being the most famous for
tourists. There are about 2 million people living on these gorgeous
Islands, receiving about 12 million tourists a year. 29 % of these
tourists are from the UK and 22% are Germans. The scenery of
the Grand Canary Islands of course is fantastic. Temperatures are
pretty much 22 degrees all year round. There are beautiful palm
trees lining boulevards with poinsettias flowers, lengthy beaches,
with huge and loud ocean waves rolling in continuously. Even the
pretty purple Bouganville flowers were in early bloom. The Islands
have some huge tomato and banana farms. Mt. Teide, a volcanic
mountain is the highest mountain (3718 meters) in Spain, situated
in the centre of the Tenerife Island.
Even though I was slow in running, I felt warmly welcomed and
treated like a special person. I don’t think that many Canadians
visit these Islands. I was privileged to speak with several amateur
and elite runners. One runner who became my friend had run 22
Ironman Triathlons and his wife won the Gran Canarias Marathon. He and his wife spent an afternoon giving me a personal
tour of the Anaga Mountain on the Island of Tenerife. The Gran
Canarias Marathon has seen famous runners like the Ethiopian
Haile Gebrselassie and British Paula Radcliffe. These Islands do
attract elite Olympic athletes, e.g. marathon runners, bikers, ironman athletes, and surfers for their training, because of the beautiful terrain and temperatures.
It was a special moment to be able to speak to several Tenerife
marathon runners, during the travels, after the run as well on the
ferry and in the hotel restaurant. OTR
Albert Martens
Athletes in Action
January/February 2016
Issue 1, 2016
Page 11
Reh-Fit Centre
Issue 1, 2016
Page 12
....of
by Dr.
Christopher
Notley
Continuum
Injury
and
Treatment….
by Dr. Christopher Notley
So you are dealing with an injury. It
is a frustrating time being in pain
and not being able to do the activities you love doing. You may be
planning on seeing someone for this
injury and you are wondering, “What
type of care should I expect to receive?” The answer to this question
depends on how long you have been
injured before you seek out care and who you are going to go see.
There are typically 3 phases of care; acute, sub-acute and chronic
phases. The phase you are in depends on the signs and symptoms that
you are experiencing which are associated with length of time since the
injury occurred.
Acute Phase – Days 1 to 3
What are you experiencing?
If you are in the acute phase you are experiencing pain, inflammation,
the area is warm to the touch, it is likely swollen, and there is a decrease
in range of motion and strength.
What type of treatment?
The goals for this phase are to reduce pain and inflammation. Minimizing the amount of inflammation allows for a quicker rate of recovery.
During this time, treatment consists of following the PIER or RICE
principle. To decrease pain the use of TENS, acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments will also be used to assist with pain reduction.
Sub-acute – Day 3 to 3 months
What are you experiencing?
During the sub-acute phase active inflammation is likely over but there
might be some residual active inflammation. With inflammation comes
scar tissue, this is inevitable, but if taken care of during the acute phase
this is kept to a minimum. Adhesions may form between muscles, muscles and nerves, muscles and ligaments. Muscles may be tight and develop trigger points (hypersensitive spots in muscle). Your pain will be
decreasing and your strength and range of motion will be improving.
What type of treatment?
The goal for this phase is to continue to reduce pain, improve range of
motion, slowly start strengthening injured tissues, and limiting the
amount of adhesions. Acupuncture can be used to help with pain relief.
Pain can also be managed with the use of ice or heat depending on
whether or not active inflammation is present. A different form of acupuncture, called dry needling, can be effective in reducing adhesions and
treating trigger points. Active release technique is excellent for stretching
out tight muscles, reducing trigger points, and breaking up adhesions.
Chiropractic will help with improving range of motion of the joints affected and well as reducing pain. The start of remedial rehabilitation
exercises such as range of motion exercises and mild strengthening exercises are incorporated. Your health care practitioner will be urging you to
continue with work as long as your work isn’t likely to cause aggravation
of your symptoms. In addition, ergonomic changes to your work space
will be incorporated to limit aggravation of the injury.
Issue 1, 2016
Page 13
Continuum of Injury and Treatment con’t….
Chronic – 3 weeks and on
I am going to break down the chronic phase into two types of presentations. They are very different and depend on whether your have taken
care of the injury throughout or you have just started to pursue care.
Chronic phase – Type I
What are you experiencing?
This is the ideal case of the chronic phase. You have gone through treatment since the beginning of your injury. You are not experiencing as
much pain except during events that over stress it. Pain is under control.
This is likely the phase you will choose to stop coming in for care. Sadly
this may very well be the worst time for you to leave. I see this happen
way too often. The reason this is the worst time is that your body has not
yet developed the strength and flexibility to withstand the stresses of your
daily life. Considering that most people will re-injure their neck or back
within a year of their first injury taking an active approach to prevent
further re-injury makes sense.
What treatment should you expect?
For those small areas that are still a problem active release technique,
chiropractic and dry needling is still used. The major components of this
phase it to develop strength, flexibility, balance and stability to aid in
preventing further injuries. This phase should not be ignored. Your injury
isn’t stronger because you are pain free. It takes a year for scar tissue to
develop and strengthen so it can manage the stresses of our daily lives.
Going through a rehabilitation program helps to stress and improve the
area that bothers you. Sadly many people, once they are out of pain, leave
their healthcare practitioner until the injury is aggravated again. They are
missing out on a crucial phase of care which is designed to prevent the
reoccurrence of injury.
Chronic Phase – Type II
This type of the chronic phase is seen quite often. This phase is those of
you who have been dealing with an injury for longer than 3 months and
most often is seen in people who have been dealing with it for more than
a year. There are a few reasons why people reach this phase. One reason
is that they had an injury and they did not take care of the injury. Another
reason is that they may have experienced this problem on and off over
the years and never did anything about it until it wouldn’t go away. For
example, each day you sit at your computer at work and once in awhile,
after a long stressful day, you have tight shoulders which give you a headache. You take some pain medication and the next day you wake up and
you feel fine. It doesn’t happen again until several weeks later. Time goes
by and slowly the tightness comes on quicker and lasts for longer periods
of time. Not only that, but the tightness is occurring more frequently.
Finally, you are so tired of experiencing this pain you finally decide to
have someone take care of it.
Over the course of this time you are experiencing small trauma to the
areas that are bothering you. Inflammation has occurred and scar tissue
forms. The scar tissue has glued itself between the muscle and the skin,
muscle and muscle, muscle and nerves all of which can further cause
pain. Trigger points have also formed because of the chronic stress on
the areas. Pain comes on with certain activities. Range of motion is reduced and because of chronic postural habits certain muscles are weak
while others are inflexible. All of these problems slowly accumulate until
the problem becomes a focus of your life.
What type of treatment do you expect?
Treatment during this phase starts similarly to the sub-acute phase. During this phase treatment consists of dry needling, active release and chiropractic to break down adhesions and improve range of motion. Chiropractic adjustments are used to ensure proper movement of joints. As
pain becomes better controlled a rehabilitation program is incorporated
which will be used to strengthen the weak muscles and stretch the tight
muscles. Postural exercises will be given to improve posture. Ergonomic
changes at work, in your car, or while being active will be addressed.
Wellness Phase– Enhanced Life Beyond Injury
This is the phase we all strive for. This is where you are enhancing your
life beyond your injury. Your pain occurs less frequently or doesn’t occur
at all. Your postural muscles are strong and your tight muscles are flexible. You are living beyond the pain. Your rehabilitation program has
changed from injury care to health enhancement. You are able to be
active without pain. Your choices of food have changed from poor
choices that stress your body to healthy choices that enhance your
body. During this phase, treatment by your health care provider, is less
frequent. During your treatments, leading up to this phase, you will have
learned the tools that will help you manage the pain yourself. You will
only come in for a “tune-up” when your body feels the need for it.
Conclusion
Care for your injury should be a multi-facetted approach. No one form of
care is better than the other. They all have benefits but only when used at
the appropriate time. Be active in your care and don’t be afraid to ask
questions. OTR
Issue 1,
3, 2016
2008
Page 14
The Tuscobia Winter Ultra: A Race of Perseverance….by Bobbi Nicol
A
little bit of background:
On January 1, 2015 I started the Tuscobia 150 mile Winter Ultra
in Wisconsin, this race consists of 150 miles of backcountry
snowmobile trails on the Tuscobia State Trail which runs from
Park Falls to Rice Lake. As the race is basically unsupported you
are required to carry a certain amount of safety gear, food stuff,
water and extra clothing to keep you safe in case of an emergency. This ultimately means you either carry it on your back or
pull it on a sled, I chose the sled. Unfortunately the harness system I was utilizing was too big for my slight frame and I did unknown damage to my abdomen that would keep me from running for 5 months. Lessons learned as I only managed to complete 65 miles and reach Birchwood, at the time a very disappointing result.
ary 8th. I was nervous and excited and it had been a while since I
felt that way, I had a feeling that this was going to be my coming
back party. My thoughts were, let’s get this one done, my confidence back and start my year off on a high note. Let me be clear
this is not an easy race and the 80 miler is no guarantee in the
least. Hauling a 25 to 30 pound sled for 80 miles through the
backcountry of Wisconsin with temperatures ranging from -12 F
to -40 F is no walk in the park, this was to be my first test and I
My sled # 54
was not taking it lightly.
Fast forward to January,
2016, I was back to redeem
myself, although I was not
comfortable nor confident
enough to run the new full
distance of 160 miles this
time, I decided that I need
to get that good successful
finish in and went after the
80 miler. So instead of an
out and back from Rice
Lake to Park Falls and back,
I would be running from
Park Falls to Rice Lake and
hoping to secure the covenanted Tuscobia Finisher
Beanie. This race is not a
At the start
cake walk at any distance,
there are so many challenges between the weather changes, the
snow mobiles and the very real idea of this being a nonsupported race (there is one aid station at mile 35 and that is all).
With the help of my amazing friend Sue Lucas and her wellfitting harness and sled; I started the 80 miler on Saturday, Janu-
Thirty-six 80 milers started that morning, a combination of some
seriously hardcore male and female runners took up the challenge
to run between 22 hours and 31ish hours to cross the finish line.
The trail started out well packed and groomed and I was off to a
good pace as I hit the trail hard. About 5 miles in, the snow
started to fall, some amazingly large flakes that added to the resistance of the sled pull but that would not stop me, I bared down
and got to work. Temps were holding steady at -12 until the sun
went down and then steadily dropped over the next few hours,
holding fast in the -20’s until about 2am. This is the scary part
about doing these races, the temperatures, it’s so hard to predict
what they will drop too and what you will need to have for
clothes, this year I took no chances and probably carried an extra
5 lbs. of layers that I would not of normally have and I was glad I
did. I had everything on by 3 am as the temps dropped to about 40, it was colder than I have ever experienced in a race and I still
had about 35 miles to go. It was so cold and I was sweating, shivering and hallucinating, I love this definition: experience a seemingly real perception of something not really present, typically as a
result of a mental disorder or of taking drugs….well or running
an ultra, lol. I was seriously thinking I was seeing the first signs of
hypothermia, so I made the rational decision to pull off the trail
and get into my winter sleeping bag and bivy (thank you to my
friend Blake for loaning me his) and try to get my core tempera-
Issue 1, 2016
Page 15
The Tuscobia Winter Ultra: A Race of Perseverance con’t...
ninety minutes of huddling on the side of the trail with all types
of nasty thoughts going through my head. Was I done again? I
could not let this happen, I willed myself to get warm and slowly
but surely my core temperature rose and the shivering stopped.
The relief I felt was crazy, as I got out of that bag and packed my
stuff back into the sled. I was off again with a new found determination to finish this race.
I was coming up on Birchwood, the location that I dropped the
previous year and the point that I knew once I passed that this
race was in the bag. This year they did not have a checkpoint
here, only one location and it was long gone. But there was an
amazing little gas station with a café style set up that I decided to
stop at and actually use the bathroom instead of freezing my bare
bum again. With a quick defrost and a cheeseburger I was once
again off on the trail with 17 miles to go, almost home, almost
done. I was past Birchwood; this smile was growing across my
face, of course being well aware to not be too wide, frozen teeth
hurt. I will not lie, the last leg hurt, it hurt a lot, but I kept those
legs moving as I got closer and closer to Rice Lake, I pushed
along with one running pole, as one broke about mile 40 making
my life just that much more difficult as the broken one got a free
ride in the sled, lucky bastard. I pushed forward and forward and
forward some more. Those last miles felt like forever as I moved
along, with about 7 miles left I came upon Mike, one amazing
runner. Mike is totally deaf and was running the 80 miler, think
about this for a minute, not being able to hear snowmobiles or
anything else for that matter and running in the backcountry,
totally amazing. Mike and I ran together for the last bunch of
miles, really the only person that I ran with the entire way. I like
my quiet time and running with someone who is deaf is the perfect situation for me…no chit chat, just running and enjoying.
We pulled into Rice Lake and hit the last leg of the journey, my
new friend Mike motioned me to run ahead. He wanted me to
finish first, what a gentleman, so reluctantly I ran ahead, pulling
that sled towards the finish line and my redemption. The finish
line was sweet, there were five people out there cheering,. You
have to remember this is a race when most runners can be hours
apart, including Chris Scotch (the RD), Scott (a friend from Chicago) and three amazing volunteers. I was never so happy to see
that finish line; I was done, both literally and figuratively. After 28
hours and 59 minutes of running and pulling I had finished what
I had started. I was elated to say the least, I was back and it felt
good.
It felt good to finish this race as I was intended to. Knowing I
could run an ultra and finish it especially one as nasty as this one
brought such joy to me. I could not even attempt to describe it.
So whatever you do, don’t settle, be strong, be resilient. Work
hard and don’t give up…be proud of all your accomplishments…
you earned them.
A footnote, 20 runners finished the 80 miles of those 36 starters,
I finished 13th overall and 3rd female, I was so happy with my
finish and results, tickled pink actually. OTR
Still smiling at mile 35
The beautiful Tuscobia State Trail
A frosty morning after a
frigid night but I made it
(Right) What you look like Right after finishing 80 miles and almost
29 hours of running – happy. Posing With my Finisher Beanie………
It’s a great day to be alive!
Issue 1, 2016
Page 16
Deals And Discounts
The following Winnipeg businesses are generously giving MRA
members a discount. Please present your membership card at the
time of purchase. We hope that you will support these discount
sponsors and if you know of any other businesses who would be
willing to join our discount sponsors please let me know.
Stride Ahead Sports
Grant Park Mall, 152 - 1120 Grant Ave.
Tel: 477-4975; E-mail: stride@mts.net
10% off all regular priced merchandise including running shoes.
Tall Grass Prairie Bread
859 Westminster Ave. Tel: 783-5097
The Forks Market Tel: 957-5097
15% off all Baked Goods.
Popeye’s Supplements - Store locations:
130 - 666 St. James St. - (204)784-7480
930B Nairn Ave. - (204)784-7484
170 - 1600 Kenaston Blvd. - (204)774-4454
Unit 13 - 2188 McPhillips St - (204)632-7627
Unit 2 - 1220 St. Mary's Rd opening in December
1126 - 18th St., Brandon, MB - (204)729-8666
10% discount on all regular priced products. Website:
www.popeyescanada.com
Donna Sarna Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation
102-897 Corydon Ave; Phone: 452-2608
10% discount on massage therapy, pilates classes or myofascial
stretch classes
World of Water
10% off all products & services at any World of Water location.
www.worldofwater.ca
City Park Runners
2091 Portage Ave.
10% discount on all regular priced products.
Gelley Chiropractic Office &
Downtown Chiropractic Centre
Dr. Christopher Notley
12-845 Dakota Street
Winnipeg, MB R2M 5M3, Canada
(204) 254-0130
and 401-171 Donald Street
Winnipeg, MB R3C 1M4, Canada
(204) 943-0751
10% off services: Chiropractic, Athletic Therapy
(www.athletictherapy.org or www.mata.mb.ca ), strength and
conditioning counseling and ART (www.activerelease.com)
Olympia Cycle
1813 Portage Ave. Phone: 888-4586
Website: www.olympiacycle.com
5% off bicycles, 10% off bicycle trailers, 20% off all other regular priced merchandise.
Bite Into Balance Nutrition
204-880-4405
E-mail: info@biteintobalance.com
Website: www.biteintobalance.com
10% off all nutritional services and packages
Fusion Health and Wellness
1-1965 Main Street Winnipeg, Manitoba
204-504-5222
E-mail: info@fusionhealth.ca
Website: www.fusionhealth.ca
10% off Massage Therapy Services
The Old Spaghetti Factory
110 - 25 Forks Market Road
Winnipeg, MB
Phone: 204 - 957-1391
Website: www.oldspaghettifactory.ca
10% of total food bill (alcohol beverages excluded)
The MRA appreciates all of their Discount Sponsors and we encourage our members to support them.
If you have a business and would like to offer MRA members a discount
please contact Kathy at (204) 477-5185 or e-mail the MRA office at: office@mraweb.ca.
Issue 1, 2016
Page 17
The Manitoba Runners’ Association would like to thank World of Water for generously donating pure,
fresh water for our races.
Discover why more Manitoba families are
choosing Dewdrop™ Water from World of Water™,
over any other brand!
Issue 1, 2016
Page 18
Miscellaneous pictures of MRA members
Polar Bare run on January 1, 2016 in Assiniboine Park
Al Garlinski and Janelle McLeod at the Polar Bare Run
“I did it!”
Ed Toews finishes Marathon #18, First Light Marathon in Mobile,
Alabama on January 10, 2016. Way to go Ed!!
Eddie & Brenda Marion-Gerula out for a frosty January run
Dear MRA members,
I am volunteering to continue as the newsletter editor and would
love to have you send me your pictures. I can’t guarantee that I will
put them all in the newsletter but right now I have to go searching
on Facebook for pictures to put in this section of the newsletter
and it is very time consuming. Also, I have to ask permission for
every picture that I use. It would help me so much if you could send
me pictures that have real meaning to you. Other members love to
see pictures of their fellow runners. You can e-mail them to me at:
lenicampbell7@mymts.net. Also send articles about events you
have participated in or special things you have experienced. Leni
Former MRA board member Reesa Simmonds and her husband
Kris expecting their first baby and vacationing in Hawaii.
Issue 1, 2016
Page 19
Miscellaneous pictures of MRA members
MRA secretary, Dreena Duhame at her 80th birthday party in Jan.
Race Director of the WFPS Half Marathon, Jonathan Torchia
proposes to his girlfriend at the finish line of the Los Angeles
Marathon on February 13, 2016
MRA Executive Director, Kathy Wiens and her husband Peter
Stephanie Roberecki, 2016 Hall of Fame inductee and long-time
Race Director of the Physio Fit Run
Issue 1, 2016
Page 20
Proper Warm Up for Runners….by Ken Friesen
T
he purpose of a warm up before running is
to help the muscles perform at their peak and to prevent injuries.
It is widely recognized now that vigorously stretching a cold muscle can damage it. Tears among the muscle fibers can occur when
they are not ready to be stretched.
Some things that should be done to prepare the muscles for exertion and a full range of motion are:
 hydrate to help allow the muscles to move. Water acts as a
lubricant for the muscle tissue.
 the colder the temperature the longer the warm up needs to
be.
 your warm up should be done in an inverse relationship to the
length of time and the distance run. In other words if you are
doing short sprints your warm up can last a lot longer than if
you are going for a three hour run.
 someone doing hard interval workouts or getting ready for a
short race with an explosive start should be looking at a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes of warm up activities. If you are
going for a long easy run or going to race a marathon the average runner should be alright with 5 to 10 minutes of running
starting very slow and progressing up to the pace you expect
your run to be at.
 warm up with easy activity. Start your run slowly with a very
aerobic paced walk or a slow jog. Gradually build up the intensity.
~ Dynamic warm up exercises should be part of every workout
especially if it includes some fast paced efforts. If you haven’t
done them before they may feel a little awkward at first but you
will soon master them. They only take a few minutes to do with
12 to 20 reps of each one. Follow this link to see some of the
more popular ones for runners: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Q1ZeGAUfCi0
 if you feel a need to stretch prior to your workout do it after
an easy run to allow the muscles to warm up first.
 When doing hill workouts start with lower grade slopes and
work up to the steeper inclines.
 Your cool down after the workout should be an easy run
for 5 to 10 minutes followed by stretching of your major muscle groups. Doing self massage with a foam roller or a massage stick is also recommended after a workout. This will aid
in the dissipation of the toxins and waste products accumulated in the legs such as the lactic acid. It will also help prevent
delayed muscle soreness that may occur hours or days later
and prevents venous blood pooling in the extremities that
could cause lightheadedness or fainting.
 Do not bounce when stretching. Instead it should be a static
stretch that is held for about 20 to 40 seconds. You shouldn’t
feel any pain and only stretch to the point that you feel the
resistance and not beyond. Stay relaxed and make an effort to
breath in a regular manner – don’t hold your breath.
The little extra time spent on warming up and cooling down
properly should help keep you running longer with less aches and
pains. OTR
Ken Friesen
stride ahead sports
Stride Ahead accepts
competitor’s coupons
Issue 1, 2016
Page 21
Issue 1, 2016
Page 22
MRA Performance Jackets
DYNAMO HYBRID PERFORMANCE SOFT SHELL JACKET
Features:
 Inside storm placket with chin guard
 Centre front reverse coil zipper with reflective asymmetric piping
 Semi-auto lock zipper with rubber pull tab
 Reflective print detail along raglan seams and back contrast panels
 Two lower front reversed coil zippered pockets with garages
 Partial elasticized cuffs
 Audio port access through front left pocket
 Adjustable shock cord at drop back hem with access through
front pocket
Fabric:
Jacket Shell: 100% polyester mesh bonded with 100% polyester
jersey; 3-layer performance soft shell with 8,000 mm waterproofness, 800 g breathability, 5.3 oz./yd2/180 gsm
Contrast hybrid: 100% 240T polyester pongee with embossed
print and water resistant finish, 2.3 oz./yd2/78 gsm
Total cost is $95.00. These excellent quality jackets come in men’s and ladies sizes, small, medium, large, x-large and
xx-large. Go to: http://www.mraweb.ca to see sizing chart (scroll down the main page to just above Upcoming Events).
It’s the perfect time to order a jacket so you will have it for spring! Please e-mail office@mraweb.ca to place your order.
Issue 1, 2016
Page 23
On the Run
ISSUE 1,2016
2016 Membership Application Form
MRA’s 45th Anniversary Year!
____ $40.00 School
____ $40.00 Individual
____ Family Membership $40.00 for 1st member and $5.00 for each additional family member.
____ $15.00 Junior (Under 19)/Full-time Student. Student Number: _________________________________
____ $15.00 Youth Runner 16 & Under
New
School attending__________________________________________
Renewal
Referred by
Last Name
M
_____
First Name
F
Date of Birth:
_____
Day
Month
Year _____
Address
_____
City
Phone: Home: (____)______
Province
____
PC
Bus: (____)_____
______ E-mail: ________________________
I’d like to get updates and results by above e-mail:
Yes
No
I’m interested in volunteering at the MRA :
Yes
No
If applying for a family membership, complete the following for each member.
(Attach additional sheet if necessary)
Name
M/F
Day/Month/Year
_____/______/
____ _____/______/
____ _____/______/
In consideration of my acceptance as a member in the Manitoba Runners’ Association, I hereby
agree to follow all rules and regulations set down by the Manitoba Runners’ Association.
Signature
Date
If under 18, signature of Parent or Guardian
Publications Mail Agreement
No. 40039122
Make cheques payable to:
Manitoba Runners’ Association
Send Completed Application to:
P.O. Box 34148 Fort Richmond
Winnipeg, MB R3T 5T5
_____