The Sporting Life 10k #SL10K road run happened this past weekend in support of the incredible Camp Oochigeas that allows kids affected by childhood cancer to go to camp. 25,809 participants ran on Sunday, May 10th. I’ve never run a 10km road race before, or been part of such a massively wonderful event.
New Balance + Sporting Life Running Group
Training Experience & Tips
I trained on a weekly basis with a super encouraging and insightful team of runners from New Balance Canada at the Sporting Life on Yonge St. I learned a few things over that 2 month period, like:
- Training: Training with a group played in a key role in my consistency and dedication to running. I would highly suggest joining a group of likeminded people, as it’ll get you committed to training and inspired to challenge yourself a little more each and every week.
- 2 months head start – yup, thats when we started and it made a huge difference
- Increase distance little by little – start at a manageable distance, like 5km, and pay attention to things like your breathing, what part of your body is tense as you’re running, and the point where you feel tired or out of breath during the run. Work on improving these every week.
- Week of the race – go for a short run so you don’t tire yourself out and have plenty of energy for the day of the race.
- Shoes: Choose your shoes wisely and if you can, try them out before purchasing. I’m not much of a road runner but I did quite a bit of research on what type of shoes to invest in. For me, the right pair will not only help on race day but will inspire me train when I don’t really feel like it. New Balance Canada was kind enough to let our training group try a few of their latest options and I settled on their new Zante Fresh Foam pair. They’re very colourful, barely weigh anything, provide enough heel support and are nice and roomy in the toe. They are very cushiony and make you feel like you’re flying! I had to get a half size bigger than I normally wear as they have a snug fit and I wanted to leave a bit of room for my feet to swell during a run.
New Balance Zante Fresh Foam Runners
Tips for Day of the Race:
- Hydration: bring your own water bottle. Although the course had plenty of volunteers and water available during the race, I found having my own water bottle more convenient and practical.
- Gear: bring layers that you can throw away or leave at the starting line for pickup later. I found the morning to be a tiny bit chilly but as I started running and the humidity kicked in, I was exceptionally happy I wasn’t wearing what I originally wanted to wear
- Listen to Your Body: don’t push yourself too far if you’re not used to the conditions. During the last kilometer of the run, there were a few unconscious people getting assistance from paramedics. It’s unfortunate and I hope they’re all doing well now. So I think it’s best to give it all you got before the race in terms of consistent training, and on the day of the event, listen to your body. To avoid pushing yourself over your limit, I find that having a sports watch and paying attention to your pace and distance is important.
See official race results, here.
For more info about Camp Oochigeas visit www.ooch.org
Photos by Kent Keeler
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- SL10K Start Line
