Runner of the Month Roundup: Looking back at 2019

The new year is upon us and it feels like this year has flown by! Throughout 2019, we featured 13 special runners and walkers, sharing their stories, showcasing their favourite neighbourhood running routes, their unique motivations and their passion for running. From elites to first timers – let’s take a look back at the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2019 Runners of the Month. 

Who inspired you the most? Tell us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

Krista Duchene

“The Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon was a second chance for me after a disappointing 2019 Boston Marathon with warm temperatures and high humidity. I expected the conditions to be the same in Ottawa so I prepared by completing some heat acclimation training. My fitness was decent, but it was my ability to handle the conditions that allowed me to place second Canadian and seventh overall.”

 

Ian Fraser

“We forget sometimes how amazing our [marathon] route is. Like it’s incredible. Right? We want to tease that out. We want the people who are local, who run here, to be fiercely proud of that and to share that with people from out of town. I was born and raised here. This is my city. It’s an incredible place. I’m so proud of it and I want other people to come and experience it.”

 

Lindsay Khan

“I knew I was well under the window to qualify for Boston. Even though a lot could go wrong in the final 7K, I had enough time in the bank. I couldn’t stop smiling. I just remember crossing the finish line and throwing my arms in the air and yelling… I was probably incoherent at that point, just totally losing it.”

 

Dan Pak

“I’m not an ordinary person with a heart condition that needed a stent or angioplasty,” he explains. “Some people may not realize that atrial fibrillation isn’t about being unhealthy, it’s actually an electrical issue.”

 

Hannah Manning

“The great view of Ottawa [on the Alexandra Bridge] and the turn in front of the National Gallery of Canada is both comfortable and energizing. That comes in handy during the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. It’s when I know exactly how far it is to the finish line, and I think to myself, this is my home turf.”

 

Everic Lauzier

“Humans became the ultimate predator due to our capacity to outrun virtually any prey, and our endurance is largely attributed to the extreme efficiency of our feet. The next time you see a child playing and running barefoot, take the time to appreciate how easy, natural and instinctive it is to them. This is precisely how it feels for Barefoot runners like myself: just like the joys of childhood and the inherent freedom.”

 

Liz Laurin

“I will tell you that you will feel welcomed, cared for, and loved. You will feel proud of yourself. Whenever I’m having a bad pain day, when I have a hard time getting out of bed, when I feel overwhelmed by life – I put that medal on. It reminds me that I did that, that I can do things. I might not be able to today, I might not be able to next week, but I can still do it, I did, and I will again.”

 

Jesse Blondin

“For the last three years, our whole family has set up a freezie station along Colonel By Drive, near Clegg. My kids are quite talented at handing them out now that they’ve figured how to do it so people can pick them up while they’re running fast. Keep one foot on the curb, hold them out into the crowd, make eye contact with the runner.”

 

Hieu Nguyen

“Being an urban planner, I love running through neighbourhoods, seeing what’s new, what’s happening on the streets. I feel like you can see the city through a better lens when you’re on foot. I know some people like running in the woods, or just like their solitude, but I like my attention to be captivated by what’s going on in the streets.”

 

Geoff Riggs

“It’s so inspiring to see someone rattle off a 28-minute 10K the day before you do your marathon. It’s also nice to see people who don’t regularly run and compete go out and embrace the event. It’s a pretty big tent… This is for the whole community.”

 

Ashley Kokelj

“I’ve only been a runner for two years, as long as I’ve lived in New Edinburgh. I do most of my running in Gatineau Park when it comes to trails. However, my very favourite route is probably down Beechwood to Birch, and then getting over to the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway. If you take the Aviation Parkway, off some of the parking areas, you can actually go right down by the water on the Ottawa River Trail.”

 

Jane Spiteri

“When you run by yourself, it’s easy to stop. When you run with a group they push you to keep going. They also help you get out of bed. And there’s always someone who is faster than you, which is a good thing. They can run with you and pace you, which helps you push a little harder.”

 

Terry SanCartier

“You never forget your first one. The goal was to do 3:45, and that’s exactly what I did. Coming through the finish line, having done something so big, I was ecstatic. I’d never done anything like that.”