Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2025 i Canadian Running

Despite the many health benefits of exercise, runners are not immune to developing chronic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes. In people with Type 2 diabetes, insulin (which is produced by the pancreas) doesn’t work properly, and with disease progression, the ability to produce insulin is impaired. As a result, sugar can’t get into the cells (where it is used to produce energy), and remains in the blood, elevating blood sugar levels. Prediabetes is sometimes diagnosed when blood sugar levels are elevated, but not enough to warrant a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, and is sometimes reversible through diet and exercise. Diabetes may be diagnosed by measuring one or more of the following: fasting blood sugar; blood sugar levels two hours after an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT); or glycated…

Picture this: your training volume and intensity are reaching all-time highs, but you notice a persistent ache below your kneecap, or a burning feeling at the top of your heel. Injuries to tendons—the tissues that attach our muscles to bones—are among the most common ailments affecting runners. While the instinct to stop running and let the tendon rest seems intuitive, there’s more to how these structures recover and thrive than meets the eye. Understanding tendons at the cellular level Tendinopathy refers to a breakdown in a tendon’s structure and function, typically resulting in pain during or after exercise and reduced load tolerance. To understand why these injuries happen, we need to understand what makes tendons tick at the cellular level. Tendons have two specific jobs: transferring forces between muscles and…

“I love winter, cold weather and snow,” says professional race photographer Sue Sitki. “Eric doesn’t, but he does love me,” she continues, referring to Polar Paws Winter Trail race director Eric D’Arcy (who is also her husband). While D’Arcy might have needed some convincing about the time of year to host an event, he and Sitki are equally passionate about trail running and animal rescue, so planning a trail race that people could run with their dogs, which would also allow them to raise funds for animal rescue, seemed an obvious fit. The couple first held the race in Uxbridge, Ont. Then COVID hit, and D’Arcy and Sitki moved to Port Dover, two hours southwest of Toronto. “After moving here,” says Sitki, “we discovered the wonderful and challenging trails at…

During tough workouts or the tough part of races, I visualize running along a quiet stretch of rural road on the outskirts of Saskatoon. I can picture it clearly: crushed gravel lined with farmer’s fields and the occasional acreage. I live in Ottawa now, where winter is milder, but snowier. I have fond memories of that remote stretch of prairie, where my friends and I would meet on cool winter mornings for long runs and hard workouts. Sometimes we stared ahead through frosty eyelashes as the wind howled and snow flew across our paths. I didn’t always appreciate it at the time, but those runs definitely made me a tougher and more resilient athlete. Winter running looks different across the country; depending on where you live, you may be battling…

Editor Anne Francis anne@runningmagazine.ca Senior Editor Alex Hutchinson Staff Writers Marley Dickinson, Madeleine Kelly, Keeley Milne, Cameron Ormond Photo Editor Matt Stetson matt.stetson@gripped.com Copy Editor R. Turner Art Director Warren Wheeler (Roseander Main) layout@runningmagazine.ca Production Artist Warren Hardy Social Media Nikita van Dijk nikita@gripped.com Producer and Host, The Shakeout Podcast John Gay Affiliate Marketing Cory Nagler Web Development Sean Rasmussen Digital Operations Dmitry Beniaminov Publisher Sam Cohen sam@gripped.com Editorial Director David Smart dave@gripped.com Advertising & Sales Andre Cheuk andre@gripped.com Account Managers Joel Vosburg joel@gripped.com Catherine Melo catherine@gripped.com Circulation Manager Robyn Milburn robyn@gripped.com SUBSCRIBE Send $26.95 (1 year) or $49.95 (2 years) to Canadian Running magazine, PO Box 819 Station Main, Markham, ON, Canada L3P 8L3 or call: 1 (800) 567-0444 SUBMIT Manuscripts, photographs and other correspondence are welcome. Please contact…

As a runner, it’s unlikely you need to be convinced of the physical and mental health benefits of the sport. Running has seen many of us through tough periods; we’ve experienced how a dreary, rainy day can be turned around by getting out the door, locking into a pace and powering through a run. But have you ever thought of running as an intervention tool during life transitions? I ran as a teenager, and I came back to it as an adult when a big loss destabilized my life. I was on leave from work and school. I couldn’t focus long enough to do anything, and sat, immobile, on the couch. Nothing could be worse than this, I thought. So I started walking, but soon found I preferred to run.…

As the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Since the human body is a chain of connected bones that rely on each other for optimal function, a weak link, such as a dysfunctional muscle or abnormal bone alignment, can negatively affect the entire system. Bunions, also known as hallux valgus, are estimated to affect anywhere between six and 23 per cent of adults worldwide and are a common example of abnormal bone alignment that, if left unaddressed, may lead to an inefficient running stride and, potentially, an overuse injury. Bunions are characterized by a bony point or bump on the medial (inside) part of the foot, at the base of the big toe. Commonly thought of as a growth, the bump is actually the…

Of all the helpful tips on running form that you may have received over the years—relax your arms, lift your knees, stand tall, and so on—there’s one that has remained persistently popular: take shorter, quicker strides. The idea is that increasing your cadence, which is simply the number of steps you take per minute, can reduce the impact of each stride on your knees and thus lower your chances of developing an injury. Unlike most of the form tips you hear, this one is actually backed by science, at least to some degree. Increasing cadence really does soften the impacts on your knees (although it can increase it in other places, such as your hips). But the bigger picture is more nuanced, according to a new study from a group…

Scotland’s capital, instantly recognizable by its imposing castle sitting high above the city, is rich in history and culture. “Name another race where you’ve got a castle on top of a volcano in the city centre,” says Annette Aitken-Drummond, marketing director for GSi Events Ltd., which puts on the Edinburgh Marathon Festival. Despite the city’s craggy landscape, though, the course is not particularly forbidding. “A lot of people assume the Edinburgh Marathon is going to be really hilly, but it’s actually incredibly flat,” Aitken-Drummond adds. A word of warning, though: the first six-and-a-half to 10 km are downhill, which can be tough on the legs. GSi took over the Edinburgh Marathon in 2003, when there were about 3,000 runners, and made it an annual event. That number has risen to…

Canada brings home five medals from World Athletics Championships in Tokyo Team Canada won five medals at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September: three gold (Evan Dunfee in the 35K race walk, Camryn Rogers in the women’s hammer throw and Ethan Katzberg in the men’s hammer throw), one silver (the men’s 4x100m relay team, consisting of Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse) and one bronze (Marco Arop in the 800m). Rogers and Katzberg set new Canadian records in their events, as did the women’s 4x100m relay team in the heats (42.38 seconds). Katzberg’s mark of 84.70 metres was also a North American and World Athletics Championships record. Canada was third behind the U.S. and Kenya in the gold medal standings and fifth overall. PM…

Whistler, B.C., may be best known for its world-class ski slopes, but when the snow melts and the wildflowers bloom, the area transforms into a trail runner’s paradise. From alpine ridgelines to turquoise glacier lakes and serene forest paths, the trails around Whistler offer something for every type of runner. These three trails showcase the area’s diversity and beauty. Easy Cheakamus Lake Trail DISTANCE: Around 15 km ELEVATION GAIN: 50 m The Cheakamus Lake Trail offers smooth, forested trail running, with only gentle elevation changes. This trail winds through moss-draped old-growth forest, following the Cheakamus River before arriving at the shores of the lake. Unlike many of Whistler’s steep mountain routes, this one is runnable from start to finish. The forgiving grade makes it popular among trail runners looking for…

NEW AND INNOVATIVE Arc’teryx NORVAN 4 NIVALIS CATEGORY Trail UNISEX 290 g (10.2 oz.) OFFSET/DROP 6 mm STACK HEIGHT 25 mm/19 mm LUG DEPTH 6.5 mm $300 This is a fully weatherproof shoe designed for late fall/winter/spring mountain running in places like the Pacific Northwest, where you’re likely to encounter a lot of slush and mud—the ideal conditions for this shoe. Its sock-like, integrated ankle gaiter gives it the appearance of a boot, but it’s lighter than many trail shoes, and feels like a shoe. It has a smooth, seamless, waterproof Gore-Tex upper to keep your feet warm and dry (perfect for trail running in late fall/winter/spring), a Vibram Litebase outsole and large, deep, well-spaced lugs for maximum traction and grip. (Though we haven’t been able to test it in…

Runners who are part of the Arboretum Hill Club in Ottawa don’t have trouble remembering the start time for their workouts: every Friday morning at 6:29 sharp, the weekly 31-minute workout brings out dozens of members for a hilly run over a variety of terrain. Why 6:29? Why not? Stephen Bierbrier helped create the club back in 2018, with a mission of establishing an inclusive group that welcomed people of all abilities, ages and backgrounds. There’s also a certain quirkiness that seems to be a draw (hence the unique workout start time), along with the hospitality. It has grown to become a significant cog in the running scene of the nation’s capital. Bierbier gives credit to the club’s membership, which includes many new Canadians. Manjyot Grewal, who moved to Ottawa…