The Shakeout Podcast

Two weeks ago the Canadian Track and Field Championships took place in Montréal, QC. There were several breathtaking moments, not the least of which was the final of the women's 800m. Four-time reigning champion and Canadian record-holder Melissa Bishop-Nriagu and west-coast standout Lindsay Butterworth came in as heavy favourites. But it was Canadian Running Staff Writer Madeleine Kelly who used...

In this episode we talk with Athletics Canada and Toronto Raptors sports nutritionist Jen Sygo. We discuss fuelling, hydrating, and managing gut distress while running in the heat. Jen shares her expert advice about how to make the most of your sweltering summer training so that you can reap the rewards during your fall races.

Yesterday was Canada Day. In honour of the occasion, this week we're rebroadcasting an episode from last year featuring Adam Scotti, the official photographer of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau and Scotti are both avid runners in Ottawa. In this episode the photographer talks about his experience snapping shots and logging miles with the P.M. in the nation’s capital.

This week on The Rundown we bring you all the recent west coast excitement. We cover results from the Harry Jerome International Track Classic, the Vancouver Half Marathon, and the Multi-Grouse Grind. We also dish on the Toronto Pride Run, the Broken Arrow Skyrace, and yet another teenage sprint phenom! 

This week on The Rundown we're joined by Canadian marathon record-holder and Olympian Cam Levins. Cam helps us break down the news and results of the week from the track, trails and road. We also ask him about his training, his hairdo, his doppelganger Malcolm Gladwell, and what it was like being in Toronto for the Raptors' victory. This week we cover the Rabat Diamond League where Gabriela Staffo...

Last month, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) released a verdict that has become one of the most hotly debated rulings in sport history. At the centre of this decision is one woman: the South African mid-distance phenom Caster Semenya. Semenya has a condition called 46XY DSD, which results in her body producing higher than average levels of testosterone. The science and emotions behind this...

This week on The Rundown, we bring you results from the Scotiabank Bluenose Marathon weekend and the Comrades Marathon in South Africa. We also dish on the top performances from OFSAA, NCAA's, the Speed River Inferno and the Rome Diamond League.

Last month, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) released a verdict that has become one of the most hotly debated rulings in sport history. At the centre of this decision is one woman: the South African mid-distance phenom Caster Semenya. Semenya has a condition called 46XY DSD, which results in her body producing higher than average levels of testosterone. The science and emotions behind this...

Recently we made some small changes to The Shakeout Podcast.  from now on, we’ll be bringing you the weekly Rundown, recapping all the results and news from the track, roads and trails. Every second week, in addition to the Rundown we’ll be releasing a longer episode including interviews and a deeper exploration into the exciting world of running. In this episode of The Rundown, recorded last Mond...

In 2009, while training for her first half marathon, Lisa Sweetman began noticing unusual and unsettling changes in her body. Her joints ached, her energy plummeted and she began putting on a lot of weight. It would be another several months of self-advocacy before she would receive a definitive, and distressing, diagnosis: a brain tumour. Lisa underwent 5 surgeries, experimented with veganism, st...

This week we are rebroadcasting a episode from last year featuring the Lane 6 program. Lane 6 is a partnership between Canadian Running and Nike. Along with Toronto Community Housing, they created a one-on-one mentorship program, pairing experienced runners from the community with at-risk youth, aged 7-18. The second annual Lane 6 program started last week, and will run until June 6th. Staff write...

Thousands of runners will toe the line on Monday for the 123rd running on the Boston Marathon. One of those runners is Newfoundland's Derm Holwell. On Monday, Holwell will run his 29th consecutive Boston Marathon. An athlete with the Mississauga Nomads Running Team and a cancer survivor, Holwell is also part of an exclusive group known as The Quarter Century Club. In this episode, he shares his re...

The Spring Run Off is Toronto's oldest continuously-held road race. Olympians, world record holders, and masses of Canadian runners turn up for one of the most challenging road races in the country. In this episode we chat with journalist Alex Hutchinson, professional runner Dayna Pidhoresky, and Spring Run Off co-founder Dave Reid.

The Boston Marathon is one of the oldest and most prestigious road races in the world. But there’s another race, in Hamilton Ontario, that proudly proclaims its status as the oldest race in North America. Around the Bay celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. This race hasn’t only been around for longer than the Boston Marathon, but it has also boasted some pretty remarkable results over the y...

This episode is all about girl power! We start by chatting with the new Canadian marathon record holder Rachel Cliff, who ran 2:26:56 in the Nagoya Women's Marathon 2 weeks ago. Cliff talks about breaking barriers, and the joy of running in a women's only race. Sasha Gollish and Jess O'Connell are athlete ambassadors for Fast and Female, a not-for-profit organization that strives to keep girls eng...

Over the last 2 weeks we saw a Canadian record, a world record, and a USports record each get broken. We bring you results from the NCAA, USports and Canadian Masters indoor track championships. Plus, we bring you juicy news from the roads and the trails.  We didn't release an episode of The Shakeout Podcast last week, but a lot has happened recently in the world of running. So we decided that we...

We are officially inside 50 days until the 2019 Boston Marathon. In this episode we talk with one of Canada's fastest marathoners and coaches about how to make the most of your spring race prep.  In 2013, Rob Watson found himself leading the Boston Marathon. Determined to stick to his race plan, he continued to lead the elite field for almost 25km.  He had the best racing experience of his life, a...

This week on the show we connect with sports psychology consultant Dr. Penny Werthner to explore the link between running and mental health. We talk about stigma, resources, and the myriad positive effects that running can have on mental health and wellbeing.

This week on The Shakeout we dive into what it's like to be a runner's partner. We bring you the story of five different couples who are in a relationship with each other, but also with running.  Today's guests are Osi Nriagu, Alan Bagoo, Maddie Davidson, Jeremy Rae and Will Roumanis. All of these people are in a relationship with a runner. Some of our guests are, or were, runners in their own rig...

This week on the Shakeout we dive into the dark world of doping. We bring you the story of the Russian drug scandal that rocked the global athletic community. And we discuss the response, or lack thereof, from the organizations tasked with ensuring clean sport. In this episode we dissect the culture of state-sponsored doping. We speak with Paul Melia, president of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in...

Middle distance phenom Gabriela Stafford set 2 indoor Canadian records in the last 3 weeks. The University of Toronto student and Olympian ran 14:57.45 in the 5000m on January 4th, and 4:24.80 in the mile yesterday.  Stafford has been busy lately: in addition to her 2 national records, she changed training groups, moved to Scotland, and got married in the space of 5 months. She is temporarily back...

Three years ago Rachel Sklar decided to run her first marathon. The ghostwriter from Thornhill had a background in the combat sport of Muay Thai but was far from an experienced runner. That all changed following her first race in 2016. Eight months after her marathon debut, Sklar challenged herself to a 50km trail ultra, and she hasn't looked back. This year, Sklar is setting a much bigger challen...

This episode is a year-end Shakeout Special. We revisit an episode from last year in which former Canadian Running web editor Sinead Mulhern chats with sports psychologist Kim Dawson about realistic goal setting. We also bring you goal setting advice from Cameron Levins, Rachel Cliff and Mohammed Ahmed. All three made our Canadian Running list of Top Ten Canadian Performances of 2018. We close out...

This is the time of year for family, fun, and festivities. But it is also an opportunity to give to those in need. Charities use a variety of fund-raising methods around the holidays, but one group employs a unique approach. The Toronto Santa Speedo Run is the brainchild of "Head Santa" Matt Freeman. The premise is simple: your friends and family pledge money to watch you run through the...

As the holidays draw near, so do treacherous weather conditions. Staying safe and healthy can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. Luckily, we’ve found some excellent resources to help you navigate the uncertainty of the season. In this episode we talk with chiropractor, strength coach and co-founder of The Runner's Academy Dr. Kris Sheppard. We also talk with elite-runner-turned-coach Dylan Wyke...