Editorial

For many of us, going for a run can be a welcome break from the constant stream of news and current events. But in 2020, we can no longer ignore that running is a political act. In the early days of the pandemic, although running was never restricted in Canada, runners drew criticism for possibly spreading the virus as they huffed and puffed on the path. Later, after the murders of George Floyd and runner Ahmaud Arbery, thanks to the demonstrations of outrage and grief triggered by their deaths, we could no longer ignore what life is actually like for racialized people.

We are now called to ask ourselves what we can do to make the world safer for each other. Media outlets are, quite rightly, facing demands to step up in the fight against racism and to justify their decisions about whose stories get told. Canadian Running, no less than the New York Times, has a responsibility to address the under-representation of Black and Indigenous people, both in our pages and in our sport. To that end, Canadian Running is committed to publishing more stories by and about bipoc runners. Change doesn’t happen overnight, especially when stories are assigned two to three months ahead of publication, and those changes will, at first, be too subtle for some readers. We invite anyone interested in sharing ideas and feedback to contact us at info@runningmagazine.ca.

This is our marathon/half-marathon issue, and this month’s Club Scene features the Regina club headed by Ted Jaleta, who came to Canada from his native Ethiopia 38 years ago. The Jaleta Pacers have travelled together to races around the world and fostered the careers of nationally ranked competitors, while welcoming many runners who just want the opportunity to train with someone of Jaleta’s stature. And we have an interview with Under Armour ambassador, yamajo Run Crew co-founder and marathon coach David Joseph of Montreal (p.6), who is also this issue’s cover athlete.

Two very different feature stories will entertain and inspire you. Paul Gains takes a look back at our Canadian elites’ most impressive achievements in the modern marathon (p.30), starting with Malindi Elmore’s third-place finish at Houston in January and going back to Jerome Drayton’s first dramatic win at Fukuoka, Japan, in 1969 – six years before he set the record that would finally be broken in another extraordinary performance by Cam Levins in 2018. And for the ultra-curious: In Search of Al Howie author Jared Beasley’s profile of Canadian mega-distance runner Trishul Cherns, who, as we went to press, had just completed his 274th ultra – by far the most ultra finishes held by any Canadian (p.36). Cherns is 63, and he’s not stopping anytime soon. His goal is – wait for it – 50,000 miles in ultra competitions in his lifetime. This was his first race since the pandemic shut down New York City (his adopted home), because Cherns doesn’t buy into the concept of “virtual” ultras.

The pandemic has created a demand for reliable run-training information, and even if most races remain virtual into 2021, Andrew McKay’s “How To Rock Your First Half-Marathon” (p. 46) is an indispensable primer on how to prepare for the distance. The same goes for our annual fall shoe review (p.50), which will guide you through this year’s new offerings. We’ve even added a glossary to help new runners decipher terms such as “midsole,” “drop” and “energy return.”

Run strong, friends, and stay safe.

WE ARE NOW CALLED TO ASK OURSELVES WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THE WORLD SAFER FOR EACH OTHER