Inspired Soles

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

Winter is upon us again and as we talked about last week on the show, so is the season for base training.  For many runners in Canada and the northern United States, this can mean a lot of long, slow miles in very cold temperatures which can seem daunting and maybe even a little scary.  We thought this would be a good time to re-release an episode we recorded with Scott Sugimoto in Jan of 2021. 

Scott Sugimoto is a 61 year old gentleman from Winnipeg who has an extensive running history in both road and trail running. He has completed multiple half and full marathons, as well as many trail ultramarathons including Actif Epica and Arrowhead.  Scott has an affinity for winter running and is a wealth of knowledge on the subject. 

In this episode we get into the dos and don’ts of winter running including: 

• What to wear
• What NOT to wear
• How to keep your water from freezing,
• Preventing frostbite
• Winter footwear. 

We are grateful to Scott for sharing his winter running wisdom with us.

Resources we discussed in the episode:

• Favourite Mantra: Just survive somehow; I am one with the Force and the Force is with me
• Favourite Place to Run: BC mountains
• Bucket List Run or Fat Bike Ride: Tuscobia, Arrowhead 135, Iditarod Trail Invitational, Greenland Arctic Circle Trail
• Favourite Movie/Book: Prefontaine; On Thin Ice; In Shackleton's Footsteps; 
• Post-Run Indulgence: A cup of soup

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected]. 

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

Dr. Duane Scotti is a Connecticut-based running physical therapist, run coach, host of the Healthy Runner podcast, and founder of Spark Healthy Runner. A leader in the rehab and running community for 20+ years, Duane is truly living his passion educating runners that they don’t necessarily have to stop running to get over a running injury. 

We first had Duane on the show in episode 66 to discuss his blueprint for staying healthy as a runner, and it was so popular that we decided to continue that conversation by going deep on the topic base training. Off-season is the best time to lay the groundwork for reaching new heights in your next training cycle, and for many of us in colder climates the off-season is officially upon us. 

In this episode we cover:

• The definition of base training
• How to build aerobic capacity through easy running and “spice things up” with some fast running
• The importance of strength training – & jump training – and how to structure these workouts
• Why a bootcamp class probably isn’t the best bang for your strength training buck
• Why now is a great time of year to focus on good nutritional habits.

Not only is Duane a wealth of knowledge, he’s also on his own running journey. We open by hearing about his second marathon, which he recently completed in Hartford. He had several powerful takeaways from that experience on his own podcast, which we've linked up in the show notes. 

Connect with Duane:

• SPARK Physical Therapy: Sparkhealthyrunner.com
• Healthy Runner Podcast 
• Healthy Runner Facebook Group
• Instagram: @sparkhealthyrunner
• SPARK Your Training YouTube Channel

Resources we discussed in this episode:

• Episode 66 with Duane on Inspired Soles 
• Duane's Hartford Marathon Race Recap on the Healthy Runner podcast 

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected]. 

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

Based out of Austin Texas, Chris McClung is a 2:45 marathoner, running coach, and host of the Running Rogue podcast. He’s exceptionally knowledgeable about many aspects of run training, but in this episode we decided to pick his brain about training for hilly races. This conversation is a deep dive on all things hills, including:

• Why one might consider a hilly race
• Chris’ definition of a hilly race
• The many benefits of hill training
• Sample hill workouts and how to progress them
• When to include hill training in your cycle and how to make it course-specific
• If there’s such a thing as too much hill training
• What we can do in the weight room to prepare for hilly races, and
• How to be creative if you live in a flat location or face unsafe weather conditions. 

If you’ve got a hilly race on your calendar in 2023 or beyond, then this is the episode for you.

Connect with Chris:

• Website: roguerunning.com 
• Podcast: Running Rogue 
• Instagram: @roguechris 

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected]. 

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

Ray Zahab is a Canadian Explorer, ultra distance runner and Founder of the non-profit impossible2Possible. A recent recipient of the Meritorious Service Cross of Canada, Ray is an Explorer in Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. In 2015 Canadian Geographic recognized Ray as one of Canada’s Top Explorers. He has ran almost 20,000km across the world’s deserts, and performed unsupported expeditions in some of the coldest places on the planet.  He and family live in Chelsea, Quebec.

In this episode we talk about:

• How Ray decided to quit smoking at the age of 30 and take up adventure sports
• The personal revelations he received after winning his first ultra, the Yukon Ultra (100 miler)
• Why he loves to explore the most extreme climates on the planet at the most extreme times of year
• His passion for youth, commitment to involving schools in his expeditions, and his charity
• The wisdom and perspective he brings as he faces a recent diagnosis of cancer
• What’s coming up next including a new book and new expeditions!

Ray’s buoyancy and passion for life and what he gets to do with his are readily apparent as you listen to him talk.

Connect with Ray:

• Facebook: ray.zahab
• Instagram: @rayzahab
• Website: rayzahab.com
• impossibe2Possible
• Kapik1 Coffee

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected]. 

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

Patricia Roney is a Winnipeg-based runner and physiotherapist who works with Athletics Canada as a classifier for para athletes competing in track and field. All para sport athletes need to be classified in order to compete so there’s a system in place to determine eligibility based on their impairment, and Patricia is right at the center of this fascinating and evolving scene. She is also a very accomplished athlete and runner herself. She got her start on the track at the University of Victoria and found some success on the roads after that, but since 2014 has been spending time developing her trail and mountain running skills, often landing on the podium of many 25-50K races. In 2019 Patricia was selected for the Canadian team to compete at the World Mountain Running Championships in Patagonia, but ultimately had to turn down the offer when it conflicted with her work as the Lead Therapist for the Para-athletics World Championships. We learned a lot about Para-sport in this conversation and we hope you do too.

Resources we discussed in the episode:

• Episode 87 with Nate Riech: Tokyo Paralympic 1500m Gold Medalist
• Favourite Mantra: Lyrics from a Bob Marley song
• Favourite Place to Run: Anywhere with ocean views
• Bucket List Race: Alpine trail race or Trans Rockies  stage race
• Favourite Running Book: The Champion’s Mind  by Jim Afremow
• Favourite Post Run Indulgence: Big burrito wraps, coffee, pastry

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Email us with guest ideas: [email protected]
• Inspired Soles Instagram
• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected]. 

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

Lisa Belanger has always loved adventuring in the wilderness, and her free time is dedicated to getting outside to hike, rock climb, camp, and dirt bike. Taking it to the next level, in 2019 she attempted a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail which runs 4,270km across the USA from the border of Mexico to Canada. Partway through she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a complex autoimmune disease requiring insulin injections and constant blood sugar management. This ended her thru-hike at that time, but she returned in 2022, starting over at the Mexican border and successfully hiking all the way to Canada over 4.5 months. While she still had her trail legs, she went on to complete the Lost Soul 100 Mile Ultra, having never run any sort of marathon before. At the time she expected it to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but having discovered how amazing the ultra running community is, she’s reconsidering!

Lisa works as the Director of Operations at the Rural Development Network, a non-profit organization that supports the sustainability of rural communities across Canada. She also recently joined the Board of Directors of the Great Divide Trail Association, volunteering her energy to help protect and maintain this incredible long-trail that runs more than 1,100km along the continental divide between Alberta and BC.

Lisa became an entrepreneur when she launched Flat Out Feasts with her husband Colin in 2022 in an attempt to make backcountry adventures more accessible to those with specific dietary needs. Her freeze dried meals provide more consistent energy for longer, while allowing her to keep her blood sugar stable. This allowed her to have the proper nutrition for her 2022 thru-hike, and her ultra, and she hopes many others will take them along on their treks!

Connect with Lisa:

• Flat Out Feasts

Resources we discussed in the episode:

• Favourite Mantra: You gotta wanna
• Favourite Place to Hike: California Sierra Nevadas; around Nordegg, AB
• Bucket List Hike/Race: Great Divide Trail (btw AB & BC); Moab 240
• Favourite Endurance Book/Movie: Man on the Run by Mark Timmons
• Favourite Post Hike Indulgence: Sugar Free Ice Cream & Strawberries

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Email us with guest ideas: [email protected]
• Inspired Soles Instagram
• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected]. 

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

This conversation with elite Canadian runner, Sasha Gollish, was recorded one week before the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, which she just completed in a personal best time of 2:31:40. This race also served as the Canadian Marathon Championships so Sasha’s incredible performance landed her on the podium in 3rd place alongside Tokyo Olympians, Malindi Elmore and Dayna Pidhoresky. 

After turning 40 last December, Sasha kicked off her unbelievable record setting year by running a masters world record for the indoor mile (4:38.73). She then proceeded to run every single Canadian Championship race from the track, to the roads, to the trails, to running an all-out vertical kilometer. She’ll conclude her season next month at the Canadian XC Championships in Ottawa. 

Sasha is so much more than a fast runner. As an engineer she has a special love for data so we open with a fascinating discussion about how to strike a healthy relationship with it. We talked about her active and loving upbringing and how that may be playing into what we’re seeing from her today. We even touch on dealing with disappointment by changing the story we’re telling ourselves. This is a wide-ranging and important conversation for runners of all ages and ability levels.

Connect with Sasha:

• Instagram: @sgollishruns
• Facebook (help fund her trip to the World Mountain Running Championships in Thailand!): @sasha.gollish

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected]. 

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

It’s time to introduce you to our Couple of the Quarter, Steph Boutette and Eric Hong.

This young running couple met several years ago in Toronto doing two of the things they love most: 1. Running 2. Giving back to the running community. Last year they relocated to Collingwood, ON, where they’ve continued to immerse themselves in the running scene there and discover new ways to engage with the sport. And speaking of engaged, they’ll be tying the knot on February 10th, and in their first few months as a married couple they’ll be doing a trail race in Italy, visiting Ireland, and running the Boston Marathon in April! 

Eric & Steph are both highly accomplished road runners, but if Eric had to choose he prefers the trails. Since 2017 he has been methodically taking steps towards getting into CCC (100K) at UTMB, which he successfully completed in August. He credits his coach, Reid Coolsaet, and his support team – including Steph – for his incredible experience there. His main mission now is convincing Steph to take up ultras so he can return the favour to her someday. These two definitely have the secret sauce when it comes to running partnerships.

Connect with Eric & Steph:

• Eric's Instagram: @hongsolooo
• Steph's Instagram: @sboot5

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected]. 

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

Mark Timmons is a 62 year old retired high school teacher from Brandon, MB. He started his running journey at age 50, when most people start thinking about retirement. He started with short “fitness” runs, gradually building up his distance to 10k, half marathons and then full marathons. After running the Boston Marathon in 2012, Mark discovered trail running and soon found himself completely immersed in trail running culture. His passion for trails and mountain running has taken him all over North America, Nepal, Iceland and Norway. It was an experience he had while running the Mount Everest Extreme Ultra in Nepal that inspired him to start writing, eventually resulting in the publication of his book, Man on the Run. The book is a collection of stories journaling the experiences Mark has had during an unforgettable decade in pursuit of the extraordinary.

Purchase Mark's book, Man on the Run:

• Manitoba Association of Trail Runners (MATR)
• City Park Runners
• A&L Cycle

Resources we discuss in this episode:

• Favourite Mantra: Run the mile you’re in. Embrace the beast. It’s not luck, it’s preparation. Kiss your dog on its lips.
• Favourite Place to Run: Brandon Hills, Souris Bend, Iceland, Nepal
• Bucket List Race: Race in Patagonia; Iceland self supported cross country run N>S
• Favourite Running Books: Born to Run, Once a Runner
• Favourite Post Run Indulgence: Kraft Dinner & apple pie

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Email us with guest ideas: [email protected]
• Inspired Soles Instagram
• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected]. 

Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text

Dean Johnson is a runner, race director and coach from Lethbridge, Alberta.  After spending many years playing hockey, slowpitch and coaching youth football, he decided to start running at age 45.  It didn’t take very long before he found himself at Boston, running his first Lost Soul 50K that fall and on the board of the race as a race director.  He is now one of five race directors for the Lost Soul Ultra. 

In this episode, we talk about Dean’s personal running experiences, his role as a race director, some of the changes he has seen in trail racing and volunteering over the years, and what he plans to do in the future to nurture the running community. Finally we discuss his coaching approach and philosophy of guiding his athletes towards independence.

Connect with Dean:

• Email: [email protected]
• Twitter/Instagram: @rundean
• Website: https://rundeanrun.ca/
• Lost Soul Ultra: https://lostsoulultra.com/

Resources we discuss in this episode:

• The Brave Athlete: Calm the F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion
• How they make the Lost Soul Ultra rocks

Connect with Carolyn & Kim:

• Email us with guest ideas: [email protected]
• Inspired Soles Instagram
• Kim's Instagram
• Kim's Facebook
• Carolyn's Instagram
• Carolyn's Facebook
• Carolyn's website (sign up for her free weekly newsletter on the homepage)

You can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to [email protected].