ENDURrun Contender: Vicki

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Hello everyone! I am looking forward to returning to the ENDURrun in 2018 for my 8th consecutive year. I hope to see you there!

Follow this blog for profiles on the 2018 ENDURrun Ultimate Contenders.

Related: Full blog series | Full list of Contenders

Vicki is the defending Ultimate champion.

 

ENDURrun: What is your runner profile? 

Vicki: I started running casually in 2005, ran my first race in the fall of 2006 (Oktoberfest Run 5K). I love trail running but do enjoy racing on roads.

 

How is your training going? 

So far so good… nit mixing things up TOO much this year.

 

How will your ENDURrun 2018 compare to previous years?

Time will tell. 🙂

 

What are your ENDURrun 2018 stories? 

After surprising myself in 2017, I am hoping to build on that and (fingers crossed) maybe even improve in 2018.

 

What are you most looking forward to about ENDURrun 2018?

Seeing all the returning runners and meeting the new ones.

 

What are the key pieces of advice to Rookies that you’ve learned over the years?

It’s a long week; take it one stage at a time, but don’t forget that you need to do it again tomorrow.  

 

For someone who has never been to ENDURrun week, what should they expect?

ENDURrun is race/event experience like no other: superior organization, amazing food, the best people around (the runners, the volunteers, the spectators… everyone).

 

What about ENDURrun keeps you coming back?

See my answer to the previous question.

 

What is the most important part of the ENDURrun identity that appeals to you?

The variation in terrain and distance from day to day: a test of the all-around runner.

ENDURrun Contender: Maureen

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Hi, my name is Slow Moe and I am addicted to ENDURrun. I keep saying “this is the last year” and I keep falling off the wagon…. it’s been since 2009 and I can’t break the habit.

 

This year we are profiling the 2018 ENDURrun Ultimate Contenders with Q&As in this blog.

Related: Full blog series | Full list of Contenders

Hi, we are ENDURrun, and we are addicted to hosting Maureen every August. 

 

ENDURrun: How will your ENDURrun 2018 compare to previous years?
Slow Moe: We’ll see! I’m hoping it will be a bit faster than last year.

What are your ENDURrun 2018 stories? Motivations, goals, etc.
As always, just to have fun.

What are you most looking forward to about ENDURrun 2018?
Seeing all the peeps.

What are you nervous about, if anything?
As always, getting through Chicopee…..

Can you share any details of your training? Mileage, simulations, etc?
I just go out and run.

What are the key pieces of advice to Rookies that you’ve learned over the years?
Don’t think ahead. Just do one day at a time and enjoy every km.

For someone who has never been to ENDURrun week, what should they expect?
Great company and great food!

What is the most important part of the ENDURrun identity that appeals to you?
Being a finisher of the tour de France of running.

I can hardly wait to see everyone!

ENDURrun Contender: Christian

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Hi. I’m Chris from Cornwall, I like to push myself when running but am pretty happy no matter what, as long as I get to run, spend time with other like minded people and eat and have a few drinks.

We’re back with daily posts for the next few weeks. Follow this blog for profiles on the 2018 ENDURrun Ultimate Contenders.

Related: Full blog series | Full list of Contenders

 

ENDURrun: What is your runner profile? 

Christian: I started running about 15 years ago. Mostly roads, but I enjoy trails, even though I’m not very technically strong. I usually like the longer races (21km-42km).

 

How will your ENDURrun 2018 compare to previous years?

If things go to plan, this year’s will be similar, run a strong (for me), well paced week.

 

What are your ENDURrun 2018 stories? 

I’m doing an Ironman on September 30th. I’m hoping to use my ENDURrun run strength to kick butt in my triathlon.

 

What are you most looking forward to about ENDURrun 2018?

Good weather, the food, a week off work and doing well in the run events.

 

What are you nervous about, if anything?

Pain in the butt (literally).   

 

Can you share any details of your training? Mileage, simulations, etc?

Same general plan as most years, increased my max week from 100 to 140km. I run 6 times a week (80-140km); bike 4-5 times a week (approx 300km) and swim 3 times (12km).

 

What are the key pieces of advice to Rookies that you’ve learned over the years?

Don’t lose hope during the week and if you feel beat-up. If you did the training, your body will loosen up each morning after a few km. It knows what to do.

 

For someone who has never been to ENDURrun week, what should they expect?

Variety of courses, friendly faces, and great food.

 

What about ENDURrun keeps you coming back?

It’s a really well organised event, and a great personal challenge.

 

What else would you like to share?

I went to Laurier in late 90’s. Love the Waterloo area, looking forward to visiting some of my old stomping grounds. I’m biking around 4th of 5 great lakes this summer with my wife. I should have some cool adventure stories to share about that trip.

 

What is the most important part of the ENDURrun identity that appeals to you?

Low key, smaller # of participants

 

Look for us to follow up with Christian in August on how well he’s stuck with his strength and flexibility program: “My hips and glutes are not what they used to be now that I’m well into my 40s.”

 

ENDURrun Contender: Rebecca

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“Hey ENDURrunners! Can’t wait for August 12th!”

We’re back with daily posts for the next few weeks. Follow this blog for profiles on the 2018 ENDURrun Ultimate Contenders.

Related: Full blog series | Full list of Contenders

 

ENDURrun: How is your training going? 

Rebecca: Training is going well – had a strong start to the year but took a wee setback with illness and am working back up to distance and speed, slowly and carefully. Plan this year involves more interval training, more strength work, and more hills (always more hills!)   

 

How will your ENDURrun 2018 compare to previous years?

Not really sure – will have to wait and see! Plan to do my best every day, encourage all of the new (and old) faces on the course, and have a blast!   

 

What are the key pieces of advice to Rookies that you’ve learned over the years?

ENDURrun is a family. The best piece of ‘advice’ I got my first day in 2016 was from Joanne Bink who said simply ‘welcome to the family’. That mentality makes an enormous difference to your week. The encouragement from spectators and aid station volunteers and other runners is amazing, heartfelt, and personal. Even disappointments (maybe your half marathon is slower than you wanted it to be) are easier to handle because the group cares about your race, supports you, and gets you out again the next day. The other piece of advice is – most of the volunteers and spectators around you are seasoned ENDURrunners – so their advice is WELL worth heeding!  

Congratulations and welcome to the new ENDURrunners in 2018. It’s a big step to take the plunge and register for this crazy event but I promise you it will be SO worth it.

 

For someone who has never been to ENDURrun week, what should they expect?

Expect…..a fantastic variety of race styles and settings, the best post race food you’ve ever eaten, amazing race photos, tons of encouragement (by name)….oh, and expect to be tired. You will need to protect sleep time that week!  

 

What about ENDURrun keeps you coming back?

The races, the volunteers, the race courses, Lloyd and Julie and the entire Schmidt family, and the whole group of runners (and their families). I can’t believe how lucky I am to have this event in my own neighborhood.  

 

What are your ENDURrun 2018 stories? Motivations, goals, etc.

First goal is always to finish. Every.single.kilometer. Second goal is to finish with an overall faster time – even if just a few minutes 🙂 Third goal is to know every runner’s name by the end of the week. I got pretty close last year but not quite….the runner profile series is helping! Overall, though, I just want to enjoy the week. No matter what running-oriented goals I can or cannot achieve this year, being able to run is amazing – a privilege many athletes have taken away from them (my mom included) so every km I get to run, I’m thankful for.  

 

What are you most looking forward to about ENDURrun 2018?

Running down hill at Chicopee. (I’m serious – I LOVE those downhills).   

 

What are you nervous about, if anything?

I’m not really nervous about anything…..should I be?  

 

Can you share any details of your training? 

Sure! I get to about 70-80 km a week when I am training regularly. I’m building back to that mileage after an unexpected hospital stay in early April…..

I do intervals either on my own or with H&P once or twice a week; deliberate hill runs every couple of weeks, and strength training once or twice a week when I can. Long runs don’t happen every weekend, but I try, and sometimes I do two 20 kms back to back. I’ll have one, maybe two weeks where my mileage gets to over 100 km but those weeks are extremely rare (I’m very, very injury averse!)  

 

What is your runner profile? 

I ran 5 km distances frequently as a teenager and university student, but didn’t run my first half marathon till 2014 – Boston’s Run to Remember! Never looked back….first marathon was July 2014, and plenty more since! Every year, I do a mix of road and trail, find at least one new marathon and one new trail race, and try to find one race in a place I’ve never raced before. This year, it’ll be the Chicago Marathon if all goes well.

Oh – one other important thing….my favorite runs are the one I do with other people 🙂  

 

What is the most important part of the ENDURrun identity that appeals to you?

Camaraderie. Intensity. Striving for excellence while achieving an incredibly supportive environment.

 

Welcome back, Rebecca!

 

New: Thousand Club

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If you finish the ENDURrun Ultimate 10 times (1,000 Miles), your 11th entry fee is waived.

(Plus future stuff TBD.)

The Thousand Club is just a little loyalty program for our dedicated audience. So exclusive, in fact, that this club is launched with … no members. Joanne Bink is the closest with 8 finishes.

By contrast, when it was launched in 2016, the Golden Club was comprised of 21 members, and since then Vicki Zandbergen is the only athlete to join by earning her first Golden Jersey in 2017.

One thousand miles at ENDURrun reflects more than a decade of dedicated training, racing, and community building. We look forward to recognizing those individuals starting as early as 2020?

Jodi Kalman (pictured in 2016) flashes the “seven” as she completes her seventh Ultimate. 

 

Rules

– the only miles counted for this club are Ultimate Finish miles, in blocks of exactly 100.
– no cash value
– cannot transfer free entry to someone else
– the free 11th entry does not expire from the date of the 10th finish
– only valid until April 30 of any given ENDURrun year
– once registered, the free entry is irrevocably spent

Stay tuned next week as we resume our Contender bios. We have 14 left which will take us to the end of July!

ENDURrun Contender: Lloyd

Posted by & filed under 2018, Contender, Uncategorized.

“Hello, I’m Lloyd.  I’m looking forward to the pain that I have been subjecting everyone else to.”

Follow this blog for profiles on the 2018 ENDURrun Ultimate Contenders.

Related: Full blog series | Full list of Contenders

Lloyd Schmidt is the founder of Run Waterloo and ENDURrun. 

 

ENDURrun: What is your runner profile? 

Lloyd I have been running for over 40 years.  I try to combine a variety of road and trail, hills and flats, long and short, time trials, point to point courses, multi-loop courses.

 

What are your ENDURrun 2018 motivations? 

You know those days when you feel like crap and your legs are heavy and you slog through every step of the run?  And you know those days when everything feels perfect and easy and it feels like you can run forever? That’s my motivation and goal.

 

What advice have you been collecting? What are your sources?

Normally I provide the advice, so I would say that my source is me.

 

What exposure did you have to previous ENDURruns?

Been involved since inception to varying degrees.

 

What are you most looking forward to about ENDURrun 2018?

To see if I get bib 79 to match the bib in my profile picture from 1979.

 

What are you nervous about, if anything?

I’m nervous about being chased by a bear, but that’s a different story.

 

After so many years, why have you decided to compete this year?

I’m in it to win it.  Based on skill alone, I wouldn’t stand a chance.  But I think this year is my best opportunity to win.  Since I’m still recovering from cancer surgery, I think everyone will feel sorry for me and let me win.

 

What is your advice to other participants?

If you let me win, don’t make it look too obvious.

 

What is your biggest advantage to win The ENDURrun?

I designed all the courses so I know all the shortcuts.

 

What else would you like to share?

I like to share my vegetables, mostly because I don’t like vegetables.

 

Look for us to follow up with Lloyd about what the Habs have been doing in the offseason to improve over last year’s disaster.

ENDURrun Contender: Bill

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“Hi Everyone, I’m really excited to be back, again, to my favorite event of the year! I look forward to seeing all of you out there!”

Follow this blog for profiles on the 2018 ENDURrun Ultimate Contenders.

Related: Full blog series | Full list of Contenders

Bill is an annual fixture at ENDURrun, having run 700 kilometres over the past 7 years, including 3 Ultimate finishes when work and life fall into place. Great to have you back!

 

ENDURrun: What is your runner profile? 

Bill: Umm all my life, 21 marathons, generally run 43 miles a week, I run on a treadmill as I like to control my conditions.

 

How is your training going? Good routine, or new plan this year?

Really good.

 

How will your ENDURrun 2018 compare to previous years?

Stronger if I have the time to complete all stages (sigh: work!).

 

What are your ENDURrun 2018 stories? 

Run harder, do better, push to a faster time than ever before and more importantly run with some of my heroes and (maybe keep pace with one or two of them) :-0

 

What are you most looking forward to about ENDURrun 2018?

Seeing everyone again, especially the Schmidt family!

 

What are you nervous about, if anything?

The starting line.

 

Can you share any details of your training? Mileage, simulations, etc?

I run 6 days a week, 5 of those days is 6 miles a day, day 6 is where the long run happens and I haven’t done more than a half this year… I will get there.

 

What are the key pieces of advice to Rookies that you’ve learned over the years?

Just believe, you can do it!

 

For someone who has never been to ENDURrun week, what should they expect?

It’s as tough as you think it will be, this is all about mental toughness.

 

What about ENDURrun keeps you coming back?

The people — the single most amazing people all around.

 

What is the most important part of the ENDURrun identity that appeals to you?

We’re all equal, no one knows who you are, it’s what you do on the course that makes you, and that doesn’t mean who finishes first, or last, it’s how you are on the course, your heart. It’s fellow runners that just don’t know what the word quit is. Others encouraging you along the way.

 

Look for us to follow up with Bill in August on whether he met his training goals and got the full 160k!

ENDURrun Contender: Dorothy

Posted by & filed under 2018, Contender.

This spring we are profiling the 2018 ENDURrun Ultimate Contenders with Q&As in this blog.

Related: Full blog series | Full list of Contenders

It took for Dorothy Skonieczka to move to Singapore to finally get to the ENDURrun start line! Welcome!

 

“Greetings! I am so incredibly excited and nervous about what race week is going to look like but I am very much looking forward to the experience and will hopefully come out with some great memories and a greater appreciation of what my mind and body are capable of :)”

 

ENDURrun: How did you find out about ENDURrun?

Dorothy: (Years ago) I was signing up for the 10km Waterloo Classic and I ended up looking at the other races in the area and read about this one and thought to myself, nope! Lol.

 

What convinced you to take the plunge?

The fact that I find the idea of doing this scary and intimidating. It will definitely challenge me mentally and physically in a completely new way.

 

What are your ENDURrun 2018 stories?

My main motivation for doing this is the fact that when I originally read about it back when I first got into running, I thought there was no way I would ever be able to complete it. I eventually built up the courage and registered back in 2016 but had to withdraw after being told I had a stress fracture in my foot sometime in early May. I then moved out of the country in 2017 and had assumed it would be a while before I tried again. I was then invited to a wedding in Canada in August 2018 and out of curiosity looked up the dates for the ENDURrun and it turned out, the wedding and the race overlapped so I took the opportunity and signed up! (And yes, I am going to my friends’ wedding the night before the marathon!)

 

Can you share any details of your training? 

I’ll be following a training program from the Unbreakable Runner book (which I realize may make some runners cringe…) I’ve used it for other races in the past and it’s worked for me but I realize that this is a very unique race so we shall see what happens. Additionally, my partner has signed up for Stage 3, which really is the best support possible since we’ll both be going through the process of training together.

 

What are you still hoping to learn by August?

How to survive the week 😉

 

What are you most looking forward to about ENDURrun 2018?

Finishing 😀

 

What are you nervous about, if anything?

Not finishing one of the stages within the time cap or having a bit of an emotional breakdown during one of the stages if it’s really not going well.

 

This is going to be wild. Look for us to follow up with Dorothy as to how she’s feeling during Stage 7 (post-wedding), and for her post-ENDURrun perspective on the week!

ENDURrun Contender: Honey

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Another week and another set of ENDURrun Contender profiles is queued up. Tune in daily right here.

Related: Full blog series | Full list of Contenders

Steve Mahood (Honey) is an ENDURrun alumnus from 2014 and 2015. We’re thrilled to have him back in 2018!!

 

“I am so excited to be back at the ENDURrun for 2018”

 

ENDURrun: How is your training going? 

Honey: New plan this year. Working to get fit.

 

How will your ENDURrun 2018 compare to previous years?

Will be slower but just as much fun.

 

What are the key pieces of advice to Rookies that you’ve learned over the years?

Train on hills up and down. And don’t forget to work on your speed.

 

For someone who has never been to ENDURrun week, what should they expect?

The greatest running week of your life!

 

What about ENDURrun keeps you coming back?

The challenge, the family.

 

What are your ENDURrun 2018 stories? 

Looking to prove to myself that I can still run hard.

 

What are you most looking forward to about ENDURrun 2018?

Seeing the Schmidt family and the other racers.

 

What are you nervous about, if anything?

It’s the one race I don’t get nervous for.

 

Can you share any details of your training? Mileage, simulations, etc?

Both Una and I run ski hills here in Ottawa to simulate Chicopee. We have a good Bechtel-type cross country course here we use as well.

 

What is your runner profile? How long have you been running, general mileage, surfaces, etc.

I have been running for 12 years after I quit smoking after 30 years

 

What else would you like to share?

This will be a fantastic week of running hard and enjoying everyone’s company.

 

What is the most important part of the ENDURrun identity that appeals to you?

The fact that it is so original in the concept.

 

What can we follow-up with you about in August for a profile part 2?

Training while your wife recovers from cancer.

ENDURrun Contender: Colleen

Posted by & filed under 2018, Contender.

This spring we are profiling the 2018 ENDURrun Ultimate Contenders with Q&As in this blog.

Related: Full blog series | Full list of Contenders

We are excited to finally welcome Colleen Sweeney back for the full week once again!

 

What is your runner profile? 

I have been running since 1989. Mostly roads but have tinkered with some trail running. I was always a mid-pack runner but have found myself drifting towards the back of the pack as I get older. My goal is to keep running as long as I live!

 

What are your ENDURrun 2018 stories? 

When I finished the 2015 Ultimate (with the slowest time in the field) I immediately knew that I wanted to do it again off better training. I planned to do 2016 and 2017 but was unable to due to injuries in 2016 and time off due to illness in 2017. Now it is 3 years later and my motivation is to prove to myself that I can make my 56 year old body do this thing and do it better than I did in 2015. I guess it is sort of my way of saying F you to middle age!

 

What are you most looking forward to about ENDURrun 2018?

The people, the food, the incredible volunteers, the effort, the fun!

 

What are you nervous about, if anything?

Chicopee!

 

Can you share any details of your training?

Will be adding in trail runs twice a week later in the spring and back to back long runs most weekends along with hiking. I am trying to carve out time to be consistent with strength training as well. Squats, deadlifts and plyometrics.

 

You’ve trained for Ultimate before. What did you learn that you will build from (or avoid) this time around?

Put more miles on my legs (including non-running miles – hiking) and work on downhill running.

 

Besides training, what will be the same and/or different about this Ultimate compared to your first completion?

I think different will be knowing what is coming at me each day. Not sure if that is a good thing!

 

What is the one piece of advice that you’re glad you knew/you wish you knew before your first completion?

That downhill repeats are more important than uphill!

 

How were you feeling in the days and weeks following your first Ultimate completion?

Elated!

 

What is the most important part of the ENDURrun identity that appeals to you?

The opportunity to challenge myself along with the incredible feeling of camaraderie that comes with being part of this event.