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By Derrick Spafford, 30 yr running veteran and snowshoe ambassador   With people continuing to look for more outdoor pursuits to stay active during the Covid-19 pandemic, the winter can pose additional challenges with snow, cold, and darkness. More and more Canadians are looking to snowshoe running to fill the void left by limited other activities right now.  Aside from the beauty of being out on pristine trails, and the health benefits of snowshoeing, it is also surprisingly easy to do. The simplicity of snowshoe running is what draws many people to the activity.  The learning curve with snowshoe running is very short; if you can run, you can snowshoe run. Road runners, trail runners, triathletes and cyclists are well suited to pick up on the sport very quickly due to their familiarity with the movement and their ample lower body strength. If you are newer to running, then mixing in hiking will help you adapt to the new activity safely. Gear Up! Other than a pair of running specific snowshoes, you won’t need any other specialized gear than what you probably already have for running.  Running snowshoes, when compared to typical hiking models, are much lighter, smaller, and narrower. The best running snowshoes also have a running-specific energy return system. All of these differences allow for a surprisingly natural and efficient running stride.  Getting Out There Anywhere there is snow offers a potential place for snowshoe running, including your favourite trail system, fields, parks, conservation areas, golf courses and even frozen lakes.  The key things to remember on your first snowshoe outing: Start slowly and get used to the movement.  Begin by walking on a flat, snow packed surface.  After a few minutes, ease into a relaxed jog, and once you are comfortable with that, then increase the intensity to your normal perceived running effort.  As you feel more confident on groomed trails, try moving to more challenging conditions by adding in deeper snow and hills. You’ll find it won’t take long before you’ll be running comfortably and confidently. Snow Much Fun Training  Any type of run that you normally do, from recovery day runs, to intervals or tempo runs, to long runs, can be done on snowshoes. As with trail running, the different snow conditions and terrain can significantly alter the speed that you are able to run.  On groomed trails you may be able to run within a minute per kilometer of what you would run on the roads with the same amount of effort, however in deeper snow conditions or over hilly terrain, you may find that you’re running at twice your normal running pace. This is why it is wise to go by time and perceived effort (or heart rate) when snowshoe running instead of trying to run the same number of kilometers at your normal pace.  The fun that you’ll have from snowshoe running will help to get you through the winter in fantastic shape for the spring from all the added strength you’ll gain from this unique and effective form of training. Hydration and Nutrition As you progress, and no doubt spend more time out on the trails, you will want to adapt your nutrition and hydration plan to the colder weather.  Check out our top tips for effectively staying fueled in the cold weather: 'Nutrition and Hydration for Winter Running'.  

By Nick Kleban, elite cyclist // Team Skyline The winter months, for me at least, are synonymous with the indoor trainer. Trainer riding is super convenient for busy schedules (less prep and mess) and nowadays, platforms such as Zwift integrated with fancy smart trainers make indoor riding more and more similar to riding outdoors. One thing I feel is generally overlooked during indoor riding is proper fuelling, possibly because the consequences of bonking are nowhere as dire as out on the road. Nonetheless here a few tips to help you on your next trainer ride!  Tip #1: Hydrate! Riding inside usually means you miss out on the cooling effect of the wind, outside which leads to increased sweating and water loss. Therefore, having lots of fluids on hand is a great idea! I try to aim for over a bottle per hour of riding on the trainer. Furthermore, I like to have XACT ELECTROLYTES tablets in my bottles to help counteract the salt lost in sweat.  Tip #2: Eat  Most trainer rides are short (45 minutes to 1.5 hrs) and in those cases, you’re normally able to get away without eating if you properly fuel before and after the rides. But for longer rides and for more intense sessions, I try to replicate how I fuel outdoors. This is approximately in the range of 0.6 -1g of carbs per hour of riding per kg of body weight. I also tend to get the necessary carbs from things I normally would eat when out riding (granola bars, XACT ENERGY fruit bars, bananas etc) even if I have the opportunity to eat whatever is in the fridge to better replicate outdoor riding. I also have all my food and bottles on hand so I can still eat “on-the go”.  Tip #3: Meal Prep It’s really easy to finish up your tough session in Watopia and then immediately either raid your fridge clean of all it’s food since or stare at an open fridge wondering what to eat. To combat this, I like to have a protein shake ready to go for afterwards that I sip first before preparing a real food recovery meal. 

By Nick Kleban, elite cyclist // Team Skyline & President of Mcgill cycling Come wintertime, I love to get outdoors on my fatbike in Montreal! Given Quebec winters can get down to -30 degrees celsius (I don’t ride on the fatbike if it's colder than minus 10 out. I’m not as tough as some people) the cold weather can present challenges for proper nutrition on longer training rides. Most notably, it can be difficult to effectively eat/drink when it’s cold and you are all layered up. Here are some of my tips for outdoor winter training I’ve found are helpful over the years!  Nutritional needs in colder weather  The British Journal of Sports Medicine recommends cyclists should consume 0.7g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight per hour of exercise in temperate conditions. However, they also emphasize that in colder conditions, athletes should be consuming 10-20% more carbs every hour. This is to account for a slightly spiked metabolism as our body reacts to keeping us warm in the cold. Conversely, our hydration requirement is decreased in colder conditions as typically less water is lost through sweat. So basically when it’s freezing out, although you may not need to be slamming two water bottles back an hour, it’s still important to remember to eat, not only for energy but also to stay warm. Cold Weather Nutrition Tips I try to pay particular attention to what I eat and drink before leaving because I know when it’s cold, I tend to not eat as much whether due to cold hands that are unable to open packages, lack of thirst or inaccessible food. An hour before, I’ll have a carb-heavy snack (go to is a pb/j - toasted) with a glass of sports drink. This makes sure my carbohydrate reserves are topped up before even leaving the door. I find personally that sports gels, chews and other soft foods (like the XACT ENERGY fruit bar) are great once out the door for their convenience. Foods like your typical granola bar on the other hand, I find aren’t ideal, as they tend to turn hard as rock in the cold. So basically, the colder it is, the softer food I opt for. Around this time of year, holiday baked goods are a must!  The main problem I run into with winter riding is having my food accessible. Normally, my snacks are buried under a couple jackets or stuffed in a small backpack. On a normal summer training ride, I try to eat on-the-go every hour, but the combination of thick gloves and layers makes this tough when it’s cold.  For me, this usually means finding a nice place on the trails (normally out of the wind/rain) that I can stop and take the time for a quick snack. Usually the pit stop is quick (under 5 minutes) to make sure I don’t get cold while standing around. I tend to do one stop every hour to hour and-a-half when I’m out on a training ride. Sometimes, if it’s really cold or wet out, I don’t stray too far from home so I can make this pitstop indoors and maybe even get something warm to drink before heading back out. At the end of the day, all this said may not be the most groundbreaking advice, but I’ve found it’s been super helpful in getting me outdoors no matter the weather!  Source Hassapidou, M. (2011, February 01). Carbohydrate requirements of elite athletes. Retrieved December 29, 2020, from https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/45/2/e2.17

Despite never having looked at a map, I just assumed that it would be possible to run the full length of the Estrie trail.  There was the old Estrie 50 race that went from Kingsbury to Orford and Sébastien Roulier had done a solo effort from Orford to Sutton, so somewhere in the back of my mind the two sections could be linked and run as a whole.  I just never assumed that it would be me..   However, back in early April, when it was becoming very apparent that summer races were not going to happen due to the pandemic, the idea of running the full length of the Estrie trail was becoming the obvious thing to do.  The second obvious thing was to pull together my usual run crew (some of my closest friends) and make an adventure out of it. The aim was to take on a challenge, have some fun and explore some trails that were close by but we may have never visited otherwise. I researched the route and, via Skype, presented the idea to the group.  Alexis Lussier and Alexandre Sauvageau were onboard for attempting the whole run with me, while Paul Lavoie and Helene Michaux were up for pacing us along different sections of the trail, and Catherine Tremblay and Karine Mousseau were going to crew us, following us by car and meeting us at spots where the trail crossed the road. The next challenge was then to make sure the full length of the trail was actually accessible.  Many sections of the trail pass over private lands and over the years some sections had their right of access taken away.  So we researched online and visited spots to either get permission to use the trail or find a way to go around.  It took some time but eventually we had our route sorted and had a date set for the run: June 26th, 6 pm.   We started at 6:15 pm.  Temperature was humid in the mid 20’s, meaning that hydration was going to be an important part of the run but it wasn’t so hot that we would have to carry large amounts of fluids and chugging non stop. Being that we we running at a moderate pace (ie not race conditions) I was timing my XACT ENERGY fruit bar intake to every hour instead of every 40 minutes and at each aid station was grabbing a handful of chips or a piece of our prototype almond paste bar for a salty contrast to the sweetness of the gels, they also felt more satiating as the hours went by.  Alexis was following a similar protocol and as night set in the strategy was doing us well; the pace was good, energy was up and most importantly the jokes were flowing.   It was humid during the night and we stopped regularly to fill our water bottles in the streams we passed (get yourselves a filtered water bottle, they are a handy wee invention). I was chugging 1 bottle full at the stream and leaving with a full bottle to which I added an XACT ELECTROLYTE tab. XACT ELECTROLYTE has a higher sodium content than most electrolyte tabs and so I wasn’t too worried about the diluted effect of 2 bottles per tab, plus I was eating salty food at the aid stations. Before going over Mont des Trois Lacs (which is a steep and technical climb followed by an equally challenging descent) we called for a noodle break at the next aid station to set us up for the night going through Orford park.  We hit the aid station ready to snack, going through boiled potatoes, PB&J sandwiches and the previously ordered noodles.  I cracked into a Red Bull for a night time caffeine boost too.  We needed jackets while we ate as our body’s were soaked in sweat and as soon as we started producing less heat, we got cold quickly.  Food was scoffed, caffeinated drinks were gulped down and we readied ourselves for the back end of the night. The technical terrain across Mont des Trois Lacs had aggravated Alex’s old ankle injury and it was starting to show.  While his energy was boundless on the climbs and smoother trail sections, he was backing right off on the descents and by the time we were halfway through the park and at our aid station he had decided it was time to call it a night to avoid worsening his injury.  As soon as we stopped at the aid station mosquitos descended on us like it was Happy Hour so we moved on as soon as we had our bottles filled. The shorter stop at the aid station caught up with me though, I had recognised my energy levels were not super since the beginning but I was managing my intake properly so put it down to ‘one of those days’. However the steep climb up the ‘escalier du nord’ towards the crete was slow for me and as some daylight began appearing I was beginning to realise that I was stuck in a bit of an energy dip ..time for some more caffeine, in the form of a XACT ENERGY blackcurrant. Despite my physical sluggishness, 70 kms in the legs and almost a full night of running, I was still feeling alert (thank you caffeine!) and as we got nearer to the first view point along the Sentier des crêtes, daylight was taking hold and we hit the perfect sunrise at Pic de l’Ours. It was a steep climb back down from the summit of Mt Orford to the Orford lake parking lot where our next aid station was to be, but this stop was for breakfast and on the menu were Beyond Meat burgers and coffee, both powerful motivators to not hang around and get us there asap.   The burgers, coffee, sunlight and a bunch of fresh faced friends joining for the next leg got us back up and energised for  the second half of the run. Outdoor adventurer and XACT athlete, Arnaud Coté Boisvert was joining us here to run all the way to Sutton to attempt his longest trail run so far.  After the big climb of Mt Orford we were due for some more smoother terrain over the next 30 kms.  This allowed us to stay concentrated on fueling regularly, rather than focus on navigating the terrain.   However, the day began to warm up quite a bit and so again we put an emphasis on hydration.  The crew did an awesome job of keeping an eye on us, making sure we were drinking and eating regularly. The morning was going well and we were closing in on the 100 km mark when Alexis's old sciatic nerve pain began playing up.  As we ran over Mt Foster the pain began to slow him down and we took some time at the following aid station to see if Catherine (physiotherapist) could fix him up a little. Unfortunately, things were not better and so, like Alex, Alexis called it a day to avoid making things worse.   This left just Arnaud and me to run the 13 km stretch of road that navigates around Mt Glenn ski resort.  Despite the smoother surface of the gravel, it was a tough section with the midday heat of the sun bearing down on us.  We counted down the kilometres and drank up all our fluids.  By the time we reached the next meeting point I was gasping for a cold drink.  It was getting harder to eat so I went for a bunch of sugary drinks that the crew picked up up from the corner store.   As it  often goes after a long time running (or even a long day at work), we start to hanker for particular foods and drink.  In this case, it was Gatorade and coke, chased down by some salty chips (to contrast the sweetness).  Sugar, caffeine and salt ..all the food groups, right?! From here, there remained about 30 kms and they were going to be the toughest section overall, with over 1000m of vertical and technical single track until the village of Sutton.   I was still running on the flat sections and downhills, but mostly power hiking the uphill sections.  Caffeine seemed to be having less of an effect on me by now and my mind would often wander from the task at hand.  Fortunately, Helene joined us for the climb from the foot of Mt Singer and, like a metronome, kept reminding me to keep drinking and eating as we went. I had deliberately stuffed my XACT ENERGY fruit bars into my pack and belt at random, so as I reached for a bar, I didn’t know what flavour I was going to get.  This little trick is handy when I know I will eat what I have in my hand rather than fish out my preferred flavours and end up getting fed up with the same taste over and over again.  This time I had the added bonus of a couple of pieces of our prototype almond paste based bars in the mix. The trick was working and the kilometres were ticking by. Our water reserves had just run out when we fell upon our pop up aid station deep in the woods between Mt Echo and Mt Singer.  Lawrence, Marianne, Catherine and Alexandra had hiked up from the Mt Echo parking with fluids, chips and sandwiches.  It was a huge lift to see that they had come up to meet us along the trail so we took a moment to snack and chat before pushing on towards the summit of Mt Echo.  It was beginning to feel like we were coming closer to the end of our journey. After Arnaud and I left the crew and headed towards Mt Echo, things started getting a little wild;  the trails between Mt Singer and Mt Echo are far less frequented than those of Round Top or Mt Orford and a couple of times we found ourselves getting ambushed by Perdrix nestled in the undergrowth; their sudden flapping and squawking was enough to make us jump and the adrenaline felt like 6 shots of hot espresso in one gulp ..especially after a night with no sleep. Fatigue is a strange thing, even after just one night without sleep, our mind can play little tricks on us ....more than once I thought we were being watched by hooded figures deep in the woods, large motionless beings silently patrolling the forest.  Each time they turned out to be mossy old tree trunks.  But for a moment, the mind takes a different path from the more obvious (no wonder fables and stories of monsters exist).  It’s one thing when it’s just you seeing things ..but quite disconcerting when both of you start seeing them..!  Despite the hooded monsters and pouncing perdrix, we pushed on to Round Top where Catherine and Helene had decided to hike up and catch us and the sunset.  They’re now awesome reputation as crew did not flounder as they presented us with Gatorades and extra XACT ENERGY.    It was downhill from now on and we picked up the pace as it got darker and darker.  There was a certain thrill knowing that we were on our last leg of the run and we were eager to get down to town to see the crew (and catch last orders).  Halfway down we met Lawrence and Marianne who joined us for the last leg.  Lawrence cranked up the music on his phone as we flew down the Villagoise trail into town and we ran on the high of knowing we would soon be at the finish.  We hit the rue Principale of Sutton village and turned left towards L’Abordage which was our destination finale.  And with hugs and high fives all round we had got there just in time for last call! Full distance: 141.82 kms Vertical climb: 5831 m Moving time: 20:06:35 Total time: 27:50:17 Strava link

It’s almost impossible to prepare for a 500 km bike ride. You may study the course, get all your gear dialed, look at the weather, train as hard as long as you can, there is absolutely nothing that can prepare you to give your all for 20h straight with (almost) no stop on the way. Here’s my journey through the GBC 500, a grueling bikepacking self supported race on almost all gravel roads.  The season was almost canceled, I just finished the Raid Pierre Harvey 2020 (link to video) and I had to set a goal to look up too. I was desperately scrolling the internet to find something when someone tagged me in a post from Endurance Aventure, a 500km bike ride almost all on gravel. The concept was simple, ride the entire course in less than 7 days. I thought, wow, that’s great but I’m not really into ‘’ultra’’ races, I don’t wanna bring a tent and all, so I’ll skip it, maybe later. It turns out, it sticks in my mind and I had the idea of doing it in a single push (which apparently I wasn’t the only one attempting this feat).  So this challenge kept on turning inside my head, I thought about which light I was gonna use, which tires are best, how fast I can do it and all those types of questions. I quickly reached out to some friends and partners in order to get some sweet gear and nutrition products for the 500km journey. With all those scientific (not) calculus I was able to fit all my gear and food in a frame bag and all my clothing and tools/spare in a bar bag, I could also fit some stuff in my jersey. I also made the estimation that I could ride this well within 24hrs, approximately 19-20 hours. Since I didn’t know what to expect in terms of terrain I was a bit sceptical on my estimation but I was going to try it anyways. Let’s not forget this is a 500km gravel ride with 7000m of elevation. The day of the race arrived, got my heavy bike rolling and went for it from the get go. Since the stars were done in individual time trials format, so I had a couple of riders to catch up. After only an hour I was already at the front of the race, I was coming first in all aid stations where the race organisers were always surprised to see me coming that early. I was flying! I had an average speed of 29kph after 200km. I had some great legs, I was eating well, a couple nut bars, a protein bar every couple hours to keep my stomach full and an occasional fruit bar to keep the sugar level high.  I had planned to stop for dinner at the 5th checkpoint which was at km 260… but it turns out I had made a mistake. It was 30km later. This is where it all went wrong. When I arrived at the checkpoint, my bottles were empty, my stomach was also empty and my mind was starting to feel weak. I had a smoked meat (that was what was on the menu for all racers) with… 4 pepsi’s. Yes, you read this right, I was so deep in a hole that my only way to get out of it was to drink sugary pop. I dig myself a bigger hole. What happened here is that pepsi is too harsh on your stomach and is way too sugary for any type of nutrient absorption. So I was basically putting gas in my belly without getting the ‘’benefits’’ from the sugar.  I jumped back on the bike, made a couple gravel sections with some really bad GI issues and the I arrived at the last village before nighttime. At that point I knew I had to get something to eat and drink because I was going on a stretch of almost 200km without any supplies. So I grab what everybody would choose: An ice cream sandwich, a red bull, some chips and a water bottle. I ate everything and went back on the bike, after pedaling in the darkness for a couple hours, I wasn’t able to eat anything. Even though I knew I needed to eat, I couldn’t get anything inside me. I know it is a common thing for ultra runners, but for a cyclist, it is a pretty rare thing to happen. So I rode for the remaining 200km without eating. You can almost predict what will happen. I dug a hole so deep I was barely able to pedal for the last 50km. I was dizzy, sleepy and I felt like it was the first time I was pedaling my bike. I ended up being caught by the second rider on the road. I was not able to match his speed and he made quite a big gap on me.  He ended up with a 30 min gap over me. We were on the fire side, at the finish line where our crew were waiting, we sat there for a couple minutes talking how tough the course was and how freaking dark it can get at night, what we saw on the road and what made him faster than me. After all we both got beaten by a rider that left 3 hours after us, a certain Bruno Langlois, who would have thought.  Retrospectively, no more 500km ride in a single push and no more pepsi during a ride. I’ll keep it nice and easy on the stomach by choosing food I know and that I’ve trained with, even though the temptation is hard during ultra events, keep your head up and stick to what you know works best.   

June 23rd, 2020 I am so proud to say, I set a new women’s FKT for Sky Pilot mountain  !! It is my favourite mountain. It was the first summit I did when I called Squamish home. I do it every year at least once, in every season. I’ve celebrated birthdays there, brought friends up for the first time, met two of my best friends up there, climbed it with my running idol. For weeks I fantasized about heading up for a speed ascent, alone, to try and push myself the fastest and hardest I could, the mountain versus me.The weather wasn’t cooperating, and neither was my work schedule... until yesterday. An unexpected (and unforecasted) sunny period came and I jumped in the Sea to sky gondola and went for it. Unsupported, unplanned, unpaced. Just me, the mountain and an awesome time pushing myself. The new women’s FKT is 2:34:33... now that it has been lowered, I can’t wait to see what other kick ass women can do up there!! Thanks for the inspiration and support XACT nutrition! Hailey is a creator, writer, RN, and athlete, based out of Squamish, BC.  Her passion is being outside and she loves any sport that will take her (and keep her) there. Her main sport is trail running; running anywhere from 80 km in one go to multiple day stage races.  Congrats Hailey! We are totally stoked for you!    

How can we improve mood with nutrition during a Pandemic? Guest article by Rachel Hannah, RD, Dip. Sport Nutrition IOC University of Guelph, Health & Performance Centre    The world is going through a very challenging time and everyone is dealing with different struggles, and for some of us that can have a heavy impact on mental health. Also, Poor diet is the leading cause of health burden across the world. It is the leading cause of premature death in men and number two in women because of changes to our global food systems.  I started studying nutrition after learning this eye-opening statistic  because I wanted to make a positive difference in people’s lives and improve the quality of our years on earth. I am sure many others can relate when I describe my own significant decline in mood, energy levels and overall productivity since COVID-19 and isolation began. You are not alone in this struggle right now. Mental well being is a critical component of overall wellness and nutrition does play a key role. "Mental disorders account for the leading cause of disability worldwide, with depression accounting for the large proportion of that burden.”   We are a highly complex and integrated system and lifestyle modifications are incredibly important and there is an emerging interest in nutritional psychiatry.  It is an ideal time to focus on nutrition right now, especially as we gear up for solo workouts and virtual races. Since we are missing our usual routines and social interactions, we need to do all we can to make sure our bodies and our minds feel like they are functioning well. An Angus Reid poll recently revealed that about 50% of Canadians feel our mental health has worsened since the pandemic started. Dr. Jonathan Danson is a Clinical Psychologist who believes that COVID-19 and physical distancing are particularly problematic for high achievers. Time commitments are different now and more time can actually cause more anxiety. There are many other factors that can cause mood concerns right now too, of course. You can listen more about this topic on episode 13 of the Eat Move Think podcast with Shaun Francis, Chair and CEO at Medcan.   Mental health is a complex topic and we have to be careful when using food as the only treatment for mood. This article is focused on those experiencing a change in mood related to the recent pandemic or some mild to moderate forms of depression and anxiety. For those with more severe cases of mental health issues, these guidelines are only intended to be as a suggestion along with other forms of treatment like medication, to help you feel better faster, or during certain circumstances when your mood is worsening. I am not an expert on this topic so if you have major concerns about mental health please talk to the appropriate qualified professional.   Watching and hearing negativity from stressful news can cause higher levels of stress. Stressors are things that we experience or observe and feel we are unable to cope with mentally, causing stress reactive areas of our brains to turn on. Stress hormones, like cortisol, then turn on and the impact on our bodies can lead to changes to our physical and mental health. When we are exposed to chronic stress it can be challenging to follow through with healthy behaviours. Stress right now is unavoidable so we need to find coping mechanisms. Since our brains are negatively impacted by chronic stress, this can impact our mood, learning and possibly sleep as well. Acute stress causes less of an interest in food due to the fight or flight response, but chronic stress elevates cortisol levels and people might turn to food for comfort since this can improve our mood due to serotonin release. According to Dr. Yoni Freedhoff “Our job is to live the healthiest lives we can honestly enjoy with the smallest amount of indulgence we need to like our lives. During a pandemic we might need more of an indulgence than usual.” If we are hungry and need comfort we might eat more. But everyone’s response is different and some might not be eating enough. This can happen to some athletes due to exercise’s ability to interfere with hormones that regulate hunger levels. The main point is everyone’s nutrition needs and response to stress are different but there are some commonalities related to how different components in food make different neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) that can change how we feel. Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps make serotonin in the brain. You will already find it in protein-rich foods like chicken, turkey, fish, nuts & seeds, soy, beans/lentils and eggs. Serotonin is a messenger chemical in the brain and improves mood and how we feel. Many anti-depressant medications help the body regulate serotonin. The brain is protected by the blood brain barrier and only the important nutrients can go in and out for protection and not everything makes it across. Research done in 2016 found a way for tryptophan to get access to the brain. Pairing tryptophan-rich foods with antioxidant-rich foods like fruits and vegetables helps to get more tryptophan into the brain. Antioxidants also help protect enzymes involved in this process and reduce inflammatory markers. Getting a wide variety of plant foods is important to get adequate amounts of antioxidants (Read more about antioxidants here). When we don’t eat enough nutrient-rich foods our body may lack vital vitamins and minerals, which can affect brain function, energy levels and mood. Ideally, we want to get the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to thrive from a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, but some people may need to take supplements to meet these needs. A few examples include folic acid for pregnancy, vitamin D for everyone in the winter months and iron supplements for people diagnosed with anemia.   Nutritional Psychiatry is a growing field and describes the brain, gut, and mood connection. In the second part of this two part article we will look even closer at the research between diet, gut health and mental health, as well as share our suggestions on improving our energy levels and well-being through our diet.  For now, I wish you well and be aware of your stress levels.   Nutritional psychiatry is a growing field and describes the brain, gut, and mood connection. (You can read more about it here). It is well recognized that eating fruit and vegetables can benefit physical health. Newer studies are proposing that it may also benefit psychological well-being. According to a study from the University of Leeds, eating more fruit and vegetables can improve psychological well-being and life satisfaction. Researchers looked at data from over 45,000 people in the UK and found a positive association between the quantity of fruit and vegetables eaten and self-reported mental well-being. The study controlled for other factors that might affect mental well-being such as age, income, education, lifestyle and health, and other foods eaten such as dairy and bread. This study was longitudinal meaning it can relate changes in fruit and vegetable consumption to changes in self-reported well-being for the same individual over time (in this case, 2010-2017). Fruits and vegetables tend to be carbohydrate dense and there is some research to suggest that the positive effects of consumption could be partially related to increased concentrations of serotonin in the brain. This study was observational so it can only draw an association and can’t demonstrate cause and effect. There are so many benefits to encouraging better dietary habits for physical health in the long run, and now we are getting more evidence that it can improve mental well-being and life satisfaction as well, in the short run.   A high performance wellness podcast called “Eat Move Think” by Shaun Francis of Medcan, one of the world’s leading health and well being companies has an episode on how food affects how we think. Dr. Felice Jacka is one of the world-renowned experts on Nutrition Psychiatry and spoke with Shaun on episode 2 to discuss how diet affects our mental health. Leslie Beck is a Registered Dietitian and Medcan’s Director of Food and Nutrition, describes how Nutritional Psychiatry is changing the way we think about mental health from this emerging field. Recognizing that the foods we put in our bodies impact brain function, emotions and moods.  Observational research is showing the quality of our diet is linked to some mental health disorders.  A trial named the Supporting the Modification of Lifestyle in Lowered Emotional States (SMILES) was done at the Food and Mood Centre at Deakin University in Australia.  Sixty-Seven participants with major depression were split into two groups, one who followed the Mediterranean diet plus help from a Registered Dietitian.  The second group was a social support group with no diet modifications. After three months, the dietary intervention group had a significant improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms.  Dr. Felice Jacka coined the term Nutritional Psychiatry and is a principle investigator in the SMILES trial. It was the first intervention like this and took people with clinical depression and helped them make improvements to their diet, resulting in a profound impact on depression scores. You can read more about the results and trial here.   "The gut is our second brain" The Mediterranean diet is the most studied dietary pattern with strong accumulated evidence for health benefits (i.e., cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes, dementia and depression). It is a diet that is high in diverse plant foods. Many other diets are also considered to be notably health-positive, like the Norwegian diet, Japanese, and Chinese diets, to name a few. We know what a healthy diet comprises: high in diverse plant foods, quality proteins, and unsaturated fats. It is proposed that we should strive for a “plant predominate” diet. The gut is our second brain since it has its own nervous system. Microbiotic bacteria in our gut play an incredibly important role in our health as they help us digest dietary fibre. Bacteria break food down through a process of fermentation and release a vast range of metabolites, interacting with every cell in the body and influencing the immune system and brain plasticity. The gut can’t do what it is supposed to do in normal physiological functions without dietary fibre. The ketogenic diet has gained recent popularity and is the opposite of what is healthy for the gut.  Read more about research on the link between gut and brain health. Angry + Hungry = Hangry Having long gaps in between meals can also affect energy levels and mood. The term “hangry” combines ‘hungry’ and ‘angry’ and refers to getting short tempered when you haven’t recently eaten. Some who have tried intermittent fasting will know what this feels like and this affects short term mood. The brain needs an adequate supply of energy from blood glucose to concentrate. In fact, the brain uses up 20% of all energy needed by the body! The glucose in our blood comes from all the carbohydrates we eat (fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lactose in milk products). When we eat breakfast and meals containing some carbohydrates consistently throughout the day (no longer than about 4 hour gaps in between meals/snacks), we have enough glucose in our blood. Running and other forms of exercise will use this for energy along with carbohydrates stored in the form of glycogen in our muscles and liver. Our bodies can only store a certain amount of carbohydrates so once we run out, that is when we start to feel tired, weak and even ‘fuzzy minded.’ This state of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) will impact how hard we can run, meaning we will need to slow down or sometimes stop all together during long and hard efforts. It will also negatively affect our mood and how we recover. When runs start to get over 90 – 100 minutes in duration, it is important to consume carbohydrates during activity to ensure good concentration and overall performance. Runs also feel very hard when in a ‘depleted’ state and could further impact mood if someone is already concerned about experiencing mood issues.   A few suggestions for a healthier gut, improved mood and energy levels:  Our diet should contain a wide variety of protein and vitamin/mineral containing foods in order to support the body’s functions. The best quality carbohydrate sources come from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and milk products. Brighter is better so strive for colour and variety in your meals and snacks. Eat enough fibre and include whole grains and legumes. Eat whole foods and minimize or avoid packaged or processed foods which have food additives and preservatives that can disrupt the healthy bacteria in the gut. Occasional treats are fine, but try to plan them out and not make them a daily occurrence. Include probiotic rich foods like kefir and plain yogurt. When our mood is low, energy levels can also be down. Since healthy eating requires time, energy and planning, sometimes we may rely on more processed foods at meals and snacks. But by learning about how diet can affect our mood/energy levels, hopefully this is motivating enough to make some changes to incorporate more vegetables, fruit and whole grains into the diet. Reach out to me if you want more suggestions on ways to incorporate more vegetables into your diet and I can help!  Start paying attention to how foods make you feel, not just in the moment but the next day. Reflect after cooking a healthy meal on how it makes you feel. If you notice improvements or any positive emotional response after either from yourself or from the loved ones you shared the food with, this could help encourage you to keep practicing this healthy behaviour. If your body is deficient in some vitamins and minerals it could affect mood, brain function and energy levels. Iron deficiency can cause lethargy and a weak feeling. This should be monitored with bloodwork and anemia requires supplementation due to low absorption from food sources. Here is a guide with examples of iron rich foods. Vitamin B12, B1 or B3 deficiency(s) can cause tiredness and feeling depressed or irritable. B12 comes from animal proteins in meat/fish, eggs and dairy and from fortified foods including whole grain cereals. Folate deficiency can increase the chance of feeling depressed, particularly in older people. Food sources include green vegetables, oranges and other citrus fruits, beans and fortified breakfast cereals. Selenium deficiency may increase the occurrence of negative mood states and possibly feelings of depression. Food sources include brazil nuts, meat, fish, seeds and whole grain bread. Minimize long gaps in the day without eating and aim to eat about every 4 hours. During runs over 90 minutes, fuel with a carbohydrate source during the activity. Check out this free course called “Food and Mood: Improving Mental Health Through Diet and Nutrition.”   Simply changing your dietary intake pattern doesn’t completely translate into a cure for mental illness, but what we eat does impact depressive symptoms, our mood and energy levels. Improving your whole diet matters most for benefiting mental health.  After all, the building blocks of what our brain is made of is nutrients, so make sure you are fuelling it properly each day we eat, move, think and live!   Rachel Hannah is a Registered Dietitian at the University of Guelph's Health & Performance Centre. Hannah is also an elite runner, Rachel ran her debut marathon in 2:33:30 at the 2015 Ottawa Marathon and has represented Canada at the Cross Country World Championships and the Pan American Games.  For more information about any details of this article or to discuss further ideas please contact Rachel at  rachelhannahrd@gmail.com You can follow Rachel on ...  Rachel Hanna on Instagram  Rachel Hannah's LinkedIn  Rachel Hannah on Facebook     References Ocean, N, Howley, P & Ensor, J. (2019) Lettuce be happy: A longitudinal UK study on the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and well-being. Social Science & Medicine, 222: 335-345 O’Neil, A, et al., (2013) A randomised, controlled trial of a dietary intervention for adults with major depression (the “SMILES” trial): study protocol. BMC Psychiatry, 13(114). Strasser, B, Gostner, JM and Fuchs, D. (2016) Mood, food and cognition: role of tryptophan and serotonin. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 19(1):55-61. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626 https://www.eatmovethinkpodcast.com/podcast/ep-2-you-really-are-what-you-eat https://www.eatmovethinkpodcast.com/podcast/ep-13-analysis-paralysis https://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/resources/ https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/media-releases/articles/world-first-trial-shows-improving-diet-can-treat-major-depression

Helene Dumais, endurance athlete, adventurer, coach and conference speaker, tells us about her season and the changes she has made.  While some of the short term goals have been forced to the side, her eyes are still set on the Snowman Race at the end of the year, a 300 km race through the Himalayas, with mountain passes as a high as 5470m!  

Trail runner, (soon to be!) triathlete and all-round great guy, Simon-Pierre Leblanc talks to us about why distance doesn't have to be the objective in trail running and, now that he has the extra time with the lock down, how he has seized the chance to pursue a dream: his very own podcast series with people that have inspired him!  

Darren is a running coach and Founder of THE RUNWAY running club and RunToMtl ultra relay www.runtomtl.com

Tell us a little about yourself I am a road and trail running enthusiast. I’ve been practising this sport more seriously than before for three years now. Before, I used to cycle largely for fun. I came back to running to get fit for my first marathon. I’m now at the stage where I have two to run, and this season was to be a year where I focussed more on performance than on the fun side. I've been doing a course as a running coach to learn more about it and to be able to advise the athletes who want to improve their running. What were your original objectives this spring? My plan to start the year was to do the Ottawa marathon so that I could beat my PB of 3:04 and try to qualify for 2021 Boston. My aim was to run the marathon in 2:55 before enrolling in September. Next up, I’m training to run the QMT (Québec Méga Trail) 80 km - my first go at an ultra trail! Since the race hasn’t been cancelled, it is currently my main focus. I’d like to succeed in finishing in less than 10:30. My season should finish with the Chicago marathon in October. The objective will be to do it in less than 2:55 because the Ottawa marathon won’t take place. 📷  michele grenier How has your current training been affected? Although Covid-19 has made an impact on my training, there have been enough alternatives to compensate. Since the confinement happened at the same time as spring came, transferring the treadmill outdoors was relatively straightforward. Although the lack of access to the training room sometimes limits interval workouts, the impact hasn’t been excessive. I also have to shuffle these because the temperature does not let me do them as I should. Another impact of Covid-19 has been access to the trails. With most mountain trails inaccessible, I now have to find different locations to practise my trail running in order to train for the Quebec Mega Trail. So I’m obliged to go out and run in town, using the least frequented routes to limit any risks. Thirdly, there’s the impact on social training. Normally, I go out twice a week, one with Quebec C.U.T.E. and once with Les Citrons pressés — and I'm working to launch Gringo's Running Club too! However, since the clubs have stopped, I must reorganize my activities just to avoid gatherings... How did that affect your motivation? Speaking personally, my motivation hasn’t changed. I run because I enjoy running and not just to compete. Races allow me to test the progress I’ve made in my training and to surpass myself. Even if the races don’t take place and I have to run on my own, the motivation is still the same. I continue practising my sport every day, profiting from every kilometer.  How have you restructured your race season? For the moment, my race season hasn’t been restructured. With the cancellation of the Ottawa marathon, I’m going to have to find another race in order to qualify for Boston before September. However, since we don’t know when this pandemic will be over, I’m waiting to see which upcoming races might be able to take place before planning the season. Meanwhile, I’m sticking to the training plan for the QMT and Chicago, in the hope that these events will be possible. How have you adapted your training? My training plan hasn’t changed much. I’m focussing on training for the 80 km trail in July. I’ve adapted my training somewhat by adding more indoor training, suah as skipping and strength workouts. Being subject to restricted movement, I have more time to train, which lets me do more. I’m also increasing the amount of indoor training so as to limit non-essential excursions. Most important of all, how are you staying motivated?  I stay motivated by appreciating to the full running outdoors and helping those that I coach to stay motivated. As I said before, I continue to appreciate doing sport and I’m content to be able to carry on doing so every day. Moreover, following certain athletes as they develop helps me to remain more motivated when I see their progress and their motivation regarding training. Any new hobbies you have picked up with all this extra time at home? No, I continue to concentrate on my training. I spend more time reading and watching various exercises on running and training.  Dave sur Instagram   Dave sur strava   -/-  Gringos Run Club  Gringos sur Instagram -/-  Coureurs Utilitaires Transpirant l'Espresso (CUTE) sur Instagram  

Briefly tell us about yourself, who you are and what your sport is ? Backwoods bum with a big heart, I’m more in my element on a trail than in an office. In fact, I have some difficulty finding my place in this modern world and that’s why I prefer to be in nature. The world seems so much simpler, so much more beautiful when I’m running in the woods. I’m an amateur trail runner with a little competitive edge who’s trying to use his passion for trail running to contribute positively to his community. In order to do so, I’m volunteering during races, writing articles for Distances+, taking care of their newsletter and supporting different causes like the “On the Tip of the Toes Foundation” (for whom I’m an athlete-ambassador) through my races and running adventures. What were your original objectives this spring (key races/PBs)? Black Fly (end of May), Gaspesia 100 (mid-june), Ultra Trail Academy (mid-july) How has your current training been affected (no access to pool/gym/no friends to run with)? I can’t join my group of friends to do some interval and speed training and I’m “forced” to always run by myself on the trails. I like running on my own, but I’m starting to miss sharing these good times with my trail friends.  I also can’t go to the gym anymore in order to so some muscular reinforcement. It’s a bit disappointing cause it was something new for me that I add to my regular training this winter. Since I also don’t have my bike with me in Chisasibi (I went up North to be with my partner more than 2 weeks ago), I’m not able to do some cross training as well. But, the good thing is that I have way more time to train in other ways!! How did that affect your motivation? In fact, it increased it. I often feel swallowed by all the modern life “obligations” and don’t seem to be able to find the time to do all the little things I want to do.  Since the social distancing mesures, I have more free time and I’m taking advantage of it by doing all these little things : meditate, stretch, cook, read, write, etc. How have you restructured your race season? I threw out the old plan out and there’s not a “real” new plan yet. I’m focusing more on creating new training habits. The “new’ plan might be more about personal projects (long runs by my self) than official races. The specific shape of these project will depend on how long the current measures will last. It also seems like their will be some interesting virtual challenge organized by the trail community. I can’t wait to be a part of them.   How have you adapted your training? There is kind of 2 phases to my adaptation.   First, my voluntary quarantine after I moved up North 2 week ago in order to be with my partner. During these last 2 weeks, I didn’t go outside to run. I focused on muscles reinforcement and mobility. I also took care of a little injury and tried to include an “activation routine” in the morning. I, as well, paid closer attention to my nutrition by cooking all my meals from scratch.  I also took a break from social media and meditated way more than usual. The second phase started on Friday. I’m planning to keep up with my new routine as well as participating to some virtual events and challenges such as the “Défi 4 4 48” created by David Bombardier which had started on Friday morning at 4 am. With this challenge, I ran 80km in 48 hours (6.6km each 4 hours) and I raised over 500$ for the food bank “Moisson Outaouais”. Most important of all, how are you staying motivated? I think by taking the time to do all these little things I want to do normally but don’t always have the time to do so. Bonus question: Any new hobbies you have picked up with all this extra time at home? Nothing new, but mobility exercices and meditation are taking way more space in my everyday life.   Dans mes shoes  Dans mes shoes Instagram   Jean-Mathieu on Strava   On The Tip of the Toes Foundation  

Briefly tell us about yourself Since I work at the Sports Experts at the University Laval Sports Centre, the PEPS, I’ve found myself without a job. Laval University has closed the campus and its sporting facilities, the PEPS. The activities of the running club have been suspended until May 1st. I’m competing in Master 3 (65-69) Qc top 5, Canada top 10. What were your original objectives this spring (key races/PBs)? Since the sporting calendar for spring has been cancelled or postponed, my own training programme has been modified. I’ve done this by substituting a reduced programme aimed at maintaining what I’ve already achieved, and postponing this autumn’s objectives, bearing in mind the current situation and the gradual resumption of the calendar. How has your current training been affected (no access to pool/gym/no friends to run with)? With the public health restrictions, you can no longer train in a group or frequent busy locations. Since I live on the south bank, I can run with a friend in areas where it’s easy to move around while respecting the 2m distance between us and others. How did that affect your motivation? This pandemic is an exceptional situation. The impacts are enormous and my health is the priority. I have adapted to this confinement. There have been changes in the  lifestyle I share with my wife (who has retired) but we are OK with it. How have you restructured your race season? With my running group, the Laval and Lévis University club, Peps, the season is on pause; we’ve reduced the volume and intensity aiming to maintain skill levels until we can resume our activities and confirm new dates. How have you adapted your training?  We keep in contact over Facebook, Messenger and email in order to reply to members’ questions and suggest training adapted to their needs. Most important of all, how are you staying motivated? I am able to maintain a good level of motivation to adapt to the current situation by means of discussions over the social media and by phone. I can also arrange to meet one or two friends for training in my neighbourhood while respecting the 2m social distancing. Bonus question: any new hobbies you have picked up with all this extra time at home? Yes, I can train on my stationary bicycle. Through the web and Facebook groups I’ve also discovered different types of training: strength exercises, stretching, yoga, etc.   Marc Corcoran on Facebook  Club de course à pied Lévis   Club de course à pied de l'Université Laval

Briefly tell us about yourself, who you are and what your sport is? I am mainly a runner, but I try to spend some time on two wheels several times a week. I compete mostly in Québec, but when possible I’ll travel in order to take part in an international competition. Apart from these sports, I enjoy reading and having a beer in good company. What was your original plan this spring and why (objectives/key races)? I’d say that I’m a fairly adaptable competitor. I’ll train for a particular race, but rarely for an event. My primary objective this spring was to beat my time over 21.1 kms (1h17).    What was your training schedule like up until recently? I was running between 100 and 140 kms per week with 2 speed sessions or intervals and one long run. I complemented this with strength exercises and cycling. How has your current training been affected (no access to pool/gym)? The main impact on my training routine has been the closing of the local gym. I normally include 2 - 3 strength-building sessions per week in my training. Since I have less equipment at home, I do plyometric workouts rather than power exercises. The fact that I can no longer go running with my group, especially sprinting, makes things less pleasant. How have you restructured your race season? I’ve decided to leave it be. I’m going to wait for the end of this crazy situation before choosing my next competitions. What alternatives have you come up with? People who know me know that I’m a fan of the treadmill. I’ve decided to invest in one so that I can train at home. This way I can cut down on going outside, thus protecting myself and others.   Most important of all, how are you staying motivated? I’m using this period to work on my weaknesses, and also to combine the useful with the agreeable. I listen to podcasts on various subjects such as philosophy, science or running. It takes your mind off things and makes you think. I also try to measure my progress with a ″course″ baromètre every 3 - 4 weeks.  Alexis on Instagram  Alexis on Strava 

Briefly tell us about yourself, who you are and what your sport is? I’m a mid-range trail runner: not too slow, but not too quick either. I appreciate the thrills more than the performance.   What were your original objectives this spring? I signed up for the 20 kms “Trail de la Clinique du coureur”. Since it’s my first time running this distance, I’m not over ambitious regarding my performance. I’ll be focussing above all on the very first race that my nearly 18-month-old kid will be running: the 300 m!   How has your current training been affected? In normal times I’d be training with my club, the Club de trail Nord Boréal. Now of course the spring session will have to be postponed. Since the trails are closed, plus the fact that I’m currently unemployed and the day care centre is shut, I go running on the road with my son in the stroller. How did that affect your motivation? Always running along the same route is fairly repetitive, but it’s better than nothing. So for the moment I have to be satisfied with that!   How have you restructured your race season? 2020 is a transition year. I had a short season planned, so whatever happens won’t change my mindset regarding my year’s running. I especially wanted to work on improving my speed this year, and I’ll do so whatever happens to the official races!    How have you adapted your training? There’s less of it. Running with a stroller almost full time is difficult. So I run on the road as well as train at home, imagining techniques which might simulate changes of gradient.   Most important of all, how are you staying motivated? My ambition is to get my boy out of the house every day and the stroller is an excellent means of doing it! I do it partly for him. With my gang from the CTNB we set ourselves challenges, and we keep ourselves informed about our training as much as possible via the social networks.   Any new hobbies you have picked up with all this extra time at home? I’ve included strength training — something I’ve been trying to do for about 10 years!  Marie-Eve Pelland  Marie-Eve Pelland on Strava  Club de trail nord boreal  club de trail nord boreal  Facebook group Club De Trail Nord Boreal

Briefly tell us about yourself, who you are and what your sport is (and at what level you compete)? I was born and grew up in Japan. I moved to Edmonton, AB, Canada in April 1999. I'm a non competitive ultra marathon runner (I was the very last official finisher of a race, twice!) and completed 110 ultra marathon races so far. What were your original objectives this spring? I think I registered for 10 ultra marathon races this season (1 is done in February) and each one of them is my goal. Just enjoy it and complete if I can. How has your current training been affected? I still run outside. And 99% of running is solo-run anyway so nothing affected so far. I just have to choose the trail not busy. How did that affect your motivation? Nothing affected so far. How have you restructured your race season? All of my race I do, the race director is my good friend. So I feel their pain and sad to know some of them was canceled pretty sure.  But, secretly I have another goal regarding my running. I usually do 10 to 12 races between March and October (I do one 50km race in February). As I get older (51 in July), I started to think maybe just one year,stay away from races, or reduce the number of races and focus on training is maybe good idea. But as soon as race registration opens I can't help registering the race so it didn't happen. So maybe this is the year....???? How have you adapted your training? Nothing. Just following my training routine (Saturday is hill repeats day, Sunday is long run, Monday is core-workout etc)  Most important of all, how are you staying motivated? My training routine is my life routine so just keeping it is the how to stay motivated for me. Bonus question: any new hobbies you have picked up with all this extra time at home? Nothing. Fortunately I still have full time job and training so I'm busy. I just missing watching hockey and cheering my Oilers badly :)   ​Hiro on Facebook  

Salut Véro, please tell us about yourself as an athlete. My name is Véronique and I’ve been doing triathlons for 5 years now. In the last few years I’ve mainly been concentrating on long distances, whether for Ironman or Half-Ironman. Above all I compete for the fun of it and in order to test my own limits: performance is a bonus (the cherry on the cake). I’ve managed to stand out within my age category.   What were your original objectives this spring? I was to start off my season with the Maple Marathon, which would help me qualify for the Boston marathon. After that, I was to take part in the 70.3 Virginia Blue Ridge. Both races have been postponed to a later date. Right now, my objective remains the Ironman Mont-Tremblant. It will be my third, and my whole family will be there — a first for me. It will be a beautiful experience to share with them! So no warm up, straight into Ironman mode!  How are you preparing yourself with all the closures? Since mid-March I have had no access to a swimming-pool, so no swimming for me. Nevertheless, I exercise with elastics in order to maintain a certain strength in my arms and shoulders. For cycling, I have a great set up in the garage with my bike roller, my Zwift and good music. As for running, I mainly run outside, and if the temperature is really poor I have a treadmill. I cannot complain, for at home I’m well equipped with weights, elastics, balls, box and trx! In short, there’s no reason for me not to follow my training program. ;) Sounds like a decent set up, but is the motivation okay? Sure, I’m disappointed, just like many of us who see various races being cancelled. Nonetheless, I’m still very motivated. I’ve always enjoyed training, whether it’s for performance or simply for the good it does me. I have a busy timetable because of my job as a service director and also because I’m finishing my second Master’s (a part-time MBA in Management). So sport is what enables me to keep up a rhythm and maintain a work-life balance. I miss the people I train with, but we encourage one another from a distance!    Working, further education and still time to train - congrats! You are a busy person, I guess you have to be well prepared with your training plan? Together with my trainer, we’ve adjusted the plan somewhat in order to make up for having to stop swimming, and to make sure I keep fit while avoiding overtraining. The whole idea is that as soon as the season restarts, I’ll be ready.   :) So has your training plan changed a lot? Apart from swimming, I haven’t made any major changes. The routine training sessions are still possible using the material at my disposal and since I go running outside all year long.   You already sound so busy without having to train for an Ironman, where do you get your motivation? I think that my main source of motivation stems from the satisfaction that I get from the training. There’s nothing better after a heavy day’s work that demands a high level of concentration, than to turn off your brain and go running or cycling! I also like to push myself and see the improvements. I still keep in contact with my friends and we managed to keep motivated despite the isolation! What’s more, I have gold-standard partners who provide me with all the energy I need. ;) Bonus question: any new hobbies you have picked up with all this extra time at home? Since my job and my studies continue in spite of everything, my timetable remains pretty full. However, I have recently discovered mandalas (drawings) haha. It’s a great way of relaxing before going to bed! I also make the most of this extra time to discover new series. :) That is amazing, all that work AND an artist! We wish will you all the best!  Véro Instagram  Véro on Strava

Nick, briefly tell us about yourself, who you are and what your sport is? My name is Nick Kleban. I’m a third year Physiology student at McGill university and a cyclist for the Ride with Rendall elite cycling team. What were your original objectives this spring? This April I was looking to compete in my first UCI America tour event as an elite cyclist, the Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I was also aiming to compete in all the rounds of the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) for the McGill Cycling Team. Wow! That was quite a season planned. You must be bummed, what are you doing now? After spending 3 weeks riding in warm weather, it was tough to start training full-time indoors again.  My training as of now has been shifted to nearly 100% indoors on Zwift in the “pain cave” (it’s like a man cave but with spin bikes) of my basement apartment in Montreal. And what about later on in your season? As of now, many of the major events I was targeting this season has been either cancelled or postponed. At this point, only time will tell what things will look like for what’s left remainder of the season. So what does that mean for your current training content? My training, for the most, part has been unaffected. I’ve reduced the weekly training volume I’m doing on the bike due to the shift to indoor riding but there’s been a definite increase of intense workouts to compensate. The silver-lining is the volume reduction has opened more time for schoolwork now that McGill has shifted to remote learning. How are you staying motivated? Linking up to train with my roommates as well as others virtually on Zwift has been great for me! It’s really refreshing to have that “group ride” atmosphere during all this. Bonus question: any new hobbies you have picked up with all this extra time at home? I have been enjoying baking/ cooking new recipes with my girlfriend, Katie. Check out my Instagram stories regularly for what we make next! I will do! It seems like a lot of folks are getting (re)acquainted with the kitchen, which is great to hear.  Thanks for sharing your story with us!     Nick on Instagram  Nick on Strava  Team Ride With Rendall on Instagram

Briefly tell us about yourself Mat, who you are, your sport is (and at what level you compete)? Mathieu Bélanger-Barrette, endurance cyclist. I race mountain bike cross country, cyclocross, gravel and enjoy doing long distances. I’ve raced in most international bike event in north America. Aside of racing I really enjoy the process of training and go to places to discover. I do have a couple projects that does not involve racing nor timing for the summer. What were your original objectives this spring (key races/PBs)? I had the chance to compete at the True Grit Stage Race in early march which I ended up winning. So I was relying on this early season event to build some fitness for the spring gravel races such as Rasputitsa and transition in early summer mountain bike stage races… but all races got canceled. How has your current training been affected? Most of my training is done alone or with my girlfriend Sarah so those training are still going on. We have a pretty good setup for inside bike rides too. However, all the gym work and group training are missing me quite a bit. In fact, I feel like group training is the best way to push yourself and sometime even test your fitness. However, for this time of year I am usually not too concern about being super fit since it is really early season. I usually try to peak later in the summer so it might not affect too much the season. How did that affect your motivation? Motivation is affected that’s for sure. That being said I like to see the bright side of the isolation. I can sleep better, take time and plan my training correctly, I can eat well and most importantly I can ear a little bit more. For sure I don’t have the regular motivation but I am probably at 80-90% of what I use to be motivated. How have you restructured your race season? For now I am still waiting for races schedule updates but I have my race season planned until June anyways… so I don’t have a clear view of what will happen for the end of the season. For now it seems like a lot of races are postponed to august through November. Will see how it goes. Again, I am not too stressed out about this. How have you adapted your training? It is literally back to base. I took the 2 first weeks of quarantine to do endurance trainings and threshold intervals. That being said I will not work on high end power and race specific speed until I have confirmation of the first race. So for now, keeping it relatively easy and steady. I also had yoga and couple of strength training that I was not doing because of lack of time. Most important of all, how are you staying motivated? My girlfriend is a MVP in keeping me motivated. In fact, we do encourage each other and try to stay positive all the time. When someone is feeling down the other is trying to have a motivating speech. When I feel down and don’t feel to train, when I see Sarah jumping and the bike and killing it, it makes me want to do the same. We also workout quite a lot with Zwift software and I watch old bike races on Youtube. Bonus question: any new hobbies you have picked up with all this extra time at home? We started doing a lot of home made breads and picked up cooking a lot more.