Episodes
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is almost here! And competing at this weekend's events are members of the Ottawa Frontrunners, a diverse run club that welcomes 2SLGBTQ+ community and friends. Maya McDonald speaks with host John Shep about the history of the Frontrunners, their Ottawa contingent and how they keep the excitement going all through the year! Find out more about Ottawa Frontrunners on IG: https://www.instagram.com/frontrunnersottawa/ Register to be an Athletics Ontario...
Published 05/23/24
Ready, set, go! We are off talking to the man behind Sportstats (and the newest addition to the Ironman family: Ironman Ottawa!), Marc Roy. What are his best finish line stories? How do you catch those athletes trying to game the system? And what are the best travel tips from the road warrior himself? Find out more about Marc Roy on IG: https://www.instagram.com/marc_sportstats/ Register to be an Athletics Ontario...
Published 05/16/24
Published 05/16/24
The Ontario Triple Crown of 100s: Sulphur Springs Trail Race, Tally in the Valley by Happy Trails Racing, Haliburton Forest 100. In this province, these are the three trail 100 milers and our host, John Shep, speaks to the US Grand Slam of Ultrarunning's record holder, Ian Sharman, about taking on the challenge to complete them all in 2024. How do you train? How do you run? How do you recover? All of the questions (all the while wearing a tutu)!!! We also get a visit from Happy Trails Racing...
Published 05/09/24
 The Western States Endurance Run is arguably the most prominent ultramarathon in all of North America. The Sulphur Springs Trail Race in Ancaster, Ontario, is aiming to be the very first certified qualifier in our province for the WSER. But why is that important? What is there to love about Western States? Host John Shep speaks this week with two-time Western States winner (and Canadian ultrarunner) Ellie Greenwood about her two victories, about having a more than decade-long course record...
Published 05/02/24
Natasha Wodak, Canada's fastest female marathoner, is taking on the Hamburg Marathon this weekend in her bid to qualify for a third Olympic team at Paris 2024. She chats with Trillium Running Podcast host John Shep about how she navigates the adversity in competition, but also the collective soul of Canadian athletics. They also take a detour to celebrate all things Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, as it is the 50th Anniversary of that amazing race! We also get a visit from the Running Physio...
Published 04/25/24
On this episode of the Trilium Running Podcast, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend with the icon, the legend, the "Man in Motion" himself... Rick Hansen! Rick chronicles his national and international athletic success, his Man in Motion tour and winning Ottawa's inaugural wheelchair marathon in 1983. Find out more about Rick Hansen on IG: https://www.instagram.com/rickhansenofficial/ Find out more or sign-up to take part in Canada's biggest road race party...
Published 04/18/24
Great athletes overcome - and we can all learn from them. This week on the Trillium Running Podcast, Canadian Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion Micha Powell joins host John Shep about writing her own athletic legacy... literally!! Micha gives us a sneak peak into her soon-to-be-released memoir and workbook, Sprinting Through Setbacks: An Olympian's Guide to Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome. Find out more about Micha Powell on IG: https://www.instagram.com/michajadapowell/ ...
Published 04/11/24
The Western States Endurance Run is arguably the most prominent ultramarathon in all of North America. The Sulphur Springs Trail Race in Ancaster, Ontario, is aiming to be the very first certified qualifier in our province for the WSER. But why is that important? What is there to love about Western States? Host John Shep speaks this week with Andy Jones-Wilkins about why he fell in love with Western States and why he continues to love it to this day! Find out more about the Western States...
Published 04/04/24
On this episode of the Trilium Running Podcast, host John Shep and Canadian Paralympic legend Jason Dunkerley, a visually impaired runner, each share their connection to the history of Tamarack Ottawa Race weekend. We all have a story, whether it is your first, tenth or twentieth Ottawa Race Weekend! To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, RunOttawa is partnering with Athletics Ontario's Trillium Running Podcast to bring you the Celebrating 50 Years of Running...
Published 03/28/24
This week on the Trillium Running Podcast, we have the past, present and future of Black Excellence and Anti-Racism Advocacy in Canadian Athletics to celebrate International Day for the Elimination of Racism. Two-time Olympian sprinter (and Paris 2024 hopeful) Khamica Forbes and Valerie Jerome, author of Races, share their (and Valerie's brother's, former world record holder, Harry Jerome's) experiences with racism in Canada. One of the most important conversation we have ever had on the...
Published 03/21/24
We are taking the Trillium Running Podcast to the west coast! Trail Running Women host Hilary Spires joins us to share what makes BC road and trail running unique and what makes her and the Trail Running Women podcast amazing. Find out more about Hilary and the Trail Running Women podcast: https://www.instagram.com/hilsport55/ Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2024-membership
Published 03/14/24
It takes someone visually impaired to see the accessibility issues of competing as an endurance athlete! Rhonda-Marie Parke is a visually impaired runner taking on the Mammoth Endurance Double Anvil Challenge - a double-Ironman distance event - in September. Host John Shep speaks with Rhonda and guide (and friend of the podcast) Byron Guptill, to share what training they will be doing and how they will crush the event! This is an episode not to be missed. To donate to their fundraising...
Published 03/07/24
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, RunOttawa is partnering with Athletics Ontario's Trillium Running Podcast to bring you the Celebrating 50 Years of Running series. This episode, host John Shep speaks with the multi-talented Jared Broughton, member of the Run Ottawa Board of Directors and a passionate runner, coach and advocate for visually impaired runners. If you want to learn how to run well, live well and do good, this is a conversation for you! Find out...
Published 02/29/24
It is not the number of finish lines you cross, it is not the place you finish in the race, it is not the furthest distance you go - it is about the people you enjoy the runs with. That is the case for Mark McColgan of the Saint John Trail Runners. The cross-Canada journey (and final episode in this Running Across Canada series) takes the Trillium Running Podcast to the maritimes, where we find out about their impressive and growing running community. Find out all about Saint John Trail...
Published 02/22/24
Race Director Brian Gallant and Sinister Sports have been in the racing business for over two decades. And with all that experience, they are still learning and pushing to be a pillar in Canada's trail and ultrarunning communities. Brian joins host John Shep on this week's episode of the Trillium Running Podcast to share the learnings he has had, the feedback he has received (good, bad and otherwise!) and the love we all share for this running community. Find out all about Sinister Sports...
Published 02/15/24
"Community" = there are many more similarities in the world of running and athletics than there are differences. This is super clear in host John Shep's conversation with Cheryl Lowery of Be There Races and Athletics Alberta (along with their shared love for author Fredrik Backman) for our Running Across Canada series. There is tons to learn as well, from race directing the K-100 Mile Relay event to the Run the River and Mini Legends programs. Find out all about Athletics Alberta at:...
Published 02/08/24
We continue running across Canada to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, RunOttawa is partnering with Athletics Ontario's Trillium Running Podcast to bring you the Celebrating 50 Years of Running series. For our first long-form conversation, we invite newly-minted elite running coordinator Stephen Anderson to share his passion for running and why he is thrilled to be a part of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend and the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon! Find...
Published 02/01/24
"Parles-vous français?" For our host John Shep, not so well! So he is thrilled to speak with Executive Director of Athlétisme Québec in his native tongue about Quebec running, including the Montreal Marathon and the Quebec Mega Trail, Canada's contribution to the World Trail Majors! We find out about how Athlétisme Québec supports runners through their athletics journey, from initiation to competition to recreation and everything in between. Find out all about Athlétisme Québec at:...
Published 01/25/24
What can we learn from the Saskatchewan Marathon? On this week's episode of the Trillium Running Podcast, host John Shep finds out how MaraFun Manager, Jeffery Culbert, promotes running in kids and youth, and how Amy Wall, the Volunteer Captain for the Saskatchewan Marathon and Manager of Marketing and Fund Development for our charity partner, Meewasin, the riverbank conservation organization in Saskatoon, honours the indigenous peoples and lands that the marathon enjoys! Register to be...
Published 01/18/24
The Trillium Running Podcast is taking a journey across Canada! We celebrate Ontario road and trail running, but we also learn from national and global running experts. This series to kick off 2024 takes us learning and running across Canada - with our first stop in Alberta to chat with the Executive Director of the Servus Calgary Marathon. Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2024-membership
Published 01/11/24
Who better to give us a lesson in Road and Trail 101 than Athletics Ontario's very own Road and Trail Manager, Sheryl Preston! On this week's episode of the Trillium Running Podcast, she and host John Shep speak about her journey from rowing to ultrarunning and from BC to Ontario, along with the future of road and trail running in our province. Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2024-membership
Published 01/04/24
To celebrate the 100th episode of Athletics Ontario's Trillium Running Podcast, host John Shep meets back up with past guests Reid Coolsaet, Amanda Richardson, Amanda Nelson, Kerri LaBrecque and Kevin Coffey to discuss their past, their present and their future! Don't miss the celebration of all things 2023 and what we are looking forward to in 2024. Register to be an Athletics Ontario member: https://athleticsreg.ca/#!/memberships/athletics-ontario-2024-membership
Published 12/28/23
Cows and hedgehogs and whales and dogs, oh my! It isn't just animals that we find on the trails; oftentimes, we find ourselves. This week's guest Shannon Caulfield and host John Shep share their love for the trail and ultra community in this final installment of our Athletics Ontario Road and Trail Ambassador series. Find out more about Shannon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/livingwithsole/ Register to be an Athletics Ontario...
Published 12/21/23
The trails are winding and so is the conversation on this week's Trillium Running Podcast between Athletics Ontario Road and Trail Ambassador Dr. Geoff Gamble and our host John Shep. They discuss the importance of having a coach (especially to call us on our stuff!) and the ever-present wonderfulness of the trail community in Ontario and throughout North America. Find out more about Geoff on IG: https://www.instagram.com/shinsplintgod/ Register to be an Athletics Ontario...
Published 12/14/23