Canada’s endurance sports industry comes together to lobby for support to survive COVID-19
Mass participant events are one of the industries that got decimated in the wake of the pandemic. A new organization is trying to make sure they survive.
Hello-
The biggest story this week was the launch of the Canadian Endurance Sport Alliance (CESA), an organization designed to help mass participation endurance events survive the pandemic. Plus I have some race recaps and a small roundup of the usual news and podcasts.
I hope you’re all staying safe, and taking care of yourself.
Let’s get to it!
Canada’s endurance sports industry comes together to lobby for support
The Canadian Endurance Sport Alliance (CESA) was announced this week, alongside their social media campaign, #StartLineImpact.
The organization represents Canadian endurance organizations from sports such as running, obstacle racing, triathlons and cycling. It was formed out of a need to support races and affiliated organizations in a time when events were cancelled (or pivoted to online events) because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are independent operators but our unified voice will carry our message to the Government of Canada. We need support in order to remain viable as an industry. Work with us to mobilize our followers and other event organizers. By using our combined networks and influence, we will have an impact.
More than 150 organizations are now involved, including some of Canada’s biggest race organizers such as Canada Running Series, Run Calgary, Run Ottawa, and organizations like Race Roster.
According to a press release sent by the CESA, they estimate that 65% of Canadian endurance events will not survive the pandemic, even with the current government support programs.
Many organizations have lost substantial revenue since March. And, as CESA points out in the video I embedded above, it’s not just the race organizations that are suffering: races support charities and the tourism and hospitality industries.
One of the key lines I’ve seen in their online campaigns has been “work together on the safe return to racing in 2021.”
What does that look like? I don’t think anyone knows at this point, but 2021 is going to be a tough year of figuring out how to be flexible while we see how the end of the pandemic rides out.
The message from the federal government is that they hope to have most Canadians vaccinated by September 2021, that still leaves nine months of uncertainty — and leaves race directors with difficult questions: do you plan for an in-person event in fall 2021 and hope the vaccine roll-out goes to plan? Or do you try to pivot again in 2021 with alternative programming and hope it’s enough?
Through the CESA, organizations will be able to support each other and share ideas and best practices while they figure it out.
If you’ve seen race arches on Instagram, with runners sharing what the sport means to them: that’s the #StartLineImpact campaign. 40 races across the country (and more around the world) raised their start lines for photo opportunities, but also to remind people that mass participation endurance sport events in Canada have not happened since the pandemic began in March.
“We want people to share their stories because we are trying to educate about the challenges organizers are facing but we are also asking participants to support us in other ways: support virtual races, get informed about what is happening in the industry, be an early adopter when races return and advocate for the safe return to racing, using #StartLineImpact,” Calgary Marathon race director and CESA member Kirsten Fleming told me via email.
Several elite Canadian runners have participated, voicing their support, such as Krista DuChene, Reid Coolsaet, Rachel Hannah, Lyndsay Tessier and Dayna Pidhoresky.
The campaign began on Dec. 2 and runs until Dec. 31.
The pandemic isn’t the only challenge facing the endurance sport industry, and I hope CESA can become a leader in forging change beyond COVID-19. Tackling diversity and inclusion in endurance events and how endurance events can help combat the climate crisis are two things that come to mind right away.
You can learn more about CESA on their website.
Four men run faster than the half-marathon world record at Valencia, and every race was was crazy fast
The Valencia marathon and half-marathon took place on Sunday, Dec. 6.
The only Canadian entrant, Evan Esselink, decided not to travel at the last minute, due to pandemic-induced travel issues.
Even without a Canadian contingent to cheer for, the events were all very exciting and very, very fast.
Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie set a new world record in the half marathon, running 57:32 - 30 seconds faster than the previous record.
In fact, the top four men in Valencia all ran under the previous world record: Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo finished second in 57:37, Rhonex Kipruto ran 57:49 to finish third in his debut at the distance and Kenyan Alexander Mutiso ran 57:59 for fourth.
Before Sunday, no one had run a half-marathon faster than 58 minutes. Now four men has done it — and they all accomplished it in the same race.
The women’s half-marathon was won by Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba. It was her first time racing the half-marathon distance, and she broke the tape in 65:18.
Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui was second in 65:39, and Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi was third in 65:51.
American Emily Sisson came within one second of the American half-marathon record (held by Emily’s training partner Molly Huddle), running 67:26. The time is a four-second personal best for Emily, who came into the race with the goal of running 1:07 flat.
The men’s marathon was won by Kenyan Evans Chebet, who ran a course record 2:03 flat. The time is the sixth fastest marathon ever.
Kenyan Lawrence Cherono, the reigning Boston marathon and Chicago marathon champion, came second in 2:03:04. Third place went to Ethiopian Birhanu Legese, who finished in 2:03:16.
The women’s marathon was won by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir, who ran the fifth fastest marathon time ever: 2:17:16. Peres set the women’s-only half-marathon record in October.
Joyciline Jepkosgei, the reigning New York City marathon champ, was second in 2:18:14. Helalia Johannes of Namibia finished third in 2:19:52.
American Jordan Hasay had a tough day, running 2:33:51, but on Instagram wrote that even thought it wasn’t her day, she was grateful for a healthy buildup and is looking forward to 2021.
Strides: other stuff to read, listen to & know about
🏆 Ben Flanagan won the South Carolina's Mortgage Network 1/2 Marathon this past weekend. He ran 1:03:19 to break the tape, which was his debut at the distance. The Canadian was the 2018 NCAA 10,000m champ. He current trains with the Reebok Boston Track Club, which includes fellow Canadian Justyn Knight.
🎧 Women Run Canada talked to Canadian steeplechaser Maria Bernard Galea. They talked about Maria’s time running at the University of British Columbia, qualifying for the Olympics in 2016 and pursuing that goal again for 2020/2021 and how she deals with injury and adversity in the sport.
🌟 World Athletics named Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis and Venezuelan triple jumper Yulimar Rojas as 2020’s athletes of the year. Mondo broke the world pole vault record several times this year and won all 16 of his meets, while Yulimar broke the indoor triple jump record, which was last broken 16 years ago.
📰 Doug Harrison at CBC Sports profiled Canadian 800m runner Marco Arop. Marco competed for Mississippi State University and recently turned pro. He won the PanAm Games gold medal in the 800m last summer. Marco talks about turning pro, working on his mental game and improving his physical strength, and how he still has lots of untapped potential: he didn’t start running seriously until he was 17 years old.He also talks about how his entire family contacted coronavirus, so he’s stayed in Mississippi to focus on his training, and will spend the holidays away from his family.
👶🏾 Aliphine Tuliamuk, the U.S. Olympic trials champion, announced she is expecting a baby in January. Aliphine talked about why she decided to start a family in the middle of the pandemic — and take time away from training for the Olympics — with Sports Illustrated and Women’s Running. Aliphine plans to be at the Olympics, which is six months after her baby will arrive.
That’s it for this week!
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Run the North comes out on Monday mornings.
I don’t know what next week’s issue will include, that’s the fun of writing a running newsletter in a pandemic. But there is some stuff to look forward to as we look towards the end of the of year. The Marathon Project is coming up on Dec. 20, I’ll recap 2020 after that.
And the first issue in 2021 will be the 100th issue of Run the North. I can’t believe it either.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Keep on running, stay safe and I’ll see you next week.