iRUN BIG LOVE DIGITAL ISSUE
MICHA POWELL
Micha Powell
Invites You onHer IncredibleJourney
Record-breaking sprinter eyes world records and a second trip to the Olympics but to get there, she’s loving the process and launching “On Track with Micha,” her new iRun podcast.
By Ben Kaplan. Photographs by Laura Proctor
Micha Powell is effervescent, fierce and transcendent. A world record holder in the 400m, Powell, 29, comes from track & field royalty, her parents are Olympians Rosey Odeh and Michael Powell, and the Canadian runner has packed more ups and downs into her young life than athletes twice her age. Through it all, Powell has retained a childlike enthusiasm for our sport that sustains her when success ebbs and fuels her when she’s on top of the world. Day in, day out, Powell keeps lacing up her shoes.
“I don’t think I could’ve lasted this long with seeing things as absolutes, life is more like an incredible journey,” says Powell, who not only trains fulltime but coaches a group of young athletes, teaches yoga at Oxygen Fitness and wrote the book Sprinting Through Setbacks. “I think through writing my book and putting myself out there, vulnerabilities and all, I’ve become a better coach, friend, athlete and daughter by focusing less on my results and more on how I feel. If you love what you’re doing you’ve already won.”
To be clear, Powell has loads of wins under her belt. A New Balance sponsored sprinter, Powell competed for Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games and still holds both the indoor and outdoor 400m record at the University of Maryland. In 2022, the Montreal-born, Toronto-based athlete ran in the third slot for Canada’s gold medal winning relay team at the Commonwealth Games and she has every intention of lowering the incredible 51.97 second PB she set in 2016 in the 400 metres. Competitively racing for thirteen years, Powell maintains an elite athlete’s workout regime and diet. Like us all, however, she still sometimes suffers from imposter syndrome and like us all, she’s learned how to pick herself back up when races don’t go her way. She missed out on the Paris Olympics this summer and lost her funding in 2019. Running hasn’t always given her flowers.
“If you love what you’re doing you’ve already won.”
Staying power
“Self-doubt has even led me to consider quitting running—the highs are so high that success can become wrapped up into your identity,” Powell says, adding that these feelings are completely transferable to us middle-of-the-pack racers, joggers who run to complete their first half marathon or fight for a PB, only to see that their goals were too lofty or simply things didn’t go right on race day. For Powell, moving past these self-imposed obstacles and finding the joy in the training has been as meaningful as the accolades she continues to seek on the track. Running, she says, is a tool for her personal development and in addition to a podium appearance in Tokyo, she also wants to reach people with her message. Success, even in sport, doesn’t have to be as binary as wins and losses. It’s a continuum, an opportunity, a chance to form good habits and relationships, work hard and love yourself. Powell spent a lifetime equating personal happiness to performance. She performs better, she’s learned, when happiness is something she doesn’t need results to achieve.
“I’ve learned so much about myself and tried hard to get a sense of the big picture and that’s ultimately what I think I have to share with my audience: how to have a healthy approach to your races,” says Powell, who’s become an in-demand public speaker with her message of self-reliance and empowerment. “I see myself going after the 2028 Olympics, but I know to get there I need to approach the journey holistically, which means taking care of my mental health. At this point in my career, I think a lot about how to give back to my community.”
“On Track with Micha,” her new podcast launching today, is part of this community outreach and the show is energetic, inspiring and a great resource for runners looking to navigate the holidays with a coach, friend, and an Olympic teammate to help us achieve our goals in the new year. Sponsored by New Balance and Athletic Brewing, a non-alcoholic beer we’ll be working with for Dry January, “On Track with Micha” blends education, entertainment and inspiration to provide a friendly and trustworthy coaching voice in listener’s daily routines with prizing and weekly goal-setting. The podcast creates a positive atmosphere and daily challenges that will recreate the experience of inhabiting Micha’s world. At iRun, we couldn’t be happier to have Micha as part of the team and we look forward to not only rooting her on this year, but having her root all of us on, too.
“I want everyone to think of me as an extension of their journey and as someone who can help provide accountability and motivation and become not only a coach, but a friend,” says Powell, who will provide daily challenges to keep runners engaged through the tricky holiday season. With New Balance and Athletic Brewing providing prizes and Powell providing inspiration, the new podcast is a timely remedy for those holiday blues. “I want listeners to have fun and achieve these mini-challenges so their small wins in December and January add up to their big goals this spring,” says Powell. “We’re building this community together of warriors that will keep showing up and pushing their limits—then translate those skills into every aspect of their life.”
“On Track with Micha,” airs new episodes every Friday through December and then Monday through Friday throughout January. The show will air on iRun.ca and on Powell’s own social media channels, @michajadapowell. To listen to “On Track with Micha,” episode 1, please click here.
“Running shoes can take you all over the world, all over your own community—and they can bring you home.”
Valerio rose to fame with her blog, Fatgirlrunning. She’s written a memoir, A Beautiful Work in Progress, and maintains an active social media presence as the Mirnavator. She’s a teacher, a coach, an ultrarunner, a speaker, a DEI practitioner, an athlete, a brand ambassador for numerous global brands, a wife and a mother.
In her experience as a run coach, Valerio talks about the students who came to running because they had never done a sport before, or they weren’t good enough at another sport. They showed up to run and left feeling empowered. “That’s the effect of seeing a person running who doesn’t fit that stereotypical idea of what a runner is,” Valerio says. “And then knowing they could also do that in whatever body they had and whatever their life experiences were, whatever their athletic experiences were—they could do that. Just seeing somebody out there is very important. You tell them your story and you give them a piece of yourself. You pass on that excitement about moving your body in whatever way you can.”
She’s been the recipient of unkind comments from others more than once—people who look at her and think she has a particular set of health issues going on because of her size or the shape of her body. While it’s angering and hurtful, she focuses on her joy for what she gets to do. “I love getting out there and running,” she says. “I’m so grateful to move my body, to be out in nature and to feel the air against my face—that hasn’t changed since the beginning.”
Valerio has bold aspirations when asked who she hopes to inspire: “Everybody!” she says. “Whoever needs it. And also people who think they don’t need it. Some people think there is only one kind of body that runs—those kinds of people need to see me too, people who have these preconceived notions about what a body should look like or what a body should aspire to.”
Her hope for our sport is that more people will discover running as a way of life and how much better they can feel about themselves when they challenge themselves physically and mentally. She wants more people to experience joy and freedom in their body and spirit through movement, and to see the way it lifts their mood and connects them to their bodies. “We’re losing touch with our own self and the rest of humanity. I think running and doing something so visceral and so animalistic will connect us with our own humanity.’
Valerio is adamant that representation matters. Former students and colleagues used to see her out running and asked to run with her. Some expressed that they didn’t know that people of their size could run. Running might be the simple act of showing up for herself, Valerio says, but the side benefit is the representation.
My conversation with Valerio was filled with laughter, but also moments of profound insight. To those who might be afraid to take up space in the run community, or who let fear stop them from calling themselves a runner, the Mirnavator says to let fear be the catalyst. Put yourself out there with fear on one shoulder and ‘I’m just going to do this’ on the other. Even if you’re afraid, you do it anyway. It’s a practice that teaches you to build up confidence from your experience.
So go meet your heroes, if you get the chance, and maybe you’ll find they’re as joy-filled and values-driven as the Mirnavator.
The 2024 iRun Golden Sneaker Awards
Each year, readers tell us their favourites products, places and people in the running universe; these are the Golden Sneaker Awards, and these are year champions of the year
You saw it at the races and felt it on the streets: ASICS had achieved running brand supremacy. This year, the sneaker behind the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon released twenty different shoes and their bright yellow colour scheme from their META SPEED line were practically tattooed to Canadian podiums. Readers chose ASICS for the second consecutive year as Brand of the Year and cited consistency, value, innovation and good brand ethics as hallmarks of the company. ASICS spent the past year not only touting the importance of women in sport and good green practices but also putting their money where their slogan is: the company commissioned Move Her Mind, the largest ever global study on the gender exercises gap and achieved a 29.8% rate of carbon dioxide reductions. In all, from their GEL-KAYANO 31 to the METASPEED SKY, the NOVABLAST to GEL-NIMBUS and, of course, the blazing fast META SPEED SKY PARIS, the most coveted shoe of the year, ASICS proved yet again that the company started in 1949 in Japan remains dominant as your Brand of the Year.
All year round we work hard for race day and, when the day finally comes, we want to put ourselves in the best possible position to succeed. Readers chose the Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 by Saucony as their Performance Race Shoe of the Year. Light, quick, responsive—weighing less than 200 grams—the Endorphin Pro 4 has a full carbon plate and industry-disrupting midsole fusing two new technologies, which makes it pop off the ground like a firework. Innovative and efficient, propulsive and comfortable (even out of the box so as not to waste precious kilometres on off days), the Endorphin Pro 4 is a beast—your 2024 Performance Race Shoe of the Year.
2024 was the year Strava became ubiquitous, from something that some runners had to the tool used by coaches across the country to monitor their athletes and post training routes. Malindi Elmore, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, posted her marathon run on Strava and athletes from university standouts to middle of the pack joggers training for their first 5K all enhanced their running with Strava, the running app that now counts 100 million users in 195 countries as users. Look, the last thing we want is to recommend more screen time, but iRun Nation spoke loudly: Strava is the running app of the year.
By Karen Kwan
This year, runners got a new Abbott World Marathon Major. If you’ve always wanted to visit Australia, the TCS Sydney Marathon joined the ranks of New York, Boston, Chicago, London, Berlin and Tokyo as the seventh World Major Marathon. Soaking up the beauty of Sydney as you run 42.2 kilometres is unparalleled, with all of the major city landmarks along the route, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour and Sydney Opera House. Sydney Marathon race director Wayne Larden says, “The Sydney Opera House finish line is probably the most spectacular, beautiful and most memorable finish line of any marathon in the world.” For the complete story, click here.
Q
Today, we’re answering the question, “What type of cross-training is best for my off-season?”
Is HOKA even still new? It says something about the venerable running shoe category forever dominated by the likes of Nike, New Balance and ASICS that Hoka, launched in 2009, still seems like the new kid on the block. The pioneering innovators of super-foam fits, Hoka had another massive year in 2024 and introduced its popular Mach X 2 in the fall. At this point, Hoka has something for every runner: carbon-plated speed shoes, easy kilometre eaters and comfortable shoes with elongated midsoles that are still favoured by frontline workers and nurses. We asked readers what new shoe brand they tried this year and a resounding 32% chose Hoka. It’s a shoe now for both elite runners and middle-of-the-pack thrill seekers and if you still haven’t tried Hoka, they won’t remain the Most Popular New Shoe of 2024, for long.
What do we look for in our heroes? “Authenticity” was the answer in 2024 as Natasha Wodak, publicly documenting her journey to Paris, never turned away from the cameras when she didn’t meet her goal. Attempting to reach the Olympic standard at 41—for the third time—Wodak made repeated efforts to run under 2:26:50, a time she had bettered in the past (Wodak is Canada’s all-time fastest marathon runner). In the end, Wodak didn’t reach her goal, and was heartbroken. But rather than disappear quietly from centrestage, instead Wodak won the Canadian Marathon championships at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon in October and even commented on the women’s marathon at the Olympics for the CBC. Heroes are people who do the impossible. Sometimes the impossible thing is taking disappointment in stride and showing the world how to gracefully move on: Natasha Wodak, T-Fierce, your 2024 Golden Sneaker Award winner for Runner of the Year.
The watch category has gotten increasingly crowded with both Apple and Google making smart watches that not only track pace and distance, but also metrics like heart rate and sleep. Still, Garmin reigns supreme in the hearts of iRun Nation as a whopping 60% of our readers picked the Fenix 7 Pro as their wearable watch of the year. To be sure, the Fenix 7 Pro—with a built-in flashlight and charge that lasts for 22 days—is a premium running wristwatch. The lens is solar-charging, the metrics are nuts—the VO2 max metre will help determine your hill strength—and the memory is intense: all of your metrics are stored so that the computer can analyze your training, calibrating your goals. Equal parts time piece, run coach, super computer and fashion statement, the Fenix 7 Pro is the latest Garmin iteration that proves even as the field of running wristwatches gets crowded, it’s hard to knock off the champs.
The Run Coach Corner with Lauren Roberts, PT, the Running Physio
Each week, we’ll answer your burning questions! Injury, training, shoewear recommendations, tummy troubles - nothing is off the table.
Lauren says: Let’s first define “cross-training,”, or “XT.” For runners doing a repetitive motion over and over again, cross-training is essentially any type of exercise or movement that isn’t running. This can include cycling, yoga, pilates, elliptical, swimming, or strength training.
It has been documented that adding 1-2 days of cross-training during your season can potentially decrease likelihood of injury, probably because you are using different muscles and motor patterns than you are in running and therefore decreasing the chance of injuring those muscles or tendons. However, in the off-season, it’s important to ask yourself what the purpose of your cross-training should be.
To improve performance or running economy, your best bet is a periodized 12-week strength program that focuses on high-load and low-rep lower body exercises and explosive plyometrics. Examples of these exercises include:
Squats
Leg curls
Calf raises
Hurdle hops
Bounding
For runners who haven’t done a lot of previous strength training, the effects of these exercises will be much more prevalent than in someone who routinely strength trains. This means that if you are a newer runner, you can almost certainly expect improvements by the spring. Alternatively, if you’re a little more seasoned in the weight room, you should focus on improving your max explosive power to crush your PB.
A word of caution - activities like yoga or stretch classes can feel really great, but are often poor choices. Healthy, speedy runners actually have slightly “stiffer” tissues. A pilates or reformer class can often be a wiser choice if you’re looking for a similar energy, as these classes are much more strength focussed without the end-range muscle strain.
Happy strengthening!
Q
Let’s also examine: Is a running analysis really worth the money?
Lauren says: In the world of running, progress is all about understanding what’s working and what’s not. This is where running analysis—an examination of your technique, form, and performance data—comes in. By taking a closer look at the way you run, you can find key insights that may help you run faster, longer, and with fewer injuries. But is it actually worth it?
Running analysis is much more than just tracking miles or minutes. It’s a detailed look at biomechanics—such as foot strike, stride length, cadence, and posture—as well as strength, flexibility, and alignment. Whether done through high-speed video, wearable tech, or force plate sensors, the goal is to identify subtle issues that might be slowing you down or putting you at risk for injury.
Where things get a little complicated is in understanding that there is no one universal “right” way to run, and many successful pro athletes often exhibit “less than perfect” form.
Our bodies are amazing things. They are able to adapt to all different types of movements and exercises gradually, over time. Regardless of your form, if you are following a structured training plan, rotating running shoes, and including a form of cross-training, your odds of injury are decreased and you will continue to gradually get faster over time. However, if you are suffering from frequent injury or a plateau in performance, it’s highly likely that something in your form is contributing.
Regardless of form, there are biomechanical inefficiencies like over-striding that can lead to joint stress and poor energy return. An analysis can reveal these patterns, helping you make tweaks to optimize efficiency, without fully overhauling your form. Even small adjustments, like slightly shortening your stride, can make a big difference in both comfort and speed.
For injury-prone runners, analysis is invaluable. Certain imbalances, such as weak glutes or tight calves, can cause repeated strain on specific joints or muscles. By pinpointing these weak spots, you can add targeted strength and mobility exercises to your routine, reducing your risk of injury.
The best part? Running analysis isn’t just for elite athletes. In fact, beginner runners are perfect candidates as it is easier to develop good habits earlier in your running journey. But, be mindful that the clinic you visit has physiotherapists, chiropractors, or kinesiologists who are properly trained on working with runners as this is a specific skill set that not all practitioners receive in school. Be sure they ask you questions about your running mileage, goals, and recovery strategies as these are all crucial parts of staying healthy!
In the end, running analysis is about maximizing your body’s potential, one stride at a time. By embracing a science-backed approach, you’re not only setting yourself up for faster times but a safer, healthier running journey.
Got a question you want Lauren to answer? Email us at ben@irun.ca to be featured!
Lauren Roberts is a Registered Physiotherapist, Clinic Owner of The Running Physio and Run Program Director at Athlete’s Care. She has been training clinicians and working with runners looking to treat injury and improve their performance since 2016. She can be reached at lauren@therunningphysio.ca.
The 2024 Year of Running in Review
iRun crunches the number of Canada at the Races
I’m shocked that it actually happened, and enormously grateful for the support of so many that helped make it possible, including my wife and family, my fellow runners—especially those I coach, and my sponsor New Balance, too.
This season was most definitely a “purple patch” for me: I won the Canadian 10K (50-54) Championships in June, ran my best ever marathon in Berlin (2:42) after turning 55, and then capped it off with this Canadian Half Marathon record.
It’s often said that great masters runners come from one of two camps:
-
truly phenomenal younger runners who just never stop training/racing, or:
-
“late bloomers,” who only discover their talent later in life (perhaps switching over from another sport), and have the benefit of “fresh legs” to pursue it with.
I come from neither. Never a Canadian champion/Olympic level runner in my youth, and never stopped striving to find a way to run ever since. That said: why is this anything more than “pretty-old-runner-runs-pretty-fast” self-indulgent musing?
Well, my wish is that this can serve as a beacon of hope to those runners who experience setbacks, injuries, disappointment, and despair in their own running pursuits. It’s a powerful example of what can happen when you never, never, never give up. Why? Let me tell you a story. My story.
In my teens, I was a burgeoningly talented runner, but suffered a horrible injury at 17 which stopped me from running even a step for over four years. All that time though, as I busied myself with other pursuits and endeavors, I always considered myself “a non-practicing runner,” and kept striving to find a way back. I finally did, just a year before graduating university, and within a year was running as well as ever—and loving running even more.
But then in my 20s, I struggled with more injuries while trying to move up from the 10K to the half marathon. At one point I was told by the head physiotherapist at a highly-regarded sports medicine facility, that due to my unfortunate biomechanics and skeletal-muscular alignment that not only should I stop running now, but that I never should have started in the first place.
I went home stunned. But the very next day, I decided I’d show them: not only would I run a half marathon, I’d become a marathoner. Well, it ended up taking eight years—fifteen consecutive failed seasons—before I successfully made it to the finish line of my first marathon.
Though I had a few more rough years of injuries in my late 30s, as I approached my fortieth birthday, I experienced an epiphany which altered the trajectory of my running life. By fundamentally changing the way I led my physical daily life when not running, I was able to greatly reduce the incidence, frequency and duration of my injury bouts, and became consistently one of Canada’s best masters runners for the next ten years.
However, like sugarplum fairies, visions of Canadian records continued to dance through my head. Every time I got close to achieving one, I just missed. It was like a mirage—tantalizingly close, yet seemingly unattainable.
I kept on falling and rising, making mistakes and learning, losing confidence that I’d ever do it, and gaining it back. But throughout it all, I was developing approaches to setback-proof my injury prone body, one injury at a time. And finally, I achieved a level of consistency with these daily regimens that has resulted in this breakthrough level of performance. At Marathon Dynamics, the run training and coaching company I founded over 25 years ago, we have packaged these regimens into time-effective, flexible routines with names like “Running Health Insurance,” “Hip SMURF,” “600 Ups,” “Foot Fitness,” and “Run-Specific Strength Training.”
Simply put: if you work them, they work for you. To prove it, I’ve recorded it on Strava daily—perhaps annoyingly to those who follow me (sorry!). Whether you go back three weeks, three months or three years, you’ll always see these “supporting cast” activities consistently maintained in my training log—without fail, 50+ weeks a year. That is what turned the most injured runner in Canada into a Canadian Masters Record Holder. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t got it all figured out. Not even close. I’m still learning. About running, and about myself, every day. But that’s what’s so interesting, inspiring, and exciting for me, and why I’m still so passionate about running and coaching. As far as I’m concerned, we’re just getting started. Let’s GO!
$12.9-billion
Estimated value of the 2024 running shoe market in North America
51
Number of 2024 Marathons in Canada
In Canada, Total Number of Marathon Finishers
41,382
29,529
Number of Marathon Finishers in Canada in 2023
Is the 2024 Number of Canadian Marathon Finishers a Record?
YES!
35
Place Malindi Elmore finished at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games
Elmore’s Age
44
6,268
Number of Marathon Finishers at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, the Largest Marathon in the Country
Percentage of Marathon Finishers that were Male
69.26%
6,071
Number of Marathon Finishers at the BMO Vancouver Marathon, Canada’s Second Largest Marathon
Consecutive Years Running of the Servus Calgary Marathon, Canada’s Longest Running Marathon
61
7,399
Number of Finishers at 2024 Tamarack Ottawa Marathon’s 5K, Largest 5K in the Country
Percentage of 5K Finishers that were Female
56.63%
$500
Price of the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1
521
Number of Available Pairs That Went On-Sale Before the Berlin Marathon
9 hours, 30 minutes
Time it took to sell-out Vancouver’s First Half
$100,000,000+
Amounts of Money Raised at North American Road Races for Charity in 2024
165,000
Number of Runners who Applied for Bibs to the TCS New York City Marathon
50,000
Number of Runners Able to Participate in the Event
88
Age of Garth Barfoot, Oldest Person to Run a Marathon in 2024
Two in Five
Number of Girls Reported that comments about their Appearance, Clothing, or Religious Attire Impact their Participation in Sport
11 hours, 23 minutes, 49 seconds
Barfoot’s Finishing Time at the TCS New York City Marathon
Half
Number of Girls Surveyed that Feel Inspired by Coaches and Role Models who Represent their Diverse Backgrounds
“Ribbon skirts give us a sense of pride.”
Diane Simon is a Mi’kmaw runner and home designer and her take on ribbon running skirts is a tribute to her First Nations heritage and bringing much needed visibility to our sport
By Ben Kaplan
Diane Simon recognized that the Toronto Marathon this year was being held on the National Day of Awareness for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and wanted to use that race to make a statement. Simon, working with Native Women Running and Robyn Michaud, a vocal, active member of Toronto’s running and Indigenous communities, decided to make running skirts that celebrated their culture. The whole point was to show the world they were here.
“We want to increase visibility of Native women because at so many of these places like road running events we don’t have any space,” says Simon, who produced a dozen hand-made skirts worn by Indigenous female runners on race day. “I always say running is medicine. It helps mental health, physical health and emotional well-being and I think races need to work with the local Indigenous community to become more inviting.”
Simon says the skirts—colourful cotton fabric interstitched with bright satin ribbons—are a symbol of Native culture that helps her community feel welcomed at events not necessarily catering to her people. Some races have done drum circles before the event, and sometimes there’s land acknowledgments before the race, but Simon wants to see actions, not gestures for Indigenous people. “As races evolve and develop, there needs to be real reconciliation and reciprocity and space held for Indigenous participants,” Simon says, recommending bib allotments for Indigenous communities, targeted, intentional Indigenous charity drives, and community outreach to let all community members feel part of the running world.
“It also shows our own community that we’re part of this running thing so come join us—together, we can create safe, healthy spaces.”
“The running community is so supportive, but it’s an intimidating place to step into if you're not part of it which is why we felt good about wearing the ribbon run skirts—wearing our skirts while running shows everyone that we’re here,” she says. “It also shows our own community that we’re part of this running thing so come join us—together, we can create safe, healthy spaces.”
Patty Dillon (nee Lyons), Simon’s auntie, was an elite runner who finished second at the Boston Marathon three times and of course running owes a great debt to Tom Longboat, the revolutionary Onondaga runner who was the world’s most dominant distance runner for much of his career. Despite these groundbreaking stars, however, Indigenous runners still haven’t received their due and Simon, a marathon runner, wants to see this change. Today.
“Because Patty’s my auntie I grew up knowing long distance running was possible, but she’s not given the same attention as other women runners from back then and we need to do a better job of promoting the leaders in our community,” says Simon, who gifts her running skirts as-of-yet not-for-sale to celebrate the female Indigenous runners blazing new trails.
“Down the road, having an Indigenous-led race would be beautiful, but until then, we’ll do everything in our power to increase visibility,” says Simon. “All sorts of barriers still exist for Indigenous people, but working collectively alongside groups like Native Women Running, we can hopefully alleviate some of that, at least in the sport we all love.”
59.29%
Percentage of Half Marathon Finishers that were Female at Melissa’s Half Road Race in Banff National Park, the Highest Percentage of Female Finishers of Any 2024 Canadian Half Marathon
Dare to Dream. But Do To Achieve.
Finally, after over forty years of running, a Canadian (55+) half marathon record of 1:15:42. Bettering the previous mark that stood for 28 years.
By Kevin Smith
$17.1-billion
Estimate of the North American running shoe market by 2032
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Thank you for reading our December issue and happy holidays to you and yours. We sincerely appreciate each and every one of you and love making this magazine for you.
Cheering you on towards your big goals in 2025 is our pleasure, and working together to highlight the best shoes, stories, recipes and training techniques to create a supportive, healthy environment for all runners is our joy. As always, iRun is free, and if there’s anyone you think would value this content, please add them to our subscriber list.
May we all find new finish lines.
Mirna Valerio is (joyfully) Breaking Stereotypes
By Teresa Baerg
The adage that says you should never meet your heroes doesn’t apply when it comes to meeting Mirna Valerio.
She’s got this magnetic energy (let’s call it joy) that draws you in and makes you feel like you’re already friends, that you can skip the small talk and get right to the good stuff.
Valerio, more commonly known as the Mirnavator because of the way she motivates and inspires people to get outside and move their bodies in any way they love, is a force for joy. She’s authentic, pragmatic and tends to break out into song or laughter in the middle of an interview.
“The simple act of me showing up for myself and going outside and doing a run or going to the gym and getting on the treadmill and running, doing it in the way that I needed to and that I wanted to, that’s a very powerful thing,” she says.
I’ve been a fan of the Mirnavator since I first discovered her delightful online presence (@themirnavator) many years ago. I’ve now learned that we’re more alike than different and that we move through the world and express our values in similar ways.
I had the chance to meet Valerio when she visited Toronto to speak at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon expo in October. We connected over our mutual roles as lululemon run ambassadors. Our larger-than-life-size photos just happen to share wall space at my local store, where I represent my local run community and she represents the global run community.
“Running makes you stronger in all different kinds of ways,” she says. “Running shoes give you protection, they give you movement, they give you satisfaction, a reason to live, a reason to be with others and a lot of people have lost that. Get a pair of running shoes. They can absolutely change your life and make it better.”
It’s a privilege to share the essence and the lessons of this woman who’s been breaking stereotypes for years and unabashedly sharing her life with her online and offline audiences all over the world. She’s proof that there are many roads to fitness and being fit doesn’t look only one way.