BACK RIVER

• Where do you live and train?   I live in Toronto with my son, I train at a number of venues, including (a) Milton for hill repeats, long road runs and trails, (b) Trans Canada Trail for long tempo / pace running, (c) Collingwood for high mileage weeks, running the Collingwood/ Niagara Escarpment ,local trail system and at Wasaga Beach.

• What type of races do you prefer?  My preferred event is the Half Marathon

• Which results are you most proud of to date? List your best 3 or 4 results as well.  My best performance prior to coming to Canada was second place (1:12.51) in the Paris Half Marathon in 2001. Since coming to Canada, my best year has been 2009 when I won the SPORTING LIFE 10 km.- top Canadian (33:59.6) and the Montreal Half Marathon (1:16.20). In 2005, I ran a very easy 2:51 to win the London, ON Marathon. This year, I won both the CANADARUNNINGSERIES Championship (I was defending champion from 2008) and the Niagara Running Series Championship (previously won the championship in 2006).

• Which Back River products are you using (brand and model)? (a) Feetures! Socks - I have used them for three years and they are excellent, durable, wash well and don't cause blisters even when wet; (b) EASSUN SPORTS GLASSES - they provide clear vision and good contrast while running, especially important on varied terrain. They fit my face / nose very well. I find them comfortable to wear while running and "they make me look good".

• What would you most like to accomplish athletically presently and/or long-term? My goals are that I'd like to run next year's World Half Marathon Championships and compete at the London Olympics for Canada.

• Best advice you have ever received from a fellow athlete or non-athlete?  As athletes, we all agree that hard work, eating well and SLEEP are the most important. I've had to learn that the recovery work has to be proportional to the training load.
• Non-athletes have always encouraged me to have faith in my abilities, that it is never too late and to never give up. I feel responsible to those people who continue to support me because I feel that they wish to share in my success, because I can do something that they cannot.

• What inspires you?  My faith has inspired me to keep going in spite of all the challenges I've had here in Canada.