The catchphrase of Roar, a newly released training
book by Dr. Stacy T. Sims, is simple but compel-
ling: women are not small men. In making this
statement, Sims addresses a gap in both exercise
physiology research as well as athletic literature –
targeted exploration of the female athlete.
Female athletes often suffer from a lack of
information with regards to how hormone levels
(including those enhanced by various birth
control methods), menstrual cycles, pregnancy
and menopause impact their training. “Can you
let me know when you’re on your period?” is a
question that few coaches pose to their female
athletes, likely from a combination of lack of
unawareness of training impacts and plain old
awkwardness. Sims’s book, though thoroughly
scientific, is written accessibly and leaves the
reader wondering, ‘How have I been running this
long and not known this?’
Sims does not shy away from other oft-ignored
issues t hat may resonate w it h fema le at hletes, such
as body image struggles, disordered eating and thefemale-athlete triad. Using the daily food journals
of athletes who she has personally coached, Sims
points out where and when women often go wrong,
offering example days that readers may follow
along with in their own life.
With recipes, injury-prevention exercises, meal
plans, biohacking tips (hello branched-chain
amino acids) and more, there is no area of advice
for the female athlete that Sims leaves undiscussed.
It is a book that female runners will want on their
shelf to reference again and again, no matter their
age or training intensity. If I were the supreme ruler
of the universe, I’d make it mandatory reading for
all high school and university level cross-country
and track coaches.
One need look no further than Team Canada’s
performance at the Rio Olympics to know that
female athletes are kicking butt everyday. Finally,
there’s a book that communicates and celebrates
the innate difference of the female athlete from her
male counterpart and says “girls, it’s not unladylike
to roar.”–CFRoar
Dr. Stacy T. Sims
Rodale Press
2016
she was two years old and she says she gets great satisfaction from
helping someone with no vision at all achieve so much. For Carolyn,
the shared accomplishments she and Maria have also stand out.
Carolyn recalls the two of them setting the Boston Marathon as an
eventual target race for their team and together, they achieved it.
So, what does it take to be a successful VI/B runner or guide? All
three of these athletes agree that there are two important keys to
success: communication and trust. When it comes to communica-
tion, the basics involve the guide verbally alerting the athlete to
curbs, potholes, paper cups and slippery conditions at water stations,
changes in running surfaces, sharp turns and narrow passages. This
sounds easy enough, but if you think about doing this for an entire
marathon, while exerting yourself, trying to hydrate and attempting
to achieve a goal, the challenge becomes obvious.
It is recommended that a guide run with a V I/ B runner who has a
slightly slower pace than their own. Think about the conversational
tone you want to be able to achieve in a long slow run. Guiding also
requires you to be mentally alert so that you can keep your focus on
the safety of your athlete. If you are pushing your own physical limits,
that can be difficult to do. You will need the extra pace margin to do
this job well and keep the communication coming for your athlete
partner. In addition, a guide must be prepared to stand up for their
athlete in all cases. Words are not the only communication that’s
needed sometimes. When an unexpected event comes up on the
course, it’s understood that the guide always has permission to phys-
ically grab the athlete’s arm at the last moment to ensure their safety.
Communication is also required for scheduling training runs and
co-ordinating race starts. Maria points to the need for mutual respect
in the scheduling aspect of training and is extremely grateful to her
guides for their f lexibility. Doug and Carolyn note that the race start
is especially challenging for V I/ B runners and guides. Every runner
knows that a race start is a loud and chaotic environment. With little
opportunity for verbal communication, the guide needs to make
people aware that there is a V I/ B athlete there and make some space
for themselves. Carolyn and Maria often begin a race holding hands
or with Carolyn guiding Maria’s elbow, moving to the tether once
they get a little space around them.
In addition to communication, trust is the other important factor
in V I/ B running and guiding. Doug recalls his most memorable
moment as a running guide. “I met an athlete that was going to run
for the first time.” She was blind and had never had a guide or left her
cane before. “We went to leave her house for a short run-walk, and
she was going to bring her cane with her,” Doug remembers. “I told
her she could leave it behind. The freedom she felt when she got out
and was running while only holding a string brought her to tears. It
required her to have a great deal of trust in a complete stranger to do
something she had never done before.”
If you’re interested in VI/B running or becoming a guide, there
are many ways to get involved. Achilles Canada is a long standing
non-profit organization that supports people with disabilities to
participate in running. They are always looking for volunteers and
sponsors to support their efforts. There is also new organization called
United in Stride. It was established in 2015 by the Massachusetts
Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (mabvi) and it has
international reach. Their website has a tool uniting runners who are
blind or visually impaired with sighted guides in Canada and the U.S.
There are also many local adaptive sport groups that have programs
for V I/ B runners, such as the Whistler Adaptive Sports program in
B.C. and Blind Sports Nova Scotia.
Several larger marathons have added V I/ B divisions in recent
years. These inclusions enable VI/B athletes to compete with others
in an environment that recognizes their abilities. Simply contact
your local race director to f ind out if your favourite race has a division
and ask well in advance how you can participate. Many races need
running guides close to the race date, but it is encouraged to do some
training with the VI/B runner in advance so that you can work on the
communication, cues and trust that are so integral to this unique and
rewarding experience.Karen Principato is a writer and runner living in Claremont, Ont.A Matter of Trust
Continued from p.45
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