Category: Personal Development
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Weekly Newsletter: Giving yourself an off-season
Last Sunday, I concluded my season with a historic half marathon (literally called the Historic Half Marathon). I think I’ve often looked at this year’s races as somewhere within the ‘B’ tier, with no standout results, no podium finishes and no ‘A+’ days. I’m inevitably hungry for what’s to come in 2026 and to put…
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Historic Half Marathon – Race Recap
I don’t know what it is with my body. Why it always chooses the week of a race to get sick. Racing while sick isn’t easy, but I also need to get better at being uncomfortable. Here is what I learned from Vancouver’s Historic Half Marathon.
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Dancing in the storm
It’s been over a year now in B.C., and almost two since the reason I’m really here. And it forever feels difficult feeling like most of that has been thrown behind either in pursuit and prioritization of the efforts I put into my work in Ontario at the time, or after it inevitably ended so…
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Weekly Newsletter: My favourite workouts of 2025
As the year starts to come to a close, I reflect upon my favourite workouts of 2025.
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Weekly Newsletter – The biggest lesson I learned each year on the trails
As another year of training racing starts to approach its end, I reflect on the biggest lessons I’ve learned in each of my years in the sport of trail running so far!
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Weekly Newsletter – The best reflective exercise I do before every race
This exercise works in written form for those that enjoy writing or journaling like me, but it can also simply be done as a visualization exercise.
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Ultra-Trail Harricana 28K Recap – I don’t hold hands
When it comes to trail running, I don’t hold hands. It sounds lovely and sportsmanlike, and all. But I much prefer to fight to the death. And I had so much fun doing so this weekend at the Ultra-Trail Harricana 28K!
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My recipe for a good race
Last year, I arrived at the UTHC 42K Classique with a nagging knee injury, but in one of the most pressure-free states of my adult life. It was one of my best races ever. I now reflect upon how I can produce more races like this in the future, including my return to Harricana this…
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Weekly Newsletter – The mentalities of the top trail runners in the world
When things happen in races that you can’t control, you need to stay present, and continue fighting the smart fight. This is what separates the top 1% from the top 0.1%.
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Weekly Newsletter – Training (and recovering!) with a busy lifestyle
I know you’re checking the box when it comes to training! But are you checking the box when it comes to recovery? Here’s what you need to consider in order to recover properly within your busy lifestyle!
Rhys Desmond 