The intent of this section is to shine a light on the local running scene, and to share the wisdom that already exists in Lloydminster’s vibrant running community. ‘
Featured Runners will be updated periodically and showcase runners of various experience and skill level. If you would like to suggest a runner or volunteer yourself please contact us here.
Lloydminster Runner Kimberly Englot
How long have you lived in Lloydminster? I have lived in Lloydminster 7 years.
Bio: Right now I’m a stay-at-home mom to the best little boys I could have asked for. Finlay is 6 and Samson is 4 and we live in College Park. My husband is an engineer. Previously I was a writer and life coach, though I’ve also worked in the school system in Saskatchewan as a counsellor. I have a B.A,majoring in Psychology, from the U of R and I grew up on a farm in southeast Saskatchewan.
I am a type A so most of my other hobbies relate to running and health. I do lots of reading and research on nutrition and the best way to fuel my running.
I started back running with Couch to 5k 2 years ago, with the goal of running the 5 km in the Saskatchewan Marathon.I ended up having surgery on the veins in my legs 6 weeks before, so I was laid up for quite a while and lost some of my training fitness BUT having that race and not doing as well as I knew I could have really lit a fire in me to keep going. I signed up for 5 more races that year and did pretty well.
This year I decided that in addition to running my first Half Marathon, I would run 1000 miles through the I <3toRun app/program. Again, life kept me humble. I managed almost 600 miles by May and then I sprained my ankle. A few weeks later, my 10 km at the Sask Marathon was surprisingly good but I had done some damage to my aerobic fitness and I had problems with my hip.
I was totally burnt out and my Half at the end of June was a disaster that had me thinking I should give up running.The day after the Half, I collected myself and stopped wallowing and realized that running wasn’t as much about race times as it was about real life benefits. This summer, I was able to do a 5 km hike up a small mountain in Jasper, with my 4 year old on my back in a carrier. In fact, all summer I spent a lot of energy holding at least one kid while and hiking and climbing, and I wasn’t out of breath or sore.
Running gave me that, there is no way I could have done that a few years ago.
It is an amazing sport that doesn’t get enough credit and I owe running a lot of my happiness and spark for life.
How many years have you been running? I have run on and off for the last 15 years but I’ve been the most serious about it for the last 2 years.
How many KM per week do you run? I average about 40 km most weeks. I have been as high as 70 when I was training for my Half Marathon but it was too much and led to a sprained ankle and over-training that sabotaged my summer and fall.
What is your favorite distance? I love the 10 km. I also really enjoy some of the smaller 5 km races that Saskatoon offers. Brainsport (Running store in Saskatoon) is really awesome for its small charity races that are spread throughout the year.
I am big on following a training plan,I prefer structure to my running so when I have a goal race I follow what the plan suggests and most weeks end up with 2 interval/speed work days, a long run and 3 recovery runs.
What is your tentative 2019 race schedule? This is a hard question! I have a list of races I would like to run, and then what I will actually be able to fit in. My ideal race calendar would look like this:
- Jan 1. Resolution Run
- March 8. Brainsport Brainfreeze
- May. Saskatchewan Marathon (probably the 10 km)
- September. Queen City Marathon, Scribbly Challenge (5km Friday and probably 10km on Sunday. Maybe the Half)
- September. EY River Run in Saskatoon
- November. Brainsport Gingerbread Fun Run
The races I run every year are the main events in Saskatchewan: the Sask Marathon and The Queen City Marathon.
What got you into running? I wanted to get back into shape and lose some weight after having kids. Running is the easiest and cheapest way to get started since all you really need is a little spare time and some shoes. I kept running because of the desire to see improvement in my race times, the discipline it provide sand the stress relief.
There were days when I just needed to blow off steam away from my family. I could go out, run around the neighborhood and come back sweaty and feeling better. Or start my morning in the quiet and watch the sun come up. Last year was my first winter running outside and I found it really awesome to run to Bud and back in -25 degrees, come home covered in frost and sweat and have some hot coffee and a hot shower. It makes me appreciate the simple things and I also hope it provides a good example for my kids to do hard things and reap the reward of it, even though you might not“win.”
Why do you keep running today? I still run to improve my times but I also run because it has become part of me. I’ve met so many wonderful people in Lloyd because of it. I also love the running community in general. Races have such an amazing energy and everyone is always supportive.
Do you have any advice for people considering taking up running? My best advice is to go to Brainsport Saskatoon and get fitted properly for shoes. The first few weeks are hard and having decent shoes will prevent injury and make it easier. Also, when you first start running, it takes a while for your bone density to increase so,besides having good shoes, start slow. It can feel like your aerobic fitness improves dramatically (and it does) but you have to also develop your muscles, joints, connective tissues and bones (and even hormones). That doesn’t happen overnight so jumping from 10 km a week to 50 km a week because you want to see improvement faster is a very, very bad idea and will end up in injury and burnout.
Find someone to run with. It’s nice to have someone who understands the challenges with running, but also relate to the awesomeness of it.
And my last piece of advice would be start with a plan, like Couch to 5 k but make sure it ends in a race. It gives you a real life goal to work towards and also keeps you going when it gets hard.
Do you have any favorite running gear or gear that you would recommend to other runners? I love my Brooks Ghost shoes (I have a pair of Nike Odyssey React that are excellent as well) and my Garmin VivoActive GPS watch.
Honourable mentions:
- Brooks Juno sports bra
- Flip belt for short summer runs when all I need to carry is my phone
- Anker Bluetooth earbuds, they are inexpensive and great quality. I accidentally put them through my washer and dryer and they still work perfectly.
- Merino Wool socks. I’ve tried Darn Tough and Smart Wool. Both are great and keep feet happy, dry and blister free.
What is your favorite running book? For a new runner is Build Your Running Body It explains the process your body goes through when you start to run and gives you drills to improve form, as well a straining plans for a variety of experience levels and distance. If I could only have ONE book (and I have about 20) it would be this one.
For advanced runners, I recommend Primal Endurance.
What are your favorite things about Lloydminster? I think Lloyd is an amazing city. It has great bike paths and I LOVE Bud Miller and the back trails. I love running through there and forgetting I’m even in the city.
I am moving this Spring and I will absolutely miss the convenience and peacefulness of trail running in the city.
I also think that Lloydminster is amazing for young families. The city and various groups in the city do such a great job hosting events for kids. Our family will definitely miss Canada Day, Colonial Days, the Rotary Club Halloween festival and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, just to mention a few. To us, Lloyd has provided the perfect opportunity to experience convenience of a city but also have the small town feel. We will really miss living here.
Other Featured Lloydminster Runners
If you would like to suggest a runner or volunteer yourself please contact us here.
Lloydminster Runners 