Catherine Buerk, Business Relations Coordinator at Destination British Columbia & Mike Janes, Realtor at The Condo Group (Victoria BC)
Posted by Sarah
Couples who run together, stay together… Isn’t that a saying, from somewhere? I’m pretty sure it is 🙂
Now get this… Not only do Mike and Catherine run together, they eat to run together too! I personally think that earns them double points. And 3 months ago they put an extra focus on eating to run. What did that earn them? Personal bests, loads of energy, and Mike lost 18 pounds (and that’s 18 lbs off of someone who was already pretty slim to begin with)!
While you could say Mike’s more of a veteran runner – he’s been running for 10 years now – Catherine is a bit newer to the running scene, having picked up the sport of running 3 years ago. When I think back to the all the rookie mistakes I made 3 years into my running, I’ve got to say I’m super impressed with how Catherine’s put it all together and already earned herself some impressive PBs (check them out below)!
When it comes to why they run, Catherine and Mike share the drive to become the best that they can be. Mike loves to push his limits and finds running satisfying because, “You get out of it exactly what you put into it.” Catherine acknowledges that it is up to her, and only her, to ‘bring it’ to every workout. It’s worth every drop of sweat though because, “There is nothing more satisfying than achieving that PB on race day.”
But let’s talk food. As Catherine points out, food is her new secret weapon to running well. Here are Catherine and Mike on how eating to run enables them to be successful runners:
Q&A with Catherine and Mike
sarah- Why do you eat to run instead of running and then indulging?
catherine- If I eat poorly, I run poorly. I have less energy, I feel less motivated and I perform worse. When I eat right, I feel like a million bucks and see the results in spades, both in my performance and my recovery. I also feel more mentally prepared as I know I’ve fueled well, which is critical for me.
mike- Because I want to be a better runner and the better quality fuel I put into my body, the better I feel. I don’t really believe in “running to eat”. In my opinion, running has to serve a greater purpose that burning off your food if you want to stick with it.
sarah- Fave pre-run eats?
catherine & mike- Fully Loaded Oatmeal!
catherine- And Vega pre-workout energizer – it gives me that extra boost to get me through those tough workouts.
mike- And a coffee, mmmm.
sarah- Fave post-run eats?
catherine- I love the Blueberry Strawberry Recovery Shake after a hard workout. It’s so refreshing and makes me feel like I just put so many great nutrients back into my body after burning off all those calories in my workout. The Tofu Scramble is also a huge hit in our house after our weekend long runs – so many delicious flavours!
mike- Probably the Miso Nut Rice Bowl. I could eat it anytime but it is particularly satisfying after a good long run!
sarah- Fave race you’ve run?
catherine- My favorite race so far would have to be the 2012 Goodlife Victoria Marathon. It was a super hot day (especially for October in Victoria), there weren’t enough water stations and it was a tough course. I managed to stay mentally focused, keep on pace and achieved a personal best. That was a proud moment.
mike- Probably my last marathon. It was the closest I have ever come to running a perfect race. It sounds cheesy, but I could feel something special was going to happen that day. After two bad marathons, all my hard work finally paid off.
sarah- Tell us what’s next?
catherine- I’ve really been enjoying the half marathon distance lately and I’m setting my sights on achieving a PB at the Goodlife Victoria Half Marathon – sub 1:40 here I come!
mike- Two goals on the horizon… One is to run a sub three hour marathon this fall and the other is to do at least 2 destination marathons next year.
sarah- Last words?
catherine- Eating healthy, whole food is an amazing way to improve as a runner. I love food and I love running, so thanks Sarah for bringing them together so perfectly!
mike- I am completely convinced that our meal plan has changed the way I eat forever. I feel like I’m burning clean every time I lace up!
sarah- You guys rock… Good luck and kick butt in your half and full marathons this fall and enjoy those destination races next year!
We all work hard to get our PBs… And so we all deserve to be super proud of them! Catherine and Mike share their personal bests below. Yay PBs!
Catherine’s PBs
- 10k – 44:54 – she ran this one alongside Mike – get this, he was her own personal pace bunny, awww (having a personal pace bunny is the best!!)
- Half marathon – 1:40:18
- Marathon – 3:45
Mike’s PBs
- 5k – 18:12
- 8k – 29:48
- 10k – 36:20
- Half Marathon – 1:22:06
- Marathon – 3:06:01