First time participant wins in 2017

Emily Ratzlaff was a first time participant in the 2017 Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Marathon and garnered her first ever full marathon win, but is definitely no stranger to the sport. A physiotherapist originally from British Columbia, Emily has been competing in cross country and track since high school, completing her first half marathon as a teenager alongside her mother. Her season is still going strong just having won the 10 mile event at the Winnipeg 10&10, and shares a little with us about her training and tips for success.

Why do you run?

I love the feeling of running and the sense of accomplishment that I get when I finish.

What do you do for cross-training? Do you focus more on it in the off season or do you keep it consistent all year?

I don’t do a lot of cross training; lately I have been going to a Saikel class once a week. This summer I trained for a triathlon so I did a little bit more swimming and cycling to prepare for that.

If you could run any race what would it be?

I ran my first marathon in Dublin, Ireland and I would love to go back and do that race again one day. I am also looking forward to running the Chicago marathon in October.

What is your favorite post-race meal or snack?

Toast with peanut butter is my favourite snack after a long run. For a post-race treat, I love pizza & chocolate chip cookies

What is your number one method for injury prevention?

I’m lucky that I haven’t really had to deal with any major injuries! I try to keep up with some core exercises, foam rolling, and sometimes yoga or stretching.

What advice would you give to someone who has just started running?

Stick with it – the first couple of weeks are always the hardest getting into shape. Once you can get past that, it feels so much more enjoyable.

When you think about setting goals for yourself, what’s the process like? How far in advance do you try to plan for?

I usually set a goal based on how I did in a recent race. It really depends on a lot of variables whether or not I will change the goal coming up to a race. I try not to put too much pressure on myself because at the end of the day I am doing this for fun!

Do you have any pre-race rituals (food, organization, activities, etc.)?

I wouldn’t say that I really have any specific rituals but I have some things that I usually do, for example, getting a massage a few days before, eating extra bagels and trying to get lots of sleep!

What was the most challenging race you have ever completed and why?

The Boston marathon in 2015 – I injured myself (my one & only injury) in the last couple of weeks leading up to the race so I ended up having to walk in the final miles. The rainy and cold conditions were also challenging that year.