Eric Gillis and Lanni Marchant gear up for 10Ks

Two-time Canadian Olympian Eric Gillis heads up a strong men’s field while Canadian marathon record holder Lanni Marchant is the women’s favourite in the 2015 Yonge Street 10K race April 19.

Gillis, a 35-year-old Guelph, Ont, resident won this race last year with a time of 28:32 and went on to capture 2014 Canadian National titles in both the 10K and the half-marathon.

He had intended to run the Rotterdam marathon this spring but a nagging case of tendonitis in his shin interrupted his marathon training and he was forced to change direction.

A spring road race season is now in the cards. A victory at the Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8K last Saturday demonstrated that he is in good shape.

“Yes I was pleased with (my performance) at Harry’s Spring Run-Off,” Gillis says. “It’s always nice getting a win and I felt in control at the end of a big week of training.

“It was nice getting a race in before the Toronto Yonge Street 10K.  I haven’t raced since the 2014 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon last October. So the Harrys’ run is bound to help with confidence for (the race in) two weeks’ time. I’ll bring down my training more before Toronto Yonge Street 10k to make sure I’m fresh and read to go.”

Toronto Yonge Street 10k attracts a huge field and, like the Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8k and the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, is part of the Canada Running Series. Gillis faces a formidable challenge in Toronto from Athletics Toronto Track Club teammates Matt Loiselle and Sami Jibril.

Marchant, who ran 31:58 on this course to take the 2013 race, will be challenged by Tarah Korir,  the 2012 race champion. Both have recently spent time training in Kenya.

Marchant recently won the Modo Spring Run-Off Vancouver 8k in 26:43. That race kicked off the 2015 Canada Running Series.  She then finished 4th in the 10,000m at the Stanford Invitational. Her time there (32:11.06) was a new personal best and the second fastest time ever recorded by a Canadian.

The 31-year-old from London, Ont., is best known for setting a Canadian marathon record of 2:28:00 at the 2013 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

“I will be doing the Payton Jordan 10000m in May,” she reveals. “I love the longer stuff. I can run marathon pace until the cats come home but getting me to run quicker is proving to be a bit of a task! So, I was happy to get out and race Modo 8k as a rust buster.

“I am doing the Pan Am Games Marathon definitely, so (I will) play around with the shorter stuff then by May I will do my last 10k and turn our heads back to the longer stuff and what I am more comfortable with anyways.”

Both Gillis and Marchant will also be looking for a national 10K title in Ottawa towards the end of May. The Ottawa Race Weekend 10K will act as the 2015 championships even on the roads and both are scheduled to compete. The 10K in Ottawa each year is one of the top 10K road races in the world, regularly attracting international stars. It is one of only two IAAF Gold Label races in Canada, the other being the Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Edited from a press release by Paul Gains.