I wasn’t 100% confident in my hip, it was a very hard decision not to run the Ottawa Marathon but Dave and I think it’s the mature one. I’m sticking with elite marathon for a few years more so want to treat my body well and hopefully it can return the favor in the near future with a fast time.

I’m now in Ottawa and will still be apart of this great race weekend. I’ll be at the following.

Saturday

2:00pm, Expo for a Q&A with runners and to talk about your experience as an elite in the media booth - see Star on the map: http://www.runottawa.ca/exhibitors/expo-map 

6pm-7pm, 10K Finish Line for live broadcast of the Ottawa 10K - you'll find info about the roster here: http://www.runottawa.ca/media/registered-elites/2013-elite-news  It will be my first time ever doing commentating a race, should be fun.

Sunday

8:30-9:30am - Marathon Finish line for Marathon broadcast with Mark Sutcliffe and Krista Duchesne

The Ottawa Marathon and Ottawa 10K will be broadcast worldwide at www.runottawa.ca and locally on Rogers-TV (channel 22).

When in Kenya this past winter I met Johana Kariankei, a runner and bracelet making who owns a small shop called Olympics Corner located just outside High Altitude Training Center. Over my time there I got to know Johana, buying bracelets and going for runs with him. Upon my return to Canada and deciding to run the Ottawa Marathon I inquired about getting a pacer, it worked out and I asked Johana if he was interested in coming over to pace me, he haply said yes. We worked it out so he would come over two weeks early to get in a race. That’s what he did, and ended up winning the 10k run in Toronto.

With me no longer running the Marathon race officials were kind enough to switch Johana over to the 10k, runs Saturday night at 6:30pm. Johana is very excited to get the chance to compete in this IAAF Silver label race, only second time racing outside of Kenya, and first was in Toronto!

Eric Gillis withdraws from Ottawa marathon http://www.guelphmercury.com/sports/local/article/934428--eric-gillis-withdraws-from-ottawa-marathon

My spring racing schedule is now set. Kicking things off

April 21 on the speedy Young St 10k course I've raced TYS10k once, 2011 finishing 2nd .3 seconds behind Reid. Typically 10k's on the roads are slower then 10000m track races, not TYS10k, BIG net downhill!

April 28 Canadian Half Champs Montreal Won this one last year, cool to get out there on F1 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve!

May 26 Ottawa Marathon Have run the 10k there many times, always wanted to race marathon one day, now's my chance! The Run Ottawa weekend is an amazing experience, multiple races Sat & Sun, tons of fun, can't wait :)

Jacob is a young fellow I met a few weeks before this video. We ran together for a short time near the track, he was on a school run. A week later I heard 'Hello Eric' from the track infield, Jacob and his friends were planning soccer with an egg shaped ball. After chatting with them for a bit, said I'd try and find them a new ball. Iten is a town of a few thousand, but no stores that sell soccer balls even if you had the 9000 schillings ($10). Found one in Eldoret 45minutes away, I was going anyway that weekend.

200+ fartlek

Canadian Club

Iten Produce Market