Colin Fewer is best known locally as the three-time defending champ of the Tely 10, the popular St. John’s road race set for this Sunday, July 27.

If Mr. Fewer crosses the finish line in first place he will be the first male runner to win the race four consecutive times since Don Coaker won six straight from 1962-1967.

Mr. Fewer, a native of Harbour Main, has a special place in his heart for the Tely 10 but as a distance runner there is much more to his story. Last March in Edinburgh, Scotland he represented Canada for the second time at the World Cross Country Championships, an event he called “one of the greatest moments of my life.”

The world championships are known in the running world to have the deepest and most talented field of any event on the planet.

Mr. Fewer was inducted into Memorial University’s Athletic Honour Society in 2001. Induction into the Athletic Honour Society is the highest honour that can bestowed upon a student athlete at Memorial. During his time as a Sea-Hawk, he was a member of two Atlantic University Sport championship cross country running teams in 1997 and 1999, respectively.

Mr. Fewer recently took the time to answer 10 questions on his passion for the sport of cross country running, weighing in on his experiences with Team Canada, what it takes to be the best, and what the Tely 10 means to him.

What did it mean to you to represent Canada at the World Championships?

• No matter what sport you participate in representing your country is one of the greatest honours you can achieve. Being among the top runners in Canada was a dream come true. Last year I qualified to represent Canada at the NACAC International Cross Country meet in Clermont, Fla., which was my first Canadian team. I was thrilled then, but to run in the World Cross Country Championships this year was amazing. The World Cross Country Championships has the deepest running field in the world. Each country sends nine of their best cross country runners. It was one of the greatest moments of my life.

• The highlight of the experience was definitely standing in the corral at the start of the senior men’s 12-kilometre cross country race, wearing the Canadian singlet, and looking across the start line at 260 of the best distance runners in the world from over 50 countries. The feeling of getting ready to race against the best in the world, including many of my running heroes, still seems surreal to me.

• Genetics is obviously a very important factor. Studies have shown that genetics can account for 25-50 per cent variance in VO2 Max (your body's ability to use oxygen to produce energy, read as a percentage of oxygen use). For example, a non-athlete male age 30-39 VO2 max would be about 39-48 per cent, while for a male distance runner of the same age VO2 max can range from 60-85 per cent. Your VO2 max can be improved 10-15 per cent with proper training. Genetics will also account for other factors such as your somato type, and the ratio of fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibers. All of which helps you be successful at distance running. Right now the African countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Eritrea, and Morocco dominate distance running events from 1,500 meters to the marathon. Their genetics are a key factor in their success as runners. Some of these countries are located at altitude (allows for higher blood volume) which will help training and performance. But there are also a lot of good non-African distance runners also. Newfoundland’s own Paul McCloy once finished eighth at the World Cross Country Championships.

• Genetics, proper training, access to facilities, and funding are all important factors for success in distance running. Right now the African countries dominate, but, as I said, there are a large number of talented distance runners from all over the world. So, what do I truly believe makes the top runners in the world? It is probably the culture, and the culture of running, in these countries. In Canada the majority of young people participate in sports like hockey, baseball, and basketball. Hockey is the best example, it is a huge part of our culture, and, as a result, we produce the dominant hockey players in the world. In Africa, the sports heroes of the country are distance runners. They want to run, and they take a great deal of pride in the sport. What makes it all the more impressive is that distance running is a sport that most countries compete in, not just a select few. Once you attain a certain level, money and funding becomes important. You need financial support to be able to focus on training full time to reach your fullest potential. You need access to funds to travel to training camps and races.

• The distance I run during any given week really depends on where I am with my program. I usually count my distance in miles. During base endurance training I will run 80-100 plus miles a week (130-160 kilometres plus). During the competitive phase my mileage is usually 70-80 miles a week. I run twice a day (doubles), three days a week, but in base phase I will usually double five days a week.

• The Tely 10 is the premier road race in Newfoundland. Almost all of the province’s best runners have competed in the Tely, but not all have won it. To have my name on the same trophy with these great athletes is quite an honour. At the end of my competitive running career I will probably be better known in Newfoundland for my Tely 10 wins than running for Canada at the World Cross Country Championships.

• I believe the Tely 10 has grown in popularity over the past number of years for several reasons. I believe Newfoundlanders are becoming more conscientious of their health and well being, and as a result are becoming more active. There is no better way to get active than to run. The Telegram has also done a great of promoting the race. Active people tend to be competitive and set challenging goals. Ten miles is a great challenge. The attraction of the Tely for goal-oriented people, including myself, is that once you cross the finish line you say to yourself “Wow, that was tough!”, but you know inside that you can run it faster next year. This keeps people coming back.

• My advice for the weekend warrior is to run. Seriously, I would tell runners:

1. Consistency is the key to success. I see and hear too many people training well for a few weeks only to stop for four-five days and try to get back at it. It is a see-saw battle, and that makes running really tough. Train smartly and let your body become fit.
2. Be patient. A large number of people give up their goal of running the Tely in the first two-three weeks of training. They simply do not give their body enough time to make the adaptations. I tell people it takes six weeks for your body to gain fitness and make running feel comfortable. Once that happens running feels great.
3. Do not make excuses not to run. Rain or shine, wind or snow, get out there. You will always be glad you did. The hardest step is out the door!
4. Stay hydrated. July is a warm month. During the first half of the race you must hydrate even though you may not feel thirsty. You will need it at the end of the race.
5. Believe in yourself. Set goals and have fun achieving them.

• I will take a few days down after the Tely, and then begin the next training cycle to peak for the Canadian Cross Country Championships, Nov. 29 in Guelph, Ont. My goal there will be to make the Canadian Team again to compete at the World Championships. There is also a Canadian 10-km Road Race championships in Ottawa the second weekend in October. I want to be fit enough to run a personal best time. My long term goals are to lower my 5 km and 10 km times. In the next three-four years I will also begin to train for the marathon.

• My other love is teaching physical education, healthy living and biology. I have been teaching for six years in the Eastern School District and plan to continue my career in teaching, educating my students on how to keep active and stay healthy.