John Stoddart – the Glebe Annex’s own ‘running man’
John Stoddart with his medal recognizing 50 years of completing the Ottawa Marathon.
Photo: Gabrielle Dallaporta
John Stoddart – the Glebe Annex’s own ‘running man’
By Sue Stefko
To say John Stoddart is “into running” is somewhat of an understatement. Stoddart, 84, is one of only two people to have completed every single Ottawa marathon since the event started in 1975. So far – and he is quick to point out that he’s not done yet! – Stoddart has run in 50 Ottawa marathons.
While he was always into sports, biking and playing football, baseball, hockey and more, Stoddart didn’t take up running until he was 30. Always having a competitive streak, he read Dr Kenneth Cooper’s book called Aerobics, which devised a points system for keeping track of health. Not being one to back down from a challenge, even one he imposed on himself, he started running, racking up the cardiovascular points and never looking back.
He wasn’t always into distance running – he started with relatively short distances and used to train by running as fast as he could each training run. In fact, he remembers one of his first training runs ever – he ran from Plymouth Street to Hogsback and back, in dress shoes, perhaps for the extra challenge! Over time, his training techniques have become more sophisticated, alternating between long, slow distance runs to increase his endurance and interval runs to improve his speed. He credits his training method for helping him to remain remarkably injury free over his long running career, even though he eschewed common training practices such as incorporating rest days. He in fact went through a period when he ran every single day for five years.
His commitment helped him achieve some fantastic times – he ran a personal best in 1981 of 2:44.36, which averages to an incredible 3:55 minutes per kilometre. However, it’s not just about personal bests for Stoddart, it’s the overall experience. This year’s marathon was one of his most memorable. Suffering from sciatic and hamstring issues, Stoddart was unable to do much training, logging only a few runs in the months prior to race day. Determined not to give up his streak, he walked most of the marathon. He took so much time that the water stations had shut down, and he had run out of water when he came upon a police officer he had met earlier in the race. The officer biked alongside him for the rest of the course, ensuring he received water, blocking off intersections and even arranging an eight-motorcycle police escort to take him through to the finish line nearly eight and a half hours after he started. It was certainly a race to remember.
This is so obvious it may not need stating, but Stoddart really isn’t into giving up, although he prefers the word “determined” to “stubborn.” Going into his second-ever marathon, Stoddart was suffering from a strained Achilles tendon. To help reduce the strain on his body, his father drove him to the start line. But Stoddart never considered not doing the race. Similarly in 2007, in significant pain due to sciatica, he ran the marathon with the aid of crutches.
The other person who shares the record for doing every Ottawa marathon is Howard Cohen. He is 10 years younger than Stoddart and was Stoddart’s physician for nearly 50 years. He’s talked to Stoddart about possibly switching to the half marathon, given their respective ages, but Stoddart is having none of it.
Running is such an important part of his life that it’s helped determine where Stoddart lives. He grew up in the Glebe Annex but moved away when he was 16. No matter where he lived, however, continuing to live near the canal, his favourite training ground, was a significant consideration. When a condominium unit came up at the Lakelander 13 years ago, Stoddart walked in and immediately felt at home. Not only did he love the layout, but the building is about 500 metres from the canal. He was sold. In the winter, given inconsistent canal maintenance, Stoddart often pivots to running the length of nearby Clemow Avenue in the Glebe. The wide sidewalks and beautiful homes make for a pleasant backdrop, and he knows every distance along the way, going back and forth to get in his 42 kilometres.
These days, Stoddart continues to suffer from sciatic pain and has had to tone down his training. He does walking interval training and still cycles. But not surprisingly, he has every intention of running the full marathon again in 2025.
Sue Stefko is vice president of the Glebe Annex Community Association and a regular Glebe Report contributor.
