Only Nova Scotian runner in Rio says marathon 'teaches you a lot of patience'

Team Canada's 65-person Olympic track squad is being called its biggest and best ever. But only one,marathoner Eric Gillis,calls Nova Scotia home.

The team is "getting bigger and better every year," said Gillis, a two-time Olympian who is gearing up for round three in Rio.

Gillis, 36, was born and raised in Antigonish, but has lived and trained in Guelph, Ont.,for the last 10years. He comes back home to Nova Scotia every summer.

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"Antigonish has a good culture of running, in high schools and junior high schools," said Gillis, who began running in Grade 7. He kept the same coach, Bernie Chisholm, from high schooluntil he graduated from St. Francis Xavier University.

Gillis'sfirst Olympic run was in Beijing in 2008. He placed 33rd in the 10,000-metre race and vowed to be back for the London Games. He was, but in a new event the marathon.

"I had a good race plan in London where I was able to pick off a few people toward the end of the race and finish strong," he said. "I strategized well and executed."

Gillis finished in 22nd place with a time of 2:16:00, above his 2:11:28 personal best at the time. That time improved to 2:11:21 at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in October 2014.

Preparing for Rio

Now, Gillis is preparing for his third Olympics spending long hours training in Guelph.

"The marathon definitely teaches you a lot of patience," Gillis said. "I'm running twice a day a lot of days, up to 200 kilometres a week. You don't prepare for a marathon overnight and you certainly can't prepare for the Olympics overnight."

Gillis said he is now going over a game plan for the race, breaking it down into four segments of approximately 10 kilometres and figuring out exactly what he wants to be feeling and thinking during each.

Warmer weather a challenge

One challenge will be the warmer weather. Gillis said high, single-digit temperatures are best for running fast in a marathon, and he expects Rio to be mid-20s. But Gillis said his experience in London will come in handy.

"In London I competed in a warm marathon and it's expected to be a warm one in Rio as well," he said. "The temperature is also fairly close to southern Ontario now, so I'm acclimating in Guelph.

"We're getting used to it and I'll be able to handle it once the race starts."

Doping

Gillis said he is following the news about Russia's athletes being barred from the competition because of dopingbut he's not letting it faze him.

"It's good that action is being taken," he said. "It's good that if this is happeningthe authorities are finding out.

"There were two Russian athletes ahead of me in the marathon in London. [But] my everyday preparation and what I'm going to be doing for Rio doesn't change."

Using the butterflies

Gillis is more focused on taking in enthusiasm from friends and other Canadians. He's saving it up for when he arrives in Rio on Aug. 15.

"I can guarantee you once I get to the airport and take off, the butterflies will come," he said. "I'm looking forward to using that excitement for when I need it and bringing it into the race with me."

"I'd love to say at the end of this race that I executed as well as I ever have. That I risked the most and that Rio was the best marathon I've ever run. If I can say that after the race, then I'll be happy with my placing. It'll certainly be the experience I want."

Post-Rio plans

As a 36-year-old runner, Gillis is also looking down the road to the future. He said he still wants to run marathons competitively for a couple more yearsand he wants to try ones he's never done, like the Boston Marathon. But he's not committing to another four-year Olympic cycle.

In September, he will return home to where it all started Antigonish. He will be inducted into the StFX Sports Hall of Fame.