A comparison, of sorts, between Eric Gillis, one of the top Canadian marathoners and Jerome Drayton, the man from the ’70s, who still holds the national record for the fastest marathon.

Fastest time

Drayton: 2:10:09 (1975)

Gillis: 2:11:28 (2011)

Max weekly mileage

Drayton: 300 km

Gillis: 225

Race fuel

Drayton: Flat coke, vitamin C and salt.

Gillis: Strawberry and banana PowerBar gels and Ironman Perform Sports drink

Physiotherapy and massage

Drayton: “I did my own massage: a hot bath, a glass of shandy, half beer, half ginger ale and put some music on … I even bought my own ultrasound machine.”

Gillis: Weekly physiotherapy and massage appointments once or twice a month

Training shoes

Drayton: Brooks running shoes. “$50 max.”

Gillis: New Balance minimalist shoes with orthotics

Major sponsors

Drayton: None. He worked full-time at the Ontario Ministry of Culture and Recreation

Gillis: New Balance, CEP, PowerBar, “and my wife”

Naps

Drayton: 20 minutes in the morning and evening

Gillis: an hour in the afternoon during hard training

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