Wellspring Peloton Challenge Grosses Over $420,000!

Contributed by: Susan Chung

Twenty six dedicated cyclists made their way from Toronto, ON to Austin, TX for the ride of a lifetime in an 8-day, 24-hour cycling relay that grossed over $420,000 for Wellspring, a network of cancer support centres in the Greater Toronto Area.  Five pelotons (teams) of 5-6 riders supported by a strong volunteer group, teamed up to bike nearly 3,500km, riding day and night.

Along the ride, many lasting memories were made and meeting individuals who were moved by the purpose of the ride including a service shop owner who provided a new tire for one of the support vehicle that needed servicing.

The cyclists saw rain, severe wind, beautiful scenery and everything in between as the ride took them from Ontario through New York, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and finally, Austin.

Upon arrival in Austin, each peloton of riders was welcomed by a special member of their team, a “Wellspring Warrior” – an individual facing a cancer journey or having survived a cancer experience.  Together, they took part in the LIVESTRONG Austin Challenge, joining thousands of other cyclists to show their support for those living with cancer.

“We are so grateful for all the support Wellspring has received for this inaugural event – everyone from the riders, to the volunteers, family, friends, and even complete strangers along the way. It has been an EPIC experience. Epic ride…epic fundraising…and epic people,” says Billy Cheung, Wellspring Peloton Rider, Chair of the 2012 Wellspring Peloton Challenge and member of Wellspring’s Board of Directors.

“The ride is not just about the cyclists, though they are key of course, it’s about the many individuals and families who will receive the support they need thanks to their efforts,” says Lynda Morrison, Chief Executive Officer, Wellspring.

Applications for those wishing to participate in the ride in October 2013 are now being accepted online.  For more information and to view photos of the ride, visit www.wellspringride.ca.

Tips for Cold Weather Running and Walking

Contributed by: Wendy O’Neill, Manager, Runner and Instructor at the Runner’s Mark in Mississauga, Ontario

One of the great things about running or walking is that it's a sport you can indulge in all year round. If you find that you only exercise in the summer, you will be surprised by how much easier it is to run or walk in the cooler temperatures. It is easier to breathe and with the correct amount of planning you will soon be a fan of winter running and walking. Here are a few tips and preventative measures you can take to ensure a safe and comfortable workout in the cold.

Dressing properly

How you dress for the cooler elements can a make or break your run or walk. A big mistake many make is to overdress.

1.      Dress in layers: Wearing several thin layers of clothing helps trap warm air between each layer keeping you warmer than if you were to wear one thick heavy item.

2.      Wear the right fabrics: Make sure that the clothing you wear is made from materials such as polypropylene, nylon, or synthetic fabrics. These will ensure that moisture will be wicked away from your body and keep you as warm and dry as possible. These fabrics do not retain moisture, unlike cotton which hold moisture causing you to be uncomfortable, wet and cold.

3.      Wear a protective shell: It's critical that you wear some sort of windbreaker or shell to protect you from the wind and precipitation. Gore-Tex is the best material to wear as it does a great job of releasing moisture from the body while also keeping out moisture from the outside elements. Nylon also does a reasonable job for a lesser price. Be careful not to wear a waterproof plastic jacket as many won’t have breathability in them. The heat and sweat from your body will cause the inside of the jacket to sweat making you very uncomfortable.

4.      Cover exposed skin as much as possible: A hat and gloves are a must once the temperature dips below freezing. Your body will lose heat through the head or any exposed skin, so cover up as much as possible. If it's really cold, you can cover exposed areas such as your face with Vaseline to reduce the risk of frostbite.

5.      Socks & Shoes Like clothing, socks should not be cotton but a synthetic material. Cotton socks will remain wet, softening the skin on your feet, this can allow blisters to form and will also make your feet cold. Wearing two pairs of socks is also a mistake many make. The added thickness could make your shoes tight restricting the circulation in your feet. Stick with one good pair of socks and try a wool or padded sock if you get cold feet. 

Try to stick with your summer running shoes if possible. All running shoes have mesh uppers to allow for breathability. This is even more important in the winter. If you are concerned about slipping you could try a trail shoe. These have a better grip on the sole and will help in snowy and icy conditions. Also available are Yaktrax or spikes which fit over the sole of the running shoe.

6.      Be Seen: When running or walking in the dark always wear something reflective. Most traffic related accidents with runners are caused because they could not be seen by the drivers of vehicles. Clothing with reflective accents should be worn or you can purchase reflective strips which stick to your clothing. Small lights can also be used.

Follow all these guidelines and running or walking in cold weather will be safer, more comfortable and very enjoyable.

Indoor Cycling (AKA Spinning) and why you should be doing it!

Contributed by Andrew Blair

Certifications:  Schwinn Cycling Instructor, Can-Fit PTS, & TRX Suspension Training Instructor.

Indoor Cycling Instructor at: 

Lifetime Athletic (Tuesday 6:30pm)

Gears Bike Shop (Port Credit, Monday 6pm and 7:30pm)

& Clay Canada (Classes TBD)

First, let’s clear up an old myth about indoor cycling being like a cruel form of torture!  The truth is that indoor cycling is probably one of the most inclusive forms of group exercise, for all ages and fitness levels.  When you take part in an indoor cycling class you are in charge of your resistance knob and the instructor is only there as a form of motivation.  As a result, unlike other forms of group exercise, you can take it at your own pace, listen to your body and make adjustments to the routine based on your fitness level, without any of the other participants being any the wiser.  This is why indoor cycling is such a great form of group exercise; the playing field is level, as each participant takes away exactly what he or she puts into the class.

People always ask the question “how is indoor cycling going to benefit me?”  The answer to that is simple.  Indoor cycling helps to develop a strong cardiovascular system, improved aerobic base, with gains in muscular endurance and strength, as well as anaerobic capacity and threshold output.  But how exactly do participants achieve all these great benefits?  It’s simple, they just have to follow the instructors’ cues and use the resistance knob accordingly on the bike!

This is why; out of all the types of cardiovascular equipment, instructors are needed to guide these types of classes.  It has a lot to do with coaching your participants to strive to achieve their total health objectives.  Without the cues from an instructor to add more resistance, thereby producing a higher power output, participants could spin for an hour with little to no resistance and get minimal benefits for their efforts.  

As an indoor cycling instructor, for 10 years now, my job is pretty clear, motivate people to achieve their fitness goals and do so at their own pace and ability.  You can have a class with a wide range of ages and abilities.  The key to individual success is the resistance knob on the bike.  It allows all the participants to work at their own fitness levels, while heading towards the same goal; improved health.  

The challenge faced by instructors is to coach the participants to work within their individual fitness levels, while cuing them to increase their power output.  The real benefit of indoor cycling will only come when the participants begin to work at a higher output of power.  Power, in the end, is what translates directly to calories burned, with increases in all the benefits stated above. 

Indoor cycling is also a great option for people looking to cross train.  It is a non-impactful form of exercise where participants can get a hard session in with minimal wear and tear on the body.  Indoor cycling provides the athlete with an alternative method to achieve results, while producing greater average workout intensity, then if they continued to only do sport specific training.   They can produce more beneficial training gains by adding in this non-impactful exercise, while reducing the chance of any overuse injuries so commonly seen with people who don’t cross-train.

With everything stated above I hope it is obvious that indoor cycling is a great choice of cardiovascular exercise.  It is inclusive, FUN, addictive and has many benefits for its participants.  But I would have to say that the biggest plus of indoor cycling is that it creates a sense of community.  Everyone who participates in indoor cycling classes is working towards a common goal, improved health.  I challenge all of you regardless of your fitness level or ability, to try out an indoor cycling session.  It changed my life; maybe it can change yours too.  

From Mommyhood to Team Canada

Contributed by: Amy Moss-Archambault at www.trimom.ca

I'm like most people. Actually, I'm probably a lot like you. I started competing in races late in life. I love sport, I'm absolutely passionate about triathlon but I didn't come from some incredible athletic pedigree. I was never on the varsity anything team. I never competed for my school - at least not in sport. Most of the time I had my face stuck in a book. But that's what is so amazing about triathlon. No matter how old you are, no matter what your background everyone has a shot at competing at the highest level possible - the World Championships!

Three years ago I was standing at the edge of Guelph Lake and competing at the world championships was the furthest thing from my mind. I had just squeezed into a wetsuit that had fit 2 weeks prior and was now too small because I was 5 months pregnant. But I was racing that day. Was I little crazy to be racing my first try-a-tri pregnant? Without a doubt, yes. My doctor had monitored me the entire time and I wasn’t racing to win, I was racing because I could. If you had met me 10 months ago you would know how impossible that seemed. With hindsight would I have still raced that morning? Yes! That day started a whole new chapter in mine and my family’s life, full of endless possibilities.

After I had my baby girl, I was determined to go back to Guelph Lake and compete in the same race. I wanted to see what I could accomplish without any limitations. My husband and now three children cheered me on as I finished fourth in my age group. I’m not sure who was more impressive that day; my husband, who had an eight month old in a snuggly, a two and three year old in a bike trailer running from vantage point to vantage point, or me laying everything on the line.

I’ve raced about 8 triathlons since then. All sprint distance which means I swim 750m, bike 20km and run 5km. It’s the perfect distance for me while my kids are little. I struggle as it is to find time to train. I’ve always marvel at people who have these nicely written training plans that build their training volume, peaking at just the right time. My training has always been based on the YMCA schedule. I fit my swims in around when there is babysitting or children’s programs. Until we bought a trainer my riding time was a spin class that coincided with a program for 3-5 year olds while there was babysitting for the baby. My runs would mean the two youngest in the bike trailer turned jogging stroller and my eldest on her bike next to me. When that didn’t work my friends stepped in to help.

Every time I raced I would see a few Team Canada race kits. At first I was in awe and then I became more and more curious. The idea that an age grouper could compete for their country just seemed so .... tangible. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t an amazing athlete. I was decent. I would always finish in the top half of the pack. I had great sections but I hadn’t figured out how to put all the pieces together yet. Still, the more I saw the team kits the more I realized that anyone can race for Team Canada, you just have to try.

This year I decided I wanted to try and qualify for the team. I found out what races were qualifiers and analyzed each race. I figured which course I was best suited to and wrote out a training plan. I knew my haphazard approach to training wouldn’t cut it. My kids were a little older (6,4,2) so I had a bit more flexibility. My friends filled in any gaps so that I could stick to my training plan. I’ve always said it takes a village to raise your kids, it also takes a village to train to win.

I raced the qualifier and came in third. There were two spots up for grabs that day and I earned one of them. I will be racing in London, England 2013 at the World Championships. The next time you see me I’ll be sporting the Team Canada kit and I hope someone looks at me and says I can do that because the truth of the matter is that  potential is in all of us, you just have to try.

Back to Workouts, Post Concussion

Contributed by: Sue Strong, Erica's Wish, Founder and Race Director

You see it in the news, on tv and all over the web. Sports athletes with concussions. Hockey players and head injuries. Kids on bikes, skateboards and rollerblades not wearing helmets. All these scenario’s can lead to one thing.. a concussion. Everyone has heard about concussions, most people know what they are but what do you really know aside from “a really bad head injury/headache”.

How many times have you heard the word CONCUSSION and always thought, “thats awful”. You hear that bright lights and noises really affect those with a concussion but can you actually imagine it?  I had the honour shall we say, of having a first hand experience. This is one experience I would like to avoid again.  Concussions have many degrees. Mine luckily enough was considered mild. One would think, ok not so bad. Well, any degree of a concussion is considered bad. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury. From hiding in a dark room for 5 weeks to the exhaustion and the migrane that never leaves, it seems like eternity. You do what the doctor says, rest. You really don’t have a choice. Your body naturally wants to sleep, A LOT. That is the upside. The downside is of course all the symptoms and the pain that goes along with it. It is a very scary injury and one that should never be taken lightly. This is one injury that often goes undiagnosed unfortunately. I personally saw three doctors and an ER before being properly diagnosed.

The doctor tells you to rest and you do. The headaches and numerous symptoms start to dissipate and you think “Great, I am back!”. Sad but true the healing doesn’t end there. I am a runner. Your average run of the mill runner but none the less a runner. No one warned me that the first step out the door would actually hurt. That my heart rate would race so high that I physically could not run. That these symptoms would actually take months to dissapear. Its a strange feeling. I was not sad like when you take time off of exercise and you have lost your fitness; my fitness was taken from me. I was more aware of the extent of this injury and the seriousness of it. It took close to six months before I could run again. I literally had to start by walking. Its a surreal feeling of having the athletic side of you taken away and starting from scratch again but it certainly makes you appreciate life. It shows you that life can change in a minute. I learned alot from that injury and so did everyone around me. Whenever possible, take precautions so you do not end up with a head injury. If you do, listen to your body. Do not try to come back to a regular routine before you are ready. You will know when you are ready. Your brain is a magical organ that will literally shut you down until you are healed.

Here is my advice for anyone post head injury:

1.  If you have a persistant headache, feel nauseous, dizzy or lightheaded, get to a doctor.

2.  If decision making seems impossible (more so that on a normal day), get to a doctor

3.  If you have any issues with your eyesight, get to a doctor.

If your doctor dismisses you, listen to your body and seek another opinion. You know yourself best! Make sure you protect yourself and your loved ones whenever possible by ways of helmets to lessen the chance of brain injuries. You only have one brain, take care of it!

For Improved Running Performance Just Head for the Hills

Contributed by: Christine Blanchette of www.christineruns.com (Twitter: christineruns)

There is an old saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”  Actually, the exact quote goes, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger,” an original by noted German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, who died in 1900 at 55.  If a man that barely saw the beginning of the 20^th century could come up with such a timeless quote, he probably would have made a great hill runner because he surely understood the concept of what it takes.

There are many novice runners, myself included that would avoid hills like the plague.  We just said no to the torture of legs turned to rubber while gasping like fish out of water to the summit of what could only be described as Mount Everest II.  It was far from an enjoyable experience but as I got used to running hills I began to appreciate what they were doing for my body. I developed stronger legs and became a stronger runner. Now, I run for the hills and enjoy it.  Everest II, it turned out, was just about 600 meters long and not really that steep. The enormously talented Kenyan and Ethiopian marathon runners are accustomed to extremely hilly terrain. I include hill training at least once a week and if you live in a hilly area then the hills become part of your daily workout.

In a recent email interview with Dr. Jack Scaff, the Honolulu resident known as, “The Father of Running” in Hawaii, he shared his expertise on hill training.  In his book, ‘Your First Marathon, the Last Chapter in Long Distance Running,’ hill training is covered extensively.

“Hill running is good strength training, however it tends to be anaerobic,” Dr. Scaff said. “When one approaches a hill, one should run perpendicular to the horizon, shorten their stride and come off the backside of the hill or downhill using the same type of stride - short steps going up the hill, the same short steps coming down, longer strides on the flat and no pounding at any time.”

By including hills as part of your running program you will reap the benefits of becoming a better runner. Most races have hills and you will be better prepared to tackle the hill both mentally and physically.

Dr. Scaff advises, “Most running injuries secondary to hill training seem to occur on the down slope and while one might attribute this to the so-called "pounding" actually it's an expression of “eccentric work.”

He further comments, “Remember, the only function of a muscle fiber is to contract and the belly of the muscle fiber gets thicker.  Look at your biceps in the arm as you lift a weight, you will note they get thicker and as the muscle fibers (align) themselves with each other (known as recruitment) increasing in strength.  So when one is lifting a barbell it’s harder with the arm fully extended than suddenly becomes easier in the mid portion of the lift secondary to recruitment. Running downhill is a paradox since all the muscle can do is contract.   As you run down hill, the muscle must relax at the same time while it is trying to contract.  And of course this decreases recruitment as well as subjects the muscle to a greater potential for injury.  Running with a similar stride or a shorter stride downhill than that used going uphill helps prevent this.”

You should pick a hill that is suited for your training.  For average runners, choose a hill that takes about 90 seconds to run.  

How to run a hill: head up, pump your arms, lean slightly forward and run about 80% effort and jog or walk on the way down.  Repeat six to 10 times.

So there you have it – the next time you see a hill, just tackle it and think of it as part of your normal running routine. The more hills you run the easier it becomes – and the stronger you will become.

Is Coconut Water the New Sports Drink?

Contributed by Christine Blanchette (@christineruns, www.christineruns.com)

When I think of coconut – I think of basking in the tropics while sipping an exotic drink with one of those little umbrellas. Didn’t that famous chimpanzee, ‘Cheetah,’ supply Tarzan and Jane with all the coconuts they could eat?

Well, now there’s a new energy drink on the market - coconut water – and it's trending in a large way with North American endurance athletes. No wonder Tarzan was so buff.   

What is coconut water you might ask? It is an all natural energy drink containing potassium and minerals, great for hydrating and low in calories. You can buy coconut water almost anywhere these days. For those unfamiliar with this product, the main question is: is it just a trend or a natural energy drink that will give you a needed boost at the right time? To learn the health benefits, I recently tried coconut water with pulp for the first time and while it tasted refreshing and sweet, I wanted to know how it compared to other energy drinks on the market.

I asked registered dietitian and accomplished runner Crystal Higgins about the benefits of drinking coconut water. Does she drink it? “Yes, especially when it is ice-cold. Don't try to drink it warm at room temperature,” Higgins warns by email from her Vancouver office.

Are there substantial benefits to be gained from coconut water? “Absolutely. Coconut water is 100% natural compared to other sport drinks that are artificially sweetened, coloured and flavoured,” Higgins says. “In fact coconut water has even been successfully used as an alternative IV treatment in remote areas. There may also be some antioxidant properties, which may aid in neutralizing reactive oxygen species production resulting from long duration exercise.”

According to PMC – US National Library of Medicine,All ResourcesChemicals & Bioassays  coconut water is naturally occurring, is very rich in potassium, contains sodium chloride and carbohydrate and is viewed as the hydrating beverage of choice in many countries, including India, Brazil, Singapore, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.  BioSystems

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Higgins says athletes should drink coconut water when performing an aerobic exercise or long, intense runs lasting longer than 75-90 minutes. Higgins enjoys one cup (eight oz) after a 90 minute bikram (yoga) class or a long run. She finds it “quite tasty and refreshing.” Remember, the large cans often have more than eight ounces, so watch the portion size she notes.

“Many people enjoy the flavour, the natural-factor and the fact that it has low carbohydrates, sugar and chemically manufactured elements,” Higgins says. “Most definitely it is a trend. There are currently limited studies and clinical evidence to suggest that coconut is any better than water or other sport drinks at rehydration, recovery and performance. Carbohydrate-electrolyte beverages are widely consumed and represent a multi-billion dollar segment of the food and beverage industry.” 

Higgins adds, “It is certainly a more natural choice relative to commercial sports drinks, but there is not sufficient evidence to suggest that it's necessarily better. Although it is excellent in terms of potassium, coconut water falls short on sodium. If you're a 'salty-sweater' you may require additional sodium for adequate rehydration and recovery.”

In an article by Molly Kimball, a registered dietitian in New Orleans, “coconut water ranges from 34 to 76 calories per eight ounce serving, compared to 50 calories for the same amount of Gatorade or PowerAde. Vita Coco, by the way, is the brand of coconut water that appears to most closely match the calorie content of a regular sports drink, with 45 calories per eight ounces.”

Ultimately, the choice is yours to try coconut water. I did but I still prefer old fashion water, nice and cold, straight from the tap.