More reasons your company needs a fitness program

Carlsbad, CA (PRWEB via PRWeb) October 31, 2006 -- A large majority of people believe that companies and organizations should be more involved in helping increase the physical activity levels of their employees, according to a new survey conducted by morefocus, an online research organization.

Seventy-seven percent of respondents who participated in the wide-ranging survey said that physical fitness is something that employers should more actively encourage with their employees. A majority, 64 percent, also believe children do not get sufficient exercise at school.

"It's very interesting to see how people feel about mixing a personal thing like physical fitness with work and school," said Dr. Regan Carey, morefocus Research Director. "There are more and more companies that offer gym membership discounts or even have a gym on-site, but clearly most people don't think it's enough."

The research also revealed that a majority of people, 73 percent, have regular exercise habits that include exercising at least once a week, but only 20 percent believe they get enough exercise.

When asked why they don't exercise more often, 39 percent said it was because they don't have time, while almost as many, 37 percent, say the reason they don't exercise more often is because they don't have the motivation.

The survey also explored people's attitudes towards alternative exercise. Only 32 percent of those surveyed said they've practiced a form of alternative exercise such as yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and the like. When asked why they haven't tried such forms of exercise, 29 percent said it was because they haven't had the opportunity, but they would like to. Fifteen percent think alternative exercises don't work as well as traditional exercises, while nine percent found it boring. Money came into play for 11 percent of respondents who said they didn't think they could afford an alternative exercise program.

"Yoga especially has become more present in the mainstream in the past few years as a sort of trendy way to exercise," said Dr. Carey. "But our research indicates that alternative exercises like yoga and Pilates are still not the exercise of choice for most people."

A Run for Liane Update

Congratulations to everyone who took part in A Run for Liane at the Waterfront marathon.

Together we helped raise over $31,000 for the Childhood Cancer Research Centre at SickKids, our best year yet! This makes our four year total over $117,000.

Michal Kapral “The Joggler” reclaimed his title as the Guinness World Record for Running a Marathon While Juggling Three Objects with a time of 2:57:53. If you haven’t already done so, check out the photos and your results on the STWM site. Our team pictures will be available shortly at www.rememberliane.com

Run the winter, don't let it run you!

Being new to running, you may be wondering what it's like running through the winter months. There are people who run from spring to fall and then go into hibernation for the six month Canadian winter. I know this because I used to be one of them. In March I would lace up my running shoes for the first time and head out and be in horror to find out I could not run more than a few minutes straight. By the time September came around I would be able to run 5K 6 minutes faster and actually enjoy my runs but as soon as the first hint of chill was felt, I would retreat into my house and complain about the winter weather.

I hated winter then and although it's still not my favourite season, I've actually found a way to make it seem so much shorter. I signed up for a clinic and committed to run all the way through the darkest months. To my surprise, it wasn't as bad as I had imagined. With just a few thin layers of clothing, I was able to get outside, get some much needed exercise as well as sunlight. I would often be surprised by how much nicer the weather was outside than I thought it was before I headed out. I was also surprised to find that everyone else thought I was mad and tended not to bother me as often, especially on the really cold days.

Before I knew it the weather was starting to warm up and there was light at the end of the tunnel and by the time March came around I was running comfortably and 7 minutes faster than the year before.

Be consistent, commit to a goal race and enjoy your winter.

Casino Niagara Marathon

Good luck to all of you who are running the Casino Niagara Marathon this weekend. Hopefully the wind this year will be at your backs and the weather will be good for some new Personal Bests.

Winter Running

As the weather gets cooler, I tend to get a lot of questions about what to wear when running outside. Here's a few tips about what to wear as the weather cools.

The first thing I would invest in is a good light weight jacket. Look for ones made of moisture wicking material that will get your sweat out but also keep the weather out. One layer is usually fine and if it has a lining it may be too hot when it's just a little chilly outside.

Get a good pair of wind pants too. I find if I can keep the wind out, I'm much happier during my runs.

Apart from these two items just layer. You can wear two t-shirts under your jacket and you have the option to take one off if you're too warm. Again, look for wicking materials.

Once it starts to get colder you can get a hat and some gloves from the dollar store to keep your ears and fingers warm as these tend to be the places that feel the cold first. If the temperature dips below zero you should start to cover up exposed skin to keep it from freezing.

Always dress like it's 10 degrees warmer than it is. You'll only feel cold for the first 3-5 minutes and then you'll start to heat up. Also if it's windy, plan to run into the wind for the first half of your run. This way you'll be warm with the wind at your back on the way home and you won't go out too far not realizing just how cold it is outside.

Running through the winter is the best way to keep your fitness up and to help combat that depressed feeling most people get through the winter. It's nowhere near as bad as you imagine it to be.

Congratulations

Well done to everyone who took part in the Toronto Marathon yesterday. The weather was just about perfect for a marathon. As I've said before, it's important to pick your target race carefully and take into account the weather when planning your biggest race of the year.

You can get all your race results here.

Build a program for yourself

This really is the best time of year to be a runner. The temperatures are cool enough but not too cold and the air quality is good.

If every year you struggle through the summer only to peak too soon or run a marathon when it's still too hot, think about picking a later marathon next year. You can do some quality training when the conditions are better for it and your race day will not turn out to be too hot. It's a common mistake by runners to race too early in the season and be left missing their time goals by trying to fit their training into someone else's schedule.

If you have a time goal for your big race, choose that race carefully and have your program built around your goal, on your schedule.

Hit The Road has a number of products and services that can help you do just that, from Personalized Program design, to Coaching Services, to Performance Programs, to Personal Training, all provided by Certified Personal Trainers.

Get out there and set your own goals and build your program around your own situation.

Keep Running.

Upcoming events

This Monday is Thanksgiving so there will be no regular Monday classes.

The following weekend there are a couple of big local races:

The zoo run 10K on October 14th and
the Toronto Marathon on the 15th.

Maybe we'll see you there.