Hit The Road...Running

NEWS - Social Responsibility Scorecard

2011-01-04T11:12:00.000-05:00

If you've ever read the Hit The Road Corporate Profile you may have noticed the following :-

"Hit The Road prides itself on being a social enterprise and as well as the financial bottom line we also focus on the social bottom line by ensuring that the communities in which we are based benefit from our presence."

Hit The Road is proud to announce our 2010 Social Responsibility Scorecard. 2010 has continued to be a much more challenging year for everyone due to the global recession. Also we've been focusing on some other business ventures heavily this year.

So here are our 2010 results...
Funds donated to charity through Hit The Road programs....$1,020.
Amount of litter collected from local trails..............9 bags.
Pairs of running shoes donated............................6 Pairs.
Number of volunteer hours through Hit the Road programs...80 hours.

Beyond this many Hit The Road members raise funds and volunteered on their own time for various charities.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in our programs in 2010 and we look forward to an even better year in 2011.

Running Free Resources

2010-12-06T14:29:00.000-05:00

As Most of you know I am a member of Team Running Free in Ajax. Below are links to their sites.

Check them out....

RunningFree.com
Resource Centre
Team Running free
Team forum

NEWS - Social Responsibility Scorecard

2010-01-09T17:38:00.002-05:00

If you've ever read the Hit The Road Corporate Profile you may have noticed the following :-

"Hit The Road prides itself on being a social enterprise and as well as the financial bottom line we also focus on the social bottom line by ensuring that the communities in which we are based benefit from our presence."

Hit The Road is proud to announce our 2009 Social Responsibility Scorecard. 2009 has been a much more challenging year for everyone due to the global recession.

So here are our 2009 results...
Funds donated to charity through Hit The Road programs....$1,890.
Amount of litter collected from local trails..............6 bags.
Pairs of running shoes donated............................12 Pairs.
Number of volunteer hours through Hit the Road programs...94 hours.

Beyond this many Hit The Road members raise funds and volunteered on their own time for various charities.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in our programs in 2009 and we look forward to an even better year in 2010.

CLINICS - Sierra Systems Walking Program

2009-06-17T10:57:00.003-04:00

The Sierra Systems walking program is totally free to Sierra employees and takes place Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:15pm. Those participating can meet in the Sierra Lobby just before 12:15.

This ongoing drop-in program for Sierra employees consists of a 30 minute walk followed by a stretching session.

Take a break from your work day and get some exercise. All sessions can also be claimed on Sierra's Fitness Challenge for some great prizes.

EVENTS - Rat Race

2009-06-17T10:47:00.003-04:00

The Sierra Systems Running team will be taking part in this years Rat Race with all funds raised going to the United Way.

Sierra Team and supports can meet in the lobby of 150 York St. at 6:30pm on June 18th and we will be heading over to the race start at 7pm.

Post Race Party will be at Fionn MacCool's starting at 8pm. All are welcome.

CLINIC - SickKids Spring Running Program

2009-04-13T15:31:00.001-04:00

SickKids Wellness Program - Run Team Training

Mondays 5pm - 6pm

May 4th to Jul 20th, 2009

This program is suitable for all levels from Beginner to Advanced. The program will meet once a week for planned and monitored group runs, strength Training and Stretching Sessions. Group runs will consist of speed and strength training, conditioning drills and injury prevention.

What you get:

-Drills based on your current fitness level
-Instruction on types of training, fitness, Strength and Conditioning from a certified Personal Trainer Specialist
-Speed, strength and conditioning training
-Technique and injury prevention
-Support of a group of people to run with
-Race and training support to get you through those tough runs
-Social events

Cost:

$90 for this training series. Space is limited so sign up soon.

Location:

Room 1250 Elm wing,
Hospital for Sick Children,
555 University Ave,
Toronto.

Contact:

For information or to sign up contact:
Tony Denford, PTS
Tony@hittheroadrunning.com

or

Tanya Bismayer,
Manager, Health and Absence Management
The Hospital for Sick Children

For more details or to sign up online visit http://hittheroadrunning.com/sickkids

EVENTS - 5 Peaks Trail Series

2009-03-02T15:36:00.002-05:00

Our good friends at 5 Peaks Trail Running Series are looking for volunteers for their 2009 season.

2008 was an exceptional year for 5Peaks in Ontario ... the races hit record highs with both our capped events selling out and Rattlesnake Point hosting the highest attendance in 5Peaks history across Canada! The races have improved significantly over the past 3 years and much is due to the fantastic volunteers at each event. With the growth of the races, there is a greater need for volunteers and event support. Here is the rundown for the season:

Race Schedule:
April 25, 2009 - Chicopee, Kitchener
June 13, 2009 - Durham Forest, Uxbridge (race capped at 450)
July 11, 2009 - Rattlesnake Point, Milton (race capped at 650)
August 8, 2009 - Albion Hills, Bolton
September 12, 2009 - Horseshoe Resort, Barrie

Volunteer Benefits:
Free race credit
Post race BBQ just for volunteers
Race souvenir
Draw prizes just for volunteers
Industry discounts (MEC and Salomon volunteer appreciation events)
Appreciation and recognition from hundreds of crazed trail runners!

Volunteer Roles:
Pre-race - registration/racer check in, host site set up
On course - marshals, aid stations, sweep
Host site - food services, awards, finish line services

To recruit the kind of support needed for these larger events, 5Peaks is offering some additional incentives to specific groups. High school students who volunteer can earn valuable community service hours. Local clubs or teams who support an event with a minimum number of volunteers will receive a financial donation to their organization. If you are aware of any individuals or groups that might be interested in either of these incentives, please feel free to email john@5peaks.com for more information.

If you are interested in helping out with any (or all) of the races, please contact john@5peaks.com with your preferences. Thanks for your time and consideration and see you on the trails!

ARTICLE - Set goals, not resolutions

2009-01-05T10:34:00.002-05:00

It's the beginning of January again and everyone is obsessed with New Year resolutions. I cannot tell you how many press stories I've already seen this year about resolutions and how many people break them (usually by January 2nd).

If you're part of the group of people who are serious about wanting change in your life then you should really think about goal setting rather than setting resolutions.

So what's the difference?

Goal setting is a specific process to define what you want to achieve and then defining a road map of how you're going to get there. The problem with resolutions is that you define the ultimate goal without checking if it's realistic or attainable and when you face a setback you tend to feel like you failed which results in quitting.

Goals have specific elements. They must be realistic, they must have a timeline and they must be specific.

People usually resolve to 'Eat Better' and the reason they want to do that is to lose weight. A much better goal would be to lose 10lbs by April. This goal is realistic (you can lose 10lbs in the next 3 months), it has a timeline (by April, even better set a date) and it's specific ('10lbs by April' and not 'some weight').

Once you have this goal, it's easy to break it down into smaller chunks like losing a pound each week for example. Also by having smaller interim goals you can adjust your program more often as you face setbacks or have success but you don't need to give up.

Probably the most effective way to succeed with your goals is to become more accountable. Tell everyone you know that you are aiming for your goals which will give you an added incentive not to give up and get their support to help you achieve your goals.

Hit The Road Running offers coaching services which can greatly increase your chances of achieving your goals, help you to set them and also provides the accountability and motivation most people need.

Good Luck and Happy New Year.

About The Author

Tony Denford is a certified personal trainer and owner or Hit the Road Running. He has been training primarily runners since 2002 and has worked with beginners all the way to Boston Qualifier Marathon runners.

Tony emphasizes balance and variety in his training methods and always tries to make sure his client’s fitness routines are fun as well as beneficial.

Visit www.hittheroadrunning.com for more details on Hit The Road’s programs and services.

NEWS - Social Responsibility Scorecard

2009-01-05T09:33:00.003-05:00

If you've ever read the Hit The Road Corporate Profile you may have noticed the following :-

"Hit The Road prides itself on being a social enterprise and as well as the financial bottom line we also focus on the social bottom line by ensuring that the communities in which we are based benefit from our presence."

Hit The Road is proud to announce our 2008 Social Responsibility Scorecard. 2008 has been another great year for us being our most profitable to date but more importantly our social bottom line has continued to be impressive.

So here are our 2008 results...
Funds donated to charity through Hit The Road programs....$2,370.
Amount of litter collected from local trails..............8 bags.
Pairs of running shoes donated............................14 Pairs.
Number of volunteer hours through Hit the Road programs...190 hours.

Beyond this many Hit The Road members raise funds and volunteered on their own time for various charities.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in our programs in 2008 and we look forward to an even better year in 2009.

ARTICLE - Extending your Corporate Wellness Program

2008-12-04T10:02:00.000-05:00

More and more often our corporate wellness clients are asking us how they can extend the benefits of their employee wellness programs to their employee's dependants.

If you understand the great return on investment employers get from wellness programs, it makes perfect sense to extend these benefits to others who are covered by the companies insurance program and are therefore affecting the cost.

There are some challenges to extending the wellness program beyond the employees. Firstly wellness programs offered at work are often utilized due to their convenience. Family members are typically not physically at the workplace to participate in on-site initiatives. This can be overcome by offering wellness education with take-away items that could be passed on to family members. Also, offer a number of off-site events outside of business hours such as a company sports/games day where employees can bring their families along to participate.

The key thing though is to get the employees engaged in the programs and then lead by example. Inactive parents almost always lead to inactive kids. If your employees are adopting healthy habits, the children often follow.

Incentives almost always work too. Reward the employees and their families for participation and do not focus on results like weight loss. If they participate, they will get healthier. The key is to reward them for activity and healthy habits, not just for signing up.

The single biggest success factor is promotion of the program. If everyone else is doing it, there is a huge incentive for those less likely to take part and these are often the people in the more at-risk group.

If you have any questions about setting up a wellness program at your site, email them to info@hittheroadrunning.com

ARTICLE - What makes a corporate wellness program successful?

2008-10-30T15:32:00.001-04:00

In the general population you have approximately 20% of people who believe in exercise enough to do it on a regular basis. There are about 20% more who, even though they know the risks, are committed to avoiding exercise and probably never will.

There is a target of opportunity for fitness professionals of the remaining 60% so the question then becomes; what can we do to motivate this 60%?

The reality is that many of them have not yet found a convenient or enjoyable way to get their exercise. This is where employers come in. Employers who have conducted health risk assessments find that 40% of employees are in the medium and high risk groups which directly affects their productivity, creativity and sick time usage. Those in the low risk group, without change, tend to move into the medium and high risk groups over time.

Many wellness professionals want to change the world and move all their employees to the low risk group and are therefore doomed to fail. The rule here is to not let the things you cannot control, control the things you can. Even a small change in employee behaviour can have significant impact to your organizations competitiveness. Multiply the small change by the number of employees and then by time and the impact can be significant. The impact may be to slow the progress of those in the low risk group today from moving into the medium risk group.

Return on investment for corporate wellness initiatives can be staggering. Coors Brewing reported a return of $6.15 for every $1 spent and Citibank reported $4.52. The average of all companies surveyed was $4.30. That's a significant return.

So what kind of wellness initiative brings such large returns. Firstly, you cannot change everyone or everything. Programs should focus on the factors that can be easily affected. Programs should be activity based, simple, fun, private and rewarding. Add community involvement and you add another aspect to your program and your company's image.

In employee surveys 52% said they would participate in a program for a reward worth $150. The participation rate without incentives is 13%.

Often wellness programs try to measure the outcome of a program which is difficult and many employees view it as intrusive. What is more easily measured is adherence and through adherence will come results. We all know that the healthier the habits of a person, the better the results. If people exercise they will get healthier.

If your organization can provide opportunities to it's employees to live healthier and encourage them to grab the opportunities, you will see results like those mentioned above.

....

For more information about how your organization can realize the benefits of a Trail Running program, please contact tony@hittheroadrunning.com or visit corporatewellness.hittheroadrunning.com.

....

About The Author

Tony Denford is a certified personal trainer and owner or Hit the Road. He has been training primarily runners since 2002 and has worked with beginners all the way to Boston Qualifier Marathon runners.

Tony emphasizes balance and variety in his training methods and always tries to make sure his client’s fitness routines are fun as well as beneficial.

Visit www.hittheroadrunning.com for more details on Hit The Road’s programs and services.

Corporate Wellness - Trail Running Program

2008-10-23T12:54:00.001-04:00

Hit The Road Running's Trail Running Program is designed for organizations with a core of active runners who want team building opportunities and enhanced stress relief for their employees.

Ongoing trail running classes and one-time trail expeditions can be arranged off-site to encourage your employees to take a break and get back to the great outdoors.

The ongoing classes are offered within, or very close to, the city of Toronto where there is a wide range of off road trails available. Trail expeditions are offered in and out of town and can be used as active retreats for your employees and can also include other services offered by Hit The Road and our partners such as Yoga or Nutritional Counselling.

The Trail Running program is perfect for intermediate to advanced runners who are looking for some variety and covers topics such as;

Trail Running Technique,
Bush safety,
Balance,
Equipment,
Navigation and,
Trail First Aid.

These programs are available to both Corporations and Large Active Lifestyle Clubs or Organizations.

For more information about how your organization can realize the benefits of a Trail Running program, please contact tony@hittheroadrunning.com or visit corporatewellness.hittheroadrunning.com.

UPDATE - What's going on at Hit The Road.

2008-10-22T09:35:00.000-04:00

What's interesting to me is that during times of economic slowdown there are some great opportunities to increase your business efficiency that company after company seems to realize.

At Hit The Road, our Corporate Wellness programs are picking up a lot of attention. Company executives are well aware of the great ROI from Corporate Wellness initiatives and are beginning to realize the relative low cost of start up. Hit The Road is in a great position to help organizations realize the efficiencies of a healthier, more productive workforce.

It's also time for a lot of our Fall running programs to start. Fall is one of the best times of the year to run. It's way more comfortable than summer and gives you a jump start and energy boost you need to face the upcoming holiday season. With all those party's coming up, wouldn't you want to look your best?

Click here for a list of services we provide or to sign up.

CLINICS - Sickkids Fall Running Programs

2008-09-30T06:11:00.001-04:00

Sign up is now available for the SickKids Wellness Program's Beginner Running Program and Advanced Running Program.

There are three ways to sign up:
1) by Credit Card or PayPal just click on the 'PayPal' link at the bottom of the program description and you will be re-directed to the secure PayPal website.

2) by mail just download the Application and Health Questionnaire and mail them with a cheque for $80 payable to Tony Denford to the address below:
497 Summerpark cres,
Pickering, ON. L1V 7A8
Applications must be received before October 20th.

3) in person, download the Application and Health Questionnaire and bring them with you to the first class along with payment in cash or cheque. In-person applications will be taken on a first come first served basis and this class has been capped in the past so please e-mail me before the class to secure a spot. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early for the class to ensure there are no issues with the health questionnaire.

For more information you can also contact Tanya Bismayer,Manager, Health and Absence Management, Rm 5350 at 416.813.7483.

INFO - A Run For Liane

2008-09-24T11:10:00.000-04:00

A Run For Liane is up to 132 participants (22 more than last year) and on target to reach our goal of $35,000.

Great news….we have a new celebrity runner! Peter Foncesca, Ontario Minister of Labour (previously Minister of Tourism) is running the 5km for our team.

Click Here for the latest newsletter including meeting place information.

EVENTS - Healthy Workplace Month

2008-09-08T11:22:00.000-04:00

Hit The Road Running is once again supporting the efforts of Healthy Workplace Month.

This year Healthy Workplace Month runs from September 29th to October 26th. If your organization is looking for health related workshops for your Healthy Workplace Month initiatives please contact us for details of available programs and times. Space during this period is filling up fast so don't delay.

For more details of our Corporate Wellness programs, click here.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

INFO - A Run for Liane newsletter

2008-08-28T16:15:00.000-04:00

This year's A Run for Liane has gotten off to a good start but we are still looking for people who are participating in any of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon events to help raise pledges.

Click here for all the latest news.

Update - What's going on at Hit The Road

2008-06-27T15:28:00.001-04:00

Wow it has been the busiest Spring ever for us here at Hit The Road. You may have noticed a lack of posts here on the main site as we spent a lot of time with the personalized web sites and corporate sites as of late. Now that those programs are up and running we intend to start focusing on new programs to be released soon.

Now that the weather is getting sticky again feel free to read this article I wrote a while ago about hot weather running and remember to stay cool and keep running.

CLINICS - SickKids Spring Programs - CLOSED

2008-04-25T15:23:00.001-04:00

Registration for the SickKids Spring running programs has now closed.

If you missed out, please e-mail us and we will notify you early of the next session.

CLINICS - SickKids Spring Running Programs

2008-04-03T15:00:00.001-04:00

Sign up is now available for the SickKids Wellness Program's Beginner Running Program and Advanced Running Program.

There are three ways to sign up:
1) by Credit Card or PayPal just click on the 'PayPal' link at the bottom of the program description and you will be re-directed to the secure PayPal website.

2) by mail just download the Application and Health Questionnaire and mail them with a cheque for $80 payable to Tony Denford to the address below:
497 Summerpark cres,
Pickering, ON. L1V 7A8
Applications must be received before Friday April 25th.

3) in person, download the Application and Health Questionnaire and bring them with you to the first class along with payment in cash or cheque. In-person applications will be taken on a first come first served basis and this class has been capped in the past so please e-mail me before the class to secure a spot. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early for the class to ensure there are no issues with the health questionnaire.

UPDATE - What's going on at Hit The Road

2008-03-10T10:57:00.000-04:00

It's been an extremely busy few months here at Hit The Road and I want to congratulate all of our runners who have been toughing it out through all this snow.

Keep an eye on the website as we will be announcing some exciting new programs soon and also the start of our spring programs.

Winter is almost done so keep up the good work.

UPDATE - SickKids Winter Class Registration Closed

2008-02-04T09:28:00.000-05:00

Registration for the SickKids Winter Beginner and Advanced Class is now closed.

If you missed out, please e-mail us and we will notify you early of the next session.

CLINICS - SickKids Winter Running Programs

2008-01-27T21:15:00.000-05:00

Sign up is now available for the SickKids Wellness Program's Beginner Running Program and Advanced Running Program.

There are four ways to sign up:
1) by Credit Card or PayPal just click on the 'PayPal' link at the bottom of the program description and you will be re-directed to the secure PayPal website.

2) by mail just download the Application and Health Questionnaire and mail them with a cheque for $80 payable to Tony Denford to the address below:
497 Summerpark cres,
Pickering, ON. L1V 7A8
Applications must be received before Friday February 1st.

3) in person, download the Application and Health Questionnaire and bring them with you to the first class along with payment in cash or cheque. In-person applications will be taken on a first come first served basis and this class has been capped in the past so please e-mail me before the class to secure a spot. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early for the class to ensure there are no issues with the health questionnaire.

4) in person at the SickKids Health Fair on January 30th and 31st in the Garden Terrace in the Atrium at HSC. Download the Application and Health Questionnaire and bring them with you to the Health Fair along with payment in cash or cheque. In-person applications will be taken on a first come first served basis and this class has been capped in the past.

UPDATE - SickKids New Year Advanced Class Registration Closed

2008-01-14T21:33:00.001-05:00

Registration for the SickKids January Advanced Class is now closed.

If you missed out, please e-mail us and we will notify you early of the next session.

UPDATE - SickKids New Year Beginner Program Registration Closed

2008-01-13T20:35:00.000-05:00

Registration for the SickKids January Beginners Class is now closed.

If you missed out, please e-mail us and we will notify you early of the next session.

NEWS - Four good habits to have

2008-01-09T09:17:00.000-05:00

We are now well into the new year and I wonder how peoples resolutions are doing? Chances are, not so good. Most peoples resolutions fail because people don't set realistic goals and make a plan to get there.

Even if you've broken those resolutions already, don't give up. You obviously wanted to achieve them so now you need to set realistic goals and work on the plan to see them realized.

If you didn't have any resolutions there are four easy habits to adopt that can add years to your life. A new study from Cambridge University concludes that if you don't smoke, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and drink in moderation you will add, on average, 14 years to your life.

Next time someone tells you that they don't have time to exercise think of all the things you could do with an additional 14 years.

For more information on how to set goals, read these articles we published earlier.

Good Luck.

NEWS - Run it or Drive it?

2008-01-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately it's a fact of life that sometimes people die while exercising but it usually makes the headlines so a lot of people come to the assumption that exercise is dangerous.

Here's an interesting study in the British Medical Journal that compares mortality rates for marathons with driving over the same route.

Click Here to read the article.

NEWS - Social Responsibility Scorecard

2008-01-03T14:27:00.000-05:00

If you've ever read the Hit The Road Corporate Profile you may have noticed the following :-

"Hit The Road prides itself on being a social enterprise and as well as the financial bottom line we also focus on the social bottom line by ensuring that the communities in which we are based benefit from our presence."

Hit The Road is proud to announce our 2007 Social Responsibility Scorecard. 2007 has been an amazing year for us being our most profitable to date but more importantly our social bottom line has been more healthy than ever.

So here are our 2007 results...
Funds donated to charity through Hit The Road programs....$2,920.
Amount of litter collected from local trails..............5 bags.
Pairs of running shoes donated............................22 Pairs.
Number of volunteer hours through Hit the Road programs...210 hours.

Beyond this many Hit The Road members raise funds and volunteered on their own time for various charities.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in our programs in 2007 and we look forward to an even better year in 2008.

UPDATE - A Run For Liane fundraising

2007-12-21T10:37:00.000-05:00

The STWM presented the Charity Challenge winners on December 7. A record $912,372.00 was raised this year for over 50 local charities! Instead of offering $5,000.00 to the winner of our three categories, Scotiabank upped the stakes by awarding $7,500.00 to the winner in each category, along with $5,000.00 and $2,500.00 to the 2nd and 3rd place in each category respectively….and A Run For Liane won!

Most runners:
$7,500.00 – Assaulted Women’s Helpline 150 runners
$5,000.00 – A Run For Liane 110 runners
$2,500.00 – Hope For Children Foundation 55 runners

The full story can be found at here.

Thanks to all the ARFL runners for making this our most successful year yet! This year’s total (including the prize) was $43, 541 and our 5-year total is just over $161,000.

For more information about A Run For Liane, please visit www.rememberliane.com.

CLINICS - Corporate Advanced Running Programs

2007-12-14T10:08:00.001-05:00

Hit The Road's Advanced Corporate Running Program is specially designed to help your organization continue to enjoy the benefits of a corporate running team.

The advanced program encourages those who already run and those graduates of the beginner running program to continue their healthy habit while fostering teamwork and communication. It also show your employees that you are investing in their continued health.

This program consists of a structure workout program designed for runners with different aspects covered in each weekly session including technique, injury prevention, speed work, balance and reaction training.

All of Hit The Road's running programs are instructed by insured and certified trainers who focus on improving the fitness of your employees while limiting risks to participants.

Employers have the option of fully subsidizing the cost of the training for employees or to endorse the program to their employees at the their own expense. Both options have high participation rates with a drop out rate of less than 18% over the course of the program.

Hit The Road can also measure the effectiveness of their programs and supply that data to the employers for wellness program planning.

If you'd like more details about Hit The Road's Running programs for corporations please contact info@hittheroadrunning.

For more details on the benefits of corporate running teams, please read the Corporate Run Programs White Paper published by Tony Denford.

EVENTS - Post Race Celebration

2007-12-14T09:23:00.000-05:00

This is an open invitation to join us for a post race celebration on Wednesday, January 2nd 2008 at 5:00pm at the Devils Advocate Pub at the corner of Elm and Bay Streets.

Come on out and celebrate your running success for 2007.

NEWS - New Look and Feel to Website

2007-12-13T13:15:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have noticed over the last few weeks that we have been converting our website over to a new, cleaner look and feel. We hope you like the changes.

Keep an eye out for some exciting new features to the main website and subsites.

hittheroadrunning.com
corporatewellness.hittheroadrunning.com
articles.hittheroadrunning.com

NEWS - Focus on Fitness, Not Fatness, for Longevity

2007-12-07T14:50:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting article posted in the Journal of the American Medical Association which focuses on whether fitness or body fat determines a persons longevity.

Click here to read the article.

PROGRAMS - Workplace Wellness Survey

2007-11-30T14:48:00.000-05:00

We are interested in hearing your views about workplace wellness programs offered by your employer. Please take a few minutes to complete our workplace wellness survey.

Click Here to take survey

All responses are completely confidential. Thanks in advance for your participation.

If you'd like to know more about Hit The Road Running's Corporate Wellness Programs please visit http://corporatewellness.hittheroadrunning.com/

TIPS - Winter Running

2007-11-29T15:24:00.000-05:00

The colder weather is starting to roll in and I hope it's not putting too many off from your running plans.

One thing that strikes me every year around this time is how many of my newer runners (who haven't run through a winter before) mention to me that it's not as cold outside as they thought it would be. After the first 3 or 4 minutes you are warmed up and produce your own micro-climate which is surprisingly comfortable. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that if it's below freezing, you should cover your extremities so get a pair of gloves and something to cover your ears and you're all set.

People are also asking me about this time about what to do in terms of footwear once it snows. Typically your regular running shoes will be fine, especially downtown where the sidewalks get cleared pretty quickly. If there's fresh snow on the ground just shorten your stride, run slower and don't try to turn sharply and you should be fine. Just use common sense. If it's right after or during an ice storm, I'd suggest skipping your run outside for another day.

The only other piece of advice is to be even more cautious of the traffic. Please keep in mind that cars may not be able to stop if there's ice on the road but also that the outward visibility is also reduced due to ice or road salt on the windshield. That, combined with the darker nights, could be a reason (although not an excuse) for why a driver doesn't see that runner they weren't expecting.

CLINICS - Corporate Beginners Running Programs

2007-11-21T15:47:00.000-05:00

Hit The Road's Corporate Beginners Running Program is an excellent way for your organization to realize the benefits of initiating a corporate run team.

There are benefits for the employees and the employer. Employees will benefit from participating in regular activity and all the health benefits associated with doing so while the employer benefits include lower absentee rates, higher employee retention rates, more productive workforce, improved corporate image and improved communication and teamwork.

All of Hit The Road's running programs are instructed by insured and certified trainers who focus on improving the fitness of your employees while limiting risks to participants.

Our beginners programs can get your workforce up and moving and culminates in a goal run where you can increase your companies profile in the community.

Employers have the option of fully subsidizing the cost of the training for employees or to endorse the program to their employees at the their own expense. Both options have high participation rates with a drop out rate of less than 18% over the course of the program.

Hit The Road can also measure the effectiveness of their programs and supply that data to the employers for wellness program planning.

If you'd like more details about Hit The Road's Beginner Running program for corporations please contact info@hittheroadrunning.

For more details on the benefits of corporate running teams, please read the Corporate Run Programs White Paper published by Tony Denford.

EVENTS - Toronto Resolution Run Date Change

2007-11-14T09:14:00.000-05:00

The Toronto Resolution Run has been changed from December 31st to December 30th. For those of you who couldn't make the 31st this is a great chance to sign up but do it soon before the free jackets run out!

If you already signed up and cannot make the 30th, the Running Room is offering a full refund by contacting lbritton@runningroom.com.

Click here for all the run details.

TIPS - Warming Up

2007-11-08T15:27:00.000-05:00

When you start to exercise your body starts to have physiological changes. You breath faster and more deeply, your heart rate increases and you start to shunt your blood supply from your abdomen to the muscles for a better delivery of oxygen.

These changes do not happen instantaneously, it takes a few minutes for your arterial and venal systems to dilate or contract to move the blood around. This period is typically what is referred to as the warm up. The length of time of your warm up should depend on factors such as your age and your current level of fitness. The older or more out of shape you are, the longer your warm up period should be. For most people 5 to 7 minutes should be sufficient.

Dynamic warm ups are the easiest way to get ready for exercise so start with movements similar to the sport you plan to do and slowly increase the range of motion and the explosive power until you're up to full speed. If you find you are fading towards the end of your workout, it is probably because you didn't warm up fully and this resulted in an increase in lactic acid in the muscles which causes fatigue.

All of this explains why the beginning of your run seems hard (you're still warming up) the middle part seems easier (you have a good delivery of oxygen to the muscles) and the end seems to get harder again as you increase the running time (fatigue).

CLINICS - Workplace fitness Walking Program

2007-10-31T11:20:00.001-04:00

Help establish a fitness walking group at your workplace.

Walking for Fitness is one of the most popular Corporate Wellness programs due primarily to it's ease of implementation. Walking groups can cater to a large number of employees and has the added benefit of needing little space and having a low overhead over other programs.

Employees enjoy the flexibility of being able to do these programs during their lunch or scheduled breaks without becoming too sweaty to return to work. It takes very little equipment or investment from the employee but still has significant benefits to their health.

Apart from the obvious health benefits there are other benefits to both employer and employee including socialization, improved communication, team building, employee motivation, and employee retention. Employees also have reduced stress levels and more energy.

Hit The Road's Fitness Walking programs are scalable to fit your organizations needs from supporting program set-up, to ongoing fitness education for participants, to fully managed and supervised programs delivered by certified personal trainer specialists.

For more information about how your organization can realize the benefits of a workplace Walking for Fitness program, please contact tony@hittheroadrunning.com or visit corporatewellness.hittheroadrunning.com.

TIPS - Be prepared to Fall Back

2007-10-31T10:56:00.000-04:00

The clocks are about to change for the annual Fall Back to winter time so it's important this week to consider what it might be like for your runs after the change.

For those of you currently running just before the sun comes up, you'll have the advantage of light (at least for a couple of weeks) but more importantly, those of you who run in the evening will find that your usual running time is suddenly much darker.

If you don't already have them, now is the time to buy some reflective clothing and think about lighting yourself up. Most good running stores carry both red and white lights for runners to attach to themselves. A blinking red light to attach to the back of your hat is a great idea. It will get you noticed by motorists especially as you cross side roads.

If you live in an area where you have to run in the road always run facing the oncoming traffic. If you see a driver not moving over to pass you, you have the option to jump into the ditch on the side of the road which is much better than them hitting you from behind and leaving your body in that same ditch!

Most importantly, just use common sense and be safe out there as you pound the pavement.

UPDATE - A Run For Liane fundraising

2007-10-26T10:29:00.000-04:00

As of October the 19th, A Run For Liane in 2007 had raised a total of $36,314.16 for the Childhood Cancer Research Centre at SickKids. Way to go everyone.

Click here for more information about A Run For Liane.

NEWS - Hit The Road lauches corporate wellness sub-site

2007-10-17T15:18:00.000-04:00

With the growing interest in our Corporate Wellness programs, Hit The Road Running officially launches our corporate wellness sub-site at http://corporatewellness.hittheroadrunning.com/

Keep an eye on the site as we update it with details of our current corporate programs as well as new offerings. We will also be posting news and articles about the corporate wellness market.

TIPS - Invest in technique, not in shoes

2007-10-11T21:49:00.000-04:00

Once again a study is released which concludes that there is no correlation between the price of running shoes and their effectiveness at preventing injury. Many of you may have already heard me quoting earlier studies which came to the same conclusion.

So what is the secret to staying injury free?

There are several factors to this question including mileage, training intensity, rest intervals and training habits but nothing is more important than the actual technique of the runner. There are far too many programs out there that focus on covering a certain distance or running at a certain pace but not enough trainers are focusing on limiting the impact of running which we all know is the cause of almost all running related injuries.

If you've ever taken those expensive running shoes off and tried to run, you'll immediately find that you run very differently. No longer will you heel strike or step out in front of your centre of gravity, both would be too painful. What you will do is land in a more protective stance with your foot directly beneath you and much more on the ball of the foot.

There are a couple of major benefits to running this way when you put the shoes back on. Firstly it's your body's natural response to protect yourself from impact injuries. Secondly, as you are no longer landing on your heals, you are neutralizing the affect of pronation or supination (rolling of the foot throughout the motion of running). The benefit of having a neutral foot strike is that you are not putting additional stresses on your ankle, knee and hip joints by twisting to compensate for the jarring effect of a heal strike and again reducing your risk of injury.

At first it may seem like an unnatural way to run but once you work on increasing your cadence to compensate for the shorter stride, it will soon train your nervous system and become second nature.

The last concern is that by shortening your stride you will run slower but next time you're at a big race, watch the guys at the front. Most world class runners run at a cadence of 160-180 steps per minute. Their secret to running faster is to spend more time in the air and no-one has ever had an impact injury from being in the air.

Like my skydiving buddy once said, it's not the falling that will kill you, it's hitting the ground.

Run smooth.

NEWS - Hit The Road helps SickKids reach NQI level 1

2007-10-05T10:41:00.001-04:00

PRESS RELEASE - Toronto, On. - Oct. 2, 2007.

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto was awarded the National Quality Institute's NQI level 1 in recognition for their comitment to fostering a healthy workplace for their employees.

Hit The Road Running is proud to be a part of this success by offering it's services to SickKids staff through the wellness program. Hit The Road currently trains the SickKids Staff Running team and has provided several fitness related seminars.

The SickKids Staff Running team has been a huge success for the Wellness program with most classes being oversubscribed by employees and the program being recently expanded to accomodate more employees.

ABOUT HIT THE ROAD...RUNNING
Hit The Road...Running provides training services for runners and corporate running teams. Founded in 2002 by Tony Denford, Hit The Road has expanded to provide fitness education, personal training, corporate wellness and fitness promotion services. For more details on Hit The Road please visit HitTheRoadRunning.com.

INFO - A Run For Liane Newsletter

2007-10-03T09:24:00.000-04:00

This year's A Run For Liane was a great success. Click here for all the latest news.

Thank you to everyone out there who helped me surpass my personal fundraising goal.

CLINICS - SickKids Wellness Program Fall Session

2007-10-02T16:54:00.000-04:00

For those of you looking for details of the upcoming SickKids Wellness Programs please click here to view the SickKids Sub-site for all the details on the program.

Just a reminder for those who sign up at the Wellness Fair on Wednesday there is a discount available. Cash or cheque can be accepted at the health fair.

EVENTS - Waterfront 5K

2007-09-30T21:32:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to all of the SickKids runners who completed the Waterfront 5K.

Results are now posted on the race website and there are some fantastic results.

Great job done by everyone.

SOCIAL EVENT - Post Race Celebration

2007-09-28T08:53:00.000-04:00

Come and join us in our post race celebration on Monday October 1st from 5:30pm onwards.

We are meeting at the Devil's Advocate pub at the corner of Elm St. and Bay St. in downtown Toronto.

All Hit The Road members are welcome and feel free to bring along your friends and colleagues.

See you then.

EVENTS - Waterfront 5K

2007-09-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

If you haven't already guessed this year I am running for A Run For Liane again and I'd love your support to help the childhood cancer research centre at SickKids.

You can make pledges securely online and receive your tax receipts electronically directly from SickKids foundation.

Please visit my pledge page for more details or to make a pledge.

Thank you for your support.

INFO - A Run For Liane Newsletter

2007-09-25T20:41:00.000-04:00

The Latest A Run For Liane newsletter is now available. Click here for all the latest news.

This is a great chance for you to help yourself get fit while helping out SickKids. Feel free to pass on the info to anyone who may be interested.

CLINIC - SickKids Fall Running Programs

2007-09-17T15:32:00.000-04:00

Looking to get a jump-start on your New Year’s resolution? Join the SickKids’ Staff Wellness Program Run Team.

Beginners training program will take you from Non-runner to finishing your first 5K.
Advanced program will focus on technique and drills to make your running more efficient and less injury prone.

Both programs meet once a week for run training, strengthening and stretching exercises.

WHEN: Advanced Class – Mondays 5:30-6:30pm
Beginners Class – Wednesdays 5:00-6:00pm
WHERE: Room 1250 Elm Wing
DATE: October 15 – Dec 31, 2007
COST: $80 for each training series

For more info
Visit: HitTheRoadRunning.com/sickkids or contact Tony Denford at tony@HitTheRoadRunning.com or (647) 882 9755

EVENTS - Longboat Toronto Island Run

2007-09-05T14:34:00.000-04:00

September 9th is the Longboat Toronto Island run which this year has a 10K, 5K and kids run.

For all the details click here.

INFO - A Run For Liane Newsletter

2007-08-31T14:22:00.000-04:00

A Run For Liane summer newsletter is now available. Click here for all the latest news.

This is a great chance for you to help yourself get fit while helping out SickKids. Feel free to pass on the info to anyone who may be interested.

EVENTS - September Events

2007-08-31T13:50:00.000-04:00

Don't miss these runs coming up in September
September 8th:
Haliburton Forest Trail Run
Brooklin Harvest Festival Run
September 9th:
Bernard's Run 5K and 10K
September 16th:
Humber River Run
September 22nd
5 Peaks Horseshoe Valley
September 30th:
Waterfront Marathon, 1/2 and 5K

EVENTS - A Run For Liane

2007-08-29T16:00:00.000-04:00

If you are already signed up for one of the events at the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon, why not help out a good cause in the process.

Join the 'A Run For Liane' team and help raise much needed funds for the Childhood Cancer Research Centre. All pledges can be collected online so there's no need for you to walk around and solicit money.

If you're already registered for the race, click here to join the A Run For Liane team.

If you're not already registered for the race, click here for all the details.

I know your support will be greatly appreciated.

TIP - Canada Food Guide

2007-08-22T21:34:00.000-04:00

A lot of my clients have been asking about the new Canada's Food Guide and what changes have been made to it. It's been over 14 years since the guide was reviewed and the new guide, published by Health Canada, has made changes to be more specific for different areas of the population. The old guide had listed the number of servings for each food group but was not specific to the sex or age of those following the recommendations.

The guide now splits the population into children, teens and adults with further breakdown by age and sex. This allows a differentiation for the number of servings for a male teen versus a female over 51 for example.

As we age our dietary needs change and so our eating habits should also reflect the needs of the body to remain healthy. The new guide recommends adults over 51 consume more milk products to help combat the growing risk of osteoporosis.

As well as updating the number of servings, the new guide also has an easier to follow guide to serving sizes. In North America, we often have a skewed view of serving sizes so it's here that most people need to review the guidelines. I often hear people say "I can't possibly eat 10 servings of fruit or vegetables per day" but when you look at the amount in a serving, it's not usually that hard.

The new guide also has guidelines for being active, eating well, how to read nutrition labels and information about limiting trans and saturated fats.

For more information on the Canada food guide, visit http://healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide or click here to view the guide in PDF format.

EVENTS - CAN-FIT-PRO Consumer Fitness & Wellness Show

2007-08-15T12:12:00.000-04:00

Saturday, August 18th Can-Fit-Pro opens its doors to consumers for one day only. A full day of shopping at the trade show and learning from high profile speakers. Presenters include Ironman Jasper Blake, Libby Norris, Dr. Joey Shulman and many more. Shop for music, clothes, fitness equipment, shoes and co much more.
Tickets are available at the door for $20. Advance online ticket purchase is available until Tuesday at 5:00 pm. See you there for an exciting day of shopping, learning and working out. Click here to learn more.

$5 OFF CONSUMER SHOW ADMITTANCE
Special offer to friends and family of Can-fit-Pro members only! Click here to print off the $5 off coupon. The coupon can be redeemed at the door and you pay only $15. Remember to put 'Tony Denford' as the referrer.

Have a great time at the show and I hope to see you all there.

EVENTS - 5 Peaks Mono Cliffs

2007-08-07T11:45:00.000-04:00

This upcoming weekend August 11th is the 5 Peaks Race at Mono Cliffs. Looks like it will be another great event and don't forget to 'Swim to Win' if you don't mind getting wet!

TIP - Buying Running Shoes

2007-08-07T11:41:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting article on how to get the right running shoes.

TIP - Hot Weather Running

2007-08-01T11:01:00.000-04:00

Well here we are again in the middle of another heat wave. Try not to let the heat be your excuse for not getting out and exercising.

I've written before about hot weather running so I thought I'd make it easier for you all to find those articles by providing some links.

Click here for some tips to help you keep cool and safe during this heatwave.

CLINICS - SickKids Summer Beginners Program - Full

2007-07-27T14:46:00.001-04:00

The Sickids Healthy Workplaces Running program is now full and we cannot accept any further participants for this session.

Visit this site often if you'd like to know about the next session or other programs or email us to be added to our newsletter list to be one of the first to know about upcoming sessions.

CLINICS - A Run For Liane 5K Run and Walk Program

2007-07-20T15:12:00.000-04:00

The 'A Run For Liane' 5K Run and Walk Program starts this coming Tuesday July 24th and there is still some space available.

We will be accepting sign-ups on at the first class but please arrive 15 minutes early to do the necessary paperwork. Payment on the day can be accepted in cash or cheque only.

To guaranty your spot in this program please e-mail tony@hittheroadrunning.com to confirm that you're interested and that space is still available.

Hope to see you on Tuesday.

CLINICS - SickKids Wellness Program Summer Session

2007-07-19T15:52:00.000-04:00

The SickKids Healthy Workplaces running program starts this coming Monday July 23rd.

We still have a few spaces left so we will be accepting signups on the day. Please arrive at 5:15pm to fill out the necessary paperwork before the class starts at 5:30pm. Come dressed to run outside.

We will cap this class when full so contact the trainer to guaranty your spot before the class.

EVENTS - Nissan Foundation 5K and 10 Miler

2007-07-16T21:43:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to all the Hit The Road Runners who made it out to the new Nissan Foundation 5K and 10 Miler.

Once again some amazing performances but a special mention to Jane A. who managed to place 3rd in her category on her very first 5K.

Congratulations again.

UPDATE - What's going on at Hit The Road

2007-07-04T13:24:00.000-04:00

Wow it's been a crazy time lately at Hit The Road. July marks a busy month for us including the start of two new programs for A Run For Liane and the SickKids Wellness Program as well as a move to a new location.

We're also looking forward to the Nissan Foundation 5K which will be the graduation run for the latest batch of SickKids Runners as well as the upcoming 5 Peaks race at Rattlesnake point.

Keep an eye on the website for update for these and other programs that are coming up soon.

CLINIC - A Run For Liane 5K Run and Walk Program

2007-07-03T08:23:00.000-04:00

A Run For Liane 5K running or walking program

Tuesdays 7:30pm - 8:30pm

July 24th to September 30th, 2007

Want to get fit while helping out a good cause? Join A Run For Liane to help raise much needed funds for the Childhood Cancer Research Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

This is a beginner to advanced training program with the goal event of the Scotiabank Marathon Weekend 5K. The program will meet once a week for instruction and demonstrations followed by planned and monitored group runs or walks. This program will cater for walkers and beginner to advanced runners.

What you get:

-Training Schedule
-Beginners Training Manual
-Evaluation of your current fitness level
-Instruction on types of training, fitness, Strength and Conditioning from a certified Personal Trainer Specialist
-Support of a group of people to run with
-Fundraising ideas
-Race and training support to get you through those tough runs or walks
-Social events

Cost:

$70 for this training series.

Location:

Port Union Community Centre,
5450 Lawrence Ave.
Toronto ON
M1C 3B2

Contact:

For information or to sign up contact:
Tony Denford, PTS
Tony@hittheroadrunning.com
(647) 882 9755

Even if you cannot take part in this program, please consider lending your support to this great cause. Since 2003 A Run For Liane has raised over $120,000 for SickKids and this year we want to push that total even higher. Click Here if you'd like to know more about A Run For Liane.

EVENTS - Canada Day Holiday

2007-06-28T16:10:00.000-04:00

Have a great Canada Day weekend.

Just a reminder that there are no classes on Monday July 2nd.

Enjoy your weekend.

TIP - Stick to the positive

2007-06-19T21:24:00.000-04:00

Whenever you sign up for a race let your friends and family know about the event too so that they can join you or come out to cheer you on. It's important to build a network of supporters who will help you to continue your healthy ways. From experience I can tell you that there are two types of people out there; those who envy your achievements and those who will encourage you all the way to the finish line and beyond. I advise you to hang around the second group whenever you get the chance. These are the people who can share the glory of your achievements and admire your perseverance and won't hold you back.

Just like people there are two types of thoughts you will have while running. Recognize those positive thoughts and encourage them to encourage you. Ignore the negative thought as much as you can. They will probably never go away but make them as small and insignificant as you can. Know that you are keeping fit for a reason and be conscious of that reason. Write it down and put it somewhere you will look at it every day.

The mind can be a powerful thing so use it to your advantage.

TIP - Planning ahead

2007-06-12T21:19:00.000-04:00

I talk a lot about aiming for a goal race and the importance of having something to work towards. As you approach your goal race I'd like you to start thinking about where you want to go next.

Some people want to run further, some faster and some want to be able to run consistently for years to come. Whatever it is that you want to do, pick an event and work towards it. If you wait until you finish the goal race before starting to think about what you want to do next you will run the risk of 'falling off the wagon' and losing sight of why you chose to get fit in the first place. I've seen it too often where people say "I'll take a couple of weeks off before deciding what to do next" only to find themselves falling back into their old habits. It's much better to plan a couple of weeks rest into your schedule once you've committed to your next goal.

If you're ever looking for recommendations for events to do or strategies of how to get there, let me know and I'll do my best to help you achieve whatever it is that you are looking for. For now just start to think about it and plan ahead.

INFO - A Run For Liane Newsletter

2007-06-08T15:05:00.000-04:00

A Run For Liane spring newsletter is now available. Click here for all the latest news.

This is a great chance for you to help yourself get fit while helping out SickKids. Feel free to pass on the info to anyone who may be interested.

EVENTS - National Sports Friends and Family Sale

2007-06-07T10:34:00.000-04:00

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all National Sports stores you can get 25% off all regular priced items and an additional 15% off all sale items.

Contact tony@hittheroadrunning.com to receive your coupon.

EVENTS - 5Peaks Durham Forest

2007-06-04T15:16:00.000-04:00

This weekend is the big 5Peaks trail race at Durham Regional Forest near Uxbridge.

Don't miss out on one of the highlights of the trail running season. There have been some nice course improvements and wave starts to help with the smooth running of this event.

See you there.

EVENTS - Alfie Shrubb 8K

2007-05-28T11:17:00.000-04:00

Coming up on June 3rd is the 5th Annual Alfie Shrubb 8K in Bowmanville. It's a great intermediate distance race well run and organized by Running Pal Al from the Whitby Running Room.

EVENTS - FREE trail run

2007-05-25T14:45:00.000-04:00

Join Hit The Road Running for a free trail run. Enjoy some great trails right in the heart of the city.

Where: ET Seton Park in the Leslie and Eglinton area
When: Saturday June 2nd at 9am sharp.
Directions: From Leslie take the driveway on the west side down towards Sunnybrook park. Keep to the left and follow the driveway south, under Eglinton and on to the parking lot. We will be meeting at the far end of the lot from the entrance and heading out for the run at 9am sharp.

The Trail is an out and back course so you can go as far or short as you wish.

CLINIC - Trail Running Seminar at Energia Athletics

2007-05-23T14:08:00.000-04:00

Only a few spots left for this weekends Trail running clinic at Energia Athletics. Looks like the weather will be great to do a little trail running so don't miss out and sign up soon.

For all the details click here.

EVENTS - Ottawa Marathon

2007-05-23T14:05:00.000-04:00

Good luck to everyone who is running in Ottawa this weekend. It looks like it may be hot so make sure you hydrate well for the race.

CLINIC - Trail Running One Day Seminar

2007-05-16T10:40:00.000-04:00

Registration for this weekend's trail running clinic has now closed. If you're still looking for a trail running clinic contact Energia Athletics for their clinic on May 26th.

For more details on this clinic click here.

EVENTS - Mississauga Marathon

2007-05-11T15:42:00.000-04:00

Good luck to everyone running this weekend in the Mississauga Marathon. Looks like another great weekend for a run so I hope you all achieve your goals.

EVENT - Wilderness Clean-Up

2007-05-10T14:54:00.000-04:00

As part of Hit The Road's social responsibility mandate we would like to tell you about The Great North American Wilderness Clean-up which is this weekend May 12th and 13th. Hit The Road Running invite you to volunteer in this cleanup. Choose a place to clean up anywhere that people like to go to enjoy the wilderness.

We all enjoy the running trails so let help to keep them clean.

For more information contact wildernesscleanup@rogers.com, or visit www.wildernesscleanup.com

TIP - Tapering

2007-05-09T15:22:00.000-04:00

If you're training for Mississauga or Ottawa Marathon you should already be well into the taper portion of your training. If not, you should be because a recent study examined a muscle fibres ability to contract after marathon training.

Muscle fibres from participants calf muscles were examined after 13 weeks of marathon training and again after an additional 3 weeks of tapering (at 16 weeks).

Fast and slow twitch fibres were analysed for their size, and ability to produce strength, speed and power. After the taper period the strength of the fast twitch fibres was increased by approximately 18% resulting in a 60% increase in force production by both types of fibres.

The study concluded that for training that included a taper period the muscles ability to perform would be enhanced.

SOURCE: Trappe S, Harber M, Creer A, Gallagher P, Slivka D, Minchev K, Whitsett D. Single muscle fibre adaptations with marathon training. J Appl Physiol. 2006 Sep;101(3):721-7. [Epub 2006 Apr 13].

CLINIC - Trail Running One Day Seminars

2007-05-09T14:30:00.000-04:00

Hit The Road...Running in association with SALTYDOG are presenting a half-day Trail Running Seminar on May 19th.

Where : Seaton Trail, Whitevale, Pickering
When : 9am
Cost : $40/participant Limit of 15 participants
Topics :
-Introduction to Trail Running
-Core Stability
-Balance and Agility
-Technique and Form
-Shoes and Gear
-Warm up and Trail Run

Sign up prior to the day is required. No day-of sign up is available.

To Sign up on-line for May 19th click here.

Come dressed to work out outside. Shelter is available but most of the session will be conducted on or near the trail so please dress accordingly.

This clinic involves physical activity, conditioning drills and trail running. All participants will be required to sign a waiver before commencing with the training. Please get clearance from your physician before starting any exercise program.

CLINIC - Trail Running Seminar at Energia Athletics

2007-05-09T12:41:00.000-04:00

Hit The Road...Running in association with Energia Athletics are presenting a half-day Trail Running Seminar on May 26th.

Where : Energia Athletics (Danforth and Broadview)
When : 9am Saturday May 26th.

Participant Limit of 15 people so sign up soon.

Topics :
-Introduction to Trail Running
-Core Stability
-Balance and Agility
-Technique and Form
-Shoes and Gear
-Warm up and Trail Run

Sign up is available directly through Energia Athletics at:
164 Danforth Ave,
Toronto, ON, M4K 1N1
or phone 416 406 6664

This clinic involves physical activity, conditioning drills and trail running. All participants will be required to sign a waiver before commencing with the training. Please get clearance from your physician before starting any exercise program.

EVENTS - Sporting Life 10K - Results

2007-05-07T11:02:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to all the Hit The Road runners who took part in this weekends Sporting Life 10K. I can see all of you had excellent times especially some of you first timers.

Click Here to see the results.

Good job.

Now time to set a new goal!

SERVICES - Hit The Road News Feed

2007-05-02T15:18:00.000-04:00

If you have a Google homepage, iGoogle or Google newsreader you can now add content from this website directly to your homepage or newsreader simply by clicking on the 'Add to Google' button on the right hand side of this page.

This is a great way for you to keep up to date on what's going on at Hit The Road... Running.

EVENTS - Nissan Foundation 5k and 10 Miler

2007-05-01T15:55:00.001-04:00

Coming up on July 15th is the Nissan Foundation 5K and 10 Miler at the Distillery District.

If you'd like to join the SickKids team at this event please contact tony@hittheroadrunning.com for sign up details.

EVENTS - Sporting Life 10K

2007-04-30T09:26:00.000-04:00

Don't forget that the on-line sign up for the Sporting Life 10K closes at Midnight May 1st.

Don't miss out as the weather forecast looks great and this is a fast easy course for a 10K.

EVENTS - Upcoming Races

2007-04-26T15:09:00.000-04:00

Race season is in full swing so here are some events you should consider.

April 28th - 5Peaks Albion Hills trail races
May 6th - Sporting Life 10K
May 13th - Mississauga Marathon, Half, 10K and 5K

Remember to set your goal races early to help you commit to your training.

EVENTS - Boston Marathon

2007-04-15T12:34:00.000-04:00

Good luck to all our clients and friends who are running in this year's Boston Marathon.

You all worked really hard to get there (unless you loaned out your race chip) and deserve to have a great time. Enjoy the experience.

EVENTS - Alfie Shrubb 8K

2007-04-10T13:32:00.000-04:00

The 5th Annual Alfie Shrubb Classic is coming up on June 3rd 2007. This 8K race in Bowmanville is an excellent event that shouldn't be missed.

Check out their web site for more information.

SOCIAL EVENT - Spring Run Off Celebration

2007-04-07T21:56:00.000-04:00

This Monday (April 9th) we will be replacing our usual class with a celebration at the Devil's Advocate at the corner of Elm and Bay St (655 Bay) from 5:30pm onwards.

Please join us and feel free to bring along some friends or colleagues to discuss our war stories from the race.

Everyone Welcome.

EVENTS - SickKids Radiothon

2007-03-28T15:20:00.000-04:00

As you probably know, Hit the Road Running is a proud supporter of the work done at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

SickKids 21st Annual Radiothon starts March 28th. Last year they raised $3.5 million and hope to break that record this year thanks to the community’s tremendous support.

On March 28, 29 and 30 from 6am – 6pm, Standard Radio stations Newstalk 1010 CFRB, 97.3 EZ Rock and 99.9 MIX FM will broadcast live from the Atrium at SickKids, sharing other inspiring stories from SickKids patients and families.

Please tune in and encourage your family and friends to do the same. To give our Radiothon a head start or for more information, visit www.sickkidsradiothon.com.

EVENTS - 5Peaks Price Increase

2007-03-28T15:13:00.000-04:00

Don't forget the early bird registration for the 5peaks races ends on April 1st. Sign up now for great incentives and discounts.

EVENTS - Mid-Toronto Community Services

2007-03-27T16:17:00.000-04:00

Mid-Toronto Community Services (MTCS) invites you to participate in this 5 km walk/run or 1 km fun walk to raise funds to help support our Adult Day Centre Programs. Please join us and fundraise for MTCS and bring along your family, friends and co-workers. If you can't participate, please sponsor someone who is!

If you are interested in joining them, they would be happy to send you information including a registration package, pledge forms and more details about the event.

Contact Andrea at 416 962-9449 ext 22 or aabbott@midtoronto.com

Registration deadline: May 18th, 2007

GEAR - How to choose trail running shoes

2007-03-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

With Trail Running Season upon us, is it time for a new pair of trail shoes?

Check out this article about choosing the correct trail running shoes.

And don't forget to join us for our May 19th Trail Running Seminar in Pickering presented in conjunction with SALTYDOG.

Around the Bay 30K

2007-03-23T11:19:00.000-04:00

Good luck to everyone running the Around the Bay 30K this weekend.

This is consistently one of the best races on the event calendar and the weather this year promises to make it a good one.

Weekend to End Breast Cancer

2007-03-15T11:51:00.001-04:00

My good friend Jo Anne Bayes is once again supporting the Weekend to End Breast Cancer and has pledged to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research at Princess Margaret Hospital.

If you can help to support Jo Anne in her fundraising please visit her pledge page and give whatever support you can.

Trail Safety

2007-03-14T11:42:00.000-04:00

At this time of year, especially when there are sudden warm periods, it's especially important to be careful around rivers and streams when running on trails.

Ice jams can form causing dam that blocks the water from moving downstream. If the jam becomes unblocked the water level downstream can rise suddenly. That water is also extremely cold so it's not something you want to be caught in.

A few years ago, a friend of mine was walking his dog along a creek when he suddenly heard branches snapping and his feet were getting wet. Within 2 minutes the water level was up to his chest and he was holding onto a bridge and the dog was washed away. Luckily the water receded just as fast and his dog was OK but he says he was lucky not to be washed away.

So please be careful out there and enjoy the warmer weather.

Run Club Night at MEC

2007-03-08T15:43:00.000-05:00

As title sponsor of the 5Peaks Trail series, MEC Toronto is hosting a Run Club Night on April 10th between 7:30-9:00pm. MEC can be found at 400 King Street West in Toronto.

Click here to see the flyer.

This is a great opportunity to find out more about 5Peaks and take advantage of 10% off throughout the entire MEC store.

Don't forget to mention that Hit The Road...Running sent you.

What you can learn from running

2007-03-07T13:51:00.000-05:00

Each time you run, no matter how hard the workout is, try to look for the positive that is a result from the run. If you're running against the wind remember that it will make you stronger. If the run seemed harder than usual remember that it still counts and still made you fitter. Always look for the positive and whenever possible, write it down. Many of you probably keep a log of your runs and this is a great idea but remember to write down not only how far and how fast but things like how you felt and weather conditions. After a while you will start to notice that you go through cycles of good runs and not-so-good runs.

Lot of things can influence the feel of your run, for example diet, stress level, amount of sleep, weather or illness. Make sure you write down as much info as you can and if you notice you run easy after a good 8 hour sleep and suffer when you only get 6 hours then maybe you can learn something about how your body reacts to these influences and adjust your own behaviour to make your life a little easier.

Your running can be a good barometer of these influences but your whole life can be affected by them so take note and make changes as needed.

Online Signup Now Available for Trail Running Seminars

2007-03-01T13:31:00.000-05:00

We now have online sign up available for our 1/2 day trail running seminar.

To Sign up on-line for May 19th click here.

For all the details on this seminar, click here.