February 15, 2006
Ground Hog’s Day is past, the sun is returning, and so far we have done well dodging most of winter’s ammunition. Yes, the 2006 training season has been easy on us. Do you think we’ll have the right stuff for spring marathon season 2006? If the turn-out for our classes is any indication, the answer is a resounding, yes. And everyone has made use of the great weather to keep up with the long distance walks. We’ve got power walkers with big plans for 2006 and we’re looking forward to hearing some great stories as we get into race season. In southern Ontario, many people enjoy two early bird races. The Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington will be celebrating its 10th event and the Around the Bay Road Race continues as one of North America’s oldest running race – now including walkers. If you’re not quite ready for the chilly walking of the Chilly Half, why not have just as much fun cheering the participants on while helping out at the WoW Water station. Think of the many times you’ve been grateful to see happy faces at a water station. Now you can return the favour! Contact Lee if you are interested. The race is Sunday March 5 and you will need to be available from about 9am to 1pm. There’s a bowl of free chili in it for you (not too mention too much fun to hold in a bowl!). If 5k is more in line with your plans for early March, WoW is hoping to send two teams of 10 to the Achilles Track Club St. Patrick’s Day 5k race on Sunday March 12. Last year several of our walkers participated and enjoyed a fun walk and great food. The event is held at the Exhibition grounds downtown Toronto and is followed by Irish stew and beer. The proceeds go to the Achilles Track Club, a great organization that encourages and supports disabled athletes. |
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Lee will be teaching a special WoW! Workshop on Saturday April 15 from 1-3 pm at a GTA location to be announced. This 2-hour master class will focus on strength training using resistance tubing and body weight to enhance walking and balance muscles that are under-utilized. This workshop is free for WoW! Fanatics and $40 +GST for all others. Of course, our usual line-up of great classes starting in April is now posted on the website. Please contact us if you have specific programming desires or you would like us to set up a program at your location or work. Finally, we’re also excited about WoW Stuff especially our new periwinkle shirts! We have a big order of short-sleeve and long-sleeve versions of our well-loved black pocketed shirt arriving in the next few weeks. We need some room in our closets, so we are offering you this sweetheart deal: $10 off all our black, Coolmax® long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts. Purchase on-line or talk to your coach. Remembering Wendy Joyce. Many
of you know that it was almost one year ago when we lost our dear
friend and walking partner, Wendy Joyce. Wendy’s loss is still
felt strongly among those of us who knew her and walked with her.
We would like to honour Wendy’s memory with a tree on one
of the Oakville trails. You may not have known Wendy personally,
but heard of her story and been inspired by her dedication to the
walking community. We welcome your donation to this project which
we believe will not only be reminder of a wonderful human being
but will improve the community for walkers, runners, and amblers
alike. |
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WoW Tip :: Health before Fitness Winter got you down with the sniffles or a nasty flu? Getting sick is always a disappointment for anyone preparing for an event. Here are some tips that may help you make the right decision about whether to train and what to do as you recover. The most important rule to remember is “Health before fitness”. You may remember from your early days with WoW that we encourage you to understand the difference between health and fitness. It is possible to be healthy without being fit, and it is also possible to be fit without being healthy. For long term happiness and good quality of life, health must be a priority. If you do succumb to a cold or the flu, your priority is to recover. Sometimes getting out for some fresh air and a walk may be part of the cure. It should be fine to walk at a lower intensity when you are suffering from a head cold including congestion and some coughing and sneezing. Modifying intensity is important because rest is always a key component of recovery even with mild illness. The common guideline given to athletes is that if the symptoms are above the neck, training may be continued. Eating properly and getting as much fluid as possible to flush out toxins is also a winning strategy. Things change when symptoms move below the neck. If you develop a bronchial cough, your muscles feel achy, or you develop a fever, rest becomes critical and training could prove lethal. Any of these symptoms indicate potential for a serious illness that may result in death. You should be seeing a physician as soon as possible, if you see no improvement in your condition with rest and an increase in fluid intake. Feeling guilty that you will miss a few training sessions? Consider this. Physical activity on a regular basis has been shown to increase our immune systems while intense training for events such as the marathon can compromise the immune system. It is vital to listen to your body when you become ill. It is sending you a message loud and clear – it’s time to rest. When you do start to feel better, your immune system may not be prepared to offer you strong protection from recurring illness. Your training should be modified for a week or two to give your body time to heal.
(Don’t forget there’s nothing
like the luxury of an all organic, WoW Power Walking cotton hankie
to let you smile through your sniffles…available from our
website
and WoW coaches.) |
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We're
Excited ! We have some exciting changes happening
at WoW. First, we have three new coaches.
Claudette Tremblay will be introducing the WoW
Power Walking program to the Burlington community
while Rebecca Lane will be coaching people in Newmarket.
In Oakville, Karin-Lynn Cumming is thrilled to
be teaching a new course called WoW! Fitness walking for
anyBODY. Claudette, Rebecca and Karin-Lynn experienced
such personal success as WoW Power Walkers that they trained and
certified as personal trainers in order to teach our programs. 
We
are particularly pleased to be offering WoW! Fitness walking
for anyBODY – a program that will offer a supportive
and encouraging environment for people who have not participated
in a regular fitness program for some time and who would like guidance
on making outdoor walking a successful fitness alternative. 
