October 3, 2005
Ah, glorious morning on the shores of Pinehurst Relax. This is likely the first and last ode you’ll ever read here. I felt compelled to write it when I realized that “ode” rhymed with “Toad”. Also, truly, the Toad deserves an ode. Last Saturday, 43 WoW Power Walkers were in high spirits after power walking their way through 25 kilometres of beautiful, yet tough, trails at the Run for the Toad. Held at Pinehurst Lake Conservation area, near Paris, Ontario, organizers George and Peggy Sarson went well above and beyond the usual race organization. Some of the highlights included two of the best renditions of O Canada and The Star-Spangled Banner I’ve ever heard, great start/finish area decorations and edibles, a well-marked and outstanding trail route, bagpipe accompaniment, and over-the-top post-race meal and draw prize give-aways. As soon as George and Peggy put up their registration for 2006, we’re signing up and you should too! The wheels on the bus Yes, we’re rolling our way to the Fallsview Casino International Marathon (that’s at Niagara Falls). One of WoW’s favourite races for the fall season, is the half marathon here. The organizers give us our own start one hour before the runners. The course follows the scenic roadway beside the Niagara River to the top of Niagara Falls. Many of us keep returning in the hopes that we’ll enjoy it in its full sunny glory! Once again this year we are hoping to organize a bus to the start. Our bus makes this race very easy to attend, if you live anywhere in the GTA. It saves you driving to the Falls and then having to get one of the race shuttles out to the event. We’ll pick up your race kit and bring it to the bus on Sunday morning. We’ll pick you up at either Sherway or the carpark the QEW and Bronte Road in Oakville, take you right to the start, and then wait at the finish line to bring you home. We make the ride fun too! Just ask anyone who rode to the Toad with WoW! We’ll have more draw prizes and an energizing aerobic warm-up to get you in the mood for moving! We need committed bus riders now, if we are going to make the WoW Bus to Niagara happen. Sign up today…friends, family, spectators welcome! Cost will be $48 (GST incl.), $58 after October 17.  WoW
Walks of Fame The “best-smile-after-a-race”
award goes to Nancy Downing! We would all like to look this happy
at the finish line! Congratulations are in order to many more WoW
walkers. We’re everywhere! We’ve been walking far and
wide this fall, and the season has only just begun. Jane Heath likes
to be the only WoW Power Walker at an event so she has walked the
Port Perry Half Marathon this fall and the full 42.2 kilometres of
the Prince Edward County Marathon (her first one!). Twenty-three people
walked the half marathon at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon
event on September 25 and special kudos to Krista, Kerry and Linda
who followed the route out to the Leslie Street Spit and back to complete
their first full marathon. At the Toad, Wow Walkers made up more than
half of the walking entries! Go WoW! Congratulations to Marie Oswald,
Hema Anganu, Genevieve Prempeh, and Oma Sharma each of whom completed
her first race at the Toad.
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| Win! Win! Win! After every race, I am always struck by how everyone who crosses that finish line is a winner in so many ways. Ways that were probably inconceivable to them before starting out on the training journey. They are winners in terms of improved physical fitness, mental stamina, and friendships. The winning feeling can be that much stronger when you walk for an organization like the Canadian Diabetes Association. Not only to you get all the joys (and sore feet!) of walking a marathon, but you get to do it somewhere amazing like Honolulu, Reijkavik, or Rome! After enjoying the privilege of accompanying Team Diabetes to Rome last March, I can vouch for how they support you every step of the way in terms of fund-raising, walking and sheer fun! Right now they are signing up team members for Rome 2006. You could be a winner for Team Diabetes so that all those who suffer from diabetes can be winners, too! Look cool as it gets cool. It’s time for more layers! Fortunately, we have just the layers! Check out our website for long-sleeve shirts and jackets! Only the finest materials and design for WoW Power Walkers.
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WoW Tip :: Eat to power across the finish! Your walking training only goes so far to make your event go well. As many of you have experienced, what you eat and drink has a profound effect on your finish line feeling. If you want to avoid toilet line-ups at the beginning of the race, make sure you have finished eating and drinking two hours before the race. Then, from the first aid station start taking sips of water. From 90 minutes on you will need to be taking some sport drink as well as water. I usually double-fist it with sports drink in one hand and water in the other. Apparently it’s better for your teeth to drink the water after the sports drink. Also, after 90 minutes I take small bites of my energy snack if I feel my energy lagging in any way. I make sure those bites are small and I leave
a good 15 minutes before bites. If you are eating too much, you
will feel as crummy as if you don’t eat enough. It’s
hard work to digest food and it’s hard work to walk marathons
– don’t overload your body. |
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| P.S. Still a few spots open for the 21-mile walk/run at the Big Sur International Marathon in Carmel, California. So far there are about 15 of us going down!!! Come join the walking party! Sign up today at www.bsim.org before it sells out! Then, let us know that you’ve signed up so we can start planning our fun. | ||
 WoW Power Walking coaches are proud to wear New Balance shoes. Long-distance number 1-877-WOW-WALK (1-877-969-9255)! |
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