This fall season is also the kick-off of Myra’s Marathon to raise funds for the CNIB Braille Library. Many of you have heard of WoW Power Walker, Myra Rodrigues, over recent years. Myra is legally blind but that hasn’t put the brakes on her determination to power walk half marathons and marathons. To celebrate the year of her 65th birthday, Myra decided to put her feet to work raising funds for the CNIB Braille Library by getting pledges to walk a half marathon in every province and territory! In September Myra walked the St. John’s Newfoundland Half Marathon with WoW Power Walker and guide extraordinaire, Jess Mills. A week later, Myra and a volunteer guide from the east coast walked a half marathon in St. John New Brunswick. On October 14th she is off to Prince Edward Island! Check out Myra’s blog and put in a pledge at her fund-raising website http://www.cnib.ca/en/national/myras-marathon/Default.aspx .

Strength tip :: Here’s one of my favorite exercises to help resolve hip issues. Tightness in the pyriformis area (deep butt!) can be helped by strengthening the opposing muscle groups. Stand on one leg (always good for the abs!). Straighten the lifted leg without locking the knee and hold it in front. Turn the inside of the foot to the sky. Slowly lift the leg up and down keeping the foot in that turned position until the muscles of the inner thigh (adductor group) are fatigued. Repeat on the other leg.

Stretch tip :: Because we’re in race mode, we’re thinking about hips and protecting the joints that can be adversely affected by a tight iliotibial band. Here’s a dynamic stretch that works our body in the frontal place (as walkers we always move in the saggital plane) for the tight IT band. Start at the bottom of a set of stairs facing the railing. Climb the stairs sideways. If your left foot leads, bring the right foot up one step higher than the leading left leg. Continue to the top of the steps. Now walk back down the steps, face the other way and climb that stairs sideways with your right leg leading.

Nutrition tip :: Not long ago on my blog I talked about a great book called The Good Mood Diet. In it, well-respected nutritionist Dr. Susan Kleiner lists the most powerful feel-good foods. At the top of her list is – wait for it – turkey! Turkey offers very lean protein and it is high in tryptophan, an essential building block for the feel good neurotransmitter dopamine. Oh, happy, happy Thanksgiving!

View from the Back :: I find the beginning of a race both frightening and exciting. I ask myself vague questions. Can I do it? My stomach flips in response before I give myself an answer. Can I do what? Finish the race? Is that what I mean?

If that's the true question--then, sure I can. I've been attending classes. I've been tromping through training. I have strong legs, good-looking shoes and dozens of friends willing to shove me across the start line. That's not to say that there are not times on the course that the question pops up again. At my most tired I may quietly and sarcastically grumble. Yeah, sure. I can finish if we have till midnight.

I am not known for my speed. I know I will be near the bottom of the results time sheet. Occasionally I get discouraged by my slower times. I ruminate. Have I trained enough? Will I ever get faster? Am I trying hard enough? What am I doing this for? Is this the sport for me?

Then, oh then, I hear Coach Vera's words telling me to kick my demons to the ditch, and listen to all the encouragement I have in my head. During the last leg of the race, I am greeted by great cheering from those who've finished. And, I get an early glimpse of the medal I'll soon be wearing! When I start listening to that music, sung by my WoW colleagues who are full of faith, my heart starts skipping. Truly, it's a psychic boost. Knowing people are really pulling for me. (I wish they'd push me sometimes!)

You know, I think I've adjusted to my later finishing times. I even feel protective of them. When I see that someone has crossed the finish after me, I almost take umbrage. After all, who is the rightful queen of the last line of that page?

Janet Cawley

WoW Power Walking coaches are proud to wear New Balance shoes.

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