WSF Detroit Fress Press 1/2 Marathon Clinic 2011

Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon Running Clinic

2011-04-07T16:52:00.004-04:00

The Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon Running Clinic is back!

Start Date: Tuesday June 14, 2011.

• Coached Group Runs, twice a week – Tues 5:30pm & Sat 8:00am
• Pilates Classes – Mon 6pm
• 1 Personal Training Session (value $60)
• 1 Massage Therapy Treatment (30min – value $40)
• Running Program + Log Book
• Dri-Fit Running Shirt (value $45)
• Pasta Party + Weekly Snacks

All levels of fitness welcome!

Improve your existing time or train to run-walk to the finish line.

Cost: $280+hst

Register: Windsor Squash & Fitness Club
2475 McDougall Ave. 519-966-2141

Questions? e-mail: e@erinporter.ca

website: www.erinporter.ca

Phone: 519-990-5712

OCTOBER RUNNING!

2010-11-02T19:47:00.011-04:00

October has been an exciting month for running at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club. On October 17th over 25 members of Windsor Squash and Fitness Club and the Running Clinic participated in the Detroit Free Press Marathon and Half Marathon.

Running Clinic Participants:

1⁄2 Marathon:

Alynn Anglin
Sharon Strosberg
Gudrin Bildfell
Kim Willis-More
Michelle Boyle
Martine Askew
Mark Askew
Lois Wares
Brad Lowery
Karen O’Brien
Gregg Mayville

Full Marathon:

Stephanie Ohler

Windsor Squash and Fitness Club Members:

1/2 Marathon

Keith Henry
Kristy McBeth
Kevin McBeth
Kim Mullen
Kyle Bard
Steve Brennan
Ali Lalani
Dr.David Scarfone
Rod Larson
Lori Beneteau

Full Marathon:

Keven Furmanek
Armelle Richardson
Heather Douglas

Marathon Relay:
Theresa Ashworth

On October 24th, three members of the Windsor Squash and Fitness Club Running Clinic participated in the Niagara Falls 1/2 Marathon. Great job Susan Easterbrook, Danielle Emon, and Tanya Nuske!

On October 31st, we celebrated Halloween at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club with a 5k/10k Run and Walk and Spooky Kids Sprint. It was a fantastic morning for a run! There were 70 participants and proceeds from the event will be donated to PC Kids Charity. A big thank you to our sponsors: The Superstore, Daryl Hi N-R-G Bars, and Women on the Run.

Megan McEachern won the "Best Costume" award with her Highway costume.

Thank you Pumpkin Runners for making the 2nd Annual Pumpkin Run a success!

On December 5th, six members from Windsor Squash and Fitness Club will be participating in the Las Vegas Rock and Roll Marathon. Stay tuned to hear how these runners rock Las Vegas!

If you are interested in running a marathon or 1/2 Marathon or just getting started with the sport, please contact
Erin Porter at pilateserin@yahoo.ca for more information.

Pumpkin Run/Walk 2010

2010-09-22T20:58:00.001-04:00

Week 15

2010-09-21T14:38:00.003-04:00

Today is a Malden Park Run. It's a little warm out but hopefully by 5:30pm it will cool down a bit. We have less than 4 weeks until the Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon. For most of the runners training for Detroit, this means that we have two more Saturday long runs until we start backing off of the mileage.

This Saturday we will be meeting at my house at 8am and completing runs between 11-13miles.

On Halloween, Windsor Squash and Fitness Club will be hosting the 2nd Annual Pumpkin Run/Walk.

Pumpkin Run 5K & 10K “FUN” Run or Walk + Spooky Kids Sprint

When: Halloween, Sunday October 31st, 2010.

Where: Starts and finishes at Windsor Squash & Fitness Club
2475 McDougall Ave. and loops around Jackson Park.

Time: 7:30-8:00am Late Registration
8:30am 5k /10k Run & Walk Start
10:00am Spooky Sprint Kids Run
10:15am Awards and Door Prizes, Snacks & Refreshments
Awards for top 3 male and female finishers
Award for most unique costume

Cost: $10 Spooky Kids Sprint
$15 5k/10k Walk & Run (before Oct. 29)
$20 After Oct. 29 and on race day

This event is sponsored by The SUPERSTORE and a portion of proceeds will be donated to PC Kids

Register at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club
Questions? Contact Erin Porter at pilateserin@yahoo.ca or call 519-966-2141

Please note that this is a “FUN Run” it will not be a competitive event and no official timing

Week 14

2010-09-12T21:40:00.008-04:00

The blog is back!

It has been an extremely busy summer and as a result I have taken a little bit of a blogging break. From now until the Detroit Free Press Marathon on October 17th, I will be keeping the blogging world updated with our clinic details.

We have 18 Running Clinic Participants this year.
12 of the runners will be participating in the Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon
1 runner will be participating in full marathon
3 Runners will be participating in the Niagara Falls Marathon (the weekend after Detroit)
2 of our runners are running for fitness.

We also have 3 runners who will continue their training up to the Las Vegas Marathon in December.
This year we have so many runners each with their own unique goals. This will be a first time marathon for more than half of the clinic members.
It is exciting watching the progress each week and seeing everyone push their limits. The runners are now running distances that they once thought impossible.

It has been a hot, humid summer and training hasn't always been easy. Now that the weather has cooled down, we are really noticing and feeling a huge difference with our running.

This past Saturday, the morning weather was beautiful and just perfect for a run. The weekend runs are getting much longer and we are getting to the peak of our mileage. We had some runners reach up to 12miles this past Saturday!
After the run we enjoyed snacks, tea, and ice baths!!!!

Only 5 weeks of training to go!

See everyone at Malden Park this Tuesday at 5:30pm.

If you would like to join the running clinic as a guest runner or if you have any questions, please contact Erin at

pilateserin@yahoo.ca or send an email to wsfrunningclinic@gmail.com

Week 3 - Saturday Run

2010-07-03T10:45:00.002-04:00

Great Job with the long run today!
It was perfect running weather this morning. I think we finished just in time to beat the heat!
Excellent effort today - everyone finished looking really strong.

This Tuesday we will be meeting at Malden Park. Please let me know if you will be unable to make it. Send me an email or give me a call if you have questions about the meeting place. See you at 5:30pm on Tuesday!

I have had a few questions about the length of the run and the best way to measure the distance.
I really like this website:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com

It's a great tool for tracking the distance of your run if you do not own a watch with GPS.

Stretch, stretch, stretch! Drink water : )

See you on Tuesday!

Week 3

2010-06-30T09:22:00.003-04:00

Last night we had Dave Pells, owner of the Tortoise and the Hare store come to speak to us about running shoes. He shared some important information on what to look for when purchasing new running shoes. He also taught us tricks on how know when our shoes were ready to be replaced and what shoes are best for orthotics. Very useful information!

We will be meeting at my house this Saturday for our "Long Run". 45min for novice and 60min for intermediate runners. See everyone at 8:30am.

On Tuesday we will meet at Malden Park at 5:30pm.

July 30th is the final day to register for the Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon at the discounted price. As of tomorrow, the price will increase. Go to the marathon website to register online.

http://www.freepmarathon.com/

Happy Canada Day!

See you on Saturday!

Week 1

2010-06-19T20:34:00.007-04:00

Congratulations! We made it through the first week of training. Only 17 more weeks to go... We can do this!

It is enjoyable getting to know the new runners in the clinic. We have a great group this year! Some newer runners with the goal of completing the 1/2 Marathon and some more experienced runners wanting to improve upon past 1/2 marathon times.
I am excited to watch everyone progress and achieve their goals.

The long run on Saturday was a little warm. Here are some tips on how to dress for the heat.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267-269-11987-0,00.html

See you on Tuesday ready to RUN!

2009 Detroit Free Press Half Marathon - Success Stories

2010-05-19T09:46:00.005-04:00

“If I can do this…anyone can do it!”
-Michelle B.

This was Michelle’s first ½ Marathon. She had been running for a year before she joined the 2009 Detroit Free Press Marathon Clinic. Michelle is prone to injury and was nervous about running the 13.1miles(21K). Michelle was cautious with her training and completed the ½ Marathon injury-free!

She is now training to run the Ottawa ½ Marathon this spring.
Great job Michelle!

Sign up for the 2010 Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon Running clinic today!

Contact:
Erin Porter
519-990-5712
pilateserin@yahoo.ca

2009 Detroit Free Press Half Marathon - Success Stories

2010-05-02T19:59:00.002-04:00

"Loved the Running Clinic, hated the ice baths!" -Stephanie N.

Stephanie joined the Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon Clinic with very little running experience. Her goal was to complete the 1/2 Marathon by running with walk breaks to the finish line. Stephanie improved her running so much that she ended up running the entire 21 Kilometres (13miles). Great job Stephanie!

Sign up for the 2010 Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon Running clinic today!

Contact:
Erin Porter
519-990-5712
pilateserin@yahoo.ca

2009 Detroit Free Press Half Marathon - Success Stories

2010-04-22T16:29:00.003-04:00

"I didn't think I could do it..." -Gudrin B.

Gudrin didn’t think that she could actually run 21K (13.1miles) before joining the Running Clinic. Gudrin reached the 2009 Detroit Free Press ½ Marathon finish line feeling an intense sense of accomplishment. She did it!
Gudrin enjoyed the experience so much that she’s going to join the Running Clinic and train for the ½ Marathon again. Good job Gudrin!

2010 Running Clinic Starts on June 15, 2010.

You can do this!

The 1/2 Marathon Training Clinic Is Back!

2010-04-16T20:49:00.003-04:00

The Windsor Squash and Fitness Club Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon Clinic will start again on June 15th, 2010.

The clinic will be coached by Erin Porter. This is an 18 week program designed to get you to the finish line of the Detroit Free Press 1/2 Marathon. Last year all of the clinic participants finished the marathon. Join us this year to have an experience you will never forget!

Clinic Information:

- Coached Group Runs: Tuesdays at 5:30pm and Saturdays 8:30am
- Optional Pilates and Core Training Class on Mondays at 6pm
- Clinic Includes a Personal Training Session (value $60)
- Clinic Includes a 1/2 Hr. Massage Therapy Session (value $40)
- Running Program and Log
- Dri-Fit Running Shirt (value $45)
- Ice Baths, running snacks, breakfast and socials! This is not your regular running clinic!

Cost of 18-week Clinic: $280+GST

Please email pilateserin@yahoo.ca with questions about the clinic.

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Seeds 4 Hope

2009-11-08T17:40:00.004-05:00

On Sunday, I will be participating in a run that is raising money for "Seeds4Hope." It is a new program through Windsor Regional Cancer Foundation.
"Seeds4Hope" is an annual grants awards program which provides seed (start-up) funding for locally based, new and innovative cancer research. This research, based in Windsor and Essex County and supported by our community, brings scientists and physicians together to find better ways to prevent, detect, diagnose and treat cancer.

I will be completing 31 kilometers and I am supposed to raise a minimum of $10 per kilometer. If you would like to sponsor me it would be greatly appreciated.

If you would like to participate in the run, please let me know. You chose how far you would like to run and then raise $10 per kilometer. You can find more information on this run at www.jog4joe.blogspot.com

Thank You!
Erin

Pumpkin Run on Halloween!

2009-10-29T05:35:00.003-04:00

The Pumpkin Run is this Saturday (Halloween) and starts at the Windsor Squash and Fitness Club, 2475 McDougall.

8am Spooky Kids Sprint
8:15am 5k / 10k Run and Walk Start

7:00-7:30am Late Registration
10am Door Prizes and Awards

*AWARD FOR MOST UNIQUE COSTUME*

$10 Spooky Kids Sprint
$15 5k/10k Run & Walk (before Oct 29)
$20 After Oct 29 and on Race Day

A portion of proceeds will be used to sponsor families in need through the Children's Aid Society.
Register at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club
Questions? Contact Erin Porter at pilateserin@yahoo.ca or call 519-966-2141

Pictures

2009-10-22T05:36:00.004-04:00

I took a few pictures on Sunday and my husband took a ton. Thanks Reg! I will be posting and emailing the pictures : )

Here's a preview:

We Did It!

2009-10-21T11:47:00.002-04:00

Congratulations! All the hard work and training paid off. We did it!

I'm so proud of our team : )

Natalie H.
Lisa S.
Lois W.
Alaina Z.
Stephanie O.
Stephanie N.
Michelle B.
Gudrin B.
Brad L.
Erin P.

Other Windsor Squash & Fitness Club Members who completed the run:
Bill L.
Anna W.
Janice F.
Megan H.
Mark S.
Teresa A.
Joe G.
Armelle R.
Jeremy C.
Anat R.

Great Job!

I had a blast and was so happy that everyone made it to the finish line. A few of the group members want to continue running on Saturday mornings at 8am from the gym. Please let me know if you are interested in continuing your training and joining the social Saturday morning run group.

Sue P.
Marcy P.
Tom P.
Natalie H.
Erin P.
Reggie M.
Will be continuing our training and participating in the Las Vegas Marathon on December 6, 2009. I will keep up the blog throughout the Las Vegas training so keep checking it!

It's here!

2009-10-17T07:17:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow is the day! The Detroit International Free Press Marathon and 1/2 Marathon is here. We went to the expo at Cobo in Detroit last night to pick up our race packages. It was pretty busy. Tons of runners picking up race packages and purchasing last minute gear. I was experiencing the old familiar excited/nervous feeling that I get before a race. I think I'm feeling it even more this time because I'm feeling it for the entire group.
The border traffic wasn't bad at all and minus an almost fatal encounter with a squirrel the trip over to Detroit was easy.

We went to Lois and Peter's house after the expo and had a pasta party. Lois' husband Peter prepared the food and it was fantastic. Thanks so much Lois and Peter! I'm sure all those extra carbs are going to really come in handy on Sunday.

If you haven't yet picked up your race package make sure you get over there today. Give me a call if you have any questions.
On your race bib there is a flat band that needs to be attached to your running shoe. It is your timing chip and without this band you will not be entered or recorded into into the run on Sunday. If you need help placing it on your shoe I can help on Sunday morning.
If you plan on joining the group and commuting over to the race on Sunday morning we will be meeting at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club at 5:15am.
My suggestion is to layer on the clothes before you start running and strip down just before we start. Also, it's a good idea to bring a change of clothes for after the run.

We will all go to Gudrin's for an After Party once we have completed the run. She is going to have Turkey Chilli and some other post running goodies for us. It's going to be an exciting day! Good luck! Have fun!

Runners from Windsor Squash and Fitness Club:

Lois W.
Gudrin B.
Michelle B.
Stephanie O.
Stephnnie N.
Natalie H.
Krista L.
Lisa S.
Alaina Z.
Erin P.
Brad L.
Jade W.
Bill L.
Megan H.
Teresa A.
Anna D.
Janice F.

Send spectators to corner of Ouellette and Riverside in front of CIBC building. First runners should be passing around 8am.

Final Week

2009-10-11T18:16:00.005-04:00

The big day is almost here! One week to go.
We had our last Saturday run followed by breakfast at my mom's house. Thanks Mom! It was awesome! The Saturday run was a bit of a treat because we are really tapering down with our training. All of the intense training is behind us and now it's about resting for the 1/2 Marathon.

Here's the plan for the last week:

Tuesday: Meet at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club. Light run followed by a team meeting. We will discuss the run and any questions regarding the marathon.

Friday: If you would like to pick up your race package on Friday, I will be going at 4pm. Please meet me at Windsor Squash and we can commute over to Cobo Center in Detroit. Please let me know if you would like to join me.

YOU MUST PICK UP YOUR RACE PACKAGE BEFORE SUNDAY OR YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO RUN!

Please make arrangements to pick up your race package before Sunday. The expo is open from 3pm-8pm on Friday and 10pm-7pm on Saturday. You need your passport to pick up your package. Go to Oakland Exhibition Hall in Cobo Center.

On Friday night Lois is going to have a Pasta Party at her place around 7:30pm. Please let me know if you plan to attend.

Sunday: If you would like to travel over to Detroit on race morning with the group, please meet at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club. The meeting time is still to be determined. The race starts at 7:15am so we will be leaving pretty early.

On Sunday after the 1/2 Marathon, Gudrin is going to have an after party. The whole group is invited and please bring your husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends.

I'm really looking forward to the weekend! We are going to have so much fun!

1/2 Marathon Participants:

Lois W.
Gudrin B.
Michelle B.
Stephanie O.
Stephnnie N.
Natalie H.
Krista L.
Lisa S.
Alaina Z.
Erin P.
Brad L.

If you have family or friends that want to spectate on the Windsor side, please send them to the corner of Ouellette and Riverside Dr. in front of the CIBC building. The first runners should be passing this location at around 8am.

Final 2 Weeks of Training

2009-10-05T22:11:00.002-04:00

We only have two weeks before the Detroit Free Press Marathon. Time has gone by so quickly - I can't believe it!
The group is still going strong. We completed our last long training run this past Saturday and now the bulk of the training is done.
I am confident that we will have good results on race day.

Here's the plan for the next couple of weeks:

Tuesday October 6 - Malden Park at 5:45pm for our final hill workout(I thought 5:45pm would be good because of all the construction). I know you guys will really miss these workouts!

Saturday October 10 - Meet at my Mom's (Marcy's) house for the run 8:00am and then she will be feeding us breakfast after. Yay!

Tuesday October 13 - Windsor Squash and Fitness Club 5:30pm, stretching and race discussion to follow our light training run.

Friday October 16 - Go as a group to the expo to pick up our race packets. We will probably go around 5pm. Please let me know what time would work best and who would be interested in going. Lois has offered to have the group over on Friday night for a pasta party. Yay!

Sunday October 18 - Run, run, run! Celebrate! I'm still working on where we will celebrate our accomplishment.

I have training and racing dry fit shirts and singlets for sale with the Windsor Squash and Fitness Club logo. Please let me know if you would like to purchase one.
$30 Training Dry Fit Brooks Shirt
$35 Racing Dry Fit Brooks Singlet

Congratulations! You have already conquered the hardest part of running a long distance event. The training is done and we are ready to run! Drink lots of water, get lots of sleep, and eat as healthy as possible : )
Lets do it!

Week 15

2009-09-21T04:22:00.002-04:00

4 Weeks of training to go!

We are rapidly approaching our Half Marathon. Only a few more tough weeks of training.
I was out of town this past Saturday and it sounds like everyone had a good run. It was a down week and most people brought down their mileage this past Saturday.

Here's the schedule for the next couple of weeks:

Tuesday September 21 meet at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club - 5:30pm (Run + Core)

Saturday September 26 - my house - 8am (Long Run + Ice Baths)

Tuesday September 29 - Malden Park at 5:30pm (Hill Workout)

Saturday October 3 - my house - 8m (Last real Long Run + Ice Baths + Breakfast out?)

Guest runners are always welcome! Please come out and help us get through these final weeks of training!

See you on Tuesday at WSF Club!

Ice Baths!

2009-09-05T13:59:00.005-04:00

Great run today! Our group is growing with all our guest runners. Anna, Janice, and Sandy joined us today. We are always happy to have guest runners!
It was another excellent day for running. The weather was perfect this morning.
We started and finished at my house and looped down to Riverside Drive and headed out East.
We finished the run with our first ice baths of the clinic. I filled garbage cans with ice and cold water and set them up in my driveway. I think my neighbours think I'm crazy!
Alaina, you are the Queen of ice baths! She had no issue with getting into the freezing cold water. I think she enjoyed it!

Auntie Sue brought some delicious homemade muffins and watermelon. She got the muffin recipe from Runners World. Thanks again for the treats!

We will meet at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club for our Tuesday night run and workout. See you at 5:30pm on Tuesday!

Week 12

2009-09-02T20:42:00.003-04:00

We are starting to count down the weeks until the 1/2 Marathon! Only 6 to go!

The group is doing really well. The long run this past Saturday was great and we had another challenging hill workout on Tuesday night at Malden Park.

The group continues to impress me every week.

This is a tough time in the training because it's a time when injuries start to show up and nag. It's important to listen to your body and give it a rest if you start to feel pain. It's really hard to take a step back and break from the training program but sometimes it's the only thing that will help the injury heal.

I've found that a good way to help avoid injury is to take an ice bath after the long runs. Fill the bathtub or a clean garbage can with icy cold water and submerge for 10-12mins or until the toes feel like they are going to fall off!

We will start the long run this Saturday at my house at 8am. I will have some ice baths ready for everyone after the run.

Remember to bring whatever gels and gatorade that you would like to practice running with. See you on Saturday!

Work Hard. Eat pizza.

2009-08-18T22:16:00.007-04:00

Our workout was at Malden Park today. Malden Park (a.k.a "The Dump") is know for its hills. We will be utilizing the terrain to prepare for the incline of the bridge and the tunnel that we will face on the day of the 1/2 marathon. This was our first time running the hills with the clinic. We decided that we would reward ourselves with pizza, beer, and nutella pizza. After the run we met at the Caboto Club Members' lounge for dinner. It was delicious!

We had a couple guest runners...and guest eaters! Thanks for coming out to run Spencer and Alex. Peter, Matt, and Jeff came out for the food : ) Thanks for joining us.

Stephanie N. was really excited to be running next to Stephanie O.

The group pushing it up the hill and looking strong.

Mmmmm PIZZA!

Thanks for an excellent workout and dinner!

You did it!

2009-08-15T12:55:00.004-04:00

Hot + Humid = Tough run this morning!

I was impressed with the effort today!

Lisa: Great work. I'm so proud of you. You are not a runner. This is oustide of your comfort range. You covered 7 miles today. Good for you. Excellent.

Natalie: Got the job done. 7 miles! Great work!

Lois: 8miles! Whoo whoo! You just plug right along. You look so comfortable running. I'm impressed!

Mom: I can't believe my mom can run so many miles. You rock!

Krista: You are like the energizer bunny! Where does that come from? Great job : )

Alaina: I'm glad that you made the descision to protect your foot and to work out indoors today. It will be better soon and you will be so strong. Don't worry!
Happy Birthday!!!!

Steph O: You are one tough girl. Nice pace!

Gudrin, Elizabeth, Steph N., Carolyn, Michelle, Sue, Reg and Brad were all out of town or working this morning. Hope that your runs went well on your own. Looking forward to seeing everyone at Malden Park on Tues for a hill workout and then Pizza at Caboto Club. Feel free to invite others to come out for Pizza!

Here is some info on a couple of neat events that are coming up in the fall:

RACING THE VINE
D'Angelo Estate Winery
5K Run/Walk proceeds benefit 'The Cornerstone of Caring Windsor Western Campus Redevelopment'
Sept 19, 2009.
2pm
"A family fun event with entertainment, refreshments, music and the flavours of Essex County"
Contact Kim at 519.254.5577 x52458 for more details or check out their website www.racingthevine.com

The Kidney Foundation of Canada
Give the Gift of Life - Walk

Windsor
Riverside Sportsmen Club
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Registration: 9:00 a.m.
Walk time: 10:00 a.m. – approx. 5 km

Essex County
Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Registration: 9:00 a.m.
Walk time: 10:00 a.m. – approx. 5 km
For more information, contact:
Windsor & District Chapter,
310-1368 Ouellette Ave.,
Windsor, ON, N8X 1J9
erika@mdirect.net
519-977-9211 ext. 23

Register online: kidney.on.ca/walk

Next Couple of Weeks

2009-08-12T09:44:00.002-04:00

We are into our 9th week of training. Only 9 to go! Time is flying!

Here's the plan for the next couple of weeks:

Saturday August 15 - 8am meet at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club. 6mi novice and 8mi
intermediate.

Tuesday August 18 - 5:30pm meet at Malden Park (parking lot with visitors centre)
and then Caboto Club for Pizza!

Saturday August 22 - 8am meet at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club, I will be out of
town but the group will still meet. Michelle B. will make sure
everyone knows what to do. 7mi novice and 9mi intermediate.

Tuesday August 25 - 5:30pm meet at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club, Michelle will
lead the group through some core exercises after the run.

Saturday August 29 - 8am meet at my house for our long run. 8mi novice program and
10mi intermediate.

We are going to try and meet at 5:30pm on Tuesdays instead of 6pm. Please let me know if this is a problem for anyone. See you on Saturday at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club.

Runner's High

2009-08-08T10:15:00.005-04:00

Another long Saturday morning run in the rain! It is a rainy and dark day. I would normally think that this is a really depressing day. However, I enjoyed the run today and think the rest of the group did as well. I thought that it was just perfect. We covered 7 miles today and everyone ran really strong. Nice work!

I have been on the injured list for the last couple weeks and I haven't been able to run. I have been having issues with my lower leg and the doctor thinks it is a shin splint. To avoid causing further damage and to keep my hope of running a fall 1/2Marathon and Full marathon in December, I have been off running. I have been swimming, biking, doing weights, Pilates, but NO RUNNING. It was mentally a tough few weeks off and I really was starting to get grouchy. Today I ran with the group and I'm so happy and pain free (so far). So, on this dull, dark and rainy day I feel so bright. I think I got my 'Runner's High'!

When I walked into Windsor Squash and Fitness Club this morning, I had a flashback from my childhood. My dad used to bring my brothers and I to the old WSF "Windsor Indoor" on Saturday mornings when we were kids. This is before he invested and became the owner of the club. About 15 years ago there was a huge fire at the gym and it had to be reconstructed and rebuilt. Even though the set up is different at the new gym, there's still something the same about the gym and the way it feels on Saturday mornings. It's really hard for me to explain. The Saturday morning energy is different than the weekday energy. The members are even more friendly, and everyone seems to be more relaxed and in 'weekend-mode'. I think the club even smells different on the weekend.

While we were running today Stephanie O. and I were chatting. She told me how much she enjoys Windsor Squash and Fitness Club and how friendly she finds the staff and members. It was so nice to hear. We have great members at our gym. I think that there is a real sense of family, friendship, and community at WSF. I'm so happy to be a part of the business and to have the opportunity to run programs like this 1/2 Marathon Clinic. I am also thankful that our members are open and willing to try different programs and events that we host. On Canada Day we had our first annual Canada Day Pancake Run. It was a success. We had 72 walkers and runners of all ages and fitness levels. It was so much fun and we have had so much positive feedback that we have decided to have another run on Halloween.

Today has been fabulous so far. I realize that my blog is a bit cheesy but I just had to put it out there.
I hope that this 'Runner's High' keeps going!

Saturday Riverfront Run

2009-08-01T12:47:00.010-04:00

Today the group ran 6mi/10k on the path along the Detroit River. It was a beautiful morning for a run. Bright and sunny but not hot or humid.
We are getting to a point in our training where it is extremely important to complete the long runs and get the miles in during the week and on the weekend. Weddings, late night BBQ's, and other summer events can make it difficult to get up early and run. Training for an endurance event takes commitment. Lots of time and effort go into preparing the body for an endurance event. The small sacrifices and all the hard work make the accomplishment so much sweeter at the finish line. Good job team! See you on Tues night. Enjoy the long weekend!

Hospital Run

2009-07-28T21:25:00.000-04:00

Good work with the "Hospital Run"! It was a bit muggy out but everyone completed the run. I was impressed with the attitude and effort after the run. Thanks for doing the exercises without any complaining.
On Saturday we will meet at 8am at the corner of Devonshire and Riverside Drive for our 6mi/10k run. We will run along the riverfront towards the Ambassador Bridge and back.
If you are unable to make it on Saturday please complete the run on your own. It is very important to get in all the runs and training as we start to build our mileage. We are building on our training slowly from week to week to avoid injury and to prepare for the big day.
See you on Saturday!

Riverfront Run

07/28/2009 Route
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Tuesday Night Map

2009-07-26T20:07:00.000-04:00

Here's the map for the 4mi run that we will be completing on Tuesday night.

We call this the "HOSPITAL RUN" at Windsor Squash and Fitness Club. The run loops around Met Hospital in South Walkerville.

07/26/2009 Route
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We WILL be doing our core exercises and stretches after the run. There was a lot of whinning last week with the workout. I hope that there is less complaining this week : ) I will try to make the workout as fun and interesting as possible!

2009-07-25T17:09:00.000-04:00

Week 6

2009-07-25T13:27:00.000-04:00

I am so proud of everyone who ran outside in the rain today. It's not always easy getting out and doing the training when the weather isn't perfect. But...YOU DID IT!

We are heading into week 7 of our Detroit 1/2 Marathon Training Clinic. Only 11 more weeks to go! I thought it would be a good idea to create this blog so that we can communicate more efficiently as we get closer and closer to the 1/2 Marathon.

So far we have been thinking of minutes in our training. We have been going out for a specific amount of minutes on each run. Starting next week, we will be thinking about distance and miles. I know that we live in Canada and we should be tracking our run in kilometers. BUT, the half marathon is in Detroit and it will be measured and marked in miles.

See you on Tuesday for a run and workout!