Nik’s Chicks is a FREE ladies only running/triathlon group. It is only a time and place to meet & a program to follow.  I cannot join you on every run/workout.  If you are new to exercising, it is advisable to have a doctor’s OK prior to beginning. Please sign my waiver (in “About”) and fill out my contact info sheet when you arrive for your first run.

Quote of the Week:

Running has the power to change your life. It will make you fitter, healthier, even happier.

Selene Yeager, “Let’s Get Started,” May 2010 issue of Runner’s World

Hello ladies, here is the latest news from the “nest”!

Weekly Chirp: Well…it’s over! Michelle and I (plus Angie and Linda from Nova Scotia) completed Ironman Muskoka 70.3 on Sunday.  It was a truly amazing day.  The morning started out very brisk at 6°C.  We wore lots of layers as we headed into the transition area to get set up.  We finished this process relatively quickly and went into the main lodge to sunscreen and get our wetsuits on.  As we walked down to the lake it was a stunning sight to see the mist on the calm water.  We said our good byes to the Chicks (Jo, Ellen, Carol and Sam) who came to Muskoka to cheer us on.  Michelle and I waded into the water to await our race start.  The water felt balmy compared to the air temp!  The horn sounded and I was glad to get my feet off the mushy, weed bottom and start swimming.  My swim went extremely well.  I felt very relaxed and calm as I made my way around the course.  My new GPS watch was awesome – vibrating every 500m – to let me know where I was I my swim.  I finished the 1.9km swim in 42:32 – right around my projection and not tired!  After getting peeled out of my wetsuit by volunteers, I slowly jogged uphill for 300m to get to transition.  I was checking out all the other racers as I was jogging in trying to figure out what to wear on the bike.  I decided my tri top was fine, but donned some gloves.  I jogged with my bike to the mount line and could not get my shoe clipped in.  Finally, a race volunteer helped me get on and moving.  This apparently frustrated my husband even more than me as he and the kids witnessed my struggle.  The bike ride was definitely technical and hilly but quite beautiful in places.  I felt really good during the 94km ride which took me 4:07 to complete.  There were 3 rough sections from 68 – 80km that were not fun!  My gears kept jumping and I had to hold my shifters in place to get some tension in my gears.  Despite the technical issues and more hills, I finished the ride smiling and was ready to run.  I met and chatted with a lot of nice people during the 21km run – you can tell I am not a hard core runner who stays focused and quiet!  Had some niggles through out the run in my right knee which decided to lock up at 13km 😦  I jogged/shuffled/hobbled/walked the final 8km but figured that regardless of my finishing time it would all be good.  I was walking with 500m and one last hill to go.  A lady on the side of the road yelled at me “This is your last hill.  Count to 10 and RUN!”  And so I did!! As I crested the hill I spotted and heard my family and my Chicks screaming and cheering me on.  My pace went up as my 3 kids ran with me for a bit and I held back the tears.  My run through the finishing chute was the fastest part of my whole half marathon!  I crossed the line with a run time of 2:37.  Not my best time but who cares – I finished this thing!!  It was an emotional end as my knee started screaming at me again…guess the adrenaline wore off.  Michelle, Angie and Linda greeted me with big hugs as I cried.  I received my big, honking medal and finishers t-shirt then went to the medical tent for some ice.  It was so great to see Peter, Riley, Brogan and Bayley but…I forgot to give them hugs at the finish:) – sorry guys.  Hope the brownies I made yesterday make up for it!  We slowly made our way out of the finish area and went back to our room to clean up.  The girls went to the athletes banquet and brought me back a plate of food as my knee was quite unhappy.  After a while we decided to go get our bikes out of transition.  Much to our surprise, the area was being dismantled and our 4 bikes were the ONLY ones there!!  We whisked them out, spent 2 hours dismantling Angie and Linda’s to ready them for the flight back to NS and then went to the room.  We took a moment to enjoy the celebratory champagne the Chicks had chilling for us and gave ourselves Ironman tattoos – the temporary kind.  The hour got late and we crashed there for the night instead of driving back to Oakville so late.  Overall, it was sooo worth the hours of training we put in.  Crossing the finish line hammered home the thought that I (and anyone) am capable of completing any kind of race upright and smiling as long as I put in the time and effort to train.  Getting out of your comfort zone can be scary, but in the end it’s worth it to give it a “tri”!! I don’t plan on doing another 70.3 in the near future – I think I need to give it a couple of years as it dominated the summer.  Next year will bring some sprint and Olympic distance races instead which will be more logical training wise.  Who will join us?!  You too can find your inner triathlete!

New 5km and 10km Programs begin soon: New Learn to Run 5km (no experience necessary) and 10km programs (5km base needed) begin Tonight, September 11th. Meet at 1438 Redwing Crt. Please fill out a waiver and contact info sheet upon your arrival.  Remember that programs are FREE!  Programs can be downloaded here Learn to Run 5km Training Program      10 Km program from 5km base  Tell your lady friends about us so we get lots of new runners (and former Chicks) out.

Half Marathon Dreams?:  Do you want to do a half Marathon this fall?  There will be a large contingent of Chicks running in the Angus Glen Half Marathon on November 4 in Markham.  This is a rural race with terrific post race buffet and entertainment inside the Golf Club! We will be running 17km Saturday. Start planning now to get out of your comfort zone…I have a few of you in mind as I write this!!  Register here Angus Glen Half Marathon as soon as possible because there are ONLY 750 race spots available and it will sell out. By the way, for those of you determined to dig in your heels…there is a 5km and 10km run too! Email me when you sign up so I can add your name to my race list.

Winter swimming: Some of you are considering triathlons for next summer.  If so, you should consider swimming once or twice a week to work on technique and endurance. Myself and a few others will be back at the Y swimming 2 mornings a week (day/time to be determined).  Tuesday and Thursday nights following the running workout is also an option for Glen Abbey Rec Center.  There are many other pools in Oakville offering lap swimming – check out the Recreation Guide under aquatics or click here http://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=119927  for the swim schedule.  Also, National Sports is having a sale on one piece swim suits!  Don’t forget to pick up a swim cap and goggles as well.

Nik’s Chicks Sleeveless Tops: Even though school is starting, cooler temps won’t hit for a while. Consider getting yourself a Nik’s Chicks tank top. Shirts are ready for pick up!!  They will cost 20.00 – all in…thanks to our Sponsors: Balance Point Health Center, The Running Company and Cyclepath!!  Remember that the sizing will be on a first come first served basis.  I will have them available for pick up on Thursday and Tuesday nights – Saturday mornings will be hit or miss!  You can also email me to arrange a pick up time – mclaughlins@cogeco.ca.  Cash or cheques accepted.  Be proud in purple on your Saturday runs!!

Tips from Runner’s World Daily Calendar: 1)  When running with a group, draft like bike racers.  Take turns leading and everyone benefits. 2) Weigh yourself naked on a digital scale before and after a run.  For every pound of weight loss, rehydrate with 16 oz. of fluid.  3) The sun’s rays are more concentrated on your lips, shoulders, tops of ears and head.  these areas have a higher incidence of skin cancer.  Wear sunscreen and cover these areas up. 4)  If you are hydrating with a sports drink, you’re getting carbs and electrolytes, so you don’t need to also eat an energy gel.  Ingesting too many carbs can lead to GI distress.  If you prefer both, use one the first hour, the other second. 5)  Find an internal rhythm. Think about your favorite music while you run.  Try to recall the lyrics to entire songs and sing them in your head.  a standard 5 minute rock song will carry you through 3/4 kilometer or more.

This week’s workouts – (Meet 1438 Redwing Court)

Tuesday – Sept 11 8:15pm run

Learn to Run 5km  – 5 min walk to warm up, alternate 60 sec jogging/90 sec walking for 20 min (turn around at 10 min), 5 min walking cool down

Learn to Run 10km – 5km

Learn to Run 1/2 Marathon – 10km

Thursday –   Sept 13

Learn to Run 5km – 5 min walk to warm up, alternate 60 sec jogging/90 sec walking for 20 min (turn around at 10 min), 5 min walking cool down

Learn to Run 10km – 4km with 30 second sprints x 5

Learn to Run 1/2 Marathon – 7km with hill repeats x 2

Saturday – Sept. 15  8:00am  Wear your purple tops!!

Learn to Run 5km  – 5 min walk to warm up, alternate 90 sec jogging/2 min walking for 20 min (turn around at 10 min), 5 min walking cool down

Learn to Run 10km – 6km

Learn to Run 1/2 Marathon –  19km

Have a wonderful week! Niki