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. Any information or products represented on this site are for educational purposes only and are not a substitute for any advice given to you by a medical, nutritional or fitness professional. Please sign my waiver (in “About”) and fill out my contact info sheet when you arrive for your first run. Please park on West Oak Trails Blvd, Nightingale or at Bloomfield Park to avoid congestion, locking beeps and car doors closing around my neighbours’ houses – especially on Saturday mornings! We run Monday and Thursday evenings 8pm and Saturday mornings 8am from the corner of Redwing and Blackbird Courts. Check out Weekly Workout section for specific times.
Quotes of the Week:
The more I train, the more I realize I have more speed in me.
Leroy Burrell
This is not about instant gratification. You have to work hard for it, sweat for it, give up sleeping in on Sunday mornings.
Lauren Fessenden
Hello ladies, here is the latest news from the “nest”! My one favorite things about running a half marathon is the “week off” I get after it. No pressure to run and no guilt for not running! Now that it’s behind me, I NEED to get focused on another goal. It doesn’t have to be monumental, just something to keep me honest and getting out there 3 x week. Maybe Around the Bay 15km, maybe early tri season Olympic race…hmmm so much to think about. What are your winter plans? Will you continue to run and maintain through the cold weather? Will you go indoors to a gym? Will you cross train and take the focus off running for 3-6 months? Do you have a goal on the horizon to shoot towards? Take some time to ask yourself these questions so there will be no waffling on whether to get out of the house to run on Mondays, Thursday, and Saturdays!
Jackets: I am not planning on doing a large group order at this time, but I did find some jackets that are good options (and right color scheme) and will be great for any of the newer ladies to pick up.
MEC Inner Cadence Jacket It is water and wind resistant, lots of reflectivity, slightly longer in back. I wish it had velcro at cuffs, but that’s not a deal breaker. It has a trim, flattering cut. Sizing info on website. Might run long for shorter ladies, but drawstring at waist allows you to tuck bottom under. Only 79.00 and is available in both pink and purple. Some sizes in stock at Burlington MEC store. Can order online with free shipping.
A more pricey alternative: Oiselle Flyer Jacket at 149.00 in pink. Wind and water resistant. Elasticized cuffs, some reflectivity, generous fit. Oiselle Flyer Jacket Also avail. at MEC.
The Running Room has some options as well. The Run Jacket is available for 89.99 and comes in lipstick pink and purple. It is wind and water resistant, reflective, has 3 pockets, thumb cuffs.
A higher price point jacket at 149.00 is the Quilted Extreme which has pockets, extra warmth, wind resistant and reflective.
Runner’s Mark in Mississauga has the Saucony Sonic jacket for 110.00. It is water and wind resistant, reflective, flattering fit and rechargeable LED light! They offer us 10% off. Email me if you intend on shopping there so I can send them your name to add to the Nik’s Chicks list.
I won’t be doing any screen printing this fall, but these are some good options if you are in need of a good running jacket! Happy shopping!!
Around The Bay Road Race: It’s that time of year that you need to throw your anxieties to the wind and register for the ATB races held on March 29th! The 10 and 15km relays will fill up in the next few weeks and the 30km race will fill up by end of December. Two years ago we did this race as relays and solos and had about 24 Chicks running. On Saturday talk amongst yourselves to see if there is interest and then email me your names so I can keep everyone in the loop here. Relays can register as Nik’s Chicks 1,2,3 etc. More info can be found at Around The Bay 2015. We need to decide on teams ASAP and register by next Wednesday.
Interested ladies:
10km relay – Andrea (leg 1 or 2), Nicole (leg 3 with relatives),
15km Relay – Nik’s Chicks 1: Jan/Sam, Nik’s Chicks 2: Angela/Kathryn, Niki (Back Half), Jo (Back Half), Nicole, Christina, Karin (Front Half), Christine G, Christine A, Anabelle, Suzanne M
30km – Adele
NEW Massage Therapist: Dave Ellis, owner/Osteopath at Balance Point Health Centre is happy to announce the arrival of Amy. Her hours are Tuesdays 9-5 and Wednesdays 11-7 so far. She is still practicing in TO as well. Sam has tried her out and gives her a thumbs up! You can call to book an appointment at (289) 291-0254.
Need Running shoes?: I have a pair of Ascics TriNoosa 9 shoes size 6 that I need to sell. They only have 4 runs in them, just didn’t work out. Looking for a good home for them! Specs are here: TriNoosa. Asking 100.00. Cute, aren’t they! Send me a note if you are interested – mclaughlins1438@gmail.com.
Some Good Apps: Thought I would take a moment to share some iPhone apps which have helped me. Feel free to pass along any good ones you use.
iPeriod – tracks everything from period days, flow, moods, symptoms, fertility
Wunderlist – the best to-do list I have found, syncs with my iMac
My Data Manager – lets me (and kids) know daily data limit so we don’t go over
Safe Notes – a password secure app to tuck away private info
Interval Timer – can set for 10/1 runs and still listen to music
Cruise Control – chooses songs from library, allows you to set the cadence or pace, plays all songs at your pace choice without the chipmunk effect!
Nest – allows you to adjust your Nest thermostat from away
Smart Wi-fi – works with Linksys wireless router so you can manage wifi use, device by device. I love it, kids hate it!
Heads Up – a guessing game that helps us pass time while waiting in restaurants/airports
TeamSnap – Amazing team website to keep players/parents organized
Songza – pre-selected playlists for any occasion/mood/genre
Candy Crush – my strange addiction! The one game I play when I need to kill time:)
Foot Pain?: If you have sore calves, Achilles tendons or arches you may benefit from some foot therapy. No need to go out, just consider one of the following:
1 Golf ball – Roll a golf ball under your arch and hold pressure on the trigger points. Refrigerate the golf ball for cold therapy!
2 Frozen water bottle – roll this under your arch to help settle plantar faciitis
3 Foot roller – I have one of these and swear by it to keep my feet loose and happy. You can order it online, I got mine through Amazon.
4 Moji foot massager – I have ordered a sister product – the 360 mini massager – and will give a review on it in the future
Road ID: You HAVE to get yourself one of these!!! If you were to go unconscious during a run, would the runner next to you know how to contact your spouse? Would EMS personnel know any pertinent health info? If not, spend 20.00 and get yourself a running ID. This one comes as a shoe tag or bracelet. Money well spent!! Road ID
CPR/First Aid Course: I am registered to do a Emergency First Aid with CPR C + AED course on Wednesday, November 19 8:30-5 through St. John Ambulance with Athena. Course # is1-342452887 in case you want to join us. Course will take place
2-468 Morden Rd Oakville, ON L6K 3W4. Cost is 109.99.
NEW Learn to Run 5km: I started the 8 week program on this past Saturday, November 1st! Just in time for the New Year’s Eve/Day Resolution Runs. If you are ready to weather the colder weather, come on out!! Here is the program we will be using Learn to Run 5km Training Program (M,Th,S) Use this guide for an idea of what to wear as it gets colder. Our group does run all winter long:) Advice for Winter Running Gear
What to Wear?: Having a hard time deciding on how many layers? Use this tool to help sort it out. What to Wear
Or try this new shoe light for only 3.75!
They also have a good selection of reflective bands. When choosing new gear, opt for clothing that has some reflective trim on it as well.
Here are some other options from the folks at Road ID High Visibility Gear Thanks Jo, for info.
5 Km Runners: Here are some race options for you ladies:
Nov. 9 Sketchers 20.00 Race series in Hamilton, Nov. 16 Hanukkah Hustle 5km in Hamilton, Nov. 30 Santa Hamilton 5km (wear a Santa suit), Dec. 6 Sanata Shuffle Oakville, Dec. 13 Burlington Santa Run (wear Santa suit), Dec. 31 Resolution Run Oakville (receive a Running Room jacket with entry!)
Running Hats: The grey Nike DryFit Nik’s Chicks hats are in!! I will have them available at each running workout – only 25.00! Cash only please. There are only 20 of them left so act quickly!
Quotes from 2014 Runner’s World Daily Calendar: 1) Start your refuelling early. Refuelling after a long run is essential to help your body recover quickly. Eat or drink about 200-300 calories of carbohydrates and some protein within an hour of finishing. 2) Invest in good gear. For beginners, this may mean a good pair of shoes to avoid injuries and technical clothes made of fabrics that wick away moisture and prevent chafing. For others, experimenting with the latest GPS unit or shoe pod can be a fun way to track training progress and stay motivated. 3) Just start. If the thought of running your full workout is too much to bear, just suit up to run around the block. Chances are, once you’re outside, you’ll start to feel better and put in at least a few miles. 4) Designate one day a week as your long run day. This is your longest run of the week. Use the long run day to increase your mileage to your desired distance. Your other two run days of the week will be of shorter distance than your long run day. 5) Traveling to an event? Drink lots of water and be well rested before hopping on a plane. Hydration and sleep may affect performance more than jet lag, unless you are traveling across five time zones.
This week’s workouts – (Meet at 1438 Redwing Court):
WEAR REFLECTIVE GEAR AND/OR FLASHING LIGHTS FOR NIGHT TIME VISIBILITY
Monday – November 3 8:00pm
NEW Learn to Run 5km – walk 5 min to warm up, alternate 60 sec jogging and 90 sec walking for 20 minutes (turn after 10), cool down walk 5 min, stretch
Holding on 5km – 5km
Holding on10km – 5km
Thursday – November 6 8:00pm
NEW Learn to Run 5km – walk 5 min to warm up, alternate 60 sec jogging and 90 sec walking for 20 minutes (turn after 10), cool down walk 5 min, stretch
Holding on 5km – 5km
Holding on10km – 5km
Saturday – November 8 8:00am
NEW Learn to Run 5km – walk 5 min to warm up, alternate 90 sec jogging and 2 min for 20 minutes (turn after 10), cool down walk 5 min, stretch
Holding on 5km – 5km
Holding on 10km – 10km
Monday – November 10 8:00pm
NEW Learn to Run 5km – walk 5 min to warm up, alternate 90 sec jogging and 2 min walking for 20 minutes (turn after 10), cool down walk 5 min, stretch
Holding on 5km – 5km
Holding on10km – 5km
Thursday – November 6 8:00pm
NEW Learn to Run 5km – walk 5 min to warm up, alternate 90 sec jogging and 2 min walking for 20 minutes (turn after 10), cool down walk 5 min, stretch
Holding on 5km – 5km
Holding on 10km – 5km
Have a wonderful week! Niki
Nik's Chicks 
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