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 Tuesday and Thursday evenings 8pm and Saturday mornings 8am from the corner of Redwing and Blackbird Courts.  Check out Weekly Workout section for specific times and distances.

Quotes of the Week: 

If I can do it, other people can do it too.

Chrissy Vita

Doing something for yourself like running, and using it to test yourself, will only make you feel better about your career or your family role.

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Don’t try to rush progress.  Remember – a step forward, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction.

Kara Goucher

Hello ladies, here is the latest news from the “nest”! Not all of my insights are fitness related:) Many of you know that Peter and I have been without kids for just over a week now.  It’s been quiet around here…but I am not complaining!  We have had many opportunities to have quiet dinners, bike rides, and relaxing reading time in the back yard.  It’s a taste of things to come in four years.   It has caused us to do a lot of reminiscing about the kids when they were younger.  Funny, crazy, sad moments that have passed way too quickly. It’s great that they get the opportunity to grow and become more independent and resilient kids.  They are (as I learned at a lecture) just passing through our household on the way to becoming adults!  I think the time without the kids has made me appreciate them so much more and I will look forward to having them all back…just not too soon:)  The sleep-ins and early bedtimes are pretty sweet!

Mudderella:  Good luck to the ladies doing the Mudderella this weekend.  Hope you have a lot of fun getting down and dirty:)  Who knows, if the race reports are really, really great…I would overlook my mud phobia and consider entering a Nik’s Chicks Team next year!!

This is going to be you!

Kelso Open Water Swimming: Jo and I (along with honorary Chicks Tony and Martin), will be heading to Kelso on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.  If you are looking to carpool with us, please contact me the day before so we know ahead of time.

Have you Ordered Your Road ID?:  Spend the 20.00 on some peace of mind NOW!  If you were unconscious during a run, would EMS personnel know your details?  Unlikely!!  Order a bracelet or shoe tag at Road ID

Tips From Runner’s World Daily Calendar 2015: 1)  Best dog breeds for brisk, shorter runs (less than 10km): greyhounds, pit bulls, English setters, beagles, golden and Labrador retrievers  2) Instead of taking the bait and shouting back at drivers, use their rudeness for your gain.  Take negative things and spin it.  See it as a compliment, that it means you’re doing something that they can’t do.  You’re doing exactly what you should be doing. 3 )  After a run, hit the foam roller to iron out any minor kinks sustained on your run; doing so will help keep muscles fresh and injuries at bay.  4)  Typically taken after long runs, races and hard workouts, ice baths involve immersing one’s legs in ice water for 15-20 minutes.  The ice constricts blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity, which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown.   Once you get out of the cold water, the underlying tissues warm up, causing a return of faster bloodflow, which helps flush waste products out of the cells.

This week’s workouts (Meet at 1438 Redwing Court):

Tuesday – July 7  8:00pm

Learn to Run 5 km – walk 5 min, jog 10 min/walk 3 min (turn after 1.5)/jog 10 min, 5 min walk

Learn to Run 10km – 5-6km

Holding on 5km – 5km

Holding on 10 km – 5km

Mudderella – 5km

Thursday – July 9 8:00pm    

Learn to Run 5km  -walk 5 min, jog 25 contimuous min (turn after 12.5), 5 min walk

Learn to Run 10km – 5km with hill x 2

Holding on 5km – 5km with hill x 2

Holding on 10 km – 5km with hill x 2

Mudderella – 5km with 8 min tempo run

Kelso Open Water Swimming – Leave Niki’s 6:15pm (I won’t be there tonight)

Saturday – July 11 8:00am  

Learn to Run 5km (Week 3) – walk 5 min,  25 min jogging (turn after 12.5), cool down walk 5 min

Learn to Run 10km  – 9km

Holding on 5km – 5km

Holding on 10 km – 10km

Mudderella – Rest – Race Day tomorrow!

Kelso Open Water Swimming – Leave Niki’s 8:15am (I will be running at 7am in case anyone wants to join me for 7km or so)

Tuesday – July 14    8:00pm

Learn to Run 5km – walk 5 min,25 min jogging (turn after 12.5), cool down walk 5 min

Learn to Run 10km  – 5km

Holding on 5km – 5km

Holding on 10 km – 5km

Have a wonderful week! Niki