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.
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Quotes of the Week:
Make the race your playground, not your proving ground.
Lauren Fleshman
It’s amazing how the same pace in practice can feel so much harder than on race day. Stay confident. Trust the process.
Sara Hall
A champion is not made when he succeeds; a champion is made when you look back at the seconds, minutes, hours, days weeks, and months he spent preparing.
Eliud Kipchoge
News from the “Nest”: Sorry about the late update – been a busy week. Here it is:)
I have spent a lot of time in the past couple of weeks helping my daughter with grade 9 math. It brought me back to my own school days where English and science came easy but math was my nemesis. I feel my daughter’s frustration and wish so much that I could somehow make it easier for her. Instead, I am trying to show her that it’s her effort that I am impressed with – not the end result. With the help of a tutor (thanks D, we love you!), lots of practice and a calmer disposition she is making progress. She may not get A’s but she will have learned a lot about herself in the process of muddling through. She will learn to tackle problems head on instead of avoiding them, she will learn to persevere when overwhelmed and she will learn that failing does not make her a failure!
The same goes for us grown women and our own health and fitness. If we avoid challenges and always stick to the same old plan, we will get stuck. If we never put ourselves in a position where we may “fail” or not excel then we miss out on a huge opportunity for self growth. If we get so comfortable in our day-to-day life that we forget to shake things up and experience some uncomfortable emotions (fear, anxiety, shyness) we never get the chance to know what it feels like to overcome them. Bottom line – take chances and dare yourself to try something new.
Math isn’t going away anytime soon and my girl will continue to slog it out – hopefully with a positive outlook!
New Programs: As we near race day (November 8), the start date for new programs rolls around as well. New Learn to Run 5km and 10km Programs will start on Saturday November 14th 8am. Here are your programs: Learn to Run 5km Training Program (T,Th,S) 10 Km program from 5km base (T,Th,S) Please mention this FREE program to your girlfriends. Starting something new is more fun when you share it with others. I do have a couple of newbies coming out to begin the Learn to Run 5km. You would be close to being ready for any New Year’s 5km races or mid January races.
A Little Motivation: 
Around The Bay 10km relay, 15km relay, 30km race: A couple of years ago we had 9 relay teams in this race and a few 30km ladies. Wondering if there is any interest this year in putting some teams together? If so, we should sort this out and register soon because the relays sell out very soon! Race day is April 3rd so there is lots of time to train for either 10km or 15km.
I think we need a race to display our new jackets:) We may never be the fastest, but we sure will look good out there!
Chilly Half Marathon 2016: We took a hiatus after a messy race in 2013 but maybe it’s time to give the Chilly another chance. The date is March 6. Training would begin on October 31st in a very gradual 18 week program from a 7km base. Here is your program Chilly Half 2016 and here is the link to more info and registration Chilly 1/2 Burlington The other option is to choose a destination race – say Chicago? There is the Get Lucky 1/2 on March 12 or Chi-Town 1/2 in April TBD. We can shift the start date of the Chilly program. The benefit of having a spring race is hat it’s keeps us honest and out the door running through the winter:)
Half Marathon and 10km Races?: I have registered for the Angus Glen 1/2 Marathon on November 8th! Lisa, Danielle, Christine A, Christine G and husband Derek, Jo, Tony and Martin have officially joined me . Here is a modified training program: Modified Angus Glen Half 2015 Register at Angus Glen 1/2 Only 1.5 weeks to go…think of the swag:)
If a half is too long for you, consider doing the 10km which is on the same date. Here is your program 10 Km program from 5km base (T,Th,S) which began on September 13th. There are a few maybes out there – Daisy is registered. Janice, Ellen, Carol, Anabell, Ivonne, Andrea, Joanne, Debbie, Erica, Karin?
YES I AM TALKING TO YOU!!! 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) Embark on a mission. When you put a race date on your calendar, it adds meaning to your training runs. You’ll find more motivation for logging those miles. 2) A way to see if you’re running at a comfortable effort level is the talk test. During most of your runs, you should be able to carry on a conversation, which means you’ve passed the talk test. If you can’t say more than a few words at a time, you are probably running too hard. Back off to where you can say a sentence at a time, and you’ll be able to run longer and better advance your fitness. 3 ) Although many runners are understandably proud of having run a marathon, some of the greatest runners in history have never done one, so don’t feel like to have to do a marathon to call yourself a runner. 4) While you don’t have to exert yourself on non-running days, some form of exercise will energize your mind, improve your attitude, and burn fat. Choose an activity that doesn’t fatigue the calf muscles, such as aqua jogging, walking or gently riding an elliptical. 5) A good yoga pose to help relax running muscles: Side Bend – Lie sideways over pillows keeping hips and shoulders on the ground. Hold for 5-15 minutes. Repeat on the other side.
This week’s workouts (Meet at 1438 Redwing Court):
Tuesday – October 27 8:00pm
Learn to Run 5km – 5 min walk, jog 25 continuous minutes, 5 min cool down, stretch
Learn to Run 10km – 5km
Half Marathon – Angus Glen 8km (this is the start of our taper for race day, expect over the next week and a half to feel lazy and puffy. You may gain some weight! Keep hydrating. You are now storing glycogen in your muscles for race day:)
Thursday – October 29 8:00pm
Learn to Run 5km – Warm up walk 5 min, jog 28 continuous minutes (turn after 14), 5 min cool down walk, stretch
Learn to Run 10km – 5km
Half Marathon – 5km
Saturday – October 31 8:00am
Learn to Run 5km – Warm up walk 5 min, jog 28 minutes, 5 min cool down walk, stretch
Learn to Run 10km – 10km
Half Marathon – Angus Glen 5km
Tuesday – October 24 8:00pm
Learn to Run 5km – Warm up walk 5 min, jog 30 minutes , 5 min cool down walk, stretch
Learn to Run 10km – 5km
Half Marathon – 5km
Have a wonderful week! Niki
Nik's Chicks 