Christmas Party

  Well the big day is almost here.  How is your shopping going?  I am one of those people who have been done for awhile.  Being done early has it's drawbacks as I always seem to find something else that I want to buy someone so I can go overboard in the gift department.  It was a great weekend as we had our staff party.  Thank you Wayne and Lindsay!!  Fifeteen of us went to the Hoodoos.  The meal was amazing.  A good time was had by all.   
  I went to the pool to swim yesturday and it was absolutely dead.  I haven't seen it that quiet since the new track and gym opened.  The next couple of weeks will be quiet until the New Year and then everyone makes their resolutions and it will be busy again.
  I hope everyone has a great holiday season.  May you spend it with family and friends.  I also hope that Santa spoils all of you.
  Happy Holiday.  Merry Christmas.  Best wishes for a healthy, Happy New Year.

Kathy 

Food Bank Run

I just wanted to invite everyone out for the Food Bank Run tomorrow night here at the store.  We will meet at 6:15pm and then head out.  Wayne will have "Goodies" for us after.  Remember to bring some items for the food bank.
It was sure nice walking last night in the falling snow instead of the falling temperatures. With the snow it now seems like Christmas. I hope everyone has their shopping list just about finished and that you are planning to spend the holidays with family and friends.  Happy Holidays everyone.
Hope to see you tomorrow night.
Kathy

World Masters Run Group

The run group is going well with more than 40 members attending regularly. Last week we had a prediction run, where before the run everyone estimated their 5k finish time. After the run, the winner, Doreen Johnson came in 9 sec off her predicted time. Mike Bruch was a close second with a prediction only 11 seconds off. Doreen was rewarded with a $100 gift certificate for Runners Sole. If you have any questions about our group or are interested in joining us, check out our Runners Sole website under "clinics".

Wayne

Vegas

Shawn and I had a great time in Las Vegas.....1/2 Marathon was awesome. Must say I hated the smoke but running down the Vegas Strip was exciting. I highly reccommend  this race, not to mention the shopping was grand. Now to get pumped up for World Masters 1/2 in March!
 Cheers Monica

Santa Run

What a great turn out yesturday for our Santa Run.  We had 56 people come out for a run and then breakfast.  The Coast Canadian Inn did a fantastic job.  We had 22 items to raffle off to raise money for the Food Bank and we ended up with over $300.00 to donate to them.  I want to send out a HUGE thank you to everyone that donated items (Wayne,Runner's Sole) and to my fellow members of the Ridge Runners.  What a great crew we are.  Each year everyone amazes me with their generousity.  As for a workout I hit the pool this weekend as it was too cold to do any walking outside of any length.  Hope everyone's training is going well.  Have a great week.

Kathy

This Week

.  Over the past weekend we had inventory.    It went very well and now we are gearing up for the Christmas shopping season.  As for activity I have started doing Aqua Running again at TCC.  I first started Aqua Running with Wayne back in 2003.  I took his course for three years.  He had so much energy that the class was a lot of fun and I met a lot of very nice ladies who I still keep in contact with.  I stopped Aqua Running and took up running and biking.  Since I have been working my way back since my surgeries I have gone back to Aqua Running.  I forgot how easy it is on the body and joints but what a great work out.  If you don't think it's a great work out you should try a class.  Wear a heart rate monitor and see how hard you do work.  If you are battling any injuries and are suppose to not run give Aqua Running a try.  This weekend is the Ridge Runners Santa Run.  We meet for a run or walk then have breakfast.  We do a raffle and all money raised goes to the Food Bank.  All the items for the raffle are donated.  The Ridge Runners is a fun, social group.  Have a great week everyone.  Chat soon.

Kathy

Fitness?

What defines fitness? and Who is fit? Ask several different people and you will certainly get several different answers. Everyone has their own "fitness ideal" A person or perhaps an accomplishment that embodies for them the prime model of fitness. What is it for you?
I have a pretty specific definition of fitness that I adhere to.

We have 10 basic physical skills:

1. Cardivascular Endurance
2. Strength
3. Stamina
4. Power
5. Speed
6. Flexibility
7. Accuracy
8. Balance
9. Agility
10. Coordination

I feel that if you are lacking in any one of these areas, then you cannot call yourself truly "FIT". Just being advanced in one area does not necessarily grant you access to other domains. There are plenty of examples of "specialists", who train for their specific goals, a certain sport let's say, to the exclusion of all else. They may excel then, at that particular event, but in my opinion they are not "FIT". To be fit means to be able to handle many challenges of various modality. Why? Beacuse that's the way life happens. You don't get to follow a program for what happens next. Who do I want around if I'm unconscious and the house is on fire? An olympic distance athlete...(ie: Simon)

...or someone a little more well rounded like Olympic wrestling legend Alexander Karelin.

Who would you choose? Both olympic champions. However, one in a sport dominated by the need for cardiovascular endurance, along with some stamina certainly, perhaps speed. But I'd have to hear arguments for much else. Wrestling on the other hand requires cardiovascular endurance, great amounts of strength and stamina, enormous power, agility, coordination, balance, speed, flexiblity, etc...

Get the idea?

You may be swayed by the activities you only like to do, but be assured, Karelin would fare pretty decently in a triathlon. Not that he would win, but he could compete and beat  A LOT of dedicated triathletes.  But I hate to imagine what would happen if Simon stepped into the ring.

So my question is this. Are you "FIT" ? Why wouldn't you want to get better at everything?

Sean White

Awards Banquet

What a great weekend!  My wrap up for the cycling group was Friday night.  There was 36 of us for supper and awards.  I got an award for Most Improved Rider.  The award was unexpected but I worked hard this year.  I usually started first for the time trials and came in last!  Next year I want to come second to last.  Should be a goal I can obtain.  The award itself was nice, it was a bike with a rider standing in front with one arm in the air.  I got the opportunity to work in the store Saturday on the floor with customers.  It was a change that I enjoyed from working in the back.  I didn't realize how much I miss helping customers and talking to people about what their are doing for the winter and their goals.  What a nice day Sunday for a walk with the Ridge Runners.  There won't be too many more days like that one to enjoy outside.  The Ridge Runners are having a Santa Run and breakfast in a couple of weeks.  We usually have a raffle for some great prizes and raise money for the food bank.  Last year we raised $200.00.
Have a great week everyone.  Chat soon.
Kathy

My first Blog!!

I have never written on a blog before.  I think this could be interesting.  I am on the road back from two major surgeries on my knees so I am starting all over again with my fitness level.  I am getting back into swimming, cycling and walking..  I joined a cycling group this past summer and had a blast.  We met on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings.  We did time trials on Thursday nights and long group rides on Sundays.  I learned a lot joining this group and can't wait until next year to start riding again.  This Friday night is our awards and banquets.  There are roughly forty of us getting together for this evening.  I'll let you know how the evening went!    I walk with the Ridge Runners on Tues, Thurs and Sunday mornings.  I know the best part of the walking is going for coffee after.
Hope everyone is enjoying the great weather and is getting in some last runs or rides on the dry roads and trails.  See you around town or at the coffee shop.

Kathy

Upcoming Blog

Runners Sole

Upcoming blog - info and opinion on a variety of topics, written by the Runners Sole employees!