Bloggers take a run at progress reports
Tracey Bates doesn’t see herself a runner. She describes herself as a jogger who has occasionally taken part in community events such as the Terry Fox Run. But despite living in Metro Vancouver for 20 years, she has never participated in a Sun Run.
Bates, a dealer sales manager for the Ford Motor Company of Canada, put her hand up to take part this year because she saw it as an opportunity.
“I thought it would take my fitness level to the next level,” Bates, 45, said.
Bates is already taking fitness seriously. She’s attending a sports conditioning program developed by Peter Twist, the former strength and conditioning trainer for the Vancouver Canucks. Her regimen consists of three 75-minute sessions a week that start at 6 a.m.
Bates said she’ll keep attending her Twist conditioning sessions while training for the Sun Run. She’s picked one clinic in the Tri-Cities that operates out of the Port Moody Recreation Complex at 8:30 a.m. on Saturdays.
In addition to her training sessions, Bates will be on the team of new bloggers writing about their experience getting ready for the 33rd annual Sun Run, which takes place April 23.
Bates has never written a blog before but she is familiar with meeting deadlines. Bates used to own a gourmet food store and cooking school and published a monthly newsletter for customers.
“I’ll squeeze it in somehow,” Bates said of adding regular writing to her schedule.
Another Sun Run blogger is Matt Colpitts. Unlike Bates, he’s done plenty of running: he completed his first marathon in 2001 while living in Edmonton.
Since moving to Vancouver in 2011, he’s done the Vancouver Marathon just about every year. He also laced up for the Sun Run twice.
He takes training seriously. In the past, his goal was to run in the prestigious Boston Marathon — which he did, in 2011. He ran in a respectable three hours 18 minutes, finishing in the top one-sixth of competitors.
For the Sun Run, he already has a goal he’s aiming for — 43 minutes and change, which would be equal to his age.
“I was just over 40 minutes in 2012 and 2013,” said Colpitts, vicepresident with Canadian Western Bank. “I’m a little bit heavier now and a little bit older. I think it’s reasonable — it won’t be easy, that’s for sure.”
Blogging about his experiences will be something new for him.
“I’ve never done anything like this before — I guess it is a bit of a new challenge for me,” Colpitts said.
Other runners who will be blogging about their Sun Run training sessions are:
Glen Schaefer, Postmedia reporter for The Vancouver Sun and The Province. He’s 58 and has resisted running for decades, even after marrying a runner and then raising two girls, now adults, who are also runners.
Jonathan Herbert, a colleague of Bates, is a dealer sales manager with Ford.
Jeff Lee recently left the Sun and Province as a reporter but he will be returning as a blogger. Now diabetic and overweight, Lee said he’ll be writing about getting in shape as a 59-year-old who first ran in the inaugural Sun Run more than three decades ago.
Early bird registration for the Sun Run ends Jan. 31. The Sun Run is the country’s largest 10K run. Last year, 43,372 took part. It’s not easy to fit an exercise program into a busy life.
“Exercise? I don’t need to exercise. I’m happy right here on the couch.” (I’m going to kindly suggest you are in denial.)
“I’m so out of shape.” (It’s good to recognize there might be a need for change.)
“That’s it. This is the year I’m going to start that Vancouver Sun Run InTraining program!” (Woo hoo! You are taking initiative. This is an affirmation!)
We don’t need another study to tell us we’d feel better and our health would improve if we simply put that fork down and moved more a few times a week.
I have stood on the starting line as an Olympic athlete for the inaugural Vancouver Sun Run, and I have had the privilege of being SportMedBC’s RunWalk coach for more than 22 years.
I’ve witnessed numerous success stories amid those who embark on this amazing journey over 13 weeks in preparation for this amazing event.
Whether you decide to enrol in Walk10K, LearnToRun10K or Run10KStronger, I look forward to guiding you safely and comfortably to that incredible feeling when you cross the Vancouver Sun Run finish line on April 23.
All you have to do is make a start — you can do it! Here’s the skinny on fad diets and cleanses: as most of us have learned the hard way, diets don’t work.
A recent study by Kevin Hall published in the journal Obesity explains the physiology behind this frustrating experience. This study monitored contestants from The Biggest Loser reality TV show for six years after the show ended. The 14 participants each lost about 130 pounds on the show, but six years later, most of them had regained almost all of the weight.
They all endured hours of gruelling daily workouts to ensure they maintained their muscle mass, but their bodies responded to the strict diet by lowering their metabolism by 600 calories per day. The researchers were shocked to discover the participants’ metabolisms continued to remain suppressed six years later, despite keeping the same exercise regime.
This study demonstrates one important fact: Weight-loss diets lower your metabolism, sometimes permanently.
A slower metabolism means you burn fewer calories and will gain weight easily when you return to your usual eating habits.
Try moderate changes that fit with your life. Eat regular meals, enjoy a variety of foods and listen to your appetite.