It’s true. The Huntsville Half course is a hilly one. And it’s also true that the hills are challenging ones! There is no doubt that anyone running the course is going to be tested.

We’ve been doing some research on the benefits of running hills, the best way to train for hills and the best running form to tackle the hills. We highly recommend that you read the articles linked below.

To quote a Runner’s World article, “Doing hill work is like eating Brussels sprouts. We know we should, but we don’t really want to. BUT on the up side, hitting hills is hugely beneficial to runners.”

This article gives solid advice on how to change your routine and master the hills with specifics on how to improve your hill running, how to change your whole outlook on hills and the perfect form to tackle hills.

Here are some tips from Wharton Performance Model so that “you’ll be able to climb any hill come race day”. http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263-264-9571-0,00.html

What do you do with your hands when you are going up a hill? What is the best way to go DOWN a hill? Here’s an article that answers all those questions and more.

Can Hill Running Make you Faster? http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263–7519-1-1-2,00.html

To race well on hills, you have to train on hills. Try these four great workouts. This article details four basic types of hill workouts.

The Details:

Sunday April 29th, 2012

Start and Finish at Heritage Park in Barrie

10 k starts at 9am

5 k starts at 9:10am

REGISTRATION IS ONLY $15

register online @ www.karelo.com
You can also register on the day of the race but it will be cash only.

Racing Packages can be picked up at MEC in Barrie
61 Byrne Dr., Barrie ON, L4N 3V8

Friday, April 27th between 10am to 9pm
Saturday, April 28th, between 11am and 5pm

If you need more info:

705-792-4675 (ext. 247)
marco.capana@mec.ca

FITT Gym

An 8 week schedule designed to build a safe training program which will deliver the results you’re looking for on June 10th!

Starts April 17th, includes 2 sessions per week
Tuesdays 5:30 – 6:30pm
Saturdays 8 – 9am

Cost: $159
Location: 68 West Road, Unit 1, Huntsville ON

Find out more at www.fittgym.com

the SportLab

5k Learn to Run Program – an 8 week program designed to take an individual from walking to being able to complete a 5km run.

Starts April 17th, includes weekly educational sessions, a personalized 8 week training plan, 16 group runs, Discounts at local merchants and registration in the 5k run on June 10th.
Tuesdays 5:30pm
Saturdays 9am

Cost: $149.99 + HST
Location: 68 West Road, Unit 2, Huntsville ON

Find out more: 1-855-776-7852

Motivations Fitness

Run to Your Goal 8 Week Program – Join Lisa McClaren as she starts with the basics to build your skills and confidence as you run your way to your goal run, the Huntsville Half 10KM run on Sunday, June 10th.

Starts April 11th
Monday and Wednesdays at 6pm

Cost: $49.00 for members and $159.00 for non-members (includes 8 week membership at Motivations)
Location: Canada Summit Centre, 20 Park Dr., Huntsville, Ontario

Find out more at www.motivationsfitness.com

Additional Training Groups

If you have started a training group for the Huntsville Half – please let us know! We will gladly post the information on the site.

The truth is that you should be eating both protein and carbohydrates when you are training. One is not better or worse than the other. In fact they work together as a team to give your body what it needs. The key to success is balancing the two – and don’t forget about fat. (But we’ll get to that in a minute.)

Not all proteins and definitely not all carbohydrates are created equal. This is where you should start getting particular. Whenever possible avoid processed foods. Choose whole foods for both meals and snacks. As soon as things are packaged, for your convenience, then they have all sorts of things that you definitely don’t want in them – like sodium, sugar and other long, scientifically-named, ominous sounding additives.

Some great protein choices are eggs, fish, chicken & other lean meat, and tofu. Remember, with protein, a ‘serving’ is the size of a deck of cards. Milk, yogurt and cheese are also good sources of protein.

It’s best to grill or bake your meat and fish and try to steer clear of frying, breading or adding heavy sauces. That definitely doesn’t mean that your protein needs to be bland, boring or flavourless. Marinades can add great taste as can a variety of easy sauces and salsas made from whole, fresh ingredients.

Favourite salmon marinade:

the juice of one lime

a teaspoon of wasabi paste

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 teaspoon of maple syrup

1 teaspoon of sesame oil.

Just whisk it all together. Salmon marinated in this for as little as an hour (or as long as the whole day if you whip it up in the morning) is fantastic. Grill the fish on the skin side down until it is almost cooked through and then finish with the flesh side down. Serve your salmon with some quinoa and lots of steamed veggies and you’ll have an awesome training meal.

Favourite Mango Salsa – for any kind of meat, fish or tofu:

1 mango cut into small pieces

1 diced shallot

a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half

2 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro

the juice of 1 lime.

You can mix it up and serve it right away or let it sit in the fridge for an hour or two – the flavor only gets better!

Enjoy whole grains, fruits, and vegetables with every meal. The beauty of including these healthy options in each meal is that the fiber in them will fill you up. You won’t be tempted to supplement with quick snacks that are high in sugar, refined carbohydrates and fat. A serving for vegetables is roughly half a cup for cooked and a whole cup for raw veggies.

So a plate with a balance of proteins and carbohydrates will have lots more vegetables than protein on it.

There are proteins and carbohydrates – but there are also those poor, detested fats. But as everybody knows by now – there are good fats and there are bad fats. And it’s not really rocket science to figure out which are which. Healthy fats are the unsaturated ones found in plants and you shouldn’t avoid them. You should be welcoming things like olive oil, avocado and whole nuts into your training. The key is to remember that the proportion of fat to carbohydrate and protein is low. You might decorate your plate with a few wedges of avocado or have some homemade salad dressing with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Nutrition is as important to training as the physical side of things. Smart food choices may well make the difference in your race – whatever your goals may be!

New to Running?  Wondering where to start? Get Moving!

What better goal than to set your sights on a 5km!?  Fantastic!  You may be scared beyond belief… Wondering what the heck you got yourself into!  Trust me you will be just fine.

Here’s your action list:
1. Get checked out by your doctor.
If you’re already into exercise then you may feel you can skip this step.  However, if this exercise is truly a new adventure for you then just make a quick appointment with your doctor.  Let him/her know that you want to start an walking/running program and that your goal is to complete a 5km.  Likely you’ll get a “way to go!” and the green light.  If not, then you may have to start a little more gingerly but will most likely still be encouraged to “get moving!”.

2. Get the gear.
This is one of the very few activities that you can start with little to no investment.  BUT, do me a favour…  Do not just reach into the back of the closet and dust off your old lawn cutting shoes.  If you’re going to be putting some kilometers on those feet then a decent pair of running shoes is a must in preventing unnecessary aches, pains, and injuries.  Count on spending at least $50 (if you find a sale) up to however much you wish.

In terms of clothing, anything goes.  As you continue in this venture you will find that you want to seek out some new clothes.  Watch for coming blogs for more information.  For now, start with loose, comfortable stuff.

3. Know your distance.
If you’re tech savy then seek out www.mapmyrun.com, find your starting location and determine 2km, 3km, 4km, and 5km routes.

4. How to start
Walk.  Get into a steady walking routine then add small bits of running.  Run to the next mailbox or lamp post then return to a good walking pace.  Work on building up your distance over several weeks to avoid injuries.

5. Keep going!
Don’t fret if you miss a training day here and there but don’t let that get in the way of your goal.  You’ve committed to this so stick with it – you will feel like a million bucks when you hit the finish line!

We’re here to help you achieve your goal! Do you have any questions about getting started running? Use the comment box to let us know.

The Prize: A race entry to either the half marathon, the 10k or the 5k. It will be the winners choice.

The Draw: The draw will take place on April 1st OR as soon as we get 250 likes on Facebook.

So go ahead and like us on Facebook and enter your name into the draw.

Over the next three months, leading up to race day, we’d like to share some tips for training and nutrition. We want to make sure that we are giving you the kind of helpful information that you are looking for so please – let us know what you want to hear about.

To get started, here are some things to keep in mind as you start training for your race…

Set realistic goals

It’s really important to have a goal – whether it be to simply finish a race or achieve a certain time. Once you have the goal then you can commit to working towards it.

Pick a Training Program

There are lots of training programs out there. Do some research and find one that is right for you and then stick to it.

Verbally Commit to Everyone You Know

Tell people that you have signed up for a race. You’ll find that people want to support and encourage you and you’re most likely to stick with your training program.

Invest in a good pair of running shoes.

Take your time and find a pair that is just right for you.They will become good friends to you over the next three months.