Hello, Toronto runners — you’re in luck (whether you’re a newbie or seasoned runner) as Nike Toronto has expanded their run club offerings. Having talked to runners in the city and learning that they wanted both longer runs, and more of them, and some folks wanting to get into running, here’s what Nike is serving up:
Out of the Eaton Centre Nike store (you’ll find it on the lower level of the EC) is their Gridlock Runners run club. The sched:
Mondays at 6:30PM: track work or tempo runs to help you improve your pace
Tuesdays at 6:30PM: rookie runs for those looking to learn to run
Thursdays at 6:30PM: club runs (more of a fun run, some sort of social element — think yoga stretches post-run, or yes, drinks!)
Saturdays at 8:30AM: long runs (distance will vary but you can expect a run of about 15 to 20k)
Out of Black Toe Running on Wednesdays is the Queen West run club:
Wednesdays at 6:30PM: two distances offered (about 5k for the shorter run and 7-10k for the longer run), but you can also expect a mix of tempo, intervals or hill training, too
Besides more run club training options, Toronto runners who join in can also anticipate more services — so a nutritionist might come and speak about fueling for your runs, for example.
The clubs are drop-in and free, so it’s easy to find people to run with if you’re downtown and you need the extra boost running with a group can provide (I know I find it helpful to mix up running on my own with a running buddy or group, especially for longer runs!). Check it out (and say hi if you do — I’m sometimes at the Queen West run club on Wednesdays!)!
August 22, 2014
Maybe you feel like you’re in a bit of a fitness rut. Or you’re just keen to add something new to your workout routine to make it a little more exciting (there’s only so many times you can run the 5k around your neighbourhood, and at some point, even the hottie instructor in Spin class isn’t enough to keep you interested and motivated during class). Then Tryfit may be just what you need to discover a new workout or studio.
This new fitness pass in Toronto gives you access to 20 specialty fitness studios around the city — with Tryfit you get to try one class at each of them over a period of six months. All for $49. When a single trial class can cost about $20 at some studios, that makes it a pretty good deal — that’s if you’re up for trekking to different spots around the T-Dot to get your sweat on.
Studios include Flirty Girl Fitness, Moksha Yoga Downtown,Think Fitness Studios and Totum LifeScience (Roxborough) to name just a few.
I’ve got mine and hope to hit up a few of the studios over the next six months. How ’bout you?
July 21, 2014
Adidas Candy Collection watches, $65 each (Photo: Grant Comett/Real Simple)
You don’t need to spend lots of time working out if you’re doing high-intensity interval training, as studies have shown. Thing is, it’s that “high intensity” part that’s never appealed to me that much.
But research from McMaster University published in the current issue of The Journal of Physiology has found that interval training doesn’t have to be going all-out in order for it to be effective. The intensity should still demanding — out of the comfort zone for most average peeps.
To put it into perspective, the research authors say we have to work out at about 95 percent maximal heart rate, which is, for example, only about half of the intensity of sprinting at an all-out pace.
The compromise? You have to increase the workout time. But I’ll go with more minutes at a more moderate intensity any day.
March 19, 2010
