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Bob Thompson / Ottawa, ON

by Shelley Moody-Wright

Bob Thompson is our one-of-a-kind 5K coach extraordinaire. He has led 32 consecutive clinics with loads of enthusiasm and grace… well, sometimes when he’s running he’s not that graceful, but he is always full of enthusiasm!

He has brought people from the depths of “Oh, please don’t make me run,” to a point where they are saying “Wow, running is so much fun! I can’t wait to see what Bob has in store for us next!” He is our rock, our inspiration, our mentor, our coach, and most importantly, our friend.

There aren’t enough pages in the magazine to describe this incredibly amazing person we call “5K Bob,” so we asked his training program participants (past and present) to share their views. Continue reading “Bob Thompson / Ottawa, ON”

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Jonah Istifan / Waterloo, ON

On February 27, 2017, I decided to quit smoking and signed up for a Running Room program called Walk or Run to Quit. The program continues to revolutionize the way people quit smoking while helping them become physically active for life. Since the pilot project began in 2013, hundreds of participants have signed on for the 10-week training program, which assists them in quitting smoking by teaching them to walk and/or run 5K. Continue reading “Jonah Istifan / Waterloo, ON”

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Race Giving

Race: SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. Run for Women
Amount Raised: $2,300,000

Living with mental health challenges is hard, but we can come together to make a difference. The SHOPPERS LOVE. YOU. Run for Women has helped thousands of women manage the challenges that come with mental health illnesses like depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, and post-partum depression. In 2018, over $2,300,000 was raised nationally and went to support women’s mental health initiatives at local charities across the country. Continue reading “Race Giving”

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Solstice 5K

They came, they ran, they beat the sun! Our first annual Solstice 5K race took place in 19 cities on June 21, the date of the summer solstice. Picture this: you and your fellow runners cross the finish line together, perfectly timed as the sun goes down on the longest day of the year. That, combined with an awesome swag bag ($100 value) and post-race party, has to qualify the Solstice 5K as the race of the summer!

Congratulations to the 2565 participants who joined us for this inaugural race. Continue reading “Solstice 5K”

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Canada Day Run

by Scott Eldridge

On July 1st, over 2300 participants celebrated Canada Day by running and walking in seven different cities: Edmonton, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Barrie, Moncton, Charlottetown and St. John’s. All participants received a beautiful red and gold finisher’s medal. Continue reading “Canada Day Run”

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20 Minute Challenge

by Ally Wilson

With over 15,000 runners and walkers participating across Canada and the United States, the 34th annual 20 Minute Challenge was a huge success. Kids, parents, grandparents and dogs (hey, they’re part of the family too!) embraced being active and helped us achieve our goal of getting families moving together. The Stanton family took part in the festivities at Edmonton’s 109 Street location along with a record-breaking number of Run Club members. All participants received a free running cap, so a sea of yellow hats took over the streets. Thanks for celebrating with us and we can’t wait to see you at next year’s 20 Minute Challenge! Continue reading “20 Minute Challenge”

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Back to Basics

by John Stanton

Just in time for back-to-school season, here is a review of the three main components of your running program.

Base Training
In our Running Room training programs, the primary emphasis is on building an endurance base. Base training prepares the cardiovascular system to better handle the demands of exercise and will train the specific muscles involved to go the distance. The heart will become stronger and more efficient at delivering oxygenated blood to the muscles; in turn, the muscles will be more efficient at utilizing oxygen for energy and have better resistance to muscular fatigue. These training adaptations lead to enhanced aerobic fitness. Continue reading “Back to Basics”

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Why I Run

by Stefanie Novakowski

I love running. During a regular week, I run for a total of three or four hours, even after a few years of marathon training and intensive hiking forced me to ease off for the sake of my knees. But if you told this to anyone who knew me in high school or even in the first few years of university, they’d be shocked. I was the student who dropped Phys.Ed. after grade 10 because it was lowering my average. So, how did I go from avoiding exercise at all costs to running a marathon? It all comes down to why I run. Continue reading “Why I Run”