Fit First Run Clinic From The Eyes of a New Leader

It was a rainy East Van morning in mid-December 2021, and I was out for another long run as my self-imposed hiatus from the 9-5 working world was coming to an end. Back in 2020, I chose to leave behind my career of 15 years simply because I was so stressed, burnt out, and simply unhappy - so, for a full year I went back to school at 45 years old, took dozens of workshops and courses, worked on improving myself and my relationships, started a small business, and simply went running whenever I felt like it! On this particular winter day, while dodging mud puddles through New Brighton Park, I started thinking to myself "Ok, so what are you going to do now that your year off is over?" I had vowed to myself that I would never spend 40 hours a week doing something that actually just made me miserable ever again. So I thought - well, I love running, I love talking about running, I love the running community - hmm, maybe I should just work in a running store?!?

I had shopped at Fit First Footwear in the past, and had always received excellent customer service from Evan and the team - there is a very noticeable positive vibe from the store. In fact, it was Fit First that first turned me on to the shoe brand Hoka, which was the solution to some of my foot issues and changed my running for the better, almost immediately. I dropped Evan an email that day to see if they were hiring and we agreed to meet for a coffee and informal chat. I loved that they were the only independent shoe store in Burnaby and I truly wanted to work somewhere where there was an alignment of values, as 'shop local' is very important to me. So, in essence, we interviewed each other and both agreed that it could be a great fit for us both. 

One of the topics we discussed initially was about the bi-annual 16 week run clinics that Fit First organizes, which have been a consistent Saturday morning staple in the Burnaby running scene for years. I would have the opportunity to 'lead' a run group and, admittedly, had no idea what that meant exactly, but I said yes anyways - sounded fun! I had been working at the store for about 5 weeks when the first run clinic day arrived on a cold and very wet January morning. Evan was already running around when I arrived, organizing the groups/leaders and effectively 'herding cats' - there's far more going on behind the scenes than you would expect! I received some brief instructions to 'just run at around 6:15 pace, and you'll figure it out' Sounds easy enough?

I gathered outside in the dark with about 80 surprisingly cheerful and eager clinic members, and after a brief welcoming speech by Evan, away we went....what was I supposed to do again? Oh yeah, follow the group in front of me, ok. Stay at 6:15 pace, ok. Well, the first day I pretty much ran by myself, kind of clueless and somewhat confused but following the designated route as instructed. The second week, I ran with 2 other clinic members and I started feeling a little less confused. By the 3rd week, I had a group of around 5 or 6 that stuck together and the following week, about 8 or 9. Ok, so this was my group!

I slowly found my groove out there as a run leader and really enjoyed getting to know my pace crew - whether it was discussing the latest gossip from the TV show Survivor, receiving 'constructive' relationship advice, or just learning about their lives and families and running goals every week. I was always impressed with how they were committed to improving - a little torrential rain and freezing cold couldn't stop this group from tackling the roads, hills, and trails in Burnaby every Saturday!

Admittedly, as a rookie run leader, I took a couple wrong turns and got us 'just a little bit' lost once or twice...maybe a few times! As I told my group at the time, it's all part of the adventure! I'd like to say I will improve at the next clinic but let's be honest here, if you're going to run with me, there's a 50/50 chance of a few extra steps due to my poor navigational skills!

The most inspiring moment for me was on the week of the clinic's longest training run, we had just finished 19 tough kilometers and I asked the group 'does anyone want to run their first 1/2 marathon today? We've already done 19 kms, what's 2 more?!?' Surprisingly, a few hands went up and away we went. It was an awesome feeling to push their limits and then finish the 21 kms with them, as they weren't at all expecting to complete a 1/2 marathon distance when they woke up that morning...yet, that's exactly what they did, a full 2 weeks before their actual race they had been training for! Just shows you what a little determination, resiliency, and positive attitude can do for your goal pursuits...as I tell my kid, it's a little thing called 'grit'!

At the end of our 16 weeks together, I made new friends, and gained some solid inspiration for my own running pursuits. At Fit First, it is important to all of the run leaders that every participant feels included and encouraged in their pace groups and although it's a significant challenge to be out there running many kilometers in the dark and rainy mornings, it can also be surprisingly fun when we're all suffering through it together. 

Fit First Footwear runs 2 clinics a year from our store, they are 3 months long and one starts in January and the other in September. I'd encourage anyone to come out and run with us - it's an inclusive and encouraging space for all skill levels and abilities. It's a very social atmosphere where clinic members often stay afterwards and hang out, have coffee, and chit chat after the runs and it's a great motivator to know you have a group to meet with every Saturday. Fit First Footwear is right here to meet all of your running needs throughout the clinic and beyond - a friendly and knowledgeable staff member would be happy to chat with you about how we can help you achieve your goals!

I will be leading one of the 1/2 marathon groups again this fall, and while I certainly can't promise you that we won't take a few wrong turns in my group - I can promise that myself, and all the leaders, will encourage you and make your weekly group runs as fun as we can - so here is your official invitation to come join us! 

Gettin' right in your fuels!

As a mid-40’s weekend warrior and ‘occasional’ ultra marathon trail runner, I have to rely on additional calories and electrolytes to drag myself through the trails and mountains all around the Lower Mainland. So, I wanted to share with our valued guests that we've recently added a few more nutritional products at the shop to help meet your fueling needs for any activity! Whether you’re a trail explorer like myself, a road runner training hard for a local race, or just need the right energy boost to power you through your gym workouts or long walks, we’ve got you covered!

Gu Energy - the first sports nutrition company to mass distribute energy gels, Gu Energy has been a mainstay on the endurance racing scene since 1996, when they supplied the athletes at Ironman World Championships. Known for great tasting, unique, and traditional gel flavors (salted caramel, vanilla bean, campfire s’mores - yes please!), they have since expanded into a variety of sports nutrition products besides their flagship gels - GU Chews, Stroopwafels, and GU energy drinks are all in their product line these days. 

At Fit First, we carry an assortment of gel flavors, each one of these tiny packets contains 100 calories of carbohydrates, amino acids, electrolytes, and some even contain 40 mg of caffeine, for that extra kick in the pants that any coffee addict would appreciate!  

Also available are the GU Energy Chews, which are delicious soft gummies that are based on the gel formula, yet also contain antioxidants. These can be spaced out across an activity to give you that energy boost when needed and you can save the rest for another time. 

Then there is the ultra-popular GU Stroopwafel - this delicious ‘dutch style’ energy cookie acts as an energy gel but tastes like a decadent breakfast! Picture a tasty syrup sandwiched between 2 thin wafers but also containing BCAA’s (branch chain amino acids), as well as sodium and carbohydrates. This is an excellent pre-run treat or post-workout snack that will repair muscle damage and jump-start your exercise recovery. 

Pro tip : warm one up by placing it on top of your post-run coffee…just give it a shot, you won’t regret it. A staff favorite!

For those of you training for the BMO half or full marathon, you’ll be happy to know that we carry Xact Nutrition - an official sponsor of the legendary spring race, as well as all RunVan events! (www.runvan.org) Come try the products that will be available on the courses on race day - ensuring no nutritional surprises as your body will be fueled by the familiar flavors and textures of Xact as you run around beautiful Vancouver. For those with a sweet tooth, there are the Energy Fruit Bars in an assortment of flavors, including beet and maple! When I say these are sweet, I mean it, haha - yes, they are sugary, but decadently delicious. They are also easy to swallow and digest on the run, small enough to pack a few with you, and they’ll melt in your mouth, too. I love them because they don't get stuck in my teeth like some other chews!

We also carry Xact Protein Bars - composed of light chocolate and wafer, they come in delicious vanilla and chocolate flavors and each bar has 15 grams of much-needed protein for muscle repair. I found these to be extremely tasty but also slightly dry (like most high quality protein bars) so I wouldn't recommend them during an endurance event when you may be dehydrated…but,  these would be an awesome post-run snack when you need the protein the most! 

Nuun Nutrition ‘Sport’ tablets are an awesome choice for replacing vital nutrients and electrolytes lost through sweat during or after exercise. We carry a huge array of delicious flavors (with or without caffeine!) -  just drop one of the tabs in your water and enjoy! These are ‘fizzy’, so would be perfect for those that like a bit of carbonation in their water when running, or chilling out post-run with your feet up on the couch! Certified vegan, non-GMO and gluten-free, Nuun was the first company to separate electrolyte replacement from carbohydrates - which means a healthy, hydrating sports drink without all the added sugar and additives.

Now for my personal favorite, Fit First now carries Tailwind Nutrition! It's the perfect mix of calories, electrolytes, and hydration which makes it a complete fuel solution for both professional endurance athletes and also those of us that slowly huff and puff our way through the mountains or sweat it out on long-distance road runs. The assorted flavors taste great but aren’t super strong, overly sweet, or ‘syrupy’. Plus, all of them will mix very easily, with no clumps or clogs in your water bottle - just add a scoop or 2, give a quick shake, and away you go! 

For those athletes that have difficulty tolerating gel products, Tailwind is very gentle on your stomach, allowing you to run free of worries about untimely stomach aches or ‘gut bombs’ - been there, done that, no thanks!  2 scoops of Tailwind would be the equivalent of taking 2 gels with you in liquid form on those long training days - so simple and effective!

At Fit First, we carry the ‘50 scoop’ bags and the single-serving packets of Tailwind - perfect for replacing burned calories and keeping you feeling energized on whatever adventure your heart desires! Tailwind is all the fuel you need. Really.

After 2 years of lockdowns and uncertainty in BC, I (like so many others) am so stoked to be finally looking forward to an exciting 2022 - full of in-person events, races, sports tournaments, day hikes, and long runs…it’s time to gear up and refocus on those fitness goals!

Trust us to help you fuel your adventures, wherever they may take you!

Full Time Position: Shoe Fitting & Run Retail Specialist

We’re Hiring!

Position: Shoe Fitting & Run Retail Specialist

Type: Full Time (or a minimum of 30 hours/week)

Description:

As a member of our team, you will be reporting to our Store Manager and be expected to fulfill the following responsibilites:

• Effectively communicate with and assist guests who engage with us online, over the phone, and in-store.

• Assist in creating a welcoming environment for our community of guests.

• Fulfill online orders from start to finish.

• Retail maintenance tasks including cleaning, merchandising, unpacking, and re-stocking.

• Promote and support our running and walking community.

Qualities we’re looking for:

• A passion for running and/or an active lifestyle.

• Ability to listen to others’ needs, communicate solutions, and be a trusted resource for recommendations.

• Knowledge about running, shoes, apparel and/or an eagerness to learn.

• Interest and knowledge about the human body and how shoes can apply to keeping runners healthy.

• A solid team member who is able to effectively work with others while contributing to the culture of the team.

• Willingness to learn and grow.

Benefits:

• Healthy discount on products from the vendors we carry.

• Schedule flexibility.

• Free gym membership to the Christine Sinclair Centre (where we’re located!).

• Ability to grow within the company.

• A supportive community who will treat you like a family member!

If you’re interested in joining our team, please email Evan @ evan@fitfirst.ca with a description of yourself, your resume, and your availability and desired hours per week! Look forward to hearing from you!

Staff Blog: The Brooks Glycerin 19

For the past few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to test out the new Brooks Glycerin 19. While the reviews continue to roll in regarding their new and improved DNA Loft cushioning, I just couldn't shy away.  

Right off the bat, putting these shoes on your feet feel...right. Even before I got out the door for my first run in them, I could tell something was working. 

During this literal test run, the more I ran the more impressed I was with the ride; I got that cushioned, comfy, feel whilst avoiding a sloppy, over-cushioned ride. It's a firm pillowed running shoe, that doesn’t have to delve into all that stiff-rocker jazz (sorry, Hoka). I felt like it really cradled my feet during the 8k. 

Brooks describes this phenomenon as a midsole composed of DNA Loft, an EVA component that provides a soft, but responsive feel. In other words, I had a soft, cushioned ride without the sinking--into--a--marshmallow experience; which is the absolute worst during a run of any kind. 

See, more often than not, if you want a responsive shoe, you’ll end up with a firm-cushioned sole to offset any chance of being slowed down by a heavy bolster. Brooks has proved themselves able to dodge this annoying feeling. 

How did run number two go you ask? Well it brought a few things to light. During my 5k with strides--which is a very regular run for me--the shoe felt a bit heavy, and during strides it was significantly harder to get a spring from this shoe. Although the responsiveness that the Glycerin can bring during a maintenance run is great, when striding or reaching that lactate threshold on a tempo run, the shoe felt just a tad heavy.

Alas, that’s not exactly what this shoe is meant for, the Glycerin has proven itself to be an easy run specialist, not a tempo run specialist. 

In terms of that mesh upper, the shoe is surprisingly breathable. Although I found the toebox to be quite pointed rather than open and rounded, there was still enough room to breathe. 

So are these rave reviews on the cushioning justified? Well I, for one, would say yes--but let’s talk about something different.

These shoes are a great pair of neutral runners, but what about the flat footed athlete? The pronator? The weak ankled jogger? Don’t you worry, because Brooks released this sweet ride in a stability version, the Glycerin 19 GTS. 

Nothing changes in the cushioning, the mesh upper, or the stylish appearance with the GTS. All that is added is a medial post within the shoe to offer arch support and prevent that wavering ankle from dipping inwards when running. Personally, I find this freedom of choice to be super handy if you’re needing a bit more support. 

In short--are you looking for some happier feet during those long runs? Well the Brooks Glycerin 19 has your back, but don’t take my word for it! Poke around the store and try on a pair for yourself--you might just like them...

What's next?

A half marathon to start 2021 is done and dusted! I was thinking I would hit around 2:05, but squeaked just under 2 hours. Certainly nothing to write home about for me - I ran it at an easy-moderate pace, I’m 15lbs heavier than the last time I raced the distance and training went… well some runs happened.

While I’m glad I did it, I did have two hours to think to myself, “Do I really want to keep doing this to myself?”. I’ve said it before, this winter has really taken a toll on my drive. Dark, cold, rainy nights are not conducive to amazing motivation for me.

So what’s the plan, Stan?

For now, I’m going to keep up an absolute minimum of three runs/week, but will plan for four: a couple of easy runs, a tempo/progression/interval(something hard-er) run and a long run that won’t exceed 90 minutes. Most importantly I’m going to do a couple of days a week of strength work plus 3-5 days of core work. I have severely neglected strength work thanks to my usual gym not being available and now the Fortius gym closing. I don’t like working out at home for a variety of reasons, but I’m going to put my big girl pants on and get it together.

And, of course, I’m going to keep my nutrition in check. I went a little (a lot) off the rails last weekend and was only saved by my metabolism having been boosted over the past few months thanks to the increased activity. Man I missed pizza!

Being without a specific athletic goal is foreign for me and I’m not sure how I’ll keep myself motivated, but I do have a couple of secret goals for the fall that I’ll keep tucked in my back pocket if a virus doesn’t ruin them for me…

"Race" week

Friday is half day and my taper tantrum is in full effect, despite the fact that I haven’t really tapered: I’ve got aches and pains I can’t entirely put a cause to (although my fall down a hill into a stream last week might explain most of it), I’m grumpy and I just want to eat everything in sight.

Being heavy and slow isn’t exactly giving me the motivation to really go for it on Friday. I actually decided to tone my training down a bit several weeks ago to take a more enjoyable approach to it all, if that’s even a thing. The winter blues hit me hard this year and, frankly, de-stressing with my cat on the couch became a priority over running more times than I care to admit.

The good news is I felt great on a 12mi long run a couple weeks ago that I definitely could have extended to 13.1 (part of me wishes I had) and recovered really well from so I know that the distance is very doable without wrecking myself.

Now that I’ve settled with myself that this is just a glorified long run, the internal debate is what course should I run? I have my usual loop de loops around New West, but an old friend gave me the map and details for The Fierce Half Marathon she ran in November. It’s two loops of an out and back course that’s flat, fast and certified. New West is none of those things. Not to mention, my Garmin has shown itself to be anything but accurate. Nothing really beats the ease of walking out the door to start a run and finishing back at my door, though, so I’m heavily leaning to that plan.

All of this being said, if it’s monsooning on Friday, I can pretty much guarantee that the run distance will be significantly reduced. I have a 90min hike to do in the morning and I know how I feel about long(er) runs after I’ve already been in the cold rain for an extended period of time earlier in the day.

So cheers to Friday’s Half and starting the new year on a long run note! (hopefully)

The Weight (of the world)

Talking about weight has become such a controversial subject, but there’s absolutely no doubt when you’re pounding mile after mile on the roads that having a lighter load will make running feel easier, be easier on the body and provide improvement in speed. Of course, being underweight and undernourished is a real thing that will hinder everything so a good balance is a must.

If there was any year to sit back and let the weight pile on, it would be this year - 2020 has definitely been a heavy one. I had a rough end to 2019 so my pants stopped fitting then. I had high hopes to turn things around at the end of February and then BAM! Well we all know what happened. In June I tried to conjure up some motivation, but I finally found the groove near the end of July. Since then I’ve lost over 30lbs. Irritatingly but by design, I still have another 10-15lbs to go.

For me pizza and baked goods, and maybe hours upon hours on the couch, were my downfall last year/the beginning of this year. Axing pizza from my diet was a crucial step 1. I was eating it literally every day and with it always came a pizza-sized fresh baked cookie. It… was a problem. Combining that with an appropriate reduction in daily caloric intake got the ball rolling. Since July, I’ve significantly increased my activity so my calories have increased too, but they remain just low enough to keep weight loss going at a slow (for me) rate.

Although watching the number on the scale drop quickly is always fun, being able to eat a little more day-to-day or having the very occasional big eating day keeps me a bit more sane. I really, really like food so being able to still indulge to a degree really outweighs faster weight loss. And, frankly, slower weight loss is preferred anyway.

Since I don’t cook, having easily accessible healthy meals is crucial to keeping me away from pizza. Enter Premium Meals. The food is awesome, it stores well in the freezer if you need to hold onto it for longer than a few days and every meal has the nutritional breakdown available so it’s easy to keep track of calorie intake. I’m pretty stoked for this week’s delivery because it includes my favourite of theirs, Sweet Chili Shrimp Stirfy, plus a new one: Mama’s Cozy Beef Stew. The PERFECT rainy December meal.

If you’re thinking it might be time for a nutritional revamp, even if that just means cleaning up your diet a bit, and you need a little guidance, I highly recommend Sarah at Eat 2 Run. Sarah is a Registered Holisitic Nutritionist and runner who really understands the needs of endurance athletes (and shares a love for baked goods).

December 2020 12 Days of Wellness Challenge

Welcome to December! What amazing weather to start the month out. We hope you guys have had the opportunity to enjoy it as much as possible because we know it won't last... and to help us all get through these upcoming dark (and possibly stormy) nights, here's a little fitness challenge with some participation prizes to encourage you to keep moving! We're challenging you to do something for YOU this December. Be it a tough run, a distanced walk, or 30 minutes of meditation- every time you practice "wellness" between December 10-24th and tag us in a story/post on Instagram or Facebook, you'll get an entry!
Here's how it works:
Step 1: Do something for your mind/body/soul. This can be a run, walk, at-home fitness class, or even some dedicated "me" time with a book.
Step 2: Take a before/during/after picture and tag @fitfirstfootwear on Facebook or Instagram. Make sure you follow us on both platforms!
Step 3: Repeat up to 12 times from December 10th-24th.
Step 4: Wait for the winner! Every tagged photo will get you 1 entry to win one of 3 awesome prizes!
Bonus: If you complete12 wellness activities, we'll double your entries! Yup, do 12, get 24 entries!
GRAND PRIZE: Free pair of shoes!
Prize #2: Running accessory package valued @ $100.
Prize #3: A fun pair of Stance Socks.
*Prize winner must follow @fitfirstfootwear to be eligible.