Flickr: sun dazed

Boot camps seem to be the ‘in’ thing to do these days and I’m starting to feel a bit left out that I don’t have one to go to. Usually 5-6 weeks in length these boot camps are apparently supposed to make you sweat and lose inches fast.

For those of you looking for some Toronto area boot camp ideas I have scanned the web for a few that sound kind of interesting!

1. Bridal boot camp is for brides looking to tone up for their wedding day. According to their website they have helped 100s of brides achieve their fitness goals and look fabulous on their most special day.
2. Belly boot camp is geared towards “mommies in training” and offers women who are pregnant the opportunity to work out in a group setting with other pregnant ladies. They also offer a “bellies and babes” boot camp for the women looking to get back to their pre-pregnancy shape.
3. Pilates boot camp at Core Studio offers Pilates lovers the opportunity to take their training up a notch with some simple cardio and strength training moves. Their boot camps run throughout the year.
4. Wanting to look bikini ready all-year round (you just never know!) then the Bikini Boot camp is for you. They also seem to offer some free tryout sessions, so you can check out their offerings before committing.
5. Finally, for those of you just wanting a plain old regular whip you into shape boot camp there is something for you – Tara Postnikoff and Dr. Sarah Cohen will be running a fall boot camp that is held twice a week and is guaranteed to help you lose inches.

Yes, there truly is a boot camp for everyone. I wonder if we will every get our own version of the Thank Dog Boot Camp? If I was a betting person I would say that this time next year there will be one. Hey, maybe someone will even invent a boot camp that you can do with your cats?

Flickr: rorris

Tomorrow is going to be a special day for me as I get to pace two of the women that I coached in this summer’s For Women Only running clinic in their first ever race. 

Running your first race is a pretty important milestone and is something that stays with you throughout your  entire running career. My first race was a 5km race in Montreal’s West Island and I still remember how I felt before, during and after the race. I had no idea what to expect or if I even wanted to be there. 30 minutes or so after the gun went off I was standing at the finish line amazed that I had finished. 

This summer I decided to give coaching a try at the Rosedale Running Room. The clinic I coached is geared towards the beginner female runner and is aimed at getting people with no running experience to 5km in 10 weeks. It is perfect for new moms or women who are looking to have a little time to themselves on a Saturday morning. By the end of the clinic you will have heard talks on nutrition, buying the right shoes and much more. Participants will also be able to run over 5km using the well tested Running Room program of running/walking intervals! Best part is that you will have made a great new group of girlfriends. 

Next round of  running clinics will start soon at the Rosedale Running Room, so definitely check out their website for more details. I promise you that you won’t be disappointed.

(Photo credit: Lululemon, Flickr)

If you know me you most likely know that 6 out of 7 days of the week I usually have something from Lululemon on. 90% of the time their clothing rocks and I swear by their tanks for running. Love the built in support that some of their lines have.

But did you know that most Lululemon stores also offer complimentary classes? The location by me is offering Sunday morning yoga classes and plenty of stuff for new moms which I think rocks. You get fit and get connected with other moms in your area.

All you need to do is got to their website, select the store closest to you, go to their community events section and then you’ll be taken to a calendar of their monthly offerings. Pretty awesome.

I think I’m going to check out the yoga class this Sunday.