The Freedom Run

Whatever your holiday traditions may be, it can also be a stressful time of year. Family commitments, social commitments – financial stress and of course all the opportunities to eat amazing food!

Inspired by our friends at Oprah.com here are some tips to enjoy the holidays without giving in to the stress

1. Cut yourself some slack – if you are having trouble getting to the gym maybe settle for a 20 minute walk around the neighborhood or toboganning with the kids a couple times a week.
2. Dieting during the holidays adds a lot of extra stress – instead of going on a diet, go with the ‘eat, drink and be mindful’. Pay attention to what you’re eating and how much. Slow down and enjoy the experience of food around the holidays rather than eating too much in rush because you’re stressed
3. Drink lots of water – this one is an easy tip for all year long but especially during the winter months when the weather can be much colder and drier.
4. Mindless eating is only a momentary solution to holiday stress – try deep breathing instead – it might sound unsatisfying at first but by breathing deeply you combat your body’s hormonal response to stress by lowering cortisol levels in your blood. Cortisol is the hormone your body releases when you’re stressed.
5. Laughter is a great way to reduce stress – whatever you need to do to get a case of the giggles going will release positive, feel good chemicals into your body.

We have had a lot of success this year – more interest from communities, more support from the media, the launch of this blog and our social media accounts. We also saw more participants at many of the events.

These successes are the result of a team effort. There are a lot of people involved behind the scenes to make these events happen who we’d like to thank. A special thanks to:

• Our friends at ADF-Diabetes Research
• The amazing researchers at the Alberta Diabetes Institute
• The dedicated team at the Canadian Diabetes Association
• Our national partners: Capital Colour, Running Room, Fast Signs, Go Logo Wear and Transcontinental  
• Our committed team of associate race directors and of course,
• The participants and volunteers – we couldn’t do any of this without you!

Thank you for your support!

Be sure to keep checking this blog for more photos, diabetes stories, health and training information and of course all the details for the 2012 Freedom Runs.

Don’t forget – World Diabetes Day is Monday, November 14 – visit www.worlddiabetes.cato learn more about what is taking place in your community on Monday.

2 young participants at the Victoria Freedom Run

Crossing the finishline in Victoria

Red Deer Freedom Run

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Last weekend I participated in two Ontario Freedom Runs – both the Peterborough Freedom Run and the London Freedom Run and what a fun weekend! The weather was beautiful and the community came out to enjoy the sun on the trails. The Peterborough event saw 60 participants and the 80’s Dream Team stole the show with their colorful costumes. We were thrilled to welcome George Hubbard of the Canadian Diabetes Association’s Team Diabetes and Debbie Sissmore – a type one diabetic and accomplished athlete who lost her eyesight. Debbie was also the recipient of two successful islet transplants courtesy of the research at the Alberta Diabetes Institute.  

The London event was also a success with just over 50 participants and an enthusiastic bunch of volunteers. Springbank Community Centre was a fantastic venue and the trails were beautiful host to our troupe of walkers and runners.

This weekend is the last set of Freedom Runs – there are 7 taking place. Moncton (NB), Winnipeg (MB), Barrie (ON), Oakville (ON), Hamilton (ON), Whitby (ON) and the first ever Freedom Run in St Catharines (ON).

What a year it has been! There’s still time to grab the kids and put on your costumes to support diabetes research and join the race for Freedom from insulin shots and diabetic complications!

Photos taken by Robin Rosborough at RRosborough Photography

There is a special joy in being the first to make fresh footsteps in the snow, so don’t pass up the excitement of a crisp sunny run through the early morning or the delight of an evening run through the darkness as large snowflakes float through the stillness of the evening. It’s a fact those cold winter days build character—the kind you can use in the late stages of a long run. Our friends at the Running Room have offered up a few tips for staying active out doors through the winter.

 15 Cold-Weather Running Tips.

Most of the tips involve some good common sense in the severe conditions.

1. Adjust the intensity of your workout.

2. Up to 50% of body heat is lost through the head, so keep it covered.

3. Warm up properly, start your runs at a comfortable pace and slowly build up the pace to a pace slower than your normal training pace.

4. Shorten your stride to improve your footing on icy roads. Wear Ice Joggers over the soles of your shoes for greater traction.

5. Carry a cell phone so you can make a call or carry cab fare in your shoe or pocket.

6. Wind chill does not measure temperature, it measures the rate of cooling. On a day with high wind chill, prepare for the wind. Beware of frostbite on exposed skin.

7. Run into the wind for the first part of your run and with the wind on the return portion.

8. Cover all exposed skin with clothing or skin lotion. If you or your running partner have exposed skin, be aware of each other to prevent frostbite.

9. In the winter it’s dark, so wear reflective gear and run facing the traffic in order to be more visible.

10. Mittens are warmer than gloves.

11. Drink water on any run over 45 minutes.

12. Use a lip protector (like a lip balm such as ChapStick) on your lips, nose and ears.

13. Gentlemen, protect your future generation—wear a wind brief.

14. No need to get out the wool socks or double up on your regular pair. Wear a single pair of thermal socks to stay warm

 15. Be aware of hypothermia for both yourself and those running with you. Hypothermia is a drop in your core body temperature. Signs of hypothermia include incoherent, slurred speech, clumsy fingers and poor coordination. At the first sign, get to a warm, dry place and seek medical attention. You are more likely to experience difficulty on a wet and windy day.

On August 28th Cat Abenstein and her team hosted the third Regina Freedom Run. In the post below she shares the lessons she learned (or re-learned) this year by organizing this event.

The dreams – or “event-mares” as they’ve been referred to – haunted my sleep the week leading up to our run. Whispers of what-ifs haunted my waking life and there was not enough caffeine to keep my eyes open once that clock chimed twelve bells, again. I was Cinderella looking for her ball and hoping that the pumpkins stayed at bay.

Months of planning, preparing, and visualizing the day of were finally unfolding before our eyes. The seven am sun bright on us, the smiles bright within us and the dedicated committee and volunteers laughing around us.

The greatest Freedom Run lesson re-learned was not how to set up a table, or how to register an applicant; or even that having a permit for a city park does guarantee the park will be construction free; it was our team working on a cause so close to my heart.

How do we measure the success of our events? Is it merely the money raised for crucial research? Is it the number of participants registered? Is it the prize donations, or food donations, or number of volunteers? Is it the media involved?

It’s a combination of all of these things. The very things that were made possible because of a small team of people with a similar vision, with belief and comfort in the knowledge that everything you do makes a difference; a team that encouraged as much as it needed encouraging. Our team was not just limited to the individuals that made it to (almost) every meeting, but to the staff, the bosses and the friends and family that tore down every road block in the way and let us walk down our path’s (mostly) unscathed.

Our success was measured in how well we worked together, and how our community responded to our team. It is so easy to want more. More participants, more pledges, more prizes, more, more, more. It is difficult to be satisfied with what we achieved.

No one turned into a pumpkin, and everyone left with both glass slippers, proudly carrying their Freedom Run Bags on their shoulders as they stepped lightly over the park grass. As quickly as it came, it was gone. The afternoon sun shining on the park; that moments before was teeming with people, now only a memory. With only a handful of things left to be completed, the most important must be mentioned; Thank you, everyone. Without you diabetics would be further from a cure than ever. Be proud. You made a difference.

Cat Abenstein, Branch Manager and 3rd year Regina Freedom Run Champion

Tips for Getting Pledges

This year’s Freedom Run pledge incentives are pretty good – including a registration refund, a pay-it forward registration for a friend, a pedometer and a $25 Running Room gift card.  But before you get any of these goodies you have to start collecting pledges!

1. Set a Goal – make sure you set a goal that you want to hit with your fundraising. If you want the $25 gift card for the Running Room (it can be used online if there isn’t a store in your area) then you’ll have to set a goal to reach $500 in pledges.
2. Take the first step – make a pledge yourself! This shows your commitment to the cause and to completing the challenge. Others will see your pledge and will support you too, if you support yourself!
3. Near and Far – Whether your friends and family live around the corner or around the globe, more and more people are becoming comfortable with donating online. The Freedom Run uses the Running Room’s online pledge system to help you collect pledges from wherever your friends and family live.
4. Promote, Promote, Promote! Ask EVERYONE! Add your fundraising link to your personal email signature, share your commitment with friends, family, neighbors, church population, local businesses. With 9 million diabetics and pre-diabetics in Canada, everyone has a story about themselves or a friend/family member with the disease.
5. A ‘Thank you’ goes the distance – don’t forget to thank your supporters for their help and belief in your commitment. This will help make asking again next year that much easier.

In this post one of Cash Store Financial’s associates in Manitoba shares his experiences with diabetes.

I’ve been reading the “Diary of a Diabetic” blog posts since they started and have often thought about writing my own story. 

Almost 12 years ago I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.  At first it was frightening.  Fear of not being able to able to eat what I want, do what I want, basically not being able to do the things that a “normal” 14 year-old should be doing.  This fear would eventually turn into strength.  Nurses and doctors would tell me not to worry and that local hockey legend Bobby Clarke had diabetes and was still a great athlete. But this wasn’t what changed my outlook on this terrible disease.  What really helped was when my grandfather told me that people are mostly afraid of what they do not know.  This motivated me to read and learn everything possible about diabetes.  From reading about carb counting, to researching the different types of insulin and picking the proper ones that would fit my lifestyle the best.  I wasn’t going to let diabetes control me; I was going to control it.  I do not know where or who I would be if I hadn’t been diagnosed with the disease, but I know that it has made me who I am today and in a way I am thankful.

Since getting diagnosed in 1999 with diabetes I am still living life to the fullest.  When my sugars are under control I am no different than any other person without the disease (except for the finger pokes and needle jabs that I do everyday).  In my last job I was the Community Diabetes Resource Worker in Flin Flon, MB which allowed me to speak about diabetes and raise awareness about something that I deal with every day.  Now, working for Cash Store, in a different way I get to continue doing so.  I am super excited about the Freedom run that I will be attending on October 30^th in Winnipeg and I hope you enjoyed reading my story 

Thanks!

Billy, Cash Store Financial, Flin Flon, Manitoba

This September, 11 Freedom Runs took place in B.C. and throughout the Atlantic provinces. The volunteer Race Directors worked for 8 months to ensure that these events went smoothly so that all the participants enjoyed the experience. The volunteers and businesses who came out to support the cause were the key stones that allowed the events to make a difference in the lives of diabetics everywhere. It was a fantastic month that saw nearly $20 000 rasied through registrations and pledges in support of research.

There are 14 Freedom Runs left this year and still a chance to make a huge impact for the researchers studying this disease. Today is the early-bird deadline for runs taking place in St Catharines, Oakville, Barrie, Hamilton and Winnipeg – registration is only $25 and there is plenty of time to raise some pledge money as well.

So! Dust off your costume and get ready to join the race for Freedom!

As the Manager of Philanthropy there is ABSOLUTELY no possible way I could work with and support the 32 Freedom Run Champions across the country by myself. I have an amazing ‘Super Sidekick’, without whom, none of the Freedom Team could succeed. In talking about the blog one day, I asked Tarra Mitchell the Super-est Sidekick, to write a post about her experience on the Freedom Team.

When I started writing this post, I had a bunch of notes I wanted to share and give everyone an idea of what it was to be the Super Sidekick, a sort of “day in the life” breakdown. But after writing it all down and looking at it, it read more like a to-do list of trivial things and didn’t capture how I really felt about this part of my job. Truthfully, I sounded like a whiner, I was venting, I wasn’t sounding very Super at all; follow up on the newspaper ads, order more promo items, ship out event signage, check the t-shirt inventory, reschedule the M.O.P. travel arrangements…What’s interesting about that? Nothing. And it certainly didn’t show how I truly felt about this project.

I was out recently with someone I had just met and after the initial pleasantries of conversation, the work topic came up: “So, what kind of work do you do?” I found myself, saving the Freedom stuff for the end, as the big finale, and I realized I was proud to talk about it! A few days later I was reminded of that conversation and my description of all things Freedom. I keep coming back to thoughts about The Champions. This is the part I’m most excited to talk about, they are a group of pioneers in our company, leaders. And I get to help them! The trivial ‘to do list’ things I started off complaining about are the things that will help them reach goals, learn new skills, overcome hurdles, and maybe even make a difference in the lives of diabetics around the world. When I look at it this way, it’s a pretty good feeling. And what’s interesting about that!? A lot, I think.

The long and short of it for me is that it’s good to step away from the daily grind and actually look at the big picture. I don’t do this nearly enough; I get caught in a rut sitting with my computer monitors and endless emails. The whole Freedom campaign and being involved with this group of people is awesome.