2022 - A Year in Review

It's hard to fathom that another year has passed us by.  Time can go by so slowly (e.g. when we are stuck in lockdown) or so quickly (e.g. when we are on vacation).  

I like to take time at the end of each year to reflect on what I have achieved or where I have obtained personal growth.  

In 2022 the worst of the covid-19 lockdowns had begun to lift, so at long last, I finally took my first vacation outside of Canada in years.  I chose wisely, I took a week long yoga retreat in Nicaragua. It was a time to heal and socialize in one of the most natural and beautiful places I could afford to travel to.  The highlights were the morning and evening yoga sessions at the retreat.  It was wonderful to take time to focus on my own practice for once, and let someone else lead the way.  It's always refreshing to learn from other instructors anyway.   Besides yoga, I also took my try at surfing.  I may need more development in that area in the future, lol! 

Feeling inspired after my yoga retreat, I took the time to redo my at home fitness studio. I dedicated more open space for yoga and pilates work, while still dedicating half of the studio to cardio and a larger section of weights.  Having space in my home allows me the freedom to practice whenever I please, and I never have to wait for bench space, lol!  And of course, my clients are always welcome in to my fitness studio.  There is always a place to train (no excuses). 

My big fitness goal for 2022 was completing the Chicago Marathon - finally!  I qualified for Chicago back in May 2019 when I ran 3h48m in the Toronto Marathon.  I was all set to race Chicago in 2020, but then covid-19 hit and everyones life took an unexpected hard left.  Life and travel plans were thrown out the proverbial window, and my racing plans did not get back on track until Oct 2022.  Better late than never.  I completed the Chicago Marathon on Oct 9, 2022 in a time of 4h13m.  Not my fastest time, but considering it was my first major race in almost three years, and overcoming my own bout with covid-19 that July, I'm simply grateful to have achieved this much.  

What's next for 2023?  I have some ideas, but with the luck of the last three years I'm afraid to jinx any plans.  I will say that it will be Fearless and it involves even more women's empowerment.  So stay tuned for more fun & fit adventures from Coach Kelly.  

Happy New Year!

It is a new year, and with that often comes great expectations of ourselves and others.  Of course it's wonderful to have goals to train for and look forward to, but many people struggle to stay on track as time passes and life gets stressful.  

I picked this simple meme for my new years blog because it reminds us that you can pick any day to work on self-improvement.  Take the time to reflect and really think about what is important to you, and start when you are ready.  You don't always have to start on January 1st, but you do have to pick a day.  

We all have enough stress and pressure in our lives, it is important to be kind to ourselves and others.  Maybe that's a good place to start. 

 

Twelve Days of Fitmas

Just as we thought things were getting back to normal, here we go again with more covid restrictions.  But with some creative thinking we can shift our workouts to our homes again without losing faith or fitness.  Here is a fun Christmas themed workout that we can do at home with no equipment necessary.   For the next 12 days start with #1 and by the twelve day you'll have a fun, full body workout you can do for the holidays, into the new year or whenever you're stuck at home looking to move your body.  

Twelve days of Fit-mas:

1 minute front plank

2 side planks (right and left)

3 burpees

4 sit-ups

5 push-ups

6 jumping jacks

7 glute bridges

8 bicycle crunches

9 leg lifts

10 squats

11 calf raises

12 walking lunges

Wishing you all Happy Holidays and the very best for the New Year! 

Looking for a Yoga/Pilates Instructor?

Now that fitness facilities are re-opening, are you looking to hire a fully certified Yoga or Pilates Instructor? Well, you're in luck!  

I am accepting new students and group organizations for both pilates and yoga classes. I focus on mat based pilates, as well as vinyasa yoga flow, hatha yoga, yin yoga, and deep stretch/relaxation methods of yoga.   I am happy to come to your work place or condo fitness room to teach group classes.  However, if you prefer a private session I am also available, you can come to my at-home studio or I can come to your home, whichever you prefer.   I am double vaccinated and will follow all covid protocols, health and safety first!  

In person sessions not your thing? No worries. I regularly host both pilates and yoga classes online using Zoom.  I have something for everybody. 

Please reach out via email: contours.personal.training@gmail.com if you have any questions.  

- Kelly Barrington 

Owner, Contours Personal Training

Continuing Education - Cannabis Competency Certificate

As a fitness professional I never stop learning.  There's always new research, information and improvements that are being made to our existing knowledge base.  Every year I take the time to learn a new skill and/or update my knowledge of fitness related topics.  I want to be the best trainer that I can be, and that means staying relevant. 

Last year (2020), I completed my 200hr Yoga teacher training, which has been such a wonderful addition to my fitness practice.  This year (2021), I decided to complete my certification in cannabis competency. Since the legalization of cannabis in Canada, many of my clients have asked me about the effect of cannabis use on exercise. If THC or CBD based cannabis therapies were better for certain ailments? Was it better to smoke, vape, ingest or use topical treatments?  Honestly, I did not know the answers so I set to find out.  

I registered for the CanEdEm certification that is offered to to Healthcare Professionals (including nurses, chiropractors, PSWs) and found a great source of information that allowed me to fill in my knowledge gaps and now I feel much better prepared for conversations with my clients regarding the use of cannabis.  

The areas of discussion that I found most relevant for the fitness industry and my clients, was the use of CBD oil for reducing inflammation (e.g. reducing recovery time) and pain relief (minor injuries).  

Besides uses for the fitness industry, I also found the use of cannabis for the treatment of medical conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, PTSD, etc... fascinating. When used properly, cannabis can be quite a wonderful healthcare tool. 

In summary, if you have any questions about cannabis and fitness, or cannabis use in general, feel free to reach out to me.  I offer a judgement free space and promise to do my best to guide you through this often confusing field.     

Running on in 2021

To say that Covid-19 had put a damper on the 2020 and 2021 running seasons would be an understatement.  From full on lockdowns, gyms closures and race cancellations, it was difficult to keep up a running program this past year.   The last race I did was the Chilly half-marathon in early March 2020 - before the world changed.  Alas, with the widespread vaccination of the general population, life and training appears to be slowly returning to normal.   People are running and racing again, and it is such a wonderful feeling.   Although there are still some race restrictions and modifications (e.g. staggered starting times, reduced in person capacity, live/virtual events) elite athletes and average people are signing up for events and getting back to their training plans on a consistent basis.  

While I normally look forward to running the CRS Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon events in a live race format, I took part in the virtual half-marathon on Oct 18, 2021.  It felt really great to be sharpening my running legs again. The feeling of sticking to and completing a race plan is so good, both physically and mentally. I managed to drop those extra covid pounds I put on in lockdown, and I just felt generally happier throughout my day.  Hence the smile running gives me:

Moving forward, the Abbott World Major Marathons have all re-commenced this fall. The Chicago marathon was held this month and it looks like they will all go ahead again in 2022.   Now that the land border with the USA is open to Canadians, and with the formal recognition of the Astra Zeneca vaccination (which I received) by the US Center for Disease Control, I can finally re-apply for admission for the Chicago Marathon, which I qualified for back in 2019, and was supposed to run in 2020.... but, you know, covid happened. 

I'm so pleased to announce that I've been formally accepted for the 2022 Chicago marathon! 

Hopefully, the upcoming winter will be kind to us runners, and we will all have a long awaited training block ahead of us this year.  Here's to happy and healthy run training ahead of us. 

If you're looking for any running advice or need help laying out a training plan for the 2022 racing season, please reach out, I'd love to help any runners get back on track.   Remember, we are all in this together. 

Ride for Heart 2021

Sunday, June 6, 2021, I Rode for Heart. Normally cyclists would get to take over the Gardiner and DVP for a 25km-75km ride, but nothing has been normal this past year. So I decided to ride my mountain bike off road instead in beautiful and scenic Albion Hills Conservation Area in Caledon, Ontario.

I'm still accepting donations for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, it's not too late to donate (they are being accepted until June 11). Please help me reach my goal of $1000. Click on the link below:

https://secure-support.heartandstroke.ca/site/TR/F21DP2P/DP2P2021?px=1018608&pg=personal&fr_id=7633

Thanks to those who have donated so far. As you can see below, I've attached my Strava map of my ride. It was only 20km this year, but rolling hills, gravel & dirt trails are much tougher to ride than smooth pavement. However, this triathlete is learning some trail cycling skills to add to her resume. And it was soooo good to be outside riding again after a long lockdown.