Swim Passes for 2009

If you want to take up the offer from Riverside Pool or the ASB Aquatic Centre then you will need to fill in the form that I emailed out to you all last night and send this in to Nelson City Council with your payment.

Excellent Spirit

It was fantastic to see so many of you at the annual Cityfitness Jingle Bells Jog yesterday. I will be sending out an email to you all very soon with a feedback form - please print this, fill it in and send back to the Nelson City Council using the freepost number provided. At the bottom of this form is a section where you can order a swim pass for Jan-March (please note that this offer is only available to those of you that have attended five sessions or more so far). There is also a space to order a t-shirt or polo if you want one (a minimum order of 10 is required for an order to be put through).
Remember to include the positives along with the constructive as to attract similar funding in future to run the series we need to get some good comments as well!
I wish you well in the lead up to Christmas. Remember to keep active.

Christmas spirit

Have you got your Christmas costume ready yet? Or have you hunted out at least a bell? I look forward to seeing you this Sunday morning at Trafalgar park with your family/friends in tow for the annual Jingle Bells Jog. Gold coin donation to the National Heart Foundation. Run or Walk (or skate or scoot) from the Park to Tahuna Beach. Even the family dog is welcome! Plenty of prizes too. Register from 9.30am, start at 10am. See you there!

What to do with your free Thursday???

Just because the series has halted for the month of December doesn't mean your activity has to! Now is the perfect time to work on your swimming again and head out to Tasman Gold Masters Swimming at the ASB Aquatic Centre - they would love to see you. 7-8pm. Or maybe you want to join up with each other and head out for a walk or jog - use the Exercise Buddies anyone post on the right hand column of the blog to find a lonely activated woman ....

If you want some help with your swim technique then don't forget to look into one of the following options:

Lionel Padial - Oneflow Swimming
Current Sessions at Riverside as follows:
Monday 6 till 7.30 am
Tuesday 6 til 7.30 am OR 12 till 1.00
Wednesday 12 till 1.00
Thursday 6 till 7.30 am OR 12 till 1.00
Saturday 7 till 8.45 am

Single session $10
Block of 10 $80
Unlimited monthly sessions $85
One-to-one $75 per session - block of 5 - $300

COME ALONG AND TRY ANY SESSION - I work hard to create a relaxed/open learning environment suitable for everyone, come along and watch/ask some questions if unsure.

Want more info then email Lionel - coachingsolutions@xtra.co.nz or call 021 129 5645

Adult Learn to Swim at ASB Aquatic Centre
Tuesdays we run sessions for Level 1 to Level 4 (Level 1 being not confident in the water to Level 4 being able to swim lots of lengths but need technique training).

Tuesday morning they start at 9.15am and run every half hour depending on level with Eileen Kelly
Tuesday evening they start at 6.00pm and run every half hour depending on level with Casey Oates

Lessons are $50 for 5 week block group lessons (1 free practice swim per week . . use or lose basis)

Contact Lisa Stove

Adult Learn to Swim Classes at Riverside Pool
SwimMagic swim school runs adult learn to swim classes from beginners up to stroke correction classes. Classes run in the evening in term time and cost $50 for a 5 week course
Contact Fiona Braid, 5463221, fionabraid@clmnz.co.nz

Special offer from Gaye Evans, Personal Training

Special offer from Gaye Evans, Personal Training

Pre Xmas evening fitness training for Nelson Women’s Activator Series participants.

Ø Two group sessions per week, Monday and Thursday, for the next three weeks.
Ø 6.30-7.30pm at the Botanics (both sessions).
Ø First session Monday 1st December, last one Thursday 18th December.
Ø $30.00

Not sure? Come to the first session as a free trial.

Email Gaye at gayeevans@xtra.co.nz if you are interested or need more information.

Swim Passes

Great news! Bev from the ASB Aquatic Centre is also happy to offer the three month swim pass for consistent Activator Women again. This will start in January and cover January, February and March. If you are interested in this or in the swim pass at Riverside/Nayland then let me know.
Perfect opportunity to keep working on the swimming in the lead up to the Taylors Womens Tri on the 5th of April. Don't forget to get the kids training too - Nelson Events has an Aquathon on the calendar for the kids - the Port Nelson Kauri Kids Aquathon on the 3rd of April. It will involve a run around the Kauri trail of the Centre of NZ, going through the inflatable NBS obstacle course and then a swim at Riverside Pool. More details to follow soon ..... so keep the whole family active!

Yay for Activator Women!

Congratulations to Berni Aquilina, Jenni Ball, Abbie Cederman, Sharon Curtis, Kirsty Johnsen, Angie Kearns, Heidi Olykan, Julie Sherratt, MaryAnn van Helden-Stevens and Bee Williamson who all took part in the Smiths Sports Shoes Mahana Half Marathon & 10km yesterday. Awesome effort ladies! I hope you enjoyed your bottle of wine last night.

Thanks also to Shirley Sheppard who came out and supported the women and helped officiate on the day.

Are you feeling it?

Are the legs and arms a bit sore from last night? I was impressed with how hard you all worked and how fast you all flew around the park - awesome stuff!
For our last session next week we will be having an outdoor training session with Carol Cooper from On The Ball training - which, surprise, surprise will involve some activities with swiss balls. We have about 6 balls, and need a few more - can anyone bring one from home? Please let me know if you can.
Thanks!
Good luck to those of you taking part in the Smiths Sports Shoes Mahana Half Marathon or 10km on Sunday. Remember to keep your fluids up - make sure you have a sipper bottle handy all day tomorrow so that you start well hydrated on Sunday morning. I'll see you there.

Swim Passes for Jan/Feb/March

If you are interested in getting a swim pass for Riverside Pool (also includes Nayland Pool) for the months of January, February and March can you let me know so I can start to organise. This second swim pass is only available to those that have been regularly coming along to the sessions.

Thursday's session

This week we are doing a run/walk coaching session at the Botanics. Nadja from Nordic Walking Nelson will be there with her poles for those of you who want to give it a go. Greg Lineham (an official race walking judge & coach) will be there to give some tips on the differences between recreational and race walking and we will have the Striders running group there to put you through your paces for a run/walk session designed to show you how you go about increasing your speed.
See you there!

Activator Tee

1st draft of the design:
Grey tee with this logo screened across the front (chest).
I'm pricing it out at the moment so will let you know how much soon .... what do you think?

Special offer from Gaye Evans, Personal Training

Pre Xmas fitness training for Nelson Women's Activator Series participants.

Ø Two group sessions per week, Tuesday and Thursday, for the next five weeks.
Ø Either 6.30am or 9.00am on Tahunanui Beach.
Ø First session Tuesday 18th November, last one Thursday 18th December.
Ø $50.00

Not sure? Come to the first session as a free trial.

Email Gaye at gayeevans@xtra.co.nz if you are interested or need more information.

Getting into training

When you are starting back into exercise, or beginning on a training plan then remember to start out slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. It is often said that it takes about six weeks to feel the benefits of your training, and get that 'bug' that makes you not want to miss a session. Bear this in mind after your initial enthusiasm starts to wane and it all seems so hard - just stick at it.

Lyndon had some good pointers last week on how to recognise if you are overdoing things a bit. Another way of keeping 'in touch' with your body is to take your resting heart rate every morning before you get out of bed. Count the number of pulses in ten seconds and multiply this by six (to get beats per minute). After about a week you should have a rough indication of what your resting heart rate is.
If you notice it increasing, then use this as an early indication that your body is not coping - you are coming down with something or you may be overtraining. Use this cue to ease up a bit.

Most top athletes will keep a training diary - where they record the sessions they do, how they are feeling and also keep a check on their resting heart rate. Use the plan I gave you in your introductory packs to do the same - it will amaze you at how motivated this keeps you - and it is fantastic to look back on to see all the work you have done. It can be great for the confidence levels going into a race too - to see that you have actually prepared yourself well for the event (even when you think otherwise).

This week's session

This week we will focus on stretching and local P.T Rach Dixon will take you through the session. She will look at the difference between passive and dynamic stretching and also take you through some flexibility testing. 6.30pm at the Botanics (bottom of the Centre of NZ, off Milton St).

One Mile Time Trial

To see your time - click on the following link http://www.nelsonevents.co.nz/Activator/NelsonActivator.htm
Well done to you all - it's good to have a baseline that you can test yourself against and to set goals from. Maybe you want to improve it by ten seconds each month - and re test yourself in March when we move onto general tri training sessions....

Best wishes to Jane

One of our own Activator Women - Jane Furkert - was hurt whilst caving up North at Waitomo Caves. We wish you all the best in your recovery Jane and hope to see you back at it again soon.

Missing Jumper

I picked up a green jumper on Thursday night - so if you're missing it, let me know and either arrange to pick it up, or I can bring it along this week. Well done on the one mile time trial too - awesome effort! I will put up the times soon ...

10 Weeks to 10km's

So you've decided to walk the 10km for the Smiths Sports Shoes Mahana Half & 10km but have a desire to be able to run one? Then the National Heart Foundation 10 Weeks to 10km's Training Program could be for you! Visit http://www.nelsonevents.co.nz/Activator/10WeeksTo10Km.htm to see the full plan to get you running the Shoe Clinic Nelson Striders 10km in January.

This month's Runner's World Magazine published a series of 4-Week training plans - for either your first 5km event, best 10km, best half marathon, marathon or to stay in shape year round. Check out the November issue in store for more details.

Common Questions (from the National Heart Foundation):
What intensity should I walk and run at?
Most of your training unless otherwise indicated should be done at 'conversation pace' or moderate intensity. Conversation pace means that you are exercising at a pace where you are pushing yourself, but can still maintain a conversation. As a rough guide, use the 'talk test'; If you can only manage 2-3 words per breath, you are probably exercising too hard. If you are able to sing while you are exercising you're probably not working hard enough. Aim for the middle ground. Otherwise, imagine about 50-70% of your best effort or maximum heart rate, working hard but feeling in control.

How can I calculate my maximum heart rate?
Use the following calculation: Maximum heart rate (beats/min) = 220-age (in years)
eg. Sue is 52 years old and would have a maximum heart rate of 168 beats/min. (220 - 52 = 168). Her training pace should be somewhere between 84-118 beats/min (50-70% of 168). Don't forget that as you get fitter you will be able to run, walk and jog at a higher pace for the same intensity.

How do I calculate my heart rate per min?
Feel for your pulse (wrist or neck is usually easiest) and count the number of pulses in six seconds then multiply by 10.

Where should I run?
Find somewhere where you feel safe and comfortable. If you are exercising after dark, find a well-lit area and exercise with a friend where possible. For those embarking on running for the first time, head to soft surfaces (rugby fields, pine forests, walking tracks) as they are more forgiving on your joints.

When should I run?
Everyone has a unique time of day when they prefer to exercise. To commit to a long term exercise routine, follow your instincts and find a time that is most suitable for you. For many, time will be a significant barrier to engaging with physical activity. You might have to get up half an hour earlier, go for a walk at lunch time or forget the bus/car and jog home one night. In the beginning, sessions are only 20-30 mins long. Find the time for yourself - it will pay big rewards for your health and fitness.

What about Warm up/Cooling down?
Every session, take 5-10 minutes to ease your body into exercising. Start off slow and as you warm up gently increase your intensity. If tight muscles are hindering your training, stop for a quick stretch before getting into the main part of the workout. Similarly, when you have finished your exercise, take 5-10 minutes to cool down, gently slowing your pace and stretch your running muscles afterwards.

Activator this week

This week we have a professional talk to start with from Lyndon Chandler of Nayland Physiotherapy. He will talk about injury prevention when starting out on a new training scheme - common things to look out for and some basic preventative measures. He has also informed me that he has a little goodie from his practice for everyone who comes along.

We will meet at 6.30pm at 'Striders Oval' up the Maitai Valley. This differs from the Botanics as advertised. Striders Oval is the cricket ground between the two bridges up the Valley - about one kilometre from the start of the Valley.

We will then walk/run from there up the valley and time trial a one mile stretch down - Nelson Striders will take the time so that you will have a good baseline test to start from. We will then do the same one mile course in March - and you can track your progress and improvement!

Look forward to seeing you there.

Well done

It was fantastic to see so many of you out at the Waimea Half Marathon today - either in a team or doing the whole thing! I hope you are enjoying your training for the Smiths Sports Shoes Mahana Half Marathon & 10km later this month - remember to take advantage of the series discount you need to enter by the 15th.

Nutrition

Many thanks to Annette Nistor who spoke last week about sports nutrition. If you want more information or a personal assessment done then contact her (info in the yellow pages). She can come out to your home and is happy to look at your household eating habits - if you want to make changes, it is a lot easier if the whole house is involved! She is happy to do group sessions as well if there are a few of you who want to work on something together.

Don't forget that the National Heart Foundation has lots of resources you can tap into - email Averil West at AverilW@nhf.org.nz or pop into the office in Collingwood Street.

Correct Support and Bike Expertise

This week's session involves a twenty five minute slot at the Shoe Clinic in Bridge Street where you will learn about correct support for running and walking, and see examples with a treadmill analysis and a twenty five minute slot at BikeHQ in Halifax Street where you will learn how to change a tyre and some basic bike maintenance.

The first session will begin at 6.30pm and finish at 6.55pm allowing you five minutes to change venue before the second session will start at 7pm.

I am allocating you into either the Shoe Clinic first or BikeHQ first so that we get roughly equal numbers at each store.
If you want to come and don't see your name below then please email me so I can assign you accordingly.

If you still want a walk or a run - then some of the Striders will come along at 7pm. Meet them outside Nelson Building Society in Bridge Street (ie if you want to do this then you will miss the second session). Some of you have mentioned that you just want to run or walk tomorrow night - that is fine - join in with the Striders at 7pm.

Shoe Clinic at 6.30pm
Linda Williams, Cathy Barnes, Lisa Ross, Chris King, Trish Kennedy, Fiona Lulham, Alison Warren, Cheryl Bell, Marijke Boers, Bee Williamson, Liz Coulter, Peta-Lee Buckley, Cheryl Wood, Neroli Batstone, Shawna Cook, Sarah Geiger, Mary van Helden Stevens, Bethan Turk, Myra Allen, Wendy Wright, Donna Smithies, Megan Carter, Diane Winter, Anna Bradley, Carolyn Sygrove, Juliette Plank, Niki Davey, Miritza Vining,

BikeHQ at 6.30pm
Nicola Rae, Shirley Sheppard, Sue Stilwell, Robyn Austin, Berni Aquilina, Nadia Clearwater, Jane Nichol, Bernie Whittaker, Theresa Magrane, Kate Harper, Kathryn Laurence, Kristina Cooper, Linda Widdowson, Ali Westerby, Bee Grant, Sandi Bloss, Suzanne Tregear, Lynda Greer, Jo Lavington, Stacey Dodd, Monica Sanderson, Judith Escreet, Nicola Robb, Isobel Sim, Iris Greene, Rosalie Adamson,

Don't Pick a Shoe, Let a Shoe Pick You!

Hi everyone,
Brett here from Shoe Clinic Nelson. Thursday October 30th I'm hosting an evening in store to educate you on the importance of correct footwear. I'll be aiming to cover the following key areas.
1. What running and walking shoes are made of and the differences between good and poor quality footwear.
2. Basic biomechanics and how your foot type and lower limb alignment helps determine the type of shoe you should be in.
3. The importance of having a shoe fitted to you, not picking a shoe on looks.
4. How we use Footscan and Video Treadmill Analysis to ensure we pick the right shoe for you.

I am aware that not everyone can attend on the 30th but of cousre like some of you already have, you can come into Shoe Clinic anytime to take advantage of our free fitting service. Don't forget to bring in the letter you received in your intro packs to take advantage of the special discount offered to participants in the activator series.
I look forward to meeting many of you on the 3oth.

Fantastic offers

Are your legs a bit sore from last night? Well, help is in hand!! Ali Westerby (one of us) teaches yoga at The Yoga Space in Bridge St and wants to offer us the opportunity to try Yoga. She will give any Active Woman half price classes for a month from their first class at The Yoga Space. They have a beginners course starting on the 4th of November so if you want to find out more information visit www.yoganelson.co.nz or email rodwatson1@gmail.com.
Thanks for this Ali!

Mountainbike Training Sessions

Hello, I am Britta.
Everyone who did the Mountainbike sessions has seen me there. I was really fascinated, how encouraged and motivated you were and how big the progress was in such a short amount of time. I would like to give everyone who is interested in it the chance to get more into mountainbiking.
Just a few things about me. I have a master degree in Sport Science and had my own personal coaching buiseness back in germany, focusing on biking, running and swimming. Because i do competitive triathlon, road cycling and mountain biking myself, I enjoy it a lot to motivate people to push their boundaries a bit further than what they could achieve on their own. Its great to see happy,satisfied faces afterwards :)
I offer a weekly mountainbike session, including technique skills, trail experience to help you gain more confidence on the bike and of course have a lot of fun! I also offer training programs as well, for all the riders who would like to do an event, like the Maungatapu Murderer Trail.
An idea would be mondays from 6-7.30pm, changes are possible. We could start at the middle of november. I offer 1.beginners sessions and 2.for more confident riders, who would like to get to know more great trails around Nelson.
A weekly price would be $10, incl. a training session and a training program.
Please don't hesitate to send me an email, if you are interested or have any more questions. Or call me: 027-2224863 or 035446781
I am excited to hear from you.

MTB 5km Blast, Sunday October 26th

Here's the tester for all the Activator MTB Ladies this weekend (Sunday 26th) A fun, social and informal MTB event up at the Codgers Trails in Brook St.
We'll have a course mapped out on the lower level recreational trails that is just over 2km long. Start and finish area will be the Andrews Farm paddock just behind the Waimarama Community Gardens.
Start time will be 10am, and simply turn up on the morning from 9am on to register. We'll run a gold coin entry donation for this fun event, which will be put back into trail maintenance on the area you will be riding. Bring your kids along as well for some fun if you like, as they are welcome to ride a couple of laps as well.
You'll have a choice of riding one lap or two, and there will also be an optional 800m section of flowing single track if you feel up to it.
Here's the description of the course:
From the Andrews Farm paddock, along the river trail towards town down to Brook St; along the Brook St footpath then turn right onto Codgers; then up Codgers to the six way intersection. Here's where the optional 800m single track kicks in - if you take this option you'll turn hard right onto that section of single track, across the creek and back into the start/finish paddock. If you don't take that option you'll ride down the gravel road from the six way intersection, and turn right onto the benched trail (just by the gate and fence) and follow that track back down to the start/finish paddock.
Hope to see you all there!
Any questions, feel free to call Chris on 021 2301920.

Venue for this Thursday

This week kicks off our series of professional talks and the running and walking program in the lead up to the Mahana Half Marathon or 10km. We will start the sessions with a talk from consultant dietician Annette Nistor. This will begin at 6.30pm and will be held at the Nelson Baptist Church in Bridge Street - opposite the Courthouse. Thank you to Ian and the Baptist Church community for letting us use their space.

Well done to all of you who challenged yourself to try mountainbiking - I hope you enjoyed the sessions. Britta is looking at taking some extra sessions for those of you keen to continue - she will put something up on the blog soon.

We will cover bike maintanence and how to change a tyre at next week's session - it will be a rota between BikeHQ in Halifax Street and Shoe Clinic in Bridge St (correct support and treadmill analysis). If you have any questions about your bike in the interim then pop in and see Carl, Jarron and the team at BikeHQ - they are more than willing to help.

Can we ride in the rain?

Absolutely. The more mud the better! And we're not made of sugar so we shouldn't dissolve! Just make sure you wear a rain coat and warm clothing (we could always find an extra hill to ride up to keep you warm).
See you tonight!

Mountainbiking - our final session

This Thursday evening is our final mountainbiking session before the 5km blast event on Sunday the 26th of October. Chris Mildon will give you more details about this event soon.

This week we will again start from Branford Park at 6.30pm, however, we will venture further afield so if you are running late head towards the Brook Valley on your bike as we plan to use the trails there to learn the skill of downhill mountainbiking. We will also cover some of the course for the 5km blast.

We had planned to spend time learning how to change a tube (for those dreaded punctures), but will see how the evening progresses, as if it is anything like the previous couple of weeks it might be a bit too cold. Carl has suggested holding a further evening instore at BikeHQ for those that want to learn and we might have to take him up on his offer ..... so watch this space.

Pics from the most recent mountain bike session

Everyone looks like they are working very hard, congrats to you all, you look amazing!

Thanks each week go to Sandy Vincent from Tineli, Britta Martin, Brenda Clapp, Jane Rose, Dave from Biking Nelson and Carl and Andy from BikeHQ.

Participants are working towards a 5km Blast event up the Brook Valley (Old Codgers Trail) on the 26th of November organised by the Nelson Mountainbike Club.

To the left you see everyone lined up to do the 'slow race' where the idea is to learn how to balance on a bike and go as slowly as possible. Everyone gets on their pedals and stands and races along very slowly!

The river crossing is another great challenge, kudos to each team and participant for make it through this lesson.

Swimming Training Programs

Chris Vincent from Tasman Gold Masters Swimming has kindly written up four swim programs that you can follow when you head to the pool. If you would like a copy of these then please leave your name in the comment section below and I will email them to you. Thanks for these Chris! Don't forget if you want some company - then head out to their swim session on a Sunday morning (and from December you can join in with their Thursday night session, since we start back on Tuesday evenings in January).

Upcycle!

Another NCC and TDC initiative, Upcycle! takes cycling 2 the next level.
They meet for weekly social rides in the Nelson and Richmond area, with all rides led and facilitated by experienced cyclists. If you are interested in joining in or finding out more information phone Anne on (03) 5390527 or text 021 112 3890 or email bnbnelson@gmail.com

Mountainbiking Queens!

Well done on getting on the bike again! I hope it was a gentle introduction back on the bike and you're not too sore! Next week I will ask you to put yourself into groups based on your confidence levels, and we will take to the trails to learn the technique of trail riding - ie. what parts of the track to ride on, what to avoid ...... Now that you have the correct set up sorted out, we will be able to do more riding, (and keep warm) but still remember to keep the layers on as it does get cold up the valley quickly.

If you are a bit sore between the legs you may want to consider purchasing a pair of proper bike shorts that have chamois - these give a little bit more support for those sensitive areas! Remember though, that if you do wear these shorts you don't wear knickers underneath - as this gives more areas to chafe. Consider as well a more comfy bike seat - one that is wider at the back and has a bit more cushioning - you can also get seats that have holes in the middle to reduce pressure. Pop in and see Carl and the team at Bike HQ - they are more than happy to answer any questions you have, and if you mention you're doing the series they'll probably give you a discount :) Or give Sandy a call about their fabulous ladies range at Tineli (03) 548 37 59

If you didn't come this week because you don't have a bike, then remember BikeHQ bring along a few of their rental bikes (all very snazzy) and Diane and Tamsin have a spare bike they are willing to lend to anyone who wants to borrow them. (Thanks)!

So get out on those trails and I look forward to seeing you all again next week.

Session 5: Mountainbiking

What a gorgeous evening for our first session of mountainbiking. I look forward to seeing you all at Branford Park tonight at 6.30pm. Sandy will introduce the sport to you by going through the general features of a mountainbike, how to correctly set up your bike (ie seat height, handlebar height ...), what clothing is best to wear for maximum comfort and what the gears are for and when to use them. We will then do some 'bike drills' before having the opportunity to tackle one of the base trails around the Maitai Valley.
See you there!

Need a mountainbike?

I have been talking with companies around town about bike hire for our Mountainbiking sessions starting this week. I'm delighted to report that Carl and the team at BikeHQ in their new premises in Halifax St are happy to support us and will be coming along to ride and help share their mechanical knowledge at each session. He will also be bringing along 4 of his hire bikes for us to use free of charge.

However, I know there are more than 4 of you that need to hire a bike though .... so some more options to consider .... Dave from Biking Nelson has agreed to offer a special rate for hiring one of their bikes (complete with a helmet and gloves). $30 for a one night hire (pick up Thursday afternoon, return Friday morning). If you would like to talk to him about a discounted rate for hiring a bike for the full month then talk to him - I am sure he will be open to discussion! Dave also wants to help share his enthusiasm for moutainbiking and will be coming along to help guide you. Alternatively Stuart's Cycles (the Avanti shop) in Hardy St also hires bikes. It would be $40 for a Thursday pick up, Friday morning return.

Diane Winter (one of our Active Woman) has a spare mountain bike that she is willing to lend someone for the next few weeks. It fits her comfortably (she's about 158cm) and belongs to her sister who is looking to sell it once the mountainbiking sessions are over. Give Diane a call on 548 2026 or email her on dwinter@xtra.co.nz if you would like to borrow it. Thanks for your offer Diane!

INDOOR TRI

I was great to see so many giving it a go last night. it looked like fun!!

If you are interested in joining a gym, we offer a free week trial to anyone. Just like all our memberships you get free use of the fitness centre equipment, free programme and assessment, free use of the pool, free use of the spa, free aquafit and aquajogging classes. All free for 7 days.

We offer this to everyone, not just everyone in this series. Just pop in or give us a call on 5463221 to make and appointment.

Indoor Triathlon Results

Click on the link below to view the results from last evening's Indoor Triathlon
Indoor Triathlon Results

Congratulations!

Well done to all of you who cycled, rowed and swam last night! Results will be uploaded soon. A big thank you to Terry Bourke from the Nelson Rowing Club for all his help last night, and to Dave and the team at Riverside Pool. I hope your muscles are feeling it this morning - it is amazing how many muscle groups rowing actually works. The sport that is known to test your body the most is cross country skiing, and rowing isn't far behind, so well done on getting in the pool straight afterwards! If you want to find out more information about social rowing then give Terry a call - he is happy to answer any questions you have.

Indoor Triathlon Register

Click on the image to open a larger version (PDF @ 50KB)

Some stats

The ages!

Swim Technique sessions at Riverside

If you are keen to improve your swim technique (in a MUCH smaller group) please contact me or come along to one of the sessions below.

I'm hoping to have lessons starting in October at Riverside (Thursday eves) and November at ASB (Tuesday or Wednedsay eves).

These will be blocks of approx 8 lessons/$15 per 45 minute lesson.

Current Sessions at Riverside as follows:
Monday 6 till 7.30 am
Tuesday 6 til 7.30 am OR 12 till 1.00
Wednesday 12 till 1.00
Thursday 6 till 7.30 am OR 12 till 1.00
Saturday 7 till 8.45 am

Single session $10
Block of 10 $80
Unlimited monthly sessions $85
One-to-one $75 per session - block of 5 - $300

COME ALONG AND TRY ANY SESSION - I work hard to create a relaxed/open learning environment suitable for everyone, come along and watch/ask some questions if unsure.

Either email me - coachingsolutions@xtra.co.nz
or phone me - 021 129 5645

Thanks

Lionel

Exercise buddies anyone?

Anyone want to hook up for an exercise session? Then comment on this post with where you are living, what time would suit, what type of exercise you want company for .......

First swim session photo

Look at you ladies, you look great! The group at the top of the photo are with Lionel and the group at the bottom are with Taryn. This was last week's first session at the ASB Aquatic Centre.

Swim Passes

A number of you have signed up to the amazing deal that Riverside Pool and the ASB Aquatic Centre have offered you.

If you have taken up a pass to the ASB Aquatic Centre then you will need to fill out a membership form and hand this in at the reception at the pool, they will then give you a swipe/flash card that you will scan each time you enter the pool. I should have already emailed this out to you, but if not, let me know and I can re-send or alternatively they will have extras at reception for you.

If you have taken up a pass to Riverside Pool then you will need to send me through a photo of yourself (I can take one this Thursday night), and these will be made up over the weekend. In the meantime, ask the friendly staff at reception to check their list and as long as you show some photo ID you should be able to enter the pool to start your swimming.

Exciting! Well done you! Happy swimming!!

First up on the blocks: swimming

Lionel Padial of Oneflow Swimming is geared up for the Women’s Activator Series. He will be coaching participants through pool swims on Thursday evenings in September at the ASB Aquatic Centre.

Mornings and lunchtimes, you’ll usually find Lionel at Riverside Pool working with swimmers of all ages and abilities, from beginner to elite.

“I am passionate about making swimming relaxing and enjoyable for everyone who is keen and firmly believe that swimming with efficiency and ease is open to all who can apply a little regular time and patience,” he says.

Before becoming a swim coach, Lionel competed as a swimmer and then later as an age-group triathlete whilst studying sports science and many of its related subjects.

At the Activator sessions Lionel will be giving participants advice to help make their freestyle strokes more effective. Depending upon the ability of the swimmer, that may take the form of teaching them to:

• breathe more easily for more comfort
• be more balanced and relaxed in the water – this improves performance and pleasure
• swim laps in less strokes for greater efficiency
• swim longer or faster for less/same effort

“All drills are swum very slowly and set at a level where the individual is within their comfort zone and, as confidence and skill increase, the challenge increases.”

Lionel believes that with a little patience and consistency anyone can become a relaxed, efficient swimmer. He promises it will be unlike any other lessons you’ve had before.

Swimming Changes! - please take note.

Due to the popularity of the series we are going to alter the swimming slightly. We are still meeting next Thursday the 4th of September at 7pm, where you will receive your introductory packs and get to meet myself and Lionel (from Oneflow Swimming). We will run two sessions, so on arrival I will split you into two groups, one group will swim first with Lionel while the other group chats with me and you have the opportunity to meet each other! Then we will switch over. For the following two weeks I have then managed to secure us another time slot in addition to the Thursday evenings - which will be from 7-8pm on a Wednesday evening, still under the expert guidance of Lionel. This session will be at Riverside Pool.

If you are keen to swim on the Wednesday night (for the 10th and 17th) instead of the Thursday can you let me know by adding a comment below this post - just click on the comment button and write your name and the day your prefer.

The final Thursday of September will not be at the ASB Aquatic Centre - we have had to move this to Riverside Pool at the earlier time of 6.30pm to allow enough space to conduct our fun indoor tri session. I will let you know more about this next week, but just to give you advance warning.

As always, any questions, please email or ring me.
See you all soon!

Do you need a mountain bike for the OCTOBER sessions?

Some of you have told us that you want to participate in the October mountain biking session, but don't own a bike. We want to see about real numbers of people needing to borrow/rent a bike ... would you fill out our survey?

On the right hand side, scroll down and you'll see the new survey listed. Tell us how many of you need a loaner bike and we'll see what we can do. For those of you who can lend a bike, consider that option.

Our first Event!!

The first event on the calendar to aim towards is the Indoor Tri on the 25th of September. We are having to alter our venue, so the final Thursday in September will now be at Riverside Pool at 6.30pm, (rather than 7pm at ASB Aquatic Centre as advertised). This is to allow enough space to swim, cycle and row! More details to follow soon ....

The Countdown begins

Only 13 days left before the first session of the series. I hope you are as excited as I am! We have had a fantastic response and now have around 30 women signed up. Brillant! Don't forget to introduce yourself on the previous blog post - just click on comments and add your two bobs worth.

Blog away

Please introduce yourself by clicking - comments - below this post, and type a bit about what you're looking forward to, what might be scaring you a little bit ..... just general info to get us all used to this blogging business. This blogspot is here for you - so type away!

CLM Health & Fitness, Riverside

Congratulations to all the women that have signed up for the women’s activator series. What a great opportunity to achieve your fitness goals, have some fun and meet some new friends. We are looking forward to seeing you all in the pool.

Riverside is a Swimming pool & Gym facility in the Nelson City. We also operate Nayland Park Swimming pool in Stoke.

We can help you achieve your goals in cycling, running, swimming and anything else related to Health & Fitness. Call us on 035463221 or click on our website right now for more information www.clmnz.co.nz

Bring on Summer - Let's get active!

Congradulations to all you women who have signed up for the women's activator series.
It looks set to be a fun and exciting few summer months.
I'm certainly looking forward to putting you through your paces on the 27th November.

On the Ball Training - Personal Training Food & Fitness management and lifestyle solutions

On the Ball training is for anyone intimidated by the gym or doesn't have access to one.
It is for those tired of training alone and who want to learn how to exercise or get active in a fun effective way.
Its not about perfection its about being the best you can be and leading a happier, healthier lifestyle.

Most training is in small groups or individual if preferred. We train outside taking advantage of Nelson's ideal climate.
Training outside is much more challenging it burns more calories is better for your lungs, helps to energise you and gives you natural light and that important vitamin D hit.

I am absolutiely passionate about health and fitness and believe in a holistic approach to advocating a healthier happier lifestyle.
Making life long changes takes time and investment but any one can do it.

Always glad of a laugh, chat and thorough workout trainig sessions are fun and motivating.

So lets get out there and get active.

Let me help an support you to achieve your goals.

Carol Cooper
Personal Trainer
On the Ball Training
021 908 539

Poster Girl?

The registrations are streaming in, there is a buzz around the city .... the Nelson Women's Activator Series looks set to be a fantastic experience for all. All the local media seem to want a chunk of it - so we need some poster girl wannabes! If you wouldn't mind being our 'cover woman' on a photo shoot for the Nelson Mail then email me. There will be lots of opportunities over the course of the series, but if you can help for this first one then please do. Thanks to Lisa for being our active woman in the current Live Nelson. So, who is next?

Lisa is keen to give it a go

Registrations are now rolling in for the Nelson City Council Women’s Activator Series, starting Thursday 4 September.

Lisa has signed up for the series and is keen to getting started. That's Lisa on her bike.

“I’m having a ‘big’ birthday next year so I’ve set myself the challenge of trying lots of new things and this will be a great start. I’m keen to do the Taylors Nelson Women’s Triathlon for the first time next year so this programme will really help.”

Lisa already does some road cycling, aerobics, yoga and walking but is a first time mountain biker and not the most confident swimmer.

“I think the sea swim in particular will be a real challenge for me so I’m pleased to be trying it under the guidance of experts, I don’t think I would be game to try it on my own.”

The weekly commitment of the Activator programme will be a real motivating factor, Lisa says. “Going to a session each week will really help me stay on track and as it’s aimed at beginners. I’m sure it will be a really safe and supportive environment to learn in. We can all make our mistakes together! I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Swim Pass

Thanks to Riverside Pool and ASB Aquatic Centre who want to help you utilise your new swimming skills and keep practising. They are offering a three month open swim pass for the months of September through to November for $32 (Riverside) and $45 (ASB Aquatic Centre) for all series participants. To sign up for this - tick the box on your registration form and include the money when you register.

More on offer

Great news! Nadja from Nordic Walking Nelson also wants to get involved and offer those interested a chance to try Nordic Walking (the walking with poles). She will be at the Running & Walking Coaching Session for those who would like to give it a go.

What are some of the other events?

The aim is to have one nominated event each month that you can choose to work towards if you want. We are hoping to have an Awards evening at the end of the series to celebrate your success and also recognise those that have completed one or all nominated events.
So just what events are nominated events? September will be the indoor tri. October is an introductory Mountainbike race (5km), November is the Smiths Sports Shoes Mahana Half Marathon or 10km (the first of the Nelson Striders Half & 10km Series). January is the second in the Nelson Striders Series - the Shoe Clinic Nelson Striders Half & 10km, we might have a splash and dash (swim/run) at the beach too, February the Port Nelson Big Bay Bike, and early April the Taylors Nelson Women's Triathlon. More nominated events will be discussed soon ... and hopefully we can organise some discounts for you .... so watch this space!

The Events

The purpose of the series is to get active again and trying new sports that are on offer, but also to challenge yourself to complete some of the many events that are on around the region during the summer. The first event in the series is the Indoor Triathlon - which will be held on Thursday 25th September at the ASB Aquatic Centre. Indoor triathlon - how? Well, you will start off the cycle trainers (like the ones you find at the gym - the stationary bikes except with these ones we put your own bike onto them), then jump onto the indoor rowing machines (Terry from the Nelson Rowing Club can show you the best technique) and then into the swimming pool. You can do the whole triathlon or you can bring the family and do it as a team, or make up a team with your new found exercise buddies from the series. Lots of options.

Swimming Tips/Questions

Hi everyone, if any of you have any questions regarding swimming please ask. The sessions I will be providing in September will be suitable for all levels from beginners to elite and will be very relaxing!!!

If you want any info regarding sessions I run at Riverside and/or Freestyle weekend workshops please email me - coachingsolutions@xtra.co.nz or phone me - 021 129 5645

I look forward to helping you improve your swimming.

Cheers

Lionel

Oneflow Swimming

First up - swimming

We start the series in September with the focus on swimming, and Jacqui from Tasman Gold Masters along with Lionel from Oneflow swimming will be taking you through the technique of swimming. You don't need to be able to swim lengths, we are here to help you gain water confidence, so if you need to use a kickboard, hug the side of the pool, or only swim in the shallow end where you can put you feet down it does not matter. And for those of you who just want help with your technique and put your new skills to the test, the Tasman Gold Masters have lane swimming on at the same time - so you can join in with them as well!

Blogging

The purpose of this Blospot is to allow you to discuss your progress, ask questions and read tidbits from our guest bloggers - the people who will be involved in this series. They will talk about what they will be covering in the sessions and they might add some extra 'reading' material for you to flick through at your leisure to learn even more about their sport.

Registration Form

The Nelson City Council website has all that you need ... get the information and your registration form there or visit the "Useful Links" heading on the right to download the registration form also.

Welcome

Welcome to the 2008/2009 Nelson Women's Activator Series. It is set to be a fun six months of activity (25 sessions) and for just $25 it is unbeatable value. If you have any questions about whether this series is suitable for you then email me at nelsonactivator@gmail.com or set up a post so that others can read the responses too.
This series is all about getting you out there and enjoying what Nelson has to offer - so come on and activate that woman within.