Hugo, a company which makes innovative mobility aids has teamed up with us, donating a portion of the proceeds from the sales of select Hugo mobility products to the MS Society, with the goal of helping to fund research for a cure for MS! Hugo has also guaranteed a minimum donation of $10,000 to the MS Society. We are very excited about this partnership, and grateful of Hugo’s contribution toward the movement to end MS! Visit http://www.hugoanywhere.ca/ for a list of where to buy Hugo mobility products.

Steps to Reaching Your Fundraising Goal

Around this time, the good intentions of most people’s New Years Resolutions are collecting dust underneath a bed, what about yours? To revitalize those resolutions it can help to break down your long term goals into manageable steps for greater success.

If, for example, your goal is to ride in the RONA MS Bike Tour and raise $1000 in support of Multiple Sclerosis, some smaller steps to help you reach your goal might be to:

• personalize your Online Fundraising page and set your goal to show donors what you’re aiming for
• raise $100 in February (and every month after)
• set cycling or spinning goals each month and update your progress on your “personal message board” on your Online Fundraising page
• ask one friend or neighbour every week to donate $25 in helping you reach your goal
• have a bake sale in the month of March or April, where all proceeds go towards your goal
• walk your friends' or neighbours' dog every Sunday in exchange for a donation

Enjoying Outdoor Activity in the Winter

Now that old man winter has arrived, many of us have taken to working out indoors for the next few months. Instead, why not embrace our winters and get outside! There are many ways to enjoy working out in the outdoors, provided you take time to prepare for the elements.

During outdoor winter workouts, carrying a light-weight backpack is an easy way to be prepared and bring those extra items with you. Consider bringing socks, mittens, scarves, touques, water, snacks and a SPF lip balm when spending long periods outdoors.

Some great outdoor activities to try may include:
Ski walking; cross country skiing; and snowshoeing.

Ski walking – Ski walking is walking outdoors with the assistance of ski poles. All you need are ski poles and a good pair of warm sturdy winter boots. The ski poles help with stability walking in wintery conditions and also reduce stress on hips, knees, shins and thighs. The benefits of ski walking include strengthening your back, arms, and shoulders while burning 40% more calories than traditional walking.

Cross Country Skiing – Whether you are an experienced or beginner skier, everyone can benefit from lessons at a local ski club and then practice on groomed trails. Cross country skiing is one of the best outdoor calorie-burning activities, and is also a great upper body workout!

Snowshoeing – The popularity of snowshoeing has grown over the past several years, and it’s easy to see why: it’s fun, doesn’t require a lot of equipment and is a great form of exercise! Snowshoeing is a great lower-body work-out, and can burn up to 750 calories and hour!

All of these activities are great ways to take advantage of the winter weather and stay in shape. Get some friends together and have fun in the snow. As always, be sure to talk to a physician about starting a new fitness regime.

Set S.M.A.R.T. Training Goals

When it comes to training, goal setting can be a pretty tricky thing, especially for a newer cyclist. A few things to remember and help you set some goals are to keep them “S.M.A.R.T.”, meaning: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and have Timelines in which you want to accomplish them.

For instance, if you’re new to the world of cycling, it may not be realistic to ride 100 km in 4 weeks time. Instead, since cycling is an ‘endurance based’ activity and it takes time to establish your endurance base, your initial goal should be to ride your bike more. However, that in itself is not a specific enough training goal. Instead your goal may look like this:

‘I am going to increase my endurance base, by riding Monday, Wednesday and Saturday for one hour every week and increase it to 4 days per week in 4 weeks time.’

So what if you wanted to ride in the RONA MS Bike Tour next summer? Although it is a specific event, it doesn’t explain how you’re going to get there, so what’s next?

You have to measure your training like the example above to build your fitness to complete a ride that is anywhere from 50-175 km long.

Is it attainable? Absolutely, as long as you follow a consistent training plan and stick to it, which also makes the goal realistic.

Finally, you have to attach timelines to your training. Consider when the event is and how much time you have to train. Your Goal may look something like this:

“I am going to ride 3-4 days per week for 1-1.5 hours to build my endurance fitness for the MS Bike Tour next summer.”

There are a number of elements to consider when setting goals, just make sure to ask yourself if they are “S.M.A.R.T.” and you’ll be on your way. One last thing is to keep them positive and flexible. Your goals must keep you focused and motivated on what you want to happen and are meant to help you build on and enjoy the activity you are doing.

Tips for Fundraising in your Community

·Hold a special event in your home: i.e., host a fiftieth birthday party in support of MS. In lieu of gifts ask for donations.

·Local Business affinity programs: Many restaurants have programs that will let you run a special night or weekend there. A portion (often 15-20%) of a meal’s value from customers brought in by you will go to your charity.

·Hold a street party: Begin with street-wide garage sale and a dinner follows. Every family donates a food item for the pot-luck dinner then they pay a fee ($15.00 per person) to participate. Also do raffles in conjunction with it.

·Get a local pub or restaurant to sponsor an event: Pick a place where you are a regular and get the owner to sponsor a night with raffles etc with proceeds going to help end MS.

·Sell keys to a cure at a local business or your work

Enjoy gourmet Vietnamese coffee and help end MS!

Now you can taste the unique flavors and aromas of world-famous, gourmet Vietnamese coffee here in Canada! Vietnamese coffees represent a tradition of careful estate farming, deep roasting (but not burnt), and sophisticated blending of heirloom coffee varietals. H & O Coffee is proud to be an authorized shopping source of Trung Nguyen coffee. Order today and 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the MS Society of Canada. Makes for a great holiday gift!
http://www.handocoffee.com/charitable-shopping.php

Ride Inside: Keep those Tires Spinning in Winter

While we all know how much fun cycling outside can be, we also know that with the reality of winter knocking at our doors, outdoor cycling is soon coming to an end for another year. There are many indoor cycling options available so that you can keep riding until spring!

Indoor Cycling Class/Spinning
Most local gyms have spinning classes which offer a fun & low-impact work-out.
Check out the schedule at your local club to see when they are taking place!
• Make sure to get there early so that you can adjust the bike to fit you.
• Many spin bikes have 2-sided pedals, so you can wear gym shoes or your cycling shoes.
• Even though spinning is a group class, you control the tension on your bike and can tailor it to your athletic ability.
• Spin classes are fun! The energy is contagious!

Indoor Cycling Trainers
Assuming you already have a bike, you may want to consider an indoor cycling trainer.
• Indoor cycling trainers are easy to use and take up little room. You just attach your back wheel and go!
• There are 2 types of trainers:
Rim Trainers offer resistance by touching the side of your rim, not tire.
Tire Trainers attach directly to your wheel and create resistance that way.
• There are many companies that make indoor bike trainers available at many bike shops, sporting good stores and online. Research ‘Cycling Trainers’ to find out what brands are out there.
• Try a cycling video to enhance your workout. Look online or at your local bike shops for videos.

Indoor Cycles & Stationary Bikes
There are many stationary bike options out there! Visit a fitness shop near you to try them out! Here are some things to consider before you go:
• Budget: similar to ‘outdoor’ bikes, you can spend very little or a lot depending on the bells and whistles you want.
• Features: make sure to decide what features you need like clipless pedals, built-in programs, onboard TV monitors etc.
• Test ride a variety of cycles at your local sporting goods store, before making your purchase.