Running Alongside PEI's Finest

   Last weekend I randomly entered a 5km road race, my first real road race of 
2012. Each year I shoot to run one race and a good friend kindly asked me to 
enter this race with him in Charletown, PEI.. The race was put on by the 
local high school Colonol Gray. All race proceeds went to the school's cross 
country team as they pursue a series of competitive races in Maine.
 

   The morning of the race was warm but the island air was crisp as my friend 
and I entered the small race field of only 36. While warming up, I bumped 
into another good friend and future pharmacist who decided to run alongside 
us with his girlfriend. 

   Now, your probably thinking, "Ryan, what is the point of this long story?". 
The point is that the run was phenomenal. When we started out running 
downhill I soon realized that there was no other place in the world I would 
rather be than right there running alongside great friends on PEI. The first 
km was fast but easy as it was mostly downhill then I settled in nicely. I 
stayed with the middle of the pack passing runners when I could while trying 
to stick to my own pace. At the 2.5km mark I was trailing the pharmacist by 
50m but I was closing. Catching him by the 3km we ran side by side and 
occasionally chatted about life. However, by the 4th km my stride began to 
fade. I was getting tired and grappling with my thoughts.

    Having trained for health benefits and not for performance benefits I was 
quite impressed with how the run went. I finished in 8th place out of 36 
runners on a new course I had never run before. Everything set aside, the 
race was a ton of fun and I was glad to have such good company for the 
event. It was a great way to cap off the summer and to remind myself of why 
I love being a teacher and trainer. I love immersing myself into physical 
adversity and exerting myself to my personal limits in order to keep the 
wellness wheel turning.

Ryan Fahey 

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS

NCCP

Great Camp Video

Check out this video which was put together by the awesome camp staff I work with at Hampton Country Day Camp. You will see me a few times throughout the video playing baseball and coaching with the kids. It is very well done and it encompasses the athletics program I am proud to be a part of at this camp! Enjoy

Ryan Fahey
B.A Human Kinetics
CPTN Canada
Canfitpro FIS, PTS
NCCP

Legitimizing Canada & Badminton

 
    Ok, so this just in.....Canada is awesome! As you may know, the Olympic games are on TV's all over the world showcasing athletes from near and afar. However, this summer Olympics has been different than any other Olympics that Canada has ever participated in....We came fourth in badminton!
    Now, most people would think, "Big deal Ryan, our team did not get a medal and I never even saw badminton on TV!". To all of those thinkers, prepare to be changed!
   Our ladies doubles team received a call while getting ready to leave London after being eliminated during a series of tough badminton round robin matches to be told they were still in the hunt. Some of you may already know that some teams were ejected from the Olympics for cheating, giving Canada a fresh start! They played Japan, a country who is ranked 5th in the world in badminton and in the best of three games series took one game off of them, narrowly losing in the final set. Now, if this was not enough of a statement (considering Canada was ranked 26th in the world for badminton) they continued their hot streak into the bronze medal game where they lost in two sets to Russia, finishing 4th over all.
   Fact is, as a nation we have never done this well in badminton on any international stage. Many skeptics and critics around the world are now believing and understanding that we can produce high calibre players such as Michele Li and Alex Bruce (Canada's ladies' doubles team) and compete with the best. Taking a game off of a 5th ranked nation in badminton is similar to Canada winning the lottery and getting struck by lightening in the same day. We fought hard and we showed the world that we have the world's best badminton athletes along with other badminton super powers such as Japan, China, Denmark & Great Britain. We have talent and now Canadians can see that this is not just a back yard sport we play after a family bbq when the wind is not blowing. This sport is real folks and we are now a serious threat to the world when we step onto the badminton courts.
   I am so proud to have met and officiated Michele Li and Alex Bruces' matches at the last Canada games and I am so excited for the next summer Olympics to see what other rising badminton Canadian athletes will bring to the international table!

Ryan Fahey
B.A Human Kinetics
CPTN Canada
Canfitpro FIS, PTS
NCCP

Injuries.....

    What a perfect time to write about injuries! It's mid summer, everything 
about life is going great......and then you sprain your ankle! First of all 
let's talk about how much injuries suck. They bog you down, mess with 
your normal exercise routine and distract you from all the fun things in life.
They can oftentimes be soft tissue injuries such as mine (sprained ankle, an injury of the lateral ankle ligaments) or can be hairline fractures, pinched nerves, etc... Bottom line is that each of those injuries 
suck.....temporarily. Depending on the injury they can drag you down from one week but can 
continue to annoy you for up to 2-4 months or even years!
  

    Whatever the condition or case, the fact is that eventually injuries may occur 
if you are heavily involved in competitive sports or you train extensively 
for long periods of time. Now, your probably thinking, "Ryan, why would I start playing recreation sports or hit up the nearest gym if I am going to get an injury?" Great question! However, that is the wrong question to ask yourself. If you were to consider not exercising and/or playing recreational sports throughout your life due to injury risk consider how you would feel and look. You have to think about what that decision does for you long term health. Sure it is risking injury every time you step on the court, but would you rather battle high blood pressure, cholesterol and other chronic problems down the road as a result of inactivity?

   I think I will choose being injured for 2 weeks instead....Whatever life brings you in your sedentary and active times, keep in mind that if you get injured, you are not alone. Injuries happen everyday to all kinds of people. From professional to recreational athletes, injuries are a bump in the long road towards wellness. Train smart, play smart and do not let injuries drag you down!

Ryan Fahey

B.A Human Kinetics

CPTN Canada

Canfitpro FIS, PTS

NCCP