First Strides® - North Myrtle Beach Workshop

Dear First Striders,

Another great Wednesday night!  The animal groups are working well and we are seeing your progress!

Quick Question? Are you a City of North Myrtle Beach employee or spouse of an employee?

The City of North Myrtle Beach has offered our First Strides NMB workshop as an option for its 2023 Beach Healthy wellness initiative, offering valuable rewards. Reply to FirstStridesNMB.gsrc@gmail.com to let us know you are eligible and we'll pass on that information to the City, as requested.
 
WEEK 5 HOMEWORK: See Training Schedule under Workshop Topics

Start with warm up stretching..see Dynamic Stretching Warmup under Workshop Topics
5 minute warm up
Then 5 repetitions of the EASY/HARD Interval Minutes2 minutes easy, 3 minutes harder
2 minutes easy, 3 minutes harder
2 minutes easy, 3 minutes harder
2 minutes easy, 3 minutes harder
2 minutes easy, 3 minutes harder
5 minute cool down
End with cool down stretching...see Static Stretching Cooldown under Workshop Topics

     ---  How often?  3 days this week (every-other-day)!  Do NOT do 2 days in a row!  Wednesday's workout counts as 1 of the 3. 

Note: A mini Stretching Clinic will be available after our next workshop, Week 6. Mentors Ginny and Julie from One Body Fitness will point out important form techniques that make the stretches safe and effective.  Plan to stay a few minutes late.   

REGROUPING helps us keep our individual animal groups together during the workout. Regroup as needed at the end of each harder interval.  The lead mentor reverses course and picks up following Striders to turnaround in front of her until the group is all together again.  Then the group reverses direction (again) and you continue at your own pace again.
 
TOPIC: Women's Heart Health - Elizabeth Stevens, FNP, Nurse Practitioner with McLeod Cardiology Associates, provides care to cardiology patients. She spoke to us about  preventing heart disease and the warning signs of heart attack and stroke (find it under Workshop Topics). She emphasized the importance of exercise to protect a health heart. Participating in regular physical activity, such as First Strides NMB, can help to lower your blood pressure, manage your cholesterol, control your weight to avoid diabetes, etc. Regular physical exercise and not smoking can reduce your chances for heart disease by 50%.  McLeod offers a quick and non-invasive Calcium Scoring screening for heart health...find it under Workshop Topics.

You can find contact information for many of the McLeod Health practitioners under Workshop Topics.

ATTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT:  Check in with your group’s mentors when you arrive to get your attendance recorded. Remember, we incentivize you to "earn" your graduation shirt by attending at least 8 of the 12 sessions.  We have 7 workshops remaining so you have plenty of time.  As of Week #5, 44 Striders have 100% attendance and 59 Striders have only missed one workshop. Woo-hoo!  That’s excellent!
 
Keep up the good work, do your homework and we'll see you next Wednesday at 5:30 pm.

Almost halfway!  Left, right … repeat.

Stride safe and strong!

Jane and your mentors

P.S. Walking & Running Form - You want to make sure you’re walking and running the right way. Proper form can offer a multitude of healing benefits such as reduced back pain, decreased wear and tear on your joints, increased core strength and even better lung health. Read the handout on Walking & Running form under Workshop Topics.