by thinkmarsh | Jul 2, 2018 | community, running, safety
One of the things I love about London is how people pour their heart and soul into their community. Whether their passion is cycling, singing, the environment, their local neighborhood, rescued animals, or bee keeping, you can find your tribe somewhere within the M25. Experts come together to teach the novice. The group may host an open day event in the hopes to spark.the interests of others. These hobbies offer a commonality that might not be found at work or at home. A release. A kinship.
I was lucky when I moved to London from the USA to find a Glee-esque show choir with Starling Arts. Much like my drama club friends from high school, I knew I could burst into song at any time with my choir mates without any strange looks. Starlings tend to love theatre, sing-a-long cinema showings, and Pitch Perfect. Coming from all walks of life, we had a love of singing (not as much with dancing) that we bonded over every Tuesday night in Pimlico.
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| Starling Arts’ FORTE at our summer fete |
Unfortunately, when I moved out to North London to be closer to work, I would get home very late on a work night after choir. When we moved to East London, my commute was super long and the dog needed to be let out. I am still sad that I don’t go to choir anymore (because of #tracktuesday). Many of my choir mates are still rehearsing with Starling Arts and I keep tabs on them via Facebook. I am proud to see the founders, Anna and Emily, have built a successful company and made Starling Arts their full-time gigs.
 |
| Whole Foods/Boutique Sport run club from Piccadilly Circus |
My other passion, aside from theatre, is- you guessed it- sport. When I started my blog in 2012, I didn’t think I would ever be able to run a marathon. Over the years, my love for running has slowly developed due to the people I have met through the sport. Now I hate missing #tracktuesday with Advent Running and most of my holidays have a race on the itinerary. I have also become a Leader in Running Fitness with England Athletics, followed by Coach In Running Fitness, due to this inspiring and supportive community. Both of these certifications mean I am qualified to lead run clubs, amongst other things. I have been invited to many one-off run events for brand launches and attended ones put on by running stores. This month, I am volunteering to be one of the run leaders at the Love Trails Festival. Being a run leader is not as easy as it looks so here are my top five tips on how to be a fantastic run club leader.
1. Stay with the last runner. No one wants to be the last person to cross the finish line. Slower runners (and remember each person percieves ‘slow’ differently) might be nervous when attending run clubs that they will be judged for their pace and get left behind. Even worse, they might be worried they will get lost if they fall too far behind the group. A good run club leader will realize the workout is for other people and not worry about the pace. Staying with the last runner gives them confidence and makes sure that no one is lost along the way.
2. Review the safety rules before you head out and follow them. When I lead a run clun, my rules are to always stay on pavement; be aware of pedestrians, cyclists and cars in the road, especially at junctions; follow the green man rather than blindly crossing the road because someone else did. I make sure I do the same to follow a good example. I have also beenknown to use my “mom arm” once in a while to keep people from running out into the road.
 |
| Whole Foods/Boutique Sport run club from Kensington |
3. Encourage everyone to cheer each other on. This is probable the American in me, but I always encourage runners in the group (good job, well done, keep going!) and ask others to do the same. I can’t be everywhere at once and it is also a good way to break the ice. My runs end in mandatory high fives too, which are typically followed by a smile.
4. If you don’t have many leaders, try to keep the group together with fartleks or exercises at stop lights. It is difficult to predict how many runners will turn up at a run club. At a miniumum, I prefer two leaders, one for the front and one for the back (see tip #1). The person in front can confidently lead the way (which can be challenging in London where the streets tend to wind) while the other leader makes sure no one is left behind. However, if there is only one of you, ask the faster runners to either stop at specific junctions to meet up or have them run back to you as fast as they can when they can’t see you any more to regroup. If you want them to stop at a light, they can do squats, burpees or star jumps (jumping jacks) until you catch up.
5. Introduce yourself every week. Ask new people if they have any injuries you need to know about. This is important, espcially if you are not wearing a uniform to distinguish yourself from the other runners. You can ask who is new, but some people might be too self-consicous to raise their hand. A good practice is to ask everyone who has injuries and then offer to speak to them privately about it. Learning names is hard for me, but if I can learn a few a week, I know people will appreiciate it.
If you have things your love or hate about run club leaders, leave a comment below and let me know. It would be interesting to hear what you think is important.
 |
| Track Tuesday Group 4, that I often pace with Advent Running |
by Mollie Millington | Jul 2, 2018 | community, running, safety
One of the things I love about London is how people pour their heart and soul into their community. Whether their passion is cycling, singing, the environment, their local neighborhood, rescued animals, or bee keeping, you can find your tribe somewhere within the M25. Experts come together to teach the novice. The group may host an open day event in the hopes to spark.the interests of others. These hobbies offer a commonality that might not be found at work or at home. A release. A kinship.
I was lucky when I moved to London from the USA to find a Glee-esque show choir with Starling Arts. Much like my drama club friends from high school, I knew I could burst into song at any time with my choir mates without any strange looks. Starlings tend to love theatre, sing-a-long cinema showings, and Pitch Perfect. Coming from all walks of life, we had a love of singing (not as much with dancing) that we bonded over every Tuesday night in Pimlico.
|
| Starling Arts’ FORTE at our summer fete |
Unfortunately, when I moved out to North London to be closer to work, I would get home very late on a work night after choir. When we moved to East London, my commute was super long and the dog needed to be let out. I am still sad that I don’t go to choir anymore (because of #tracktuesday). Many of my choir mates are still rehearsing with Starling Arts and I keep tabs on them via Facebook. I am proud to see the founders, Anna and Emily, have built a successful company and made Starling Arts their full-time gigs.
|
| Whole Foods/Boutique Sport run club from Piccadilly Circus |
My other passion, aside from theatre, is- you guessed it- sport. When I started my blog in 2012, I didn’t think I would ever be able to run a marathon. Over the years, my love for running has slowly developed due to the people I have met through the sport. Now I hate missing #tracktuesday with Advent Running and most of my holidays have a race on the itinerary. I have also become a Leader in Running Fitness with England Athletics, followed by Coach In Running Fitness, due to this inspiring and supportive community. Both of these certifications mean I am qualified to lead run clubs, amongst other things. I have been invited to many one-off run events for brand launches and attended ones put on by running stores. This month, I am volunteering to be one of the run leaders at the Love Trails Festival. Being a run leader is not as easy as it looks so here are my top five tips on how to be a fantastic run club leader.
1. Stay with the last runner. No one wants to be the last person to cross the finish line. Slower runners (and remember each person percieves ‘slow’ differently) might be nervous when attending run clubs that they will be judged for their pace and get left behind. Even worse, they might be worried they will get lost if they fall too far behind the group. A good run club leader will realize the workout is for other people and not worry about the pace. Staying with the last runner gives them confidence and makes sure that no one is lost along the way.
2. Review the safety rules before you head out and follow them. When I lead a run clun, my rules are to always stay on pavement; be aware of pedestrians, cyclists and cars in the road, especially at junctions; follow the green man rather than blindly crossing the road because someone else did. I make sure I do the same to follow a good example. I have also beenknown to use my “mom arm” once in a while to keep people from running out into the road.
|
| Whole Foods/Boutique Sport run club from Kensington |
3. Encourage everyone to cheer each other on. This is probable the American in me, but I always encourage runners in the group (good job, well done, keep going!) and ask others to do the same. I can’t be everywhere at once and it is also a good way to break the ice. My runs end in mandatory high fives too, which are typically followed by a smile.
4. If you don’t have many leaders, try to keep the group together with fartleks or exercises at stop lights. It is difficult to predict how many runners will turn up at a run club. At a miniumum, I prefer two leaders, one for the front and one for the back (see tip #1). The person in front can confidently lead the way (which can be challenging in London where the streets tend to wind) while the other leader makes sure no one is left behind. However, if there is only one of you, ask the faster runners to either stop at specific junctions to meet up or have them run back to you as fast as they can when they can’t see you any more to regroup. If you want them to stop at a light, they can do squats, burpees or star jumps (jumping jacks) until you catch up.
5. Introduce yourself every week. Ask new people if they have any injuries you need to know about. This is important, espcially if you are not wearing a uniform to distinguish yourself from the other runners. You can ask who is new, but some people might be too self-consicous to raise their hand. A good practice is to ask everyone who has injuries and then offer to speak to them privately about it. Learning names is hard for me, but if I can learn a few a week, I know people will appreiciate it.
If you have things your love or hate about run club leaders, leave a comment below and let me know. It would be interesting to hear what you think is important.
|
| Track Tuesday Group 4, that I often pace with Advent Running |
by Mollie Millington | Nov 10, 2017 | community, exercise
There never seems to be enough time in the day. You wake up, eat, commute, work, hit the gym, commute, and eat again before heading to bed. As you repeat this routine day in and day out, there isn’t much space in there to give back to your community. What do I mean by community? Your friends, neighbours, colleagues, and people who would benefit from your skills. Here are four examples of initiatives that allow you to multi-task your workouts while helping others.
Like animals?
Cinnamon Trust– Help out the elderly and terminally ill by walking their dogs or playing with their cats. These pets are constant companions for people who might be bound to stay at home due to their health. Their pets have needs too, such as regular exercise too. You can also foster a pet should the owner have to go into the hospital for a few days.
Prefer people?
Good Gym– Founded in London but expanding rapidly across England, this non-profit has two programs to get you sweaty. The first is performing manual labour for people or companies in the local area. As a group, you may run to the selected location and clear a garden for an elder or paint the new community centre. The other aspect to the Good Gym is being pair with a ‘coach’ (an isolated elder). You will literally run to their home for a visit and then run back home again.
Want to empower women?
A Mile In Her Shoes- If you love running and helping women, this charity can use your help. Simply obtain your Leader in Running Fitness with UKA and then volunteer at one of the many run clubs across London. A Mile In Her Shoes work with women who are at risk or affected by issues related to homeless. You can help these women get back on their feet too by encouraging, coaching and running.
Help orphans with Down Syndrome
RODS Racing– This global team of endurance athletes is recruiting athletes. For every mile you run, bike, swim, your pledges and donations will help an orphan with Down Syndrome. RODS raises $15,000 (~£11,000) for one orphan at a time. This is half of the fees incurred for adopting these special kids. Many of the children are from countries where Down Syndrome isn’t understood or accepted. By relieving part of the financial burden, RODS ensures these orphans find a loving home faster.
Do you have other suggestions on how to multi-task your exercise with something else? Do you run to work? Or have ‘moving meetings’? Leave me a comment below with your tips.
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| My first ever marathon, repping RODS |
This post originally appeared on the now-defunct H2 Life Blog.
by thinkmarsh | Nov 10, 2017 | community, exercise
There never seems to be enough time in the day. You wake up, eat, commute, work, hit the gym, commute, and eat again before heading to bed. As you repeat this routine day in and day out, there isn’t much space in there to give back to your community. What do I mean by community? Your friends, neighbours, colleagues, and people who would benefit from your skills. Here are four examples of initiatives that allow you to multi-task your workouts while helping others.
Like animals?
Cinnamon Trust– Help out the elderly and terminally ill by walking their dogs or playing with their cats. These pets are constant companions for people who might be bound to stay at home due to their health. Their pets have needs too, such as regular exercise too. You can also foster a pet should the owner have to go into the hospital for a few days.
Prefer people?
Good Gym– Founded in London but expanding rapidly across England, this non-profit has two programs to get you sweaty. The first is performing manual labour for people or companies in the local area. As a group, you may run to the selected location and clear a garden for an elder or paint the new community centre. The other aspect to the Good Gym is being pair with a ‘coach’ (an isolated elder). You will literally run to their home for a visit and then run back home again.
Want to empower women?
A Mile In Her Shoes- If you love running and helping women, this charity can use your help. Simply obtain your Leader in Running Fitness with UKA and then volunteer at one of the many run clubs across London. A Mile In Her Shoes work with women who are at risk or affected by issues related to homeless. You can help these women get back on their feet too by encouraging, coaching and running.
Help orphans with Down Syndrome
RODS Racing– This global team of endurance athletes is recruiting athletes. For every mile you run, bike, swim, your pledges and donations will help an orphan with Down Syndrome. RODS raises $15,000 (~£11,000) for one orphan at a time. This is half of the fees incurred for adopting these special kids. Many of the children are from countries where Down Syndrome isn’t understood or accepted. By relieving part of the financial burden, RODS ensures these orphans find a loving home faster.
Do you have other suggestions on how to multi-task your exercise with something else? Do you run to work? Or have ‘moving meetings’? Leave me a comment below with your tips.
|
| My first ever marathon, repping RODS |
This post originally appeared on the now-defunct H2 Life Blog.
by Mollie Millington | Jun 6, 2017 | community
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| What’s in your first aid kit? |
I have been first aid trained for most of my life. It started when I was a teenager as a baby sitter certified by the Red Cross, and then as a camp counsellor in the summers. The first year I learned to use an AED (automated external defibrillator) was 2001 at my first job after uni (that’s college for you Americans). Since then, I have always tried to keep my certifications up to date, whether through work or as a fitness instructor.
A few weeks ago, I completed a three day ‘first aid at work’ course with St. John’s Ambulance. Over the years, I have heard stories from other course attendees how they saw an accident but didn’t help. I have also stopped to help people looking ill on the Tube, while many other passengers walked on by. My husband said British people don’t want to impact on each other’s civil liberties by asking if they need help. Maybe it is cultural but as an American, we talk to strangers and we help. Most people who owned pools where I lived growing up had at least CPR training (perhaps as a legal requirement?). My dad was on ski patrol at the local resort, and I remember him studying for his exams in the basement with his colleagues. He even helped a player on the boys varsity soccer game who suffered a neck injury during the playoffs.
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| Annie, are you ok? |
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| Count to 10, look and feel for breathing |
On my most recent course, the first aid instructor said after the Westminster Attack, first aid courses were held to instruct more Westminster staff on what to do in an emergency. The media highlighted how MP Tobias Ellwood knew first aid and was able to help treat and triage victims. On 22 May, 2017 in Manchester, a homeless man, Chris Parker, wrapped up victim wounds with tour merchandise. You never know when first aid training will be useful. Of course, the recent terrorist incidents are more severe than what you will usually come across in a situation requiring first aid. Hopefully these extreme incidents are few and far between, but then we had the attack at London Bridge and Borough Market.
The stories you hear during these three recent terror attacks of bravery and self-sacrifice. Medically trained staff went to the incident sites or went into work to help treat the victims. I am by no means saying you should put yourself in danger of you find yourself in a similar situation. The first step of administering first aid is to make sure the area is safe. By receiving first aid training, you rehearse the next steps to take depending on what situation you come across. The repetitive nature of the training helps reinforce the correct protocol and will help you respond on auto-pilot should an emergency arise.
Would you know what to do if there was an incident at your work, in the gym, or on the playground that needed first aid? Do you carry a first aid kit with you on long cycle journeys or do you keep one in the boot of your car?
At a bare minimum, I encourage you to take CPR or one day first aid course to learn how to treat common injuries. Another skill to learn is how to use an AED. AEDs are becoming more common in public places in the UK (finally!) such as airports, malls, and sports facilities. Although they do not require a certificate for use (as advised by the Resuscitation Council of the UK), you may feel more comfortable using it if you have a half day lesson. Using CPR or an AED significantly increases the potential of survival for your causality. According to the American Red Cross, for each minute you delay defibrillation on your casualty, the chances of their survival decreases by 10%.
Touch wood, I have yet to perform CPR or use an AED. I have applied plasters (band-aids), wrapped cuts, and put people into a recovery position to prevent shock. Once, I helped a cyclist who fell off his bike and dislocated his shoulder by putting his arm into a sling before police pulled over to help us as we waited for an ambulance to arrive.
If you are not yet first aid certified or took the course a long time ago, I urge you to sign up for a course. Hopefully, you will not have to use your new skills anytime soon, but if you do, you can be confident that you are doing your best to help the people around you.
by thinkmarsh | Jun 6, 2017 | community
|
| What’s in your first aid kit? |
I have been first aid trained for most of my life. It started when I was a teenager as a baby sitter certified by the Red Cross, and then as a camp counsellor in the summers. The first year I learned to use an AED (automated external defibrillator) was 2001 at my first job after uni (that’s college for you Americans). Since then, I have always tried to keep my certifications up to date, whether through work or as a fitness instructor.
A few weeks ago, I completed a three day ‘first aid at work’ course with St. John’s Ambulance. Over the years, I have heard stories from other course attendees how they saw an accident but didn’t help. I have also stopped to help people looking ill on the Tube, while many other passengers walked on by. My husband said British people don’t want to impact on each other’s civil liberties by asking if they need help. Maybe it is cultural but as an American, we talk to strangers and we help. Most people who owned pools where I lived growing up had at least CPR training (perhaps as a legal requirement?). My dad was on ski patrol at the local resort, and I remember him studying for his exams in the basement with his colleagues. He even helped a player on the boys varsity soccer game who suffered a neck injury during the playoffs.
|
| Annie, are you ok? |
|
| Count to 10, look and feel for breathing |
On my most recent course, the first aid instructor said after the Westminster Attack, first aid courses were held to instruct more Westminster staff on what to do in an emergency. The media highlighted how MP Tobias Ellwood knew first aid and was able to help treat and triage victims. On 22 May, 2017 in Manchester, a homeless man, Chris Parker, wrapped up victim wounds with tour merchandise. You never know when first aid training will be useful. Of course, the recent terrorist incidents are more severe than what you will usually come across in a situation requiring first aid. Hopefully these extreme incidents are few and far between, but then we had the attack at London Bridge and Borough Market.
The stories you hear during these three recent terror attacks of bravery and self-sacrifice. Medically trained staff went to the incident sites or went into work to help treat the victims. I am by no means saying you should put yourself in danger of you find yourself in a similar situation. The first step of administering first aid is to make sure the area is safe. By receiving first aid training, you rehearse the next steps to take depending on what situation you come across. The repetitive nature of the training helps reinforce the correct protocol and will help you respond on auto-pilot should an emergency arise.
Would you know what to do if there was an incident at your work, in the gym, or on the playground that needed first aid? Do you carry a first aid kit with you on long cycle journeys or do you keep one in the boot of your car?
At a bare minimum, I encourage you to take CPR or one day first aid course to learn how to treat common injuries. Another skill to learn is how to use an AED. AEDs are becoming more common in public places in the UK (finally!) such as airports, malls, and sports facilities. Although they do not require a certificate for use (as advised by the Resuscitation Council of the UK), you may feel more comfortable using it if you have a half day lesson. Using CPR or an AED significantly increases the potential of survival for your causality. According to the American Red Cross, for each minute you delay defibrillation on your casualty, the chances of their survival decreases by 10%.
Touch wood, I have yet to perform CPR or use an AED. I have applied plasters (band-aids), wrapped cuts, and put people into a recovery position to prevent shock. Once, I helped a cyclist who fell off his bike and dislocated his shoulder by putting his arm into a sling before police pulled over to help us as we waited for an ambulance to arrive.
If you are not yet first aid certified or took the course a long time ago, I urge you to sign up for a course. Hopefully, you will not have to use your new skills anytime soon, but if you do, you can be confident that you are doing your best to help the people around you.
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