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iRun because of the peace and strength it brings meMichelle Jordan, Ottawa, ON

iRun because it reminds me of how strong I can be Monique Lavoie, Ontario

iRun iRun for my heart, so it runs for me! Cathy Brzoza, British Columbia

iRun iRun to eat more, especially sweet potatoe fries Joanna Skomra, Ontario

iRun because my heart tells me to William Martin, Manitoba

iRun iRun so that I can live longer and stronger Derek MacPhail, Ontario

iRun because it’s fun when it’s done Sue Matte, Ontario

iRun because iEat Sherry Maligaspe, British Columbia

iRun iRun because couch potatoes die young Cathy Andrew, Ontario

iRun to get to know myself, my strength and my spirit Lisa Groulx, Ontario

iRun because it gets my husband out there Tricia LaLonde, Alberta

iRun because I need it to soothe the soul, keep me in shape and for overall wellbeingBeth Neil, Lombardy, ON

iRun iRun slowly! Jason Hoffman, Manitoba

iRun iRun because it's a great stress release Brooke McKenzie, Yukon

iRun away from the negative and towards the positive Teri Lepard, Alberta

iRun because couch potatoes die young Cathy Andrew, Ontario

iRun for relaxation and to motivate my two sonsKeith Bradbury, Newfoundland

iRun because I want to live to be 100! Colette DeJean, Ontario

iRun because not everyone can Olivia Harvey, New Brunswick

iRun iRun to kickstart my day Sharon Strueby, Saskatchewan

iRun iRun to maintain a strong physical and mental state Tammy Rainville, Ontario

iRun because it has saved my life John Marshall, Alberta

iRun because I want to qualify for Boston and raise money for charities near and dear to my heartChristine Gracel, Calgary, AB

iRun iRun because it's cheaper than therapy Leah Boulter, Alberta

iRun iRun for the individual pursuit Robert Pelletier, New Brunswick

iRun because I like buying running clothes Pamela Blaikie, Ontario

iRun because somebody once told me I couldn’t Heidi Abbey-Der, Saskatchewan

iRun to stay fit and release those running endorphinsLiliana Plava, Calgary, AB

iRun to challenge myself, physically and mentallyKathleen Keenan, Brampton, ON

iRun because iLoves my man Beverly Huang, Alberta

iRun and run, and run, and run, and nobody can stop me Andrei Lucaciu, Ontario

iRun iRun for relaxation and to motivate my two sons Keith Bradbury, Newfoundland

iRun to stay ahead of the weight gainMyra Abstreiter, Alberta

iRun iRun to challenge my perceived limitations Cassandra Williams, Ontario

iRun to unleash my inner athleteAdelle Densham, Avonmore, ON

iRun to inspire my kids to tryGlen Johnston, Nunavut

iRun for meKiza Francis, Ottawa,ON

iRun because it makes me feel powerful Sarah Kallaghan, Alberta

iRun iRun to eat Maureen Tritscher, Alberta

iRun but not enoughMichael Shaw, New Westminister, BC

iRun because running is like breathing to Stephanie McEvoy, Ontario

iRun iRun because I learn more about who I am with every km Steph Mansell, Quebec

iRun because it’s in meMichael Foley, Stittsville, ON

iRun iRun because i love to Mirella Petriello, Ontario

iRun because it makes me feel good, allows me to spend time with my friends and gives me a feeling of accomplishmentHelen Kolodziejzyk, Calgary, AB

iRun iRun because somebody once told me I couldn't Heidi Abbey-Der, Saskatchewan

iRun therefore I amDuncan Walsh, Nottingham, UK

iRun iRun because I like to be healthy Melanie Oickle, New Brunswick

iRun because it’s like flying, only lower Glenn Johnson, Ontario

iRun so I can eat ice cream Sandy Bolan, Ontario

iRun because the wall is meant to be broken Jonathan Bird, Ontario

iRun iRun because it's better than almost everything else Nathan Carey, Ontario

iRun for the moment when both feet are off the ground Catherine Anderson, British Columbia

iRun because I can and I’m gratefulTerry SanCartier, Gatineau, QC

iRun because people around me inspire mePina Bevilacqua, Caledon, ON

iRun because it gives my day a boost of energy Sara Campbell, Nova Scotia

iRun because it makes me whole Denis Ladouceur, Quebec

iRun because I can’t dance Mario Javier, Ontario

iRun because it makes me a better person, a better wife, a better mother and a better friendNathalie Joncas-Caissie, St-Antoine, NB

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iRun because all the ladies are chasing my sexy runner’s bodyChris Baker, Etobicoke, ON

iRun slowly!Jason Hoffman, Manitoba

iRun iRun all the livelong day Pierre Saint-Laurent, Québec

iRun see where my feet will take me todayMegan Dolinskas, New York

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iRun iRun because it sure beats the bus Robin Robbins, Alberta

iRun for health, iRun for life Pat Cheung, British Columbia

iRun because I’ve lost 80 lbs and running has become fun Cheryl Kelly, Ontario

iRun because it cleans up my life, because I drink more water, sleep better and eat healthier foodsRobin McIntyre, Ottawa, ON

iRun iRun to challenge my mind, body and soul Sonia Mendes, Ontario

iRun because it’s better than almost everything else Nathan Carey, Ontario

iRun because I never thought I would be able toGary Morris, Winnipeg, MB

iRun iRun because endorphins are free Cassandra Chouinard, Ontario

iRun iRun because it is my tonic and my salvation Georgia Ioannou, British Columbia

iRun iRun to satisfy the irresistible urge Tim Nixon, British Columbia

iRun because it is my tonic and my salvation Georgia Ioannou, British Columbia

iRun at 50 years old because at 43 I couldn’t Peter Cicalo, Ontario

iRun to my happy place and some days it’s very Doreen May, Alberta

iRun iRun to inspire my children! Wendy Bowen, Manitoba

iRun because it reminds me that I am capable of so much more than I have doneJames Sauve, Ottawa, ON

iRun to prove to myself I canLesley McGougan, Brampton, ON

iRun iRun because it helps me see things more clearly Jennifer Pitts, Ontario

iRun iRun to feel great Kathryn Rachar, Saskatchewan

iRun because I learn more about who I am with every kmSteph Mansell, Quebec

iRun because I cannot say no to a second slice of chocolate cakeEmily Shandruk, Vancouver, BC

iRun iRun because I love the sense of accomplishment Amber Moase, Nova Scotia

iRun to someday win the race Lindy Dunlop, Yukon

iRun so my daughters know that they can, too Shelley Kirkpatrick, New Brunswick

iRun because when I run I feel most aliveMeghan Lynch, Ottawa, ON

iRun because endorphins are freeCassandra Chouinard, Ontario

iRun iRun for me! Judi Wearing, Saskatchewan

iRun iRun because iEat Sherry Maligaspe, British Columbia

iRun iRun at 50 years old because at 43 I couldn't Peter Cicalo, Ontario

iRun iRun away from the abyss Charlene Thomas, Ontario

iRun iRun to correct years of sedentary living! Mike Scott, Ontario

iRun iRun for the challenge and to remember to fully live Pascale Synnott, Québec

iRun iRun because it gives me freedom to relax my brain Marie-Claude Gregoire, Nova Scotia

iRun because pecan pie, french fries and beer are chasing meTeresa Sterling, Ottawa , ON

iRun because I get foot rubs afterward Kate Howerton, British Columbia

iRun because I want to be a role model for our six kids Catherine Empey, British Columbia

iRun so I don’t say never ever again Linda Klaric, Manitoba

iRun to be free and enjoy our beautiful countryCheryl Carter, Clearwater , BC

iRun because it’s a great way to see the world Sherry Mahoney, British Columbia

iRun because I liveGeorges Schneller, Laval, QC

iRun to prove to them that iCan Catherine Smith, Manitoba

iRun because it gives me freedom to relax my brainMarie-Claude Gregoire, Nova Scotia

iRun because it makes me feel powerfulCarlene Paquette, Carp, ON

iRun iRun for the fresh air and adrenalin Charlyn McGregor, Saskatchewan

iRun for the challenge to go faster and farther Steven Matejka, Alberta

iRun for the cool t-shirts! Pina Bevilacqua, Ontario

iRun iRun because walking is too slow Barry Knapp, Ontario

iRun because there is no finish line Claire Kilgour, Ontario

iRun because food tastes better afterwards Patrick Houston, Alberta

iRun because it’s cheaper than therapy Leah Boulter, Alberta

iRun whenever I feel the need to escape Iona Hillis, Ontario

iRun because I am not as clumsy I thought I was Hanna Baer, Quebec

iRun iRun because I like buying running clothes Pamela Blaikie, Ontario


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Healthy food, one week at a time: Top Canadian marathoner and busy mom Tania Jones shares her secrets to mealtime success

As an elite athlete, I have experienced the pitfalls of poor nutritional habits as well as the value of clean, healthy eating to fuel world-class performances. Now, as a wife and mother, I feel obliged to deliver the best meals possible to my family.

Food is the foundation for our family's health. And yet our modern lifestyle overwhelms us with demands, making it challenging to fit in the selection and preparation of healthy foods.

I'd like to let you in on a little secret that I have discovered: The key to feeding my family right lies in how I plan and prepare meals. Improvements in my meal planning and preparation process have ensured that the good food we wish to eat is actually being made and consumed!

Every Sunday, I spend two to three hours doing the majority of food preparation for the entire week. I cook once a week and prepare food for the whole family to last for five weekdays. Here are the key components to my successful weekly food approach.

Plan first and keep it simple

I have a five-day meal plan that covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus healthy snacks. My plan is to cook one stew that lasts two days, one stir fry that lasts two days and a salmon meal. In the end, I'm actually only cooking three meals that cover five days.

I also prep the lunch sandwich mixes all at once, such as egg or tuna salad. I chop up veggies and fruit to last several days as well.

I discovered patterns in our tastes and eating habits. While we may believe that we want a lot of variety, the truth was that we were using a few recipes repeatedly. I've built a plan for three individual weeks which meets all my family's suggestions. I simply repeat in three-week cycles.

Think efficiency

My rule is: Shop, cut, cook and clean only once. I have the food delivered, but even if I bring it home from the grocery store, I try to plan my day so that I prep the food before it goes into the fridge.

I block out two to three hours on Sunday afternoon. The delivery of groceries arrives in the morning. Everyone else has to leave the house or find independent projects to work on and so that I have this dedicated preparation time.

Quick turnaround

Because the main meals are prepared in advance, I can have everything on the table quickly each night. I find when our family gets home, we are ready to eat right away. It seems that even 30 minutes is too long to wait for dinner some nights before we get into snacks. With this approach, I just warm everything up and within five minutes, the family is eating.

The five-day window

Cooked food lasts about five days in the refrigerator (except for items that contain egg or milk). This allows me to prepare up to five days of meals for my family at one time. Initially, I was wary of eating food prepared five days earlier - my understanding was to keep food a maximum of three days - but it's completely fine.

Special needs

Every family has unique nutritional needs, even if it's as simple as having kids who are four or 13 years old. The weekly plan has to take into consideration goals such as weight loss or gain, allergies, energy levels, vegetarian and fussy eaters. Plus, don't forget to consider scheduling conflicts such as post-school soccer games which require mobile meals to keep young athletes fed.

Get coaching help

Few of us were taught how to prepare food by an expert in the field. I am a self-taught cook who started by observing mom in the kitchen, followed by years of experimentation and reading lots of magazines and books.

Just as coaching has been essential to my running success, getting someone to come in and give me new ideas and approaches has helped my meal preparation. And if you are as frustrated as I was with meal planning and preparation, you need to do something to improve it. A chef costs the same as a personal trainer on an hourly basis. This may be money well-spent, since a two-hour visit could transform your whole culinary approach.

With my new approach to meal preparation, I am thrilled to no longer be starting each day figuring out what my family and I will eat at the end of the day. The weekly meal plans streamline the planning immensely, and my family has a variety of cooked meals to select from when they get home. Clean-up after dinner is also very easy as there are no cutting boards, knives and pans to clean. With a little help and some careful planning, I've created time and energy during the week to enjoy evenings with my family. Hopefully, so can you!

 

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