Spring in Your Step!

Don't you just love Spring...the warmer weather, longer days! It is definitely time to move around more outdoors and dust off any cobwebs! After checking out our new website, you may find some excellent opportunities to check out some new club runs while meeting other members. There are quite a number to choose from and it is being updated continually. The club certainly has a lot to offer, whether you are a seasoned "athlete" or beginner.

I would love to take this opportunity to say Good Luck to the ORCA's heading to Boston for the Marathon this weekend. The "pod" of eight running the legendary race on April 16, 2007 consists of Jackie Allen, Faye Amos, Rod Bailey, Lou Barnum, Liz Carroll, Sharon Dawson, Lara Mullen and Shirley Wong. Quite impressive just to qualify, even more exciting to take part!

The final race for this year's Island Series takes place in Sooke this Sunday. With luck our beautiful weather will hold out and Sunday will be a great day for racing! And another Good Luck wish to those competing in that event.
See you out there!

ORCA Clothing

We are looking at the possibility of updating our team singlets, tech shirts and jackets. In the meanwhile, there are a few team singlets in stock, please contact Pam Horbay, our clothing coordinator. The cost is $30.00. Email or phone 738-0447.
Pam also has information should anyone like to have the ORCA logos screened onto personal clothing.

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PLEASE NOTE: CLUB MEMBER CHANGES

It is important that you let Kim Longmuir know if your email address changes. Please call at 248-8515 or email Kim. Kim is the keeper of the Master list of club members; to keep you informed, you must keep her informed!

Have you checked out our new and improved Website? If you have any photos, articles or events, Please email to Ken Peters.
ORCA Webmaster
The site is still at http://www.orcarunning.ca/

Questions or comments regarding the newsletter or if you would like to submit an article, please email Ann McDonald.
ORCA Newsletter Editor

April 15, 2007 at 11:00 am. Sooke River 10k & Series Awards
Sooke
$15.00 Preregistration, $18.00 after Apr 10, $22.00 day-of-race
Contact Jeff George at 250-479-9404


April 21st, 2007. FRONTRUNNERS GutBuster 002
Duncan, BC - Mt. Tzouhalem
5km & 11km
Start: 10:00am. For more info www.gutbustertrailrun.com


April 22, 2007 at 11:00 am. Port Alberni Paper Chase 10K
Cherry Creek Hall, 3720 Moore Rd
Port Alberni
Contact Chris Morrison at (250)724-4612 or http://arrowsmithradicalrunners.com/


May 26th, 2007
Sprint Race added to the Victoria International Half-Iron
Shawnigan Lake
LifeSport Coaching is pleased to announce the addition of a sprint distance triathlon to run simultaneously with their first annual Half-Iron.
The “Sprint at Shawnigan” is comprised of a 500 metre swim in Shawnigan Lake, a 22 kilometre bike ride loop around the lake and a 5 kilometre trail run. This event will be ideal for the early season racer, the novice triathlete, or for those triathletes who prefer sprint distances. It will even include a relay division. It shares the same breathtaking Cowichan Valley setting as the Half–Iron event.
See www.LifeSport.ca for additional information and to register for the SPRINT!


June 2nd, 2007 FRONTRUNNERS GutBuster 003
Victoria, BC - Mt. Douglas
5km & 11km
Start: 10:00am. For more info www.gutbustertrailrun.com


July 15th, 2007 FRONTRUNNERS GutBuster 004
Nanaimo, BC - Westwood Lake
8km & HALF MARATHON
Start: HALF at 9:00am & 8km at 9:30am For more info www.gutbustertrailrun.com

For a full list of Upcoming Races, please visit: Team West Coast

Steps to Get Fit
1. Mind Over Matter
The most important aspect of Fitness is believing in yourself. Nobody can stop you! People only stop themselves. Train your brain to believe! If you can believe in yourself and visualize success- everything else will fall into place-but only through hard work.
2.Goals
Create a plan of action. With each decision about fitness you make, create a long term goal followed by short term goals. The short term goals enable you to achieve the long term goal. Nobody sits down and writes a novel all at once. Each page is a step toward the complete novel just as your short term goals are steps toward your ultimate goal. Each time you achieve a short term goal the success motivates you to keep going, so make lots of goals.
3. Taking Action
Goals show you the road to take, but taking action is actually walking in that direction. No one can walk it for you. This is the point where you make a decision. Will you conquer your weaknesses or will you give up? The answer is up to you.
4. Consistency
Once you have taken action, don't stop. Consistency is the best way to achieve the results you want in the shortest amount of time. We all have great intentions but when things get tough, we tend to quit or make excuses. Being consistent is what makes a person a winner rather than a loser.
5. Partner-Up
You may be asking yourself how you can stay consistent right now. Partnering up with someone who has the same goals as you is the best way to stay consistent. Nothing helps us achieve more than competiton. Striving to be the best gives us the motivation to stay consistent and go beyond our goals. A partner pushes us and encourages us to achieve. If you don't know anyone to partner with, go to your local gym and make friends. There is no excuse to fail at your goals.

Adapted From: EFitness Forum Site Features, at www.efitnessforum.com

Welcome New Members

Deb Baumann
Kathy Bishop
Donna de Bellefeuille
Wendy Marshall
Liz Munro
Doug Pickard
David Roach

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Spring ORCA Run/Scavenger Hunt and Get Together Monday May 14, 2007
6:30 pm: Scavenger Hunt Run starts at the Curling Rink parking lot in Parksville
7:45 pm: Get together at Pacific Brimm Coffee Shop in Parksville (on the one way street)
Please join us at the coffee shop for some visiting even if you cannot make it to the run!
Please RSVP to Melanie by May 8th at mdpeake@hotmail.com.

Stay tuned for our summer run details:
Tentative date set for Monday July 23 with a get together at an Irish Pub!

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Vancouver Island Relay Update

It has been learned that this event will not occur this year. It will hopefully be re-established in 2008. Last year, the club had sponsored membership for a team consisting entirely of ORCA members in the Vancouver Island Relay. This year, that subsidy will be available to ORCA members wishing to participate in the Edge to Edge Relay. The same criteria will apply, there will be a $400.00 maximum for the entry of teams wishing to participate in the relay. If we manage to have more than one team, the money would be split to subsidize the entry fee for each team. Criteria is that all teammates must be members of ORCA.
Please submit by email to Randy Longmuir details of your team registration and include the names of participants.


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Special Discount to ORCA Members

Be sure to visit the following Team ORCA Sponsors:

Outsider - The Outdoors Store, Qualicum Beach 752-6610
-10% off running related products, excluding sale items

Frontrunners, Nanaimo 729-8200 or Victoria
-10% off anything except food, heart rate monitors or sale items

Extreme Runners, Courtenay (250)703-9544
-10% off most products

Body Works Fitness & Tanning, Parksville 248-3346
-20% off gym memberships

Body Sculptors Fitness, Qualicum Beach 752-5553
-$40 for a month membership or a ten punch card

Fitness Connection, Parksville 248-3144
-15% off membership fees

Heaven on Earth Natural Foods, Qualicum Beach 752-3132
-10% off sports nutrition items and vitamins, including items on sale

Arrowsmith Bikes, Nanaimo (behind Earl's) (250) 758-6675
- See Kebble Sheaf or Robin Dutton for 10% off all merchandise.

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President: Randy Longmuir

Past-President and Treasurer: Brenda Light

Membership Director: Kim Longmuir

Secretary: Donna Golding

Events: Melanie Peake

Communications: Ann McDonald

Media Contact: Don Petrie

Webmaster: Ken Peters

ORCA meetings are held every 2 months. If anyone from the club would like to join us, please do so! Goodies are always provided!

Next ORCA Meeting: June 11, 7:30 p.m. at Kim and Randy Longmuir's residence. Please Email Randy or Kim for more details.