The handicapping system was developed based on a team size of 50. (In 2008, the largest team had 81 members, the smallest 2.) The total distance from St. John's to Vancouver is 7.313 kilometres. A team with 50 members would need to cover a 146.2 km. average per person, a reasonable goal. Any shorter and, we feared, a small team made up of serious long distance walkers or runners could have the competition locked up in a few short weeks...right about the time average people are getting warmed up and developing some good fitness habits. What this means is that teams having more than 50 members effectively start the race somewhere out in the Atlantic, swimming to St. John's as it were. (That means the 31 people over and above the 50 in the example of 2008's largest team times 146.2 km. per person = 4,532.2 extra kilometres. That's a lot of swimming!)
Maximum Mileage: No one participant may clock more than 50 km. per week. This is to ensure that the competition is based on a true team effort.
Warning based on experience: Do not sign up if you have no intention of participating. Your teammates will resent having to make up the distance you are responsible for. Sure, they'll be too polite to say anything to your face, but how will you know what they're saying on their lunch hour hoof-around-the-block while you once more hang back with your People magazine and decaf double-double? Hmmm...
Library teams race across the true North strong and free!
Michelle Penta Memorial Canucks Run Amok 2010 Challenge
This year's Canucks Run Amok challenge is dedicated to HPL's dear friend and colleague Michelle. The idea of a virtual race across Canada was Michelle's and she was the key blogger over the last two years. Michelle passed away on December 11, 2009 after a valiant battle with breast cancer.
Weekly Statistics
- Aurora Public Library
- Brantford Public Library
- Burlington Public Library
- Cambridge Public Library
- Grant MacEwan College
- Hamilton Public Library
- Innisfil Public Library
- Kingston Frontenac Public Library
- Manitoba Conservation & Environment Library
- Medicine Hat Public Library
- Mississauga Public Library
- Orangeville Public Library
- Orillia Public Library
- Oshawa Public Library
- Ottawa Public Library
- Parkland Public Library
- Richmond Public Library
- Ryerson University
- Seneca College
- The Alberta Library
- University of Calgary
- University of Guelph
- Westmount Public Library
- Whitby Public Library
The Route - St. John's to Vancouver
FAQs
1. Can I submit mileage for cycling, skating, skiing, swimming (or any other sport besides walking or running)?
No, because to weight these activities in the interest of fairness would be extremely complicated and time consuming for the organizers. We're in our employer's good graces so far and hope to keep it this way. So skaters, swimmers and others, please join your colleagues in a noon hour walk as a bonus to your regular fitness routine (or substitute, as you see fit). This rule will be reconsidered on a case by case basis ONLY if a potential participant has a disability preventing him or her from walking or running.
2. Can I put a pedometer on when I play soccer, basketball or any similar running sport and call that my mileage contribution?
No. Remember it's an imaginary race across Canada. You have to move forward to get there. Besides which, we cannot necessarily interpet which sports would be acceptable: a sport that involves "running" such as softball does not usually offer much in the way of fitness, although it may for some people. We prefer to keep it simple and ask you to add some walking or running to your regular sports routine.
3. When do I submit my mileage and to whom?
You must submit your mileage on the Monday following the week you are tracking. Submit it to your captain, who will submit it to the organizers by Wednesday, 4:00 p.m. Eastern. We will post it on Thursday.
4. Why is there a limit to the number of kilometres a person can submit each week?
This rule was introduced in 2009 to encourage teamwork. If one individual on a team regularly clocks extreme distances, there is no onus on the team as a whole to work together. Keeping up with the competition is a great motivator, but the point of the contest is to encourage as many people as possible to be fit and have fun. Beginning this year, no one participant can submit more than 50 km. per week.
5. Where do I get a pedometer?
You can get a pedometer at any large department store or at places like The Source, or at sports stores. Experts tell us that freebie pedometers (say, like those in cereal boxes) can be off by up to 25%. (!!!) Your best bet is to go for a mid-priced pedometer from a sports store. Hopefully you'll keep using it once the race is over, making it a very good investment. However, remember that if you do not want to get a pedometer, try http://www.mapmyrun.com/ and follow the instructions there for a simple tool to track your mileage.
6. How will we know how our team is doing?
Watch the blog. We'll update it weekly.
7. What if I am sick or go on holidays or am blocked in the house by snow? What do I submit?
There is no obligation to submit mileage each week. Do the best you can. Be aware, however, that if you NEVER submit, the rest of your team has to cover your part of the mileage. Don't sign up if you are not committed to participating at least some of the time.
8. Can I use a treadmill?
Yes. It's Canada, remember. Especially important for Albertans and New Brunswickians (?).
9. Can I use an elliptical trainer?
Yes.
10. My question isn't answered here. What do I do?
Email us: canucksrunamok@gmail.com
No, because to weight these activities in the interest of fairness would be extremely complicated and time consuming for the organizers. We're in our employer's good graces so far and hope to keep it this way. So skaters, swimmers and others, please join your colleagues in a noon hour walk as a bonus to your regular fitness routine (or substitute, as you see fit). This rule will be reconsidered on a case by case basis ONLY if a potential participant has a disability preventing him or her from walking or running.
2. Can I put a pedometer on when I play soccer, basketball or any similar running sport and call that my mileage contribution?
No. Remember it's an imaginary race across Canada. You have to move forward to get there. Besides which, we cannot necessarily interpet which sports would be acceptable: a sport that involves "running" such as softball does not usually offer much in the way of fitness, although it may for some people. We prefer to keep it simple and ask you to add some walking or running to your regular sports routine.
3. When do I submit my mileage and to whom?
You must submit your mileage on the Monday following the week you are tracking. Submit it to your captain, who will submit it to the organizers by Wednesday, 4:00 p.m. Eastern. We will post it on Thursday.
4. Why is there a limit to the number of kilometres a person can submit each week?
This rule was introduced in 2009 to encourage teamwork. If one individual on a team regularly clocks extreme distances, there is no onus on the team as a whole to work together. Keeping up with the competition is a great motivator, but the point of the contest is to encourage as many people as possible to be fit and have fun. Beginning this year, no one participant can submit more than 50 km. per week.
5. Where do I get a pedometer?
You can get a pedometer at any large department store or at places like The Source, or at sports stores. Experts tell us that freebie pedometers (say, like those in cereal boxes) can be off by up to 25%. (!!!) Your best bet is to go for a mid-priced pedometer from a sports store. Hopefully you'll keep using it once the race is over, making it a very good investment. However, remember that if you do not want to get a pedometer, try http://www.mapmyrun.com/ and follow the instructions there for a simple tool to track your mileage.
6. How will we know how our team is doing?
Watch the blog. We'll update it weekly.
7. What if I am sick or go on holidays or am blocked in the house by snow? What do I submit?
There is no obligation to submit mileage each week. Do the best you can. Be aware, however, that if you NEVER submit, the rest of your team has to cover your part of the mileage. Don't sign up if you are not committed to participating at least some of the time.
8. Can I use a treadmill?
Yes. It's Canada, remember. Especially important for Albertans and New Brunswickians (?).
9. Can I use an elliptical trainer?
Yes.
10. My question isn't answered here. What do I do?
Email us: canucksrunamok@gmail.com
How a Handicap is Assigned
To enable smaller teams to participate in Canucks Run Amok, we assign handicaps to even the playing field. By our calculations (using Google Maps), the distance from St. John's to Vancouver following the TransCanada Highway is 7,313 km. We began by imagining a team participating with 50 members whose members would average 146.26 km. to cover the total distance, all things being equal (7313 divided by 50). Therefore if another team has only 10 members, they would only need to cover 1,462 km. (10 x 146.2) and would start the race not in St. John's, but some 1,462 km. east of Vancouver. In other words, they are given the distance between St. John's and that starting point "for free" at the beginning. Of course, a team made up of one person would start approximately at Hope, BC, which is 150 km. east of Vancouver. A team bigger than 50 would have to multiply the number of participants over and above 50 by the same average (146.26) and start the race even farther away than St. John's (i.e., in the ocean). It is anticipated that some members will walk or run further than 146.2 kilometres and others will walk or run less than this distance.
About Us
- ...
- Canucks Run Amok is brought to you by the Social Committee of Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, Ontario. This contest is in its third year as an outgrowth of a very successful "Fitness Challenge" we organized among HPL staff. The Fitness Challenge had an excellent participation rate and succeeded in helping many staff to attain or maintain a desired level of fitness and health through mutual support and friendly competition. In 2008 we decided to change some aspects of the challenge and open it up to libraries across Canada, the rationale being "the more, the merrier"! Now we are back for a third national race. Have you got your team together?
No comments:
Post a Comment