by Julia Pemberton

Sue Johnstone owner of The Ridgefield Fitness Club, along with Ridgefielders Kate and Nick Lieder, hosted a fundraiser Spin-A-Thon and Zumba-Thon at the RFC to raise funds and awareness for the Connecticut Challenge, an organization whose mission is to empower cancer survivors to live healthier, happier and longer lives by creating and funding programs, offering credible resources and building a community of support.

Veteran extreme endurance athlete Christian McEvoy, who ran across the country in 2007 to raise funds to support cancer survivors, guest taught to a packed spinning class. Over $3000 was raised to support the cancer survivorship programs of the Connecticut Challenge.

“We are grateful for the support of Sue and her team at the RFC who organized a great event along with Kate and Nick Lieder, members of the CT Challenge Family who have led Team Lulu/Family Survivor in the CT Challenge bike ride since we began back in 2005, and to all who participated in the event,” said Julia Pemberton, Director of the CT Challenge Survivorship Network. “Cancer touches us all in some way. The support of individuals and business from all corners of Connecticut is critical to our ability to support survivorship programs that will provide essential survivorship care to cancer survivors all across the state, in close proximity to their local communities.”

About the Connecticut Challenge

The Connecticut Challenge was founded in 2005 to create supportive care resources for cancer survivors in Connecticut. The organization currently supports survivorship programs at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, Stamford Hospital, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and Yale Cancer Center. The CT Challenge also provides research grants, sponsors medical symposiums and promotes survivor education and awareness events.

Their website CTChallenge.org is a comprehensive resource for survivors to find out about the issues they may face and to locate programs and services that can help them. The site also provides information about survivorship services offered by members of the CT Challenge Survivorship Network. Members include leading hospitals around the state.

The organization raises money primarily through the annual Connecticut Challenge charity bike ride. To date more than $3mm has been raised to support survivorship programs. To learn more please visit www.ctchallenge.org.

Like many Ridgefielders, my family is putting a serious effort into “reducing our carbon footprint;” we recycle, carry reusable bags and bottles, donate furniture, books, clothes and shoes, and use organic food and cleaning supplies, when possible.  Although we are nowhere near perfect, we are trying but one of our stumbling blocks is, used sporting equipment.  We donate during local drives, and “hand-down” as much as possible, but we still have a barn full of slightly-too small or -too big, not quite right, or just plain, unused equipment.  And with three children who play sports almost year-round, it adds-up!

One of the culprits of my cluttered barn is hockey equipment, specifically Ridgefield Lions  hockey equipment – all those shin guards, helmets, chest pads, skates and even some goalie equipment, can take up space!  This is my 10th, yes, 10th year of having a child on ice, and my 6th year of having a hockey player, or 3, not bad for a girl from the South, but this fact only serves the purpose of a visual for the state of our barn.

For some reason, most hockey players want their own equipment, and I find very few takers for our used stuff.  So, I am always on the lookout for “ways to re-purpose equipment.”  I’ve seen picture frames from broken sticks, wall-hangings from hockey sweaters, hats and bags from old hockey socks… but the best “reusing” I’ve ever seen is:  a sweater for a dog.

That’s Pixie, a shelter rescue from New Milford, wearing an old,Ridgefield Lions hockey sock, re-purposed as a dog coat!

Any other recycling ideas for my used equipment?  I’d love to hear.

“Personal Training and Spinning has been the focus since opening our doors,” explains owner and founder of Elevation Spinning and Personal Training, Michelle Maturo. This November Elevation celebrates three years as a vibrant fitness business where strength, endurance and cardiovascular training combined with careful attention to the needs of each client, has created a loyal customer base.

The bright, inviting, state of the art facility, located on Old Mill Road in Georgetown, Ct  houses a fully equipped  training facility and large spinning room with three personal trainers and twelve spin instructors on staff. “The growth in the 3 years has been tremendous, in peak season the spin schedule has grown from 12 classes to 17/week and personal Training has grown from 25 clients to 35-40/week,” explains Maturo.  This fall, Elevation will offer 17 weekly spin classes. 

Along with the growth of this workout haven comes another reason to celebrate: an expansion. Maturo has recently acquired additional space and will soon offer clients another way to heighten their fitness level. “With 900 square feet of space in the back of the building, we will introduce TRX  and Kettlebells, both modalities very sought after in the industry,” says Maturo.

TRX, Total Body Resistance Exercise, Suspension Training allows for hundreds of functional exercises to be combined thus creating a unique and challenging training program. Using your own body resistance TRX builds strength, balance, flexibility and core stability. ” Basically it’s a huge “bang for your buck” exercise that is easy to regress or progress with each client,” explains Maturo.

Kettlebell Clinics is a traditional Russian training tool that challenges both the muscular and cardiovascular systems with dynamic, total body movements. According to Maturo,  this type of exercise is beneficial for all forms of strengthening, especially those required for functional and athletic activities.

The beauty of Maturo’s services is that they’re “a la carte”.  “Elevation is not a “gym” there is no initiation fee,” explains Maturo. After taking your introductory TRX class you can purchase a package of 10 at $250 ($25) class or 20 at $400 ($20). “We have priced it higher than a spinning package due to the learning curve and the individual attention required by the instructor in a group setting,” says Maturo.

“My mission to stay on the cutting edge in the fitness industry is my reason for adding the TRX to my expansion. The Wall Street journal is just one media source talking about it this week”, explains Maturo.

Please visit www.elevationspin.com or call 203-544-9503 fall schedules and learn more about TRX introductory classes. Also, take a look at the WSJ story on TRX  clinics.  To learn more about TRX visit www.fitnessanywhere.com

The A.C.L. is a small, rubber-band-like fiber, no bigger than a little finger that attaches to the femur in the upper leg and the tibia in the lower leg and stabilizes the knee. When it ruptures, the reconstructive surgery is complicated and the rehabilitation painful and long. It usually takes six to nine months to return to competition, even for professional athletes.

“Just because a kid is good at a sport does not mean she has the foundational strength or movement patterns to stand up to constant play,” explains Herzog.  Herzog’s program has direct parallels with the research focused on biomechanics (the way athletes move)  because gait patterns can be modified, unlike anatomical characteristics.

Herzog points out that in his empirical research, girls have insufficient core muscle strength, balance and overall coordination to play safely. Their movement patterns put their knees and possibly their ankles, hips and backs at risk for injury. “One goal is to strengthen abdominal muscles, which help set the whole body in protective athletic positions, and to improve balance through a series of plyometric exercises- forward, backward and lateral hops,” states Herzog.

Herzog stresses the importance of training girls in their early teens. “Once something is learned neurally, it is never unlearned; It’s why motor skills are retained even after serious injuries,” he explains.

For more information go to www.herzogbodytech.com or call 203-438-1190

That’s right, Ridgefield Car Wash!

The Soccer Club of Ridgefield’s U-14 Girls Team will be at the car wash from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday, August 28th holding an old-fashion bake sale fundraiser for their team trip to Portugal.  There will be cookies, brownies, candies and other treats — something for every member of the family.  It’s the perfect time to get your car washed, waxed and vacuumed; and enjoy some treats — outside of your car — before leaving with a sparkling car, something for dessert on Saturday night and your “tummy” purring!

For many families, the summer revolves around a pool — private, public, neighborhood or home — and at most, kids can join the “swim team.”  The swim team usually has a short season (4 to 6 weeks) with daily practices, meets, fun team events, and culminates in, championships.  For my daughter, this is the perfect amount of swimming for her summer, but for others, they want to swim when other kids are playing hockey, soccer and baseball.  Here in Ridgefield, swimming at the Ridgefield Aquatic Club (RAC) is offered year-round.

For those interested in swimming when others are wearing mittens and hats, RAC is for you.  RAC is a competitive swim program with the mission of empowering young people to be champions both in and out of the water.  Their programs offer swimmers many levels of competition (transition from swimming lessons to Masters), all geared to inspire excellence in all ages and abilities.  Not only does RAC teach and develop swimming skills, the coaches provide participants with an enjoyable, team-oriented experience while highlighting each swimmer’s value to the team.

Tryouts for the fall swimming session are August 30th and 31st from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm, and September 11th from 10 am to 11 am.  All tryouts are held at the Barlow Mountain Pool, 115 Barlow Mountain Road.  If you are interested, don’t hesitate to contact, RAC, for more information.

The above photo is of members of the Lakeside Field Club’s Swim Team, North Salem, New York.

A Ridgefield mom proved this summer that determination, dedication and hard work can make a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer.

Just after dawn on a beautiful Saturday morning in July, Ridgefielder Bethann McGrath and 700 other swimmers jumped into the Long Island Sound to raise money for cancer research as part  Swim Across America, Inc., (SAA).   Each swimmer must elect to swim 1, 4 or 6 miles, and must commit to raising at least $500; all the money raised from the Long Island swim goes to the Swim Across America Laboratory at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, their Cancer Support Team, and Columbia University Medical Center.  Since 1987, SAA has been dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming- related events. With the help of hundreds of volunteers nationwide and past and current Olympians, SAA is helping find a cure for cancer through athleticism, community outreach and direct service.

In the above picture, Bethann is on the right, and pictured with her friend and training partner, Courtney Robin, a 5-time SAA participant.

Herzog’s extensive experience led to his development of “AXIS CORE®”, a mathematical equation to predict and change behavior, as well as a Quantum Reaction Theory: COLOR CODING DNA®, to help better understand the foundation of the makeup of an individual in regard to performance.  What may seem at the surface, abstract, Herzog has brought to art and science. For instance, what would you look like if you were represented by a color or many colors?

Herzog  has broken the code of Lance Armstrong’s-foundation for his performance with a painting and is donating the proceeds to Sloan Kettering for cancer research. You can learn more about this geometrical mathematical equation and take a look at the artistic representation by clicking here.

People can donate by calling Herzog @ 203-438-1190 or emailing greg@lancearmstrong-foundation.com. Proceeds go to Sloan Kettering Pediatric Unit.

www.lancearmstrong-foundation.com

Eleven year old gymnast, Emma Kirchner, has found success this summer as a 13-and-under diver for Lakeside Field Club in North Salem, New York, and the transition was a natural one.

Emma began competitive gymnastics at the age of 7, and currently trains as a Level 8 gymnast at Arena Gymnastics in Stamford.  Last year, she was the State Champion for that level and qualified to represent Connecticut at the Regional Championships.

Good luck, Emma — both in the gym and in the pool!

by Terri Woods Garlick

Answer:  Complete a 191 mile relay race!

On May 21st and 22nd, the “Ridgefield Racy Ladies” ran 191 miles in the New England Ragnar Relay — from Branford, Connecticut to Foxboro, Massachusetts.  Each team member ran three legs, ranging between 3 and 8 miles.  Originally billed as a Yale to Harvard Relay, the New England Ragnar Relay raised money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hartford.

The Racy Ladies finished in 30 hours and 8 minutes.  When not running, the team members rode along the race course in two vans labeled, “12 Moms, 35 Kids, 85 missed games, 1,200 missed e-mails.” The race was physically and mentally demanding, but legs varied in difficulty, and the team members chose which legs they would run.

Congratulations Ridgefield Racy Ladies!!!

Pictured are team members (back row) Betsy Fitzpatrick, Cathy Snopkowski, Kristen Hoban, Beth Munnelly, Kim Marshall, Bea O’Malley, Kathy Lang, Deb Povinelli, (front row) Noreen Papa, Jacqué Lang, Kathy Panageas and Lisa Haden.