Proud to announce that I have been selected as a 2015 @rbcrun4thekids ambassador. Follow me as I raise awareness on my passion for running and youth mental health. Give them a follow and register for a 5km, 7km and 15km run! #toronto #rbc #rbcrun4thekids #running #ambassador

Click the link below for more information:

http://support.rbcrunforthekids.ca/site/PageServer?pagename=RFTK15_home

My Nike Women's 15km Toronto Experience - @nikewomen

I received an email early last week from Athletics Canada asking if I wanted an entry to the Nike Womens 15km. Obviously I said yes as this is an amazing event and I also knew that entries were limited. Did you know you actually get entered into a draw to run it. Not only did I get a VIP bracelet for the ferry over to the island but the bracelet gave me access to all sorts of things like access to the VIP tent, Nike escort to the start line, cocktails and lunch afterwards. They really rolled out the red carpet for us. This was especially great to be in the tent since the morning started of pretty cold and rainy.

I have never claimed to be a long distance runner. I am from a sprinting background. That means short distances and lots of rest in ideal training conditions. Im definitely not experienced running in long steady state races like a 15km. With that being said I ran a Red Bull Wings For Life event that I also ended up running 15km. The weather was much nicer. At the start line it literally started pouring. They had us in the gate by 9:15am the latest. Since I am obsessed with being punctual I as there by 9:05am. However the race didn't start until 9:30am. Ideally for me I would have preferred to stay warm much closer to the start. They had lots of brand ambassadors, master trainers and Olympians on hand that were introduced and spoke before the race. That was very motivating and inspiring. The rain actually stopped after the first few km's in. Thank goodness!

My goal was to run close to the time I ran for my previous 15km. 1 hour and 30 minutes. I finished in 1:32 minutes. Despite a bad knee and something major going on with my gluteus I was a happy camper. I played Spotify the whole way which kept me very motivated. I even saw my good friend Dj Nora Tones at the 8km mark and hopped in her booth to say hi for a few seconds. My fav part of the race was running down the Toronto Island runway where the planes take off. There were also lots of cool views of Toronto on the boardwalk for the last couple of kms. I really wanted to stop for a picture but I also promised myself I would run the whole way. I will have to go back on another day to enjoy the scenery (it was my first time on the island.

One of the most motivating things about the Nike Women's 15km Toronto experience was that another thing that kept me motivated to finish was that there was a TIFFANY's NECKLACE waiting at the finish line for each and every finisher. Now if that isn't motivating for someone who dislikes long distance running (take a look at the shirt I wore) I don't know what is!!!

Another mistake I made was that I wore my number on my back (its what we do as sprinters). This was a bad idea because all of the race photography was sorted by number. So I had to email www.gamefacemedia.com who were so kind and helpful. They helped me that same day find my pictures from the event! So a huge thank you to the kind gentleman who took the time to help me.

Overall I give the event an 8/10. I wish I could have gotten to the start gate a little later than the required us there so I could have stayed warmer in the rain. Other than that I highly recommend this race. It was fun, inspiring and an over all great experience. I am better for it. #betterforit

Recap of the TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes for JDRF

What a great event for support of Diabetes and the JDRF. The walk was so unique you even got your own FITBIT! Thank you for the invite TELUS!

The Background

This was the 8^th year of TELUS’ title sponsorship of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s (JDRF) signature, nationwide fundraising event, the TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes. As you likely know, the walk raises money for JDRF to continue funding critical research to find a cure for diabetes and its complications. This research helps develop advanced treatments to improve the lives of people living with Type 1 Diabetes.

The TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes is also a signature event in our TELUS Days of Giving initiative. In its 10^th year, TELUS Days of Giving brings together 16,000 team members, retirees, family and friends across Canada and around the world to volunteer for local causes of their choice to make positive, heartfelt and lasting connections within the community. As a company that is dedicated to health and technology, the Walk to Cure Diabetes is a cause that’s especially close to our hearts.

The Challenge

The challenge, if you were keen to accept it, is to sign up for your local walk and encourage your friends, family and online community to join you. But that’s not all. We also want to provide you with a Fitbit, courtesy of TELUS, so you can prepare for the walk and track your progress.

The hashtags used were #actsofgood and #TELUSWalk hashtags and the @telus handle.

The Goal

The goal is simple –they wanted to get as many Canadians as possible walking for a cure and helping raise to awareness for the amazing work being done by the JDRF. They also encouraged people to donate to this very important cause.

We believe a cure will be found within our lifetime, but we must work together to be successful. Your help will bring us one step closer to finding a cure.  

Check out some of the photos from the event below:

Who is Alicia Bell? She is a Toronto based Social Media Influencer, Kinesiologist, Strength Coach and Track and Field Coach who has devoted her life to helping people reach their goals in fitness and sport. She is a nationally recognized track and field coach who coached team Canada at the Maccabi games in Israel in July of 2013. She lead the team to 13 medals.  Alicia has over 10 years of practical and educational experience and is a published Fitness model for Zenzation with her pictures gracing their equipment and she leads their product DVD instruction.

Alicia has experience working with many types of clientele. She has worked as a Kinesiologist and an Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist. She is also experienced at weight loss, strength training, toning and athletic conditioning. She has worked with clients such as Dwight Howard (NBA), Rashad McCants (Former NBA), Geoff Harris (Olympic 800m runner), Lil Jon (Rapper/Dj), Karla Moy aka HustleGrl, Hill Harper (actor, author) and even the mother of the Toronto rapper Drake.

Alicia Bell and Telus Present - Living Better With Samsung S6

I have such a busy schedule! Not only am I a personal trainer in busy downtown Toronto, Canada,  but I also work for a water company (GP8 Sportwater) and I am also an athlete who trains to compete in the Ontario Physique Association (OPA) bikini category.

My life is filled with fitness, nutrition, travelling and social interactions. Sometimes it is hard to keep track of not only my own goals and activities but also my clients and other business adventures. I have to keep a very tight schedule, so for me timing is everything.

Since getting the new Samsung S6 from Telus  I have been living better! I love to take pictures and video of my clients training, my own workouts, the food I eat and the day to day activities and events that I attend. I have found that the Samsung S6 really captures these moments. Its dynamic, ultra-responsive camera captures the true-to-life brilliance of any moment throughout my day. It also has a quick launch camera so that I can pull out my phone and quickly (under a second) launch the camera to take an in the moment photo.

Another convenient feature for me is the quick unlock finger print option. Instead of keying in a password (which you can also do) you can use your very own finger print to quickly unlock your phone. It was very easy to set up and when I need to open my phone fast to read a message it only takes a quick second  to unlock from being secure.

Another one of my favourite features is that it has a super charger. What does this mean? It means that because I am always on the go I can plug the S6 in for just 10 minutes and get up to 4 hours of battery life!!!! When you take as much photos as I do and you are constantly travelling from one place to another and listening to music this is crucial. I don't have the time to leave my phone plugged in for hours at a time.

The apps that I have found useful on the Samsung for my busy and active lifestyle are:

S- Health: This app you can personalize and sync your health data with your Samsung account. You can choose your personal units of measurements and receive notifications of events in the status bar. Within the app you can download extra things. I use the Workout Trainer (if I need a quick workout for myself), Recipes & Nutrition(for finding healthy recipes) and the Hydro Coach (for recording my water intake). There are so many useful apps to help with staying on track and these three are just a few. You can completely personalize the S Health and the apps that you use within it for whatever your goals are.

The phone can also counts your daily step count and allows you to adjust your goals for the count. I have it at 10, 000 steps per day. The only downfall is that if you don't have the watch to go with the phone you have to have the phone in your hand or in your pocket for it to keep track.

The sleep tracker is also key. As an athlete and trainer I cannot express how important sleep can be. If you don't get enough sleep your body will be high in cortisol. A stress released hormone that can trigger your body to store fat. Keeping track of your sleep will help you with your fitness goals.

Another awesome feature with the phone is that it actually has a heart rate sensor that allows you to instantly measure your heart rate and record it. This is great when training because it allows you to check if you are working in the right zone for your goals when you are doing an intense training or cardio session.

I also use the food recording within the S Health application. This can let you see what you are eating and how many calories are in it. Its great to achieve your goals. Whats also really cool is that if you haven't recorded anything for the day it will ask you if you feel like tracking your food? It will also remind you. Which is great if you are as busy as I am and often forget.

Check out the phone for yourself in this video from Samsung:

GIVEAWAY CONTEST AND ENTRY INFORMATION

Caseys Blog.

Fast Track - Fresh Foam Zante - @newbalancecanda

You think your day is tough? Watch Alicia, Kinesiologist and strength coach put herself and her students through the paces.

It's crazy to think of where I've come from and all the things that I have accomplished. This commercial was icing on the cake. I have been truly blessed. There is so much more to come. Thank you to all those who have supported me over my journey thus far.

#trainitright

5 expert running tips from Polar

Reach your runner’s high

Now’s the time to hit the streets and running trails! Whether you’re a novice or in it for the long run, there are two ways to become a faster runner: by moving your legs at a higher cadence or taking longer steps.

Here are some tips to get you started:

1. The distance between your right and left foot touching the ground is called stride length. As speed increases, so does the stride length. Improve stride length by undertaking specific strength work like running hills, in soft sand, or up steps.
2. Don’t over-stride! The most efficient stride length is the one that feels most comfortable.
3. Cadence tells you the number of times your foot hits the ground per minute. To develop it, train your nerve-muscle connection by running regularly. A session of cadence training a week is a good start.
4. Taller runners will naturally have slightly lower cadences, and the values vary also depending on whether you’re running up- or downhill. Tune in to what feels comfortable for you!
5. If you’re training for a half marathon or a marathon, work on increasing leg speed at expected race pace to keep your legs from tiring mid-race. Set your M400 to show pace and cadence, and try to shorten your stride and increase cadence while holding the pace.

The Polar Bluetooth® Smart Stride sensor is ideal for keeping track of your stride length and cadence. Whether you’re running on a treadmill or the muddiest trail, you’ll see the information on your M400.

Get the Polar Bluetooth® Smart Stride sensor from the official Polar webstore or a retailer near you.

Shop now

Alicia Bell - Personal Trainer Transformation

ITS NOT JUST CLIENTS WHO TRANSFORM

I want to motivate anyone that I can. So When you think you can't...you can. In the past two years I've had two knee surgeries, a motorcycle accident that gave me 7 stitches in my hand and 7 rounds of chemo for a tumor, worked full time with no disruptions and I still managed to do this. Someone out there has it worse than you, are busier than you, and they still find ways that they CAN. So stop making excuses and just do it. I don't care if you're tired, angry, sore, etc.... You will be happy that you did in the end.

Alicia Bell - Commercial - A Day In The Life

Recently Alicia Bell of Train It Right was casted in a campaign/commercial for New Balance (she is not affiliated with New Balance) however was chosen to be in the ad. Her track and field athletes are also featured in the commercial. Check it out below.

You can also enter to win a trip for two to a North American concert, 1000$ of New Balance gear and download Alicia's playlist from Spotify. http://www.freshfoamzante.ca/en-sc Good luck!