I know someone who ran competitively, and as soon as he finished a training run or a race, he would light up a smoke. It was difficult to break his 26 years one and one-half pack-a-day habit, but after three attempts over seven years, he won the fight. Since defeating his habit back in 1997, he believes he achieved goals as a runner that would not otherwise have been possible.
According to a Canadian Cancer Society recent press release, lung cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and remains the leading cause of cancer death for Canadian men and women. Smoking causes about 85 per cent of lung cancer cases in Canada and shortens their lives by eight to 10 years on average. Run to Quit is a new and effective way to quit smoking by integrating physical activity training with a plan to help you quit – an innovative approach proven to greatly increase your chance of success and improve your overall health.
Now for runners and walkers who cannot seem to butt out – there is a Run to Quit National program to help those who cannot break the habit on their own. So trade in your pack of demon weed and instead invest in a pair of runners and join one of the clinics that may be near your neighbourhood. The 10-week program helps smokers learn to walk or run five kilometres and quit smoking. Run to Quit clinics will be available in 21 Running Room store locations across Canada. With coaching from the Canadian Cancer Society and Running Room, you will learn how to overcome tobacco addiction, create and maintain healthy behaviours and build on support from the community.
“We know that quitting smoking and adopting a healthy lifestyle are proven ways to reduce an individual’s cancer risk,” says Stacey Berisavac, manager of health promotion, Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon. “What’s groundbreaking about Run to Quit is that it offers people a way to quit for good by integrating physical activity as well as support, encouragement and coaching every step of the way.”
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, the Run to Quit participants are seven times more likely to quit smoking than those trying on their own. The program is open to everyone, no matter their fitness level. Registration is open until April 23.
Run to Quit is a three-way partnership between the Canadian Cancer Society, Running Room Canada and the federal government, who all share the same goal of improving people’s overall health and saving lives by reducing the risk of cancer. For more information – www.runtoquit.com.
For next Friday’s column, look for the story of Danielle Buchanan’s journey to becoming a non-smoker and her success with the Run to Quit program.
Christine Blanchette is a local running/fitness columnist and TV host of Run With It on Shaw www.runwithit.ca.
