In the coming months The Royal Gazette will be following the running careers of two participants in the Argus 400 Challenge, Marquita Thorne and Charmaine Thomas. The Argus 400 Challenge is a training programme that offers ordinary people the opportunity to run the 2009 Bermuda Day Half-Marathon Derby. Ms Thomas and Mrs. Thorne are both first-time runners.

Charmaine’s story

Stats

Weight: 176 pounds

Height: 5ft 9ins

Age: 32

Weaknesses: M&M’s chocolate candy and donuts with chocolate sprinkles

Best achievement so far: Running six miles in 90 minutes

Slip-ups: Got too caught up in the Christmas spirit. Went abroad and it was too cold to exercise

In the coming months The Royal Gazette will be following the running careers of two participants in the Argus 400 Challenge, Marquita Thorne and Charmaine Thomas. The Argus 400 Challenge is a training programme that offers ordinary people the opportunity to run the 2009 Bermuda Day Half-Marathon Derby. Ms Thomas and Mrs. Thorne are both first-time runners.

Accountant Charmaine Thomas, originally from Jamaica, decided to take up the Argus 400 Challenge, as a very special birthday gift to Bermuda.

"I have been in Bermuda for three years," said Ms Thomas. "I have always participated in Bermuda Day festivities and I include a bit of running as part of my fitness plan. My friends have always encouraged me to participate in other smaller races on the Island, especially during the International Race Weekend, but I never believed myself to be a runner and gave it little thought.

"However with the significance of the Bermuda 400-year-anniversary and the 100th anniversary of the first race, the idea was born to take part in this year's half-marathon. I like the idea of including this significant race when retelling my grandkids about my time in Bermuda."

To train, Ms Thomas has been following the Argus 400 intermediate plan for the most part.

"I do one long run per week and each week I try to do one better – whether that be in distance or time," said Ms Thomas. "I also engage in core strength training and cross training activities including mild weight training, tennis and spinning."

But she admitted that she did have a slip-up in training at Christmas time.

"I was away for the holidays and really tried to keep up but it was really cold and the food was really good," she said.

Before she started she said her weaknesses were core strength and maintaining her ideal weight.

"I am in a love/hate relationship with food," said Ms Thomas. "I love him (food), he loves me not so much – or too much depending on how you look at it."

Marquita’s story

Stats

Weight: 126.5 pounds

Height: 5ft 2ins

Age: 50

Weaknesses: Core strength

Best achievement so far: Running Spittal Pond twice over without stopping

Slip-ups: None that she will admit

Marquita Thorne use to puff just walking around the Spittal Pond Nature Reserve in Smith’s Parish. Now she can run its course.

Mrs. Thorne is one of more than 265 people taking on the Argus 400 Challenge.

“My training has been very fruitful,” said Mrs. Thorne, who works at Bermuda Gas & Utilities. “The first time I walked around Spittal Pond I thought I would never get around. Now I jog around twice over without stopping.”

In fact, she is planning to step up her routine when it comes to Spittal Pond.

“I am still not sure if I am going to run 13 miles on May 24,” she said.

Mrs. Thorne has never before completed the half-marathon, but she is not alone. Nearly 80 percent of other participants are in the same boat.

“I have never been a distance runner, or even a sprinter,” she said. “You watch the race and you think I want to do it just once. I am going to start getting ready for next year. When I saw the Argus 400 Challenge in the newspaper I went for it.”

And she said that so far she is doing really well with her running.

“It takes a village to raise a child, and also a runner,” she said. “So many people have encouraged me along the way.” Mrs. Thorne said doing the challenge was something she did in part for herself.

“I work a full-time job,” she said. “I do regular charity work. I also care for my mother who is 92-years-old. I have two daughters, and this is the first time my children are all out of the house. When I am running it feels good to know this is for me.”

But, as it happens, the run is not just for herself. She is using the Argus 400 Challenge as a way to raise money for the Bermuda Diabetes Association.

Her daughter, Tiffany, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes as a child. In Type 1 Diabetes, the body does not produce insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. This type of diabetes is not brought on by lifestyle.

“She was diagnosed when she was in summer camp,” said Mrs. Thorne. “She was not allowed to go back because she had syringes. Eventually, we sent her to summer camp abroad. Not every child in Bermuda has that privilege.”

Mrs. Thorne is now deputy chairman of the Bermuda Diabetes Association and also runs a summer camp in Bermuda for children with Type 1 diabetes.

“So I am committed to running this race, if only for them,” she said.

Mrs. Thorne gave us her weekly training regime which would be exhausting for the average couch potato just to read about.

“On Saturday mornings, I do my strength training at the beach,” she said. “On Sundays I have a personal trainer who takes me on my distance run.

“On Tuesdays I run with friends and family. Monday is my rest day. Wednesdays I work on strength training. Thursdays I run with Swan’s Running Club and Friday is family night. It has been going on this way since I started.”

Because of her daughter’s diabetes, Mrs. Thorne said she has always been conscious of healthy eating. “That is not something I had to struggle with,” she said. “I am naturally in good health. I know how to eat. I love to cook. After my child was diagnosed I learned how to cook in a healthier manner. I have been doing that for 12 years.”

The half-marathon will be something special because she will not be alone.

Alongside her (if they can keep up) will be her husband John, two daughters – Tiffany Richardson and Shané Simon – and their husbands Jarion Richardson and Giovanni Simon.

The daughters plan to walk it, but the husbands will run it.

“My daughter Shané is currently living in Japan with her husband, but they will be flying in for race day,” she said. “I need to find a nurse to take care of us all afterward.”

10 ways to help you get fit

1. Take the stairs whenever possible.

2. Find a walking or jogging buddy, and take a walk or run during the day.

3. When you start a fitness regime keep a log of how well you are doing. Seeing your statistics improve may act as encouragement to stay with it.

4. Buy a pedal bike and pedal to the store instead of wasting gas on a 10-minute trip.

5. Take up a new gym class or training programme, such as the Argus 400 Challenge or any similar programmes offered in the community.

6. Simplify your life. Deal with the things that are causing you stress because stress has an effect on your blood pressure and heart rate and can lead to illness.

7. Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

Research now indicates that people who don't get enough sleep are more vulnerable to illness.

8. Improve your attitude. Tell yourself you can get fit, you can lose weight and, you can jog instead of walk.

9. Encourage the whole family to eat well and get fit.

10. Try de-wiring once or twice a week. Turn off the television and the computer, and try to do something more active.

According to one fat burning calculator, you actually burn more calories sleeping than watching television.

Some tips for healthy eating

If you are planning to get fit in 2009 here are some tips for healthy eating:

1. Read labels. Don't just look at the fat content, but also the salt content of what you are eating. Also check the serving size – a bag of chips' fat content may look low until you realise that the manufacturer is giving you the fat content of only two chips.

2. Choose items which have low salt and fat content.

3. In a restaurant, if a large portion of food is brought to you, immediately ask the waiter to take away half and put it in a doggie bag. Have it for lunch the next day.

4. Choose the healthy options offered on a restaurant menu. This sends a message to the restaurant that its customers are interested in healthy eating. If you don't take the healthy options offered, they will soon be taken off the menu.

5. Brown bag your lunch with something healthy such as a small sandwich and piece of fruit. Lunch is a weakness for a lot of people. Bringing your own lunch gives you control over how much mayonnaise, ketchup and salt goes on your food. It also gives you the opportunity to avoid the temptation of fries.

6. Some healthy eating experts advise eating a substantial breakfast in the morning because you have all day to burn it off. You are also less likely to binge at lunchtime. Eat a lighter meal in the evening.

7. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and legumes. Try cooking vegetarian at least one night of the week to cut down on your fatty meat consumption.

8. Drink more water. Water helps flush our systems – especially the kidneys and bladder – of waste products and toxins. One study recently found that the majority of people go through life dehydrated.

9. Limit sugary foods, and choose whole-wheat options when ever possible, such as whole-grain pastas and breads.

10. Don't deprive yourself. Enjoy your favourite sweets and snacks in moderation, as long as they are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet.