Belinda Chun, owner of the Gallery House, runs in High Park in Toronto on January 06, 2012.The Globe and Mail
Toronto-based artist manager Belinda Chun, 33, is ready to run. For two years, Ms. Chun, who founded Gallery House commercial gallery last year, has been waiting for an orthopedic surgeon to heal a crushed bone in her right foot caused by walking to work in flip-flops. Meanwhile, Ms. Chun has exercised around her injury to keep her cardio up. She's still waiting for surgery, but with synovial fluid injections and orthotics that reduced swelling and pain, she's restarting a running routine.
My goal
"To get trimmer and to have a good base endurance by the end of 2012."
My workout
"I used to be competitive in running at my peak and I competed in 5K races in under 20 minutes. The longest run I've done is 30K – the Around the Bay course in Hamilton, Ont. For years all I did was run, but now I work out in the gym, rowing or doing the stair climber for 45 minutes. I have learned with this silly injury the advantages of mixing up different kinds of exercises to keep from being bored and combining cardio with occasional yoga classes, abs classes, drills and weights.
"Tuesday and Thursdays I run intervals for 20 minutes on the streets, Sundays are a slow, steady run."
My lifestyle
"I don't count calories or follow fad diets. My downfall is French fries.
"Breakfast is Greek yogurt and oatmeal. But I like to be on an empty stomach when I work out. Lunch is sandwiches or soba noodles or lots of granola and fruit or bocconcini cheese and tomatoes. I eat fish or tofu for dinner.
"Snacks are unsalted cashews or Ravi's cookies or dried mangos slices, or black licorice, or arugula and olive oil.
"I take a daily multivitamin, 3-6-9 omega oil, and MSM [methylsulfonylmethane for bones and joint health]
"I drink six cups of green tea a day."
My motivation
"Working independently for myself I don't speak to a lot of people — I do a lot of e-mail — so [exercise]is an outlet to feel refreshed and invigorated."
My anthem
"I don't listen to music when I run; I like to push myself in my head."
My challenge
"I'm a morning person, so I love working out in the morning, but sometimes it's not possible because of many things going on."
THE CRITIQUE
Joanna Zdrojewska, certified trainer with Totum Life Science in Toronto, offers her advice.
Add deadlifts to run stronger.
"Many runners underuse their glutes and hamstrings when they run and create muscle imbalances. Deadlifts [a weight-training exercise where a barbell or kettlebell is lifted off the ground from a bent over position]are the most effective way to avoid these muscle imbalances by strengthening the hamstrings, glutes and back. In addition to any other exercises that Belinda is doing, I would start at a moderately light weight – ideally tested with a trainer – and work up to two to four sets of 12 reps, once or twice per week."
This interview has been condensed and edited.
Special to The Globe and Mail