Earlier this month, The Weather Network reporter Kasia Bodurka stopped by to chat with us about our Bike to Work Program. We have a healthy rate of employee participation. One of those participants is our Director of Brand Strategy, Andrew Connochie, who says, “It makes me feel great! I get to work feeling a little bit more able to tackle some of the challenges I might face that day.”

That calming effect works well at the end of the day too. Our CEO, Howard Chang, advocates that riding a bike is a great way to decompress. He says, “You leave work. You ride home. And you forget what was stressing you out.” He and Executive VP Brian Gahan started Top Drawer’s Bike to Work Program about a decade ago; and the company has invested approximately $60,000 to it over the years.

It started at $2 per day; now employees are paid $5 per day for cycling to and from work. We have lockers, a shower, and indoor bike storage–so the weather conditions don’t always have to be perfect to make the commute.

Read The Weather Network’s story and watch the video, here.

For those of you who are on the fence about biking to work, our tips are:

- Since Bike Month is coming up, use that as an incentive. May 27 is “Bike to Work Day”.
- Get a bike. Tune it up and make sure it’s safe and fit for you to ride.
- Get a helmet.
- Take a bike safety course, such as CAN-Bike, organized by the City of Toronto.
- Try riding around on the weekend or in the evening. And then, try riding to work!

You might love it.

Here are some photos of the Bike Clinic we had on the patio here. Big thanks to the City of Toronto and Smart Commute!

We LOVE cycling–both as individuals within the workplace, and from a company standpoint. It’s an activity that is useful. It increases cardiovascular health and aids in endorphin release. For those of you who get weak in the knees when it comes to cycling, think again. The smooth motion of cycling is relatively low-impact on the knees; when you ride, the muscles that support your knee motion do all the work and get stronger. Last year, our Creative & QC Executive, Trellawny Graham, wasn’t able to walk long distances–let alone ride a bike–without wincing in pain due to “genetically bad knees”. But she signed up for the Ride for Heart and trained weekly with a group of co-workers. “I was wearing my knee braces, the bike was a good fit for me, I cried after the first and second rides,” she says. “But then it didn’t hurt anymore. On Ride day, I rode almost 80km! And I haven’t had to wear my knee braces at all since. Doctors told me I’d need surgery to make the pain go away. All I need is a bike.”

Swimming

Whether it’s laps or recreational, moving around in the water can strengthen muscles, improve posture and reduce stress. Our Executive VP, Chief Creative Officer Brian Gahan swims twice a week before work and is part of a masters swim group. “We swim hard, so it is a constant one-hour interval workout that makes the time go by quickly, while completely exhausting you,” he says. “Sometimes it’s hard to lift your arms to have a shower afterwards. [And] breakfast is so much better after an early morning swim workout.” Designer Roy Albon shares that sentiment. A swimmer since his school days, Roy says, “I’m a morning person. I can get up early, get a workout in, and I’m ready for the day.” What are his thoughts while in the pool? “It’s just like floating in space. And, usually I’m just counting laps or I’m thinking about breakfast.”

Paddle Boarding

Out of the pool and into the lake, stand-up paddle boarding requires balance and core strength. And the Beach is the perfect place to be for daily practice. If you’ve never tried it, you have to try it at least once. (You’ll come back for more.) Think yoga + Pilates + surfing + rowing and beautiful views. Our CEO, Howard Chang, is addicted. His thoughts on a 5:30am paddle board outing: “Lake is still. Sun yet to rise. Breathe, drink in the beauty of the world and be grateful.”

Walking

Even if it’s just down the street and back on your lunch break, which is what our Web Administrator Margaret Warsinska does, walking is a great way to get some simple physical exercise and keep your mind sharp. “It unwinds my mind,” says Margaret, who uses getting a cup of coffee as an incentive for her walks on days she feels tired. She even walks to the farthest coffee shop (within walking distance) from the office, “Three minutes? That’s not good exercise. I walk the longest way. I walk every day.” If vitamin D and coffee doesn’t work as an incentive for you, find one that does and take a step in the right direction.

Hiking

A great way to get some exercise is to go on a hike. Account Executive Danielle Desroches says, “Last time I went hiking, it was a super-challenging mountain. One of the biggest rewards, not just the physical challenge, is when you get to a summit and you just sit… just being able to see that expanse of how far you’ve come. There is a sense of pride and accomplishment for sure, but there is more wonder. I think it’s very soul-cleansing.”

Running

Our resident gazelle, Market Research Analyst Sherene Chinfatt, became a runner about four years ago. “I just wanted to achieve something, so I signed up for a half marathon and started training,” says Sherene, whose training partner back then is her fiancé now! Sherene found love via running and a love for running. It’s “time for me to detox,” she says. “My goal is to be in the top 3 in my category for the Mississauga half marathon next year.” Pleasure, pain and gain!

Cooking & Baking

These activities can definitely be more than just necessities. Instead of taking a trip to the grocery store in the car, try walking with a pull cart to a local market for your groceries. Plan your menu for the week. These activities can save you time and money, improve your diet, lower stress levels, heighten your creativity and improve your overall health! Bake some fresh bread. Bake some cookies. After a crazy day in the ad world, Account Manager Adam Thomas Smith finds his Zen in baking. “It’s formulaic. You measure things out. You put it in a bowl. It’s nice to do something that’s methodical.” And, occasionally, he steps outside of the equation: “We have this family recipe for chocolate chip oatmeal cookies that [the family’s] being using for 40 years. One day I threw a cup of coconut in it and it blew my mind.”

Arts & Crafts

Mind and body are connected. Sometimes you need to exercise your mind a little more. Doing things like painting, sculpting or knitting not only provide something [other than daily stressers] to focus on, they’re productive activities too. Our Copywriter Patty Lowry’s craft choice is quite fashionable: “Sewing is like escaping to another beautiful world,” she says. “I lose myself in gorgeous fabrics, patterns, buttons and trims, all-the-while creating one-of-a-kind funky frocks that rock my own unique style.”

Yoga

Graphic Designer Emma Bedelle was diagnosed with scoliosis five years ago, which is when she tried yoga for the first time. “I learned that it was good for people with scoliosis,” says Emma, who doesn’t enjoy going to the gym. “[The gym] can be quite competitive sometimes. Yoga is about the self. It’s not about trying to look better than anyone. It’s about bettering yourself.  It’s a different mentality. It made me feel more in tune with my body. And, there is something profound about when you rely on your own self to make yourself more fit.”

Bowling

Earlier this month, some of us TDCers went bowling as a group–and we had a lot of fun! Of course, as we’re creative types, we took the activity up a notch by dressing in our finest mash-ups of clothing. Wigs, hats, holiday-themed long underwear, plaid shirts and tutus: yes, that was us. Work hard, play hard. Patty got a strike and screamed for joy so loud Commander Hadfield likely heard her from space. Executive Assistant Laura Tarpay’s favourite part of the night: “Everyone’s enthusiasm. Everyone cheered everyone else on, no matter what.” Laura liked the challenge of the game, but she wasn’t knocking the pins down until she tried “the granny bowl”. “It wasn’t pretty,” says Laura, “but it worked!” How did she feel when she got her first strike? “I felt like Patty’s scream!”

Way back in 1983, I ran a bike shop called Bikenergy. I was a young punk back then and I was just beginning to build custom frames in the old way–Columbus SL tubing, Nervex investment cast lugs, silver solder…you get the picture. One day, a man in his 20′s walked into the shop; right away I was taken aback. Cyril was born without arms below the elbows and without legs below the knees. He walked on low-tech prosthetics. He came straight up to me and said, “I understand you can help me fulfill my dream. I want to ride a bike.”

As I looked at Cyril’s physical challenges and pondered this incredulous wish, I realized that regardless of the high degree of probability that both he and I would fail–we had to try. So, after spending several sessions interviewing Cyril, taking measurements, testing his range of movement, mobility and ability, we came up with a plan.

I would take a stock Miyata mountain bike and fabricate the necessary modifications to adapt and customize the bike for Cyril’s abilities. Using high-end Columbus tubing, I made a special braking mechanism that would allow him to stop using his prosthetic knees. I then fitted “hi-riser” bars, grab-on foam pads, and special gear shifters so that Cyril could steer and shift. As we tested the fit inside the shop I kept wondering, “Can he actually ride this contraption?”

We took the rig to a local park. Cyril has the most practical and positive attitude of anyone I have ever met. He got on the bike and rode it…then crashed. No harm done; so we tweaked the set-up, tried again and again; and after the third time, Cyril rode around the grass clearing and came back with a huge, beaming smile.

Cyril rode that bike for some years. I left the bike business in 1989 and, after that, I lost touch with Cyril.

Serendipity: I cycled to Port Credit with my wife, Michele, last weekend (30 years after this story started). Who do we see riding? Yup. My buddy Cyril–on the SAME BIKE I made for him 30 years ago! After warm greetings, Cyril told me that other than a tune up once a year, he has happily ridden over 1000km a year–EVERY YEAR–since I set him up. Cyril is now my age (old) yet he remains in great shape and, despite what would seem like obvious limitations, he has continued to enjoy the freedom and thrill of riding a bike.

So, a huge shout out to Cyril and other dreamers, schemers and nerds, who relish the chance to ride and tinker on bikes.

Howard

In no particular order:

Avocados – a staple for our Interactive Account Manager, James Rajan

Full of good fats, potassium, fiber and vitamins B, E and K! Eating these helps us bike longer and stand-up stronger on the paddle boards.

Granny Smith Apples – designer Roy Albon likes the way they taste.

Hello antioxidants! Even better? Organic green beauties.

Almonds – How does our Account Executive Danielle Desroches power through her long days. Almonds. Eats them all day long.

Packed with vitamin E, protein and those essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce which we need to consume via our food; almonds make for a punchy snack or meal side dish.

Bananas – [previous] Manager of Social and Content Strategy, Megan Siegel, eats one every day.

Get some energy, vitamin B6, manganese, and then some potassium. They’re good for your knees and your mind.

Organic Peanut Butter – Megan sometimes puts organic peanut butter on her bananas.

Protein, vitamin B3 & E, magnesium and childhood nostalgia make PB pretty awesome; hopefully you’re not allergic!

Multigrain Cereals – our Harvard grad researcher, Sherene Chin, says “they’re good for you and they don’t taste that bad–especially when you throw some fruit on there.”

This snack or breakfast food will fill you up with healthy dietary fibres and iron. Not a bad nibble.

Quinoa – he won’t easily admit it, but Account Director Chris Jones loves the stuff.

Moving right along, this pseudocereal is considered to be a superfood. It has plenty of calcium and is gluten free, not to mention its dietary fibre value. Versatility? You bet. Eat it cold in a bean and veggie salad; or substitute it for rice or pasta as part of a hot meal. Talk about spring in your step!

Lychee Fruit  – a favourite of our Digital Artist, David Dang.

Best eaten fresh, this mineral-rich fruit is a lovely and fragrant source of vitamin C and is cholesterol-free. Bonus: these small, round, sweet, tropical fruits work well in martinis.

Kale – love at first bite for our Creative & QC Executive, Trellawny Graham.

It’s also a superfood–practically the superhero of leafy greens! If you’re not eating it, you should be. Ounce for ounce, this vegetable is HEALTHY. And, lucky for us, it’s pretty tasty. Eat it raw or sautéed or baked in a stew, it’s good for you. It’s packed with vitamin K, C & A. It has no fat at all. It’s good for your heart. It’s a great source for calcium, iron, fibre and antioxidants. It’s a detoxifier … cue the red wine.

Red Wine – our resident sommelier is the Direct of Client Services, Kathy McLay.

Recent research suggests that red wine contains the “good cholesterol”, which helps lower the risk of heart disease. Also known to be a natural muscle relaxer, a glass of red can assist that aching neck. Antioxidants: check.  Key words: in moderation.

Save this image (PDF link below). Look at it next time you’re hungry. Let us influence your appetite.

10 Best Go To Foods

Just keep telling yourself.

Can you buy it? Only to a point.

Can you draw it? Some of us can.

“I should do this. I should do that.”
Creativity without any preconceived notion of what people want to see.
It’s unconfined freedom.

Go ahead, make yourself uncomfortable. Talk to a stranger.

Is happiness having purpose?

Take a gumball. This didn’t work for me, by the way–not at all. But I did asked the guy that got one from 9 to get one for me and he did!

I talked to a stranger – made me happy!

 - Rachael

Stefan Sagmeister created The Happy Show and brought it to Toronto’s Design Exchange. Visitors were allowed to take photographs.  The Happy Show is now open in Los Angeles, at the Pacific Design Center.

Dollars we raise are funding researchers whose findings put practices in place that actually save lives. Life-saving items, such as defibrillators (AEDs), have been placed in schools and arenas. Educational programs teach people what to do to save a neighbour, a parent, a child–a fellow human being. There are ground-breaking medical procedures that didn’t exist as little as 10 years ago; someone, perhaps a father, who would have otherwise died, can now go on a bike-ride with his son.

On June 2, 2013, at least 10 of us will be riding our bikes on the Gardiner Expressway and the DVP, not only to raise money for this worthy cause, but because we value living active, healthy lifestyles. Riding a bike is a great way to keep fit. For some of our TDC RFH team members, this year’s ride will be a milestone that marks achievement of weight loss goals, increased energy levels, improved muscle and joint health, and cardiovascular healthiness!

Follow our training. Join our team. Fundraise with us. Look after your health.