The feasibility of Can Walk Can Run

Can Walk Can Run is a co-designed physical activity and social support intervention for people affected b cancer. It includes face-to-face group-based physical activity, remote physical activity education, and social support. Materials: A newsletter with physical activity and cancer specific education materials will be emailed to participants and posted on the program website as a supplement to the in-person sessions. These education materials will be developed specifically for this study. Procedures: The in person physical activity sessions will deliver a walking and running activities structured similar to a couch to 5k program. Sessions will last for 45 – 60 minutes and will be delivered as group-based physical activity sessions with up to 15 participants per session. They will include a group welcome, a warm-up with body weight strength exercises, as well as group walking and/ or running activities. The walking and running activities may include walk / run / rest intervals (e.g., walk for 1-minute, run for 1-minute or run for 1-minute, rest for 1-minute) or continuous walking / running activities. Intensity will be monitored using rate of perceived exertion (RPE, reported by participants using a modified BORG Scale (1-10). Exercise will be performed at a predominantly moderate intensity (5-6 RPE); however, may be performed at a light (3-4 RPE) or hard (7-8 RPE) intensity depending on individual participant ability, health, and goals. Staff will additionally monitor intensity via watching for signs of exertion (e.g., breath rate, ability hold a conversation during exercise). Attendance checklists and records of activities performed (walking/ running) time, distance, and intensity achieved by each participant will be recorded at each in person session and used to monitor adherence as well as intervention fidelity and dose delivered. In person sessions will be supported by the educational materials (distributed online weekly) and social media including optional Whats App chat groups and Strava groups where participants can share their physical activity and encourage others. Information, reminders, and recaps of each face-to-face session will also be shared in the optional WhatsApp and Strava groups. Participants will also be encouraged to share pictures, stories, or selfies from their independent activities in these groups. Who: A university-trained health professional (e.g., an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist), a run coach who has completed level 1 and/ or 2 recreational run coach training. This may include people with lived experience of cancer who work as health professionals or who have completed run coach training. Mode of delivery: Face-to-face delivery in a group setting as well as remotely via email and social media. Number of times: The in-person sessions will be delivered once per week for up to 10-weeks. The education materials will be distributed fortnightly. Whats App and Strava communication will be delivered weekly. Location: The in-person sessions will be delivered outdoors in park settings that accessed via public transport, have parking, pathways appropriate for running, and after-hours lighting