Happy Thanksgiving!

This has been a good week - lots of stuffing, mashed potatoes and pie this weekend, but otherwise it has been a good week.

There were a few walks at High Park with the dog -

Blurry. Running.

Fall colours

 

 The dog and I finished weeks 1 AND 2 of Couch to 5K -

 

Walk breaks are for stopping to sniff, right?

 

My favourite part of every run

I made it through Day 11 of the Ab Challenge -

We cleaned like mad and had the family over for Thanksgiving Dinner, then spent today over at the Brickworks for a walk in the fall colours. 



 

Tried to take a family picture, but belly rubs were more important

Perfect way to end a long weekend

A good week.  



Alright, alright - I'll get off the couch

Can you tell that I've been struggling with starting to get back on track? Sporadic blogging and almost complete lack of exercise are big clues.

I stopped running somewhere around February. Stopped going to my gym in late spring, then juuuuust started going regularly again when it closed abruptly. Haven't been working out at home. Have been quite indulgent with the treats. The worst part is not particularly caring. Being lazy is so easy. But my pants are getting tight and I feel uncomfortable.

So - it's time to either slide into absolute laziness and let exercise become something that I used to do - or decide to recommit. I was dangerously close to option A when Island Girl (half marathon relay) rolled around 2 weeks ago. I signed up in the spring, didn't train, and would have bailed if it hadn't been a relay event.

Gorgeous morning to be up and heading to a starting line

I got to thinking on the ferry over - despite being so sedentary this year, I've done a 15K (March), a 10K (May), a 75K bike ride (June), a 5K (June) and I was on my way to a 10.5K. Every single one was harder and slower than it needed to be, but I did them. Going over this list was a huge morale booster.

During the race - my time at the 5K mark was 3 minutes slower than my PR, my legs really stiffened up in the last kilometer, and it took me 90 minutes to cross that 10.5K finish line - but I loved the adrenaline rush and the fun of being part of the crowd.

Halfway done!

Tagged Lynda in, walked off the jelly legs, then joined the cheering section until it was time to meet Lynda and run her the last 150 metres into her finish line. She put the pedal to the metal and SPRINTED in!


Medals, ferry, brunch and run chats. Lynda has set out some aggressive goals for herself for 2013 and expects me to be along at the start line for a few of those with her. I think that means I'm recommitting.

I was kinda surly about the idea of starting actual regular running again through. It took me a solid 10 days after Island Girl to actually lace up, hit start on my C25K app and head out the door with my furry running partner.  She's absolutely thrilled, so there's that.


C25K Week 1, Run 1. Pics or it didn't happen.

And with that one run, I found myself slipping back into some good habits. I started the 30-day ab challenge at home -

I got surprisingly sweaty playing ping pong at a work event -

Who knew ping pong was such a workout?

 Did a second C25K run -

C25K w1r2

 Got out for a walk to see some fall colours -

And went to a family yoga class with my husband and daughter this morning. That's something new. So was the almost-handstand that I did up against a wall. Wow.

So. One day at a time.

Hello, again!

It's been a while...again.

I mentioned last time that I'd lost my motivation to keep moving. Still struggling with that, but things are on the upswing. Turns out that I had been battling some reasonably minor health problems that were sapping my energy. Those peaked in July, and have since been resolved, but at the same time, my gym went out of business very unexpectedly. I started searching for a new one but found myself really enjoying the extra free time that came from not working out. Kept meaning to take up running again, but then the summer heat & humidity hit, vacation time interrupted my routines...and wow, is that ever a long list of excuses for not exercising, eh?

The good news is that back in June, I stopped driving to work and taking transit, which has given me about 2 kms each day of extra walking. So, there's that. 

Here's what I've been up to: 

Color Me Rad 5K with Lynda - a brutally hot day. It was 38C with the humidity at 10am!

Tree planting day with our local park group. We shovelled mulch onto 100 new trees!

Archery lesson with my husband at our local castle. Turns out that we're both pretty good at this :-)

Got the kids to the beach a few times -

Rented a cabin up north for a week in July. Lots and lots of relaxing, but I got out in a kayak almost every day:

Our dog loved loved loved the cabin!

 My cousin & I got our kids up north in August for our annual Two Moms, Six Kids camping trip.

This beach was about 2 minutes from our tents

And hiking led to some spectacular views. 

 Got the dog out for lots and lots of walks of course -

And today, a bunch of us got up early and caught the ferry over to the Island for our annual Island Girl Run! Orange medals = half marathon relay (10.5KM each); blue medals = half marathon!

Back: Cassie, Sarah, Karen, Me, Lynda, Laura.
Front: Melissa, Alex, Emma

I have to say - doing 10.5K on no training didn't make for the best morning, but my nutrition was solid and I power walked my way into a finish that was only 6 minutes slower than last year's run WITH training. 

What's up next? I'm not signed up for anything, but we are talking about the Around the Bay race in March again, and I'm thinking of doing an 8K in October. I suppose I'd better stop talking about training and actually get out there. 

I'll keep you posted. 

Soooooo...It's Been a While!

Something happened last fall and my motivation ground to a halt. My interest in taking time to exercise, run and go to the gym vanished. It's no coincidence that blogging fell off at the same time that I stopped having anything to really talk about. I think it started off as taking some time to rest and relax after a busy season...but the motivation to pick things up where I left off hasn't really come back.

I'm working on it.

Meanwhile, I kept signing up - and showing up - for races, but they have been harder than they needed to be since I haven't been training.

Both my mom and my friend Julia called me out on my lack of blogging recently. I promised Julia that if I could make it to the finish line of my race today, that I'd pick it up again. I did, so here I am (Hi, Julia!). Hopefully recommitting to blogging will force me to get moving again, so that I have something to write about!

Here's what you've missed:

December 2012 - Santa Shuffle 5K

Sarah, my daughter, me, Emma, my son

This was a strange one - it is usually a very well-organized race but not this time? It was supposed to be a 10am start, but at 9.30 they started letting people go out whenever they showed up, causing a lot of confusion for all runners who came on time. A number of bandits also ran the race, were given medals and allowed to help themselves to post-race refreshments - meaning that by the time we crossed the finish line there was barely anything left. It's a charity race so I shouldn't mind - but it was a very chaotic morning and things really didn't need to be this way.
 
March 2013 - Around the Bay 30K relay (15K for each runner)
Big, scary goal #1

Only 2K left to go. Just passed The Reaper

Rachel & Sarah (relay team), Emma (30K), Laura (30K), myself & Lynda (relay team)

This race kicked my butt but I had so much fun that I didn't care. It's out of town, so we booked a hotel room, made a girls' weekend out of it and had a blast. We went last year, but I only did the 5K. Not-so-secretly had my heart set on doing the relay but wasn't mentally ready at the time. Made sure I'd be back for the longer course in 2013 to earn one of their "older than Boston" shirts.

This race features rolling hills (bah) but a lovely view and the people who live on the route not only come out to cheer for hours, but play music, offer snacks and generally put on a party. That last hill is a killer though - and the Reaper is waiting for you at the top. The agonizing thing? You can see the finish line for the last 3 kms and it takes forever on tired legs to get there.

More training and better nutrition would have been wise. I was going on empty for the last 1.5K. Took everything I had to pick things up for the finish line. Going back next year and aim to arrived trained.

May 13, 2013 - Sporting Life 10K

One of the few moments where I managed to actually run

Alex, Sarah, myself

This race kicked my butt and I DID care. I could not believe how much fitness I lost in two short months after ATB. I was running on empty after about KM 3 and the whole thing was such a struggle. Spent most of it power-walking. An eye-opener to say the least....but I couldn't get back in to running just yet because it was time to cram for...

June 2, 2013 - Ride for Heart 75K
Big, scary goal #2

Done and so happy. Amazing how all the pain goes away as soon as you cross the finish line!

You heard me - I crammed for a 75K bike ride. I started with a few short rides and almost gave up. Switched to my husband's road bike (significantly lighter than my mountain bike) and pulled off confidence-boosting 21K and 44K rides over rollllling hills.

I've also done the 25K (2011) and 50K (2012) version of this ride and wasn't going to give up on my goal of doing the full course this year.

So - I got up at 4.30am, rode to the 6am start line and just. kept. riding. It poured rain for a while - so heavily that I was actually wishing for my swim goggles. Then the wind picked up. Which was not fun. But I watched my nutrition carefully (G2, Hammer gels, bananas, raisins & pretzels for the record), managed not to swallow any bugs and didn't walk up a single hill. 81K total including my ride from home.

But I really don't recommend cramming for this sort of thing.  I also don't recommend doing this sort of thing in NON-PADDED shorts. Ouch.

What's next? A recovery day or two, then back to the gym and C25K. We're doing the Colour Run later this month, the Warrior Dash in July, and Island Girl 10.5K in September. I'd prefer not to go into these completely undertrained.

How have you been?

Getting back in the game

Last week's post-race blues have worn off and I'm not quite as alarmed as I was at the thought of the upcoming tri and this fall's 10.5K. That's not quite shout-it-from-the-rooftop news, but it's a start!

I took some time to rest (great idea, Julie - thanks!), but also made sure that I went for a few runs. Building my endurance back to where it was at the beginning of summer, and then working on increasing my distance is pretty critical to both my confidence and my training plan. 

Here's how the week went -

Sunday - Had planned on brick training first thing this morning but thunderclouds rolled in as I was about to get out of bed and the Women's Olympics marathon was streaming live. But as soon as the runners crossed the finish line (what a finish! Did you watch it??)...

...the sky brightened up here and Stella told me she was desperate to go out. I bailed on the biking and went for what ended up being a short, sweaty run (2K of 2s and 1s)...

Stopped a few blocks from home to catch our breath.

...followed by a trip out to my in-laws' for a BBQ. Went on a humid 2.5K family walk down to the lake and back. Stopped to climb up on the war memorial (it's shaped like the deck of a battleship, cool!) to check out the view:

Monday - A holiday here in Ontario and a fabulous day. The temperature dropped a few degrees and the humidity broke! Hopped out of bed for some sorely needed brick training. 11K bike, then home to drop off bike/helmet, grab hat/leash and head out the door with Stella for a 2.5K run walk. Followed by a cold bath for my sore legs.

Tuesday - A combo Zumba/bootcamp/circuit training hour at Curves, followed by a 3K run. 4s and 1s. Short and sweet and the best run I've had in a while :-)

Wednesday - Back to Curves for a circuit and some strength training.

Thursday - Rest day. Walked the dog a slow 2.5K.

Friday - Another rest day. My shins and knees were tender - think it's time for new shoes.

Saturday - Lazy morning (Olympics) followed by chores, followed by a run with the dog. We did 4.6K of 5s and 1s, stopped at the dog park for 10 minutes or so, then 5 and 2 for the last 1K home.

Post run. Tired dog. Blurry dog.

Total for the week: 11K bike, 4 runs (14.1K), 1 boot camp + Zumba, 1 circuit.

How was your week? The humidity broke here towards the middle of the week and it's made a huge difference to me!

Recommitting to Weight Loss and Thinking About Rewards

I mentioned last week that I'd recommited to weight loss. Time to take off the few pounds that I've been gaining & losing all winter, and smash through the plateau where I've been stalled for some time.

Except it's not a plateau - it's simply where I've gotten comfortable. Which is 30-some pounds above my goal weight. Which is simply too much extra weight to be carrying around.

Consider this: a doctor told me recently that I've done well with losing 80+ lbs and generally keeping it off, but scolded that I'm still too fat and need to get to my goal weight. OK, that felt like a slap in the face, but she's absolutely right.

Took me a some time to wrap my head around it and generally adjust my attitude but I got there. Have spent the last two weeks logging everything in myfitnesspal and trying to eat no more than 100 (if any) of the extra calories that it grants me from exercise. Have had a few small treats here and there but only after making sure that they would fit into the plan, and made sure that I added them to the journal.

Does't look like much, but this was so incredible that I had it for dinner twice this week.
Veggie Bacon BLT salad with a touch of  grated cheddar and toasted sunflower seeds.

And gave myself a cheat day yesterday to avoid a larger potential slipup that I felt was brewing.

It's one hell of a battle, eh?

I find that I'm really great at going full blazes on things for 2 weeks and then flaming out by the end of week three. Which means that keeping on track this week (which is week 3) and next (week 4) will be key.

I've seen a lot of people list out rewards that they will treat themselves to when they reach different milestones. Sounds like a great idea...but I haven't been able to come up with anything that I really want!

My mindset has been more about how weight loss will bring the reward of less tender knees after a run and make this summer's Spartan Sprint more manageable. Oh...and that I'll buy myself this after the 50K ride that I'm doing in June:

I have Sporty Jewels' triathlon spinner already and wear it for inspiration for this summer's try-a-tris

OK - true confession time - a few days ago, I signed up for a half-marathon relay this fall, where a partner and I will each run 10.5K.  Mostly because I finally feel up for the challenge of a run longer than 5K...but...also so that I can earn the 10K spinner.

So clearly I'm good at rewarding physical fitness!

But mayyyybe I need to come up with a few rewards for weighloss milestones to encourage me to actually reach them. Milestones such as -

• Dipping below my most recent low weight. This is almost in reach...so close! Think that getting weighed and measured at my gym will be reward enough for this one.
• 5lbs below that low weight
• Reaching Onederland
• 100lbs lost
• 105 lbs lost
• 110 lbs lost
• Goal! (113 lbs lost)

It's something to think about...hmmm...
What works to keep you on track? Do you reward yourself when you reach milestones?

Here's this week's recap -

Saturday - 1.5K + 2K dog walks in the AM, then out for a scheduled bike ride. Today was a chilly, windy day and I was very tempted to skip, but dragged my son out to come with me for 10K. Short distance but a good stretch of rolling hills made it a decent training ride. Glad we weren't out any longer - it was cold out!

Stopped on a bridge for a quick photo.
Hey - I just noticed that my helmet matches that jacket.

Hey Mom, I want to stop at this park and check out the rock climbing wall.
Me: You're going to want to jump off of it, aren't you?

Sunday - 2K dog park walk in the afternoon; 4.13K run (10s and 1s) with Stella in the evening.

Monday - 60 minute Curves/bootcamp extravaganza, followed by 300m in the pool. Cracked a problem I've been having with breathing (i.e. trying not to get water up my nose) thanks to this.

Tuesday - pseudo-rest day. 1K sprint with Stella.

Wednesday - Back to Curves for another bootcamp/circuit. I walk out there very, very sweaty and feeling very, very sculpted after these. This is good.

Thursday - Would have LOVED a rest day but the family calendar says that needs to be tomorrow, so took Stella for a run. We did a few sets of 8s and 1s (3.85K) under dark, menacing clouds and the occasional lightning flash. Made it home and to the front porch just as the first few rain drops came down. Really happy that we go that run in.

Friday - Rest day (finally!) and a road trip to take my daughter to Brownies camp.

Time for Another Weight-Loss Challenge

Anyone remember me talking about the Queen of the Circuit contest at my gym over the summer?

Well, I didn't win. I did all of the activities faithfully and got a ton of exercise, but didn't lose an ounce - which was kind of the point of the contest, you know? I hit the gym 3x/week faithfully, did the Do Life 5K and the Warrior Dash, and went camping, biking, hiking and swimming all summer. But I also ate as much as I burned off.

I'm defnitely stronger than I was even a few months ago, but I've been plateaued at my current weight for a loooong time and have been getting lazy about doing anything about taking off those last 35lbs. 

Huh. 

As I write that out, I completely understand that 35lbs is simply too much extra weight to be carrying around. 

But even so, I likely wouldn't be doing anything about it just yet...except that an email went around my office this week - Anyone want to join in a 'biggest loser' competition? 

Oh, alright. I'm in. Let's see if I can shift some of this extra weight over the next 10 weeks.

If' I don't sound excited - well - it's just because I know what to do (eat smarter, keep a food diary, keep exercising), but I'm not looking forward to the extra effort of planning meals and packing my lunches & snacks.

See? I told you I had gotten lazy!

I'm also struggling with the loss of privacy a bit. I've never gone to Weight Watchers or other similar centres, which means that until now, no one on this earth except my doctor and my trainer knew my actual weight, and no one except me was watching my week-by-week progress closely. This sort of semi-public, group effort is supposed to be very effective though...so...LET'S DO THIS.

The good news - I do have a personal reason to commit to this and help to keep me motivated. I'm run/walking two 5Ks in October and am planning on another in early December, and I'd dearly like to set a new PR in at least one of them. My current PB is 40:43 and I'd love to achieve a sub-40 minute race before the end of the year. Trimming down a bit will definitely help.

MyFitnessPal? I've been neglecting you. Time for us to be BFFs again.

I work with a competitive group of people.  This is going to be interesting!

Here's this week's recap -

Saturday - 2K dog walk followed by a family trip to the dentist. We're all scrubbed and polished and gleaming!

A small corner of the former Brickworks Quarry. You can just see part of the marsh.
The trees in the background conceal the old west wall of the quarry.

Sunday - Hike around the Brickworks, one of our favourite spots in the city. Formerly a quarry and brick production factory, it was decomissioned in the 1940s and the site sat vacant for a long time. It  has since been reclaimed as a marsh / green space and an eco-education centre. So fabulous. It also features one of the best off-leash parks we've seen. Something for everyone in our family!

Down in the basin of the quarry where we can't see or hear the city. Just the birds. We saw a blue heron today!

Monday - Pouring rain but the dog doesn't mind. Took her for a 1.9K run-a-block/walk-a-block, something I NEVER would have bothered to do on a rainy day if it wasn't for her. Later - Curves workout + 25 pushups.

Tuesday - First day of the Biggest Loser contest at work. Ate well. Logged it in MFP. 2K round trip fast walk to the dog park.

Wednesday - Stairs to 7 at lunch; Zumba + once around the Curves circuit + 25 pushups after dinner.

Tired dog and a very proud girl coming home from the park -
This was her first time being in charge of leash all the way home, and Stella behaved beautifully the whole trip :-)

Thursday - Stairs to 7 in AM; 2K round trip to the dog park, 1K fast dog walk before bed.

Friday - Stairs to 7 in AM; Curves after dinner, followed by 2.7K run-a-block/walk-a-block with my son and the dog.

In Which I Go Shopping for a New Swimsuit

You may remember that I was in a bit of a funk at the end of last week - ate too much food and had uneven amounts of exercise during the week.

I then made the (snort) wise decision to go shopping for a new swim suit on Saturday evening. That one did a number on my self-esteem, let me tell you.

Yes, I KNOW that swim suit shopping is a chore dreaded by many at the best of times. Believe me, I would have put if off if I could, but my old suit has completely worn out and isn't fit to be worn in public any more. It was time.

So - already in a funk, I found myself in a changeroom trying on suits. And found myself really unhappy with what I was seeing in the mirror. At that moment, I didn't see someone who has lost eighty pounds (and fifty-two inches), and who was trying on a suit many sizes smaller than in the recent past.

I certainly didn't see a woman who has shaved 14 minutes off her 5K time in under 18 months, or a woman who has climbed the CN Tower (it's the tallest in the world, folks!) and is about to do it again.

I saw a women with almost forty pounds to lose. A woman with thick legs, flabby thighs, a spare tire and waddly arms.

It made me mad. Mad that I have been making food choices that are making this a long and slow journey. Mad that losing weight is such a full-time job. Mad that I generally get some form of exercise almost every day and yet any muscle definition is still hidden under a layer of fat.

But you know what?

Even though I was upset, I didn't raid the treat displays at the checkout.

Not because I had made any kind of changeroom pledge to make the suit look better before beach season (although yes, I did make just such a pledge). More because at that moment, I wasn't looking for treats to make me feel better. Stress eating has been a constant theme in my life and something I continue to struggle with - so this was one very major victory for me.

And that made me happy.

And then I remembered that I can see my collarbones these days. And my shinbones. And the slight cleft in my chin. And the metacarpals in the back of my hands. All of which I had forgotten about for years until they reappeared, one by one, over the last year. And so I went to bed feeling even more happy.

I woke up the next morning feeling like it was any other day - and realized that I'd gotten a ton of exercise the day before but wasn't feeling sore. I was feeling strong.

And that made me REALLY happy.

My head's on straight again now. Hope yours is too.

Here's this week's recap -  

Saturday - Absolutely stunningly beautiful day! Rode my bike to Curves and back (6K round trip), worked out + 40 pushups. Later in the day - swept the patio, set up the patio furniture and CLEANED THE GARAGE. Properly, too! Followed by the above soul-crushing shopping trip.

Check out my bike riding daughter!


Sunday - Cleaned the basement family room - organized toys, pulled out furniture, vacuumed everything. Went to the park with my family after dinner (1.2K round trip) and did an easy 8K on the track on my bike. Realized that 25K is pretty far, so I'd better get cracking on training for the June ride. Also realized that 6 months ago, I struggled to ride 5K on this track. Another "non-scale" victory!

Bonus: My son rode 10K, and my daughter - a very new rider - did over 2K. WAY TO GO FAMILY!!!

Monday - Stairs to 12 + 7 at lunch, wiffle ball with the kids after school, Curves after dinner.

Tuesday - Stairs to 12 + 7 at lunch.

Wednesday - Rest day.

Another mom/daughter moment: cooling down after Zumba!
Thanks to Denni for taking our pic!

Thursday - Went Zumba after dinner and brought my daughter along. I've said it before: I love this workout! Also did 40 pushups.

Friday - Rest day. THE CN TOWER CLIMB IS TOMORROW!

What I'm reading this week: Mockingjay, the last in the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. These were recommended by my son - they're young adult/teen fiction but every engaging for adults too. Hard to put them down, and my husband is equally hooked.

Getting the Body Back in Motion

Newton's First Law of Motion: A body at rest stays at rest, and a body in motion stays in motion unless it is acted on by an external force.

Absolutely amazing how that applies to the habit of exercising, eh?



Hello, CN Tower. I see you watching me during my lunchtime walk.
Looking forward to our date in April?
Somehow, you don't look as tall to me as you used to :-)



I have been getting daily exercise for months. Some days came with less exertion than others, but it's still been daily, aside from the odd day off here and there. Happily, it's become the way I live my life.



With the kids being sick and my husband away last week, I missed a couple of workouts and got very little exercise. The first day wasn't so bad. On the second day, I was craving a workout. By the third day, I was going a bit squirrely.

But then - I got used to being inactive. Got used to housework as being my only exercise and you know what? I wasn't missing the gym, wasn't missing walking, wasn't missing pushups - wasn't missing ANYTHING at all.

By the time my husband came back and I was finally able to get out for a workout, I had to have a full argument with myself about getting back to the gym.

"I don't want to go."

"Go - you'll be glad you did."

"But it's nice and cosy in the house - we could lie around and read a book!"

"Go - you'll have fun. You can read that book later today. "

"How about if we relax for a few more days? Maybe go next week sometime?"

"GET UP, GET DRESSED AND GET GOING. NOW!"

As soon as I stepped outside with my keys and gym bag in hand, I was fine. It was totally natural to head to the car and go to the gym. And once I'd been to the gym, it was totally natural to take my daughter up on her offer to go power walking after dinner. But wow - did I ever need to use force to get myself back in motion.  Unbelievable how much of a battle that was!

Hope everyone else is staying in motion this week. If you're slipping - get yourself moving again!!



Doing a pre-pushup plank in my (toy-filled) family room.
Not sure if Sally is keeping me company or if she's worried about me.



Here's this week's recap:

Saturday - My husband got home from his trip! Powerwalked my daughter down to gynmastics and back (1.1K); miscellaneous errands and out to dinner in the evening. 

Sunday - Got my lazy self to the gym and had a great workout. Stopped and smiled when I noticed that I have developed indentations between my shins and leg muscles! It's been, oh, forever since I've been able to see these! Did 30 pushups after my workout, and went for a brisk 1.9K walk with my daughter after dinner - she wants to start training for our 5K this fall!

Monday - A holiday - no work, no school!

Tuesday - Stairs to 7 in AM; gym after work, including 30 pushups.

Wednesday - Stairs to 7 in AM, 20 min lunchtime stroll. Zumba Curves after dinner, 32 pushups.

Thursday - Stairs to 7 in AM, 2.5K lunchtime powerwalk. 13 + 33 pushups.

Friday - 1.8K lunchtime powerwalk. 3 + 34 pushups.

 

Aaaad on to the pushups.
OK, this cat thing is a bit distracting.



What I'm reading this week - Unbearable Lightness, Portia de Rossi's memoir of her years as an anorexic. Brutally honest. Was relieved to read the final chapters about her recovery and finding happiness.