Fall Running & Back to Cool

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With the exit of Hurricane Earl has come the cooler and drier fall air in short order.

Fall is my favorite time of year. It is also my favourite season for running. I love the changes. I love the change in the air from how it feels so cool & crisp to the smell of everything. I love the change in colours of everything around me. I love the crisp leaves crunching under foot. And I love the change from sleeveless and shorts to pants and long sleeves.

However, this is the second summer that I’ve felt summer wasn’t long enough. Last year we were just royally ripped off, with summer weather starting and ending (other than a one-off day here and there) way back in May. This summer has been fabulous in all respects. The weather has been out of this word straight through, and I had just graduated from my professional degree, begun my new job and reduced my working hours from a full-time job, plus school, to a 3 day/week job in my field of study. 4 day weekends, all summer long, plus vacation time – it’s been a dream.

The relaxing pace of summer was just what I needed on top of it all to rejuvenate and make up for some lost time with my children. However, I found as summer was coming to an end, that I still wasn’t looking forward to Autumn, my favourite season. I didn’t want the girlies to return to school, nor did I want the busy fall schedules to start. Yet here we are. The first day of school under our belt, and one of the many after school activities already begun.

It didn’t help that the summer weather was hanging on. setting records, and reaching the highest temperatures of the year, just as we were to let it all go.

About 4 weeks ago I decided that I needed to establish a manageable and sustainable fitness routine before everything else wound back up. Running has been my favourite means of exercise for nearly five years now. However, it’s been a constant struggle of two steps forward one step back, then two steps backward, one step backward, forcing me into a constant state of trying to get back on track. Fibromyalgia and the sleep problems that coincide present additional challenges, and it’s hard for my brain to forget the easier fitter days of my youth, (prior to letting myself go for nearly a decade).

But, I digress.

Just as I had gotten into a groove with a new routine of running first thing in the mornings, with plans to continue getting up before the rest of the family and get my workout in before getting everyone off to school and work, my back started spasming. For more than a week now I have nursed it, and it’s still not quite “right”. Now that Earl has cleared the air and autumn seems to be on its way, I am looking forward to getting back on track this week.

Filed Under: Health & Fitness Tagged With: , , , ,

Running Cut-back Week

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Today is the first evening in a week that the house temperature has dropped below 26 celcius INSIDE. Not only that but it’s happened while I was still awake to witness it.  We have Earl to think for this.  We’re currently at 23c (and dropping?).

This realization got me thinking about what else hasn’t happened in a week. I have not been without back pain – in a week. It is really discouraging that every time I get past that 2-3 week hump in establishing a new fitness routine, it seems to happen yet again, a road block. Just as I am feeling successful and excited and beginning to note progress in my abilities, on slam the brakes!  The only good thing about the heat wave and the back pain coinciding is that I haven’t been out running in the 40 celcius humidex.

Today I thought my back pain was gone, but decided to wait before making the decision to head out for a run, within a couple of hours I could feel the strain and twinging once again, this time with far less intensity than earlier in the week. So I took another rest, choosing to make swimming a priority as soon as the girlies returned home from school. With the heat at its highest point of the week it was certainly a welcome option.

The lake was the busiest I’d seen it all summer, and here we are September, coming up on Labour Day – the lifeguards are no longer on duty.  As soon as my spouse arrived on his way home from work (and could supervise our lot) I headed for the open water, away from all the crazy kids who’d arrived directly off of the school bus.  I would have liked to make a second loop, but one of the girlies was having issues that needed to be headed off, so a medium intensity 400ish meter swim was the extent of today’s workout. Tomorrow may be a write-off, unless we have power and my back feels well enough for a treadmill run – I won’t be heading outside in Hurricane/Tropical Storm winds and rains, and I am pretty sure my back will not go for a bike ride, even indoors on the trainer.

Usually at about this time in the cycle I get completely discouraged and feel like I’m back to square one. Not this time. I was consistent and stuck with the plan well enough that I KNOW it will work. After discussing the frustration with my Osteopath he assured me that it’s just a part of starting back up, and that it’s a good sign that my back is feeling significantly better within a week. He did not discourage me from getting back out there, in fact I felt like I had done all the right things for once. So, as soon as I feel ready I’ll be back out there following the same plan, as it turns out my body gave me a forced cut-back week. Not such a bad thing, considering I hadn’t actually figured out that part of the plan yet. 😉

Filed Under: Health & Fitness, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , ,

Life plan baby steps

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I’m here – half standing, half sitting, perched on a bar stool at my counter height table – wishing more than anything I had a nice comfy lounge chair to be outside enjoying the unseasonable end-of-summer heat. I left work early due to back spasms that just aren’t letting up. Fortunately, I have a sweet spouse who offered to swap me massage appointments (we see the same RMT) so that I can get in tomorrow morning, rather than wait until Thursday. In the meantime, I’m trying to get by on ibuprofen, alternating ice and heat.

As usual I’m struggling staying focused on anything. I found some great sources of information to help me hone my desire to do something unique while satisfying my personal goals in life, but as I ran out of time on the day discovered I also lost my focus moving forward. Somehow I need to get back there and continue the momentum. I can see why people need to take week-long hiatuses to go through this process effectively. Unfortunately that’s just not in the cards for me right now. And so I flounder (again).

This back pain is a prime example of how the distractions in my life seem to just take over and interfere. I know that in many cases it’s simply because I have let it happen, in others I just haven’t found the answer yet.

When it comes to my fitness the latter applies. Being diagnosed with fibromyalgia three years ago was at first a bit of validation that I was dealing with something that was not all in my head. But it doesn’t give me any real answers. It hasn’t helped me to feel better. I have tried many strategies, and have managed to improve the situation in bite sizes, however the pain still interferes far too much with my daily life and my long-term goals. I want to be fit. I want to be able to just hop on my bike and do a day trip that involves a long ride there and back. I do not want to be hurting three weeks after every carefully planned attempt at restarting my fitness routine. I have tried so many things. I’m sick of this cycle of un-success. Today I did what feels like the last option (of course I thought that with my last course of action, not knowing about this one). I called a pain management centre I recently learned of. They work with chronic pain sufferers in a self-managed/referred program that will likely involved some pretty dedicated commitment. But if I can get back to daily exercise that is not at the expense of my ability to function, I want it.

Some people would say: if it hurts, then just don’t do it. Many would love a reason to just not bother. But, I know in the long run that if I can find a way to make this work I’ll be healthier for much longer. Sedentary lifestyles result in heart disease, or Type 2 diabetes, or other disease… The short term sacrifice is SO worth the long term gain. Besides, my current mental state will also improve significantly with regular successful physical activity. Whether it is wise or not, I am really banking on this next step making room for significant changes.

Then there are the many other aspects of my life in which I must focus and achieve greater momentum and accomplishments. I started the process of planning, but haven’t completed the nitty gritty yet. I do know that I want to focus on one of my hobbies, learning how to become a better photographer. I bought the camera, and I’ve been playing around with it, but I need a little help getting this ball in motion, so I signed up for a basic municipal recreation evening class in Digital SLR. I can’t wait to get to know my camera and its abilities better!

I also entered a deadline into my calendar for blogging. I need to hold myself accountable. I want to write more. I want to write SOMETHING everyday. I’ve decided that publishing some written work daily on my blog is not entirely realistic for me at this time (just as publishing a photo a day isn’t). So I am committing to two new written entries each week. However, I hope I will somehow make time to write everyday, and then some of that can be stored up for future publishing when I have unforeseen challenges arise (i.e. illness or family obligations). After I start my photography course I’ll commit to two new photo entries each week as well.

These are actions to be added to my life plan that got stalled a week or two ago. They are baby steps, but at least I can feel like I’m doing something.

Filed Under: General, Health & Fitness Tagged With: , , , , ,

Dedicated supporter & My fitness/training plan

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I am so fortunate to have tremendous support when it comes to bettering my life, in almost any way. If I want to become more learned, he’s behind me. If I need to follow a crazy strict sleep schedule to combat insomnia, he’s behind me. If I want to make more time for my children, he’s behind me. If I want to spend more time with family or friends, he’s behind me. Lately, his support has been focused on helping me get into a regular daily morning exercise routine. So much that he thought he’d rally the troops, by asking my mom for a favour… for her to push my butt out the door on Thursday while I’m at their place… little did he know, it’s a scheduled rest day. 😉

Tomorrow after work I’m heading to my parents (some other big supporters) where my children have been visiting since Sunday. I haven’t seen my girlies, except for a three hour visit on Sunday afternoon. In three weeks (less two days). I miss them, so I’m taking the first chance I’ve got to get to them. I’ll stay overnight and have a nice relaxing visit with mom & dad, then return to the big city (& home) on Thursday morning.

Part of my planning involved the consideration of my fitness routine. And I’ll admit I wasn’t at all disappointed that it would work out that Thursday is a rest day. Of course, I haven’t fully briefed himself on my plan, as it is a work in progress. Since I am prone to fibromyalgia flare-ups, and often overdo it (what seems reasonable for everyone else, often feels fine in the moment, but is a killer for me in the immediate aftermath) I want to be extra careful. I also have a nagging ankle injury that will never entirely be back to normal.

So, I started off a couple of weeks ago with a plan to run 30 minutes (my limit from my physio/osteopath) every morning before work (and the same time every day that I’m not working – to establish a sustainable routine), I didn’t want to give myself an easy out (but in the back of mind mind I was thinking 1-2 rest days/week would be reasonable). However, I don’t want to allow myself to just skip a workout because I found an excuse not to go.

After a few days, my ankle started hurting – so the plan was altered to include rest days when my body tells me I need them. Then I decided to try substituting some cross training once in a while to help prevent the problem while still maintaining the routine. What seems to be working for my body right now, is no more than 2 days in a row of running. And one rest day/week to rest & repair longer than the 24 hrs. It’s all experimental, so I’ve been working through most of this in my head.

The current “training plan”: run 2 days, ride 1, run 2 days, rest 1, run 2 days, ride 1, run 2 days, rest 1, etc. Most weeks I will workout 6 out of 7 days, occasionally the cycle will allow 2 rest days in a week – which allows for a cut-back week.

I know eventually I will need to change things up a bit to make it interesting, but for now the current challenge is to establish the consistent routine of early morning workouts. Since 30 mins seems to be a reasonable limit for me, I thought rather than attempt to increase the length of time I would gradually increase the intensity, as my fitness level improves. When I’m ready to attempt long runs again, I will have a good solid base of weekly mileage to start with.

I won’t run if it hurts me, but I have a plan now that I am going to stick with.

To get back to himself. I am so thankful that he’s thinking about me and that he’s got my back. Hopefully we’re both on the same page of the training plan again. 🙂

Filed Under: General, Gratitude, Health & Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , ,

A new fitness plan…

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So, I still haven’t completed that plan I was working on.  You know the one that would have some overall life goal stuff to work on, then get broken down a bit into some bite size pieces, like my fitness plan, my work plan, my how to become a better photographer plan…

Anyway, I decided part of  my fitness plan is to simply get out everyday.  My Osteopath has limited me to 30 mins max of a particular activity in a day – but I think combining some may be okay as long as I’m not hurting as a result.  So, I want to get into a daily running routine.  Preferably, wake up in the morning, feet on the floor and head out the door kind of daily running.  A refreshing start to everyday.  30 mins – should be manageable.

Luckily my significant other wants to get himself back on track as well, and right now the girlies are visiting with their dad for two weeks, so it’s the perfect time to work together to establish a routine.  It will hopefully be easier for me to stick with on my own when we can no longer run together daily because of childcare requirements.

Ian & I running/racing together - 3 years gone by

Ian & I running/racing together - 3 years gone by

Yesterday was day one.  All is good.  Took a few minutes longer to get out the door than will work ongoing on a work day, but lucky for us Ian’s work schedule is flexible, and I have Thursdays & Fridays off.

Today, day two – out the door a little bit quicker, shortened the route a little (shorter walking cool-down for me at the end).  Another successful day.

I’m starting to feel like a runner again – with that good feeling ache of the muscles after a workout.  🙂

The weekend is coming.  I sure hope Ian is okay with getting up on the regular workday schedule in order to make this routine actually a routine!

Something we chatted about enroute is the tendency for morning runners and walkers to be friendlier.  Nearly everyone greeted us with a smile and a word of hello yesterday.  Today was a little less so, but we also saw significantly less people out.

I’d like to incorporate a swim and/or bike ride into each day as well – but we’ll take it one step at a time.  🙂

Happy running friends!

Filed Under: Health & Fitness

Dream home(s) ???

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Dreams are something that seem to come in and out of focus for many of us, and often just when we start to feel focused again, the dreams seemed to have changed shape, shifted direction, or altered in some way. There are just a select few (relatively speaking) who have that drive and constant focus to follow one dream for lengthy periods of life. You know, the Olympic champions, the world-reknowned artists, the award winning novelists, or the scientific discoverers…

My dreams tend to come into focus in multiples, not that they are all the same, just that they all look exciting and important, all at once. I have struggled with what to do with this for a long time, and still don’t know the answer.

It’s not just dreams about the big “what am I going to do with/make of my life?” questions, but also the accomplishments and overall picture of what my life looks like that do this. When it comes to homes and cars and travel, I have pretty simple basic tastes. Come to think of it, the dreams themselves can be pretty complex, but what I want out of them pretty simple. I don’t dream of a mansion of a home with 40 rooms and a indoor pool. But I do dream of lake frontage, space for a garden, and accessibility to transit. I love the thought of having the space to be nearly self-sustaining, (i.e. growing our own food, powering our own home) yet I want to reduce the amount of travel we have to do to get to things that we do need. Properties like those tend to come along with those mansion-like homes on them these days… Developers always out to make the most of the property value…

Lately, I’ve been really considering what sort of compromise we might be able to make for this to happen. Perhaps a smaller “city-center”, where we might be able to locate close to amenities and still have the space we desire? Or maybe we forget the proximity part of the equation and invest in more efficient modes of transport, like hybrid cars – or try to establish work from home (at least part of the time) and accept the long bus ride for the children to get to school?

Then there’s the conflicting nature of needs and wants. How do I fulfill my desire to always be close to the ocean, yet address the apparent health requirement my body has for a drier climate?

And what about the desire for a summer cottage on the ocean, where everyday we can walk out the door, hear the waves crashing on the beach and take a run in the sand?

That’s the great thing about dreams. You can be as farfetched as you like, THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE WITHIN YOR GRASP TODAY. We could have properties all over the world, but then how do we reduce our carbon footprint when traveling to them?

What becomes difficult is when we want to realistically pursue a dream. When it’s time to reign them in and look at what it would take to make them happen, and whether they are actually viable. In most cases we have to sacrifice one aspect of a dream in order to see another realistically within reach. This is where I get stuck.

How do I choose? What’s important today, isn’t always so. All I can do is try, and hope that upon reaching one dream, I’ll have it in me to pursue the next one. 🙂

How do you reconcile your dreams and when/how to pursue them? Or are you one of the few truly focused people?

Filed Under: General, Health & Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Chocolate & Slurpees, life’s elixir?!

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So, I’m already falling behind in my daily posting challenge. Yesterday was a busy beach day – morning at the lake for swimming lessons (I get to swim while the girlies learn 🙂 ) and nearly six hours on Queensland Beach soaking up the rays and bobbing in the ocean. 🙂

A friend presented me with a topic for my writing challenge: health benefits of chocolate and slurpees. Little did she know these both had tremendous benefits for me. 🙂 The chocolate is pretty easy. Who doesn’t love it? (only freaks, if you must know) Since learning the anti carcinogenic benefits of dark chocolate I have become somewhat more of a chocolate snob. I don’t eat those Canadian candy bars anymore – unless that’s the only chocolate available 😉 and dark choclate must be of a certain quality to truly enjoy it (and enjoy it I do!). I no longer eat my chocolate easter bunnies, so the Easter Bunny must stop delivering the traditional 1 lb allan milk chocolate and start presenting me with something I deserve! Lindor, dark, perhaps?

I am a bit of an addict, but since refining my tastes have been able to refrain from daily consummation, because I just KNOW the good stuff is worth waiting for. 🙂

Now I know what you’re thinking, okay I get the healthy chocolate craze, but how are slurpees beneficial to health? For me it was during my first pregnancy, living in close vicinity to Seven-11 (real Slurpees, truly are the best) that I developed a craving almost daily as soon as summer hit. I NEEDED slurpees. It was the only hydration that really quenched my thirst and calmed my stomach! ) Never mind the crazy acrobatics my babe did every time I had one!) I stopped eating meat as it was completely revolting to me, substituted my protein source with seafood (which was truly a shame, not living on the “right” coast anymore 😉 ) While I OD’d on salmon, my true falling was the Slurpee. I made excuses to drive into town just so I could stop in to my favourite stop.

Writing this leaves me wanting for a Seven-11 coke Slurpee right now. Who can deliver? 😀

Filed Under: General, Health & Fitness, Parenting Tagged With: , , , , ,

Yes, there is still a plan / AKA Writing challenge: throw a topic at me!

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I have not entirely completed my current (any) life plan. I haven’t clarified my goals, nor written out my plans: short term, long term and individual to each goal. I believe I must make time to do this, then begin following the plan(s).

Today I decided that any physical activity of some level of intensity of up to 30 mins, everyday would become a part of my fitness plan. There will be some more specific goals and challenging activities, but EVERYday, I will spend up to 30 mins working out. For the time being, this involves swimming during my children’s lessons at the lake each morning. Last week I swam daily and the level of intensity was entirely inconsistent. I took Saturday and Sunday off. Today I decided for this week it will involve swimming across the lake and back (approximately 900 meters).

I want to start working towards each of my goals this way, one small activity weekly or daily depending upon the relevance. Photography: a photo a day, everyday. Photo must be taken in manual mode and be something I am willing to share online. For today I chose to start with reading about getting out of the auto settings (I never use the actual “AUTO”, but the predefined semi-auto are my comfort zone), so I know this involves getting to know my camera better – tomorrow’s task: read the rest of the camera manual.

When it comes to my career related goals, I will need to take more time to eek any semblance of a plan out.

Writing: post at least one blog entry everyday. The toughest part of writing for me is getting started: deciding what to write about. So I decided to start a little experiment. I posted a Tweet/Buzz and Facebook Status asking for topics. I am challenging myself to write about every topic, no matter how strange, boring irrelevant to me. They do not necessarily need to be posted everyday – I may have other ideas that compel me to write as well 😉 , but I will have a running list to refer to and challenge myself with. Unless I start getting more topics thrown at me than I can ever keep up with, then I will need to set some clearer limits and expectations. I have received three suggestions so far. Two I have an idea of where to go with, the third I haven’t looked at yet (I was told not to if I a still on vacation– but realize now, I’ll at least need to add it to my list).

So here’s to moving forward, starting with little baby steps.

***If you have a suggestion for my writing topic challenge please add it to the comments on my blog!

Filed Under: General, Health & Fitness, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , ,

Team Diabetes Bluenose 10k

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Just over 6 weeks earlier, I had finished the very last of my school obligations, and decided that since I had a little time on my hands and needed the motivation to get off my butt for some more regular exercise, I may as well sign up for Team Diabetes to run the 10K at the Bluenose Marathon. The fundraising deadline was just 30 days away, but I was certain I could raise $500 in 30 days, in fact I did it in just over 2 weeks! I have raised a total of $555, so far – and can still collect more if anyone missed their chance to donate before the race.

Training was still tough. My ankle will never be the same, and most weeks that I ran consistently at least 2 days, cycle-commuting 1 other, I felt it in my ankle afterwards. It swelled and it ached, but it rarely gave me any pain while I ran, and I really do love running, so I did what I could. I’d built up form a limit of 20 mins/run, to about 45 mins, or 6.5+km. I also walked additional time, so that my longest distance on my feet accumulative, the week before the race, was 8km.

The day before I jog/speed walked with Payten as both girlies ran the Youth Run, a 4.2km event with more than 2800 kids participating. This event was a blast. I was so proud of my girlies for doing so fantastic and I woke up on my race day felling like I’d already run my race. I wasn’t feel motivated, and with a lack of sleep the previous week due to insomnia clinic changes to my routine I was seriously tempted to DNS.

However, I was confident leading up to the event that I could finish 10km within a reasonable timeframe. While I went into the race with no time goal whatsoever, there was a little voice saying go for one hour, and an even smaller voice saying, hey wouldn’t it be amazing to pull a PB out of your @$$ ?? I didn’t PB ( My PB was just under the hour), but it was a slightly tougher course and I wasn’t far off in the end.

DVH, a buddy of Ian’s was visiting from SJ’s for the long weekend and had registered for the 10k, hoping to run with Ian who was pacing a 55min. finish. He didn’t get the training in that he’d hoped, and wasn’t sure what he’d do after all. I’d told him he was welcome to run with me if he felt so inclined, I knew my own limits and with the little devil-voice firmly pushed under, I planned to push it without hurting myself. As it turned out, we ran together for almost the entire race, a little chitchat, a little time to enjoy the view, and a little discussion of heart rates and pace.

At about the 8km mark my body was telling me “Woa! You haven’t pushed us this far, or this hard for an eternity! Are you sure you want to do this?” I let myself take a couple of walk breaks when another part of me was saying, just push through it – you can do it! The twinges in the knee were enough excuse for me, and who knows without those walk breaks early on, I may have been crawling through the finish. In the last 700m it was all I could do to keep pushing through. I kept hearing this other evil voice in my head saying, you COULD just walk it in! I was determined that I could make it and that I would do it running, but when I finished I had nothing extra left in me, not even the slightest sprint. I was confident that at 1:04:21 chip time, I had run as hard as I safely could.

Thanks to Caro, the girlies got to come out and cheer once again. They seem to be really getting into the whole road race lifestyle.

But the best news of the weekend was when I suggested to the director of Team Diabetes that they really ought to include some youth events (I just know Breanna would eat that up) and he told me that they are in the works for next year, including the Bluenose! As it turns out Breanna has already decided she can handle a 5k anyway, so we’ll be signing up for more Team D events in the near future. 🙂

Filed Under: Advocacy, Health & Fitness, Parenting, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , ,

The unlimited ways drivers force cyclists off the roads

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I am a driver, a transit user and a cycle-commuter. I drive out of necessity (i.e. when I must travel across town to pick up my children). I use transit when I am not required to drive and choose not to cycle. I cycle when I can and feel safe enough to do so. My safety is effected by a large number of factors, including weather, but almost entirely involving drivers. I would have cycle-commuted WITH my children in tow in our bike trailer (and nearly eliminated my need to commute by car), however after limited attempts to do so determined it was far too risky in almost all parts of Halifax.

There are particular parts of the city where it is simply not safe for cyclists because drivers are ignorant to how they effect a cyclist’s safety (and some appear ignorant to the fact that cyclists even exist). For this reason, I “choose” to illegally ride on the sidewalk in short stretches where I feel my life would otherwise be significantly placed at risk. Occasionally, I simply have no choice but to hop onto the sidewalk, rather than be plowed down by a car. Roads are built for transportation, not just for cars, drivers would be a lot less likely to take the lives of other users of transportation if they would remain aware of this fact.

After reading a local journalist’s comment about how cyclists must to choose if they are traffic or pedestrians, I was inspired to come up with a list of some of the (most common) of the unlimited ways drivers force cyclists off the road:

  • hugging the curb (NOT “Sharing the road”)
  • passing stopped/slowed vehicles on the right (including pulling into marked bike lanes) – and I will note MOST drivers do not shoulder check for cyclists prior to doing so
  • driving in bike lanes as if it is an additional lane
  • pulling out of streets/driveways in front of cyclists – drivers often under-estimate (or simply do not care?) how quickly cyclists are approaching
  • turning right alongside of cyclists – again, was there a shoulder check? Did the driver not note the cyclists they passed upon their approach to the turn?
  • making left turns across traffic in front of cyclists – drivers often under-estimate (or simply do not care?) how quickly cyclists are approaching
  • drivers opening doors of parked cars into approaching cyclists

(I welcome additions from other cyclists to this list.)

Filed Under: Advocacy, General, Health & Fitness, West Nova Family Tagged With: , , , , ,
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