Pete and Repeat Went Into A Store...*

I sat down last year and set some very do-able goals. Then I had a knee problem so the TC 10K was not do-able. Then I decided to Ireland so I cut out the hiking one and the second running one. Then I was lazy so I cut out the weight-loss one.

In short, despite making sure that my goals were realistic, I failed to account for the fact that I like to use excuses as a reason to not do things. Well, I'm back to being able to run (I was actually back to that before Christmas but the holiday season is not a good time to try and set up good habits. It's a time-of-year-too-busy-thing, not a grandma-molasses-cookies-thing, I swear) and looking at my 2011 goals. Easy-peasy, they're going to be my 2012 goals.

Easiest yearly goals I've ever set. And in case you don't feel like actually going back to the old post:

1. Run the TC 10K in 1:15:00 - I'm going to change this to 'run a 10K'. I like the TC but it's stupid crowded and I don't know if I really want to be pushing myself through throngs of people for a time goal. Over the next few days, I'll research other 10Ks in the area and make a decision.

2. Run the Gunner Shaw 10K next November - The ultimate trail race in Victoria. Don't believe me? Read this. Doesn't that sound like ridiculously crazy fun times!

3. Hike the Juan de Fuca Trail - From last year's post: This one was put on hold last year due to other events. It won't be put on hold again. Hey, last year me, yes it will. But Ireland was worth it. Let's try this again, shall we?

4. End the year within 15 lbs of my weight goal - Totally do-able if I'm not a complete twat about it... again.

Now, who wants to start a pool to guess when I'll give up the first one?

*Anyone else remember that joke from yesteryear?
Pete and Repeat went into a shore. Pete came out. Who was left?
Repeat.
Pete and Repeat went into a store... and so it goes until  the recess bell goes or your friend walks away (or punches you).

Getting Antsy

I've hit that point with my back where I'm pretty much back to normal but every once and a while, I move a certain way and the spot twinges a little. Nothing serious, nothing last, but just enough to remind me that I recently injured it enough to require the heating pad. It's that annoying part of injury recovery: I feel like I should be able to do everything I did before the injury, but I'm terrified I'm going to aggravate it like I did last Sunday.

What's a girl to do?

Well, if you're me, you debate about making a low impact workout plan for this week and then decide 'to heck with it; I'll plan next week because I've got coffee dates with friends from Switzerland this week!' So, instead, you take the longest route possible from Fernwood to Cook St Village and back again. Granted, I broke the walk up with a two hour coffee stop, but that's not the point!

I've been really good about making sure I get out for a walk every day even when my back is sore. I can only think of five days since I hurt it where I didn't get at least 20 minutes in so I'm pretty happy with myself about that. It would have been so easy just to say 'injured, sitting on the couch, thanks' but I didn't. (I may have treated myself to some 'injured, need chocolate, thanks' on one or two occasions, but that's also not the point!)

While I'm still not really to jump back into high impact exercise at the moment, I'm definitely ready to ramp up the intensity of some low to medium impact exercises.

But next week, when I don't have coffee plans with friends from Switzerland.

Like a Fish

I love Chicken Run.*

I've been floundering lately with being healthy. I feel like a fish out of water. I've been reeled onto the deck and I'm flopping all over the place to get back into the water but to no avail.

While I sat down in late January and made a plan for fitness goals this year, I then promptly injured my knee and all those plans went out the window. I gave myself a 'free pass' for the months I wasn't able to run. While I'm back into the running, I've taken my sweet time sorting out the other healthy aspects on my life. My plans for cross training have been spotty and my healthy eating has changed on a day-to-day basis.

After my run yesterday morning, I started formulating my get-fit plan. I went through all the workout plans I've downloaded over the years, tossed a bunch, kept a few, and started writing up a schedule for the workouts.

After a bit of thought about food, I decided to follow a six week eating plan. I'm not one to advocate following a 'diet' or strict eating plan because I don't think it teaches you a healthy relationship with food, but I need a kick in the butt right now. Hopefully this will give me the one I need.

Partially because I still have a few kinks to work out and partially because I like things to start on Mondays, I won't be starting all this until next Monday. Which is a good thing because it means I can have a beer while I listen to Justin** (and Ian) tonight at the Bard and Banker and that at some point this weekend I can get an ice cream cone and watch Chicken Run while lounging in my pajamas.

After that I'll stop flopping aimlessly on deck and start flopping towards the ocean.

*I was living in Germany when it was released there and it made me deliriously happy that in German it's called Hennen Rennen. It rhymes!!

**Someone needs to update his site to show tonight's performance...

2010 is Going to Be My Year. Wait, What? 2011?

I have a habit of haphazardly setting resolutions. January 1st rolls around and I think "I'd like to do this" so I set it as a resolution and then don't actually bother to think about how I'd like to make that happen. It's all fine and dandy to say "I'd like to climb Mount Everest" but if you don't bother taking any steps towards making that happen, you might as well be saying "I'd like to build a working TARDIS". (Actually, you'd grow a working TARDIS, but that's a discussion for another blog.)

This year, I wrote down a few resolutions (or goals, which ever term you prefer) and then thought long and hard about how I plan to accomplish them.

1. Run the TC 10K in 1:15:00 - I had a goal of running it in 1:20:00 last year. For a first time runner, I took 12 minutes off my best walking time and figured I could do that. Well, an unfortunate bottom-of-the-foot blister at around the 6K mark put an end to that goal but it had been within fairly easy reach up until that point. This year, I'm going into running knowing that a) I can run and b) I like to run. I'll just make sure I wear better socks this time.

2. Run the Gunner Shaw 10K next November - I wanted to do this this year but it occurred at the tail end of my hip problem when I hadn't been running for almost two months. It is not a race you want to enter into unprepared.

3. Hike the Juan de Fuca Trail - This one was put on hold last year due to other events. It won't be put on hold again.

4. End the year within 15 lbs of my weight goal - This is do-able. In fact, my actual weight goal is totally do-able in 11 months if I lose at a healthy rate without ever hitting a plateau or having a week where I gain, but I want some leeway on this. I don't want to worry about not reaching a certain number if I decided to have the fries instead of salad once and while. Also, I hesitate to set an actual number for my final goal because a lot of it is how I feel. Feeling and being healthy is more important than the actual number on the scale, so 15lbs puts me within spitting distance of all the numbers I would consider as a 'final' number. The easiest way to make this happen is to set lots of short term goals for myself. Weekly. Monthly. Whatever they are, I need to set them and go after them. It's really easy to slide when you think "I still have 11 more months before that goal comes up" but not so easy when you think "I have four weeks". Expect to see a lot more short term goals floating around here.

Has anyone else set some interesting resolutions/goals for this year?

Come On, Brain, [Insert Activity] Builds Character!

Sometimes I wish I could shut my mind off. Obviously not for important things like breathing and swallowing my own saliva, but for those awesome things that you want to do, you know you should do, but your mind is just too lazy to do.

Tonight was West African Dance night and my own mind almost talked me out of going. I didn't sleep well last night, I had a crap day at work, and all I wanted to do when I got home was watch Hawaii 5-0 and hope to see Alex O'Loughlin's abs... and I almost did just that.

You have a bunch of writing you have to do.

You have nothing ready for dinner and do you really want to have to start cooking when you get home?

You should upload those photos for your piece on Alberta.

You missed vacuuming on the weekend.

Maybe you should just have a nap. You only slept six hours last night.

Alex! O'Loughlin!

My mind had more excuses than a five year old who doesn't want to go to bed (it may have even used the five year old I-don't-wanna as well) and I found myself sitting in a funk, watching my clock creep closer and closer to leaving time. I jumped off my couch with minutes to spare, dressed while using the toilet (try doing that without getting pee everywhere, gentlemen!), and raced off to class.

Even just with the decision to get my butt in gear, I found my mood elevated and I didn't feel so tired. By the time I got to class, I was singing out loud to my mp3 player (even serenaded a few people on my walk to class that's how good I was feeling). I gave my all in that class--as I always do because it's impossible not to--and I ended up sweaty, out of breath, and craving more. I left the class feeling like life was awesome and I should go for a walk. So I did.

To a coffee shop.

Where I got delicious decaf coffee.

And dinner.

Okay brain, now we can watch Hawaii 5-0.

*****

Anyone else have problems convincing their brain to workout? How do you handle it?

Focus on the Positives and Recommit

I'm finally back from the dead over the chest/head cold which has been keeping me pretty low key for the last week. It's been a tough two weeks--I was told to stop running, I lost my workout buddy to Vancouver, I was viciously attacked by my own respiratory system--and I have to admit that at one point, I felt like giving up on the getting healthy. Then a few friends were talking about next week's marathon which I will no longer be participating in. That really didn't help the crummy.

As I got over my cold, I also got over my 'oh woe is me' feelings and decided to focus on the positive:

1. Running is temporarily on hold while we sort out what's up with my knees. The doc is very positive that I will be back at it soon and that nothing long term has actually happened to my knees.
2. I'm still allowed to dance and that makes me the happiest when it comes to cardio. I will be plante-tacon-ing and djole-ing once a week for the foreseeable future.
3. Before the attack of the irritated bronchial tubes, I was doing well with the 'at home' workouts. I know what needs tweaking when I start them up again this week.
4. I have a new walking partner.
5. My eating has been very clean throughout my illness and I know I can continue that through the next couple weeks.
6. Beauty and the Beast comes out on DVD on Tuesday!

Okay, so that last one isn't health/fitness related but it's a positive, darn it!

At the start of September I began writing a contract with myself as a guide to keep myself on target with my workouts and eating. Somewhere along the way, it went from being a simple contract with a few guidelines to a fully annotated Encyclopdia AndreaClairicus. The original thought was in the right place and I want to go back to that. I have a rough draft of it done so I plan to do a quick rewrite of it and then it will be up on here for everyone to see... as soon as I'm done watching Beauty and the Beast.

Because Stockholm Syndrome rocks!

Accentuate the Positive!

I have completed my first training session for the half-marathon and I rocked it, if I may say so myself. I felt almost silly making myself walk after only running for two minutes. Two minutes?!? That's nothing to me now, but if that's what the training schedule says, that is what I will do. I also like how great it felt to finish those two minute segments and remember how difficult a two minute run used to be. Sometimes I feel like I'm not moving forward with my running, that I'm just spinning my wheels, but then I think back to that first night that THR and I headed out and how much I struggled. One minute felt like an eternity... and now I'm talking about tackling a half-marathon.

I did pretty well on my water challenge today. I was a little shy of my 64oz goal, and I might still make it if I don't mind getting up to pee in the middle of the night. Oh, wait, I hate getting up in the middle of the night... 58oz for day one it is. Still, well within pissing distance of my target. (Yes, I went there.)

I also had a great experience today when I was approached about contributing an article to FOCUS, a magazine put out by the Adopted Families Association of BC. A writer friend, who is currently going through the adoption process, knew about my history with adoption and suggested that I write a piece. I have two ideas for possible pieces I'm going to put forward, and I just really hope that one of them resonates with them.

All-in-all, I've had a great weekend (Spain won the World Cup, I got to see some friends from Switzerland, had dinner with my mom, the weather was gorgeous) and this week's shaping up to be pretty awesome too. Life is pretty darn fantastic right now!

It may not be Double Rainbow All the Way, but it's Partial Triple Rainbow with Elephants.

Top that, overly excited rainbow lover!

Ja-oui-da-yes-si-ndio-ahan Learn to say 'yes'

I had a post all written in my head, but I have to take a moment to rant. I hate roofing tar. It is the only thing in this world that gives me a headache akin to a migraine. I am lucky that I don't actually get migraines so I'm making an assumption based on what people who do get migraines tell me they feel like. I was all stoked for my run today because I was properly prepared for it. Unlike Monday's run where I wasn't properly hydrated and made a not-unhealthy-but-not-great-food-choice for lunch and felt it for the entire run, today I was well hydrated and had planned every last bite I was going to take that day and so this run was going to be awesome. But alas, roofing tar, the Moriarty to my Holmes, made an appearance and instead I've spent the evening lying on my couch with a cold compress on my forehead, offering my first born to which ever deity may be listening. I hate you, roofing tar. Hate. You.

I spent a fabulous weekend in Cedar (the farmland/forested area south of Nanaimo) visiting my stepmom and cheering on a friend to the alter. I had great plans to do some runs while I was up there, but then it ended up being a bit hillier than I'm used to and I was stopping every two minutes to take pictures (such as this one on the right)... well, the thought was there. At least I didn't use the wedding as an excuse to do nothing! I spent a few hours at my new favourite pub, The Crow and Gate. It's the first "English" pub I've been to in Canada where I honestly thought 'yup, they've got it right." Leaving it, you honestly do feel like you should see a small Cotswold village extending from the pub door, or perhaps you'll even spy DCI Barnaby strolling around collecting evidence and eye witness accounts (yes, I'm a dork). The wedding was fabulous with a short ceremony which reflected the happy couple 100% and a great, relaxed, outdoor reception afterwards. I had brought my bottle of wine (people were camping all weekend so it was BYOB) which is worth 12 WW points and planned my weekend accordingly. Not surprisingly, however, I befriended two fellow wine drinkers and before I knew it, we had bogarted two more bottles. Sunday, also not surprisingly, was very, very painful. Oh well, live and learn :)

Back in Victoria, I have spent some time examining where life (or, more to the point, my choices) has taken me and it's strange how things can turn out. A year ago, I went to a Ghanaian fundraiser with a work colleague I didn't know too well. There were supposed to be four of us but the other two backed out and suddenly I was stuck with a social evening with someone I had never said more than three sentences to. Luckily, we hit it off and ate fabulous food while watching Keyke Fare perform. A few months later and I'm taking dance lessons from Keyke Fare's school, Moondance Arts. A few months after that and I have volunteered to help with the organisation of a tour of BC for Ballet Saamato from Conakry, Guinea. The German studying has been put on hold while I brush up on my rusty, rusty French and for the first time in my life, I actually enjoy learning French because I can't wait to learn everything I can about dance from these people. A year ago, I hesitated about going out that night because I was tired and I didn't know the coworker. Today, I'm so glad I made myself go.

I need to say 'yes' to things more often.

I'm off to shower, but...

...I have officially run my first 10K. It wasn't the greatest run and I missed my target time by 8 minutes, but I did it. I ran (most of) the 10K. And you know what? I loved it. Every minute of it. I abandoned my 5:1 goal pretty early on because when you still have the energy to run and there's throngs of people, trying to stop for your 1 minute walk is difficult. Instead, I set distance goals and then I'd push myself a little farther. I'd pick a spot far off (but not too far) and then once I reached it, I'd pick another spot, and another, and another, until I was out of breath and I really did need to stop. I managed to convince myself to run entire kilometres that way. Then a nagging little thing happened: a blister which I had noticed on Friday decided to balloon into a huge pulsating pain in my left foot and it left me speed walking most of the last 3.5K It was frustrating because when I would start to run, it would ache and ache, and without anyone to push me past that pain, I just let it dictate "no running". As a result, I missed my goal of 1h20mins by 8 minutes. A thousand shoulda, coulda, woulda's race through your brain when you realise that you missed it by that much: if I had just said 'screw it' that last K and run anyways, if I had just bothered to do something about it when I found the small blister on Friday, if, if, if...

Then I remembered something: I just ran a 10K. Four months ago, I would have scoffed at the idea. Four months ago, I was content just to walk it. Four months ago, I thought running was the past time of already fit people. Four months ago, I decided to do something a little crazy. Four months ago, I would have let missing my time goal deter me. Four months ago, but not now.

What can I do in another four?