New

I hadn't realized that it'd been almost a month since I'd last written anything. A few things have changed...or pretty much everything. I'm an entire year older and had a PERFECT 30th. My friends and family made me feel so special. I attended a friend of mine's BBQ and she bought me a cute little mini cake. My best friend created a scavenger hunt for me, then a surprise party. I did dinner with the fam at the restaurant that my brother is chef at and then drinks another night to round out the week. I was incredibly excited about my 30th, I started counting down as soon as I turned 29 and it's already been a pretty big year.

I also bought my first ever car. I did this because I required it for my new job! I started it a couple of weeks ago. I did not get the one where I was narrowed down to 2 for and received some really positive feedback for them. I actually got the job with my organization. It was really the position that I was most excited for. It's covering a mat leave for someone and is a great learning experience.

I always thought that if I had my own car then I would be more active. The sad reality is that this is true. What's sad about this is that if I really wanted to be active I would just do it regardless. I am happy that I'm hitting the gym a bit more. I still largely only do cardio. I'm on a real string though. Friday morning before work (I KNOW RIGHT! BEFORE WORK) I went swimming. Saturday I did some stairs, 759 to be exact. Sunday I did a cycle then today I did some rowing.

I liked swimming before work. I was just ill-prepared for it. The whole wet hair thing didn't go well for me. I knew that I would be going out Friday night and not have time to fit any activity in so I went in the AM. Saturday was slightly rainy so once it had paused I went to do some stairs near my house. I did 3 sets. My legs still hurt today. The going up got my heart pumping but the going down hurt my knees. Just like running downhill. The bracing is tough on the body. I went for a pretty easy ride yesterday. I was supposed to go with my brother but fate worked against us and he missed his bus and refused to ride his bike up the escarpment to meet me (I don't know what his issue was riding uphill to ride a bike with me, geeze! :) ) The rowing went well and I'm already feeling it in my arms, 2 hours later.

I am really enjoying the diversity of my activity. This is as a result of booking my Yukon trip. My brother and I have registered for a multi event 5 day excursion. Mountain biking, canoeing, hiking and a train ride into Alaska. It's a summer solstice trip and will take place at the end of June. It's going to be an amazing experience and I want to be able to enjoy it without the fear of death. So my new 'training' schedule is simply trying to replicate those activities. It's a bit different than training for a race but it's all activity at the end of the day and that's what is important.

"Strive for Progress, Not Perfection"

Today is one of those blogs that is about not blogging, offering up excuses for not running or training for a tri. I got a job, number one. YAY! I am working relief in a drop in for homeless people and 3 months later, I still love it. Although my scheduled shifts are sporadic the hours are typically the same. I am finding that this is actually quite helpful- knowing that on any given day I can work out at 4:30 pm, the latest. That being said, the job is very demanding. Physically not so much but I am emotionally sucked dry by my clients. These are for realsies people without a home or poor housing, dealing with some very intense issues. Yes, I still genuinely love it.
For the month after the tri I was focused on finding a job. This task, for anyone who has done it, is awful. Networking, applying, interviews, waiting...waiting...WAITING...takes its toll. I am very appreciative that I have since found something but it's kind of a dark period in time and you really get down on yourself and running just wasn't going to happen.

Photo care of Maureen Rich, I believe.
 

At the end of May I joined a team after my best friend worked VERY hard at convincing me. Another new activity for my books- ROWING! I wasn't too keen on it at first or throughout the duration of the practices. I took solace in the fact that we were all newbies, except for my aforementioned friend. I just really HATED lugging that boat in and out of the water and it seemed like every time that we did we received different directions and we never really did master it. We had our regatta this past weekend and it was incredibly fun. It totally made my mind up for me to continue doing it next year. I was with a great bunch of women and met a whole crew of new friends. I'd actually properly trained and would get on the rowing machine an extra two times a week. My roommate from university and very good friend used to row and gave me a few pointers one night after a yoga class that I really benefited from. So, at least I was heading to the gym a bit because of that. I just realized typing that that when I participate in an activity with a goal date I am pretty committed to training for it.

Photo care of Caren Funnell

My brother's also joined the gym that I go to and we try to "play" racquetball once a week. We've done 3 sessions thus far. We're actually improving but we don't know the rules. Basically, we jog around the court and whack at a ball. I'm better at directing it but he's better at actually hitting it. I like the activity. We need a coach though.

Lastly, my newest endeavour is a planning a mountain biking excursion in Yukon. I thought I had my brother sold on it if we went next summer to celebrate our average 30th birthdays he'll be in his 29th year, me in my 31st). I specifically wanted to get there during the summer solstice and stumbled across a mountain biking trip. I was talking to him at our weekly match today and he's hesitant to go. The summer solstice trip is an intermediate biking trip through the mountains of the territory. I was nervous about it too and started reading up on mountain biking and apparently the muscles, since they are larger are easier to train and develop. So yes, my ass will probably hurt (I've already looked into padded shorts) but I feel like this is yet another crazy adventure that I can train for. I think my brother's pride is getting in the way. Having trained for- and come in last- for several events I don't have that issue anymore. I just figure that I will do the same as always. Research, practice, hit the gym, buy the equipment, talk to professionals and be as prepared as I can be then take up the rear as always. I figure they can't let me die out there and I've got almost a year to train, which is more than I'd ever done before. I am impressed that baby brother admitted to me that this would be a life changing decision for him. I hadn't thought about that but he's right. We're both considerably overweight. He's a smoker. I think that not having ever trained for anything has him concerned. He even mentioned consulting our GP; which made me laugh because she knows all about my previous races and was super keen on me participating. So, little brother- I know you're reading this, I say just dive in and go for it. I know you have it in you. If I can do it, you definitely can as well. Genetically, you're better built for it than I am.




Overall, with taking up rowing this summer I have been reminded that once you start doing one activity you tend to take up more. I've swam a couple times, been to a couple yoga classes and started cycling more places. So, as my brother said, yes it is a lifestyle commitment but it tends to come naturally. You even take care of what you eat because you don't want to waste all that energy that you just expended on something deep fried. Or on the flipside- you 'guy-et' and allow yourself that piece of chocolate cake with less torment, knowing you just sweated up a storm.

 

Photo care of Caren Funnell
 

21

Mario Caron, Goalkeeper: Goalball. Nicknamed: The Heat. Why? The Heat - Can hurl a ball at 60 kilometres an hour with complete precision (my friends who play dodgeball, perhaps you should try recruiting him). He's visually impaired but that didn't stop him from participating in adaptive sports. This is his 7th Games. He does 2 gays of goalball, 2 days physical, and 2 days cardio. Plus a little yoga (that's what I like to hear).

You may be wondering what Goalball is and here's an explanation from canadianblindsports.ca:

Goalball is a fast-paced, Paralympic sport played by athletes who have a visual impairment or are blind. Played three-on-three, on a volley-ball size court, players track the ball by sound as they use their bodies to defend blistering shots upwards of 80 kilometers per hour.

Clara Hughes, Cyclist with the thousand watt smiles and definitely one of my personal favourite athletes. This is Clara's sixth Olympic appearance. You may be thinking wait, what? She doesn't look that old. She's not been attending the Olympics since she was a toddler but, she is a dual athlete She competes in the winter as a speed skater. Clara's only the 4th athlete to ever win medals at both summer and winter games and she's the ONLY one to have won multiple medals at both. She, along with Cindy Klassen is the most decorated Olympic athlete this country has to offer. It does my heart proud knowing that our two best athletes are women. Clara's website is: http://clara-hughes.com/ where I grabbed the following from:

"After winning gold in 2006, Clara donated $10,000 of her personal savings to the Right to Play programs. This donation challenged Canadians to support the cause, raising over half a million dollars for the international humanitarian organization that uses sport for development. In 2010, she donated her $10,000 medal bonus to the Vancouver inner city school program, ‘Take a Hike’, which uses adventure based learning to give youth at risk a better direction in life.

She is the National Spokesperson for Bell Canada’s Mental Health initiative and the ‘Let’s Talk’ campaign. By sharing past struggles with depression, Clara has helped break down the stigma associated with mental illness.

She is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a Member of the Order of Manitoba, holds honorary doctorates from various Canadian Universities and has been awarded the International Olympic Committee’s prestigious ‘Sport and the Community’ award for her commitment to promoting the values of sport and play around the world. Clara also has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Clara was given the great honor of being the Canadian Flag Bearer for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, proudly leading the home team to its historic medal winning performance."

She's just an all 'round amazing person, never mind athlete. I have to admit I got a little emotional doing up this post. She's just so gosh darned inspiring!

In other news which ties in nicely to Clara- I cycled to work for the first time ever yesterday. It took just about as long as the bus. I just ended up getting there a heck of a lot sweatier than I would have via other means. It was ok. As we all know cycling is a struggle for me. The weather is not helping and I think at this point that I will barely finish that try tri, if the weather stays like this. I am finding it difficult to train. I think it important to note: I only cycled TO work. I took the bus back up the mountain, where a man asked me where I got my helmet from. My fancy dancey Yakkay helmet. So I told him it was a specialty store in Toronto and told him to google the brand. I shall make it easier for you guys: http://www.yakkay.com/Webshop/23-Paris-Herringbone/. That's the helmet that I have. I will not be wearing it during my race, I may not do the greatest at playing the part but I'm gonna have to at least LOOK it. They've got all kinds of other great, stylish covers if you browse around the site more.

No Thank You

Today I did a 10 K cycle in 50 minutes and 25 seconds on a stationary bike. I wasn't too keen on this aspect of training for a triathlon. My butt really hurt. It did give me a nice energy boost for work though. It also offered me an opportunity to remind me how important the music I listen to is to my exercising. Certain songs really get me moving. Some make me want to start clapping overhead. I'd look ridiculous doing that at the gym, but I kind of wondered what would happen...I also listened to a Russell Brand comedy routine- "Scandalous" it still makes me chuckle so I laughed throughout the workout which was also nice, considering how loooooooooooooong the workout was. I feel like I need to improve on my cycling the most because I dislike it so much so I want to spend as little time as possible doing it. I'd also like to point out the pace time that I had would have been slower than the dude who ran and won the 5K race that I went to.