Adventures in Edmonton running...

So. Dear reader.

Some things have happened to me in the past year. This and that. And then this and that again. It happened. I'm okay with it. But that goddamn itsy bitsy yellow polka dot bikini that has been sitting in my swim drawer is calling my name. I think it is time to bring her out soon. I am pretty excited. Stay tuned.

I have committed myself to start trail racing again. Nothing brings me joy like that does. Nothing. Not even Netflix. Or Shomi. Or my leftover Percocet from that time I broke my leg. I am registered for the 5 Peaks 7.3km run in Devon in September. It's pretty much an uphill, single track, dirt trail.

I have started my training of with a bang- I am thinking I should start a twitter feed called: things that happen to me while running in YEG. Because I'm slow and old - many things can happen. Yes, even marriage proposals. WTF. Some guy, a distinguished sheik in a rusty Honda Civic, asked me for directions, then asked if I was in the need for a rich husband. I'm not sure what happened but I am not a beautiful site running. I am a sweating, heaving, ugly mess... So, you know, I think that stands to say something about the plight of single sheiks in this city. Poor dudes.

Here is a gratuitous photo of me running a chubby puppy.

What do I think about...

What do you think about when you run?

First I think about putting one foot in front of the other. Then I think about my breathing and my gait and pace and whether or not my piece of shit Garmin is working... and all that jazz...

Sometimes I think about what I would have to do/what weapons I have on me in case someone tries to grab me or stab me. I can get really detailed about how I'd kill a man... My keys between my knuckles or a sharp stick (because I run in the ravine sometimes) to the eye should do it. I practice what I would yell and look for homes that look like someone is home. I hide my cell phone in the back of my running pants in the hidden zipper. On silent. Just in case a van stops and grabs me and I have to secretly use my phone to call 911.  I think these things. I'm crazy. I know it.

I also think about what I need to do that day. I think about my family. I think about my job. I think about my dogs... then after awhile, once I'm running for a long time (which is why I love the longer distances), it gets deeper. 

I start thinking about why I'm running. I think about what I'm trying to do with this life. I think about my body as a tool and I listen to my heartbeat. I think about H and who I want to be to him. I want to inspire him and want to make sure I'm around for his wedding. Hell, his retirement. I think about how much I love that little booger and how much he has changed my life. All for the better. Sometimes I think about how it'd be nicer if he wouldn't rub peanut butter on the dog...  I run because I want to make my heart stronger. I once read that your heart really only has so many beats in it, and you don't want to waste them up by having it work harder than it has to... Regardless of how true it is - the immortality of it motivates me. I think a lot about my own life and death and how this, this is the only life I have. These choices I make, everyday, the accumulation of them make up my life. That my life is the sum of the choices I made and will make. I think about my goals. And how each step is a step in the direction of achieving them. Not just to run a race or to get a medal but to have a better life. To be and do something great. I think about my dad, and my friends who have lost their lives. And people who are sick and are unable to run. I know that I run because I can. And that I owe it to my them, my family, and most of all, myself to make the best out of this life.

But I also run because I enjoy it. I love running in the winter- the cold crisp air and the snow falling. I love the icicles in my hair and I love the warmth my body creates... I think about how much I've come to love my body. My body that has given me my son. The one that carries me across the world. The one that thinks it dances like JLo when it thinks no one is looking. The one that holds my brain and my eyes and my hands that rubs my son's legs. I love my body. And running helps heal it. Physically and emotionally.

So that's the kind of stuff that runs through my head when I run. When I'm picking up my dogs' waste off your front lawn along the way. *sorry about that- running makes them poop.

This video is sort of what inspired this wee post. And really made me happy. And sad. I loved it. I hope you do too.

http://runningmagazine.ca/a-new-film-asks-runners-what-they-think-about-when-they-are-running/

Officially now part granola munching, holier than thou, dirty, tree fucking hippy...

So I've started riding my bike to work more. Instead of only doing it on mornings that the Man could take kiddo to the daycare I'm now hitching up the trailer and riding him there, THEN riding to work. Then after work riding to the daycare, THEN home. It's a lot. And I think I might be a little crazy. But here's the thing- the Man has started riding his bike to work everyday. He works 20km away from our house down and up a steep river valley in the middle. To give you an idea we live near 82 ave and he works on 137 ave... it's an insane ride. And he does it. Every. Single. Weekday. Mostly because his truck is broken and he has too but that's another post. BUT that's not even it- he does bike patrols at work. ALL DAY. Inspirational or what? The other day he was showing me his quads, and without even flexing they totally pop. I'm so jealous.

So yes. Riding my bike. H has started loving the morning and afternoon commutes- he absolutely can't wait to get into the bike trailer and eat his banana every morning! I'm excited to be able to show him that we are an active family and that being active is really important and can be as easy as incorporating it daily into your everyday. It doesn't have to always involve a gym.

I sweat like a beast. Seriously, it's bad. I have to change my clothes at work otherwise I'm pretty sure I'd be shunned. To my own office even maybe? hmmmmm maybe I should rethink this changing clothes idea....

Also I have stopped wearing regular deodorant. Natural deodorant all the way baby! No aluminum or formaldehyde (WTF) in my armpits anymore! I'm becoming such a hippy, the other day I even rode my bike in my birkenstocks. I might as well start wearing dreadlocks and re-start breastfeeding. My 3 year old.

Nah.

Goal Setting and Body Image... and Other Stuff?

So. I've signed myself up with my personal trainer again. Andrea is amazing and gives me exercises that seem easy at first "pffft I can do that" but after 3 sets of them- I can't even laugh the next day. Or. The. Next. Ha. But she even has incorporated Shawn's kijiji Bowflex find and kettlebells so I'm kept entertained. She has also organized a schedule for me to do that is really working for me. I alternate between running, weights, and swimming each week now and I'm on week two and still loving it. I'm finding checking the boxes on my schedule very, very satisfying! I showed her a dress I bought in Vegas when I was 25 and how tiny it was. I used to just fit into that dress. Now I can't even get it over a thigh. I asked her if she thought it was realistic that I fit in it again? She looked at me and said "you did at one point?"... and I said "yes..." and her respons? "Of course".... And I was so happy. I've really been down on myself/my goals- just thinking because I'm older that it might be unattainable to be that fit again.... but that really made me feel better!

The other thing I've done is get myself a dietician. Thank Shawn's benefit plan for that one! I was actually kind of shocked that massages and naturopaths are covered under my plan but not something I'd deem equally if not more essential, a dietician. It goes right back to our health care culture of reaction instead of prevention. Sigh. Oh well. So her name is Kelsey and she is awesome. She is full of amazing ideas and even works with the Oilers too... so that makes me feel pretty special... We are working on breakfasts for right now. Apparently I have not been eating any/enough protein in the morning which is what makes me starving for lunch and sets me up poorly all day! I did not really think of this- I have been solely focusing on fruit and fibres. But she gave me a really good recipe for these egg muffin things that seems fantastic and I can make them ahead of time instead of taking too much time in the morning...

But the best part about seeing Kelsey so far has been the body composition we did. I knew going in what my weight was and so that number didn't surprise me, and I was ready for it. What I DID love is finding out I have 62.4lbs of lean muscle mass- which according to the charts/Kelsey is far above average. I have 18 lbs of pure lean muscle in each leg alone! She said that was super impressive and it's a good thing we found out because otherwise she would have probably put me on a diet that was too low in calories! So currently because of my lean muscle mass my resting metabolic rate (the calories I absolutely need to survive during the day) is at 1450, which means that is the minimum amount of calories I need to eat everyday. Wahoo. I also found out that I am bare minimum 110lbsof water, skeleton, brain, organs, and muscle. Which means I could NEVER weight that. If I did weigh 110lbs I'd be 0% body fat and I could never weigh 100lbs. I'd be dead. So that actually made me feel really good... It means I can have a much more realistic goal and vision of myself and what I can become. Not that I would ever want to weigh 100lbs- but it makes my 18 year old self feel better about going shopping with my size 0 friends and feeling down about myself. It means I should be PROUD I have so much muscle and strength. Now my goal is not a weight but a vision for my body to be a lean, happy, muscular machine. Weight doesn't matter. And that's not something I've actually thought about before. The batteries in my scale are dead. And I don't think I'll replace them...

The one other thing I want to add is I signed up myself to volunteer at the Death Race this year. One of the girls at my swim training last night (who does Ironmans and has the bright pink cap to prove it) was wearing a Death Race jacket and I was teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeming with jealousy. This is a goal I've had for years, then gave up when I got fat, but now realize I can do it. I realize it is not attainable for me to run it this year and get a team etc. as the deadline is Feb 1 for registration and I think it sells out within 10min. But this year, I'm going to go, volunteer, and hopefully get an idea of what it's like so it's not this horrifically intimidating thing. So three things this year... The sprint triathlon, the half marathon (which I just found out are within a week of each other... eep) and the death race volunteer. I think the volunteer work will also be good motivation... I read a poster the other day that's been going through my head all day "motivation doesn't last, neither does bathing". Which took me awhile to figure out but it means you need motivation as much as you need bathing. Every. Single. Day. And that's where my crazy long blog writing comes in. And hanging that Vegas dress in my kitchen. And reading Runners World. And signing myself up for goal races. And just simply imagining the impact my lifestyle has on my kiddo...

So that's it for now. If you read it this far-congratulations. But I won't blame you if you stopped halfway. I would have :)

New Adventures of Old Kristie...

So. This has been a week of firsts. My son went skating and NAILED it first try AND he went to the bathroom in a toilet this week for the first time (let me tell you that was better than Christmas).

First for me- hot yoga. I've been begging everyone I know to come with me on this because I've been very scared to try it alone. It mainly has to do with my body image issues. I just want one form of familiarity there with me so I don't feel so exposed I guess... Well, I was worried because, well because hot yoga sounds scary. The websites have all kinds of tips to prep and things to bring so it got me a bit worried. But Jill showed up and so did I! I have never sweated so much in my life! It kept dripping of my nose and falling on my towel. I noticed it running off my shoulders and even my knees were sweaty. It was phenomenal despite what you're thinking- but physics how??? It was very stretch based and slow with lots of rest breaks just like I like it. And no, I didn't get all the poses- some moves were akin to folding a tennis ball in half for me- science just hasn't reached a level of physics that can make them happen yet. Just impossible. I need to lose some guttage, and boobage area to make a lot of them plausible :). I was so tired after, I just went home and crashed! I did really miss my nightly bedtime ritual with the kiddo though so I'm not sure how many times I can go. He's only this incredibly cuddly age once :(

That being said, I started my swim training again tonight. The pool close to my house has a swim training program 8:30-9:30 Tuesdays and Thursdays where a coach will train you to swim. For the cost of pool admission- or if you have a membership. Which is pretty damn good if you ask me, and the class sizes are small (>10 usually). I used to go quite regularly- when I broke my leg and tore my tendons - my surgeon asked me if I swam... I said no, I barely passed red as a kid. "well you do now" he said. I did it for 3 months- and I attribute it to my ability to have a completely normal ankle right now. And I learned to rotate my body, kick, bring my elbows out, switch breathing sides to avoid kinks and see better, and that I love swimming. It is another one of those sports where the only person I have to prove myself to is myself. I fail miserably at team sports because I get to feeling bad about myself because I'm not the 3rd batter, or centre, or whatever the beat player is. I don't let anyone down by missing a shot in swimming, running, or biking. It's just me, the water, the pavement, and the distance. I love distance because I can go at a nice pace (for now) and let my mind wander. I think about work, my friends, my family, projects, the KIDDO, and I find i get in a groove and it's all mental. I love it. And i forgot how much I loved it. So anyway, I went back swimming tonight. So much fun. I've got a rest day tomorrow and back at it swimming Thursday and a bike ride to work! Yay! Until then...

I'm even too lazy to plagarize

Because I am way too lazy have way too much housework today to write... I am going to post this gem up because basically this woman says everything I wanted to say in my post- so why re-invent the wheel you know??

January 2013 here we go!

http://www.violentacres.com/archives/80/americans-arent-fat-because-they-lack-willpower-theyre-fat-because-theyre-broke/

Value Village finds!

Music Score!

Gypsy Kings- greatest hits. What's better than making enchiladas on a snowy day and dancing around the kitchen to the Gypsy Kings...

The Best Cello Album In the World Ever. Seriously that's what this is called. A 2 cd set of cello awesomeness for kiddo's bedtime. Bonus there is a mini car on the front. H's favourite car!

Serena Ryder- If Your Memory Serves You Well. Ummmmmmmmm she kinda sounds like Joni Mitchell- so good. These are mostly covers of classic Canadian songs- and absolutely a delicious CD.