Week Three: Competition

on one end of the spectrum, there are people who thrive on competition. nothing is as exciting as it is when you are against someone else. what are your strengths? who can you beat? are you faster, or are they? the motivation that comes from competition is often unmatched.

on the other end are those who shy from competition. they fear the attention of coming in first, the disappointment of coming in last, and simply shy away from being compared to others. i would have to place myself more in this category. i was not raised in competitive sports and i rarely found myself placed against someone in a physical challenge. now when i do enter a competition, i am easily intimidated and discouraged.

i am slowly trying to overcome this challenge. i do not enter very many competitions, but when i do, i am often filled with anxiety the week before and i have to remember that above all, i am doing this for fun. but even i have discovered benefits form competitive actives if i am in the right mindset. i try to let the event and those people around me build my energy and enthusiasm for the race, not detract from it. and in the moment (and afterwards) i do enjoy it. encouragement from other competitors and the excitement of the spectators really mean the world to me! i can not even express how much this influences my race. this year, at the gunner shaw 2011, as i was running up a particularly difficult hill, an elderly gentleman reminded me how great i was doing and that it was so wonderful i was out here trail running. his kind encouragement really boosted my motivation and that hill suddenly seemed not as steep.

i was also fortunate to run this race with friends again this year, and competing with those you respect and love often makes the experience that much more memorable. without a doubt, my favorite part of the race this year was coming around the corrner near the finish and seeing by good friend waiting for me.
"what are you doing?!" i yelled. "you're not supposed to wait!!"
"i know," she laughed. "but i wanted to finish the race with you!"

we raced across the finish line, linking arms and laughing, which confused the race volunteers to some degree.
"Girls, stay in order! Who finished first here!"
"We finished together!!" we shouted.
"no girls, this is very important. you don't understand."
"no, i don't think you understand. its not important. we don't care which order we are in".

...and maybe that is the value of competion.
you get out of it what you want to. if you can use it to psych you up and motivate your body and mind to race stronger and faster than you have in the past, then that's amazing. if you use it to push your boundaries, instil a few pre-race jitters, but throw it away at the end in favor of having more fun, than that is also just as amazing.

a sincere 'thank you' to all those involved in organizing an hosting this amazing race, as well as a thank you to all the competitors and spectators.

14.11.11: day 14
30min spin

15.11.11: day 15
45min walk

16.11.11: day 16
30min walk

17.11.11: day 17
30min spin

18.11.11: day 18
30min walk

19.11.11: day 19
Gunner Shaw 10km trail run (1:06)

20.11.11: day 20
30 min stretching
felt amazing after my run yesterday, but i still wanted to take it easy today. i thought some dedicated flexibility practice would be beneficial.

Week Two: scattered thoughts

how is it possible that i still struggle to make exercise a daily routine?
how many times do i have to do this until it gets easier?

we all have busy lives. could the lesson be that it may never get easier to incorporate physical activity into your daily life...but we don't do it because its easy? we do it for the countless physical, mental, and social benefits...and because it makes us who we are.

 
i call myself a runner. is there a definition for this? do i need to run four times a week to be a runner, or cover mind boggling distances like my ultra runner friends? what about being a surfer, kayaker, or hiker for that matter? should i be logging hours and trips to prove my status.

does your physical activity define who you are?






last week was my birthday and i was blessed to spend it with some wonderful family members and friends in one of my favorite places in the world: Tofino, B.C. i spent the week surfing, beach running, kayaking (a few small waves), and relaxing and recuperating from life in the real world.

 now i am back into a world of pressures and scattered thoughts.

i have the gunner shaw race this weekend. i am not a racer (a runner, but not a racer? how do i know this?) even though my time for this race doesn't really impact anything, i have been stressing all week about it. i didn't grow up in competitive sports, so my enthusiasm for competition, even at the lowest level, is relatively weak. so i must relax and try and enjoy this race (and i will, as i'm running it). "Run for the love" as a dear friend once told me. must remember.


MOVEment this past week:

13.11.11: day 13
30min walk

 12.11.11: day 12
1.5 hours of surfing in the morning. we were some of the first out there in the misty rain and white water. great way to end the trip.

11.11.11: day 11
running along long beach. 1 hour approx? the wind was so strong i was leaning into it and still had trouble moving forward at any kind of respectable pace! but it reminded me of my long beach running this past summer and i felt thankful for the experience regardless of the wind.

10.11.11: day 10
spent most of the morning surfing. did a little kayak surfing too.

09.11.11: day 9
30min walk along chesterman beach in the dark. walked with papa bear and relaxed after a busy morning getting ready for the trip and a long car ride to tofino.

08.11.11: day 8
full body strength at YM/YWCA

07.11.11: day 7
cardio training

Week One

so week one of the MOVEment X 100 days challenge is complete! as at the beginning of all projects, i am feeling inspired, confident, and excited to take this on. we have the largest group to date completing the challenge at the same time and this i find incredible. there is truly a community forming around making better fitness choices, being active, and committing to healthy goal setting.  and this community is what is most inspiring. i am gaining strength from it.

this is my recap of week one.

06.11.11: day 6

40 min walking.

05.11.11:day 5

30min walking.

04.11.11: day 4

3 hours of trail running.

there are a few more videos to come...

03.11.11: day 3

full body strength workout at YM/YWCA.

02.11.11: day 2

40min jog along dallas rd in am.

01.11.11: day 1

full body strength workout at YM/YWCA.

now i am heading to tofino for a winter surf trip. this is one of my favorite things and i am fortunate to have family and friends who enjoy this activity as much as i do. i'll be sure to update you with stories of my spectacular wipe outs next week. here's a little video to get you prepped: