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:

 

Never underestimate the power...

...and it's happening again!


the MOVEment x 100 days challenge is gaining momentum.
so quickly, so easily. just from talking with a good friend who was looking for some motivation.  there is currently a facebook event promoting the challenge, with members ready to start their 100 days on november 1st. within the first 20 minutes i already had 5 people signed up to complete the challenge with me and by the end of the evening...39 people!
i am so excited, thrilled, and inspired by this. i study all day about the declining health of our population but here, in this small community surrounding MOVEment there are so many people who are committed to making changes, challenging themselves, or just having a good time by keeping active. and you are open to sharing this experience with friends, family, and complete strangers. you are my inspiration.

this time:
what do i want my challenge to be about?
what am i looking to accomplish?
i have always desired a higher fitness level, but what does that mean to me?


i want to be faster. stronger. more flexible. to encourage others. to push limits. break down barriers. compete against myself. find a new personal best. a heavier max rep. a quicker time. connect. surf more. kayak more rivers. build a fitness community. involve local buissness. involve you. help people. achieve goals. celebrate small moments. make it to day 100. enter more trail races. go to crossfit. attend yoga classes. spin. ride my bike to sidney. run in east sooke park. change a life. my life. and yours.


"Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead)

all of the above

i find myself struggling these last two months to fit exercise into my schedule. overwhelmed with work, school, and family pressures, i let my fitness aspirations slide to the bottom of my 'to do' list.
where are they on yours?
the gunner shaw 2011 trail race is coming up fast...and i'm contemplating not even entering. i have not really been running. not completing the distances or hill training i would have needed to complete. or am i just making an excuse? it's 10km...i can run 10km, that's not too far for me. and i'm not really a competitor, not yet anyways. i would be thrilled just to beat my time from last year. and if i don't beat it...does that mean the race wasn't worth running? of course not, that can't be true. so i should enter it regardless.
enter it regardless.
regardless of the outcome.
the joy and the learning is in the process, the journey, not the outcomes.
ah, this lesson finds me in my running as well as all the other aspects of my life.

so where do i find the motivation....(age old question).

is it in my accountability to others? do i record my fitness here, so you can check up on me? do i enlist fitness buddies and the support of people at the YM/YWCA of Greater Victoria or at Crossfit?

do i search for inspiration in the form of videos, programs, and other people's accomplishments?

do i conduct a goal setting session, taking a really hard look at where i want to be next year, by the end of the month, today?

do i start another round of MOVEment X 100 days to keep me on track?

or is the answer 'all of the above'...

focus

last week i stopped in at crossfit zone, downtown Victoria, to watch the last WOD (Workout Of the Day) of the zone games 5. the zone games are one of my favorite events (to watch!!) because they are small enough to be personal, large enough to attract a crowd of impressive athletes and enthusiastic spectators, and they feature some incredibly difficult and  intriguing physical challenges.

Featured in the zone games 5 were challenges such as the following:

• an obstacle course using monkey bars, parallel bars, tires, hurdles, balance beam, and the farmer’s walk

• a legs workout (4 rounds for time):
• 20 bodyweight squats
• 20 box jumps (20″)
• 300m row

• 15,12,9,6,3 of:  power snatch, barhop burpees, box jumps
• Adv Male: bar weight 95, 24” box jump
• Adv Female – bar weight 65lb, 20” box
• Int Men – bar weight 75, box height 24”
• Int Female – bar weight 55lb, 20” box

• 4 rounds for time:  7 front squats, 300m run, 11 pullups
• Bar taken from floor each round, can squat clean
• Adv Male: bar weight 155, 300 run, ctb pull-ups
• Adv Female: bar weight 95, ctb pull-ups, 300m run
• Int Male: bar weight 125, regular pull-ups, 300m run
• Int Female:  bar weight 85, regular pull-ups, 200m run

i love watching the games for a few reasons:

1. i will watch any competition "live". i am not a big lover of traditional sports and i do not watch any sports on tv, but watching something live is a different story. you get to experience the event in a striking way: feel the energy in the room and catch the subtleties of the athlete's struggle and accomplishments!
2. i get to participate. not compete, but be a part of the event, either by helping out or by being a spectator. i have come to realize through the times i have competed in something, that spectators play an incredibly crucial role. when i am giving everything i can and still falling behind, what keeps me motivated are the cheers of others. and i am honored to play this role for someone else.
3. it inspires me. probably the biggest reason i go to the zone games. i get to see first hand what people can accomplish when they train, compete, and push through their barriers. it makes me want to push through mine.

 check out cross fit zone for more details and an excellent recap of the games.

it has been a long time...

it has been a long time since i have written, and i apologize for that. it has been a long time since i have looked at MOVEment in terms of it's goals and where i want to take it next. it feels like it has been a long time since i've been home.

as you know, i have been living in ucluelet, bc, for the summer while taking part in an amazing opportunity to plan and implement summer day camps for the children of the community. this experience has taught me so many things about myself and i feel refreshed and better able to tackle some of the other challenges in my life and my career. i am also still processing what it meant to me to work, live, and play in that small community bordering the pacific rim national park and how that has impacted me, now that i am home, in victoria.

i was instantly swept up into the rush of starting my final year at the university of victoria, beginning a new job, and keeping up my fitness regime, and i have to admit, i've felt a little lost since i've come home. but managing my personal and professional time and goals will just be (and always have been) another challenge to overcome.

so, it is with a fresh start that i look forward to continuing to share my struggles, inspirations, and of course the growth of MOVEment with you. stay tuned for some exciting things this year, as i look to further explore the trail running world, provide you with some insight into the local fitness studios of victoria, and implement the VIP Files, a series of biographies about Very Inspirational People in the health, fitness, and recreation industries.