igloo village

 my most creative MOVEment yet involved building an igloo village in the meadows at hollyburn ridge, up cypress mountain. this was something i had done before, but not with this many people camping over night with us. there is something very magical about being up in the mountains over night. the scenery is incredible, for one, with the fog rolling in around the snow capped trees. i also find the moments i share with people in the wilderness become something special. they become the stories i tell, the photos i review, and the memories i turn to when i need inspiration. this night was no different.

the snow conditions were surprisingly perfect for igloo building and the evening went incredibly smoothly. we built two igloos and with three people per igloo, the building seemed to go by pretty quickly. we found the best arrangement was one person working in the block quarry (as i like to call it) cutting blocks out of the snow with the snow blades and saws we brought, one person shuttling the blocks to the igloo and helping pack the walls, and one person working from inside the igloo, receiving the blocks and forming the walls and ceiling. after our two igloos were complete we decided to connect them with a massive tunnel (that almost became a third igloo itself!). the process took about 4 hours but the end result was a very impressive snow structure that provided shelter for our winter camp out!









this was a fantastic experience but i would insist that interested people do a bit of research before they try this themselves. a good outdoor store like Mountain Equipment Co-op is a great place to start. we made sure this was a safe experience by doing a few simple things:

• we chose an area to camp in that we were already very familiar with.
• we told other people where we were camping and what time we were expected to return home by.
• our group was a mixture of experienced and less experienced winter campers, so we had enough knowledge and skill to draw from (as well as a first aid professional).
• we brought appropriate gear, including specialized winter camping gear, as well as a small heater, stove, and hot drinks. on an extreme scale, the difference between appropriate gear an inappropriate gear can save your life. when nothing goes wrong, it still serves to increase the comfort and enjoyment of any trip.

i can't stress both sides enough: how memorable and rewarding outdoor adventures can be but to know your facts before planning any outdoor adventure.

9.12.11: day 39
walk in eve.

10.12.11: day 40
walk downtown victoria: 2hrs.

11.12.11: day 41
cardio at the Y.

12.12.11: day 42
strength at the Y.

13.12.11: day 43
 walking.

14.12.11: day 44
just stretching. i was really sick the night before :(

15.12.11: day 45
stretching 30 min.

16.12.11: day 46
christmas light walk :)

17.12.11: day 47
trail run in pacific spirit park, vancouver. 1 hr.

18.12.11: day 48
walking.

19.12.11: day 49
igloo village building! at least 4 hours of hiking in the snow, cutting and lifting blocks, and sculpting igloos before camping out over night.

20.12.11: day 50!!!
waking up in an igloo was a remarkable way to start day 50! i concluded with a beach walk at night.

21.12.11: day 51
quick jog and stretch in local park.

22.12.11: day 52
walking along the vancouver waterfront.

23.12.11: day 53
walking downtown victoria.

24.12.11:day 54
simple home strength workout: squats, push ups, v sits, stretch.

my very own race

ok, this post is a little late.....with exams, work, christmas preparations, and family visits, i've fallen a little behind on my MOVEment updates. enjoy, and i will try to post something more up to date soon....

funny story:

my most interesting MOVEment experience over the last two weeks came to me through my choice of running route one evening. i decided to run the evening of dec 3rd and the route i had chosen (actually one of my favoirte waterfront routes) also happended to be the route of Victoria's annual Christmas truck parade. i ran the entire 12km about 20min in front of the parade, so i never saw it, but there were hundreds of spectators lining the streets as i passed. i was even followed by a police car for a few kilometers as he made sure the parade route was safe! there was such energy in the crowd and at one point the sidewalk became so busy i couldn't pass....but the road was clear. traffic had been stopped for the parade but the trucks weren't on the road yet....so......out on to the road i go!!

i sprinted down the middle of the street as fast as i could, with hundreds of spectators watching me. and some of them started to cheer!!! just like that i was in my very own race! i must have looked ridiculous but i was having such a good time just running and feeding off the energy from the crowd. it was by far my funniest running moment to date.

hey, maybe this will be a new fad. i just might look for other local parades to run in front of! and next year, maybe i will run wearing christmas lights!!


***

21.11.11: day 21
cardio 30min; upper body strength workout.

22.11.11:day 22
cardio 1hr spin workout; lower body strength workout.

23.11.11:day 23
walk 30min

24.11.11:day 24
walk 40min

25.11.11:day 25
walk 30min

26.11.11:day 26
walk 30min

27.11.11: day 27
walk; splash in puddles; learn to be a child again :)

28.11.11: day 28
walk 45min

29.11.11:day 29
cardio 30min spin

30.11.11:day 30
walk 30min

1.12.11: day 31
walk 45min

2.12.11:day 32
walk 35min

3.12.11: day 33
12km road run: 1:25
ran my own race. just me and hundreds of spectators!! felt amazing.

4.12.11:day 34
walk 45min exploring another community at night.

5.12.11:day 35
walk 30min

6.12.11:day 36
walk run 12km with training partner. 1:35

7.12.11:day 37
cardio 30min spin (getting stronger on the bike!!); full body strength training.

8.12.11:day 38
30min stretch. my most minimal MOVEment yet :( i came home from writing an exam in the evening and performed a very minimal stretching routine that barely counted towards my goal of at least 30min of MOVEment a day. but i did sleep really well that night and i felt less tightness in my hamstrings despite the strength workout the day before. so the stretching did benefit me...it just wasn't my ideal exercise.

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'...