a lesson learned.

so...i don't really know how to say this, but i didn't succeed on my 100 day challenge, round two.

i went to vancouver and got involved in some family stuff (excuses, excuses) and before i knew it there were two days during the week where i did not complete my MOVEment. i was a little surprised at myself. after all...this is my project, isn't it? if i couldn't complete the challenge again, am i still a capable leader? i like to think i am and even in this small failure (dare i use that loaded word?) there is a learning experience.

i talk a lot about goal setting and this experience proves an important aspect of setting goals. when i decided to complete the MOVEment X 100 days  challenge for the second time, i have to admit my heart wasn't completely in it. i was doing it partly because a friend asked if i wanted to and not because it was my goal at that moment. also, because i had done it before, i did not give the challenge enough thought or respect. i thought it would be easy the second time. but clearly, it wasn't. 100 days is a long time and as i proved, in order to accomplish a challenge (or goal) of that length and magnitude, one must be completely committed and the goal must be important to them. i'm not saying the goal wasn't important to me, but it wasn't my priority, like it was the first time. so, as with any goal, make it and truly claim it as your own. put your heart in to it, believe in it, gain support, and achieve it. for you.

so there you have it. lesson learned. i do have some other goals and challenges i am excited about, however.

the first of these is a new iyengar yoga practice. i am completing an intensive beginners course that runs four days a week for 1.5 hours a day, until june 1st. my goals for this include learning some of the sanskrit terms, increasing my flexibility, and increasing my knowledge and appreciation for the physical and spiritual side of yoga. i have dabbled in yoga for a few years now but this will be the longest i will have ever committed to a practice like this. i am looking forward to what this practice can add to my life and how it will complement my other activities.

TC10KM

01.05.11: day 25

may 1st, i ran the TC10km race with thousands of other people. i didn't really have any expectations for this race as i'm not really a 'speedy' type person. i figured i would just jog the route and if i could make it through in 01:10:00 or so, then i would be pleased, especially since the crowd was so big.

this year the race route was changed to a loop course, which allowed for more running space on the road and more spectator viewing points. the route was beautiful and showcased some of victoria's spectacular waterfront. the tc10km is one of victoria's largest events and it seems the entire city comes out to run and support its runners. it is truly a wonderful event to be a part of and i would highly encourage anyone to attempt it...with the appropriate training backing them up of course!

my race strategy changed when i began running with a colleague and she took off faster than i was accustomed to. i realized i had a challenge and an opportunity and i began to chase her...for the next two km! we weaved in and out of the crowd, her in the lead and me on her heels, until i lost her among the other racers. i continued alone in the sea of people, but never really feeling alone, thanks to the spectators on the side of the road cheering for all the runners. this made me really think about the value of spectators in any sport or event. in most cases, they are just as important as the participants! the spectators participate in their own way, and on a 10km race, i was sure thrilled to have them cheering me on! my favorite moment in the race would have to be when a spectator on the side of the road pointed directly at me and leaned towards his friend saying "now she looks too happy!". i must have been running along with a big smile on my face or something! his comment made me laugh. it wasn't all fun though. i did push myself to run a little faster than i was anticipating and i finished with a time of 00:57:13, which i was very proud of!

i'm already looking forward to next year and maybe even trying to go a little faster :)

what are you afraid of?

what really holds us back?
this is a topic i have explored before...but i need to get to the bottom of this. what is it?

i think it is FEAR.

fear   

–noun


1. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.


2. a specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling: an abnormal fear of heights.


3. concern or anxiety; solicitude: a fear for someone's safety.


what are we all so afraid of?
i am afraid of failure. afraid of failing the people who have believed in me: my family, my friends, and my MOVEment supporters (yes, i am afraid of disappointing you,of not being who you wish i was, of failing you.) i am afraid of failing and making that critic inside my head say "i told you you couldn't do it".
 
i am afraid of not achieving, not succeeding, of trying too hard, of not trying hard enough, of not making a difference, of being too real, of being vulnerable, of not being real enough, and of actually being successful.
 
and i am sick of being afraid.
 
so what's your advice? what would you tell me?
i know what i would say to you.
you probably can't beat the fear, you just have to learn to work with it. stand up to it. yes, you might fail...but you should try anyway. why? because what would be the point if you didn't? if nobody failed, learned, got back up again, and just TRIED, what kind of lives would we have?
 
even as i write this, i have an idea brewing in my mind of a challenge i want to take on...a challenge i am afraid to tell people about yet because what if it's not possible for me? what if i fail? in many ways it is easier to not try, not venture outside my comfort zone, and not put myself in the path of failure. but then i might always have this thought:
 
what if...



25.04.11: day 19
30 min walk.
full body strength.

26.04.11: day 20
1 hr trail run around mt doug with my running coach and friend.

27.04.11: day 21
upper body strength workout.

28.04.11: day 22
am: 20 min waterfront jog.
pm: lower body strength.

29.04.11: day 23
37 min run.

30.04.11: day 24
upper body strength.

day 12-18

18.04.11: day 12
30 min walk. ok, too many days of just walking. i'll try and kick it up a little.

19.04.11: day 13
1.5 hour road run! (well, i think it was about that, but i don't know for sure because i accidentally deleted my time on my watch at about 1.25 hrs! arrgh!! many of my technology mishaps are due to user errors.) my ankles and feet ached a little, but my cardio felt strong. i wasn't jogging very fast though...but it was a long one!

20.04.11: day 14
full body strength workout at the Y.

21.04.11: day 15
early morning spin class at the Y. wow. this was a tough one. i don't really 'do' spin classes and i don't even cycle outdoors...so i found this extremely challenging. so challenging in fact that i practically just went and listened to the instructor's music and did what i could! i guess it was a good place to start...a good learning experience and a good new activity. i actually enjoyed the group atmosphere in this class and it definitely pushed me more than i would have pushed myself if i was riding alone. i think i would like to do another one and see if i can improve...

22.04.11: day 16
hiking in east sooke park with my family! what a fantastic day to explore this gem of a park. i actually wore my five finger shoes for the whole hike and my feet felt fantastic! i find i have a very different relationship with the ground when i wear them. with a regular shoe, especially a hiking boot, the sole is so stiff that i often just drop my foot down anywhere. with the five fingers, i am so conscious of placing my foot down and using the muscles in my foot, ankle, and entire leg to balance and support each step. i wiggle my toes and really grip the ground around me. i'm really enjoying the experience and i was impressed that i was able to wear them for so long!

23.04.11: day 17
walk 30 min

24.04.11: day 18
cardio training at the Y for 1.5 hrs. variety of machines.
i've been working on my rowing sprints and i am trying to come up with a reason why. will i ever race? probably not! but i am sprinting to see if i can push myself through the uncomfortable feeling. as i have said before, i am a slow, endurance type person...not a powerful, sprinter, and i find pushing myself through that type of task to be extremely challenging. so, i'm practicing! practicing pushing through the physical exhaustion in my legs, the ache in my back, and most difficult for me, the mental voice that says "you can quit anytime". it has been tough but i have gotten my 500 meter sprint time down to 00:01:54. and i am beat after that!! i'll let you know if i improve!

day 5-11: my running partner

"come on, you can do this! you came out here for only one reason, to run, now keep going!"

sometimes there are people who know how to get inside your head and know how to motivate you. my brother is one of those people for me. this makes him an excellent running partner. my brother is very athletic and i think i've always felt like i was competing against him in the realm of physical ability...and of course, i couldn't match him. maybe because he is my younger brother (or maybe because i am actually more competitive than i ever admit?!) this frustrates me to no end! but it also motivates me and challenges me to keep pushing to achieve more, especially when i'm running with him. my brother is also very encouraging and somehow uses the right mix of coaxing and pushing, support and motivation, to bring out the best athlete within me.

our evening run around elk and beaver lake proved this again. near the finish of this simple and serene 10k loop, we started pushing it and i finished the run feeling exhausted, but empowered! when i run alone i don't always maximize my effort and the result is often a satisfactory, not exhilarating, run.

i suggest you should look for that workout partner. it may be a family member, a friend, or a coach (like at BDHQ, Crossfit zone, or a local running club). see how they influence your state of mind and your performance and maybe incorporate those partner workouts on a more regular basis. that person might be able to help you get over that boredom, that training plateau, or just help you make it up the next hill to the finish line.



11.04.11: day 5

strength training: upper body

12.04.11: day 6

ran elk and beaver lake with an excellent training partner, my brother! time: 1:06:00



13.04.11: day 7

strength training: upper body

14.04.11: day 8

strength training: lower body

15.04.11: day 9

30 min walk along the waterfront

16.04.11: day 10
45 min walk around neighbourhood

17.04.11: day 11
30 min walk



'these are my wings. they make me go faster.'



round two: days 1-4

so, i was asked if i wanted to complete the MOVEment X 100 days challenge again. and i said yes. i had been thinking about doing the challenge again anyways and considering i had never felt more active or more passionate about physical activity when i was on the challenge...why wouldn't i want to do it again?

i am now thinking of ways to make this time different from my first time. i am contemplating trying more activities (because there will always be so many new things to try and tell you about!), engaging more people in my journey, and perhaps having a larger goal to work towards in the end, like a new and challenging trail run that i can be training for at the same time!

this was my first week:

07.04.11: day 1
am: 30 min five finger jog around Beacon Hill Park.
pm: upper body strength workout at the Y with a friend.
       exercises:

• warm up
• bench press
• seated row
• barbell shoulder press
• assisted pull ups
• dumbbell side and front shoulder raises
• cable bicep curls
• cable tricep press
• stretching

08.04.11: day 2
pm: lower body strength work out at the Y.
      exercises:

• warm up
• barbell back squats
• barbell dead lifts
• barbell lunges
• back extensions
• oblique crunches
• ball crunches
• stretching

09.04.11: day 3
a gentle walk along the waterfront.

10.04.11: day 4
am: road run, 1 hr 10min. sore and tired but i'm happy to be working on longer distances again.

scrambled thoughts:
how will i make this more challenging for myself?
how will i continue to make this interesting for people to read about?
what if i can't complete it this time?
what new exciting event(s) can i train for this summer?
how can i inspire people?

do you have any ideas....?
this is just for you to enjoy...and get you thinking, dreaming, exploring...

are trail runners more adaptable people?

a·dapt·a·ble  

adj.

adaptable - capable of adapting (of becoming or being made suitable) to a particular situation or use; "to succeed one must be adaptable" are trail runners more adaptable people?

   i'm not saying they are...just posing the question...


what does trail running demand of us?

a trail runner must take in information about the terrain (grade? obstacles? slippery? stable?) and match it with their own abilities (strength? endurance? flexibility? appropriate gear? training preparation?). the runner must do this at an incredible speed and with unwavering accuracy to avoid injury.

i am constantly amazed at the dance of my feet down the trail, the flight of my arms for balance, and the foresight of my mind as it travels 10 steps ahead of the rest of me. i am astounded by my body's ability to perform in this way. in any given trail run i am able to take in huge amounts of information about my surroundings, match it with my current abilities, and produce a performance that is constantly adapting to provide me with the greatest amount of success and joy possible.

now how does this apply to life?

is this not the outcome we look for in life? adaptable performance to provide us with the greatest amount of success and joy possible? surroundings that match our abilities at a level that is both challenging and achievable?

it makes perfect sense that the people who continually engage themselves in trail running are continually testing and perfecting their skills. this is basic training theory. but what skills are they actually perfecting? endurance, strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular capability, yes. but what about problem solving, decision making, adaptability, and foresight. not to mention planning for challenges, compassion for others, and perseverance through adversity. are these not the same skills we need in life? the same skills we try to teach our children and practice ourselves?

for those of you who have yet to discover your inner trail runner, this theory applies to other activities as well. i have been known to dabble in the world of white water kayaking (when the rivers aren't too high), rock climbing (when the route isn't too complicated) and surfing (when the weather is...oh wait, we go in the winter.), and i believe any relatively unstructured physical activity that requires a high amount of mental involvement, gives us similar benefits. this is why i argue for the involvement of everyone in outdoor recreation (i want to say especially children, as they are still developing so many of these life skills...but really, anyone and everyone could benefit). and i am most definitely not alone in this argument!

check out such organizations and opportunities as Power To Be Adventure Therapy Society, YMCA-YWCA Camp Thunderbird, TCC Adventures and Expeditions, and many many more!