Odds And Ends

I feel like a lot of my posts lately have been a bit disjointed.  I think it has to do with this daily blog post challenge bit.  If there is one next month I’m going to just do it weekly and leave it at that.  But it gives me the chance today to put a whole pile of things together for your reading pleasure.

Technology!

I got a Galaxy SIII yesterday.  Bell just dropped the price to $0 if you renew your contract and that was it.  It was never going to get cheaper than free, so I picked it up after many concerned looks from my wife while talking to the girl at the store.  I spent my own money on the warranty, which was just $15 more than the Bell hardware upgrade fee and the $20 in store fee that get waived when you pick up the warranty, so it made sense for a change.  It’s not the amazing step forward from the LG rumour tot he Galaxy, but it is still pretty awesomely sweet.  I LOVE the camera on it.

Check that out!  All full resolution pictures not like the continuous mode on the old version when they would have been a much lower resolution. Very cool!

Photos!

My Run For Your Lives pictures have been ordered.  The photo company that did them lives in a time warp from 1999 and is mailing me a CD with my photos on them rather than emailing them!  What’s the deal with that?!  So both you and I have to wait to see these pictures in non-tiny-thumbnail-with-company-watermark version.

Speaking of photos, my friend Rae Wright has her own photography business and is trying to spread the word.  I’m not sure how many Peterborough area readers I have exactly, but you should check her out! She’s also having a giveaway draw for a holiday photo shoot! 

 

Daily Blog Challenges

Day 28 Have you ever done a home workout video? If so, which ones are your favourite?

No!  My mom does though, they seem to work for her, but I have no comment on the whole situation.

Day 29 Recipe time! Share your favourite fall recipe!

I actually rarely cook with a recipe, except at work, but even now the things I have gotten to make a few times at work I just make them.  For instance I made chicken pot pie Thursday with a biscuit top all without looking at a book.  If I have a favourite fall recipe it belongs to my wife and it’s pumpkin tarts for dessert and surprisingly butternut squash soup.  If she’s reading this and feeling sharey maybe she’ll comment and leave the instructions.

Day 30 Your goals for October

My goals for October are:

• Go another 100km by foot or bike, that would make it 1500 for the year
• Score at least 5 goals or 10 points (goals and assists together) at hockey
• Get my kids at daycare to come up with their own story so that we create a book
• Maybe more, I talked about this not really having specific goals thing before I think

More Big News And Stuff

Well, imagine my surprise when I got a text from Amber that said the local paper wanted to interview me about the whole placing second in Run For Your Lives after having previously lost 80lbs.  It seems that Lynda, a long time friend of Amber, thought that this whole thing was big news having been the owner of the Millbrook paper a few years ago.

I go for this interview Sunday afternoon at the Wellness Centre here in town.  My choice of location and I figured that since I have done all my working out there it would be a good spot!  Once I have the actual interview in hand I’ll be sure to let you know!

Pictures are finally posted from the run as well, but unlike some of the other professional photo sites I have been to the expanded thumbnails are pretty small and they don’t send your digital purchase by email unless you want to pay through the nose for it!  So I have to wait for a CD to come in the snail mail before I can show you a good view of the shots and there are a few really good ones I think.

Today’s Blog Challenge topic:

Do you use any meal replacements or shakes?

No.  I did make a few smoothies back in the first summer of getting fit, but it was more of a convenient way of eating the meal rather than a replacement.  Bananas, strawberries, yogurt, milk, done.  Nothing like powders or whatever mixed in.

Tonight Hockey Starts!

I’m playing goalie tonight! Woo!  I’m excited to get back on the ice and since I have been asked to play net for my league team on Saturday, I’m also glad to get some time in net before a game that really counts.

I like this random aged, pick up style game each week and I’m really glad that I stumbled upon these guys a couple of years ago.  If you have nothing to do at all come out to Millbrook at 9:30 tonight.  If You want to see actual teams play, come 9:30 Saturday night! Yay!

What is one area of your fitness that you’d like to improve upon?

I think that I have spent a long time getting good at fitness.  In the beginning the main thing I had to improve upon was cardio.  There was no doubt.  Once I had taken care of the cardio thing I had to work on strength.  Once I had some strength to match my cardio I just had to keep on building upon what I had. 

Sometimes, looking back, it seems a bit overwhelming how much work I had to do from start to “finish”.  Now that I am where I am I think what I want to improve is just an overall type thing.  I just want to be better at things.  I think the next thing I want to be better at is swimming so I might be able to do a try-a-tri next summer.

Holly asked in her blog today ‘what motivates you?’ I think now there are a couple of things.  This general desire to improve different areas is one thing that motivates me.  The success of others is another, specifically Amber.  We rode all the way from Trent University to Lakefield and back last evening.  I was excited that she wanted to do that ride and while I was about to be content running for about 30 minutes before she pulled up beside me in her car, I was more than happy enough to spend just over an hour riding bikes together.  And as I mentioned the other day, I didn’t have to putz around on my bike for her to keep up, we both were riding.  That kind of thing makes me excited, and motivates me to do things.

What is something that you do well?

Now there is an interesting topic eh?  I don’t mind bragging at home to Amber about things I can do, but generally avoid doing so to the public at large as it’s a bit uncouth to do so.  Honestly I do quite a few things ‘well’, and not a lot of things ‘great’.  Sort of that Jack of all trades, master of none kind of thing.

If I have to pick one thing I would choose… Nose picking, sometimes I can really work out a good one.

That was when I was a kid though, so let’s choose something else.

I think that something I do well is teaching.  And really this is more of a ‘people have told me I am good at this so I am going to believe them’ kind of thing. 

I have only been a black belt at karate since November of 2010, but I have been helping to teach things at karate since I was a green or purple belt all the way back in 2004-2005 or so.  Many parents and adult students would tell that I was good at teaching and many asked if I was a teacher for my actual job.  At the time I was not (I’m not a school teacher now either), but teaching is part of my job now.

I’ve been a day care teacher, or Early Childhood Educator, or glorified babysitter or whatever you want to call it (seriously call it the second one, we like that) for about a year and a half.  I have been told by my co-workers that I inspire them (I doubt as much as they inspire me) and by my supervisor that I ‘really know my kids’.  I take their word for it.  If people who have been doing the job for 10+ years think I am good at it, who am I to argue? It’s very humbling I find to receive that type of feedback and compliments from those that I work with.

Have a different opinion?  Let me know!  But also, what are you good at?  Post it on your blog and link it here! Or a comment works too.

Riding Our Bikes

After dinner tonight Amber and I went out riding our bikes.  It was a revelation!  She was actually bike riding, not going along on a bike, but riding it!  It was awesome!  We went out riding a few weeks ago and on that trip I have to peddle in my lowest gear just to go slow enough that we were together and I could get a bit of a workout just by peddling speed.

Tonight I had to ride just to keep up with her.  I was immediately excited.  We could ride to Lakefield and get ice cream!  Well not now because it’s cold and she works on the weekend, but in theory it is possible.  I was so impressed with how much she had improved in so short a time, she didn’t even really struggle up the hills, outstanding!

It makes me really excited for biking weather next summer when she has time off.  We can go riding together and do little trips or whatever.  It was fantastic!  I’m so excited!

 

Blog Challenge – Day 24 - Have you ever fallen for a fitness “gimmick”?

No.  Unless you consider that eating less and doing more a gimmick.  I’ve never taken a diet pill, tried a fad diet or anything like that.  When I realized that I had to get in shape I just put my nose to the grindstone and did it.

Friend Making Monday–Fall Favourites

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here and over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

 

Fall Favourites

 

1. What is your favourite thing about this time of year?

The cooler weather.  I love this, I am wearing sweaters and sleeping better, and I start playing hockey this week!

2. What do you hope to do again before Summer is officially over?

Nothing, I’m done with summer, bring on fall activities!

3. When did you last go on a hay ride? 

I went on one three summers ago during our karate camping outing.  Amber is trying to set up a sleigh hay ride for Christmas with the whole family!  That should be fun!

4. What is your favourite pumpkin dish? 

Pumpkin pie, hands down!  I have always loved pumpkin pie as far back as I can remember.

5. Do you decorate your home for fall? 

I’m so not a decorator at all, except for Christmas.  I have only lived on my own for one full year (like away from parents, without roommates, and without a girlfriend or wife) and the only thing I decorated for was Christmas.

6. Do you have any hobbies that are seasonally specific? If so, what are they? 

I was going to snowboard again this year, but my cousin wanted his stuff back.  That would be seasonally specific.  Anyone have old snowboarding stuff they want out of their basement or garage?  I’ll take it!  Otherwise, Hockey, that runs from fall to spring!

7. Apple cider or hot chocolate?  Easy, hot chocolate, cider is gross.

8. Are you a fan of football?  If so, who is your team?  I like to think I am a football fan, but I never watch any.  I think mainly because I don’t have any football crazy friends, and by that I mean CFL.  I find NFL boring too much running, more passes and a longer and wider field in CFL.

9. Share a fond Fall memory.  Jumping in leaves when I lives in the house beside my grandma, so much fun to be a kid in the fall I think.

10. It’s not Fall until… I put on my skates.  Thursday I play goalie and Saturday I’ll be on right wing, I cannot wait.  I’m so pumped for hockey to start.

 

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions.  Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments!  Happy Monday!

Zombies Cannot Stop Me

I arrived at the site of the zombie infestation early this morning, it was pretty sparsely covered with people at that point. 

After checking in I received my health packs and got lined up at the gate.  Umbrella guards were trying to keep the crowds under control as we clamoured for them to set us free on the course.  A mob of zombies was off to the left, luckily they have not figured out how to climb fences yet.

The wave was released in three parts, I was in the last section.  I passed by quite a few people right away and lead the storm out of my particular gate as we caught up to the people released just moments ahead of us.  The zombies we came across first were just shamblers, they waved at us weakly and the were simple to dodge around.  The first obstacle was a series of three mud pits, some people panicked and jumped right in, or tried to make the leap and missed the far side.  I stuck to the side and leaped across the water.  I did not want wet shoes five minutes into this whole ordeal.  The only thing worse than a Zombie Apocalypse, is a Zombie Apocalypse with squishy shoes.

The trail zigged and zagged through the woods, zombies were smattered throughout and it was during one of these early woods sections that I lost my first of three health flags.  When we finally emerged from the woods there was a swath of field, zombies were waiting, crying for brains!  Fortunately I’m not only fast but dexterous and was able to weave my way through the field of monsters.  It was here that we came upon a house.  It was small and full of corridors but I made it through with only one wrong turn.

Back into the woods, and back to dodging the slow and weak zombies.  Thankfully since I started in the third part of this first wave I was constantly passing people and so I usually had people to use as shields and decoys as we passed my the walking undead.  We came across another field of zombies.  This one had a runner or two and I must have smelled particularly brainy to one of them as he began to give chase.  Thankfully I had been doing sprints to prepare as it took me running full out for a good 20 – 30 seconds to get away from the brain craving beast.  

Shelter.  A building filled with hanging electric fencing.  Who designs these places, totally unsuitable to use as a shelter from the zombie hoards I ran through dodging the wires.  One of them dragged on my arm as I passed and I got a jolt, nothing serious, but enough to know I didn’t want to feel it again.  A zombie was waiting at the end of the wires, I waved, said ‘hi’ and bolted away from him.  Out of the house was another field of the living dead which I had to sprint through to make it out alive. 

Back in the woods someone had set up coils of barbed wire to stop the zombies, luckily there was enough room under for me to dip under each coil.  One of the few people ahead of me was heading back from a fork in the track shouting to go the other way.  He had run into a dead end.  I took his advice and shortly thereafter we emerged from the woods yet again.

We then had to climb a huge structure I can only imagine was there to impede the progress of the zombies and then slide down a water slide into a pool of freezing water that was about three feet deep.  The end was in sight from there, just one more field of zombies.  I managed to dodge the first few, but by this time I was on my own.  No one around to use as a decoy.  A zombie grabbed at one of my flags and I swatted his hand away but I lost my second health flag right after that.  I only had one left and still a half dozen undead to get past.

Turn on the jets!  I flat out ran the fastest I have ever gone.  Dipping between two zombies I used my arms to shield my last flag and burst through the group.  The tunnel that lead to the safe zone was just up ahead!  I crawled through the tunnel and rolled under the fence and into safety!

I was the 2nd person to cross the line! 24:28 was my time through this nightmarish hell.  I have found the cure and will soon deliver you all from the zombie infestation that awaits you.  Your Welcome.

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It was a super fun race and a much more agreeable course than that of the mudnewton and I will totally do this again next year!  So much fun!

It turns out that my time and place stood up as 2nd best for the entire day!  Yeah that’s right I finished second out of EVERYONE!  How awesome is that‽

Check out the full set of pictures form the day over on the Facebook page!

And Check out the professional photos that finally came in the mail!

The Apocalypse Is Happening

I don’t know who the idiot was that was the second zombie, but how do you manage to get yourself bitten by a “horde” of one?!  No matter how it started though it is here. Zombies everywhere. 

Thankfully I know a thing or two about defending myself.  It has enabled me to fight the zombies off so far, but since Amber is not a fan of having a gun in the house, staying here is not exactly the safest thing to do.  Today I’m heading out to a place near Barrie, Ontario.  I’m only at about a half tank of gas so it will might be my last trip anywhere since supplies of fuel have become a bit scarce.  From what I have heard this place is the epicentre of the whole zombie thing and if someone can get there and make it through the horde they have a chance at ending the whole event.

Is it the smartest short term survival tactic? No.  Especially going without any weapons!  But if there is a chance to end this zombie nightmare I have to take it.  If this is my last blog post know that I died, under a pile of zombies clawing at me, while I tried to save you all from a similar fate.

Do not stay in one spot counting on your locked doors to save you.  Go!  Now! Run For Your Lives!!

Daily Blog Challenge - Days 21, 22, 23

I’m going to combine a few days here simply so that whatever I happen to post about my upcoming zombie run(!) gets it’s own space for a day on the weekend.  Look at me planning ahead.

Day 21 – Are you a coffee drinker?

If you asked me a month ago I would have said no.  My line used to be that I drank coffee when it comes free with breakfast.  Lately though Carley at work has been bringing me coffees and then we discovered that there was a functioning coffee maker at work.  I have since had more coffees than I would like really, I don’t actually really like coffee all that much, but if it’s there I will drink it.  i would much rather prefer hot chocolate!

Day 22 - What would you put in your fitness survival kit?

Um, I’m not quite sure what that means…  If it means what are my essential fitness gear type things all I would really need are my shoes, some shorts and one of my under armour shirts, I could come up with the rest on my own in a pinch.  Is that what it means?  If you have a different interpretation of that question let me know.

Day 23 - How many hours do you sleep at night?

Typically 6.75 hours, maybe 7 if I go to bed early.  I have never been much of a sleeper.  Always up early and now that my job dictates that I am at work for 7 that means I get up at 5:45! Ick.  But such is life and since my body is programmed to accept that five days a week Saturday and Sunday the latest i tend to sleep is 7am.  No rest for the wicked I guess, or the um, fitnessy types, or educators, yeah go with that last one.

List your 5 new-to-you healthy food options

I’m not really sure I can answer that, I have long known what foods were actually good for me, but too often ate things that were not.  My diet has not changed all that much really.  Or maybe the problem is that I’m writing this more than two years since I dropped my weight and so the things that were new to me during are staples to me now.

So lets go back.

Cottage cheese.  When I was told by Jodi to eat more she suggested cottage cheese.  I made a face and she was like “what?”  I had cottage cheese at school when I was six.  My friend Josh used to bring it.  I tried it and I thought it was yucky.  But, yeah I tried it again 24 years later and i liked it.

Not ground beef.  I stopped eating ground beef when the weight loss was going on and that has continued.  I don’t think it’s particularly unhealthy, but it’s got double the calories of ground chicken.

Measured portions.  One option I decided to do with my food was to measure portions.  This was and continues to be a great control when it comes to things like pasta.  I could eat pasta all day, KD, fettuccini alfredo, just plain old spaghetti and sauce.  Being clever enough to measure it out before I cook it is a great option, and keeps things in balance.

English muffins over bagels.  I have some sort of bread in the morning, it used to be bagels.  I have nothing against bagels, they are yummy and filling, but by the time they have peanut butter and jam on them it was too many calories, hence, english muffins.

No fries.  My god I love french fries (or freedom fries or whatever you call them in the US now).  I used to work at a library in a *small* town every Tuesday.  From May until October there was a chip truck open across the street therefore dinner Tuesday nights was fries and a hotdog.  So good.  Soooo bad for me.  Since I started eating better I cannot eat more than a few fries before the grease makes me feel sick.  The alternative, homefries.  Cut up some taters, boil them till they are about 3/4 done, then a bit of butter in a frying pan and make them crispy.  Way less grease, and pretty yummy.

That’s my five, what about you?

 

P.S. I miss you french fries.

Talk Like A Pirate Day–And Two Daily Blog Challenge Posts

First off, today be Talk Like A Gentleman o' fortune tide! How can this nay be a holiday really? But 'tis sort o' good that 'tis nay since then sea dogs an' land lubbers be at work shoutin' avast an' arrrrr an' such. If ye be havin' trouble talkin' like a swashbuckler (or postin' or commenting) go here an' use th' swashbuckler translator!

 

Does Nike’s Greatness Ad Exploit Fat Swabbies

 http://healthland.time.com/2012/08/13/does-nikes-greatness-ad-featuring-an-obese-boy-exploit-fat-swabbies

I would say nay. I think th' message they be tryin' t' get across be that ere can be great if they put in th' effort. I would say that th' will an' determination required t' be ou' an' runnin' while ye be a big swabbie be far greater than th' drive 't takes t' run as someone who be fit.
't takes a lot o' courage t' set foot in a gym or t' start exercisin' in public when ye be overweight. Be swabbies lookin' at me? Be they makin' fun o' me? Ye be havin' t' be havin' th' will t' push that kind o' thinkin' t' th' side an' do th' work in a serious fashion unless ye want t' begin t' perceive yersef as a joke an' act accordingly.
Fer me th' ad strikes jus' as intended, here be a kid that be workin' toward greatness, an' Nike sells stuff that will help th' lad's do that.

What Be Yer Favourite Fall Workout?

 
Hockey! Arrr that’s a copout. 't’s nay a true workout, i play that fer fun an' 't happens t' be a good sprintin' type workout.

I think that me favourite fall workout be goin' t' be runnin' after work. I be havin' decided that I’m nay goin' t' drop runnin' in favour o' hockey this voyage, an' this voyage I be runnin' more than once a week, so 't makes sense. I think that runnin' in th' fall, especially in th' evenin', be goin' t' prove very enjoyable. Fall colours, cooler weather, 't be pretty an' nice t' be doin' all at th' same time.

Arrr, nay really 't be hockey, I can’t wait fer 't t' start, next week! I’ll again be playin' goalie an' fore one night a tides each. I hope this season I can score a wee more goals, but I won’t mind settin' up Jeff an' mark either.

An answer so long it needs it's own post!

Was it always this way Holly?

Nooooooo!  I feel like I should break that down though.  The 'oooooo' Part would be before I flipped the switch to get into shape.  The all I did was hockey hockey on Saturdays and then be sore all day Sunday (not to mention dying for air and back pain during the game).  And I did Karate.  Karate is not in itself a fitness thing, I got all the way to brown belt and did several extra gradings while big and it in no way made me thinner.  I was happy to eat crappy food and just do nothing besides those two activities.  The 'No' part is simply that when I began doing the whole weight loss and I'd say up to a year from then a well, when I had done what was planned out for me (by me), that was enough.  If I did one thing that day or whatever that was it.

I find I do a lot of things now I think for two reasons.  I set more far reaching goals along with small short term ones.  Like back in January I said I wanted to go 1200km either by running or bike, it was that idea that had (has) me out constantly running and riding, how far can I go?  I think too what helps is I do exciting type things, the mud runs and the warrior dash, playing hockey (coming up) they are fun things and knowing that I am doing things to be better for those events and such helps keep the momentum going.

I do think that is does have to do with the fitness level I have that helps keep the energy, but also that I am a competitive person, not only with others if the case arises (I threw down the 1000 push ups at Jodi at the gym yesterday!) but also with myself.  I like running faster, scoring more goals or getting more assists at hockey, biking farther, it is satisfying in and of itself besides the fitness benefits.

That was really long winded, but I hope it has the answers you were looking for.  :)

I Was Interviewed!

So as I mentioned the other day I was interviewed!  For a website called My Re-Body.  I’m going to just post the link and let you cruise over and check it out.  It’s a pretty good read if I do say so myself.

Chris Barnes Shares His Triforce Fitness Strategy
Posted Sept 17 2012 by Pamela S.

It took me about an hour or so to figure out all my answers.  As Amber can tell you I took a long time writing things for school even and so this little question and answer session was no different.  I think I came across exactly how I really am.  Let me know what you think!

Friend Making Monday–Blog Stuff

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here and over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Blog Stuff

 

1.  Have you ever met anyone through your blog that led to an in-person friendship/relationship?

Nope, I have a few very nice back and forths going on with people online though.

2.  Most bloggers have a specific niche.  What would you discuss if it didn’t seem inappropriate on your blog?

I talk about a lot of things and don’t feel confined to one particular arena or another.  I do try to keep it so that if my parents or families of the children that I work with can easily read and I wouldn’t have to be embarrassed for that happening.  How much censoring does that actually take? Um, pretty much none.

3. If you could meet three bloggers, who would they be?

I’ll keep this at blogs I actually follow, otherwise I would just say like some rick guy and get a free lunch out of it.  I think it would be cool to meet Holly from I Dream Of Skinny.  I think I have mentioned that before, she seems cool and funny.  Also Marion from Affection For Fitness, I think she and I would get along well, we have the same type of can do attitude. And finally someone that actually does not live that far away Janice from Fitness Cheerleader, I like her style, we could run a race together or something too.

4. If you had to choose between Facebook or Twitter which one would you choose? 

Facebook, it’s how I keep in touch with people.  Twitter I only have a couple friends on.

5. Do you vlog (video blog?)

Nooooooooooo.  I’d be awful at it.  I ramble on long enough leaving phone messages, can you imagine how long my videos would be?  Full of ‘ums’ and me being distracted.

6. How many blogs do you read on an average day?

I’d say I read five or six in a typical day, usually on friend making monday that jumps up to like ten or twelve or so.  I am always sure to check out the blogs of people that comment on mine though.

7.  What is the coolest thing that you’ve seen online recently?

This morning my friend Matt shared a video on Facebook of a camera so fast that it can take slow motion pictures of light!  It’s pretty amazing.

skip to about 2:00 if you don’t want all the chit chat

8. If you gave your blog a new name what would it be?

I already added a subtitle to my blog.  How To Be Awesome: An Advanced Strategy Guide.  I think it helps it fit more with the types of things I am posting now as opposed to what was on here in the beginning.

9. Have you ever attended a blog conference like Fitbloggin?  If not, would you?

No I have not.  Yes I would if it was nearby.  It would have to be something where I would end up knowing people who are there.  I don’t think I would see the point to going just to be alone in a sea of people.

10. In the past I have asked why you blog.  Now I want to know why you read blogs?  What do you take from it? 

I read the blogs I read for a few reasons.  Mainly because I like reading about the successes of others, and hopefully because they are well written and a bit funny.  It makes me feel good to know that other people are doing good things for themselves.

 

Now it’s your turn to fill out this week’s questions! Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments! Happy Monday!

Your most embarrassing fitness story

I’m not sure I eve have one.  I did nearly fall off the treadmill once because I got distracted talking to Jodi and not paying attention to my feet.  Really though that’s about it.  I have willingly played a bit of the fool in aquafit when Alf and I would go with Amber and he and I would torment the instructor by singing along to the songs and generally being ridiculous, that’s not really embarrassing though because it was on purpose.

I’ve never really fallen over, split my pants or well anything that would make for a good story.  Personally I think my most embarrassing thing was taking my shirt off in front of Jodi the first time for the measurements, I was pretty self conscious at that point. It wasn’t as bad as if I had have done an assessment right on day one, but it wasn’t a very enjoyable experience.  Makes for a lame story though.

You - What’s your most embarrassing moment? 

Me - I had to take my shirt off! 

You - Ooohhhhhhh.  Fail.

Today Was A BIG Day

Where to even begin.  Um ok.  We’ll start here.  I was contacted by email by Pam from My Re-Body saying that she wanted to ask me some questions for an interview on her site.  I guess more like ‘their site’, it’s a big company it seems.  It was pretty humbling to be asked for that and I just finished up writing the response.  I’ll let you know when it’s up.

Second thing, my RMT Sarah is doing the Sunday NFL Touchdown push up challenge.  Doing it you are supposed to do 15 push ups for every TD you see.  She expanded it for even the ones she sees by highlight or the ticker on the bottom of the screen.  I offered that even though I don’t watch NFL football I would take part and do 20 push ups per TD.  Since I’m not actually watching I decided to get an early start and did more than 300 before I left for my bike ride.

Which brings us to big thing number three.  Out of the blue, well more like after I did the whole fitness bucket list post, I decided I would ride 50km in a day.  Originally I had planned to do it in chunks, a couple hour long rides and then a half hour one later.  But when I woke up and it was 4C (about 38F) outside I put off the early ride and had pancakes instead.

11:30 rolled around and I finally was ready to get moving.

I had planned out a bit of a route ahead of time to be sure I was going to make 50km, so I left and headed down Selwyn road.

It’s a fairly smooth ride really but the road was busier than I thought.  It took me about half an hour to make it to the four way stop in Selwyn.  From there I continued east over to Youngs Point.

It was a great day for a ride, the sun was in and out from the clouds, it was fairly cool so it was actually really enjoyable.  I thought that riding so far would be a bit of a task but I think due to the route I picked it was just something that was really nice to do.

After an hour of riding I made it to Lakefield.

Lakefield College School.  One of the Princes (or both? I dunno) went to school for a while here! It’s the first Lakefield sign I saw so I snapped a picture of it.

The smoke stack.  I think it’s actually part of SGS, but I’m not sure.  Pete’s place and our paintball field are right by here.

From there is was back onto the bike path between Lakefield and Peterborough.

That road there is the river road, the scenic route between the two places.  It was shortly after this picture that I caught sight of a road biker travelling on it.  I decided it was time to race even though I was more than an hour into my trip.

I’ve been guilty of this before.  Now this person had no idea we were racing which is what levels the playing field for me I think.  I have bigger more frictiony tires, only 21 mountain bike gears and the rough surface of the trail to ride on as things hindering my speed.

By the time I came off the trail at Trent University…

The road biker was pretty far behind.  So far you can hardly even pick them out in the picture below.  You’ll have to excuse the angle, it was taken over my shoulder as I rode (many of the pictures are taken while I was riding).

There, see them.  Yeah I was that far ahead.  Go me.

I rode all the way down to the London St. walking bridge and stopped for a second to snap a picture of some ducks enjoying the sunshine.  By now I had been riding my bike for about 1:40.  When I had set out I was hoping to do this in less than 2:30 and it looked like that was going to happen.

Eventually I got onto Chemong road and while riding I saw this flock of birds taking off from the bush at the bottom of the picture.  Seriously look at the big version, it’s pretty neat.

While I was stopped I noticed that my pedal was cracked.  I had been wondering for the last week or so why that side felt a bit funny and finally I knew.  I’m really glad that it didn’t full out break while I was out, it could have been a serious long walk home!

Next stop was Bridgenorth.  I was finally back home, it was almost 1:45pm and I was starving.  I felt that all this riding had earned me a bit of ice cream so I made a stop.

The ice cream place in Bridgenorth is great.  It’s cheap and really good.  I got their peanut buster parfait knock-off.

It’s a quick ride home from there and the whole trip was completed in 2:15.  Turns out my “leisurely pace” is about the same as my every day pace, I’m sure the race with the road biker helped out a bit.

When I came home and re-did the route on mapmyride it turns out I went 53.45km  A great way to spend midday in September.

This of course brings us back home and back to the TD push up challenge.  Sarah had been keeping me up to date via Twitter as to how many push ups she had done so far since the football games started at 1pm.  Immediately upon my return home I stepped in the breezeway and did 80 push ups.  All through the afternoon I have been doing sets of 80, or 60 one of 50 and now for the last set…

48…49…50!

That makes 1000!

Yeah one thousand push ups.

Like I said, it was a big day today!

So I Do This Now

The other day I was cruising around imgur as I most often do and I came across a picture of a bunch of perler bead creations that some guy made into fridge magnets.  I thought to myself, that’s cool and I could totally do that.

Sprite art is great, and cute.

On my first attempts I made Mario and Luigi

It was a little tricky because I had only bought a small peg board to make the creations.  So I had to make the bodies, melt them and make the feet and attach them to the legs.  It was neat and I think that once I get some peel and stick magnets they will look pretty good on the fridge.

Tonight I got a bit more ambitious and made two creations without a pattern and then one oversized thing that needed to be reset on the peg board twice.

The Triforce you should recognize, the other is a poke ball.  The big one there is a charmander sprite, I had to make the body, reset and do the bottom leg and most of the tail and then reset and do the top of the flame.

It’s pretty fun to make these things really, some people make amazing art out of them! I’m not sure I will get that involved, but the Mario, Luigi and charmander are all pretty cool.

How do you measure your fitness progress?

I measure it in all sorts of ways now really.  I used to go by the scale and BMI.  Now I use periodic fitness assessments with Jodi at the gym.  I’ve talked about them before.  Basically I’m at a point now where the scale is just habit and not really necessary.

I use skin folds, muscle and body fat percentage measurements to keep tabs on how I’m doing.  I also keep track of times for running and biking which lets me know how I’m doing really.  Am I slower, am I faster.

I also have my workout charts at the gym, I just use them to track how much I am lifting when I raised the amount and such.  So once I got over the scale I use way more tools to measure my fitness, but they are more about ability than anything.

What Are Your Five Favourtie Veggies?

Well this seems like an easy topic.  In no particular order:

1. broccoli
2. potatoes
3. corn (on the cob is best)
4. peas
5. carrots

There done.

I was never one of those kids that hated all veggies, but I know that as a child I used to eat my mashed potatoes with ketchup.  Which sounds really gross to me now!  I have always loved corn on the cob and I remember eating it so messily when I was young.  Doing the whole typewriter thing where I go down the cob with really fast small bites, say ‘ding’ through a mouthful of corn turn it as I went back the the other end and repeat the process.

For sure broccoli being on that list is something that occurred more in my adult life, it seems to be one of those things.  As I get older I like more foods, I even liked deep fried brussel sprouts at our anniversary dinner last year.

What are your favourites?

Wii U

No, my cat did not walk across the keyboard to make the title of this post.  For those not in the know Wii U is the next Nintendo console, I am excited for this.  Not only is Nintendo changing the way people play games (again!) but changing the way people interact with their TV.

I have long been a Nintendo fan.  I got my first NES just after we moved to Buckhorn as a kid.  I had to scrape bits of bark off the side of the log house in order to earn this system. It was the greatest thing ever.  For a long time all we had for it was Super Mario Bros. and the Duck Hunt combo game, and that was enough.  I played those games to death.  If you were not old enough to have Super Mario Bros be a part of your childhood, and I mean the first one, you have been deprived of something amazing. 

There were no hints, no cheats, no save points or continues.  You either beat the game before you ran out of lives, or you didn’t and then you tried all over again.  Perseverance, was key along with exploration.

I Got the Super NES as a Christmas present one year.  I would wager that besides clothes that I would have needed anyways that was the only thing under the tree for me.  I remember that it was Christmas because I recall taking the controllers to bed with me at night so that my brother couldn’t play it while I was sleeping.  He had a Sega (which sucked) and kept it in his room where I couldn’t play it anyways.  It took me ages and visits to friends houses to figure out all the secrets in Super Mario World.  And by ages I mean more than a year or two to finish all 96 endings to the levels.

I didn’t get the N64 until years after it came out, like the same release time as the Gamecube.  My dad refused to buy one for me, and at the time I didn’t have the means to get a job really, so that was that.  And really, now that I look back, good parenting.  We had a game system and a computer in the house, was and N64 necessary?  Nope.  Did my dad cave to all the whining and carrying on that I did? Nope. Parenting win.  Even if I was not very happy about it at the time.  Eventually I got an N64 and then later a Gamecube.  Both amazing.  I’ll be sure to expand on the adventures my friends and I had with the Gamecube at some point.

When Wii was announced it was amazing, a new way to control games, everyone, inculding most moms were won over and it was something that everyone had to own.  I was one of those people and so on a cold and a bit snowy Saturday night in November of 2006 I sat outside of Wal-Mart all night to be the 8th person in town to get my hands on a Nintendo Wii.  It was totally worth the wait.  I was blown away with the control, it was something so new and intuitive, very cool.  I am happy to say I did score a perfect game on Wii bowling once, while I was sick over that Christmas.

Now comes Wii U.  Thankfully I was able to get a pre-order in, the 3rd one at the Ebgames nearby.  I won’t have to sit in the cold over night, though I might cruise the line with my 3DS and pick up street passes.  The innovation this time?  A touch screen in the controller (that still does all the things the Wii remote does)  it opens up a wide array of game play options.  The other thing that Nintendo held up as amazing in their press event yesterday was Nintendo TVii.  The console can integrate your netflix, hulu plus, cable and DVR.  It really does look very cool and while my wife kinda shrugged her shoulders when I was telling her about it I think it will be nifty.

For the first time since 1996, A Nintendo console launches with a Mario game, New Super Mario Bros. U.  It’s an understatement to say that Mario games are fun.  I’m really looking forward to it and the whole experience that it promises with it’s interconnectivity to the larger Nintendo online experience.

So, yeah, this is awesome news, and will take up a lot of those cold hours in the winter when biking is not possible and there is no NHL to be watching on TV.

My Fitness Bucket List

Well here is something that I have never thought of before.  Mainly here this blog is more of a reflective thing.  I do things, then I write about the experience.  Or I hype things, and then do them.  I have no idea what’s on my Fitness Bucket List, in particular because I have no idea what is on my general bucket list.  I don’t really plan that far ahead.  I’m more of a call up your friend on Saturday morning and then go over, not a make plans a week ahead type of person.

So, all that said, my plans, and fitness plans are more of a short term thing.  I think that now that I have begun this swimming bit (thanks a lot Amber!) I might do like a try-a-tri or something.  Next summer I have been enlisted in doing the Tough Mudder, that will be cool.  If I had the scratch for a good bike, like a real good bike like my dad’s ($4000) I would totally do a bike race, I have the legs for it, but at the moment not the bike to do it.

I have pretty much zero interest, at the moment at least, to run a 1/2 or full marathon.  I think it would be boring, I think the fact that I have done a total of five races and three of them have been of the adventure variety (soon to be 4/6) should be a good indicator that I do not like the mundane sort of running for very long, 10k really is good enough for me and I have done that already.

I think maybe that my Fitness Bucket List is one of those things that I should have written while in the process of getting fit, because then I would have some things to cross off along the way.  I’ve found what I like, I’ve done the Warrior Dash (and totally would do it again), I’ve done a (couple) of 10k races.  I’ve bench pressed my own body weight, done 100 burpees (in a row).  I’ve done a lot of the things I can think off off the top of my head.

Ok here, as I wrote that out I thought of something, 1000 Push-ups in a day. That’s on my list. Oh, oh Bike 100k in a day on my mountain bike.  Do a try-a-tri (possibly even with my cheapy wal-mart bike).  I Don’t know.  Oh I do know!

Send me some suggestions! I’ll pick some things, then they can go on the list!  There, the possibilities are now up to you readers, that took a turn you didn’t expect huh?

What is your proudest health or fitness related accomplishment?

I think here there can be no doubt.  It was dropping 80 pounds and in the process gaining a whole new perspective on my life and life in general.

I was a happy guy while big.  I played hockey still, I did karate still but I was doing those things at a level down here (you have to imagine me holding my hand down low and waving it a bit).  Now I do those things and so much more and it’s at a level that is way up here (again imagine me holding my hand over my head and doing that little wave thing).

It was this one accomplishment that has allowed me to make possible everything else that has followed.  I couldn’t have got my Black Belt, run races, got the most improved player award at hockey without first having lost all that weight.

I have come to realize in the last little while though that it’s not really the weight loss that was the accomplishment, it was the change in attitude toward food, spare time and life in general that was the achievement and the reward.

The Hungry Song

So I had a comment the other day where Lisa wanted to hear me singing the Hungry Hungry song, so here it is.  I can’t give you video because of confidentiality things, but here is a picture of me at about the age these kids are and me and a couple of the children singing the song outside.

Yeah I could be on Canadian Idol, you know it!  NOT!  But children don’t care if you sing badly, they just want you to sing. 

How Often Do You Weigh Yourself?

I weigh in almost every, single, day.  My current streak is approaching 26 weeks of daily weigh-ins.  Wii Fit likes to keep me on top of details like that.  that would be half a year, in a row! and the break there? We stayed at Amber’s mom’s house for two nights and I missed *a* day.  the break before that?  I don’t even know!

The whole daily weigh in thing started for me when I was losing my weight back in 2010.  I wanted to see that little Wii Fit line go down and see my Mii get skinny.  It’s a bit of a routine thing now, no longer really necessary.  In fact I’m thinking of changing it a bit because the BMI as calculated by Wii Fit (simply taking into account age, height and weight and unable to measure things like body fat percentage) is doing me less and less use as I build muscle.  See as I build muscle, my weight goes up, which in Wii Fit’s eyes means I am heading toward being overweight again, which I am totally not.  So This tool may have outlived it’s usefulness now, so I need a new one.

My Dream Fitness Vacation

So this is my second entry in this blog a day challenge, and I’m not really sure how to take this title.  Like a vacation where I do lots of fitnessy things, or a vacation from fitness?

I’ll do both.

So my dream vacation for fitness stuff would involve what?  Um. I don’t know.  It’s not something I have thought about really.  I think that I would want to go somewhere that I could run and bike a lot.  Well, depends on the season I suppose too.  what comes to mind is the east coast or the west coast.  In the warmer type of weather I think I’d like to go out east.  Like Nova Scotia or something, seems like it would be a good place to ride a bike or run by the ocean.  I generally like seafood and I think it would make for a relaxing time touring around on a bike and doing various things.  I think on a fitness vacation I would leave the gym by the wayside and not worry too much about weights and things.

In the winter months I would want to go out west, actually learn how to snowboard for real, not just the goofing around I have done so far and venture up into the mountains to do some snowboarding and see some amazing things, hockey would be included of course, but mainly snowboard all day and cozy up in a chalet at night, I could handle that.

I think it’s a bit unusual that I immediately jump to exploring my own country rather than go somewhere exotic for fitness stuff.  I think now that I dissect it a little bit, that I would just generally be too hot if I went to Jamaica to run or whatever.

As a vacation from fitness, I’m not actually certain I could do that, but if I was forced, this is where I would go on a cruise and just swear to avoid the gym altogether and eat.  My god I would eat non stop on a cruise if I could.  Molten Lava Cake comes to mind, and steaks and pizza.  I eat those anyway, but it would be nice to not be considering about if I had made it to the gym before the days events at the time I was stuffing my face.  I generally don’t deny myself the foods I like, but it is always tempered with other events of the day now, it would be a nice little vacation to be free of that for a little bit at least.  I don’t think it’s possible anymore though.

Friend Making Monday – Have You Ever

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here and over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

 

Have You Ever?

1. Jumped out of an airplane?
Nope, so far it’s not on my list of things to do either.

2. Lived alone?
Yeah, it was pretty sweet too, Rock Band until 2am anybody?

3. Met a celebrity?
Not Hollywood wise, but I have met a few hockey players, shook Guy Carbonneau’s hand.  I have worked with Melissa Payne, she’ll be really famous soon I am sure (does that count?) and my best friend is Matt, he does lots of things!

4. Said something to someone that you immediately regret saying?
Isn’t that what arguments are all about?  Going for the throat verbally.  Sometimes not the best idea though I will admit.

5. Had a manicure/pedicure?
Yes, one of my ex’s was going to cosmetology school when we were going out, I let her give me a mani once or twice.

6.  Gotten a hickey?
Actually I don’t think I have, given them though

7. Owned a pet that was not a dog or a cat?
As a kid yes, we have a hamster for a while and I had a turtle.

8. Been outside of your home country?
Yes, a few places in the US and so far two Caribbean cruises, heading down on March break 2013 for a third!  You should come, we are on a Carnival Cruise, ask for details!

9. Kissed your best friend?
My best friend is a dude, so no.  We did fake kiss one though, he slapped his hand over my mouth, dipped me and laid it on (the back of his hand) it was magical.

10. Eaten food that fell on the floor?
Yes.  I used to cite the ‘five second rule’  Thanks to Mythbusters I know that it’s BS.  If it’s a dry food, like a cracker, I have no issue picking it up and nomming, wet food, like lunchmeat, no way!

11. Met someone online?
Yes I have.

12. Been on TV?
I have never seen it, and I don’t even know the name, but apparently I was in a movie when I was a kid.  It’s how we afforded to buy me the Ghostbuster fire hall one Christmas!

13. Had braces? 
Nope, thankfully I only have three teeth at the bottom front of my mouth where most folks have four.  I imagine that if that fourth one had decided to come in my food chompers would have been all crookedy like my dad’s and I would have needed braces.

14. Gone skinny dipping?  
One of the many benefits of once having my own pool.

15. Been to the opera?
No, but I’ve been to the ballet.

16. Been caught making out by a policeman? 
Nope.

17. Sung in public?
I sing all the time at daycare, does that count? 

Hungry, hungry I am hungry
Table, table here I come
I could eat a goose-moose burger
Fifteen pickles and a purple plum
Yum, Yum, Here I cooooooooooooooooooooooome

18. Handed out candy on Halloween?
Yes and it’s both annoying and tedious, especially when there is a hockey game on.

19. Been snowed in?
No, I’m Canadian.  “Snowed in” means good weather for being outside to play!

20. Fallen in front of other people?
Yes, with various levels of embarrassment.  best one was the face plant I took at paintball during a full out run a few weeks ago.

21. Cheated on a test? Yes, my typing test in grade 9.  The teacher left the room and for those couple minutes my eyes were on the keyboard, I type just fine while looking at what keys I am touching thanks very much.

22. Regretted saying “I love you” to someone?
Yeah, this one girl I dated for a couple week when I was in University.  I was young, stupid, really lonely and generally miserable.  Saying it didn’t help either.

23. Finished a meal in a restaurant and realized that you didn’t have your wallet?
I’ve done that where I have left my wallet in the car once or twice.

24. Shot a gun?
Yes, many times.  Mostly pellet guns, .22’s and a shotgun a few times.  Almost always at targets (those little pink muscle men guys, cans, clay pigeons).  I shot a squirrel once with a .22 because we didn’t want them in our attic.  It didn’t die on the first shot and I was traumatized, I ran outside, clip fully of bullets firing into the snow to try to kill it quickly.

25. Heard a song that was written for (or about) you?
No, well unless you count the music here:

 

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions! Don’t forget to come back here and link up in the comments!  Happy Monday, friends!

List your 5 favourite healthy living / fitness blogs

I’m actually surprised to find that I even have five.  I didn’t think that this really was my reading material of choice when it came to blogs but there is no arguing with the blog reading list I guess.  I only have a few non-fitness type blogs and they are of the hilarious variety.

So, the list.

Learning to Love the Gym
This is my wife’s blog and while she is not the type to be offended if I didn’t include her, it is a good blog, well written and sometimes funny

Affection For Fitness
I get the feeling that Marion and I have fairly similar approaches to our time at the gym.  We want results and we know how to push ourselves for them.

I Dream Of Skinny
I came across Holly’s blog maybe a month or so ago.  She looks pretty in shape to me, but she’s striving for more.  I like her style and that she’s really interactive one her own blog, and on mine (I like me some comments)!

All The Weigh
Kenlie has accomplished a lot and writes about it really well.  I enjoy nearly everything she writes and really like the whole Friend Making Monday thing!

Less In My Dress
I’ve only started reading what Hailey has to say, but it’s good so far.  And she’s done some pretty amazing work for herself.  I think I like blogs that talk more about doing than wishing they could.

So, that’s five.  I think that I should mention Fitness Cheerleader.  I only found it yesterday, but it is where the topic for this post and for one each day for the rest of the month are coming from.  Clearly there will be two post days here.  I like Janice from Fitness Cheerleader already, she seems peppy and active, if this topic had been further along than day two she might have pushed someone out of the list of five there.

Do You Workout With Others Or By Yourself? Why?

So I just stumbled across a blog that is having a blogger challenge.  Well, Challenge Accepted!

Now I can compete with this too! Yay!

The topic of the day is stated in the title up there, Do you workout with others or alone and why.  Quite simply I work out on my own nearly all the time.  This happens for a few reasons, scheduling is one of them, the gym I have chosen is another.  I only personally know a couple of people that work out at a gym. Each of them has memberships to a different place than me and really I am ok with that.  I’d rather just get to the gym and do my thing and get out.  Why would I want to wait around for someone else anyways?

As for running and biking well, I do that on my own too, I have run along with Amber as she biked before though.  I run pretty quick and so even with the people that I know of that run, they don’t live near me and we wouldn’t really end up running or biking together I don’t think.  Besides I’m usually going hard enough that I wouldn’t be able to carry on a conversation anyways.

I have swam a few times, mostly with Amber, this is more due to when she has chosen to go swimming though more than anything else.  I so far do need a break here and there when swimming and so it is nice to have someone to kinda check in with during that.

A few people have asked my to work out with them, and I have come to the conclusion that it’s generally just not a good idea for me to be in any sort of trainer role.  I’m too harsh I think, I know what I expected of myself and it’s unfair to put those expectations on to other people.

I don’t mind someone training me however, some of the funnest times at the gym have been when Jodi is making me do something insane and I tell her that we can’t be friends anymore if she’s going to treat me this way and everyone stars at me while I have to roll back on the floor then surge forward and leap to do a pull up.  Over and over again.

A Note From The Management

As you can tell I have updated the look of the site, again.  While this was a rare occurrence over the couple of years, it has happened twice of late.  I think I have found something that I like a bit better now than the shirt background and I think it fits the blog pretty well too.

 

I have also created a facebook page for the blog.

In some ways it seems a bit redundant, but it might make it easier for some to follow along.  Head of there and like the page is you want updates and things. 

Also keep in mind that if you are the type that likes twitter you can follow me @Chrispy47

Achievement Unlocked: Two-Wheeler

Today I got up and biked 13k.  Not very far really but I knew all I needed to meet my biking distance goal was 11k.  I have now peddled my way more than 700km since it got warm in April.

I’m not really sure how I ended up biking so much over the last few months.  I have had my own bike since I was a wee little squirt but mainly when I was young my bike was simple a mode of transportation.  I would ride my bike from our place in to Buckhorn to get a movie or to visit my friend Matt or Dan.  My dad simply refused to drive me.  He would point out that I had a bike and if I wanted to go visiting or to rent a movie that was how I had to get there.

One of my previous fitness attempts included a lot of biking, in fact it consisted only of biking and eating less.  It was pretty successful, I got down to 200 pounds from 220.  But like many fitness attempts by people once I had reached the goal, I gave it up and that was that.

In the last few summers I have been out riding my bike more and more but it wasn’t until this year that I actually decided to take note of how far I travelled by bicycle.  Much like my running I took note of both speed and distance though all in one category not divided up all over the place like my running was.  Since I was traveling greater distances over a variety of surfaces I felt it would all average out.

As far as distances go, here is the log of all my rides to date.

As you can see my longest ride was out to Omemee and back, that would be from the old house in Peterborough right along the rail trail.  The rides originating from the old house consisted mainly of rides on the bike trails – old railway beds made over for this new purpose.  Since moving to Bridgenorth the rides are mainly on roads, and far, far hillier.  Surprisingly this shift in topography has not hindered my average speed.  That average is 23.42km/h (14.55 mph) with is 1km every 2:34.  My highest average speed on one trip was 26.81 km/h on one trip out toward Omemee on the bike trail, I was trying to get in a quick ride before dinner and knew I had to push it to be home in time.

As I mentioned in my post about meeting my running distance goal I am going to aim for a total of 1500km this year now instead of my achieved 1200km.  But now it is without individual biking and running distance goals.

I’m Running In The Rain…

A friend of mine Tweeted me this the other day “Question @Chrispy47, when it's pouring rain like it is meow, would you still go out running??” And my answer was “sometimes I do yeah, rather run in the rain than bike”.

Also several times leading up to the Warrior Dash and the Mudnewton I said to people ‘I’d rather it be raining than a gillion degrees during the race’ (It was freaking hot both days!)

This morning the weather looked like this:

Pouring rain!

It was time to put my money where my mouth was.  Or my feet where my mouth was? Or something like that anyways.

I put on my still filthy shoes from the Mudnewton.

Not too bad actually since I hosed them out for about five minutes when I got home that day and have run once in them already since.

And set out into the rain.  It was great, I was not hot, I was continually cooled by the falling rain, I splashed in puddles and I did the main strip of Bridgenorth and back home again (5k) in under 23 minutes.

After the run I headed out to karate and then to the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre (heretofore and hereafter known as ‘the gym’).  Once I had gotten push day out of the way I decided that I was not quite finished and did Iron Man as well.  I’ve talked about it before I think… yep.

Needless to say I was drenched in sweat, a good feeling since yesterday was our annual RockBand Party (The Screaming Monkeys have now been touring for 5 years) and I felt like I ate way too much even though Wii Fit says I only went up by 0.1Kg this morning.

And Now since the weather is so nice and cool, I sit here in my living room at like 66F and am loving it!

Some Music By Someone I Know

I actually know a few people personally that make great music.  I thought this would be a good time to put out a quick plug for one of them.

Melissa Payne is someone I have worked with and been able to see how well she performs on a whim and generally inspires the awe of the children at work.  I know she has taught guitar and fiddle lessons and travel around the area and even further to her herself and her band some playing time.

Check out her music video here:

Melissa Payne

If you like even any part of that, she is on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/melissa.a.payne?ref=ts

And she is launching her album with a party tonight in Peterborough  http://www.facebook.com/events/102418236571803/

She’s pretty awesome.  Check it out!

I Swim Like A Jungle Cat

With my face out of the water.

Like ‘eeeehhhhhh  I don’t want it in my nose’.

I have gone swimming now a few times.  Last Saturday I even went by choice without Amber.  When I was done I texted her and said ‘Curse you and your swimming’  Now I just have something else to be all obsessive over fitness wise.

I enjoy some of the separate parts about swimming, I like that it’s a good cardio workout.  I like that it is something I can compete with (not with actual swimmers but just regular people) and I think I like that it might lead to a triathlon next summer.  I don’t like water in my ears, or my eyes or up my nose, but that’s the price to pay for progress I suppose.

So I like swimming more than the average house cat now, but not as much as a dog (though I do a pretty good dog paddle).