Had a last minute invite from H-woman to hook up for noodles, after meeting her at a mall nearby. Yay! Haven't been in FOR-EVER, and I so love the noodles at Vietnam Fortune. After a quick trip to the mall (I came away empty handed - so don't like the spring look, colours or styles so far...that doesn't bode well), we had an awesome dinner of shrimp salad rolls, the best dipping sauce EVER and chicken satay pho for me (beef for H). I could swim in their broth...seriously good stuff.
We gabbed about family and life and work and such, and it was good to get it out. It's nice to have someone to spill to. Very important for maintaining a sane mind.
We got all the way up to -12C today (but I think I was inside at the time) and we're being teased with plus temperatures for Wednesday AND Thursday. Time will tell...oh, and just in time for the St. Paddy's 10k on Saturday?? A dump of snow Friday night! Awesome, happy good times. I think it may get to the point that I won't remember how to run when it's flat, dry, ice-free, rock-free, no windchill and warm. I really wonder what that will be like. Doesn't stop me though, huh?
Well, my belly is full of warm pho and my eyes are at half-mast. Time to sleep.
Later,
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Update
Can't believe I haven't posted since Thursday, but it seems every time I sat down at the computer, I was too exhausted to think.
Friday - the visit with the Seniors Centre was good and bad. We were there for over 3 hours, and while the doctor and nurses also saw the decline in Mom, they weren't completely convinced it was all Alzheimer's. We have to go back in 3 months, and while some things are supposed to change (Mom's daily habits) I don't know how much will change, and what kind of affect it will have. All I know is I'm stuck in the middle and feel like crap about it. And no, cookies will not make me feel better (at least that's what I've been chanting all weekend!). I did do some serious sweating at boot camp, trying to get rid of some of my frustration. No boss lady this time, so I really enjoyed the whole class. We had a "squat-off" and the team I was on won. Not sure what our prize was, besides extra sore butts, but we did have a good workout and even did some core/booty work at the end to round the evening off. Good times!
Saturday - after a slight sleep-in, it was Zumba time! Have I mentioned that I love, love, love this class?! Actually, I really love the instructor, as she is sweet and fun and gets some serious sweat out of all of us. The class was bigger, which is good, because I would hate for the 6 weeks to end and then no more, because of low interest. Fingers crossed it continues into the summer. Came home and had a wee nap-a-thon...seems like every time I sat down, I woke up an hour later wondering what the heck just happened. Maybe Friday's stress caught up with me. Or it was cold outside and a perfect day for a nap...or two...or three. Dinner was quick and simple and tasty. I poached a piece of salmon in vegetable broth, and then ate it on brown rice with wasabi mayo and roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots. Nom, nom, nom...
Today - woke up to snow and -20C temps. Oh boy...and we get to run 19km in it. Fought the urge to just go back to bed, ate some steel cut oats and roasted walnuts, a cup of coffee and milk, mixed up the last of my OJ with boiling water (still had a slushy by the time I finished the run) and went out to start the car and head to the Running Room. Actually quite surprised by the turn-out. I think everyone just figures it's never going away, so may as well get used to it! We went west, as the snow threw off the plans for a different route (too dangerous), turning around at the 9.75km mark. That's when we discovered the wind! In our face and unrelenting the entire way back...and blowing over the frozen river for that extra special punch of cold!! And to top off my mood, Mr. Garmin decided to take a break. As in it was frozen at 11:32pm, Saturday, March 5th THE.ENTIRE.RUN! That left it to my co-runner (also a "pacer") to set the pace and times...oh, but she doesn't know how to set that on her Garmin, so she'll just guess when we should walk. And she guessed at what pace we were going, because, again, she didn't know how to get that data. Grrr...I did take our time (2:33.56) and entered it into the pace calculator on the RR website, and figured out that we ran a rather quick 7:54 LSD....we should be closer to 8, in order for it to be a good slow run. But that's okay...we actually finished just a few minutes behind the 4:30 group, so I at least had someone to have coffee with. Most of the other groups were already gone for the day. Joy of the long runs - takes up a serious chunk of your day.
Came home, shoveled the walks and had a bite to eat. Now I think I'll walk over to Safeway for something for dinner. It may still be -17C out there, but the sun is shining and actually melting things a bit, so I'll enjoy it while I can.
Later,
Friday - the visit with the Seniors Centre was good and bad. We were there for over 3 hours, and while the doctor and nurses also saw the decline in Mom, they weren't completely convinced it was all Alzheimer's. We have to go back in 3 months, and while some things are supposed to change (Mom's daily habits) I don't know how much will change, and what kind of affect it will have. All I know is I'm stuck in the middle and feel like crap about it. And no, cookies will not make me feel better (at least that's what I've been chanting all weekend!). I did do some serious sweating at boot camp, trying to get rid of some of my frustration. No boss lady this time, so I really enjoyed the whole class. We had a "squat-off" and the team I was on won. Not sure what our prize was, besides extra sore butts, but we did have a good workout and even did some core/booty work at the end to round the evening off. Good times!
Saturday - after a slight sleep-in, it was Zumba time! Have I mentioned that I love, love, love this class?! Actually, I really love the instructor, as she is sweet and fun and gets some serious sweat out of all of us. The class was bigger, which is good, because I would hate for the 6 weeks to end and then no more, because of low interest. Fingers crossed it continues into the summer. Came home and had a wee nap-a-thon...seems like every time I sat down, I woke up an hour later wondering what the heck just happened. Maybe Friday's stress caught up with me. Or it was cold outside and a perfect day for a nap...or two...or three. Dinner was quick and simple and tasty. I poached a piece of salmon in vegetable broth, and then ate it on brown rice with wasabi mayo and roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots. Nom, nom, nom...
Today - woke up to snow and -20C temps. Oh boy...and we get to run 19km in it. Fought the urge to just go back to bed, ate some steel cut oats and roasted walnuts, a cup of coffee and milk, mixed up the last of my OJ with boiling water (still had a slushy by the time I finished the run) and went out to start the car and head to the Running Room. Actually quite surprised by the turn-out. I think everyone just figures it's never going away, so may as well get used to it! We went west, as the snow threw off the plans for a different route (too dangerous), turning around at the 9.75km mark. That's when we discovered the wind! In our face and unrelenting the entire way back...and blowing over the frozen river for that extra special punch of cold!! And to top off my mood, Mr. Garmin decided to take a break. As in it was frozen at 11:32pm, Saturday, March 5th THE.ENTIRE.RUN! That left it to my co-runner (also a "pacer") to set the pace and times...oh, but she doesn't know how to set that on her Garmin, so she'll just guess when we should walk. And she guessed at what pace we were going, because, again, she didn't know how to get that data. Grrr...I did take our time (2:33.56) and entered it into the pace calculator on the RR website, and figured out that we ran a rather quick 7:54 LSD....we should be closer to 8, in order for it to be a good slow run. But that's okay...we actually finished just a few minutes behind the 4:30 group, so I at least had someone to have coffee with. Most of the other groups were already gone for the day. Joy of the long runs - takes up a serious chunk of your day.
Came home, shoveled the walks and had a bite to eat. Now I think I'll walk over to Safeway for something for dinner. It may still be -17C out there, but the sun is shining and actually melting things a bit, so I'll enjoy it while I can.
Later,
Renewal of Vows
Meeting topic this week was "The Honeymoon is over"...that got me to thinking that I needed to renew my vows with Weight Watchers, as it has been a very long journey. With the help of Google, here goes:
On the day I joined Weight Watchers, I made a choice. It was the most important and significant choice of my life and I made it only after a great deal of consideration. On that day, I chose you to be my weight loss plan. I thought then that such a decision, once made, as final and irrevocable. Now I know that the selection of a lifestyle change is not a one-time decision but an on-going process. Many times in the years since then, I have chosen you again and again. Faced with changes and alternatives, I have become keenly aware that a journey like this lasts only so long as the desire to live a healthy life remains above all others. When my life have been affected by the ebb and flow of other events, there have been many times when I could have chosen to go in a different direction. I did not. The reason is simple: when we work together, it works. I elect to stay with you not because I feel obligated to meet your needs but because you continue to meet mine. Together we will make it to the end. This I vow.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
My Friday
Today was my last day of work for the week, as Mom has another doctor's appointment tomorrow morning, so I decided to take the whole day off. Don't I plan awesomely fun vacation days?! I am so looking forward to Montreal in April. I don't even care what the weather is like...I'm just going to be away in a city I've never been to and can't wait! Even found out that there is a Running Room right across the street from the hotel, so I can squeeze in the Wednesday and Sunday run, if I so choose...I do have a half to complete the Sunday I return...and a hard Half at that. Weaslehead hill...need I say more?? So I may choose to run with a bunch of complete strangers in a city I've never run in, speaking a language I don't speak. Could be fun!!
Managed to get a lot done today, so I don't feel bad about not being there tomorrow. It's my time to build reports and charts and such, so I'm not under time restraints really, but I do get a lot of questions thrown my way as a result of the data sent out. They're just going to have to go it alone one day.
Came home, changed, dealt with the frozen washer (again) and rushed out for boot camp. The groups keep getting smaller, yet Weight Watchers gets busier and busier. I swear there were zero empty chairs today at lunch (down .4, BTW). The talk today was about the honeymoon period being over, so I sat there and thought long and hard and decided it's time for me to renew my vows and go back on a honeymoon! I want to run Calgary lower than I weighed last year (hauling 20+ pounds is slowing me down) and have three months to do it. I'll write up some vows this weekend and let you all know how they work out.
Back to boot camp...I love wearing the Vibrams during class. I like the slapping sound my feet make when we run! Silly, but it entertains me... We did major circuits today, and I swear my shoulder actually dislocated at one point, but then it popped back in right away! No pain, but wow, what a surprise when you're holding a weight above your head!!! And we focused on everything...no body part was left ignored today...shoulders, triceps, biceps, abs, core, legs. Left exhausted but satisfied with the hard work I did. My goal is to also be back with the 10lb weights by the start of the next clinic too...need to keep switching things up. Left the hall, back into the freezing cold...it was supposed to "warm" up today. They (the evil weather people, who don't know squat) said a Chinook was blowing in...well, it must have blown over us, because it's still -17C with a windchill, and only getting colder. Rumours are that this will be around for the next 3 months, so maybe we will be running Calgary in real snow this year. Yuck!
Home, after swinging into Walmart to pick up a few things, and ate dinner. It was simple, but effective. Chicken nuggets and some baked french fries. Eaten dipped into BBQ sauce. I loaded up on salads at lunch, since my favourite deli is open again, and I also grab their fruit bowl, because it is full of grapes, blueberries, melon (water, cantaloupe and honeydew), oranges and grapefruit. Nary a syrup or sugar molecule to be seen. Glorious, zero-point fresh fruit.
Can't believe it's only 9pm! It feels like midnight. I'm going to wind down and maybe even hit the sack before 10. Up early, just not as early as usual, and in for what could be a long day.
Later,
Managed to get a lot done today, so I don't feel bad about not being there tomorrow. It's my time to build reports and charts and such, so I'm not under time restraints really, but I do get a lot of questions thrown my way as a result of the data sent out. They're just going to have to go it alone one day.
Came home, changed, dealt with the frozen washer (again) and rushed out for boot camp. The groups keep getting smaller, yet Weight Watchers gets busier and busier. I swear there were zero empty chairs today at lunch (down .4, BTW). The talk today was about the honeymoon period being over, so I sat there and thought long and hard and decided it's time for me to renew my vows and go back on a honeymoon! I want to run Calgary lower than I weighed last year (hauling 20+ pounds is slowing me down) and have three months to do it. I'll write up some vows this weekend and let you all know how they work out.
Back to boot camp...I love wearing the Vibrams during class. I like the slapping sound my feet make when we run! Silly, but it entertains me... We did major circuits today, and I swear my shoulder actually dislocated at one point, but then it popped back in right away! No pain, but wow, what a surprise when you're holding a weight above your head!!! And we focused on everything...no body part was left ignored today...shoulders, triceps, biceps, abs, core, legs. Left exhausted but satisfied with the hard work I did. My goal is to also be back with the 10lb weights by the start of the next clinic too...need to keep switching things up. Left the hall, back into the freezing cold...it was supposed to "warm" up today. They (the evil weather people, who don't know squat) said a Chinook was blowing in...well, it must have blown over us, because it's still -17C with a windchill, and only getting colder. Rumours are that this will be around for the next 3 months, so maybe we will be running Calgary in real snow this year. Yuck!
Home, after swinging into Walmart to pick up a few things, and ate dinner. It was simple, but effective. Chicken nuggets and some baked french fries. Eaten dipped into BBQ sauce. I loaded up on salads at lunch, since my favourite deli is open again, and I also grab their fruit bowl, because it is full of grapes, blueberries, melon (water, cantaloupe and honeydew), oranges and grapefruit. Nary a syrup or sugar molecule to be seen. Glorious, zero-point fresh fruit.
Can't believe it's only 9pm! It feels like midnight. I'm going to wind down and maybe even hit the sack before 10. Up early, just not as early as usual, and in for what could be a long day.
Later,
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Stempo Pace
So, when you run a bit faster than the steady pace of 7:52 and not nearly fast enough for the tempo pace of 7:07, I hereby call it Stempo Pace. That's what we did tonight.
I cannot believe I went back out into this suck-fest of a winter and ran 10km. Seriously...there is something quite wrong with me!! Others felt it was fine to bail, but there were us die-hards there, layered upon layers to prove we are stronger then the weather. Or something like that. Sadly, because it snowed off and on, and was super windy out (-29C windchill) the paths sucked tonight. I think what the City did was actually move the snow that they removed yesterday and put it BACK ON the pathway, and then added some chunks of ice, bits of rock and other things just to make it fun! The run west wasn't so bad, as the wind was at our back, but as soon as we crossed the river...well, to say it took our breath away was an understatement. I actually had trouble catching mine, and found myself hyperventilating a couple of times. But I just wanted this to end, so I sucked it up (quite literally) and pounded on. The path on this side was in even worse shape, as a lot of the ice/snow/rocks/whatever from the road somehow ended up on the pathway. Footing was loose and just plain nasty. Add to that the bridge deck that hasn't been shovelled, but did have a ton of salt poured on it, so it was wet, loose sand to run in. Sadly, my toes got wet, which does not make for a good run. Luckily there was only about a km left to the end.
I found it hard being pleasant as well tonight...I really am at the end of my rope here. Yet my running partner seemed to want to chat. I just wanted to run, lost in my own nasty, bitter thoughts! Is that so wrong???
Finished up, and had a beer with a really small group tonight. Think there were 5 of us. I didn't even enjoy the Guinness as much as I normally do, but it was too dang cold! Home now, sipping a hot cup of French Vanilla coffee, and thinking it is bedtime.
I did make an amazing fish taco for supper tonight. So good in fact, that I failed to take any pictures (took 15 minutes from frying pan to plate to mouth to belly!) so I must try to recreate it soon. I did schmear a whole wheat tortilla with lite cream cheese, some sour cream, a couple of thin slices of marble cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa and the fish (which I tossed with Epicure taco seasoning & salt before frying up and topping with lime juice), rolled it up and inhaled. Next time, needs cilantro, but still very good.
Okay...starting to chill up again, so it's time to snuggle in some jammies with the furchildren.
Later,
I cannot believe I went back out into this suck-fest of a winter and ran 10km. Seriously...there is something quite wrong with me!! Others felt it was fine to bail, but there were us die-hards there, layered upon layers to prove we are stronger then the weather. Or something like that. Sadly, because it snowed off and on, and was super windy out (-29C windchill) the paths sucked tonight. I think what the City did was actually move the snow that they removed yesterday and put it BACK ON the pathway, and then added some chunks of ice, bits of rock and other things just to make it fun! The run west wasn't so bad, as the wind was at our back, but as soon as we crossed the river...well, to say it took our breath away was an understatement. I actually had trouble catching mine, and found myself hyperventilating a couple of times. But I just wanted this to end, so I sucked it up (quite literally) and pounded on. The path on this side was in even worse shape, as a lot of the ice/snow/rocks/whatever from the road somehow ended up on the pathway. Footing was loose and just plain nasty. Add to that the bridge deck that hasn't been shovelled, but did have a ton of salt poured on it, so it was wet, loose sand to run in. Sadly, my toes got wet, which does not make for a good run. Luckily there was only about a km left to the end.
I found it hard being pleasant as well tonight...I really am at the end of my rope here. Yet my running partner seemed to want to chat. I just wanted to run, lost in my own nasty, bitter thoughts! Is that so wrong???
Finished up, and had a beer with a really small group tonight. Think there were 5 of us. I didn't even enjoy the Guinness as much as I normally do, but it was too dang cold! Home now, sipping a hot cup of French Vanilla coffee, and thinking it is bedtime.
I did make an amazing fish taco for supper tonight. So good in fact, that I failed to take any pictures (took 15 minutes from frying pan to plate to mouth to belly!) so I must try to recreate it soon. I did schmear a whole wheat tortilla with lite cream cheese, some sour cream, a couple of thin slices of marble cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa and the fish (which I tossed with Epicure taco seasoning & salt before frying up and topping with lime juice), rolled it up and inhaled. Next time, needs cilantro, but still very good.
Okay...starting to chill up again, so it's time to snuggle in some jammies with the furchildren.
Later,
Brrrrrr
Cold facts of winter (from the Calgary Herald today)
* -9.6° C February's average temperature. Normal is -6.1 C.
* 23.4 February's snowfall in centimetres. Normal is 13.4 cm
There...I'm not crazy!! And we've received 40% more snow this year to date than average. 40%!!!
And March is supposed to continue the weather suck-fest. Good times...awesome, happy good times.
Later,
* -9.6° C February's average temperature. Normal is -6.1 C.
* 23.4 February's snowfall in centimetres. Normal is 13.4 cm
There...I'm not crazy!! And we've received 40% more snow this year to date than average. 40%!!!
And March is supposed to continue the weather suck-fest. Good times...awesome, happy good times.
Later,
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
So cold
Cannot believe I still went to running clinic tonight AND ran 6km, along the river, in -24C BEFORE the windchill. I am so on the edge to just freaking losing it! Did maintain a good pace (7:42) but still not at tempo pace yet, and since I couldn't get the feeling to come back into my fingers for about the half the run, I didn't really care!
Busy day...work, home, change, gas, vet, mom's (to drop off cat food), running clinic, groceries, home. Tomorrow won't be as bad, as I only have to whip by the pharmacy before clinic, but I seem to like to pack everything together.
Hoping it warms up soon. I do not want to run 19km in these temps on Sunday.
I really don't have anything nice to say, so I think I'll wisely sign off. Mother always said...
Later,
Busy day...work, home, change, gas, vet, mom's (to drop off cat food), running clinic, groceries, home. Tomorrow won't be as bad, as I only have to whip by the pharmacy before clinic, but I seem to like to pack everything together.
Hoping it warms up soon. I do not want to run 19km in these temps on Sunday.
I really don't have anything nice to say, so I think I'll wisely sign off. Mother always said...
Later,
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