Ah, June

I started the month of June, with good intentions of spending as much time as possible outside and my mantra for the month has been Take it Outside.  In spite of having a lingering cold with sniffly nose, I have managed to really enjoy the fabulous sunny and warm weather we have had.

I have been walking and running and having coffee dates, lunches, and even the occasional breakfast outside.  Fabulous!  I do think that the sunshine puts me in a great mind frame and also energizes me.  I have not given up hope of getting in some more tennis and golf and swimming as the Summer progresses.

So… some new things for me in June… some good:

I have started a new exercise program called Metabolic Aftershock.  It is a series of 15 minute bodyweight exercises, and we have been doing them about an hour after breakfast, and then following them up with a half hour brisk walk.  I am really loving this program because I can feel the heat for several hours after the workout is over, and I am also energized for the rest of the day.   When I was doing 40 – 50 minute strength workouts with weights, I was tired out and didn’t feel like doing much more.  And, it is only 3 sessions per week so doesn't really even take a lot of time.

We are making some plans for a couple of little getaways – one at the end of July for The Captain’s birthday – we have planned a week in Portland, OR. I am quite excited as I have never been there and it has been many many years since he was last there.  We will drive, and have an opportunity for a few hours visit with an old friend in WA on the way home.    The other may happen at the beginning of September.  We have friends who live in Greeley, CO and they have been inviting us to come visit for years… and we have decided that it is high time we took them up on their offer to host us and show us around Colorado.

We just had a nice visit with them on their 68 foot Queenship on Friday evening as they were over from Anacortes, WA. with some guests.  They are folks we met when we were all new boaters in 2002, and have kept in contact with over the years, and see each other when they are in the area.   We will likely fly to Denver…. this is is all still tentative but in the works… very excited!

I finally got a hair cut that I really love…

And on the not-so-good front… some confessions to make here, hanging my head in shame:

I have made some really poor food choices this month… ice cream? Really?  I don’t really even care for it so it must be the SUGAR MONSTER rearing it’s ugly head. 

And since I have not been strength training regularly I have lost some muscle size and strength, and gotten a bit soft around the belly.

But I have plans in the works to turn that all around in July!  Actually I am starting today!

How did you fare in the month of June?

Any plans for a Summer getaway?

EnJOYing June and Some Faves and Raves

I am thrilled that we have been having such great weather on the Island this month. Even though I have had a sniffly cold dragging on and on, I have been getting outside a lot… even having breakfast on our balcony many mornings in the brilliant morning sunshine.

I started a new workout program this week.  It is called Metabolic Aftershock.  I am sure you have been seeing advertising for it everywhere.  It really appealed to me because each workout is only 15 minutes long… and is body weight exercises that can be done anywhere… including in our small living room (and hotel room).  I can do a 15 minute sweaty, hard workout, and still get outside afterward for a run or a walk or go play tennis or golf.

In the past, I have found that a 40 - 50 minute strength workout tires me out so much that I don't really want to do much else exercise-wise for the rest of the day... and that is just no good for me in the Summer when I want to do it all!

So far so good… the workouts are hard.  And I am loving them. And I do seem to be staying ‘hot’ for a few hours after I have completed them.  But, wowzers, have I been hungry on days I am doing these workouts. I hope that means I am burning calories like a mad woman!

I have been taking part in a challenge this week called #40plantfoodschallenge – the idea is to eat 40 different plant foods in a week… I am doing pretty well so far – well over the 40 and I will be writing a post about it for my food blog at the end of the week. 

My favorite articles and blog posts this week are all about food and fitness… surprised?  here is the lineup:

• What is Flexible Dieting and a Guide About How To Figure Your Macros at Sports Bras and Sippy Cups
• Joanna  explains this in great detail and in an easy to follow tutorial
• How to Use Micro Goals to Blast Away Fat at Workout Nirvana
• Suzanne tells how to set achievable goals
• How to Make Fitness a Priority at Fit 2 Flex
• Carissa says it’s all about consistency and commitment
• End Hip Pain With This One Stretch at Go Fit Gals
• I love this stretch… feels so darned good.  And it helps!
• Adaptation, Not Exhaustion at Girls Gone Strong
• Great reminder that you don’t have to be dragging your butt after every workout to get the best out of it

 
How may different plant foods do you eat in a week?

Does your workout routine vary with the seasons?

Memorable Runs... Favorite Runs

Although I am only running a little bit these days, I am thinking about it a lot.  And recalling just a few of the places around the world where I have been fortunate to go out for run and what makes them memorable...

• Halifax, NS - gorgeous harbour and steep Citadel Hill
• Saint John, NB - historic inner city and lovely parks
• Disney World, FL- so fun to run through the theme parks and on the roads that join them
• Innsbruck, Austria - running along the river in the early Spring was exhiliarating 
• Seattle,WA - hilly Magnolia district overlooks Elliott Bay and is gorgeous and Discovery Park is particularly beautiful
• Port Ludlow Golf Course, WA - hilly and beautiful... especially the Mountain course
• Waterloo, ON - getting lost late on a Sunday afternoon, alone, without money, and when all the stores were closed
• Lompoc, CA - hot and dry and flat
• Pismo Beach, CA - awesome flat beach for running
• Daytona Beach, FL - miles of wide flat beach and white sand but you have to watch out for vehicles also driving there
• Nuevo Vallarta, Puerto Vallata, Mexico - great sunsets, and lots of waterfront to run on but a bit of air pollution to contend with
• Manzanillo, Mexico - the beach is sloped quite a bit so and out and back run evens you up!
• Santa Barbara, CA - beautiful and hilly except near the marina which made me homesick for our own boat
• Vancouver, BC - the Seawall is lovely but way too crowded for my liking

And I do have a couple of favorite places to run, too.  There is a theme I believe. It would seem that my favorite runs and favorite locations and routes have a few things in common:

• they are all near water, or at least most of the route is along water… oceanside, rivers, and lakes
• they are all quite flat
• they are not too busy… no fighting skater boarders, cyclists or other vehicles for elbow room

My most memorable recreational run happened on a rainy Saturday morning in  Monterrey, CA several years ago.  The Captain and I, along with our English Springer Spaniel – Scout – had just spent 8 weeks in California, mostly golfing, from mid December to mid February, and were driving back to Vancouver Island, along the Pacific Coast.  Monterrey is one of The Captain’s favorite places in the U.S.A. so we made sure to spend a few days there when we arrived… there are a shortage of rooms for people travelling with pets so we had pre-booked at a small motel we had been at once before.

That particular Saturday morning we set out on our run, from our motel, through downtown Monterrey along the waterfront to Pacific Grove and around the peninsula to the seaside pathways that mark the entrance to 17 mile drive. It started to rain… and actually became quite a downpour but it didn’t matter… it was warm, and the view is spectacular. When we got back we made sure to towel Scout off, feed her, and get her settled for a nap before we made our way into the hot tub to soak our tired legs…. it was awesome.

I used Map My Run to make a map of the area.

The red arrow indicates the pathway alongside the sand dunes and crashing waves.

Another of my favorite places to run is in my hometown of Calgary, AB.   The city is divided into 4 quadrants… North and South in the core are divided by the Bow River, which flows from Bow Glacier, high in the Canadian Rockies to the West.  There are miles and miles and miles of trails on both sides of the river.  And in several segments, the path is actually doubled… one path for pedestrians, the other for wheeled traffic… bikes, skates, strollers… it wide enough for everyone.  And there are several bridges that cross the river, too… some just for foot traffic.

The last time we ran there, we parked the car at Edworthy Park on the South side… ran East along the South trail and crossed the river at a new foot bridge… then ran back along the North side.  It was a fabulous morning run and because it was a Tuesday, there were very few other people around.   And it just happens to pass through a neighborhood that was one of my childhood haunts, so evokes lovely memories, too.

Again, Map My Run came in handy here.

And a bit closer view so you can see some of the parks, islands in the river, and greenery.

Actually, Calgary has a few of my favorite routes… there are fabulous trails in the Glenmore Reservoir area, and also at Fish Creek Park.  The Elbow River also has nice trails alongside. 

And I have to admit, that the area I have been living in for the past 12  years, on Southern Vancouver Island, has some of the most beautiful and varied seaside and lakeshore pathways and trails, too.  The half marathon that we ran a couple of years ago, is mostly seaside…

And I particularly love to run along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, that divides Canada and the U.S….

Or around the bustling Inner Harbour… even in the morning fog.

And we have several lakes in the area as well, so there are lots of opportunities for trail runs… some quite rugged, as well.

I would love to hear about your favorite places to run, too.

What makes a place great for running, to YOU?

June Focus Update and Friday Faves and Raves

During the month of June, my intention is to Take it Outside.  I am doing pretty well with spending as much time as I can outdoors, in spite of the fact that I have had the sniffles and a cough off and on all week  long.  I have not played any tennis or golf as I had hoped, but am walking and running, and also enjoying some lunches and coffee dates in the sunshine so I am very happy about that.

I am trying to gradually increase my running distance again, without suffering painful and annoying cramps in my legs and feet.  So far, adding an electrolyte drink and more water to my pre-run and recovery routines seems to be helping enormously.  And yes, I am using my Tommie Copper gear a lot, too.  Honestly, this special copper infused fabric just makes my body feel warm, and the support offered by the compression is marvelous.  

I did a 6 km run on Sunday and then a 5 km run on Wednesday… and so far so good in keeping the cramps at bay.

After my 5 km run on Wednesday, I delayed my shower for several hours just so I could keep these Tommmie Copper tights on longer…(little confession)  in the afternoon when I went out to run some errands I just put a little skirt on over them and off I went.  I need some in black now, I think.

And you know I am loving these Mizuno shoes too, now that I am getting more used to them. They are much lighter than the previous incarnation and I wasn’t sure they were sturdy enough at first.   And yes, I do need some new running glasses… these old Oakleys are very effective but look ridiculous, I know. 

The week has just whizzed by me… I have been spending lots of time planning a week long getaway at the end of July for The Captain’s birthday.   And I have been doing lots of cooking and food prep, too.  I found some red peppers on sale and so roasted a batch… mmmmm.

I found some really good posts this week… here are some of my favorites:

• Healthy Edible Cookie Dough at ItzLinz

It’s based on almond flour and looks awesome…. definitely going to try it

• Tips for Picking the Best Shoes at Tommie Copper

Some things to think about when selecting shoes for running and walking

• The Unspoken Darkside to Training for Performance and Focusing on What Your Body Can Do at Nia Shanks

Some thoughts about obsession and comparing yourself to others

• 5 Strength Workouts You Love to Hate at peerFit

Other than wall sits, which I never see the the value in doing, these are good body weight exercises

• 5 Ways to Truly Brace Your Core at Your Trainer Paige

Really good explanation of what bracing the core is and why it’s important

• More Ways to Drink More Water at Stacy Knows

Some tasty ideas for flavoring drinking water

• Why I Am Awake at 4 a.m. at Carla Birnberg

Some thoughts about sleep routines

• Reducing Inflammation With Turmeric Ginger Lemonade at Cotter Crunch

Tasty recipe and some information about inflammation

• 5 Weight Loss Rules Not to Break at Go Fit Gals

Mostly common sense but hey, we can all use a reminder now and then

What do you think about wall sits?  Yay or nay? 

How do you prepare for a run?  Any special fuel or supplements?

My Very Unlikely Run

I woke up this morning with a runny nose and a cough… to cloudy skies, big blustery winds, and the threat of rain.  I was determined to get out for a run.. which is very unusual for me because I don’t like to run when it is windy, and certainly not when it is raining.  But, I have been fighting the sniffles and a scratchy throat all week. I thought that resting and not exerting myself would make them go away, so I have been careful for the past several days.  And it hasn’t done me a lick of good… I have developed a full blown cold anyway. And I am fidgetty... I need to move.

I drank my lemon water/Fermented L-Glutamine mixture and then enjoyed some coffee with my vitamins/supplements and a light breakfast… some fresh fruit, and an egg white/mushroom omelet, and then mapped out a new 6 km route.  A simple out and back, mostly along the waterfront.  It was a bit of downhill going out and so would be a bit uphill coming back. 

I was trying to think of all the things I could do to prevent the post-run cramps in my legs and feet that I have experinced the last couple of times I ran further than 5km, so I drank several glasses of water and decided I should take some along, for a change. I put a nuun tablet into my Simple Hydration bottle and filled it with water and screwed the lid on tight… and set it on the counter where it immediately started to leak.  Hmmm… was that another sign that I shouldn’t be running? 

Apparently the lid doesn’t screw on that tight anymore.  I drank about half of the mixture and set the bottle in a glass on the counter, and decided to finish the rest of it after my run.  Honestly, I don’t find nuun/water all that refreshing when I am running anyway and only drink it for the electrolytes it provides me.  I know that it does a good job of that; I just cannot say I love the taste.

And then it started to rain… pour actually.  Another setback.  But The Captain assured me it didn’t look like it was going to last too long, so I went ahead and got into my running gear.  And it did stop after about 15 minutes.  So I pulled on my trusty Mizuno running shoes and wiped my nose a few more times, filled my windbreaker pockets with Kleenex tissues, put the cell phone into my capris pocket, and off I went.  I really wondered if I was making a huge mistake in heading out at all, but for some reason I just felt driven to go.

I had already promised myself that I would run slow… yes, even slower than normal.  And that I would do run/walk intervals of 8 minutes/2 minutes.  I am determined to increase my distance and will do whatever it takes in the way of speed reduction, increased walking breaks, fuel/recovery supplementation, stretching, ETC. in order to make that happen.  I am developing patience.  And I already have determination in spades.

About 2 or 3 minutes into my run, the rain started again… very lightly at first. Thoughts of giving up and going home floated through my head, because I was sure my feet and socks would get wet and I would be miserable, but I kept running.  And then it started to pour, and I kept going.  And I realized after a couple more minutes that I didn’t mind the rain and that I was actually really enjoying myself. I wasn't cold.  I was wearing a light jacket and capris and knee high compression socks, so it was really only my head getting wet.  It reminded me of one of my favorite runs from several years ago which did happen to be in the rain, and I day-dreamed about that for a while.  I did my first walk interval of 2 minutes and by the time I was running again, the rain had stopped…  and my feet were only a bit damp on the top.  The wind came up again and dried my face and my hair and jacket, and I kept going.

I did one more walk interval before reaching my 3 km mark and then turning around.  On the way back I could clearly see the USS Nimitz (American aircraft carrier) anchored just outside the harbour that is the West Coast home to some of our Canadian Navy.  She is enormous and so many people were on the waterfront to get a look at her while she is here.

And I kept running… uphill now.  And I checked my watch and really fought the urge to break my promise to myself and speed up a bit. But I didn’t. I kept my slow and easy pace and realized how much I was enjoying it… and that I had not used any of the Kleenex tissues from my pocket as my nose had stopped dripping almost as soon as I had started running. 

And even when I realized that my final 2 minute walk interval would bring me back to my starting point, I resisted the temptation to run to the finish instead.   I walked an additional 4 minutes to cool down before calling it done and coming inside.  I had thoroughly enjoyed my run and was so glad that the crummy weather, and my sniffles and cough, and the leaky water bottle had not deterred me from going out.

I finished the nuun mixture that I had left in my bottle on the counter. I drank 2 more glasses of water. I stretched for a full 5 minutes, and then showered and had lunch. 

Now, I am relaxing in a tee shirt, my Tommie Copper shorts, and some knee high compression socks…  watching the PGA U.S. Open on tv, and drinking more water every hour.  And, after almost a full 4 hours since I finished that run, I have still not suffered a single cramp.  Hurray!  This is a victory for me.  I intend to keep drinking water the rest of the day into the evening,  and before I go to bed tonight I will have a last glassful with some Natural Calm mixed into it.

Do you ever almost talk yourself out of running when the conditions are not quite great?