SunRun Fun: I had always desired to run the sun run but life seemed to get in the way. First shift work jobs then, basketball belly followed by bottle refusing babies kept me from my goal. So when M was born I was determined to make a change. Long before I typed my best excuse for not working out on the Urbanmommies website I signed up for this years SunRun training program. Nike supplied the shoes, Fitness On the Go enabled me with no excuse cross training and I supplied the will power and enthusiasm.
I took my girls to the beach this weekend. It was a chance to reconnect and recharge from the insanity that goes along with selling your house. L needed a break from me hounding her about tidying her puzzle pieces and I needed a break from artfully staging dish soap and books.
With the help of my Mom and Auntie babysitting I was able to go for my most challenging training run to date. For 60 minutes I ran with the sweet smelling ocean wind pushing on my chest. Nature made resistance training at its best. Somewhere in the middle I took a one minute walk break but at this point the break is needed more mentally than physically. My pace was brisk at the start and a toddler could have passed me near the end. But I kept on moving. When my mind started to drift to thoughts of walking I would remind myself that if I could run this then the Sun Run would be a cinch.
Sleepy Sundays… It is mornings like these that I wish I were still a couch potato. It is Sunday morning and time for my regular training run. I look forward to running with my group. It is usually my most challenging run of the week but it seems painless when running with interesting people and doing one of my favorite things, talking.
Exercise is my drug of choice. My withdrawal symptoms include extreme crankiness, a short fuse and waves of resentment. When I get my fix I feel euphoric, confident and proud. I have never been one to consume caffeine. I drink decaf herbal teas and a lot of water. Peer pressure has always had an opposite effect on me. As a result I have never smoked….anything. Shopping serves its purpose but I prefer sewing presents over buying them. For years I have felt like a misfit for the lack of addiction in my life.
Make it work: You got an excuse? I have a solution! MAKE IT WORK
My last few weeks have been filled with its fair share of hiccups. I lost a wonderful uncle to cancer, decided to get our place ready for sale, entertained out of town house guests, and battled a stomach bug outbreak. These are just the things that my mommy brain can remember at this moment. Life is unpredictable at the best of times. I would get nothing completed beyond changing poopy diapers and pouring cheerios if I didn’t attempt to make the best out of my circumstances. Most women I know are lucky to fit a shower in to their day, let alone a workout. Despite the chaos I made a lot of effort to continue with my workouts…and here is how I did it.
Ode to my Saggy Underwear: Gone are the days of invisible panty lines and French lace thongs. Or are they? Becoming a mom moved matching or even coordinating panty sets pretty far down my priority list. I not only stopped caring but I also stopped fitting all of my alluring underwear. That combined with more trips to WalMart then La Senza my drawers are now filled with the 100% cotton and comfort of Fruit of the Loom instead of its previously inhabited lacy counterpart.
Give it another Shot: In a world filled with PVR’s and Liposuction we can have anything we want with the touch of a remote control or the swipe of a debit card. Instant gratification has damaged our ability to use effort to achieve what we want. Let’s face it…if I didn’t win Fitness on the Go trainer for free I most likely would not have made it past that difficult and defeating first workout. I was determined to work hard but was so embarrassed by my first time performance that I felt crushed by disappointment. But, I got back up onto that pull up bar thanks to the support of my family, a little rationalization and knowing that all the wonderful women that didn’t win might resent me if I wasted this opportunity. Or at very least they might try to assume my identity to get some workouts and nike shoes.
Exercise of the Week: Row, Row, Row the boat.
Fitness on the Go also offers sessions to train with a friend. So I invited my friend, neighbor and fellow Top 10 finalist Sarah to participate in a workout so we could learn some useful partner exercises. Sarah is a wonderful mother that is trying, like all of us, to get back in shape after having 3 kids.
Exercise of the week: Plank
Trying to squeeze back in your pre pregnancy jeans can be a struggle for some. I have found the Plank exercise to be very helpful in getting me back into those Jeans this week!
The plank position will also do wonders for your core muscles which in turn will help protect your back from injuries when hauling your groceries into the house.
Priorities Schmiorites
My muscles were so fatigued in the days following my second workout that I couldn’t find the strength to put the fitted sheet onto my mattress. Instead I just threw a flat sheet on top and slept on that. Doing up the snaps on M’s onsie sent twinges of pain up my overworked arms and into my shoulder blades. Even going to the washroom posed a problem. I am now considering just wearing a moo moo everywhere.