Sorry, this is a long one. But the last one for a while...

It's taken me a full week to really digest the events of last weekend, hence the late follow-up.

Before I try to relay how everything unfolded, I want to take a moment to thank each and every person who has supported me through this whole experience. Not just those who opened up their wallets but those offered me encouragement and listened and hugged. I am truly lucky to have the worlds best support network. I am thankful everyday for the amazing people in my life. I love you all.

Mush, mush, mush.

This is how the story unfolds....

Morning of the race: I was a mess. All I could think of was how unprepared I felt for this whole thing and how completely insane it was that I was actually about to participate in a triathlon (we are leaving the "mini" aspect our here, because really ? - not relevant!). Less than an hour before the start time I gathered up the courage to go and get ready and head down to the beach. Just as I was getting up to go and get my stuff, my father presents my entire family with hand made "Team Beki" t-shirts. They were awesome; to say the least. He even made one for the dog. My Dad is truly the best. Ever. Always.

The team uniforms gave me the inspiration I needed to stop my belly aching and just get on with it.

We started with the swim...



This was more akin to water UFC. There was a lot if splashing, kicking, pulling...not much actual swimming. But I managed to stay with the pack (more or less) and completed this portion is a little over 12 minutes.

Then I ran up to the transition area, stuck my sopping feet into my sneakers, strapped on my helmet and took off on the bike ride...



If you zoom in on this picture you will see that the lady behind me is working WAY harder than me. That may have something to do with why it took me 30:03 to complete this portion.

And lastly the run. This was the part that scared me the most. And you know what?...It wasn't so bad after all.



That's me...crossing the finish line! Team Beki was there cheering me on and it felt pretty awesome to hear them announce my name as I came in. The run took me 22 minutes...but the point is: I actually ran.

All in all it took me 1:10:02 minutes to complete the race. Which, relatively speaking...is not very good. But, I really don't care because I am proud of me! And I am proud of all of you too...

Because together, we raised (drum roll please) $1000.50 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation! That is 2x my original goal. AMAZING! I would like to also thank my Uncle Shuggy for the 50 cents that helped to bump this into the next tax bracket!

So, what now? I have been asked countless times if I am going to do this again. I have decided that the answer is "yes and no". The triathlon is not for me. I can't see myself doing this again. But, I will fundraise for MJFF again. In fact, I have decided to make this an annual event and that I will try something new every year. I am open to suggestions for next year, and they don't have to be based on grueling physical activity. I am thinking...drunken bingo...any takers? Hmm...see, I really do need some suggestions.

Well, there you have it. Thank you again and I promise to hit you all up again next year.

With love and gratitude,

RH

3 days only!

I am leaving tomorrow to go up to Wasaga Beach and had all kinds of plans for this evening. I was going to ride Ara's bike over to the community centre and give my race day outfit a little spin in the pool and then ride the bike back just to make sure everything is in working order. And I realize that I really should do this, but you see...I can't. I am freaking out instead. My tummy is all funny and I'm jittery and I have a giant zit growing on the side of my nose and well...I am plain, freaking out. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing!

I have rationalized at this point that if there is something wrong with my gear, I would frankly rather not know about it.

At this point I am going to pack my bags and spend the evening lying on my couch watching crap on TV.

Well kids, I guess this is it. This is going to be my last post before the big day. Think of me at 1pm on Saturday and try not to laugh. I need as much positive energy as I can get.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far and for those procrastinators out there...it's not too late...just follow this link...

http://www.teamfox.org/c.pjJ0J8MHIoE/b.5594017/k.C005/Edit_Personal_Page/siteapps/personalpage/PageEditor.aspx

Stay tuned for the updates. I'm sure they will be entertaining if nothing else.

Best always,

5 days to go!

It's 10:30 am and I am currently sitting on my couch with my feet up, drinking a lovely cup of coffee and looking out the window at the rain pelting down and the last thing I want to do is go for a bike ride. I'll wait it out for a bit, but in all honesty I'm thinking it probably won't happen...there is still more coffee in the pot.

Just in case you aren't paying attention my race is officially in less than a week! I would be lying if i told you that I wasn't freaking out just a little bit. I think I am in pretty good shape as far as the actual events go, but the transitional logistics are what's scaring me. It has just started to dawn on me that I have no idea how everything comes together. So I've started searching online and of course there are all kinds of training clinics that teach you just that. I guess most people start worrying these things with more than 5 days to go! Oh well..too late now. I figure that there is a very slim chance that I will actually be in the lead, so theoretically there should be someone ahead of me that I can follow.

I hate to ask people for money, but I am doing this event for charity. If you are not among the group of extremely generous people who have contributed already I ask you to please visit my pledge site and consider making a small donation.

http://www.teamfox.org/siteapps/personalpage/ShowPage.aspx?c=pjJ0J8MHIoE&b=5594023&sid=lvK1KcPQIbIYIiMUJsF

This is a great cause and a great organization.

It is still raining....

I wasn't eaten by a bear - Part #2

Ara and I have not been able to go camping in the past couple of years due to new jobs and broken ankles, so we were determined to go this year. We planned the trip along the Highlands Back Packing trail in Algonquin Park. 2 people - 1 dog - 4 days - 3 nights - 35 kilometres.



The trails were really gorgeous and we couldn't have asked for better weather (did you hear that Dad? NO RAIN!!). But unfortunately we didn't enjoy ourselves as much as we should have. We have come to the conclusion that it is completely unnecessary to push ourselves to the point of complete exhaustion. Pain should not be something to overcome, but rather completely out of the equation. The second day we hiked just over 12 Km from Provoking Lake (East) to Harness Lake. I realize that this sounds manageable but once you consider the additional weight that we were carrying and the fact that 1/3 of the hike was uphill, it really puts it over the top. We have vowed that from now on we plan these trips for pleasure and not bragging rights (which I am not even sure we get).

Anyway, here are a couple of pictures from the trip.











As far as wildlife goes, we spotted what is by far the most significant sight I have ever seen. (Melissa, pay close attention here!)...We had just come around a bend and there was a large fallen tree across the path and in order to cross over it we had to bend back some of the smaller branches. As they snapped under the pressure, we heard a rustling in the bush and there it was, for a fraction of a second, a full grown bull moose. no more than 15 metres back. If you had blinked you would have missed it, as it turned tail and vanished so quickly you really only saw it's silhouette. A sight of a lifetime.

On Friday, we were hiking out of the park on the very last leg of our journey. You can always tell when you don't have too much further to go when you start encounter families with small children and generally clean people carrying nothing more than a bottle of water. We knew we were only a matter of metres away from the parking lot but still every step was a small miracle. Ara was walking with the dog about 15 metres up ahead of me when all of a sudden he shortened Filbert's leash and stopped dead in his tracks. That's when I saw it, hunched over and bounding across the trail. It was big, it was black and it had it's nose to the ground. Filbert was pulling with all his might trying to tear after it and Ara is doing everything right...staying calm and keeping quiet. Then there is me...screaming inquisitive profanities from behind. "Is that a f-ing bear?!?!? Holy f-ing s*#t!" Then there was some meager religious rhetoric spewed and just as I began to contemplate my contributions to this world my thoughts were interrupted by the voice of a young girl..."Billy! Come here Boy! Billy!". And there came Billy bounding out of the woods, panting and wagging his tail. Billy was big, Billy was black and Billy was a dog.


And he didn't eat us.

I wasn't eaten by a bear - Part #1

Yeah, I know. I am not very good at this whole blogging thing. Well...I'm not sure if that is exactly true. I think it is more that I am not actually very good at this whole "training" thing. I have not been successful at maintaining any kind of regular training schedule and truth be told, I have been enjoying myself a little more than I should be seeing as my race is about 2 weeks away. Did you really expect any different from me???

With that confession out of the way, I would like to give myself a little credit as I have achieved some significant feats in the last month.

The weekend of August 7 we were invited up to our friends family cottage in Ladysmith QC. I pledged when we got there on Friday evening that I was going to swim across the lake. I was told that it was about a mile from one side to the other. That would have been if I could swim in a straight line. I apparently cannot. It was estimated that I probably swam twice the distance if you took all the zig zagging into account.

Here is the proof:


Here I am with my swimming partner in the boat on our way out to the dock.


Swim, Swim, Swim


Look Ma, no hands!


Yes...I'm okay...No...I am not about to drown...Thanks for checking on me though...


Look at that form!


Hallelujah!

Growing up in Toronto, there has never been much opportunity for me to swim in the open water. It is kind of scary; to tell you the truth. Every little flutter of light under the water and you are convinced that you are about to meet Nessie. There are no black lines clearly defined on a turquoise back drop to keep you on track and you can swim for 10 minutes, lift your head, and realize that you have veered way off track. And, unlike swimming in a pool you don't have the luxury of stopping and grabbing on to the side if you need to catch your breath or if you get a cramp. And as you can imagine, the other side always looks closer than it really is.

I paced myself well on this swim and all zig zagging included it took me about 40 minutes to get across. My original plan had me running back around the lake to the cottage, but my friend advised that it was not unlikey that I would be eaten by a bear, so I opted to be escorted back in the motor boat. Can you blame me??

8 1/2 weeks

Okay kids...my big event is in 8 1/2 weeks! I am officially back on the training circuit and will be tri-ing to work my way through a 10 week training circuit in the next 8 1/2 weeks. HA. Anyway, not much to report at the moment...but please stayed tuned and I'll keep you all posted on my progress!

Cherrio!

Drinking...Running...Whatever!

I just want to mention that "Home for a Rest" by Spirit of the West is not just a great drinking song! It also makes for a fabulous running song! Just saying...

As long as I'm getting enough protein

The days are longer and the evenings are still nice and cool, so you would think that this would be the perfect time of day for a nice run through the valley, right? No, wrong. It is an incredibly disgusting time for a run in the valley. I started out around 7 pm and kept thinking to myself...where is everyone? Answer: they are at home not inhaling their weight in bugs. It wasn't so bad at first, because when you hit a swarmy patch you can sort of wave your arms around and dance through them holding your breath (yes, I am aware of how ridiculous I must look, thank you), but 15 minutes or so into the run, there is no holding of your breath. By this point, even the option to breath through your nose is gone. You are huffing and puffing and swallowing mouth fulls of these little flying protein shakes. Or at least I was.

They say that everyone consumes a certain amount of insects in their lifetime. I think I once heard from a reliable insect source that I know that the average human eats 7 spiders a year. (As reliable as this source is, it is very possible that he is completely saying this to give me nightmares). If it is true, so be it. I just really didn't need to consume a years worth in 25 minutes. I feel ill just thinking about it.

Maybe an adjustment to the schedule is required.

Just a teeny weeny problem.

Well, look at that... It's been almost a whole month since I last updated this site. I took some time away from the training schedule in order to study for a final exam that I had coming up. That was almost 3 weeks ago and I must admit, I've been pretty stationary since then. It's easy to fall into a routine that makes it incredibly easy to justify not working out. I admit...that is exactly what happened. But 2 things happened in the last week that are giving me the much needed kick in the booty that I need.

1) I got a package delivered from Team Fox (remember I have raising funds for Parkinson's research...), and this package contained my fancy Nike dri-fit sporty, racing top that I am going to adorn during my race. When I originally signed up as a fundraiser I got a very nice email from the Michael J Fox foundation explaining that they were temporarily out of team shirts in size medium, and would I mind waiting a month or so. Considering the race isn't until September, I indicated that of course this wouldn't be a problem. Well, the shirt was delivered and there is in fact a small problem. A really small problem. Not a medium sized problem...a "who on earth calls this a size medium" teeny, weeny little problem. Now granted, I understand that these fancy performance fabrics have a little give to them, but I'm not so sure that this thing won't end up being worn as a headband come race day. So, I'm taking it as a bit of "dri-fit" inspiration and let's see if we can't shed a few pounds so that I can squeeze myself in the "medium" shirt and represent!

2) Equally Inspiring (read; there is no backing out now kids!); I am officially registered in my race. I have no details about it except for the general township and day. I am assuming that they will forward me additional details as we approach d-day. (DO-IT Day!). And guess what!?...they also provide a "technical race" shirt as part of your registration dues. Needless to say, I ordered the size large.

Running along the Bunny Trail!

I have been taking advantage of the nice weather and trying to run down in the valley as much as possible. My lovely white running shoes are now all muddy, which under normal circumstances would be very upsetting, but under these circumstances I feel like this is somehow equivalent to something like a girl guide badge. An indicator of kilometers clocked in the real world.

I have been experiencing a strange phenomenon while running. For the first 800 metres or so, I have to really push myself to pick up my feet with each step. I am always convinced that this is going to be the time that I have to give up and walk all the way; but then something takes over and I am able to continue on. And then, when the end comes into sight I wonder if I'll actually be able to stop. I feel as if it will physically pain me to stop running. Now don't get me wrong, I very much want to stop running, but there is this very strange force that seems to make seem impossible. I always manage to overcome that force and bring myself to a walk, but it's not easy. When running you start to actually feel light and when you stop you turn into awkward deadweight.

I need to get the bex-cycle out soon, but she needs a trip to the spa (Cycle Path) before making her debut for the season!

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather et bon Paque!

Run or Play Dead?

I took the day off work yesterday and we drove out to Rattlesnake Point, a section on the Bruce Trail in Milton. We are planning on doing some hiking/camping this summer and we wanted to "test the waters" with our little Basset Hound "Filbert"and ensure that he is up for the task. So, we fished our day packs out of storage, bundled up and headed out early yesterday morning. It was a little chilly, but we dressed appropriately and it couldn't have been a more perfect day.

We picked a 14 km trail and headed off into the wilderness. At some point along the way Ara stops and says to me "Hey, do you think there are bears out here on the Escarpment?" I responded with a "I dunno, why?" with which was responded "cuz, I'm pretty sure these aren't dog tracks in the mud..." And boy, was he right. The trail was pretty soft and muddy in places as was the particular stretch that we were on and clear as day (or mud - ha ha) were undeniable, fresh bear tracks. And they were huge. We tracked them a fair distance and made comments about how convenient the bear must have found the man made trail that he was walking on and trying to remember if you run or play dead with black bears (something I must really get straight one of these days) and then started to question what exactly bears eat when they first wake up from hibernation, considering there was no vegetation to be found. Hmm...groggy, disoriented, hungry bears...thats when we started singing and making a disrespectful amount of noise.

Half way into the hike we came upon an Iroquoian Village (and a rest station with flush toilets!) and we stopped to eat the packed lunch we brought. Then back on the trail.

So, it's funny how when you are walking downhill at a rather slight incline how you don't really notice...but when you are climbing uphill at a friggin' steep incline, it really takes a toll. All I kept thinking to myself was how much worse this would be with a 50 lb pack on my back and a canoe over my head. That made everything seem much better and I arrived at the top of the valley without too much crying, complaining and bartering for rest stops!

The dog had the time of his life and didn't hold us back at all, in fact he was leading most of the way. It was evident that he was pretty exhausted when he didn't even want to get out of the car when we got home. He lifted his head and looked at us as if to say "you guys go ahead, I'm just going to sleep here." Needless to say he slept all night, but he is now back to his regular self this morning. He is sitting by the door as I type, motioning that it is time to go for a walk. I must oblige.

I wonder if there's a secret handshake...

I apologize for the delay since my last post. (I know that you are all hanging on my every word!)

The training update: Things have been going very well and I have mostly been focusing on running, as this is the most difficult for me. The weather has been pretty crap, so I have been destined to run on the treadmill (alternating between "What not to Wear and Dr. Oz - it's amazing how inspiring unhealthy people can be!), but today was the first really nice day in about a week. I hit the trail in the valley after work today and ran a little over 4km in 18 minutes. It was pretty cool to actually be able to set a goal like that and achieve it. It was also an interesting people watching exercise. Did you know that there is something like a secret society of runners? With secret salutations and hand gestures!?! I told you there was something suspicious about those running folks! But, seriously...runners are nice people. They wave at you and salute as they run past. Some even say "hello...nice evening". I returned these pleasant gestures with flailing arms and well-intentioned grunting. I guess I haven't been fully initiated into the club yet.

New Limits and Skinny Digits

After my new found enjoyment of pounding the pavement from earlier this week, the weather forced me back into the gym and back on to the treadmill. (I am quite conflicted, because the TV watching sure is nice, but part of me likes the whole wide world factor). Anyway, I decided that I needed to up the ante, as it were, and set myself some goals. Up until this point, I have been running until I don't feel like running anymore. My upward limit has been about 13 minutes. I decided to set a more definitive goal that might push me beyond my comfort zone. On Wednesday I ran for .... drumroll please ... 30 minutes and a total distance of 2 miles. Obviously, I'm working on the endurance factor here and not speed. On Friday, I thought; "Let's see what I'm really made of" and decided to push it to 40 minutes. I only made it to 38 minutes because I was actually fearful that I was going to loose my footing, bash my face on the handle bars and then get swept away in a puddle of shame by the conveyor belt. But, 38 minutes of run, run, running! I am pretty proud of myself.
I have abandoned the training schedule that I was trying to follow, as I realized that I couldn't actually complete many of the activities. For example: run 60 minutes. So, for now I am focusing on getting my endurance up and then I will give the 10 week training schedule another shot. I am still maintaining 5 days of "training" a week, which is having an impact my waistline. My paints are getting saggy and my rings keep falling off. Can you believe that! I'm loosing weight in my hands! Of all the pudgy places that might benefit from a little loss and I'm loosing weight in my fingers. Ridiculous! Maybe my dreams of becoming a Sally Hansen model are not lost entirely.

Call Me Crazy!

I have always been suspicious of people who run. On the rare occasions when I've had to get up early (trips to the airport for example), I have seen them out there...running, in their special running jackets and tight pants with the reflective stripes the sun barely struggling up behind them. I have always thought that these folks were completely and utterly mad. Why?? Why would anyone get out of a warm bed at 5 in the morning to go and run 5 miles in the pre-dawn, freezing cold rain? Why? Is there a chemical imbalance, or perhaps some unfortunate gene mutation? What could possibly provoke this behaviour? Madness...that's what. I could maybe wrap my head around getting up that early to go to the gym...at least it is climate controlled and has cable..civilized, if you will.

Well, you probably know where I am going with this. It was absolutely not 5 in the morning as you all well know, I don't do anything at 5 in the morning let alone run down the street for no good reason. No, it was a very respectable 6:20 pm when I laced up my "for indoor use only" running shoes and tucked my shame under a brightly coloured toque and started jogging outside, on the street, with no destination. And so I ran. Not very far, and not for very long. But I ran. And, can I tell you? Way better then running on that stupid treadmill! I could have done without the "it's cold, but I'm all sweaty" feeling and the constant runny nose, but still a much better experience. It made a huge difference to have physical goals (even if it was only "the next stop sign") instead of measuring myself against an angry, red digital timer.

So, for all you runners out there. Perhaps you are not completely certifiable, perhaps there is something more to this. Although , you are on your own with the 5 am nonsense. That is really sheer madness.

I brought along the crew to document the occasion. (In the photographers defense; the dog thought that we were playing a game and was trying to chase me!)

New Motivation

I've heard stories of people who stick pictures of big, greasy, bacon-cheeseburgers on their treadmills as a way of motivating themselves. Sort of like racing dogs chasing rabbits (I've always wondered if they actually get to eat the rabbits at the end of the race -same goes for the cheeseburger - hmm...anyway, I digress). Well, I am going to put my economics textbook behind the treadmill so that I can run away from it. Tell myself that if I don't complete another mile, I will have to take some form of advanced economics course next semester. I HATES THIS COURSE! HATES IT! I have not been adhering to my training schedule at all this week because I am trying to get as much studying in as I can. The good news is my mid-term is tonight and after that I can get back to the gym and whipping my butt into shape.

Fiscal Policy vs. Elliptical

Howdy all! I am technically supposed to be studying for my Economics mid-term, so I'll have to keep this brief. Ara has even taken the dog out to give me some peace. I have been practicing the fine art of procrastination ever since I got home from work today. I have had a nap (glorious!), done the dishes, organized the photographs of my darling niece and am now writing to all of you. The one thing that I did not do that would have prolonged the inevitable, is go to the gym. Today is the first day since "I took action" that I have not adhered to my training schedule. I figure I can excuse myself because I really can't afford to do poorly on this test and I promise this is not the start of a slippery slope. Truth be told; I think I would rather be at the gym over reading about how fiscal policy impacts GDP any day. Urg! Wish me luck!

Run, Run, Run!!!

Today was my first day actually incorporating multiple elements into my training regime. I pushed myself for a pretty grueling 30 minutes on the stationary bike and then moved over to the treadmill where I walked 2 minutes/ran 2 minutes for 30 minutes (but really running - like 'OMG there is an axe yielding madman chasing me' running), all with Stacy and Clinton's sarcastic, egomaniacal humour to distract me. I must say; it went pretty well. I may have had to engage my hands and knees in the process of climbing the one set of stairs up to the ladies change room after; but I didn't want my upper body to feel left out of todays workout!

I have also been working on constructing a high energy play list, that I was planning to put to good use with some outdoor running. (At least that was my plan before it got all wintery and snowy.) This exercise has taught me one thing about my taste in music. That is; nothing I listen to makes me want to get up and go for a run. My music is really more...hmm...I'd love another cup of coffee, but that would require that I put my book down and get out from under the covers; not really move yo' booty material. So, I am currently going through a modern, urban music crash course and I have settled on the following:

Please hold all mockery and judgement until you occupy the treadmill next to me :). Here goes:

1. Hey Mama - Black Eyed Peas
2. Right Round - Flo Rida
3. Pon de Replay - Rihanna

And la piece de resistance...

4. Jump Around - House of Pain (How awesome is that!!??!!??)

This adds up to just under 15 minutes of huff and puff, so I will definitely need to beef this up. I am open to suggestions...

Bonne Weekend mes amis!

Lap of Luxury

The madness of a triathlon starts with the swimming component. This is the part that intimidates me the least, as I am actually a pretty strong swimmer. The part that gets me a bit nervous is that not only is the swim in open water, but you start off swimming in a tight pack. When the weather warms up, I can practice swimming in open water, but I have no idea how I'm going to get used to swimming in the middle of a pack. I may have to ask you all to come along to practice one day!

When I started seriously planning to start training for this I quit my stinky broken gym and joined the fancy club across the street from my work. I have already told you about the cable TV and is if that wasn't enough...they also have unlimited towels and a ridiculous amount of free toiletries in the change room. I don't have to take anything with me! It's glorious. But the best part...are you ready?...wait for it....I get unrestricted access to the pool at the Royal York Fairmount right across the street. Which is beyond awesome. It has a lovely hot tub, a steam room, sauna, unlimited towels (and theirs even cover your bum, unlike the ones at the gym!) all the fixin's of a hotel bathroom in the change room and lemonade. Yeah, that's right; freshly squeezed lemonade. And the people are all friendly and walk around making sure you don't need anything. I'm doing laps in luxury! My only complaint is that it's only a 15 metre pool, which means I have to be really careful not to push off too hard because I find myself doing two strokes to get across. I always add an extra 4 laps to however many I'm supposed to be doing to account for my glide time. I am usually the only person in the pool, which is also a big plus.

All these amenities are making working out actually a treat. I don't miss the smells like foot, broken equipment, pre/post prison work-out gym in the slightest.

In Memory of Peter E Harrison

My Grand Dad died on a Sunday. I turned 29 the following Thursday. The 12 days in between were a time of reflective thought for me and I don't know why exactly, but loosing my Grand Dad has impacted me as I would have never imagined. I thought a lot about the young man that he was, a man I knew virtually nothing about. I imagined the challenges that he encountered as a boy and young man. I pondered the significance of his time at war. I considered the immense sacrifices that he made for his family over the years. I agonized at the thought of rampant sickness taking over his body. My Grand Dad was the strongest man I have ever known, in every sense of the word and the last time I saw him, he was merely a shadow of himself. As I thought about these things in grief I started to analyze myself and my life. All I could think about was the one thing that my Grand Dad told me more then anyone else, " you can do whatever it is you want to do.' The more I thought about this, the more I actually started to believe it. That's when I decided that I have to do something.

Cancer is what ultimately took my Grand Dad, but Parkinson's Disease is what debilitated him over the years and stole him little by little. That is why I am participating in this event as a member of The Michael J Fox Foundations Team Fox. Here is the link to my Team Fox page. I haven't spent much time there and it deserves some attention in the near future. I will keep you posted as I update it.

http://www.teamfox.org/siteapps/personalpage/ShowPage.aspx?c=pjJ0J8MHIoE&b=5594023&sid=lvK1KcPQIbIYIiMUJsF&elid=3176764077

I loved my Grand Dad dearly and I feel the need to find some good in all of the sadness.

I will resume the happy entries tomorrow, but I wanted to give you some background on this project and where the strength is coming from...because it is amazing where you can find strength when you are pretty sure that there is none left.

Progress...

Me. Treadmill. Running. 14 minutes. Thank you very much.

After sharing my running woes from early this week it has been brought to my attention that I was perhaps attempting to run at quite a ridiculous speed. Who knew!?! I turned that sucker down and was able to go almost 5 times longer! YeYay! The fact that the lady next to me had her machine set at a higher level and was walking comfortably is not relevant!

After running my 14 minutes (and learning that the hairstylist from America's Next Top Model now has her own show - really some of you are going to loose a lot of respect for me as you learn about my complete garbage taste in TV - but this is why we don't have cable at home...)...anyway, where was I?...oh yes...after running my 14 mins (note; I'm not given you distance achieved for a reason) I moved myself over to the stationary bike for another 15 minutes (I really wanted to see the end of the show and couldn't go another step on that blasted treadmill) and I started to wonder if the Triathlon organizing committee would take issue with me completing the bike portion of the race on my own bike, which looks something comme ca...



Beauty, huh? Okay, that isn't the exact same model. Mine has a hibiscus stenciled on the seat and big white basket on the front.

Maybe Ara will let me borrow his bike. It least his has multiple gears. Ah whatever, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Seeing as I wasn't actually able to complete the training components of week #1, next week will be week #1 (take 2). Tomorrow is a day off and then I hit the pool on Monday.

Hope everyone is having a splendid weekend.

3 minutes

Running. Is. Really. Hard.

I was all geared up to run for 20 minutes at a nice pace. My laces doubled knotted. Water and ipod within reach. And I was off. When the sweat started to pool excessively in unmentionable places and the burning in my thighs started to become unbearable, I looked down at the clock to see that I had been running for all of 3 minutes and 10 seconds. Oh dear. This is going to be a little harder then I thought.

I slowed to a rushed walk (elbows high and bum out...you know the walk). Now that I wasn't running I was able to actually play with the settings on the TV attached to the treadmill. That was when the most beautiful thing happened. I learned that the TV's at the gym have cable. As in The Food Network, Discovery and my all time favourite...TLC. I almost teared up when I learned that What Not to Wear is on from 5pm-6pm everyday. And all I have to do to watch it is show up at the gym and plug myself into some exercise contraption. This is going to be good!

I'll work on the running thing and let you know how that goes. Maybe by next week I'll be able to go for 5 minutes!

Cable. Television. Sweet.

What's the definition of "triathlon" anyway?

I can't believe the swarm of support and motivation I have received in the last 24 hours. I sure do know some pretty amazing people. So, now that I've had a full day to soak in the admiration; I guess it's time for me to come clean...I am not really going to do a full blown triathlon. That was my original plan, but then I looked it up. Do you know exactly what is involved in a triathlon??? Well, let me tell you. First you have to swim 750m, then bike for 30km, and then if your legs are still listening to your brain signals, you must run for 7.5km. And that my frineds, is not even the Olympic distance!

No, I will be participating in the "Give-It-A-Tri" series (get it? Tri! Witty, huh?). These races are designed for first time racers (me!) and are slightly more reasonable. First you swim 400m, then bike 10km and then run 2.5km. Baby steps!

Thanks to the trusty interweb, I have located a 10 week training guide that I will be following. Here is what I have in store for week#1:

Day #1: Bike 30 mins
Day #2: Run 20 mins
Day #3: Day off :)
Day #4: Bike 40 mins
Day #5: Run 15 mins
Day #6: Day off :) :)

Okay...this is a bit modified to accomodate the fact that I started on a Tuesday. I eliminated the swimming, because I figure that I can make that part up. (Slacking already...I know, I know)

30 mins on the bike and I kept it above 85 RPM the entire time and travelled 7.58 something or other. The bike I was on didn't actually stipulate whether it is kilometres or miles or what. I'm going with miles because I was peddling really fast and sweating a lot! I guess I'd better figure that out for next time.

Tomorrow...I RUN!

Well, here we go...

Project Action, is just what it sounds like. I am ready to start taking action. It is time for me to start actually doing all of the things that I have eluded to doing in the past. I want to stop thinking about what I could do and figure out what I can do. First and foremost I would like to embrace the most literal meaning of the word action. I am going to get moving and get fit. For all of you out there that know me, brace yourself for what's coming next.

ACTION #1: Starting tomorrow February 16, 2010, I am going to start training for a Triathlon.

I realize how completely insane this sounds, believe me! It has actually taken me almost 3 weeks to commit this to writing. Which brings me to action #2.

ACTION #2: I am going to start writing. This is something that I have always talked about doing and short of the on-again, off-again journal writing, I have always excused myself from putting pen to paper for one reason or another. Well, now I have a topic and an outlet. I am going to document my daily efforts and struggles on this blog as I work towards my goal. And yes, I fully intend and wholly expect that you will all laugh at me along the way.

ACTION #3: I will write about this in more depth as we carry on, but I am not just doing all this for myself. Project Action 2010 was actually born out of grief and a feeling of utter helplessness. The loss of my Grand Dad in January 2010 and his truly brave battle with Parkinson's disease has inspired me to...well...take action! I will be asking people to sponsor me in my triathlon and with the help of Team Fox (The Michael J. Fox Foundation), raising as much money and support as I can for Parkinson's research.

There is a lot to digest here and I have a lot to tell you about if you choose to follow and support me in this journey. I hope you do.