I have done the Abby Grind now 3 times and have come to enjoy it a lot. This hike is located off NO3 Rd on the border of Chilliwack and Abbotsford. I was told it is like the Grouse Grind in Vancouver but only half the distance. It is quite steep and some parts are like a goat trail. Even a rope around the half way mark to pull yourself along if you need it. The view at the top is amazing. So breath taking and worth every drop of sweat to see.
My friends Mardeanna and Misty have become regulars at this with me.
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I completed my 2nd 5k race now. I had a large group of friends sign up for the Night Nation run in Vancouver so I decided to join them. What a fun event to go to. Definitely a must next year again. This was located on the PNE grounds in Vancouver and proceeds raised went to cancer. I don't think the course was a full 5K though as it only took 23 minutes to run it. Food trucks, music, dancing and a whole lot of fun. This was the finish line at the Night Nation run. Even though it was only 23 minutes of running I was relieved to see the word "FINISH".
I've been trucking along the last little bit. With summer, busy schedules and vacation it has been hard to stay on track with my regular exercise routine. I had a week off due to vacation which was nice but mentally a struggle. Guilty feelings of not being able to do what I like to do. I also haven't stepped on the scale for fear of weight gain due to lack of activity. In reality it's only been a week but in my brain and my weight struggle, it is detrimental to me. My favorite activity is to run. The pavement and my tunes. I zone out and let my mind wander...sometimes I think about my life struggles, sometimes I look at the scenery, think about quitting, think about racing the next jogger on the street. I find it to be a real stress reliever and "me" time. One thing I have admitted recently and it's pretty hard to say this and some people may not understand....but it's my priorities. My career comes first(without $ you have nothing nowadays), my exercise comes second (without health there is no me...early death), then comes family. I feel like my kids have suffered because I'm not home. Between work and my exercise routine they spend a lot of time at home on their own. I feel like I'm missing out...it's hard to figure this one out and I feel incredibly bad and like a terrible mother. When I tell myself I am doing this for them, it eases the guilty feelings slightly...maybe I'm trying to convince myself it's OK to put fitness before time with my children? While I was in Cranbrook I did manage a short run, but nothing like what I do at home. I topped it off with a Starbucks treat. Now that vacay is over I jumped right back into my work out routine. Too much bad food, booze and not enough exercise have left me feeling with extreme guilt and not wanting to step on the scale for fear I have gained weight. I wonder every day if I will gain the weight back..I am still so terrified. I have met so many people that have had regain and it's actually normal to gain back a certain percentage. Can I be the one that doesn't gain? I have tried everything out there. Diet pills, herbal magic, special K diet, diet/exercise, body by vi, atkins, slimfast and gave my all to each one. Either I didn't loose weight or lost it and gained it back plus more! What is so different about RNY?? This is just a tool.... Last night I did a short run on the treadmill (20min) between my classes. I started running at 4MPH, once I mastered my 5K I bumped it up to 4.5 MPH. I've never been able to run at 6MPH, it has always been too fast and I feel like I'm going to fly right off the treadmill. Well slowly I bumped it up....4.5....5.....5.5......6!!! I ran 6MPH and boy did I sweat. It felt amazing though to just giver. 6MPH converts to 9.6 KM. HOLY COW!!! I can say I can run at 9.6kmh!! Now on to my next adventures. I'm signing up for a 5k Night Run in Vancouver for August. This looks like a tonne of run....basically running and a dance party. I have also signed up for a 5K Inflatable Obstacle course in Surrey for October. Something a little different but I think it will be a blast as well. For now I will focus on my 5K, come September I will train for the obstacle course. Making goals is extremely important to keep me on track and to hold myself accountable.
Now that I have hit my goal I need to stay motivated to keep my fitness levels up. My journey has taught me that for me to be successful I need to set goals. I can become unmotivated very easily. Right now I exercise 5 times a week. My schedule is as follows:
Monday: Synergy class ( this is a weight and cardio group class taught by a personal trainer with 1 on 1 attention ) Tuesday: Run Wednesday: Run Thursday: Synergy, Run or weights, and yoga Friday/Saturday: OFF Sunday:Run If I have extra time sometimes I run to the gym, ride the spin bike or do weights. I want to get more into weight training and hopefully compete in a fitness competition. My group personal trainer has inspired me to do this and he has been so supportive of me and my weight loss/fitness goals. My biggest fear is that I'm going to gain the weight back. I didn't go through this life changing surgery to fail. I really enjoy having a work out partner. Sometimes my husband joins me but we both enjoy different things and have different schedules so the majority of the time we can't work out together. So I'm always open to having people join me in my activities. To some a 5K run may seem like nothing. Now that I can do it 3X a week its a nice little run. But when I started this was a big deal and a HUGE accomplishment for me. I trained for about 3 months for this race and was so nervous about it. In the end it was soooooo much fun and I hope to go every year. *As I have stated before I want to be open and honest on here...I've read through some of my posts and it may seem that my husband isn't very supportive. He is, but has his moments like I'm sure anyone does. In a round about way he has been supportive of my journey and joined me in it. It's a learning process still for everyone in my family and when it comes to food he doesn't always make or purchase things that I can eat/tolerate, but he tries. So once again with this post I'm going to put my feelings out there on how my race was and the day went on. I love my family and I wouldn't be where I am now without them. My husband pushes me physically to do the best I can and on days when I don't want to exercise he is my cheerleader to give me the motivation to do so.* I had signed myself and Rob up for the run, but we had the kids with us and a long story short Rob decided not to run with me and hang out with the kids. When we arrived in Surrey the atmosphere and energy was amazing!! I met up with my surgery sisters. Some I had only talked to online and it was great to meet them in the flesh. It's so inspiring to see these women and hear of their struggles and how close their stories are to mine. My daughter made this wonderful sign and my heart wanted to explode. To know how proud my family was of me to see me meeting my goals. Despite Rob not running with me, my friend and her husband were there so we ran together. It was such a blast and when I thought I couldn't do it or continue my friend encouraged me to carry on. She was a great motivator and coach, Nora I'm so thankful you were there by my side cheering me on and encouraging me....I really don't think I could have done it without you! So this 5K run is through the forest, fields, uphill, downhill and along the sidewalk. They have colour stations where they throw powder, goo and water on you as you run through them. I had only hit 5K on the treadmill so I was so nervous about being able to do this. Running on the treadmill and running outside are completely different. On the treadmill u have the belt going and just run to keep up, outside you have the weather elements, wind resistance and you feet are working to propel you forward so it's much more tiring. I did it though!! This is me at the finish line as soon as I crossed. Goo and powder all over, even on my teeth. Sweaty and exhausted but so proud of myself. Now this is what killed me. As I crossed the line I saw everyone greeting their loved ones and the crowd was cheering them on. Where was my family? No where in site. I texted my husband and was told they were waiting in the car. He knew how much this meant to me and when I wanted to see someone cheering me on just for me.....there was no one there. I felt so alone, so empty, so sad and heart broken. I tried to take my mind off that by pumping myself up....I just ran a 5K race!! I am proud of me. The sign up fee came with a free t-shirt but I bought a hoodie as well for a memory of what I just did and accomplished.
Now that I decided to run I got pretty serious at it. I hit my 5K on the treadmill, also started running outside in my neighbourhood. I dragged my husband along with me on some runs but it wasn't his thing. He now has lost 40lbs himself by changing his lifestyle with me. I went ice skating for the first time in 20 years! What an amazing freeing experience that was. This is when I really realized that I was missing out on life. I couldn't hike, I couldn't bike, Ice skate, or really even do anything to physical. One of my fitness goals was to hike Lindeman Lake. One Sunday I packed up the family and we did it together. It was amazing to be able to hike that mountain to the lake and not have to worry about any physical challenges do to my weight. Swinging on a swing at the playground was another moment in my life that I felt so free. Who knew that just a swing could be such an accomplishment and amazing feeling to swing through the air with my feet towards to the sky. As I got closer to my goal weight and closer to hitting 5K I decided I wanted to do a run. I signed up the Color Me Rad in Surrey that was scheduled in May 2016. I wanted to run the whole course...that was my goal. Not only did I do Lindeman once I did it again with the family in record time. We made it up and down with a break at the top in 2 hours. Plowing through the weightloss, I was really determined to get to my goal and not fail my tool or myself. Guess what?? At 1 year I hit my goal of 180lbs!! My weightloss team told me that I lost the most weight in the shortest period of time of all the patient's in the centre that they were aware of. What an AMAZING accomplishment. I had failed at everything in the past and I seriously thought I was going to fail this too! Atkins, Body By Vi, Speical K diet, Herbal life, diet pills, old fashion exercise. I wouldn't lose weight, or fall off the wage and gain it back plus some! Here I am today BELOW my goal weight! I have won half the battle by getting here...now the other half is to stay here.
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