Tag: SVAC

yeah, I fell, but felt so good!

WarrenLeave a comment

An interesting morning……

I had originally planned on biking through the Edmonton River Valley, and then a quick swim in the Kinsmen Sport Centre…..and well, I was tired, it was raining..so, well, time to hit the gym and then run….

I’m starting to love the gym and I guess pumping iron…..I can’t lift much, but that’s not the point, I just know a few squats, bench presses and a few other things will make me a better, well, runner, help with life in the pool and on the bike……and it just feels great.

and I love the room. It’s always relaxed, everyone’s just doing what they’re doing….it seems weird too…not quite the gym I’m used to….I’ve yet to see anyone spot another lifter, it just seems like a lot of people just roaming around doing what they think they should do……

Every so often I feel like offering up some support….but, who am I to do that…..maybe as I spend more and more time in that room, doing what I do, doing a few things that no one else seems to do…..cross bench pull overs, barbell curls, triceps curls……I don’t understand all those that spend time on things like the pec deck, why? I always think of equipment like that as something body builders use to finish up, work on that final touch….it seems like so many just use it to have some place to sit, and look like they’re working out?…….

This morning was good though…every body part got their time…just benches, leg presses, leg curls (my hamstrings need more work then the quads) should presses, rows for my back..and that’s that…time to run

It was a good morning…..I just wondered around, some pavement, took a turn right rather than left, found a ton of off road trails, and kind of got lots in the words beyond the tracks…

so many trails, lots to see, but on my own…..did not see another soul……but go to play…….lots of dead ends, some trails that doubled back on themselves…..and yeah, I tripped because I forgot to lift my feet, I guess, and landed hard, but at least I didn’t hurt anything…..a fun 7K in the woods, on the wrong side of the tracks?

Not another day, I like being able to make changes, improvising…I know some of those that run with me don’t like that, they want that one specific trail with no variation….I like exploring new paths….and maybe getting lost just feels so good….figuring things out…

and yeah, I also found a BBQ…

and a couch hardly used

Tomorrow, it’s time to get that basic first aid training done…..and then what’s next?

I get to do another Sunday morning Sturgeon Valley Athletic Club Run Club Run….and then I’m not sure what’s next…I know, next month, I start making my way to becoming a certified personal and group trainer…am not sure where that’ll lead, maybe another job/career/road….the Running Room is still okay….

I’ve a 10K virtual clinic to start teaching next weekend, I’ve that Wednesday night Run Club or plan for and find a route for….and yep, still selling shoes……

I’ve got a talk to get to on Monday morning with my contact, the manager at SVAC, I’m not sure about what, but, perhaps there’ll be another new road to take….

There’s a lot of them……..gotta pick that right option…saying yes more than saying no..

W

a moment of reflection. doubts and why?

WarrenLeave a comment

This was my morning….and am now listening to Sheryl Crowe sing ‘if it makes you happy’ right now, and this so did!…once it got going, it was a happy morning 🙂

But if you could have heard what was going on in my head at 7AM this morning – or pretty much all night long – that wasn’t happy….I was pretty depressed about everything and anything…the SVAC Run club isn’t going all that great (maybe it’ll get better..soon?), I’m not really happy about that, well, yeah, and then well, the Wednesday evening run club is going okay, but not as great as I think it should be (I have high expectations)

(no, I have no idea what Dave’s up to?)……I know, it’s a start, but I wanna see a huge crowd?…why, because?….Run Clubs should be huge….25 people and up…I know, it’s just a starting point, but, well, time to put heads together, thrash some ideas around and see what works?

There’s a few other things going on….so, yeah, a few doubts…..I know I have a lot of things weighing me down, my shoulders are kinda wide, yeah………but yeah at 7 to about 8AM, I was well, thought maybe I should just go back to bed and sleep until noon….and forget about it?

Then, well, three showed up for a run club run…I was hoping for about 22 more, once we began though, all good…and someone new joined in!……so I guess endorphins kick in, and I’m sort of happy again…..not ecstatic, but the eternal optimist in me says, well, maybe things will be alright, maybe things will get better, I just have to work harder and be patient……and work even harder…..gotta workshop this stuff…

This is such a amazing opportunity….grateful? Yes….there’s a lot of expectations, but, with such an amazing club, I’ll do what I have to do, remain involved….share, interact, share, and keep at it…..head against the wall, that may explain my receding hairline?……. and my flat forehead….why do I always wear black?

Seriously, what do I have to bitch about..okay, I don’t bitch, I just get depressed….this past week was pretty good, so that’s good right?…ran, biked, hit the gym, an outdoor spin class, a visit into the pool..lots of outside time, so what if the 75 Day Hard has crashed, I still managed lots of training, maybe more coffee than H2O, but everything else is good….I .just finished off instructing a pretty awesome Virtual 5K Clinic with an amazing group of people from Vancouver to PEI to Peru, am now getting ready for the next, a 10K in a couple of weeks…..I’ve 3 run club runs every week…..so all good, I just wish better right? They should be great…..and honestly, I like where I am more often than the other thing….so many positives, I just need more people…..

so, thinking, over the rainbow…everything will be alright Bob Marley….better days are ahead, the morning after….and as Ted Danson/Mayday Malone said at the of Cheers, I’m the luckiest SOB that’s ever lived, maybe I should just be thankful for that…..making memories…every day is a new day…...think a happy thought?

So next week..which begins tomorrow, hopefully is more of the same and the journey continues….

3 run clubs…..a shift at the good old RRoom…..there should be a swim or two, and at least one morning on the bike, and maybe a few spin classes……so busy busy

Maybe instead of whining, just being grateful for what I’ve got should be what goes through my head every evening and the first thing every morning..

w

53 Days. A week to chill?

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Kind of a weird week so far….after a great Sunday; Monday was a blood test morning on my doctor’s orders, with a few other tests…which kind of destroyed that day. I had a bunch of day to day things that I never have time to do, so got ’em done….

it took a few tries apparently to find blood… I have rolling or collapsing veins or something….I felt like a pin cushion..

A good day at the office selling stuff yesterday…and good day, it seemed like every customer was a runner, so fun to chat with, kind of inspiring, and got me thinking about different summer races…so goo, and why I love where I work…yeah we sell stuff, but I run, they run, we all run…and so many new shoes in the store too…have to try them all, and pick something for my spring shoe

May be going for the Hoka One One Speed Goat, I’m not sure how many trails I’ll do, but the shoe looks and feels so sweet…..as Hoka usually does…but I’m also thinking Brooks too, so will take my time.

Had a fantastic fun run yesterday evening with the SVAC Run Club … only 1 member with me…but it was perfect…just 5K, through the streets and trails of St. Albert, in an area I’ve never run in before, but is beginning to look familiar.

Having that Run Club up and running, even though only two weeks after we began, it feels good….and I’m guaranteed two runs a week no matter what…the free gym membership is really appreciated too…..they don’t have a pool, so I’ll keep making my way into the city for my swims, and for some runs….

but I love this new home…..including my time at the RRoom, life is pretty sweet.

I’ve gotta say, I’m one of the luckiest people on the planet……retired after 35 years at one job…which had 35 years of a lot of stuff..body building, a novice level bodybuilding judge, freelance writer, got meet interview, and become friends with a lot of my heroes, and then TV…making videos…and then running, Marathons, triathlons and now…..

got to manage my own RRoom store, now just an employee, I’ve taught run clinics for 16 years so far, now instructing virtual clinics, and now this SVAC Run club……someone’s looking out for me….

Yeah, yeah I know, I didn’t post my training schedule for this week….possibly wasn’t sure how this week, a busy week, so here’s what I’ve got so far…

MondayDid nothing..got the blood test (it took a while apparently to find a vein…so relaxed and recovered.
TuesdayAfter a hard day at the office, a fun 5K
Wednesday (today)An hour spin on the bike trainer while watching fitness videos on you tube
ThursdayA long open to close day at the office, so wake up, work, go to bed
FridayA day off…so start with a run, mapping out a loop for the Sunday Run club, and then will hit the gym to start to work on that strength training…
SaturdayA fun Park Run run (have you checked them out), and a spin later
SundayRun with my group; need to hit a total of 12/14K…and want to swim afterwards….
MondayNormally a rest day, but planning a swim, and gym time…maybe a spin!

Have you checked out Park Run?….this will be my first dip, I’m usually tied up on Saturdays, but this week, I’m going to attempt their weekly 5K, and get it done before my virtual run clinic….hopefully the Zoom meet on my iPhone works out…..I don’t have a fall back plan….Park Run is everywhere..a free timed and a measured 5K every Saturday, in parks, all over North America and Europe……will check it out and report back!

w

66 Days. Hill repeat day!

WarrenLeave a comment

yep its time…..to build up that character?

I actually love hills when they’re part of a training route, but, well, just running up and down the same hill, over and over again I don’t mind, but don’t love….

Today was just a short warm up, and then 4 repeats up a hill that’s about 600 meters…..not hard, I always find the more I do the easier it gets…and immediately after, I feel stronger, quicker……

The tuff right now, is my hill is slippery, and there’s snow, was snow……so another challenge, but as I keep telling myself, the harsher conditions will make me stronger one the snow’s gone, and that BMO Vancouver Marathon begins on May 1st.

As well as the hills, today was a bit about looking after myself.

My MD said I needed to get a couple of shots, one to prevent shingles, one to prevent pneumonia, so that was today. It was quick, painless, apparently I’m supposed to get a sore shoulder, and because two shots, two shoulders, tonight the sleep may be an issue…but at least I’m protected, so staying healthy….but that’s a lot of shots….I’ve got the 3 for COVID, and one for influenza….so I should be bullet proof.

Yes, I wear a Lululemon tuque…..it was warm…….the run was good, felt good, my legs felt a bit heavy at times, not sure if that was the legs or the vaccines doing their thing….the best part….coffee at my favorite place, Good Earth……

I’ve given up on getting rid of sugar, I’ve just cutting back…instead of 3 coffees in the morning, tea constantly before bed…just 1 and 1, and then lots of water…maybe some hot water……

Today was the type of day I loved….not as much time on the couch watching the news…the news is horrible, I know I should watch and stay informed – I am Ukrainian – but between just being out, running, getting the groceries….shoveling snow..

Tomorrow should be good…the only planned thing is fasting over night, then I’ve gotta go get my blood work done and a few other tests – part of that being healthy again –

I’m hoping to get a short run done, maybe a visit to the gym….and to get ready for a busy busy weekend…….

I get to begin leading a run club Sunday which has me kind of excited…..a new group, a new adventure….

I’m two months into my 63rd year, hard to believe I’ve been retired for only 8 years, there’s been so much life between then and now, I have a hard time remembering what came before, but I have to admit, I constantly worry about what comes next……..but I guess, what ever happens, will happen..

w