So tomorrow is Earth Hour from 8-9pm. The goal is to shut off your lights for one hour in order to raise awareness of our earth slowly being destroyed.  So this morning, on my way to work I ‘scoffed’ as I watched a hummer drive by. Seriously – WHO drives a hummer anymore?? I thought to myself, it’s sort of like watching someone light a cigarette – there are TONS of media out there about the dangers/warnings of smoking so when someone actually LIGHTS one up, I’m almost dumbfounded. And then someone drives by me with a hummer. Was this woman serious?

And then it got me thinking about health and fitness (I think that I may suffer from a bit of ADHD here) – how about – people stopped going to the gym (did you know that 40,000 people are enrolled at a Goodlife fitness) and started exercising OUTDOORS. Imagine that?! planting trees, planting a garden/weeding a garden, walking your dog, the dog walking you, running outside, swimming, canoeing, snowshoeing, skiing, rollerblading, cycling, doing sit ups outside, lifting weights in your house, lifting weights outside, lifting your dog, riding a horse, riding a cow, brushing a horse, lifting some hay, jumping hay bales. IMAGINE.  And at the same time, breathing the fresh air outside because think of ALL the power you would save by not driving to the gym, then turning on the television while you step on the treadmill (or rower, or stepper, or eliptical) and turning the machine ON while music and lights blare overhead.

 Just like John Lennon once sang: … imagine…

Over and out

Who wants to get up early to run in the freezing cold before your husband goes to work when you can wait until he comes home and head out in the setting sun, onto sidewalks that (if they’ve actually been cleared since Sunday’s massive snowstorm) the sun has melted from shining all day long.

A little Bruce on the old MP3 player and that’s a great 5k run.

Now if only this snow would all melt and I could put away the thermal underlayer and stop feeling like the abominable snowman every time I run outside.

 I’ve missed 3 runs so far. This is not a good week.

Let’s blame the first two on mother nature. Hello – Fifty two cm of snow! I couldn’t even drive out of my driveway all weekend!

Run #3. Intention was there. Due to this $#”* daylight savings time, my morning is now limited with daylight only occurring at 7am and me having to be out of the house by 7:40 on most days. I know what your’e thinking..’excuses!’ but seriously. I have to drive to a place I can run (my road is like a mini-hwy, a wee bit dangerous dodging transports), park the car, run with the pooch, get her back in the car, drive back, shower, get her organized for a day of boredom – hair, makeup, clothes (this is for me, not the pooch), coffee and out the door. Not easy.

So this morning I decided to bring my running stuff to work in hopes to go at lunch time. Unfortunately due to a full patient load today – not time at lunch except charting. I go see my horsey after work, buy the dog some bones, drive 50km home and I’m at home at 6:50pm. Limited time. Crap – that’s run #3 gone.

Then I realize – shit. My outdoor running stuff is at work – shit.

So my options are: continue walking with pooch in the morning (she deserves a break). In-Laws have a treadmill – in the meantime (I can’t pick up my work stuff till friday) – I’ll be an indoor runner. That should teach me a lesson.

Will the snow ever end? you know – That remark will come back and haunt me when I’m whining about +30 degree weather and it’s TOO hot to go outside and run. You can never win. What I can do though is get bundled up again in my 3-layer running zoo-suit and run my scheduled 3km today (ahh – the joy of running a nice, easy 3km – LOVE those days) and that’s my goal for this afternoon.

So I should keep yapping about my running and how it’s going – well it’s going! I feel pretty good. Tuesday was a little rough after coming home from a late (10pm) soccer game and then up at 6:30am to head out for a 5km run. Even though the pace was reasonable (5:55min/km) it was a bit of a struggle. But I did it (pooch in tow of course). I can’t believe that we’re already at week 6. Crazy! only 10 weeks left to go. This weekend it’s the 10km mark. As my sister reminded me, only another 6:30min of running tacked onto my 9km from last weekend. Totally do-able.

And for the weight loss part – well since I’m now the proud owner of TWO NEW nigella cookbooks (‘feast’ and ‘how to eat’), my healthy eating has been going very well. I’m actually about to make some fairy cakes and have some for dessert tonight to go along with our Maple-Glazed chicken and ribs. MMmmm! yumm! And although the month of february did not see any improvements in waist lines or scale #’s – I’m starting to feel great again. Legs feel tight, abs feel stronger, shirts fit better.  It’s starting….this running is starting to pay off!

I’m pleased to say that I completed my run this evening. I ran 5 k in about 40 minutes! Yeah. It felt good too. I kept up a constant pace. I ran gradually uphill at the beginning and ended downhill. I still don’t know how I am supposed to accomplish that times 4 but whatever!

It was so nice to run in mild temperatures. I was only wearing a fleece and it was perfect. I love the camraderie of jogging. I love the huge smile that runners give each other as they pass. I guess today is an ‘up’ day. Wait ’til tomorrow.

Another 15 to 25 cm? Running in blizzard like conditions again? It makes me want ‘hide ‘neath the covers and study my pain..make crosses for my lovers and throw roses in the rain…’ spend my life praying in vain for….spring to come!!!

So they’re taking it easy, tapping gently to a little Bruce.

Like this one:

Keep up the good work girls. I’m cross training today. Ski night. My legs will feel it for days to come.

Well, I can imagine the thoughts of the local commuters passing me by on my ‘brisk’ 3km run this morning. I missed yesterdays due to cold winds and temperature and I couldn’t miss another one – well, I could – but the guilt. And the fact that I’m now eating whatever I want and you know that whole balance thing – eat when you burn – and I think that my teetor-totter is teetering towards the eating…rather than the burn. 

So all in all – a decent run. Feeling pretty good and looking forward to a balmy -21 they’re calling for tomorrow.

On a brighter note though – got my Nigella fill last night: lazy mashed potatoes (reg mashed potatoes except throw some nutmeg in there) and slow-roasted chicken with white wine, lemon, garlic and thyme. Yummah! well worth the wait.  Maybe there are jobs out there where I can cook, run and play at home. Oh yeah, it’s called being a stay-at-home mom. That sounds pretty good – now where do I sign?