Finding Patterns & Motivation

Hello my friends,

 

I was feeling a little down as I’ve now seen 2 gains back to back so I sat myself down to think about what’s changed.

 

I was on a roll. Losses for 5 weeks in a row then whammy a rather big gain and last week was a .6 gain only rescued by 3 trips to the gym.

 

Then I realized what’s different for the past two weeks.

 

Grief counselling

 

Before when I had the two individual appointments they were sporadic, this will be week 3 in a row of having these sessions and of course the group vibe is completely different.

 

I’m in a room filled with grieving people which while makes me feel comforted as they get what I’m going through but at the same time hearing their stories makes me want to hug them.

 

The good news I’ve recognized the trigger and I have another session tonight but I absolutely refuse to see a 3rd gain. I’m righting the ship my friends.

 

Even at the gym I was walking the indoor track, my plan at first was just to get used to the new surface but I kept walking never inserting a run.

 

On Monday I went back to Run/Walk ratios and I’ll admit the first few were not feeling so great but the more I took my mind of the negative and focused on staying loose and letting the muscles flow I was at 4 miles before I even knew it.

 

I’ve been reading “Why Does Olga Run” and that too is serving as inspiration, if you’ve never heard of OlgaKotelko, she’s rather amazing. She’s 95 years old and competes in track and field (Senior’s track and field but still). She does the 100m dash, javelin and long jump. Bruce Grierson is the author and it’s not just about Olga but how we age and how exercise especially strength exercise can positively impact that process.

 

I have to say strength training has not been part of my training. I have good intentions but fail on the execution.

 

I was debating on what to do, hire a trainer at the gym to create a strength routine, go through the multitude of books I have but then it hit me.

 

Last fall I signed up for a 10 week training program targeted at women over 40, I admit I wasn’t all that in to it while I found it highly educational my motivation was lacking and I realize that was part of the grief process. I’m finding it hard to believe that 9 months have passed since Dad passed.

 

This whole grief counselling thing is also bringing up memories of Mom and I find she is bringing tears to my eyes just as often as Dad is. Of course one week from today is the anniversary date of her passing.

 

Let me get back to the 10 week online training. It’s designed by Tamara Grand also known as Fitknitchick and you can find her at www.fitknitchick.com. Not only is she a pretty awesome trainer but I’m jealous of her knitting skills.

 

I kept everything from the first round of the program. I even built a binder that I call the Tamara binder. So I brushed it all off and I’m starting at week 1 and this time I will see it through till week 10. My first strength workout of Week 1 is scheduled for tomorrow as tonight is group grief counselling session 3 – half way through.

 

The 10 weeks of the training program will take me till the first week of June, just in time for the Calgary Half Marathon and my 42nd birthday.

 

I still get people who think I’m substantially younger and now I just don’t correct them J I’d like my inside to line up with my outside.

 

I do have a reward in mind for keeping to the 10 weeks.

 

I’ve been eyeing these since last Stampede

 

When I make it to week 10 they will be mine.

 

On the WW Fit Group front it seems like we had a good start and it’s starting to fizzle. From the 10 people who were interested, 6 gave numbers for Week 1. 3 gave numbers for Week 2 so far and I’m wondering if I’ll get anyone else’s for Week 3.

 

I already know I’ll keep going till I hit Newfoundlandeven if it’s on my own.

 

I did put up the map last week and asked my leader to keep it up if at all possible as I think it might get other meetings interested in joining the crew. Hey I bought a map for this.

 

The most powerful motivation is intrinsic, from the inside so that’s what I’m focusing on. Of course the boots are probably more extrinsic but hey whatever works right?