Change of focus

I doubt anyone reads this anymore, but mehhhh I'm avoiding work for a moment.

Essentially I have given upon running.  I can't seem to find a resolution to the plantar fasciitis problem, other than no running and even limited walking/hiking.  I'm beyond frustrated with it and really just don't have any interest in resolving it - aka I don't care.  Maybe one day I will, but today is not that day and tomorrow doesn't look much different either.

However, I have found another focus.  Through an unexpected turn of events, I have jumped right back into an old passion with both feet and perhaps a few other body parts.

I bought a horse!

In my last post I mentioned that we were looking into leasing a horse, which we did do.  A couple weeks after we began the lease, the horses owner had a change of situation and had to sell quickly.  We were devastated because this horse was a perfect match for both me and my daughter who was a complete beginner rider.  Also, the horse has a history of being tossed around a lot and hadn't really been cared for well in probably a long time.  Super sad because she is a total sweetheart.

I wasn't AT ALL prepared to begin horse ownership again, which is why I was getting back into this in a leasing situation so I could take baby steps.  The plan was to lease for a good 6 months, do some saving, get things set up at home again, and then look for a horse to buy.  However, knowing this horse was such a great match and that she really needed a forever home and someone who would take really good care of her ... I managed to pull a few strings and make it happen.

Introducing .... Stella!

She's currently staying at my friend's barn while I get things sorted out at my place, but she will be coming home very soon.  These things tend to snowball so let's all assume that Stella will have a buddy before too terribly long ;).

Even though I have owned and ridden horses for most of my life, my daughter didn't become interested in them until AFTER I had to sell my horses when we went through financial difficulties (figures right - haha).  She is loving riding!  This horse completely takes care of her and is totally safe, yet she isn't a boring plug that just plunks along.  She's continually teaching her things, which is the way I'd prefer it.  She will learn to ride, but won't get hurt.  Right now we are sharing her, but hopefully at some point in the next year I can have a horse of my own too.

So yeah ... don't know how much attention this blog will get from now.  But I thought I'd update on the direction I have gone.  I haven't dropped off the face of the planet ;(

Busy Week

Well that was a bit of a busy week.  Quick summary:

Tue - 3K clinic run - very painful.  Had to walk as it felt like something was going to snap along my shins.

Wed - Went to chiro/massage.  I am STUPID tight, and Dr doesn't really know why.  He did say it could be stress related, which makes sense.  He did some active release therapy (ART), but said I need to stretch, stretch, stretch and then stretch some more.  He recommended taking a rolling pin to all of my leg muscles as often as I can.  He thinks a foam roller wouldn't be firm enough for me.  I am a freak! :)  Went to the group run and did about a 5K tempo runs (3 min hard, 2 min recovery, 2 min hard, 2 min recovery, 1 min hard, 2 min recovery, repeat).  Had some pain, but it was better than Tuesday.

Fri - Just an easy 2K walk with my dog who is recovering from an emergency spay surgery due to an infection.  She sure was eager to go though.

Sat - Crazy day!  Dragged a friend of mine out for a hike.  It was supposed to be a relatively easy 5K with one steep section.  It was actually a little too easy, although enjoyable.  HOWEVER, we ended up taking a wrong turn and as we had a tight time itinerary that we were already running late on, we ended up having to run an additional 3K of hilly terrain ... and were still late.  A couple hours later we went out and tried out a horse that I'm now leasing (YAY!).  Can't wait to be back in the saddle again.  After that we spent the night decorating a cake for my friends 4 yr old nephew.  It was a long day, but a lot of fun.

Sun - Went out for an easy 8.5K run with some friends.  Still having tightness issues and had to stop at about 5K and do a 10 minute stretch out.  I'm not getting soreness after runs, but rather my legs just keep getting tighter as I run.  I don't doubt that they were tight from the previous days activities, but I'm sure hoping for continued improvement.  I think the key is as soon as things start to get uncomfortable I need to stop and stretch it out.  It seems once I get a good stretch in, I'm good to go.

Tonight is supposed to be a clinic run, but there is no speaker so I think I'll skip it and run on my own, and get a few errands done.  I'd rather hit up the training run with the group tomorrow night instead.  It cost me $5-10 on fuel each time I have to drive to town, so I try to limit that as much as possible.

Sorry for the boring post.  Hopefully for my next one I can have some pics of the new horse!!

Heidi

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Plugging Away

Well, after 3 weeks I think I have decided that the clinic thing is probably not for me.  It's OK, but I doubt I'll do it again.  The one thing, and main thing, is signing up for this clinic has got me running again.  Since that was the #1 goal then I'd say it is achieving it's purpose.

The actual clinic nights literally put me to sleep.  Which makes me feel bad because these people have taken the time to come out and educate us, but so far it's been things I already know and I'd rather not waste my time sitting there trying to keep my eyes open.

And ... I'm struggling.  My feet/leg issues are rearing up again (GRRRR!).  So the runs have been difficult.  Last night we only ran like 3 or 4km and I had to walk for at least 1km of it because my shins tightened up so much I actually was afraid something was going to tear.  I have an appointment after work to get stretched out, adjusted.  I guess it has been a while.  I think my last session was early June.  I may have to just go in monthly, or every 6 weeks.  Sucks cuz it drains my benefit package.

The one thing I do love about these clinics is the instructor is amazing.  Just a super nice guy.  And he always makes sure that everyone gets back OK.  I end up spending quite a bit of time with him because other than the first day, I've been the last one in and he keeps circling back to me.  Makes me feel guilty because I'm quite capable of being out there on my own, but I do understand because if I were him I'd probably do the same thing.  I just hope I can get my legs working well again so I can start doing some decent runs.  I'm not even benefiting enough aerobically because I can't get my heart rate up high enough with the leg pain.

My husband thinks I'm wasting my time going to physio and I should probably switch sports.  While I agree that running probably does speed up the time it takes to get tight again, I think reality is that no matter what I do it's going to keep happening.  It might not happen as quickly, but it will happen.  It even got progressively worse when I was doing NOTHING.  He thinks I should focus more on hiking and/or biking.  But I can't/shouldn't hike by myself and rarely have anyone to go with, not to mention that most decent hikes are 45-60 minutes drive away.  With fuel prices and time commitments, I can't do that consistently.  And while I like biking, I don't want to do it that frequently and I wouldn't do it when it starts getting dark out earlier or when it's raining.  Running I can still do during those times, and I WANT to run.  I know how good I feel when I'm running well, and I want that feeling again.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Lonely Run and A Gift

This weekend was the first "long" run of the half marathon group.  It's an optional run that they encourage you to do, and non-members can also tag along for free.   They have one mid-week as well, but since we were only running 3K that time I decided to run at home on my own rather than driving 45 minutes return for such a short run.  I've gone to these drop-in runs before with friends before, but never on my own.

Let's say it was .... interesting!

I had no problem finding my group this time, and the leader came up to me right away with the "instructions" for our route ... should we get lost.  He seems to be a very nice man and so far I'm happy to have him as a leader.

We started out as a fair sized group (20??), crossed the street and WHAM!!!  The leader of the group was looking down for a second and whacked his head on a Pizza Hut sign.  See, fast food IS bad for you!  He took off his hat and there was quite the gush of blood.  He is training for a full and had run to meet us, so someone offered to drive him to the hospital where he ended up with 4 stitches on the top of his head.

So, we were on our own, which was fine really since we had the route anyway.  But, in the whole mix-up of things, the group got really split up.  Within minutes I found myself running completely alone.  There was people way up in front of me and a few way behind me.  And with every traffic light the distance seemed to get farther and farther in both directions.  I ended up running the whole 7K completely on my own.

I don't mind running on my own at all, but if I'd known I was going to be alone anyway I would have gone to one of my more preferred running spots.  Running through the city on my own is NOT my idea of fun AT ALL!  I'm hoping it was just due to what happened, but will give it a few more weeks and hopefully it's better.

The run was super hot, and the first half was a lot of uphill.  We were supposed to be doing 10 and 1's, but on the second half I was a bit out of steam and did more like 5 and 1's.  I forgot my Garmin (the sin of all sins among runners) so had to just guess since I had no one around to follow.

After the run the strangest thing happened.  I got back to the store and was just stretching out, a little chit chat with a few other runners.  There was probably about 30 of us there.  I looked up and saw this older man walk across towards me.  He walks right up and says:

The moments that challenge us the most, 

are the moments that define us 

and make us stronger than we ever thought we could be ... 

I got a feeling you needed to hear that.

Cue "chin drop" and "chills".  It was the weirdest thing ever, but actually comforting.  Some people really have a gift.  He said he was going through some things himself and that quote helps him.  How he thought I needed to hear that I don't know.  Eerie!

I know it's only been a few runs, but I feel like I'm not fighting it so much as I was in the past.  I'm enjoying my days off, and kind of looking forward to the upcoming planned runs.  I don't care at all about my pace, nor about reaching or exceeding any specific distances.  I'm just plodding along following the plan.  It seems to be right where I need to be.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Eeekkkk .... Out out of my Comfort Zone

Well that certainly was out of my comfort zone.  Last night was the first night of the clinic.  I arrived and it seemed everyone else knew what they were doing, or had come with a friend.  There I was, alone and nervous.  I've never been to one of these clinics so didn't know how it worked.  There was a lot of people there, which I later learned was because there was 3 clinics on.

At the beginning I was very confused.  I didn't know if you ran on clinic nights, or just met up.  And I didn't know where to go when all the people went outside of the store and divided up.  I eventually found my group and felt like a tool because I had brought my purse with me (which I later stashed in my car and grabbed my run pack). At least I had dressed for a run, just in case.

We just did a 3K run at a very, very slow pace.  It was actually much slower than I expected, and to be honest I was relieved.  At first I felt so uncomfortable.  Everyone seemed to either know each other or at least had come with someone.  I was alone.  Eventually one woman sidled on up to me and engaged in conversation.  I really appreciated that.  From there on I had tidbits of conversations with a few of the runners.

But, most importantly, I made it!  Quite well actually.  I thought I would suffer some, but once I settled into a rhythm it was good.  Tonight is a drop-in run and we're supposed to do 3K tempo which will be a little more challenging.  Then on the weekend it's 7K.  We'll see how that goes.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Repairing The Inside

Well, I've gone and done it now .....

I signed up for a half marathon course!

I'm still having a hard time committing to running, but have finally decided that my current methods (eating, vegging out, crying, not sleeping, worrying, etc.) of dealing with the stress in my life just really do NOT work for me.  Huh ... go figure!  Somehow through all of that I do not feel any less stressed, and likely more. <----sarcasm at it's finest!

Last week I made the decision to check out what upcoming clinics there might be and, amazingly, there was a half marathon clinic starting up within the next week.  I knew I had to go for it, immediately, without thinking about it.  I drove straight to the store and signed up before I could talk myself out of it.

To be honest, I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle it, but I've been assured that I can drop down to a 10K clinic if need be, which is a lot easier than moving up to the half.  I wanted the challenge of the half and also it's a longer clinic, so a longer commitment from me, which is what I need.  I like being able to comfortably run the around a half distance on a regular basis.

We've had a bit of a heat spell here the last week so I really haven't got out much, but yesterday morning I eventually kicked my arse out the door and went for a run.  It was much too hot as I left too late, but I did it.  I did 7Km at a slow pace with extended walk breaks in between.  I'm really hoping there are some other very slow people in my group.

It was probably the most therapeutic thing I have done in a long time.  Just me, and the road, and my thoughts.  I let the tears flow when the going got tough, and I continued on.  If that ain't a life lesson, I don't know what is.

My new journey has begun, to a happier, healthier, more stable Heidi than I've been in a long time.  This is the first time I've approached this journey from the mental standpoint.  Previously it's been to lose weight, to get healthier, to be faster or achieve a certain goal.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Race Report: 5 Peaks Trail Series - Alice Lake

So .... I'm pretty sure I never mentioned this here, but I entered a race.  While I was going through all those sessions with the massage therapist, he mentioned one day that he wouldn't be in on a certain weekend because he was running a trail race.  My ears perked right up and I had to check it out.

I KNOW I am nowhere near in shape to run a road race to my satisfaction.  I know that if I were to enter one I would be filled with disappointment comparing my times to previous races.  Therefore, I have absolutely no interest in doing that.  But a trail race ..... now that interested me.  A chance to safely get out on new trails and just something very different from what I have done before.

This was a little more than just a trail race though.  With a 140 Meter/460 Feet elevation gain, it was nothing to laugh at.  As well as lots of fairly technical sections with roots, rocks, logs, mud.  The distance was only 7 Km, but for me it felt like at least 10-12Kms.

I have done some hiking lately, but really very, VERY little running.  I was not even remotely in running shape.  We started out on a flat trail and I knew then that this was going to be a tough day.  Very quickly we began the main ascent.  At first I tried running it very slowly, but quickly realized there was no way.  Pretty much everyone around me had the same feeling and we all walked up this long hill gasping for breath.

After what felt like forever it leveled out and I could begin to run again.  But my legs were burning!  From here was a series of ups and downs over technical terrain.  I questioned my sanity MANY times, and cursed myself for being so ill prepared.  I can't even recall how many times I wondered if the race would ever end.  Making it worse was the people at the front of the longer distance division were merging back onto our course and I frequently had to make way for them to go by.  Secretly I was a bit glad for the moment of having to stop and move aside.  The trail was often too narrow for more than one person at a time.

Eventually we went back to relatively flat ground for the last Km of the race.  However, I was done!  My legs were jello, my feet were SCREAMING in pain and they had also both gone completely numb.  And then I twisted my ankle - BAD!  I felt it go over and heard a loud crack.  After letting out a huge curse, I stopped for a minute until the pain subsided.  I thought I was done for.  Eventually I pressed on and managed to walk for a bit, wondering if I was going to be able to even get to the finish line on my own.  I had brought my daughter along with me and we had joked that she might have to drive us home if I twisted my ankle ... it was starting to look like she'd be getting some highway experience.  I started running again and a minute or so later went over on that same ankle AGAIN.  You'd think after all the technical stuff I had run over, a relatively flat trail with just a few rocks wouldn't be a big deal.  I think I just had no strength left to properly carry myself.

I did manage to I have never been so happy to see a finish line.  I felt like hugging the volunteers at the end, just because I was so thankful to finish.

My time was horrendous.  I knew entering the race I would not be going for any kind of time goal, but it's still hard not to feel embarrassed.  I placed 162/171 overall, 88/95 women, and 34/37 in my age group.  I have always been in the upper 50% of race results.  I'm still thankful to have been able to finish, but wow I've got some work to do.


To be honest, I had hoped that entering this race would give me a spark of motivation to pick up my game.  Sadly it did not, and I suffered BIG TIME!  Hopefully I have learned my lesson.  There is another race near the end of July.  As much as I said to myself over and over and over during the race that I wouldn't do this again ... I am considering it.  If only to redeem my pride. I need another day I think to rest as I am VERY sore, but it's most definitely time to drag myself out of the hole I am in and get on with life.  I need to become the runner I am inside (a little deep inside at the moment, but inside).  Mostly I need to start living again.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Brother's Creek

Another hike on the books.  Last Saturday it was a gorgeous day out.  We ventured out to West Vancouver ... according to Wikipedia:

West Vancouver is home to some very large and expensive properties and houses. Occasionally, houses have been priced and sold at around CAD$30,000,000. As of 2011, West Vancouver's average house sells for over CAD$2,000,000;^[7] 95% of the houses or close to 16,000 homes are worth over CAD$1 million. West Vancouver is often referred to as one of the wealthiest municipalities in Canada.

{source}

Houses at 30 Million!  Yikes!!  I knew it was VERY expensive to live there, but WOW.  Honestly many of the homes are quite dated, though they are starting to upgrade.  The views from some of these lots though are amazing and certainly must contribute greatly to the price of these homes.

Here is one of the views at the beginning of the hike (which is right beside some of the most expensive homes in West Vancouver).  I could imagine waking up to this each day.  The home below us has been demolished and is in the process of being rebuilt.

Unlike our last hike, this was the only view of the ocean and cities that we were to see on this hike.  This was more of a "nature" hike.

As this was an easier level hike, we took along both dogs.  They had a blast!  Here are Heike and Tia exploring one of the many bridges.  The dogs were in heaven on this whole hike.  I was happy to be able to take Tia on this one.  I don't feel right about taking her on the longer, steeper hikes.  She would do it, but I don't want to hurt her.

I loved how most of the bridges are handmade, but still quite rustic.




















The first half of this hike was, in my opinion, kind of boring.  The above pictures look decent, but they were certainly of a better portion of the trail.  Most of it was on a rather wide path, with either a dirt or rock trail (see pic below).  Some of the forest was pretty, but some of it got kind of bushy.  I think ideally you'd want to have some good conversation while getting through this section.  There are a few side trails that we didn't explore this time.  Perhaps that would add a bit more interest.

Heike having a little rest break

It wasn't a steep climb up, just steady.  Suddenly we came upon the crossing of Brother's Creek which had a lovely bridge across it.  We stopped here for a little rest and some pictures.  We had set up the camera on a little ledge and just as it went off, this cyclist rode across.  Poor guy felt so bad.  He couldn't see the camera and didn't realize what we were doing.  Afterwards he took a few more pictures for us to "make up".  I actually think it's kind of funny that he's in this picture.  Honestly, everyone you meet when out in nature are super nice.

I still can't believe this guy, and his 3 buddies, rode their bikes up there.  The direction they came from is fairly challenging terrain to hike.  I can't imagine how you'd possibly bike it.  Though, when we saw his friends they were carrying their bikes, so maybe they did a lot of that (still freakishly hard!).

As you can see, there is a little bit of snow just behind us on the right.  Apparently there is a trail from here that goes to a lake and it still has quite a bit of snow.  We debated taking it, but decided not to this time.  I've since looked up information on that trail and it seems like it would be worth trying.




The hike down the other side of the loop was AWESOME!  Waterfalls, interesting terrain, beautiful forests, LOTS of gorgeous bridges to cross.  I just loved this part of the hike and it made up for the monotonousness  of the first half.








I just realized I did not get ANY pics of the actual trail on the way down.  I will make sure to do that next time I go ... which could be very, VERY soon.

On this particular bridge that crossed over the main creek, there was a "pool" under one side and it just screamed "WISHING WELL" to me.  And Lord knows I could use some wishes to be granted these days.  So I dug out a couple quarters and my daughter & I both made our wishes and tossed them into the water.  After I threw mine I was kind of puzzled.  I turned and looked at my daughter and said, "Can you see that?" ... which she did.

My quarter got stuck between two rocks and was sitting there plain as day.  You couldn't make that happen if you tried!  My pessimistic view was that my quarter got stuck so now my wishes will not be carried away by the river to be granted.  However my husband said that perhaps this meant my wishes weren't being washed away, they were firmly planted and would come true.  I wished for an awful lot though so I don't know ...

This hike was wonderful to take the dogs on.  There were SO many water sources for the dogs to drink from or walk in.  As we got further along I noticed Heike was opting to walk through the water rather than over the bridges that were over the small run-off creeks.

It's REALLY hard to get a good picture of a solid black dog...  Luckily my sweet little Tia has lots of grey hairs like her Momma so we can find her in these pictures.   She had SO much fun on this hike.  It wiped her out for the day, but she loved every minute of it.

The final portion of this hike is along the Baden Powell Trail (a 48 Km trail through the North Shore Mountains, named after Lord Baden Powell, founder of Scouting).  This section was gorgeous, and easy hiking.  I could have taken in the surroundings for hours.  On such a warm day it smelled so much of pine that it reminded us of fresh Christmas trees.

I have every intention of going here again.  It was an easy enough hike that most people in reasonable shape can do it.  I have tentative plans (hinging on weather) to go up in the very near future with a small group of friends.  Maybe I can convince them to explore some of those side routes, or perhaps venture further up the trail to the lake.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Diez Vistas - Completed and with a special encounter in the woods

This is a bit of a boring post because there is a complete lack of pictures.

Saturday I went up to Buntzen Lake again and hiked the Diez Vistas trail (same as last weekend).  However, there were a few differences.  First, I went with my son this weekend.  Last weekend I went with my daughter, which is a more easy-going hike.  She feels no urgency to complete anything in any hurry - driving me slightly crazy, but I'm thankful to be out and also to be spending time with her.  My son on the other hand is go, go, go .... mo rest for the wicked!

Our mission was to complete the entire trail and see as many viewpoints as we could.  My daughter and I only visited the first two.  Unfortunately this weekend it was MISERABLE!  I knew rain was on it's way in and when we arrived at the trail it was mostly cloudy with just the odd raindrop.  By the end of the trail it was WET!  As such, the view points left an awful lot to the imagination.  But, we saw enough that we would love to do this hike again on a clear day.

My daughter and I took a good hour and a half to get to the first viewpoint.  With my son we got there in an hour, and between the dog and I, we were most definitely holding him back.

Even though we didn't get the best views on this hike because of the weather, we did have some excitement.  About 20 minutes into the hike, the dog suddenly stopped then ran off the trail into the bush a few feet.  She had seen a black bear!  It was maybe 50 feet from us, standing up against a tree, just watching us.  The dog wanted desperately to go after it, but I called her back to us.  I thought if the bear went away peacefully then I didn't want the dog chasing it.  She LOVES to chase bears, and has done so quite successfully on hunting trips with my father in law.  She was known for running away from camp and treeing bears.

As it was, the bear just took a little look at us, then scampered off in the other direction.  The dog wanted to go after it and kept trying to head in it's direction, but I wouldn't let her and eventually she forgot.  To be honest, I was kind of excited and relieved to have encountered my first bear ... and happy that my son was with me. I knew there was a great possibility of encountering one out in our forests, and I'm was very pleased to see my dog's reaction.  One of my big reasons for bringing her is for some added security from animals and humans.  She did her job just right!

Further on the trail we were coming down a hill and heard a VERY loud CRACK!  We were certain it was another bear as there weren't any other humans nearby.  But, after stopping and having a very good look, then, proceeding slowly and cautiously, we never did see anything ... and the dog wasn't even remotely interested.  Perhaps it actually was just a branch breaking on it's own.

The entire hike took us a good 4 1/2 hours, and we rarely ever stopped.  A couple times we tried to take some pictures but they were just all grey.  The viewpoints weren't worth hanging out at for long with the weather, so we plundered on.  I definitely could have used a few rest breaks, but my son likes to plow on.  He was rather bored with my pace - hahhaa.  

The last hour and a half were quite boring.  For a good half hour we had to detour off a closed trail, and had to follow a road.  SNORE!  Eventually we got back to the original trail, but it was a very popular trail that was very well groomed.  It was a beautiful running trail, but not quite what for a hike I enjoy a more challenging terrain.

This hike was TOUGH!  I definitely got whiny as the trail progressed.  You climb up steep, rocky sections for about an hour or so ... then down the same kind of stuff for about 2 hours.  I am rather clumsy so must pick my footing VERY carefully.  By the last hour I was sore, wet, and tired.  My feet were killing me and, well, pretty much every other body part.  My son actually pushed me up some of the hills at the end. :D.  With the detour we had to take, I would estimate this hike was approximately 17 Km.  The main trail is, I think, 14Km, but we had to take quite the extra loop.

If you are interested in a much more picturesque blog report of this particular hike, check out VANCOUVER LIFE - DIEZ VISTAS TRAIL.  I came across this blog while researching local hikes and this blog is very thorough and informative.  I have been combing over it extensively the last week in search of new adventures!

Sunday I had planned to hike with my daughter but it was absolutely POURING out.  A little drizzle is one thing, but this was pelting against my bedroom window.  With my soreness from the day before, plus my daughter fighting a cold, we thought it best to postpone this one for another weekend.  Little trooper said she would go if I wanted to, but I didn't think we needed to subject ourselves to that.  Hopefully next weekend!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Hiking - Diez Vistas

Recently I've been reminded that we shouldn't let life slip by.  Do the things you want and love to do as often as you can do them.

With this in mind, on Saturday my daughter and I ventured out for a hike.  Wanted to do this last year, and it just didn't happen.  Partly because, to be completely honest, I'm a little scared hitting up trails like this without my husband.  I am somewhat directionally challenged and really just afraid to try new things on my own, but he's just too busy and it's not an option to wait for him to be available.  I have to figure this out on my own and hope sometimes he can come.

For this hike I chose a trail that was expected to be in good condition (many of our local mountain trails still have a good layer of snow on them).  It also was to offer some spectacular views and a reasonable challenge, without being too difficult.  My daughter has never hiked before and I wanted to really encourage her and have her enjoy it.

The trail starts at the beautiful Buntzen Lake in Port Moody.

I had never been up here before, but it is beautiful!  Of course it was a gorgeous day too.  There are a variety of trails around here and I would love to come back here and check them out.  Even some that are flat enough for some trail runs.  There is also a rather large off-leash dog section of the lake to allow the puppies free play in and around the water.

The hike starts out with a steady, but easy climb on a fairly open, yet wooded, trail.  The perfect tree cover for either a hot sunny day, but would probably also offer good coverage on a rainy day.

We took along our big dog, Heike.  In the woods like this there is always a very good possibility of bears and apparently she is a fantastic bear chasing dog (I hope to never have to test this!).  Heike is actually my father-in-law's dog, but I have kind of adopted her in the last year or so and she goes everywhere with me now.  When she was younger she did a fair bit of Schutzhund Training.  I definitely felt more protected taking her along.  Although, as we got further up the trail, she was pretty tired and I'm not sure how much protection she could have offered. ;)

As it was, because it was such a beautiful day, we passed a fair number of other hikers and I think the risk of a bear encounter was probably on the slim side.

The forest we climbed through was absolutely gorgeous!  For the most part it was a well maintained trail, with some quite steep, challenging sections ... and then a nice mix of flatter rolling hills.  It was nice to have the variety.  There were a few times I had to give the dog a "lift" or "tug" to help her through a technical section.  My daughter didn't handle the steeper sections so much.  I said to her at one point, "You do realize that every time we have to climb you get whiny?".  She said, 'I know."  hahahah  But at the end of the day she liked it and said she wants to do it again.  I look forward to taking some of her and/or my friends out on hikes sometimes.  But this was really nice to do for just her and I.

The name "Diez Vistas" translates from Spanish into "Ten Views".  Apparently there are ten viewpoints along the trail.  Unfortunately, we didn't have time to complete the round trip and just visited the first two viewpoints and then came back down the trail.  I'm hoping to get up there this weekend with my son and we will complete the whole loop and see how many viewpoints we can find.

When we got to the top poor Heike was pooped!  I learned some lessons on this hike.  I never thought about bringing a doggie dish for her.  I had treats for her, but nothing to put water in.  I guess I was expecting to find some creeks, which we did but only on the lower end of the trail, not up top.  As it was, I poured water into a baggie and she drank from that.  I'm going to see about getting a little backpack for her and she can carry some water too.

At the top we had a couple snacks and took a good 20-30 minute rest break, taking some pictures and just taking in the view.  Even had cell reception up there so got a call into my husband and a couple of texts with friends (Hi Tamara!).  I probably could have sat there for longer.  It was so peaceful.

(just one of the MANY views looking out over Metro Vancouver)

I don't know why I look so red in this picture.  I actually wasn't overly hot at all.  I think it's a lighting thing.  It also looks like I was right on the edge of a cliff, but I can assure you that I was not and it was very safe.  I wouldn't risk that!

Overall it was an absolutely wonderful hike and I actually worry a bit that I may have set the bar too high for future hikes. :)  But more adventures will follow to determine that.  I can not wait to get out there again.  

It was a good practice run and I have a few things to pick up to make future hikes even better:

• collapsible doggie dish
• doggie backpack
• better shoes for my daughter (hers were bothering her so I swapped shoes with her ... then proceeded to twist my ankle - grrr!)
• bear bells (just in case!)
• bug spray - this hike was OK, but it will get worse as it warms up

Also, it would have been better to have had more time to complete the full trail.  As it was I had plans for a girls' night and had to be back in time for that (where I proceeded to dance way too much on my twisted ankle - including jive dancing when my husband showed up).  It was a FULL weekend.  My son turned 18 last week and hosted a party at our house on Friday, got up early and out for the hike Saturday followed by a late night out with the girls.  Sunday was blissfully quite.  Other than getting my girl off to work, I spent the majority of the day on the couch with an ice pack on the ankle and desperately trying to rehydrate after a day of hiking in hot weather followed by perhaps a teensy bit of alcohol - hahaha.  It was actually a GREAT weekend!

Heidi

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Pumping Iron

I'm still plugging away with the treatment of my plantar fasciitis.  There is improvement, but it's a slow process.  I am down to just once a week visits.  Hopefully they don't last too much longer.

In the meantime I am allowed to run "IF" it feels OK.  I had planned to run on Sunday, but after doing a bunch of yardwork on Saturday all my muscles were tight and I thought it best to scale back to a walk instead.

I did pick up my new insoles a couple days ago, and so far so good.  You can certainly tell there is something in your shoe.  It's oddly comforting yet uncomfortable all at the same time.  Not painful uncomfortable, just different.  I REALLY want to try running in them soon.

There is some exciting plans coming up in my world ... but I'm not quite ready to reveal them.  I want to be certain this stupid foot of mine is going to heal up and let me get on with what I love.  Yes, it does involve running.  Yes, it does involve a race.  But it's NOTHING like I've ever done before and I'm really excited to try it out.

I decided last night that since I've had to cut back on running and am not allowed to attend my favourite fitness classes ... then it was time to turn back to an old love/hate of mine.

That's right ... pumping iron baby!  I found a program I think I can live with, and since I have all the equipment I need right in my home, it's awfully silly to not do this.  The best results I've ever seen were when I was lifting weights regularly.  No matter how much cardio I have done, the weights is the one thing that has consistently changed my body shape and burned off the fat.

Yesterday was Day 1.  Hopefully I can report some positive changes in about a month or so.

Heidi

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Limited Running :(

Figures ... just when I'm finally getting a desire to run and have actually been enjoying my runs ... I get told I have to limit them.  GRRRRRRR!!!!!

Last week I ran 7K on Wednesday and Saturday.  I included lots of walk and/or stretch breaks, gradual warm-up with stretching before and lots of stretching after, and I walked all hills to minimize use of my calf. Yes, this did increase the tightness in my calves & feet, but I felt like I was easing into it.

The doctor told me to limit my runs to just once a week for now, and less distance is better.  Also no Bosu Ball class.  This is not what I wanted to hear.  But I've gone to him long enough to know that he does not give me this advice lightly and he supports continuing with activity whenever possible.  He's always told me when I can and can not continue to run through my treatment.  So I have to trust him.

My next appt is on Friday, so I plan to do a run on Wed as my "mid-week" run.  I did run a bit on Sunday, but less than 2K, very slow, and walking hills.  I have however been doing a fair bit of walking, which I hope is OK.  My heels are tender after walking, but my calves don't feel as tight.

Upon the doctor's recommendation I have placed an order for a pair of Soles:

order from:  https://secure.yoursole.com/ca/footbeds/softec-ultra/

These are supposed to be really good and I remember a fellow blogger once posted very positively about these insoles as well.  I hope they help!  

The more people I talk to about this I am amazed how many have suffered from plantar fasciitis.  I didn't realize it was so common.

Funny how when something is taken away from you, it's the first thing you want to do.  If the weather would smarten up I could maybe add in some cycling, but at this point I'm not eager to do that in the rain. :(

Heidi

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Gua Sha (the evil, wonderful tool!)

The tool that my massage therapist (chiropractor / ART ???) is using on my foot is called a Gua Sha, or maybe the method he is doing is called Gua Sha and this is one of the tools of the trade.  I'm not sure.  But either way, this is the tool he is using.  Below is an image of it (the item on the right).

{source}

The first day I believe he used it on the narrow edge, kind of like a knife, and rubbed it along the bottom of my foot (holy mother of bright rainbows!!!!).  The last two times he used the flat wide edge, like a plate.  That way is not quite as painful, but still hurts a ton (yes Mother, worse than childbirth, but thankfully not nearly as long).  I am generally a pretty tough chick and can suck it up if I know it's going to hurt, but I still have the odd tear sneak out and have resorted to things such as biting my arm, gritting my teeth, and even SINGING to avoid screaming out.  I do not sing in public!

After my 2nd appointment he suggested I try a different shoe and strongly suggest I check out Asics.  However, at my last appointment he told me hold that thought a little longer.  He said he wants to do some manipulation with my arches and then will give me some shoe recommendations.  He's trying to avoid me having to get orthotics which I really appreciate, and he doesn't believe that's the best route if we can avoid it.

He's also suggested that I back off the Bosu Ball classes I've been taking until we get things going well again.  I realized the other day that I've probably had the most pain during these classes than during any other type of exercise.  Which makes sense considering your foot is very, very unstable and the foot is prone to over-stretching the arch on the bosu.  However I'm clear to do any other types of activity as long as I don't see and increase in pain.

As such, and in honor of a few rare rays of sunshine .... I decided to go out for a run after work.  I've only got 10 days until my 10K run.  I'm calling it a run, not a race, because to me it is not a race. I decided to take my big dog and go out to my favourite trail.

As luck would have it, on my way home from work we got hit with a nasty little spring shower - complete with thunder and lightning.  I waited a bit, then drove out there, and ended up sitting in the car for about 20 minutes waiting for the storm to pass.

Eventually it did, and we managed a nice 6-7K run, with a rest and extended stretch session halfway through. It was nice.  While my feet felt good, my calves were noticeably tighter.  Will have to mention that at my next appointment.

Anyhow, it was a nice run and I felt good about it.  I also have a couple runs planned with friends this weekend too.  Love this feeling!

Heidi

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Dates with the Devil

I know I haven't been around here in a while.  Thank you Fran for checking on me. :)

All is pretty good in my world.  Here's a bullet point list of what's going on with me:

* Had one glorious day of warm sunshine in March and took the doggies on a 3 hour walk.  Exhausted them, but we all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly!

* Went away for the weekend to visit my husband's friend for this 70th birthday.  It snowed a couple inches ... April Fools!  This spring has been weird.

* Also went camping for 5 days over the Easter weekend.  Weather was gorgeous and I went out for lots of walks with the dogs.  Despite the typical camping diet, I somehow managed to drop a couple pounds.  This seems to be typical for a while now.  Perhaps something is telling me I need to vacation more????

* Haven't attended as many fitness classes this past month.  Lots of stuff getting in the way and other pressing matters that had to be attended to.

* However ..... have done a couple runs (5K-ish).  A friend convinced me to try out a run club she found.  I've gone once.  The people seem nice, even if it did just end up that my friend and I ran alone.  I'll go to a few more before I decide if the group is for me or not.  But the positive thing is I've done some running!!!

* I'm strongly considering entering a small race.  The above group hosts a little run at a location I've never been to, but always wanted to go.  It's only $10 so I figure why not go and just do it.  I'm not in 10K shape so will be taking it slow and walking as necessary.  You're not even allowed watches for this race as they do a  prize for whoever can guess their time closest.  I will surely be well over an hour.

* The biggest positive .... I have FINALLY gotten myself into the massage therapist!  I've been struggling with significant foot pain for quite a while (a good year).  It's the same issue I've had for a while and if left it just gets worse and worse.  However, funds didn't allow me to go for most of last year so I pushed it aside, and also didn't do any self treatment which was downright stupid.  Recently it's been really bad and I was struggling to get through short walks, runs were excruciating, and had to stretch frequently during fitness classes.  My therapist said I'm developing plantar faciitis. If you look at what causes it, there are many factors that I fall under, including:

- very tight calf muscles
- overpronation
- not wearing supportive footwear at all times (yes I run in good shoes, but my daily shoes are crap)
- overweight (duh, this seems to be a no-brainer)

I've been in for a couple treatments now and have at least a couple more to go, but I'm already seeing significant improvement.  My therapist did use this tool (I'll have to find out what it's called) as he said I have a fair amount of scar tissue in my arch.  Let me tell you ... this thing is the DEVIL, but an Angel at the same time.  The first time he used it I literally bit my arm and held in the biggest cursing spree ever.  It was easily the most pain I have EVER felt.  The 2nd session I was a little more prepared, but it still hurt SO much.  I told him repeatedly how much I hate him.  He smiled :).  But whatever that tool is, it seems to have made a big difference because I'm in way less discomfort already and have minimal to no pain in the morning for the last few days.

I know once I get through this more intensive treatment I will have to go in on a regular basis for maintenance. This shouldn't be a problem from now on.  I have a date with the devil today ... yay! ( <---- sarcasm)

So that's where I'm at right now.  I am still desperately seeking that running spark, but at least the flame is still there.

Heidi

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How's it going?

The funny thing about setting goals is sometimes life decides to come along and knock you flat on your ass.  That pretty much sums up my first week of March.

I was all gung-ho to kick off my new running goals, and then it hit me ... the cold from hell!  Everyone in my house had already caught it, but I naively thought that maybe, just MAYBE, I might be able to escape it.  My sister came into town on Friday night, and YUP ... guess when it hit?!  By Friday evening my eyes were watering spontaneously from blocked sinuses.  Fun stuff!  Saturday I muscled through the day, which included an evening of bowling to celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday.  She has had this cold for over a week now and over the weekend was suffering pretty bad (Happy Birthday!!!)

So needless to say, running and most exercise has been a bit on the back burner.  Yesterday I finally started to begin feeling a bit better.  I (mostly) survived the night without medication and am trying to get through the day without it too.  I'm going to try for a run after work today.

Here's an update for March to date:

Running:  1.5 miles  (Month Goal 40)
Fitness Classes:  2  (Month Goal 8-12)
Weight Loss:  -1.2 lbs (Month Goal 7)

I'm not too worried about being a bit behind on these goals.  I have lots of time to catch up and I'm eager to pound out those miles.

Heidi

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March Goals

So here's something you haven't seen from me in a LONGGGG time ...... GOALS, and not just goals, but

A RUNNING GOAL!

My goals for March

Run:  40 Miles

Fitness classes:  8-12

Weight:  Lose minimum 7 lbs.

Now let's break this down ...

Running - I've recently got a few decent runs in where I didn't feel like slitting my throat.  They've all been about 2 1/2 miles (4K), so not exactly huge distance.  But the most important factor is for the most part I have enjoyed it, even if they have been more challenging than I would like.  I feel with each one I have made some improvement, and this is encouraging.  I have been doing periodic walk intervals, and a few times have added in a little burst in pace.  This has encouraged me to finally add a mileage goal onto the radar again.  I've set it at 40 miles (65 Km), but feel that if I keep steady and gradually increase distance I should be able to reach more like 50 miles (80 Km).  At one point that was not far off of a weekly mileage, but I'm trying not to look back there.  Forward ... One Step At A Time!

Fitness Classes - Still strong and steady on those.  On any given week I have been doing a variety of Bosu Ball, Zumba, Abs Butt & Thighs (pretty much a step class), Bootcamp, Abs Only and the odd spin class.  I love the variety of these and will continue with these.  Lately I have done a couple of runs before a class and that works out pretty well.  Makes the class a little more challenging, but not too bad.

Weight - I think I'm really ready to tackle this beast.  There's just really not a whole lot of point in putting all this time, effort and money into exercising so hard if I'm not going to face the other side of the equation.  OK, yes, I guess there still is a point because if I dropped that stuff I'd gain a sick amount of weight in a short time frame and be very, very unhealthy.  But it's just really, really silly to do so much hard work and undo it by eating crap.  My whole family needs a nutritional makeover and it's time to clean up.  This is the goal that scares me the most.  I have had a major difficult time dropping even half a pound for more than a day or two for some time, and gaining has been easier than ever.  The goal I've set should be easily achievable with reasonable effort.  If I really put my foot down I could exceed it.  I didn't want to go too easy on this one because this is the most important of the 3 goals.

So there you have it.  Goals from Heidi!  Gee, been way too long.  I'll be back periodically to update on my progress.

Heidi

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1 down, many to go

So I DID get out and try out my new jacket!!  Monday after work it was slightly drizzly, so I threw on my jacket and a hat and set off.  I wish I'd taken a picture.  I was quite the sight!  Hot pink long sleeve shirt (the kind that slips over your hands with the thumb holes).  On top of that was my bright yellow (green??) jacket, and then a hat in a different shade of green.  I looked like the Neon Queen from the 80's (which is rapidly coming into fashion!).

But ... the more important thing, I ran AAAAAANNNNNNDDDDDD I used my earphone (yes, just one, I don't believe two are safe).  To be perfectly honest I actually quite liked listening to music.  It kept me well distracted from the running part.

I may have mislead some of you in my last post.  I haven't actually signed up for a race, I've just been thinking about it.  I do have a race in mind, but I don't think that one is going to work out due to logistics.  For now I'll just be keeping my eyes open and if something comes up that I find interesting I'll sign up.  The most important thing is I'm going to keep running now!  The hiatus has to come to an end.

Tonight I have Zumba (which I freaking LOVE!).  If I could afford to do this 4 or 5 days a week I totally would.  There is a small time gap between from when I get off work and when Zumba starts.  Normally I waste that time with a little shopping or something.  Tonight I'm going to grab a treadmill and do a short run before class starts.  Gotta keep this going.

Heidi

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10K?

My year to date mileage is somewhere around .... hmmm, let me add it up.

 Give me a minute here.

Wait, maybe a minute more (this could take a while).

Ah yes, here we got it.

Less than 6 miles.  Yup, a whopping six miles for the entire 2012 so far.  Go ME!!

So why on earth did I suddenly get the urge today to want to do a 10K race in April?  Not that I can't.  I know I can.  But yeah, not sure where that came from.

Maybe it's because my hubby bought me this running jacket from Old Navy.  (He's been hinting pretty strongly that I need to start running again)

It's bright!  And has some reflective stripes on it.  It also has built-in headphones in the drawstrings which is kind of a neat feature.  Though if you know me much at all you'll know that I've been pretty against the whole "running with music" thing.  I've always said I enjoy listening to nature.  But perhaps this is the thing to draw me back in.  Time will tell!

Old Navy Jacket

Heidi

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Yoga still a No-No

Well, I finally did it.  I went to a Yoga class (that popular one I mentioned).  I can say with completely clarity that it is NOT for me.  I hated pretty much every moment of it.

Started off the class sitting cross legged and practicing breathing in and out for 5 minutes while letting the "stress of the day float away".  Hey ... I had a pretty stress free day, I don't feel the need to let anything float away.  I guess the actual class (where we did things) wasn't so bad, other than the instructor.  She spoke so quietly that I couldn't hear anything she said.  Then she walked around with her eyes half closed, half rolled back into her head ... walking like she had the worst flu in the world and every step hurt.  I guess it was supposed to be relaxing, but it did nothing for me.  It all felt very fake.

At the end of class she shut down the lights and we were to lay completely still and silent.  For a while she was murmuring things to us (that I could barely hear).  Something came over me and I got the worst case of giggles.  This hum-dee-dum stuff just isn't for me.  The girl who came with me nailed it when she said, "The most exercise I got was trying not to fart in the downward dog".  That about sums it up for me.

I know a lot of people do it, and love it ... but it's just not for me and I won't be trying again.  I guess I have no connection with my spiritual side.  If I need some quiet time I'll put on a candle and drink a cup of tea.  For the strength and stretching aspect, well the class didn't do it for me, so I can find lots of other ways for that.

On the flip side ..... I started a Zumba class last week with my daughter, her boyfriend's Mom & his sister.  It was AWESOME!  I've tried a little Zumba before and thought it was OK, but not outstanding.  Then my daughter said she wanted to try it so I signed us up, thinking it would at least be a nice time with my daughter and all, but maybe not the best workout.  Boy was I wrong!!!

It was one of the toughest and funnest workouts I've ever done.  The instructor is this teeny tiny little Hispanic woman from Miami, Florida and boy can she move.  FULL of energy and just kept us going, going, going!  I looked absolutely ridiculous and clumsy, but if I avoided looking in the mirror then it was a ton of fun.  I felt all kinds of muscles I haven't in a long time.

Also .... the other day my SIL asked me about getting into running.  She's considering entering a 18-20Km race although she's never run before.  I offered to create a training plan for her.  Then it hit me ... I really need this training plan for myself.  I'm at ground zero with my running.  Sure I've been doing fitness classes, but running is a different beast and I am not in running condition.  So, the other day, I started following the plan with a basic run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes x 6 sets.  When I started off the run felt great and I thought I'd only take/need 1 min walk breaks .... but I quickly ate my words and let myself fully enjoy those 2 minute breaks as I sure needed them.

Tomorrow will be another run day.  Right now it's all gonna be on the treadmill as it's disgusting outside, and I don't have the motivation to get out in that kind of weather.  The other day I was driving along and saw two women running in the rain mixed with snow and I thought to myself  "was I REALLY that crazy?".  Of course at the time I just thought I was dedicated, but at this point in my life I'm thinking I must have been a little insane. Funny how the stages of your life can change.  At this point even if I was running regular, if it was that disgusting out I think I'd just opt for a different type of exercise rather than face the cold and wet.

Hope everyone is having a great week.  I've been kind of quiet in blog-land, but I'm still around.

Take care!

Heidi

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Yoga? No-ga.

Well, I finally decided I would give Yoga a shot.  I've been anti-Yoga for some time.  I just don't get the whole "become one with yourself" kind of thing.  When they start talk about opening yourself to the sun and such I just zone out.  But ... tons of people love it and say there are a ton of benefits.  And, given how stupidly stiff I've been, I figure it probably wouldn't hurt.

So our local community club offers these free trial classes from time to time (I've mentioned them before) and I was signed up for a session last night.  They offered Yoga, Pilates, Abs Only, Bootcamp & Zumba.  They overlap though so you can only take two or three classes at most.

I decided to bite the bullet and try Yoga.  However, when I arrived I was sent in a general direction to the Yoga room.  Walked in and found two of my friends already there waiting.  The instructor walked in, introduced herself, then asked who had done Pilates before.  WHAT?  Oops!  I thought my friends were taking Yoga too, but nope, they had gone for the Pilates.

I actually did get up and go check out the other room that actually WAS doing Yoga.   However, there were only 2 people in there and they were both probably in their late 60's.  I decided to go back to Pilates. :)  Quite enjoyed it.  I used to take Pilates classes and realized yesterday that I quite miss it.

Will have to give the yoga another shot.  There is a drop-in class that is quite popular.  Maybe that's the one to go to.  Another day Yoga .... another day!

Heidi

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You know you're low on blogging material when ....

I'm still plugging away.  Nothing too interesting to report.  Well, maybe one thing.  I dropped in on a Weight Watchers meeting and picked up the new material the other day.  3 days in, feeling pretty good, and definitely eating better.  


Saw this list on Lynsey's blog and, partly due to lack of anything interesting to post, felt like doing it myself.  (Thanks Lynsey!)


1. What is your favorite "diet" food?
Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches.  I don't like most bars or "diet" products.

2. What is your favorite movie?
I don't have a single fav, but certainly a group that I watch over and over.  Christmas Vacation is probably my most frequently watched movie over the years.  But then there is Dirty Dancing, pretty much anything with Adam Sandler (Waterboy, Mr Deeds, Big Daddy, 50 First Dates, Just Go With It).  I also really like the movie "A Walk to Remember" with Mandy Moore and have watched that a lot.


3. Where do you WANT to live? 

For the most part I quite like where I live, other than the copious amounts of rain we tend to get.  I haven't seen a whole lot of the world, but I rather enjoy the Oregon Coast.  It's probably much worse for rain than here though.  I've only ever been there in the summer.  


4. Do you have kids, want kids?  

I have two teens (girl almost 16, boy 17).  Do not want any more.  Will wait for grandchildren in another 5 yrs or so.  

5. What was the last book you read? 

Not a clue.  I haven't had much time to read for quite a while.

6. When at a picnic do you eat hotdogs or hamburgers?
A picnic, what is that???  Given the choice of the two I probably choose hot dog more often.  I especially love Turkey Dogs!


7. Do you have a strong faith?
I believe in God, I do NOT believe in church.  


8. Can you touch your toes (without bending your knees)
Most definitely!  I can reach underneath my feet actually.  Though I'm sure that has more to do with my upper body being longer in proportion than my lower body - heeheee.


9. Have your ever swam in the ocean?
I have.  On the west coast it is miserably cold though.  In Cuba it was heaven!!


10. What is your favorite topping on pizza?
We have a strong Indo-Canadian presence where I live and they make a vegetarian pizza with special spice (you can request mild, meduim, or hot - which the latter will nearly burn the skin in your mouth)  that is A-MAZ-ING!  My fav is the medium spice.


1 - What do you want done with your body after you die?
Cremated.  Don't waste money on me.


2 - Would you rather receive a practical gift you need or something silly that means something special?
That's a tough one.  I love meaningful gifts, although my family tends to suck at that kind of thing.  But I really enjoy receiving practical things because then I don't have to go out and buy them.


3 - How many pets do you have and what kinds?
Technically I have one dog, a Dacshund named Tia.  But my in-laws outside dog now resides outside our front door so I kind of call her ours. :D  We also have a cat named George that hangs out.




4 - If money weren't an issue, what would you buy?
At least one vacation home, if not more!


5 - What is one thing you plan on doing before 2012 is over?
Dropping the fat I gained in 2011


6 - How did you spend your last birthday?
Doing S.F.A!  And not so happy about it.  Wasn't much of an exciting day.


7 - What are you hoping your next NSV will be? (Non Scale Victory)
Completing one of my fitness classes without having to modify any moves and doing them all at the highest intensity.

8 - What is your favorite healthy snack?
Diced cucumbers and tomatoes with seasoning.


9 - Do you like crunchy or creamy peanut butter?
Crunchy, but everyone else likes cream and I rarely ever eat it anyway.


10 - Do you wear your shoes inside your house?
No!  I live on acreage.  Any shoes coming in to my house would carry way too much dirt.  Besides, shoes are meant for outside.  You should be comfy inside and comfy = no shoes!


11 - What kind of car do you drive?
Chrysler 300M (would like to have either a Dodge Ram 4X4 shortbox, or a Dodge Dakota 4x4 extended cab)