No Excuse Fitness Got Me Into Downtown Hamilton

I usually go to boot camp at Truth Martial Arts, which is an amazing boot camp (see earlier post), but there is a break right now between classes.  So I looked for another gym to attend in the meantime, and I found No Excuse Fitness - boxer Ryan Rannelli's gym. 

The location I saw initially was on Locke Street, where I go quite often.  However, the main and permanent location is on King William street right in downtown Hamilton.

I'm going to be honest.  I was scared to go alone the first time.  Not just because it was in downtown Hamilton, but because it was an evening class and I didn't know what to expect or where to park and so on.  It's not just the Hamilton downtown where I would be afraid to go to alone at night.  I'm all for the revitalization of the core but we have some ways to go. 

Anyway, a friend and I went and everything was good.  It's a nice big gym with a great atmosphere.  I love the work outs.  There are 'Challenges of the Day' which (in my limited experience) are usually circuits with lots of difficult moves such as dead lifts, walking lunges holding a medicine ball, hitting tires with a sledgehammer (LOVE that one), as well as using kettlebells and resistance bands and other equipment.  The gym has showers, and also offers food packages.  I haven't tried any of the food options yet but they look yummy and healthy and I'm intrigued.

I also took my first boxing class last night.  It was so much fun!  It's just amazingly therapeutic to punch the !@#$ out of a heavy bag.  I highly recommend it.

I've taken classes with three different instructors so far and I liked all of them and felt that they all really knew their stuff.  They made helpful suggestions and were friendly and approachable.

Way to go, No Excuse!  Not only did you get me into downtown Hamilton (and are keeping me there) but you're whipping me into shape at the same time.  My thighs are killing me. (Yes!) 

Roasted Chickpeas - A Simple, Healthy and Delicious Snack

I am always looking for healthy snacks.  Today I thought I'd try roasted chickpeas.  I'd heard of them before.  They're a great source of protein.  I took a can of chickpeas and rinsed them well, then patted them dry.  I put them on a baking sheet and sprinkled them with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper.  You can't go wrong with olive oil and salt, but you can add any spices you'd like.  Then I baked them at 375 degrees until they were crispy, about 20 minutes.  I stirred them occasionally.  And they were yummy!

The Science of Running Until You're 100 in the RR Magazine

I love it when I get a new Running Room magazine.  And no, no one is paying me to say that.  It's true. Anything on running, I love it.  The July/August 2012 issue had an especially interesting article in it about running until you're 100.  That is one of the things I love about running; that you can excel even as you get older.  It's amazing.  It's not like many sports where, once you hit 30, you're considered 'retired'.  You can just keep running and keep reaching for new goals.  And running helps you live longer and more healthy too.  What's not to like?

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/5c6203e7#/5c6203e7/30

I ran the other night and since it was hot, I thought, okay, let's do a nice slow run.  I put 'Death Cab for Cutie', 'Damien Rice' and 'Glen Hansard' on my iPod, and it was fabulous.  It wasn't a heart-pounding, exhilarating run like usual, but it was just right for the weather and for my mood.  And, as usual, I felt great during and after.

Guess I'll keep on running.

Heat + Humidity = Not Pretty

The humidity today is horrendous. At one point I think it was 85%, then it went down to about 65%. But I'm not here to talk about the weather, I'm here to talk about boot camp with humidity. It is not a pretty sight.

I know that sweat angels have already been discussed, but today set the record. I was dripping puddles during burpees and sliding on the mats during push-ups. It was extremely difficult. At one point during a short break Jen got back up and started again, saying, "I just want to get this over with." I completely agreed. It was one of those days when you were wiped out from just walking across the gym.

Two days ago I sent my oldest son out to a biking club in similar weather conditions. They went up a gigantic hill and by the top he was exhausted. The instructor told me he asked what was wrong and my son could only reply that his face was on fire. He drank some water, rested, then continued to the downhill and had a great time. I was thinking of that tonight. If he could persevere through this weather, I could too. Only my face was not on fire, I was drowning.

I'm finding it so hard to keep exercising in the heat. Even swimming isn't doing it for me. This was one of the last boot camp classes for this session and I'm worried that over the summer I will lose every bit of muscle mass I've gained. It is that thought alone that may make me brave the wall of humidity and just get it over with. But man is it difficult.

Who needs a map!

Today I turned a corner in my running. No, I didn't reach a personal best or my longest distance ever. Nothing so obvious as that. Instead I gave someone else trail directions.

You have to understand how big a moment this was for me. When Jen and I first started trail running we got lost on almost every outing. We had a map of the area with written directions for the race course we were training for, but they weren't enough. Something would always trip us up. The worst was in winter when we turned a short run in chilly weather into a two hour trek through snow and ice. It started snowing after we left and we kept making wrong turns.

We have run the same routes for ages, but I always relied on Jen to know where we were. I'd tell her which way to turn, but back the suggestion up with the disclaimer that as long as I think it is one way we should really turn the other. Recently I went running with another friend and although we were on a course I had run countless times, I managed to make a wrong turn to take us almost 2k out of our way. Then on a 6k loop where I'd always run counter-clockwise I took us clockwise - up a huge hill - and didn't even realize my mistake until half way around.

Normally I wouldn't publicize my lack of direction, but I think I may have it beat. Today I ran across two girls on the trail who looked confused and I offered them help. They were about as far as they could get from the parking lot they were looking for. As I carefully told them how to get back I realized I really did know what I was talking about. Once I'd explained the way, I took off in the opposite direction from the girls. The trail loops and I ran into them again about 20 minutes later. They were heading in the direction that I told them to go and would soon be returning to their car.

While the run as a whole wasn't the greatest - the heat was once again kicking my a$% - I gained a little confidence from knowing that I'm at least finally past the point of getting lost.

Age Doesn't Matter

I think one of the things I love most about running is that you can excel in it no matter your age. Goals can be reached, rewritten and reached again. You can compete against yourself and come out a winner at any age or ability. From kids to 80-year-olds, you see them all at the local races running the same course, reaching for their own personal best.

I'm not saying age doesn't matter at all, but you can adjust expectations, change from a speed runner to distance, or from short distance to marathon length. I was on a running site a few weeks ago and saw a list of recent ultra-distance race winners from the U.S. Only one person on that list was younger than 40.

The mother of a friend of mine told me all about how she used to run various race distances up to marathons. She has run on the Great Wall of China and all over the world. She was saying that due to health reasons she now walks instead. Her next walk is an 800 km trek through the south of Spain. Sure, just a little stroll.

She also told me about a friend of hers who started running at age 64. The woman is now 84 and still runs marathons. She told my friend's mom, "You know what my best decade was? My 70s!"

I really started running in my mid 30s. I'm turning 40 next month and I love that my best race times are still to come!

Burnt Point Loop Trail (Side Trail off main Bruce Trail)

On Canada Day weekend I did the Burnt Point Loop Trail in Tobermory. It is a beautiful trail.  It is extremely hard.  It's so fun!  It's only 3.9 K, but it seems much longer because it's highly technical and it winds around all over the place.  You have to go on the main Bruce Trail to get to it, so you can use it as part of a longer run.  I ran to it from our cottage and then back, giving me a nice 10K run. 

The trail is all pine needles and moss, and is literally covered in rocks and roots, sometimes entwined together.  Often you cannot tell where the trail is at all; you have to constantly look for the blue rectangles on the trees to see where you need to go next. 

If it was a ski hill, it would be a black diamond of some sort, I'm sure.  You must be very careful with your footing.  You're continually leaping over things, whether large rocks or stumps or branches.  It's a great workout.

I also love how you get so many different kinds of terrain on this trail.  There are a couple of short boardwalks, and there are two parts of the trail where you have to run across rocky beaches.  The views of both the water and the forest are amazing.  There are some very interesting trees.

It was fun to run headlong down this trail; it was like dancing very fast with difficult footwork.  I almost felt like I would fall many times but the fact that I didn't was a rush.  Great trail.