Thursday 30 May 2013

What a huge day

I took advantage of my day off today: steps this morning (5 sets, carrying 20kg), hot yoga at lunch time, then pole dancing this evening. I am pretty certain I'm going to have a large number of bruises tomorrow, and may not be able to lift my arms.

No pain, no gain!

Tuesday 28 May 2013

89 days to go!

89 days to go, the pressure (from myself) is on!
Big day yesterday with spin class then straight into a weights session.
In the afternoon I did my first stair climbing session, carrying two 10kg plates - I'm not sure if it was my arms or legs screaming more by the end of it.
St Martins stairs (215 steps) climbed four times carrying 20kg. Only 93 sets left to go to reach 20,000 steps!

Pump class this morning at Pioneer - I though I would use low-ish weights to let my arms recover, but it ended up a reasonably tough session with all those reps.

Plus a new Mini Challenge: 30 day core challenge starts 1st June

Sunday 26 May 2013

20 Peaks is back on!!!

Mt Sinclair, Banks Peninsula (841m)
It's amazing what is made possible a good solid pair of tramping boots, a whole lot of strapping tape, a reasonably smooth walking track and some HARDEN UP pills.

Peak 4: Mt Sinclair


And even more exciting news for the day: we are booked to mountain bike the Heaphy Track at the end of July....bring on the mud!

Tuesday 21 May 2013

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…..

"Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." Michael Jordan.

Twelve days ago I crashed paragliding - it was the first time I had tried this sport, which really pushed my comfort-boundaries. I tore a number of ligaments in my ankle (the details yet to be determined by MRI scan on Friday), which hugely disrupted my plans for the next thirteen weeks. I had plans – great plans, which are now all hanging in the balance, waiting to see if my ankle recovers, or if it needs surgery.

I have never managed to focus on my health and fitness for twenty weeks at a time, like for this challenge. I usually start with a hiss-and-a –roar. Big plans, huge expectations, limitless possibilities. Then I push too hard, run too long, lift too much and my body rejects the idea: I get injured, burnt-out, over-trained or just find that life doesn’t allow me to perform day-after-day like an ironman athlete, without the background of years of training like one.
So I’d throw in the towel, make excuses “I’m too old/young/fat/lazy/busy…..”…… the list continues. I’d give it all up, say “exercise is not for me”, and sit on the couch and get depressed and overweight. And then the cycle of weight-gain, self-hate, comfort-eating, weight-gain, self-hate would start again.

NOT THIS TIME!!!!!

This time: I have been injured. I can’t run, the exercise that I find is the best way for me to control my weight. I can’t climb mountains, as I had planned on doing in my ’20 peaks in 20 weeks” challenge. But I can do a WHOLE LOT of other things. I haven’t had a leg amputated. My marvellous support crew of my fiancĂ© Aaron and personal trainer Amanda Armitage are still here and cheering me on. I can swim, bike, lift weights, and do so many activities that have previously been discarded from my thinking because I was too busy planning my “Everest” trip.

I forgot to appreciate the smaller achievements – including swimming a PB of 110 lengths (2.75km) in one go, or doing 20 press-ups when I previously could only do three. I ran for FIVE MINUTES on the treadmill last week, and it’s the biggest achievement for me for this competition yet, after concerns that I would never run again.

My recommendations to everyone in this competition are THINK BIG (I still plan to climb Mount Aspiring - but maybe next year, and would love to do a half-ironman), BUT…. appreciate all the small achievements along this journey. Obstacles to your goals don’t have to stop you. They re-route your path but really make you think about your priorities in life, make you appreciate the support people that are standing behind you, and the small goals you achieve along the way.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…..

Thursday 16 May 2013

Rapaki MTB

First trip up Rapaki for the competition - I love firsts, because you are guaranteed a personal best!
Another aim for the competition: beat this time by 20%!


Wednesday 15 May 2013

Swimming challenge!


As of today, I have lost FORTY (40!) kilograms during my weight loss journey! To celebrate, I've set myself what could be my toughest adventure yet: next Monday I will swim one lap for every kilo I've lost PLUS one lap for every 'like' this gets. Not long ago I wouldn't have dared to be seen in public in my bathing suit. I started swimming at the start of this competition after not having been in the pool for over two years, and this week set a personal best of 100 lengths swum in one session. If I get over 60 'likes' I'll be instantly beating that PB.

I'll be at Pioneer Pool (Chch) at 11am on Monday - if anyone would like to come for a swim I may be encouraged to swim another 5 lengths per supporter joining me! (I'll be the one in the lilac cap/navy togs swimming with a pull buoy.....)

Tuesday 14 May 2013

Longest swim ever!

I just completed the longest swim I've ever done - 2.5km - and this was using my arms only, with a pull buoy, as my ankle is currently out of action.
I highly recommend the waterproofed ipod shuffle that I just got from Amazon - swimming has to be one of the most boring sports in the world, but motivational music, or even listening to podcasts, are great distractions and make the time go much faster.

The ultrasound of my ankle is booked for tomorrow, when I'll really get to see what has happened in there, and dictate where to from here.

Monday 13 May 2013

Paragliding!!!


What an amazing experience! Flying is definitely on my cool list, the aim is to learn how to paraglide so I can climb mountains and fly off the top - much easier than walking down again. The day started off like a typical Christchurch autumn day with thick fog and not much wind, but it all cleared by lunchtime, for a beautiful blue-skied day at Taylors Mistake.                              We started learning take-offs running down a hill near Cashmere. Unfortunately there wasn't much wind, and so one flight finished in a very hard landing as the wind disappeared when I was about 1m from the ground. 
It would have been a good crash to catch on camera! Unfortunately I twisted my ankle in the landing and am pretty sure I've torn some important structures that hold my foot to my leg. If I turn my ankle the wrong way it currently feels like my foot is going to dislocate! Now waiting for an ultrasound this Friday to assess the damage, and in the mean time the Sports Doctor at SportsMed has recommended I am "non-weightbearing".

Really gutted, I have so many exciting plans for adventures, and this might put them all on hold. 
I'm currently exploring things I can do - swimming, weights, road cycling (as long as I don't stand on my pedals). 



Sunday 5 May 2013

Another mini-challenge: Golf!

A beautiful Sunday. Wanted to rest my legs after the Hanmer 10km race yesterday, so tried golf instead! I think I might need a lesson or two - I think I made contact with the ball in
approximately 50% of my swings!

Thursday 2 May 2013

Wednesday 1 May 2013

Mid week Climbing

A very productive day today.
Great session climbing with my sister at The Roxx. 9 new climbs conquered!





But, most exciting news of the day..... I just booked a 1 day introductory paragliding course!!! Woohoo!!!!!!!!