first day - new program

45 mins strength training program
25 mins elliptical
5 mins treadmill cooldown
Stretching

Today was the first day on this new program and it wasn't so bad. Tonight I meet again with Kris (my personal trainer) to get the second part of the program started. I have to confess I'm still intimidated by the co-ed side of the gym with all the muscleheads and complicated equipment, but I have a feeling I'm going to have to make my way over there as this program progresses.

Saw David Suzuki again today on the elliptical next to mine.

Manning Park

It was a rather sedentary weekend, although we did go skiing today at Manning Park with my parents (on the way home from the Okanagan). The snow was fresh and powdery, the air was clear, and it was cool to be at one of those old school ski resorts where the chairlift is still slow and seats only two, the vertical relatively small, and the lines are short.

elevation

Strength training - 2 sets new program
5 k treadmill + cooldown (30 mins)
Bike to fro downtown, to Commercial Drive, then home.

Last night was my first workout with my personal trainer. It wasn't so much a workout as it was her laying out a strength training program for me to follow. She gave me much heavier weights than I would have given myself, which indicates why I need a trainer to push me beyond what I think I am capable of. After all, I know I underestimate my capabilities when it comes to fitness, usually in relation to speed and endurance. One interesting thing she told me was that I should always do cardio after strength training because otherwise I could be too tired to lift properly. She also gave me some pointers on my running form which, basically, is terrible. It makes a huge difference to lengthen my strides, which was one of her suggestions.

After our hour was up, I was given free rein over the gym where she trains people so I used their treadmills. Elevation is, quite frankly, one of the nicest gyms I have ever been in, which probably accounts for their $600 a year price tag. They have a full pilates equipment room and all-new high-quality equipment. The treadmills have fans to cool you as you run! Plus you get a towel when you arrive and they have complimentary shower gel, shampoos, and conditioners in the shower. In the women's change room they even have a plate of tampons for emergencies.

Bike riding was hard yesterday as I haven't been on a bike much since getting back from Ecuador, plus the wind was strong. On the way downtown, I hit the Granville Street Bridge and almost got stopped completely by the wind. It was distinctly unpleasant. At the same time, it felt great to be back on my bike and riding in the cold, dark, and wet streets of Vancouver is actually (strangely) one of my favourite things.

Also, I got a prescription for sport orthotics yesterday. Hopefully they will make a difference for my knees once I get them.

Mount Washington

Went skiing at Mount Washington today. It was a pretty easy day because I was with two slower snowboarders. It was fun though, and the snow and weather were great. My toe is no longer paining me although it does feel funny when I press on the toenail. I should be able to be back into working out this week.

weights and sore toe

I went to the gym and did weights only yesterday. I haven't been working out at all this week because I seriously injured my toe skiing on Sunday. It's just now starting to feel better, and I'm limping less. The gym was pretty painful yesterday.

Being injured is a real mental challenge as I find it difficult to stop working out, especially when it's not my choice! I'm also disappointed because I probably won't be able to ski tomorrow on my planned trip to Mount Washington this weekend. I think I'll probably be able to get away with snow shoeing though.

In other news, I'm going to start with a personal trainer next Thursday. She is expensive, but I think she will be good.

first day of the season

I spent the day skiing up at Whistler Mountain. There was lots of fresh powder as a result of receiving 60+ cm of new snow in the last three days. I think I will be sore tomorrow - my thighs were burning on multiple occasions.

Also, I jammed my left big toe in my boot, and I think I am going to lose my toenail within the next couple of months. So sexy.

sunshine

60 mins step aerobics class with Pam
10 mins treadmill (6.5) + 9 min cooldown
Bike to/fro gym

I missed the first fifteen minutes of Pam's class this morning because I woke up at 10:30am, which is when the class starts. I almost didn't go, thinking I would miss too much of the class, but then I remembered that she always spends about 15 minutes on the warm-up and a quick stretch. Therefore, I rolled out of bed, threw on some workout gear, and hopped on my bike to ride to the gym in the sunshine. I still had a bedsheet imprint on my face when I arrived. I managed to squeeze myself into the room, although the class was already close to full. The workout was intense today (as Pam's class usually is) and I pushed myself hard throughout. I finished with a run on the treadmill to make up for missing the first bit of class, and then stretched for a long time, which felt really good.

I then rode home and had a delicious smoothie.

rowing machine = great!

25 minutes stationary bike hills
abs, upper body, lunges etc.
5 mins rowing machine

It was extremely difficult to drag myself out of bed this morning. Actually, it was more that I was dragged out of bed by Scott whilst begging to remain cosy in bed. But I made it to the gym and put in a workout. The last five minutes on the rowing machine were great. I rowed one summer down on False Creek and I loved it, but it contributed to my wrist problems so I had to stop. It is, however, one of the deadliest workouts possible. I am going to be sore tomorrow!

celebrity! david suzuki & ryan reynolds

40 mins stairmill
10 mins treadmill + cooldown
Abwork on the ball

I think I am going to focus on cardio for the next two weeks before hitting the weights. The personal trainer I was trying to get hasn't called me back which is more than a little irritating. I was supposed to be on a program by now!

Also, I saw David Suzuki, who I consider to be a bona fide Canadian celebrity, at the gym this morning. I've seen him there before - he usually does the elliptical trainer and then a lot of stretching. The first time I saw him at the gym, I was reading a Maclean's article in which he was mentioned, and then looked up to see him walk by in the flesh.

A Suzuki sighting isn't quite as glamorous as what used to be the regular Saturday morning appearance of Ryan Reynolds - while in town filming Blade - who I furtively observed doing an incredible number of crunches on the balance ball, working on his equivalently incredible abs. That was definitely something I looked forward to during my weekend workouts.

step class

75 mins step aerobics class with Pam.

It was a pretty good workout, and my calves are already sore, but it wasn't quite her usual intense workout. I hate how the others in the class automatically assume that a faster beat will give them a better workout. If it's too fast (which it was), then we are just scrambling to keep up, rather than focusing on making the moves stronger. Anyway, I was sweating and my heart rate was zooming so I was pleased.

first day back

40 mins elliptical

Then very light weights and few abs.

It was hard today, I was gasping for breath about 25 minutes in at a lower level than usual. Capacity really decreases with time off! It was also hard getting up this morning but I knew if I didn't do it, that I would keep putting it off for days, maybe even weeks. The gym has also been completely renovated, making the whole experience much more pleasant than in the past.

I am back!

I am back from Ecuador! It was an excellent trip and I'm happy to say it was not sedentary. Our second day in the country had us trekking up to 4800 metres, which was one of the most physically humbling experiences of my life, primarily because of the altitude. I have never hit a wall so hard before, but I think my lungs and heart are stronger because of all the time spent physically active at high altitude. We rode horses in the Andean cloud forest, rode bikes down volcanoes in the snow, trekked around extinct volcano craters, went for runs on endless long beaches, and did lots of walking.

Last week, however, after arriving back to Ontario, we did do a lot of sitting on our butts and eating our faces off. I arrived back in Vancouver on Monday, and now that it is the new year, I have plans for my physical health with goals to set. I see a personal trainer for the first time ever next week and the regimen begins!

Tomorrow will be my first day back at the gym. Maybe even today if I don't work too late.