I’m back to work today, the first work day of 2013.

Surprisingly, I’m focused and motivated for just coming off vacation. However, I have had a couple moments of wistfully staring out the window so, I bring you this Haiku.

Oh,  to be free as
A bushy gray tree squirrel,
Pissing from a branch.

Happy New Year!

Celebrating a tie against the best team in the league with a beer and an ice pack!

I’m sorry friends. I’ve been away for awhile.  Don’t worry though, I’ve been keeping busy. Work is a lot of my head space lately, so you’ll have to forgive me for not wanting to spend more time in front of the computer, writing for the blog. 

After 85 pull-ups.

God I hate pull-ups.

A year ago this happened.

Yesterday, was our first anniversary and we spent last weekend celebrating. Our weekend kicked off with a visit to the place we got married for dinner, Verses Restaurant. Once again the fantastic staff there, headed up by Deb McFadden, treated us to a delicious dinner and yummy wine selection. For dinner, I had:

Baby Spinach
Tossed in strawberry grape seed oil vinaigrette with toasted pumpkin seeds,
freeze dried strawberries, red onions and proscuitto chips

Kangaroo
Grilled rare and served with quinoa risotto pancakes, cauliflower tranche, 
French green beans and kiwi grape coulis with vin cotto

Wine
2007 gb 51Cabernet Shiraz (Grant Burge Wines – Cabernet Shiraz)

The meal was excellent. So many flavours and amazing textures. Seriously folks, try kangaroo. It is so good! 

Saturday we went out for breakfast at our usual spot and harangued each other’s house choices in the real estate magazine. From there, I got dropped off at CrossFit Waterloo for a class while ME got rid of the vestiges of our most recent killed gazebo. The afternoon we spent watching the Olympics, talking about houses and prepping dinner. It was great to have a weekend around the house, just enjoying each other’s company.

This post is mostly for me, to help me remember why taking a month off is *such* a bad idea.

You are sore all over. Quads, arms, calves, feet, all complaining. Don't take that much time off again Hoodie. This is your reminder of how much it sucks. You are slow moving, stairs hurt, and brushing your hair highlighted tight muscles you didn't know existed. The cat knows you are being a big baby, she's cuddling you, trying to make you feel better with her purrs (Orx and Crake, anyone?). So, don't get that lazy again. It sucks working your way back.

Look at me! Climbing back up onto the wagon. I hadn't run in likely 2 months and hadn't attended a CrossFit since 7 July but I ran 5k last weekend up in Goderich and finally got to The Box today. Go me!

I've also signed up for hockey and soccer this fall. Its been a big week.

Now off to grocery shop for fuel to sustain this wagon ride.

It’s been awhile, sorry guys.

I’ve been busy going to CrossFit lately and have my running motivation is at an all time low. A run here, a run there have happened, mostly around the 5k mark. Possibly more concerning is my low interest in racing. For the first time in a few years, I’ve got no interest in racing. My membership in the Fighting Koalas has lapsed. There are no races on my calendar. I’m not entirely sure what is causing my low motivation with racing and running. There are a million and one things going on this summer but that’s not any different than any other summer… Take last summer for example. @Ed_Markwards and I got married and we pulled that together in 193 days. We raced, worked crazy hours and fit in trips to the cottage. We’re not getting remarried this summer so the list is shorter. Yet, the funk, it is hanging around. My competitive edge is MIA.

So what, right?

No. I need an outlet for my aggression, my competive nature, my stress, otherwise it comes out at work or at home. CrossFit is filling some of those gaps for me but it can’t and shouldn’t fill the entire void. Otherwise I’d make every class a competition and the classes aren’t about that, they are about making myself better and stronger. It’s not about lifting faster or lifting more than the person next to me. Next steps then Hoodie? Well, I think I need to sign up for some races. That should help get me motivated. Next, get running. Get biking. Get swimming. Start small. I don’t need to go out and run 18km this weekend. A couple runs and some swimming in Lake Huron would be just fine!

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Look for a post over at tetzandhoodie.blogspot.ca soon too. I’ve got some proud moments at CrossFit to tell you about.