Summer, Fall and Well… Almost Winter Update!

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. 

What’s up with Hoodie these days, you wonder? Well, I have continued my love affair with Crossfit. It is an addiction. I really love it but since ME got home from his boys’ trip to Florida + some additional stuff from work and suddenly I’m not working out… Like, at all. My day to day mood is suffering as a result. It’s time to get back on the bandwagon. Crossfit, I love you. Please take me back!
In other news, I’m playing hockey in a real proper league! For reals! I’m a giant timbit on skates but I’m really enjoying it. Can’t wait for Lesballs to get home and come see me play. She’s my hockey mentor :o) Since I suck so bad at basic skating mechanics, I’ve signed up for Adult Learn To Skate with the local figure skating club. It might seem counter intuitive but there isn’t any other really good ways for me to learn basics. Power skate is too advanced for me right now because I can’t actually stop in both directions or do crossovers at speed without really thinking about it. I’d like to do crossovers forwards much more comfortably and get better at skating backwards too. So, I’ll be on the ice at least twice a week starting in January, sometimes three times a week. Can’t wait!
I’ve also come out of retirement and am playing co-ed soccer again. I’m playing with Crossfit Waterloo, a super fit team as you might well imagine. Not a great deal of experience but we have the rare and awesome treat of being semi-coached and really well organized. As a result, we’re playing well together and it’s a blast.
This weekend will be a great motivating force for me as we get together in Sauble with @Keilshammer, @bigbrnz, and @Wardy_. Those cats are busy and crazy and I love them to bits and I can’t wait to hear all about all the awesome stuff they are doing to stay fit and motivated! Also, fist bumps to @Wardy_ as she’s now a full on RMT!! Woohoo! She’s worked hard for her dream and deserves your high fives.
And now, I leave you with this video of me playing hockey:

Happy Anniversary to us

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.

The day after CrossFit

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.

all has been quiet on the running and racing front

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.

I ran!

shut up right!

I did 5.5km Monday night in 29 minutes and change in my fancy new Merrell Barefoot shoes. They are green and blue and unabashedly bright. They make me happy.

My calves felt great after the run, an indication that they are continuing to get stronger, thanks to regularly wearing barefoot shoes at work and at play. That is good. But… then I went to CrossFit last night and they calves, they tightened up after the class. Being curled up in the fetal position on the shower floor for 20minutes might have had something to do with that.

You can read about my most recent CrossFit adventures over here.

Hi Mom!

Another CrossFit workout in and weekend plans

Go over to tetzandhoodie.blogspot.ca to read about my latest CrossFit adventure and Tetz’s thoughts on CrossFit.  Don’t worry, I’ll wait…

Back?

This weekend I’m going to swim. Koach Koala has sent me a friendly reminder to get myself to the pool on Saturday. Should be interesting given how shredded my arms are feeling! I’ll be the one in the slow lane…

Saturday afternoon will be spent celebrating a good friend’s impending motherhood and I can’t wait. She’s super cute and has been blogging about her unique pregnancy over at s-bd.ca.

Roll Up the Rim Update

23 coffees bought and 2 wins. That is 1 in 11.5 odds of winning by my calculations. Scam.

I promise there is a post about my week at fat camp coming but it is a monster and has more content to be added.

Instead, I have posted this picture for those desperate to know my surprise (see the Vegas post). Now place your bets on what limb that's attached to. Weak surprise, I know.