werewolf transformations

A few years ago, during a werewolf/vampire movie watching phase, I wondered what a transformed werewolf felt during the process. Most people I asked thought it would hurt, but for some reason I always figured it would feel good, the way I think a butterfly emerging from its cocoon would feel good.

I've been happily noticing changes in myself since we've started going to the gym regularly. I feel stronger, long difficult days don't feel as long and difficult, and surprise myself by being willing to take on more and more challenges (I can now run 1.5 miles in 21 minutes, woo!)

Now, as we sit here watching From Hell I'm stretching and being vain and checking out my muscles. I'm realizing just how much my body is reshaping itself under my skin and remaining pudge, and I'm feeling a little werewolfish. I now think I have a better idea of how the transformation feels, just over a much longer time frame. It's been painful, a fair bit of reluctant, difficult work, but it feels glorious. :)

running--not just for crazy people anymore!

or maybe I've gone crazy :) Byron and I have signed up to do the Warrior Dash in September, and it occurred to me that in our gym-going efforts it would be good for me to try running. The event is 3.23 miles long, with some rather challenging obstacles along the way. I think the obstacles look like fun, but the 3.23 miles -- eehh. I've never really run much, it just never really seemed very appealing.

I move slowly, and in fact I like moving slowly. I see way more interesting stuff if I'm moseying down the street...little cats hiding behind cars that will come to me if I make noises at them, bugs trundling along the sidewalk, birds singing in the trees. Unfortunately, if I mosey during the race I'll likely end up with a finish time of several hours; generally, during the course of several hours I need to use the toilet at least once, and spending several hours in soggy, muddy clothes and having to pee probably is *not* one of the keys to an optimally enjoyable Warrior Dash. So then..

After our workout we usually do 30 minutes of cardio. Lately Byron's been trying to teach me to play squash (lesson two this past Sunday: still trying to hit the ball) in lieu of the cross trainer. Tonight I decided to run til I couldn't anymore. With Patrick Swayze singing "she's like the wind" in my mind, I triumphantly managed 13 minutes on the treadmill. To be fair, it wasn't really running. I did intervals, one minute at 3 miles/hr, one minute at 4 miles/hr, so it was more like 'hurrying' interspersed with episodes of 'scooting'. I also managed about 30 seconds at 6 miles/hr at the end, which is really what made that the end. Hey, when you've got a 24 inch inseam, 6 miles is a lot of ground to cover in an hour :P

I'm hoping that with each attempt I can improve something; maybe speed up the hurrying intervals, or make the scooting intervals longer, or the overall time longer...the potential for improvement is vast!

Warrior dash

warrior dash--an obstacle course run (and crawled through and slid down and climbed) in costume!

I think this sounds like a fun and challenging time, and there is discussion in the monkeyhouse of taking a long weekend in September to participate in the northeast dash. anyone else out there interested?

gymwardbound (the work out til you grunt program)

I've had a membership at the YMCA for almost fourteen years. I love it, they make active living accessible to a huge number of people and kids. Unfortunately, I hardly ever go.

This winter, probably while we were in for an evening of quiet tube-watching, Byron suggested that since we've both been a little (or more) slack about going to our prospective gyms we should go to a gym together. We got him a month's trial membership at the Y, and have been making it a priority to actually get there on a semi regular basis.

I used to dread doing weights, mostly preferring to slack off and do cardio (and then saying to myself "at least I did some cardio...'') but in a few short weeks of doing set after set of weights, I'm already coming to admire the results. Y'see, Byron's introduced a whole work-til-you-grunt attitude to my gym experience, something I've seen but never really understood. I was more of a work-til-you-break-a-sweat type of girl.

Byron's method is more challenging, but has proven to be more rewarding as well. It's January, but my arms are looking as beefy as they do during the peak of kayaking season, and while preparing for a bath tonight I made the first conscious sighting of my latissimus dorsi!

I usually spend a day or two a week being sore, but I've also discovered the utter relaxation and rejuvination that epsom salt baths can offer.

Last night we made our first trip back to the Y as full members. We lifted weights and then tried out the bosu ball and Gravitron 2000 (I will master both, eventually. Right now I'd settle for mastering one). We worked hard, then ate sensibly and slept like babies. So simple! I like it.

Looking forward to the new gym challenges, and to being pleased to know that they won't kill me, they'll just hurt me a bit til I can master them :) I think I see the 1-minute plank looming on the horizon!

my trip to non-church

I have an unexpected day off today, and was excited at the chance to get some errands done. This time of year is when my tendency to procrastinate really catches up to me.

I enjoy the idea of Christmas, but find it difficult to really get into the Christmas spirit. Mostly I dread going to the malls.

I've gotten a fair bit of stuff done, especially considering it's still a week til Christmas. Some surprisingly pleasant exchanges with shop staff have made the potentially arduous task of Christmas shopping a lot more enjoyable, but I'm still finding myself a bit weary of the ambient hustle-and-bustle.

After a triumphant morning of getting stuff done, I found myself outside the Eaton Centre, in the laneway near Holy Trinity Church. On a whim, I wandered in, and found the atmosphere so peaceful and inviting that after wandering around the main hall for a bit I ventured in, found an armchair, and sat quietly for an hour, finishing my latest knitting project.

I enjoyed the sun through the stained-glass windows, and the hardwood floor that creaked as the little church secretary scurried around on god's business. I contemplated the scattering of homeless folks seated in the pews, each with his free cup of coffee. I enjoyed the relative silence; I could hear the lunch-hour pedestrians outside the open church door, and one of the old gents in the church was a shaggy looking mutterer, but even he had the reverence to mutter quietly.

I wonder what people think when they're in church? I like churches. I like the potential that churches have in uniting communities, and the voice that a strong, united community can have in our culture. I like the quietness and the atmosphere, and the way you feel like you should speak in a hushed voice; I also like the knowledge that thousands and thousands of other people throughout the years have enjoyed the same space and architecture that I'm currently enjoying. I just don't agree with the things churches like to tell people. We build beautiful spaces like churches that are really for the community at whole, but because of what they preach on Sundays I've always found myself steering clear of them.

On my way out, the little old secretary told me to come for the services, but I'd rather not. I do, however, like going to non-church, where you come as you are, believe whatever you want without being wrong, and can be a good person just because it feels nice. I think I'll do it again soon.

night of the ladybugs

It's been a lovely couple of days here. After some pretty chilly nights and a secret fear that winter was upon us, I've been glad to enjoa some sunny, mild autumn evenings. Yesterday I spent the dwindling daylight hours weeding and tonight I spent the evening composting. The warm weather has brought out the ladybugs, who always make me smile, even if they are invasive orange asian biting ladybugs.

Another thing to make me smile was being asked to talk to some funding reps while I was shovelling compost at Foodshare. I got a chance to enthuse at them about the work I was doing, and I think I made a good impression.

Also at Foodshare tonight, my compost mentor Mike mentioned tonight that a local school had asked him to recommend a reliable compost volunteer for their onsite composting program, and he gave them my name. The school is in my neighborhood, and apparently has a pretty good rooftop garden. I'm looking forward to more details.

stability ball funtime

It feels like the end of summer, and it's been a busy one. As with every summer, there were plenty of good excuses to slack off from going to the gym, or indulge in some rich, tasty vittles. While I appreciate the good company I enjoyed during those fine indulgences, it's now time to start paying for them.

I went to a stability ball class this week at the Y, and to my utter delight we had our class in the beautiful open air studio on the newly-built YMCA green rooftop. The class is mellowly exhilirating; it's diffuclt work and I'm definitely achy from it, but in a good way.

I've dusted off and inflated my stability ball here at home, and have been challenging myself with it. A small tumble involving a 4-point balance and talking on the phone has not deterred me...let's see if I can keep this up long enough to be good at it ;0