Five for Friday: Vol V

Tags

AUS, Black Friday, cooking, cycling, dalhousie tigers, diet, exercise, family, fitness, hockey, running, training, tug of war, working out

Some things are old. Some things are boring. Now you can have both in the same place. Welcome to Five for Friday.

Item 1. A couple notes about the Athlete Training Centre, where I work out. There is an open house there tomorrow from 1p to 5p and if you live or work on the west side of greater Toronto and have an interest in getting fit, come take a look.

The bad news tomorrow for the regulars is that the morning 9a class is cancelled owing to the elaborate preparations for the open house. And given that I have a peewee hockey game to help coach at 315p and another pair to convene after that, I won’t be taking part in any of the demos. That’s probably good news for the ATC.

Chasing the pack

Tags

competing, cycling, gym, running, training, weight loss, working out

I’m back in the saddle again. Feel free to sing along.

Every weekday morning is an early one for me but my spouse had a conference to attend in Toronto at 8a and asked what time my alarm is set for – “5:25 a.m., but I usually wake up before that.”

And I did. Up and at ‘em at 515a, out the door by 535a. Last week’s time off and “sleeping in” until 730a or 8a now seem like a decade ago.

Truth is that after three days I missed getting up early to work out and I’m glad to be back at the routine. And I like the people so it is fun to see them, too. It is, however, getting a little cooler in the mornings so there may need to be some wardrobe adjustments to compensate. And I want a car with heated seats!

The really good news is I didn’t forget anything today. Progress.

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The Athlete Training Centre, where I work out, is now well into its November challenge. There are, apparently, two competitions. One for total “effort points” and one for body fat reduction in the month.

I have no chance of competing for either crown.

Run, Forrest, Run

Tags

hockey, junior hockey, running, training, working out

One of the most challenging parts of trying to get fit — big emphasis on trying — is the running that is incorporated into our daily training where I work out.

Not only am I not a runner, but my knees are a mess, the legacy of stone-age orthopedic surgical techniques and some seven procedures over the years on both legs combined.

So, when I run it looks a bit like an aged, wounded giraffe hobbling across the Serengeti hoping to avoid dentists from Minnesota and becoming lion food. I’ve always envied those graceful athletes with the effortless loping stride. I was never one of those and it won’t be coming my way at this stage of life.

Add to that the fat I was carting around and running was not a comfortable fitness option.