Things continue to get better. I’m more conscious about trying to get stronger now. Fitocracy helps. The people are awesome and they keep me motivated.

I have a new fitness goal to I’m striving towards: I’m going to compete in next year’s track season in the 100m. and run 12sec (or less). This will be brutal but oh so fantastic =) 7 months ago

Originally, this was to get fit and healthy. It is now 2012 – more than six years since I made this initial goal. I have progressively increased my level of physical activity and have embraced the outdoors more than ever. I’d like to think that I am in fairly good shape and that I generally make good choices with my diet.
I suppose the toughest thing is to stay motivated to do so and to be consistent with my workout and dietary goals. And thus, this is one thing to edit/stay focused on for my 43 things. 8 months ago

I gave up on updating this =P

Well, I still walk a ton. Plus, even when I don’t do extra, my job is manual labour and I’m constantly on my feet. This past week I’ve been getting hours of walking in.

Today I walked 5 hours around my city talking picture…another post on that later under a different goal =)

I joined fitocracy.com today after reading Christine’s post about it. Meh, we’ll see. I’m competitive so…it just might be what motivates me. I’m ‘Little_Miss24’ if anyone cares to find me there. Come be active with me! ^{John_Swale I’m look at you ^.~}9 months ago

So, I ran 10K at an event downtown with my momma today. Just like I said I would. Did it in 1 hour. Pretty good for a person who hasn’t really ran in the past 5 years =P

Surprisingly, my body was fine. Even now, hours later, it’s fine. Tired, but all good. Just wait until tomorrow! However, even more surprising is that my lungs were fine too. There were 3 or 4 times I wasn’t sure, once I really thought I was going to stop breathing. But I just…kept breathing ^{smartass, I know} and all was fine.

You know what did get me though? My brain. I made it through 8K (barely) mentally. After that it turned into “screw it, I’m bored, I’m walking”. >.< Honestly, I’m surprised I even made it to 8K with only a mild need to mentally push forward.

Part of it, funnily enough, had to do with a bumper sticker I saw 2 days or so ago. It simply read “Remember why you started.” I repeated that a couple times on this run…it’s a pretty damn good thing to keep in mind =) 12 months ago

Day 7-10: walked for 3.5 hours each day, broken into 4 brisk walks…
Day 11-12: I don’t know what happened…nothing apparently…
Day 13-19: walked for 3.5 hours each day
Day 20: Nada; I’m trying to fight off a cold. My day-to-day stuff was physically tiring enough for me!
Today’s Day 21…probably won’t do anything today either for the same reason. =)

So it’s going ‘meh’ at the moment =) 13 months ago

Day 3: Rest day
Day 4: Want to hear my excuses? Sure you do =P
1* It is literally freezing outside. It snowed yesterday, wtf?
*2 I woke up to that time of month
3 I had a migraine for 3 hours that afternoon and wanted to smack someone by the end of it
^{3 strikes you’re out?}
Day 5: random cardio day – I decided to work out instead for 30 min.
Day 6: 1.5 hour walk (it’s still freezing!) 14 months ago

I ran again today. Yesterday I was outside late at night and it was freezing. I don’t mind except as a severe asthmatic this makes it exceptionally hard to breathe. I was curious as to the full effect of temp. that I ran indoor today.

I also decided to jog (as oppose to run or sprint) the entire thing at a [boring ass] pace. Mostly because yellowgirl and john_swale said so and deep down I know they’re right.

I ran 5k in 22min today. 13 min. faster than yesterday. I’m convinced this is a fluke. I mean, I know the cold effects me but I’m convinced the timer was off =P

I mostly think this because yesterday I ran in 35min. and my lungs felt like they had been set of fire. Today I ran in 22min. and I was able to have a [very very very slightly out of breath] conversation with my dad immediately after. I know my lungs are finicky but…come on!

Tomorrow is rest day, but I’ll be back outside running on Tuesday. Maybe things will even out more then. =) 14 months ago

With much thanks to yellowgirl for getting my motivation in check, I went running tonight. I ran 5km. Sort of. I walked half of it =P It took my 35 min. It’s the first time I’ve run (running after buses excluded) in months.

What didn’t surprise me: my muscles did not get sore, although I did tire…my lungs were the first thing to give out (still a little hurt now)...my endurance is crap.

What did surprise me: Just how much my endurance sucks…I mean, I’ve never been good at long distance or pacing (I’m a sprinter!) but being out of shape really hit me tonight. At least in comparison to myself…this is definitely the most unfit I’ve been in in my life.

What now? I run tomorrow and beat who I am today =) 14 months ago

right? I am a runner. Yes I am. I haven’t competed in 4.5 years (not that I’m counting…), but I am a runner. It’s an integral part of who I am.

Now that I’ve got that squared away in my head. The next step is to become a better runner =P so I’ve done 2 things to get/keep me going.

1) I told my mom I would. Childish maybe, but who can lie to their mom? (Okay, don’t answer that) My mom started running again and wants me to compete in a 10K with her. I said yes. I’m doing it either way so I might as well be capable of doing a good job.

2) I made it so my grades now depend on it. Yep, you read that right. I’m in a behaviour modification course and I need to write an end paper of how I’ve modified my own behaviour. I chose my running as the thing I want to change (specifically frequency, intervals, etc.) I have to write a 10 page report on it as well as all the methods I applied to do it.

Once I gave it a bit of thought the choice was simple. I needed a reinforcer and asked myself “what do I care about getting right now?” I’m not really materialistic and I don’t have time to allot to much else. So I thought “HEY! My grades! I get up early and work late every day for my grades, I can certainly run if my grades are at stake!” It was a brilliant moment if I do say so myself =P 15 months ago

Today I had a friend point out to me that a month membership at the Y was $21…and it included everything. All pools, equiptment, gyms, drop-ins, lessons, trainers…plus other things that don’t apply to me like provided day care while you work out. It was pretty cool. I’m thinking about it for one month this summer to go with her. Once school is back my fees cover the gym and rec. things/places at the school. Very cool discovery though. 23 months ago

I’m not really sure if this entry fits under this goal at all but…I had no where else to put it. I went to pick my brother up at his girlfriend’s two nights ago and her younger sister (about 8) answered the door. She’s seen me a few times picking my brother up. She went to go get my brother and I could hear her say “Austin, your parent’s here!” Ahahaha…..I had never felt so old. When you consider that I’m only 2 1/2 years older than my brother, it makes it even funnier.

That’s certainly not a one time occurrence (although it is the worst). I get ID’d when I pay student fares no matter where I go. The first time I got ID was when I was 14. The fare was for 19 and under. That cracked me up. When I go out with my mom people ask if we’re sisters. We look alike but she has much darker skin than me. I go out with my grandma and they assume I’m her daughter. Only when I have gone out with my great grandmother has anyone asked if I was a grandchild. I get offered more alcohol at every restaurant than I can keep track of. Although I have seen my mom ID’d at the liquor store (ha!).

My mom says it’s the way I dress and talk. I don’t dress my age and I’ve never been able to relate to people my own age. I suppose that’s noticeable in company I attract. The medium age of people I spend time with is about 10 years older than I. When I go out I often feel the need to make myself dress younger, simply because….well, I stopped attracting boys to me when I was about 13. I started attracting men. And it’s not great, really. I know how to take it in stride now but when I was 14 I didn’t enjoy guys in their 20’s trying to pick me up. (To their credit I will add it’s not as creepy as it sounds, they honestly believed I was older. I began just smiling pleasantly and saying “Jailbait” whenever anyone tried. Then they get awkward and leave as quick as possible). I had one guy ask what courses I was taking (as he had just offered that he was studying at the university). I had to tell him I was in English 8. Most priceless face ever. The bus driver started chuckling…

All that being said, I don’t think I look older than I am. I’m short and petite and think I dress like someone my age. In fact, many days I like dressing like I’m 12 (I love a pair of funky tights). It’s not like I’m particularly curvy and, to be blunt, I’ve got a pretty small rack. I have no grey hairs, wrinkles, bag’s under my eyes, stretch marks. I just don’t see it. Perhaps I’m blind to this because it’s my own body and I know my age. Yet it still makes me wonder why everyone seems sure that I’m older.

This is just a rant to myself I suppose. While it does make me wonder, I’m not actually bothered by it. And it does bring out some humourous moments, albeit awkward at times. Maybe one of these days I get old enough to look my age =P 2 years ago