Want It to be Easy?

I woke up at 2:47am.

That means I had to make pancakes.

It's getting a little tiresome, waking up and being unable to fall back to sleep.

Maybe I need to push it harder?

Oh, I'm thoroughly stuck on the idea that perhaps the only way for exercise to ever become easy is to hit it hard.  Rather than reluctance, maybe I need enthusiasm?

Enthusiasm has made Pilates a joy, I'll admit.

Today, Pilates was first, and then a big hike on Little Granite.

But first, let me take a selfie.

Flat abs.  Brought to you by Pilates.

I was pretty stoked putting on my exercise clothes today; my tightened abs made everything look smaller and sleeker.  Since change had been small, it was great to see progress.

I had lunch with Dr. Keith, who is a physical therapist, and part of my networking group.  When I complained about my sore trapezius, he diagnosised lack of use AND too much iPhone use.

Shut up, Wesley!

Dr. Keith was right, btw.

Pilates was heavy on the legs, and I found session five to be a challenge.

Though she did let me relax at the end.

I finished up there, and headed straight for my hike with Dotty and the dogs.

Jake, Dotty & Sarge.

Little Granite is a misnomer; it's a 6 mile hike that took us four full hours to complete, with multiple elevation changed right up to 7000ft.

Looking south towards Kirkland.

I realize you may think it's all fun, since I post these pictures (I was trying to show off my biceps, obviously) but the truth is closer to this:

My regular trail resting position.

We were 7/8ths to the top, had been hiking uphill three hours, I had done an hour of Pilates and had three hours of sleep.  Plain and simple, I was tired.

But it felt so good.

Downhill at last!

I pressed through the tiredness, the soreness and focused only on the joy that I knew would accompany the hike's views and completion.

Trail's End.  Another fantastic hike!

It seems pushing hard may just be the fastest way to easy afterall.

 

Making it Quick

Some things happen quickly.

Cedar Point's Maverick (of course.)

Other things take a lot of time.

Or just seem to take a long time...

I thoroughly expected to get fit quickly; I never expected to be winded on Thumb Butte ten weeks into the quest.

My heart was pounding, I was swigging water to keep up the pace.  I had run into a time crunch; once again forgetting just how far out my favorite hike was from town.  Determined not to waste a second, I threw myself into it.  So what if it was the steep side?  

Yeah-let that sink in.

So what if it was the steep side?

I willingly went left.

The air monster appeared, I pushed past.  Tomorrow I have a hard hike; today needed to be a good precursor.  I hadn't hiked since Friday, and that was more of a walk.

A gorgeous walk, but a walk.

A new resolve perhaps?  Deciding the fastest way to get to easy was to go through hard?

I'm tired of exercise being hard.  I'm tired of waking up hurting, wishing things were different.  Instead of crying, instead of whining, today I did something different.

I went after it.

In all things, this appears to apply.

Is this the difference between the 20% who love to exercise and the rest of us?  

Is it because they push hard to get to the easy? (I need to spend more time with Miles Vorkosigan apparently, seeing as just this one quote is changing my views.)

Whomever has my copy of Young Miles, please return!!  

This afternoon I completed a tough task out of breath but determined.  While the air monster had burned me before (and showed up just the same) I decided to get what I wanted and needed.  The hike down was a time of introspection; did the end justify the mean?  My hiker's cough started almost immediately, it's actually continued throughout the evening.

Yet I feel different.  Perhaps this is a type of exercise high; normally I feel nothing but drained.

Tonight, I feel alive.

Awareness

 I must start each day with the news.

Granted it's a British tabloid, but I did know about Bruce Jenner in 2014.

I found the British press scoop the American press, on American news, by 2-4 hours.  Matt Drudge introduced me to the Mail, so it can't be all bad, right?

I forget so many don't know who Matt Drudge is.

I assure you, she knows. 

Any how, I have to have my news fix.  After three news sites I switch to blogs, and then scroll through Facebook.  Satisfied I am aware of what's happening in the world politically (and not politically), I can start the day.

Apparently, this is how the 20% feel about exercise.

Me on the Tower tonight.

I've been made aware that those with the addiction must exercise, or they feel irritable-much like I do if I don't have my news fix first thing.

I'm really loving the retro-1930's equipment.

Pilates focuses on six principles:  control, center, flow, breath, precision & concentration.

Just in case you're only looking at the pictures.

When I manage to hit all six in a set, I am amazed at the immediate improvement, and more importantly, the awareness I have of my body and it's muscular system.  Inhaling or exhaling appropriately gives strength when needed, keeping center allows for not only better form but better strengthening.  I do not feel my mind wander at all as I complete these movements, rather I am fixated on the task at hand.

I wonder if this is how the 20% feel all the time they exercise?

The King assures me that he is like that, but it takes discipline.  (Yet I managed it in a week!  Yippee!)

I am loving the results...

Awareness of the six principles has helped me find a place that I can truly clear my head for an hour and focus on exercise that is showing good results.  Just like I have a need to be aware of the news, I'm finding that this new awareness during exercise is very fulfilling.

Seems I've become aware of a lot of things as of late.

Haven't heard from Maverick lately, so I thought I'd check in.

This afternoon I was telling a friend about the fictional character Miles Vorkosigan.  Ever the source of amusement in my literary sphere, I can't help but think of him tonight.

And on that bombshell...

The Return of the Corn Star

Last week, I really struggled with fitness.

I felt like this most of the week.

I had hiked the Canyon for the second time, and did not feel the need to do anything else for the week.

Except hate on chihuahua's.

While Pilates intrigued and saw some fruit, why bother hiking?  Why continue the quest?  My clothes fit, so...

This is the skirt that started it all.  On 2/7, it rippled on the sides.  Not anymore.

It all boiled down to this:  it was my wedding anniversary to the King.

West Fork hike, last Friday.

For some time now, I'd marked our 17th anniversary as a fresh starting point.  1 plus 7 equals 8...and lately 8's had been cropping up with increasing regularity.

The tire from STS-88.  Seriously.

That meant serious fitness, serious work, serious marriage, serious housework, serious mothering.

I don't do serious well.

So last week was my meltdown (not coincidentally, it coincided with PMS) and this weekend was a mini-getaway.

Bacon, brie, arugula & Dalmatia fig sandwich.  Seriously delicious.

It reminded me that the King is my match.

He hasn't left me despite my tiara, or my repeated demands for selfies.

Yes, it's the start of our 18th year.  Next year is our golden anniversary, because it's 18 years on the 18th.  Given my obsession with 8's, this is significant.  What I could not have predicted was my own mid-life crisis, leaving me questioning everything.

So, I need to let go of hating exercise, since I need the stress relief.

I need to let go of my tiara, and take pride in my home and family.

I need to let go of my doubts and insecurity, and work through the unknown in my new career.

It's a big day tomorrow.

Hoping I'm up for it.

Can I be one again?

Things you can’t “unsee”: Pit airing, wardrobe malfunctions, and leaking – all sorts of leaking

Let’s face it, the quest to fitness is not always a pretty path.  Especially if your workouts involve a gym.  Or other people.

In the last year, I’ve seen so much stuff that have puzzled, amazed, and disgusted me – oftentimes all at once.  I’ll just share a couple.

There’s a woman that runs on the treadmill next to me – no matter where I run, she finds me.  Anyway, when in active recovery, she lifts her arm up and pulls her short sleeve down to expose her pit to the fan.  Every.  Single.  Time.  Who knows?  Maybe that’s a legit way to cool yourself off quickly.  But, it’s not ok.

A few weeks ago, I was rowing next to this woman.  And it started to smell.  I paid no attention – because unfortunately, though not pleasant, that is something that appears to be normal at a gym.  Anyway, it was foul; which actually made me row faster so I could kinda fan the smell away (hmmmm).  It was especially ripe when we rotated between rowing and using the medicine ball in front of our rowers.

Thirty minutes of the stench ended with my row neighbor wiping down her seat with a wet wipe (we all do – for the sweat/germs) – but hers was brown.  I sh@t you not.  Ok, so many questions.  Mainly though:  no shame?  No shame?

Though I love my Orange Theory Fitness time, I also like doing my workouts at home.  Where my kids will laugh and make funny of me, but the mocking, smells, and germs are all our own.

You see the quest is filled with all sorts of things that have nothing to do with fitness, but are just as interesting to talk about!  For cleaning eating or coaching, visit me on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/TroyPFoster

Stop clapping, I'm so embarrassed . . .

When Katie asked me to guest blog for her, I never imagined the outpouring of interest and excitement. It was overwhelming.  Still is.

Ok, so seriously - no support.  No excitement.  No one even knows who I am.  Which is just fine.

But I do have a fitness story to tell and I hope you'll buckle up for part 1!

I've always been the fat kid.  I'm about to turn 45 (Cinco de Mayo - keep me away from the margs and chips), and had been that kid for over 40 years.

One day, I looked down and saw how big my ass was (Spaceballs reference) and knew that I had to do something.

Seriously.  No seriously.  I have four kids.  Two of them are biological, one we adopted from China, and my youngest we adopted from Ethiopia.  My biological sons have a rare, life threatening and degenerative disease.  When my BMI was ski high - like my blood pressure, and I was pre diabetic - one day I realized that I was eating myself to death.  And I had to stop!

So about a year ago, I joined a gym (again) and made the commitment to eat healthier (418th anniversary of that commitment).  But this time, it was different.  Very different.  A lot of that was me, but one key element that was added was coaching and accountability.  Through FaceBook (I know, right), I joined a challenge group.  It was a private group and had 8 folks and a coach.  The coach posted challenges, recipes, and made us (well not gun to the head made us, but you know) check in and post our successes and failures.

That first 30 days was the best turning point in my health.  And now I'm proud to say that I lead those groups as a coach (fitness and life).  At least once a week, someone tells me the story that I just told you - that the group has changed their life or gotten them back on track.  That, my friends, is awesome!

Though part 1 is coming to an end, I must tell you that part 2 (tomorrow) involves bodily fluids, the gym, and the most awkward interactions with strangers.  All on our quest for fitness.  It'll be a fun one!

Thanks for having me and please visit me on FaceBook.  I need more friends.  :)  https://www.facebook.com/fosteringfitnesswithTroy.

Now stop clapping.  It's getting ridiculous.

The Day I Wanted to Quit

Today was the day.

After a hard day yesterday, and waking up in pain due to the mystery shoulder injury, I was done.

I was done...but I wasn't.  I wanted to quit, I wanted to be done.

But that's not what I'm supposed to do.

Today, after a bad start and many tears, I brushed myself off and squared my shoulders.  I went to my networking meeting, and felt better afterwards.  I filled my calendar for the following week. I left, and then I discover this:

Lynne's article was in Drudge.

This is HUGE to a small news source; it's IMPOSSIBLE to feel bad with such fantastic news.  Shortly thereafter, I received another call, from one of my clients.  A television producer had read their articles in Prescott eNews, and wanted to do a television show about them.

Of course, they may have to close unless they figure out stage one fire restrictions...

I could not help but feel better about my job (I wasn't planning on quitting that, but the boost there did help me refocus my exercise energy) and I rethought the Fitness Quest.  I need more than one week at a facility; my CrossFit Prescott experience was the best thus far due to the fact I did two weeks.  I decided to discuss it with Lucille during Pilates.

Pilates.  This wonderful, intriguing new-to-me exercise.

Much more complex than it appears!

Just when I can't do one more, we switch.

Lucille readily agreed, and some stress was removed by knowing I had the time to truly explore "getting cooked."

Then more good news; Ered has a lilac bush.

My favorite flower.

He filled my arms with the scented blooms, and my soul was restored as I buried my face in their scent.

Then I picked up my painting, and hung it  in the place I picked out weeks ago.

Ian's painting of Prescott.  Love it!

The King of the Central Highlands arrived, and surprised me with a sweet change of plans.  It's our 17th wedding anniversary this weekend, and he's taking me away.

Exercise will be a part of my life, hopefully for the rest of my life.  This morning (and yesterday) were just moments.  Hard moments, but just moments.  My quest continues, and it's going to be ok.

THIS WEEKEND we have a GUEST BLOGGER!!  Troy is on his own Fitness Quest, which he will be sharing with you over the next few days.  The funny thing is we've met only once, when he was 16 and I was 15, out at Lori Lane (do you remember this, Troy?  It's in my journal from that trip!) We were introduced by my BFF Rochelle, who delighted in both of our quests, and thought we could encourage one another.  THANK YOU, Troy, for taking it on!

Happy 17th Anniversary, King of Athletics!