FITNESS INDEX (please scroll down to read)
- Westwood Lake
- 6K Run/Walk
- Daily Routine
- Welcome Home
- Silent Running
- Raw Energy & Endurance Boosters
- New Year's Day Run
Westwood Lake - June 28, 2015
For outdoor enthusiasts visiting Vancouver Island near Nanaimo, Westwood Lake is the place to go. A 6K trail starts just past the beach, loops around to the end of the lake, where you turn around and follow the same trail back to the beach - taking on average one hour to complete. On the trail I passed lots of serious (and newbie) runners, hikers and walkers of all levels. What a stimulating way to start the day.
After the hike, diving into the water felt sooo refreshing that I could have stayed forever. BUT it was time for some serious swimming. So for the next hour I worked on improving my strokes and increasing my distance doing the crawl. What a morning - this is my kind of heaven!
6K Run/Walk - April 22, 2015
This is me on a 6 km run/walk along the Riverway. Challenging myself a couple of times a week feels good. If I don't test my limits - how will I know what I can do?
Wow, it has been a month since I have been on this trail. Today I ran the first half and walked the return, but I will eventually run the entire 6 km.
After exercise I refuel with a Fig Pudding and then make my morning blender of Green Smoothie.
_________________________
Daily Routine - April 20, 2015
Basic Daily Routine: Yoga / Run or walk in woods / Squats / Upper Body Weights or Bands
When I get out of bed in the morning I begin with Rodney Yee's Yoga for Energy. Although it is a very old video (not a DVD) this is still my preferred way to start the day. It only takes 16 minutes to complete the first two parts of the video, Awakening - sunrise stretches to awaken the body, and Centering - the morning practice of standing poses. This was an easy habit to get into that always leaves my body feeling refreshed and alive.
Then after a glass of warm lemon-cayenne water I am off to the woods for either a walk or a run.
For now I am not using weights and the plan is to build up to doing squats with weights. When I started my form was less than perfect, but the more I do, the lower I get. My butt and thighs complain the next day but that means they are getting a workout!
_________________________
Welcome Home - April 17, 2015
When I get back from travelling there is always one special thing that makes me feel at home . . . a walk or a run in the woods close to where I live.
As soon as I leave the road and enter the woods I am different. It is as if a switch has been flipped on (or maybe off). My thoughts pause, my breathing deepens, and my entire body relaxes - perhaps I am entraining to the pulse of the Earth.
And as nature gently wraps herself around me I find myself totally immersed in the sight, sound, smell, and feel of the forest.
My plan was to run, but after a few minutes I slowed to a walk. Simply wandering through the woods and reconnecting with the vibrations all around me was what I needed.
I'm finding my balance once again walking across fallen trees, climbing down to the creek and back up again, and exploring forgotten trails. My Vivobarefoot Trail Runners connect me to the Earth beneath my feet - they are my all-weather hiking shoes of choice.
Here in the woods I am home . . . feeling nourished, energized, and very alive. My head is clear and my soul is full. What more can I ask?
_________________________
Silent Running - November 13, 2013
My morning run through the woods was like entering a meditative state. Surrounded only by slow even breathing, the quiet thump of my Barefoot shoes hitting the ground, and stillness all around me. As mind and body slowly synchronized into one fluid motion . . . I realized I was smiling! Is this how distance runners feel? Well if it is, I want more of it. After many sporadic attempts to run am I finally beginning to see that running is much more than simple exercise? I hope so.
My morning jaunts involve walking to the woods, running for 20 minutes, and walking home. Maybe not much to a distance runner, but as a newbie runner I am pleased to be able to run for this length of time without stopping. Gradually I know my body will adapt to running farther and for longer periods of time . . . there is no rush. The shoes I wear are Neo by Vivobarefoot. These shoes are perfect for me because I enjoy feeling the curve of the Earth beneath my feet. The absence of arches or heel rise means the muscles in my feet and calves are getting a workout, and my gait is more normal and upright than it was before. My Neo shoes are waterproof and keep me warm on those cool wintery days.
Feeling alive and rejuvenated . . . I'm now refueling with a Green Smoothie and a couple of energy bars!
_________________________
Raw Energy & Endurance Boosters - October 28, 2013
Boost your energy and endurance with these raw natural power resources:
- Beets help blood cells dilate, which increases oxygen delivery to working muscles.
- Apples contain quercetin a potent antioxidant that is found in apples, which can improve exercise endurance.
- Sweet Potatoes have a high carbohydrate content making them a natural energy provider for long lasting workouts. They are also a rich source of vitamin A.
- Quinoa is full of energizing complex carbs and magnesium (a key player in energy metabolism). Try sprouting to maximize their nutritional content.
New Year's Day Run - January 1, 2013
Happy New Year! Started out the 1st day of 2013 with a leisurely run in the woods.
These are my running shoes - barefoot runners Evo II by Vivobarefoot - and the woods right next to where I live!
After the run I simply wandered the trails, stopped to pause in wonder, and lost all sense of time and space. Tuning into the rhythms of Nature was a wonderful way to begin 2013.
"He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe is as good as dead;
his eyes are closed." Albert Einstein
_________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment