Pointy Shoe Hits Behind
We have a friend, Kristen, who happens to see us about once a week. Given Danika’s voyage through pregnancy this means that every week Kristen gets to see real progress as Danika’s belly develops. And often comments on mine. Yes, sympathy belly has struck and I’m running a little lardy these days.
I’d like to blame it all on pregnancy and helping Danika eat all that chocolate and ice cream. But the summer’s legacy of good meals, vacation, afternoon scones and a re-discovered predilection for beer (as opposed to wine) all take a portion of blame. The shorter bike commute may also have a part to play. So this week I started to step up my activities in the hope that I can shed a few pounds and have myself in sporting trim. Little did I know I was setting myself up for multiple ass-kickings!
On Monday I headed to a “ski conditioning” class at the gym that comes with my work. I never go to the gym, and never really go to class (although I did do Spin Cycling in 2002 before going to Peru) but thoroughly enjoyed myself. Although it was pretty hard. And I reckon it must have been effective, because it was Wednesday before I could stand upright without pain and Friday before I could move freely. Every muscle that ever hurt at the beginning of snowboard season was in full ache, as if I’d just rode Blackcomb on blacks only as a first ride of the year – including wipeouts. I’m planning to go to class tomorrow again, and then I’ll decide how much of a masochist I am.
Today, rather than doing a Fiore run I headed out to Cougar to do a little trail run – it felt like the right Fall thing to do and it had been pretty when Danika and I walked there last weekend. I managed to kick my own ass very severely, gasping for breath and struggling on anything that had an upward incline. It was pretty sad – 15 minutes in I had to have a little ‘rest’ (translation: stop on the trail on my haunches as my heart was exploding and my lungs had shrunk to soggy teabags) only for people on the trail past the bend to think that my wheezing was loud enough to be a bear (they did the whole “clap your hands loudly” thing!). I was mortified. I did persevere and with a few stops ended up running for a little over an hour – with over 30 minutes of stops.
This nicely ties up a week of Activities – I think I may even manage to get in shape if I keep this up – although it’s going to hurt.
Mon (2nd): bike to/from work and go to ski conditioning class
Tue: bike to/from work
Wed: bike to/from work
Thu: bike to/from work
Fri: bike to/from work
Sat: nada
Sun: trail run 6 miles/74 minutes at Cougar
Update: As a coda to the trail run, I’ve since spent most of the day eating like a horse, including scones and a whole bag of kettle chips. At least getting fit isn’t a diet.
