fitness

Where it all began….

Sam B

Nat reminded me today that her Facebook memories included the note that was the seed from which the blog grew. In May 2012 I wrote about turning fifty and wanting to make fitness a priority. I shared it with friends and asked for feedback.

That’s when Tracy chimed “me too, me too” and suggested we start a blog about it.

Here’s the note:

Fifty is for fitness

May 23, 2012 at 12:40am

As I approach the two year countdown to 50 (I turn 48 at the end of this summer) I’d like to set an ambitious fitness goal. Roughly, I’d like to be the most fit I’ve ever been at 50. Fifty seems like a good time to peak and it’s doable given that I’m an adult onset athlete (no childhood sports trophies collecting dust in the cabinets for me!) There is a bit of a challenge given that I had a similar goal at 40 and I was 10 years younger then. But then I was starting from close to zero and my goal was to get in shape. Now I’ve got a pretty good basis on which to build. The big problem is how to measure. Not weight. That’s silly. I was my thinnest when I smoked and drank a lot of coffee and didn’t eat much actual food. Looked  great but was winded walking up stairs. Those days are gone. I’m strong, fit, robust, resilient but ‘thin’ I’ll never be.

Body composition? Not weight but per cent body fat….maybe. Hard to care about that though and not focus on numbers on a scale, even if they are different numbers.

Running? Maybe. I know my PBs for 5 and 10 km. But I’m also anxious not to invoke another stress fracture. Certainly more than 10km just isn’t doable.

Strength? I do know what I’ve been lifting through the years so maybe. Might work. I’m loving the intensity of crossfit and they are good at measuring progress….

Cycling? Hmmm. Flying laps or centuries? Time trial times are a pretty good measure of fitness.

Aikido: I could aim for a brown belt by 50 but that might be too ambitious.

Yoga: No goals there. I just like to melt and stretch in the heat.

Soccer: My only goal is to have fun….

Suggestions, fitness friends?

Think I was forty that year--Waterloo duathlon

Think I was forty that year–Waterloo duathlon

Skiing with Mallory

Skiing with Mallory

Wow--Miles has changed since then.

Wow–my son has changed since then.

Love Aikido

Love Aikido

Beach me!

Beach me!

Team tri with Susan (run) and Mallory (swim)

Kincardine Team tri with Susan (run) and Mallory (swim)

Published by Sam B

Philosopher, feminist, parent, and cyclist! Co-founder of Fit Is a Feminist Issue, co-author of Fit at Mid-Life: A Feminist Fitness Journey, published by Greystone Books.

One thought on “Where it all began….”

  1. I love this! Thanks for sharing the pics, the thoughts, the passage of time. I turned 55 this year, and life is different for me than it was 5 years ago– physically, emotionally, logistically, athletically. Some changes I really like (coming back to yoga is a constant joy) and some changes I’m unhappy with and trying to address (after 2 years of recovering from breakup, I’m having to start over again in cycling). But partly/substantially because of the blog, I feel more connected than ever to my body, my athletic feminist community and deep wells of support and affirmation. Yay blog! Yay you! Yay me! Yay feminism! Yay fitness!

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