According to Wikipedia, The Fancy Women Bike Ride is an event started in 2013 by history teacher Sema Gür in Izmir, Turkey. The event draws attention to the themes of freedom and women.
This year, it was held in some 200 cities in at least 25 countries. In 2022, Sema Gür and co-organizer Pınar Pinzuti were awarded with UN World Bicycle Day Award. World Bicycle Day recognizes “the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle as…a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport”.
I joined the ride in Ottawa on Sunday September 18, along with about 20 women, men, and girls.
The FIFI bloggers had debated a bit about who was being left out by calling it the Fancy Women’s Bike Ride, but I found that it was inclusive and focused specifically on safe infrastructure for all riders.
Some of us had dressed up, while others preferred sensible GoreTex. we all decorated our bikes with flowers before starting, which was rather fun.
A group of cyclists lined up in the rain, with the Ottawa River in the background.Cyclists of all ages in brightly coloured gear.
Cycling infrastructure matters a lot to me. I have ridden my bike to work for many years, most of them on streets that were rather terrifying. Modest changes over the last few years have made my commutes feel much safer, but I am still learning where I can avoid most of the worst traffic. I have been known to rant that “paint is not infrastructure!”
Will I go again? Almost certainly. I had fun connecting with other cyclists, and exchanging notes on best gear for different weathers. I am very happy to support better cycling infrastructure too – it makes the streets and sidewalks safer and more accessible for everyone, not just cyclists.
Diane Harper lives in Ottawa. She commutes to work by bicycle, mostly for environmental reasons.
Fall is here- well, almost. According to the online Farmer’s Almanac, the astronomical start of fall is Thursday Sept 22, 9:04pm, EDT. But it’s never too early to start planning your fall novelty races. Costume races can be fun– I did a short for-fun cyclocross race in 2016, dressed as a banana.
But that’s child’s play compared to the level of commitment and willingness to exhibit publicly that these folks have. Consider the annual pumpkin regatta, held in Windsor N.S., moved to Shelbourne N.S. this year (because of low water levels in Windsor). Here are some details:
Kean said the race will take place [on Oct. 8] in Shelburne’s harbour, between the waterfront and Islands Provincial Park. “We’re pretty confident we can make it work. I mean, Shelburne has a world-class harbour so we want to make use of that,” she said.
Danny Dill, the owner of the Dill Family Farm in Windsor, will supply five oversized pumpkins for the race. His family has been providing the giant gourds since the regatta’s inception in 1999. Dill said he feels good about Shelburne taking on the regatta. “It’s like we’ve passed the torch, so to speak,” he said.
Maura Macumber, paddling her craft at the 2019 Windsor Pumpkin Regatta.
Racing in costume might seem much easier than racing in an enormous pumpkin. Well, consider this recent T. Rex event at a horse racing track.
T. Rex competitors cross the finish line by any means necessary.
If you’re feeling down about having missed your chance to channel your inner theropod in sneakers, there’s still time. If you’re in the Richmond, VA area, you can register for this T. Rex race.
Then there’s running a marathon in a human-sized beer can. Ultramarathoner Glen Sutton decided to make a beer can suit to wear while running a marathon. The rest is youtube history:
Two marathon runners flanking a human-sized beer can, also running. Don’t blame me, I just work here.
Speaking from experience, it’s so much fun to let go of everything but a commitment to fun and a modicum of large/small motor skills, and just get out there, laughing and moving in equal measure. Readers, do you have plans for any costume races or active events this fall? We’d love to hear all about them.
I love this dancing video, have watched it a few times, and it provided moments of cheer. I won’t belabor the point but physio is boring and painful. That’s not exactly news. But wow, I’m doing a lot of it and I’m needing to remind myself why.
Why did I have knee replacement surgery anyway? Okay, there’s the mundane everyday stuff. Like, it’s nice to be able to come in the grocery store to get groceries rather than waiting in the car.
Yes, it had come to that.
I also want to take Cheddar for longer walks and walk between meetings on campus. I look forward to sleeping through the night without knee pain.
All true but there’s also fun stuff I’m looking forward to. Everyone asks about running but the thing is I’m never going to run again. Yes, some people do run after knee replacement. Some people even race. But me, I’ll be sticking to low impact activities like walking, hiking, and biking.
I may return to martial arts though my inability to kneel might ruin that.
One fun thing I’m definitely looking forward to is dancing. I’ve written before about dancing. See here. I promise I won’t worry about bad dancing. I’m going to embrace my inner Muppet. See you on the dance floor!
I don’t know if the recent tension in my upper back is from inadequate stretching after my TKD classes, from lifting heavy things as I declutter my basement, or from not paying enough attention to my posture but I do know that I am not enjoying it.
I have done some extra stretching. I have spent a fair bit of time lying on a lacrosse ball. I have draped myself over my foam roller.
Nothing has really helped so far.
Apparently, I needed a slice of pizza to do this correctly. I’ll keep that in mind for next time. Image description: a GIF of a person lying on their back on a bumpy orange foam roller. They are holding a piece of pizza to their mouth and the point of the slice is between their teeth. They are leaning back over the roller so their head gets closer to the floor and then they are lifting their head and shoulders further away from the floor, holding the pizza in their mouth the whole time. White letters in the bottom right show a url – rollga.com and at the top of the image is a hashtag in white letters reading #pizzaroll
Then, this morning, I received a newsletter from Yoga with Joelle announcing her latest video – Yoga for Rhomboid and Upper Back and I realized two things:
1) I’ve stretched but I haven’t done any yoga specifically for my upper back.
2) I had forgotten that those muscles were called the rhomboids.
(Rhomboid is a very fun word, go on and say it a few times in a row.)
My storytelling self knows that knowing something’s true name gives you power over it.
I’m going to do this video a few days in a row and see if name magic holds true for muscles. 😉
A YouTube video from Yoga with Joelle. In the still image she is wearing a grey tank top and burgundy leggings and is doing a seated twisting pose with her right hand behind her, her right leg folded over her extended left leg, and her left elbow resting against her upraised right knee.
PS – After writing this, I remembered that I was working on a similar issue last year. I started out with a plan to give my shoulders some attention and then realized that part of the problem was my chair and my monitor. I guess I need to make upper back attention part of my regular routine.
All is going well so far except for the exceptions. They were bras, a dress to wear to a friend’s wedding, and running shoes.
The bras were bought in July. I now have non under wire options for work. The dress I bought in August. (I bought one with a slit up the left side so I could ice my knee during the event, cute and practical.)
Now I’m looking for running shoes. My exception was new shoes after knee replacement because when I started the year of no shopping I had no idea when that would be.
I say running shoes but there’s no actual running in my life these days. Lots of walking with crutches and likely I’ll still have crutches when I’m back at work.
I laughed because a few manufacturers of running shoes have a new name for shoes that aren’t actually for running. They’re “recovery shoes.” On your non running days, you’re recovering.
Here’s what’s being replaced:
Sam’s orange shoes
And to be clear I bought the orange running shoes back when I was actually running. That’s seven years ago. Yikes.
What am I looking for?
They need to be comfortable and sturdy and good for walking with crutches. No flip flopping around, reasonable foot support.
They need to be suitable for work, but that does not preclude sporty-looking. Paired with crutches I think people will understand.
Some of the time I can wear my short leather boots that also fit my orthotics so they won’t be the only shoes that I wear.
Reasonably easy on and off. While I was thinking slip-ons, they could have laces if they don’t make a whole production getting them on and off.
I’m Googling “best shoes to wear after total knee replacement” and they’re pretty much all running/athletic shoes.
Here’s one person’s explanation, “Now that my knee requires more support, I find that using a walking or running shoe gives me a little extra padding to take the pressure off my joint. Think of your shoe as the shock absorbers on your car. Remember, you can also add shoe inserts that help even more with cushion. Also read my article about the best shoe inserts after TKR. It’s not fun riding in a car with bad shock absorbers because it makes for a rough ride. Our bodies are the same way. However, because it’s so subtle we may not realize the extra “shock absorbing” we get from our shoes. Even if I’m not a runner, I usually gravitate toward running shoes for comfort and daily use. Why, you ask? Because running shoes are made to reduce the repetitive impact caused by running and they are made with more cushion technology in the heel (air, gel etc.). They also have good arch support to enhance the position on the foot.”
Also remember I have two knees, both of which were in need of replacement so my right knee will still require lots of extra attention until its also been replaced.
So far people have suggested All Birds
All Bird slip ons
Also Hokas
HokaNo Bulls
My son thinks Ons might be good shoes for me.
On, Cloud go
Sarah suggests these New Balance shoes.
Black new balance shoes with rainbow sole
I also like the sound of the Canadian brand Vessi
Vessi slip on
And finally, there’s Danskos. I wear their clogs a lot but haven’t tried their walking shoes.
Danskos
Probably I need to go out shoe shopping and try things on. But the whole idea is off putting. I’m still very tired. If I only have so much energy during the day I don’t want to use it shopping.
I’m tempted to order my favorite 3 and return 2.
All of the above are available in bright colours as well as black. I haven’t decided which way to go yet. They are also all in the $100-200 price range as are the pair they’re replacing.
Even though I’m making progress, it’s still a slog. The big issues are physio–so much physio!–and also pain management. It feels like alternating between physio and icing and elevation is still pretty much a full-time job.
The hardest and most important exercises are focused on range of motion, making sure my knee can bend and straighten. But I’m also doing some balance work, standing one legged with the operated leg doing the work. The other focus is strength, lots of sit to stands, and leg raises.
I’m excited to say that I’m making progress. This isn’t a particularly flattering photo but it does demonstrate that I’m getting better at bending my knee. A lot of physio went into getting there!
Sam with crutches getting into the car
Also othe bright side I’m off the serious pain medication.
I feel more like myself
I can read again. Phew.
After four weeks, I can drive again. It’ll feel better not needing Sarah or my mum to take me to physio.
I’m getting around pretty well on crutches and in the house, within a room, I don’t really need them. I’m still struggling with carrying stuff. I need a coffee and book carrying robot to follow me around the house. I can do basic household chores like dealing with the dishwasher and cooking and sorting clothes but I can’t do things that require carrying stuff, like setting the table.
I also had the surgical staples removed and check in with the surgeon in London
No more staples
I think it looks pretty good. I’m impressed with their needlework/stapler skills. What I can’t do, until that heals completely, is immerse myself in water. I can shower, yes, but no swimming pools, hot tubs, or baths just yet.
I can now look forward to short outings.
This past weekend we had breakfast with a friend.
Sarah and I made also it to the farm. For me there’s no swimming, no hot tubbing, no bike riding. There’s still lots of physio and icing but with different scenery. It’s lovely.
Hoping to go out to the movies next week.
I’m also looking forward to getting back to work. Medical leave for knee replacement is 6-12 weeks and I’m hoping for the short end of that range.
Have you had a surgery with a long recovery period like this? Any advice you have to offer?
A friend posted recently that he’s struggling with the feeling of fall in the air. Cooler days and less sunlight have him thinking of fleeing for parts south starting in October, returning in April. He asked for advice. What do his friends do to make winter less terrible, more bearable?
I’ve been writing about September sadness for awhile now. And I’ve also written about some of the solutions I’ve found. See here and here.
For me, as it starts to feel more like fall out there, I’ve been having those thoughts too. Thursday’s forecast is for a high of 15 and an overnight low of 4. That’s the official first day of fall so it seems appropriate.
Here’s four things I’ve been thinking about.
First, I try not to avoid anticipatory upset. This is the sunny part of fall. There’s still lots of time for getting outside. It’s beautiful colours and not yet really short days. There’s a lot to appreciate about early pre-November fall and I’m trying to be here for it.
Second, I’m leaning into the fall sadness a bit. It’s not a horrible emotion. Maybe it’s okay to make room for a season that’s a little bit sad. If summer is all bright light and sunshine and laughter, maybe it’s okay that fall feels different.
Third, and while it seems obvious, can sometimes feel challenging, get outside. Enjoy the daylight we do have. I’m hoping my new knee and I can go for lunch hour walks. It’s okay to work in the evening and enjoy the outdoors while there’s light.
Fourth, I’m also looking for things to do that aren’t options in the busy summer. That might be language learning, reading fiction, meditation, cooking, and writing.
Who remembers streaking? Not the hair-kind, but the running around naked kind. It was a thing in the mid-late 70s on college campuses that appeared, had its moment, and faded out. Before Weird Al Yankovic was old enough to drive, singer-songwriter Ray Stevens was on the case, releasing the novelty song “The Streak” in 1974. It was a huge hit, and then disappeared (as these novelty songs are wont to do).
It happened again a week and a half ago: I missed a day. I’ve finally gotten used to this– it’s not cause for feeling like a failure. Starting again is another (and very important) step in developing stable habits over time. Starting over. Picking up where I left off.
Looking at the Ten Percent Happier app on my phone, it faithfully notes and keeps track of every session. I really like how it shows my sessions over time. It sees all and tells all. Here it shows where I missed a recent session.
The last 4 weeks of meditation sessions, with one sad gray circle where I missed a day. The checked circle is today when I’m writing this.
But that gray circle is only one element of a larger picture. When we pan out and look at my sessions over time– also faithfully recorded by the app– we see two patterns emerging. Here’s pattern one, showing my streaks of consecutive sessions.
A record of my 3, 5, 10, and on up to 200-day streaks, showing how many of them I’ve done.
You can see that I’ve started and restarted many times– 35 to date in the past two and a half years. There’s a serious drop off at the 10-day mark– only 11 of those. And there’s a further drop-off at the 20-day mark– I’m at 6 of those. As you all know, it’s hard to do most things (apart from teeth brushing, maybe) 150 days in a row. I’ve only hit that mark once. And oh, was I bummed when I missed a day after reaching the 200-day mark!
But hey, life happens. And, life (plus the app) reveals another way to frame my meditation habit. Take a look at pattern two.
My weekly progress. 70 weeks is missing on this slide, but it’s there on the app. I’m at 109 weeks today.
For me, maintaining enough continuity to keep the weekly streak going is something I’m focusing on. Yes, it too could get interrupted, so I would do what one does: pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.
Hey, does that sound like a song? If so, that’s because it is a song by Nat “King” Cole. Here’s the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald’s version, whose streak of magnificent performances is impressive no matter how you frame it.
Readers, how do you feel about streaks? Aiming for them, being in the middle of them, getting interrupted, resuming? I’d love to hear from you.
I no longer look forward to the start of the school year, but one late summer ritual for years now has been to return to swimming indoors.
I swim with a masters club, which is a fantastic way for someone like me to keep to a routine. There is a coach to set workouts and correct my technique. There is a fixed schedule, and I have already paid to be there (I hate wasting money, so it’s a strong incentive to show up). Most of all, there is the camaraderie of seeing my swimming friends again.
Between travel, elder care and COVID, I didn’t get nearly as much swimming in as usual this summer. I could have been going much more regularly once the crises of July and early August were over, but once the pattern had been broken I found it hard to get back into it.
So Saturday’s swim was extra special, and extra hard. I managed to eke out 1600 yards. It turns out that my pool is celebrating 100 years of operation today, so extra extra special. You can read more about this historic pool here.
Diane in a white swim cap and goggles, with the pristine water of her pool in the background.
My sister says my swimming pictures are boring because they all look the same. I don’t care. That sameness, that routine, is part of what keeps me coming back to the pool.
How about you? Does the return of autumn get you executed about classes or clubs, or are you able to set your own training programs and stick to them?
This is a reblog of a newsletter post from the Rockvale Writers’ Colony by Sandy Coomer, its founder and director. Note: I’ll be there for a two-week writing residency in mid-October! She has things to say about what happened when she had to take a pause from life as usual. I’ll let her take it from here. -catherine
Anyone who knows me well knows I’m very active and busy. That’s my natural tendency. When I rest, I’m often thinking of and planning for the next burst of energy required for the next new project or idea. It’s hard for me to slow down. In fact, I rarely stop for long . . . unless I’m forced to. Funny how that works. When it’s necessary to pause, when I’m required to stop my busy enterprises, I’m pleasantly surprised at how refreshing it is to simply “Be.”
I had a triathlon race in Wisconsin this past weekend. I had a good swim and was at mile 15 of the bike when a pedestrian/spectator ran onto the bike course and we collided. The collision made me crash head-first into a parked pickup truck. The moments that followed were interesting. I was unable to say where I was or what my name was. I didn’t feel panic – just a sort of confused wonder at what I was doing on the road. I knew I was in a race, but I had no idea where. When someone told me I was in Wisconsin, I remember thinking, “How in the world did I get to Wisconsin?” Within a few more minutes, I remembered everything, and then I was whisked away to the emergency room.
I’m not badly hurt, but I will need a few weeks to heal from my injuries. It’s a forced pause, a slow-down to allow my body to heal and my concussion-addled brain to steady. Living in the still air of patience and acceptance is a lesson in a different sort of fortitude than the one I’m used to. It wasn’t in my plans to get hurt, but the hurt came anyway, and it’s my responsibility now to see what I can learn from it. Otherwise, the experience is wasted.
Here’s what I’m discovering from my forced “Pause.”
People matter more than anything else. So many people have taken the time to check on me and see if I need anything. Am I attentive to others’ needs when I’m in “Busy” mode? Can I take a moment every day to tune into another person’s heart and say “I see you, you matter?”
Being still teaches a certain kind of balance which can lead to delight. I sat on my back porch yesterday and watched the afternoon fade into dusk. Two chipmunks were chasing each other from the porch to the grass and into the burrow under the shed. I felt like I was a crucial part of this scene. I belonged in an intricate way to the wonders of nature. I didn’t move or direct anything. I simply was there.
Letting go of perfectionism is the key to being satisfied. I was sorely disappointed I didn’t finish the race. I kept replaying the details of the wreck in my head over and over. What did I do wrong? What should I have done differently? Sometimes, stuff happens that we can’t control. Sometimes, we simply have to accept the drama of the day and move on with gratitude.
Beauty exists in every situation if you stay open to it. As I was being driven from the ER back to my hotel, I noticed the light glinting off the water of the lake, little cups of sparkle and glee. I thought, “how beautiful.” Back at home, I settled into my own comfortable bed with its floral comforter and sage green pillows and I thought, “how lovely.” Do I even notice this when I’m focused on all I need to get done?
When I think about my writing, I realize that if I get too focused on the achievement aspect and forget the beauty of each moment, I can miss the whole point of writing entirely. I write because I have something valuable to say. My writing comes from my soul, not my ambition. Remembering that is what will keep me at the page.
A “Pause,” forced or chosen, can be a time of pondering and eventually, great insight. If we believe every situation has a purpose and a lesson, we’re more apt to let experiences teach us and take the lessons to heart. Yes, we learn a lot from work, but we learn equally from not working, from pausing our “Go” button, and simply allowing the universe to share its infinite wisdom. I would not have chosen to wreck in the race, but I AM choosing to ponder the Pause, the Moment, the Wonder of Being Here Right Now.
