Grover posted this today and it got the bloggers chatting about what our Olympic events would be.  In our dreams,  of course.  No prior experience needed! And zero expectations of excelling.

• Nicole: Summer biathlon would be cool. If my legs were faster, the marathon!
• Sam: I’m in for hammer throw! Rugby 7s? Maybe rowing, definitely track cycling
• Natalie: Because I can’t do them at all but love them so much–Breaking, Skateboarding, BMX Freestyle
• Savita: Table tennis! Looks like fun!!
• Diane: Swimming is too obvious a choice for me so I’ll go with dressage. Watching those horse and rider teams practically dancing around the arena is magical. I ride just enough to know how much hard work goes into making it look easy. I wouldn’t mind having the quick twitch muscles to play badminton either. I played with competitive folks back in high school and it was fun! I know it’s only supposed to be one choice, but I kind of want to do the things non-athletes mock for being too “girly”: all forms of gymnastics plus artistic swimming, possibly the most demanding sport at the Olympics.
• Elan: Nothing like doing sports for the first time I’ve always wanted to try…at the Olympics! So I’m with Natalie on Breaking and BMX freestyle. I’d also do surfing. I feel like hanging out with the athletes in all these sports would be fun.
• Amy: I’d go for swimming or diving (or both). I’ve always loved watching the swimmers and divers and when I was little I would daydream (swim-dream) about becoming one.
• Catherine: I’d love to compete in a newly formed biathlon: shot put and cross country mountain biking. I was so impressed by Jolien Boumkwo, the Belgian shot putter who ran hurdles last summer because everyone on her team as sick and they needed the participation points. I’d like to show off my versatility (such as it is) by throwing around heavy things (iron balls and me-plus-bike) in very different environments. If you missed Boumkwo’s performance, you can read about it here: https://fitisafeministissue.com/2023/06/27/meet-our-newest-sports-hero-jolien-boumkwo-belgian-shot-putter-and-substitute-hurdler/
• Tracy: I get a rush whenever I watch the swimming, so I’m going to say any of the swimming events other than butterfly. The strength and grace of the swimmers makes me feel happy everytime I watch them gliding through the water. And I’ve swum enough to know how good that feels. But let’s be real — I do not think I would “excel” in swimming!
• Cate: I’ve always fantasized about being tall and powerful enough to row in doubles. My sister has a friend who has a medal in rowing and I’m always in awe. But like Tracy, let’s be real — I don’t think I’d excel at it in real life, not least of which is that I hate getting up early and I hate cold water lol
• Christine: I’m tempted to say Taekwondo but that seems like cheating a bit (even though Olympic TKD is a different style than the one I do) so I’ll pick fencing or archery. I mean, it’s a good idea to build up transferable skills in case I ever become a superhero, right?

This is just a quick post to say I DID IT!

I hit the 224 workout mark in the 224 workouts in 2024.

I did it on a bike commuting day when I rode to work and then biked to physio after work and then home. I like that total daily distance. When I don’t have physio after work I sometimes have to take the long way to work just to get 10 km in for the day.

My actual goal for the year–now that I’ve met the official goal of 224–is 400 workouts for 2024. In a way, it’s been easy so far. It’s a lot of regularly scheduled physiotherapy appointments, a lot of personal training, and then a lot of bike commuting and longer dog walks.

I’m still hoping to branch out–yoga, swimming, dancing, longer road bike rides, antigravity fitness,  canoeing and sailing–but in a year where there’s been a lot that’s overwhelming on the home and work front, it feels good to steadily chug along with the essentials.

Looking ahead to August,  it’s work that will be extra busy as the Dean’s office gears up for a new academic year, and I’ve got my own teaching and writing deadlines to meet. As usual,  wish me luck!

The World Health Organization recommends

“that adults aged 18–64 years

• Should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.
• For additional health benefits, adults should increase their moderate-intensity physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or equivalent.
• Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.”

It makes sense, given the recommendation,  that I’ve got fitness apps to track progress to the 150 minute goal.

But my tracking apps can’t agree on a number, on what counts. They come up with different numbers.

According to Google Fit, I logged 200 Heart Points with the goal of 150 per week.

How’s that work? Google Fit uses your device’s sensors to recognize workouts that you don’t manually track, such as when you walk or cycle on your daily commute. Google Fit provides you accessible analytics, tracking, and activity history. Google Fit gives you a Heart Point for each minute of activity you do.

But then my Garmin gives me credit for 379 intensity minutes. It’s also got a goal of 150. I’m usually wearing a Garmin watch that tracks heart rate.

Garmin support says,  “Intensity minutes are earned based on your current heart rate when compared to your average resting heart rate or the number of steps taken per minute. For example, you can earn intensity minutes once a brisk walk or run is detected. If no heart rate sensor is present, only moderate intensity minutes will be earned.”

I think the Garmin is more accurate. Not just because it arrives at the bigger number but also because it feels like heart rate is a better measure of intensity than speed and distance.

Do you track your 150 minutes a week of exercise intensity? How do you measure it?

In my previous post I described my entry into the world of triathlons and my lofty goal to do a 70.3/Half-Ironman in the fall…maybe qualify for the worlds in 2025 (to celebrate my 65th).

I explained that I’d been a long-time competitive runner, but still, you must have thought: She’s a cocky one. (Perhaps not the best choice of words for a feminist-based blog.) 

I’ve come a long way in just a few months. I can now clip in and out of my bike; I don’t seize every time I enter the water; and I have the right clothes, gear and fuel to qualify me as a triathlete.

The training has gone well, minus a few broken ribs. Nothing that a tensor bandage couldn’t hold together.   

A few weeks ago, I watched our son, Jonathan, complete his first-ever triathlon, also a 70.3/Half. (FYI: 70.3 = 1.9k swim + 90k bike + 21.1k run.)

Other than being disqualified on a technical error he wasn’t aware of, he did great. More than great.  

Jonathan on the right.

Bring it on! I thought as the athletes went by.

Starting with a 70.3 is wildly ambitious. Forty-year-olds are wild. I had decided to start with something shorter so off I went last weekend to lovely Bluewater, Ontario to race an Olympic distance. (FYI: 1.5k swim + 40k bike + 10k run.)

Me setting up. Clearly, no clue about what’s to come.

Everything was going well. Until the race started. Within the first 100m of the swim, I had a full-on panic attack.

I tried breaststroke, then floating on my back.

I cannot do this. I am done.

“Take your time,” said the nice man in the safety boat as I clung to its side. 

Then, for whatever reason, I started swimming.

I’m so far behind. I’m not even in the picture. But I’m swimming!

It wasn’t long before I was being passed by the top male athletes who started 15 minutes after the women. Was that humiliating? I’m not sure, but I kept going. And I did not stop until I reached the shore.

 Back in the race!

I remember someone telling me that the cool thing about triathlons is that while you’re swimming, you can hardly wait to get on the bike, and while you’re biking you can hardly wait to run.

I was not hardly waiting to get on the bike.

I cannot tell you how many men zoomed past me on that ride. I tried to stay strong with my three revolutions to their one. I didn’t see many women out there. For all I knew, I was dead last.

You’ll make up for it on the run, I told myself.  

And holy moly, I certainly did that! Not because I ran the race of my life, BUT BECAUSE I TOOK A WRONG TURN AND RAN 3K TOO SHORT.  

The run start line. Where I went right and was supposed to go left.

When it was all over, I called my son.

“I DQ’ed,” I said. “Made it a family affair.”   

“Mom,” he said, “we got ourselves to the start line and we completed the distance (well, almost.)”

Interesting. That’s exactly what we told our daughter years ago when she was running track for a US school and struggling with mental health issues.

You got yourself to the start line and you completed the distance.

The trick is to see this as a positive when things go wrong.

I’m getting there. I’m telling everyone who will listen, and I’m getting amazing advice and support. (Thank you, Laura, Ryan, Anne, Cheryl, Pat, Gabbi and Erin.)

Who would’ve thought that broadcasting such a disaster would be more fun than trying to find an acceptably humble way to share success!   

That being said, nothing beats broadcasting the success of good friends.

Martha Wilson gets first in her age category, while daughter Jeanette shoots the lights out in her first triathlon.