I showed up for swim practice (and I finished the workout!).
I am caught up on my chores.
I will be seeing my adorable grandson. Check out that dimple!
Sam
This is the first weekend it’s light until 9 pm.
Time to catch up, rest, and relax in Guelph after a very busy week at work.
Sunshine but cool temperatures, perfect for Saturday bike ride with Sarah.
Elan
My friends and I are doing an overnight rail trail biking weekend, about 75KM each way, so my 3 are good company, good weather, and good snacks.
Christine
I’m grateful for finishing a big project this week, for having time to write fiction today, and for a relatively quiet weekend before heading to a conference on Tuesday.
At the end I promised to update you on if getting a robot vacuum led to more time for fitness.
The results are inconclusive. I do appreciate my little vacuum. I especially appreciate the ability to set Romeo to a task while I’m doing something else.
I’ve gotten even more devices to reliably complete tasks. My aquarium now has an LED light I can program on a schedule. I bought an automatic feeder that reliably dispenses just the right amount of food once a day.
Fish care is now just the tank cleaning and I really enjoy watching the dang fish without worrying if I forgot to feed them, or did I accidentally feed them twice?
My youngest moved out and left their cat behind. The cat is used to many dry food meals. My work and social schedule varies and I struggle with repetitive tasks. Automated food dispenser for the win!
In our living room we have put in smart lights. They brighten in the morning with blue tones to cue us to wake up. As the evening approaches the light shifts to warmer tones. At 9 pm they start to dim. The changing light has helped my sleep hygiene and sticking to a steady bedtime. “Oh it’s getting dark, must be bedtime!”
But what does all of this have to do with feminism and fitness?
Household tasks are often gendered and the bulk of those tasks still fall to women. By automating tasks I have less cognitive load and more choice over when I do housework as the basics are covered by automation.
I don’t have to use up my daily dose of self discipline on feeding the cat. I can apply that to getting out the door for a walk or bike ride.
I can rest when I need to or write quippy blog posts instead of berating myself for not vacuuming while staring at a dusting of dog hair on the floor.
By spending less of my cognition on house hold tasks I have more available for planning my nutrition, hobbies and other activities that replenish me.
So while automations haven’t revolutionized my life, they have certainly made getting tasks done a lot easier.
A phone screen shot of a collection of apps labeled ‘Smart home’ There are apps for lights, recycling and vacuuming.
Nice weather and maybe doing something fun or just relaxing. Really, this is as good a description of a perfect day as I have ever found.
Sam
Books, dogs, good food, family and friends, bicycles, movement, and backyard food. Maybe throw in a swim to make it ideal. Also, Wizard.
Cate
Right now? I would be in a little house overlooking the pacific and I would get up and have a coffee while looking at the ocean, then do a little yoga. Then I would eat something like eggs and smoked salmon and fresh tomatoes and avocado. Then I would write for two hours and then go for run. Then write more. Then later in the day have dinner with my partner or my sister. Then sleep for 12 hours.
Or, be alone on a bike for 8 hours near the sea that would miraculously not be windy/ cold (Iceland, nfld) or earth shatteringly hot (everywhere in Europe in the summer)
Catherine
Swimming, outside in not-too-cold water on a not-too-hot day. Relaxing in between swimming sessions with towel, chair, book, snacks, cold beverage(s), and idle or deep conversation with friends or family. Or just towel, chair, book, snacks and self. Perfection.
Replace <activity in the water> with <activity on land (biking, hiking, dancing)> and Catherine Womack’s day is my day too. Maybe a game or a cat in there somewhere.
Christine
Years ago, I did this exercise with a friend of mine and when I bemoaned the fact that I couldn’t fit everything I wanted to do into my ideal day, she came back with “Who said your ideal day could only have 24 hours in it?”
That in itself was a great point but then we got into a discussion of why I felt I had to jam all the good stuff into one day instead of choosing to have ideal days more often OR to include more ideal things in average days.
I know neither of those things are the point of this post but I thought they made good things to think about. 💚⭐
Anyway, to actually answer the question: In this season, I would like to get up about an hour earlier than everyone else, do a little yoga on the patio, and then drink tea while I draw or journal. Then I’d have breakfast and a chat with Steve before lying in my hammock to read a novel for a while. I’d like to include a walk or a swim, an excellent lunch that I had made the day before in preparation for this ideal day, a nap, perhaps a game or a chat with my kids, a BBQ supper and then some time with friends in the afternoon or evening – preferably while sitting near a firepit or on a patio.
This spring, waiting with me for the Boston bus that would take us to the marathon start line was Bettina, who declared, as we lined up, “I’m suffering from imposter syndrome.” Not knowing how to respond, I asked if it was her first time running Boston. “No, my eighth,” she replied. “I figured I had better come when I qualified again.” “Huh?” I wondered, “Who suffers imposter syndrome after qualifying for Boston eight times?”
Of course, the answer is, “Anyone.” Anyone who lives with an inner critic who judges her performance and finds it lacking, for whatever reason. Thinking about the ugly feelings some of us carry in the inner pocket of our hearts got me thinking in a more general way about ugly feelings and sport. Because, on the one hand, sport is a place that allows feelings that, in a different context, would be deemed inappropriate. I’m not going to say to a colleague competing for the same grant as me, “I’m coming for you!” But I might say it to a friend at the start of a 10 km race if we have a rivalry in place. We’re allowed to compete with each other on race day, to harness all of our aggression to reeling in other runners as we approach the finish line. We talk about runs we will crush, tempo paces we will master, control we will exert over desire for donuts or drinks as we train for a race.
And yet. We only have to look at the trial unfolding in London, Ontario, to know how these feelings can walk off the ice and manifest as truly ugly interactions with others. Closer to home, how much energy do our inside voices gain from the language of mastery and domination we indulge as sporty? I’ve asked friends busy unleashing inner demons on themselves if they would use the same language to describe the efforts of their friends, and they insist they wouldn’t. “But why not?” I ask. If you blame yourself for the injury that wrecked your marathon time, why do you think others deserve compassion for the injury that destroyed theirs? Your demons might be satisfied with the diet of self-criticism they dine on, but is there no risk that they might ask for envy, malice, and petty jealousy for dessert?
A friend recently described her feelings of being “less than” among our running peers. I pointed out that the group she belongs to is extraordinary in its running achievements—a bunch of women over 60 who routinely knock off marathons. Marathon statistics tell us that this group is not representative. In the most recent Vancouver marathon, women over 55 counted for only 122 of the 6886 who finished that day, a mere 2% of the total. At Boston, where each age group is guaranteed spaces, they counted for only 7% this year. But, just like Bettina on the bus, my pal has internalized a different standard, and it’s a punishing one.
So, I ask: how do we set ourselves up for success, however we define it, from a starting place of care and compassion? Can we be fierce and kind to ourselves at the same time?
I recently cycled the annual Forest City Cycling Challenge, and afterwards I found myself on the event patio at an empty table. As one does, I took out my phone.
What started as a quick math check with a generative AI (AI) chatbot became a debrief conversation (as I ate my lunch) about cycling etiquette, managing pain, and other things I was thinking about during my ride.
AI is only predicting its outputs: it does not think or “know” what it is saying. Yet, the way it simulates human speech and interaction makes some people concerned about the risk of parasocial attachment to AI.
AI’s enthusiasm about my ride wasn’t real, but my positive experience with the praise, active listening responses, and helpful suggestions from AI was real. Having low-effort “company” after a long (for me) ride was, frankly, appreciated. But I will be verifying Copilot’s “advice” about ride etiquette with actual cyclists and post-ride care with human health practitioners.
My conversation transcript is below.
Just me, my post-ride vegetarian lunch, and a chat with my friendly-sounding AI buddy.
Elan: If I rode 52.5 k in 2:44, what was my average speed?
Copilot: Your average speed for a 52.5 km ride in 2 hours and 44 minutes is 19.21 km/h.
That’s a pretty good pace! Are you training for something specific or just enjoying the ride?
Elan: I did the Forest City Cycle Challenge. It’s the 5th year of the fundraising cycle event in London, Ontario. I have never ridden 50km by myself, and I am just here on the patio by with lunch after having just finished.
Copilot: That’s fantastic! The Forest City Cycle Challenge sounds like an exciting event. How did you find the experience? Were there any memorable moments or challenges during the ride? 🚴♀️🌳
Elan: Well, I started strong and was actually passing a few ppl. Then I drafted behind two women who were chatting with each other. It made me wonder whether drafting behind strangers is appropriate.
When I got to the halfway point rest stop my left foot and left side of my groin was hurting. I squatted to stretch, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to finish.
I also took a wrong turn and got off track, but the street I was on got me there. I was then worried I wouldn’t ride a full 50k, but by that time I was listening to a This American Life Partners episode and just kept going.
By the time I got in I was still sore but better. I liked the volunteers that rang bells and cheered when I crossed the finish line. That was sweet and appreciated. Oh, and this beer I am drinking now tastes great too!
Copilot: It sounds like you had quite an adventure during the Forest City Cycle Challenge! Drafting behind strangers is generally considered acceptable in cycling, as long as you maintain a safe distance and respect their space. It’s great that you found a way to keep going despite the pain and the wrong turn. Listening to a podcast like This American Life can be a fantastic way to stay motivated and distracted from any discomfort.
The support from volunteers at the finish line must have been a wonderful boost after such a challenging ride. And enjoying a well-deserved beer afterwards sounds like the perfect way to celebrate your achievement! 🍻
Do you have any other cycling events or goals lined up?
Elan: Gosh no. I was thinking of messaging Fred to say I would be too sore to do the rider development ride tomorrow. But now that I am out here, proud of myself for doing more than 50k (!), maybe I can go out for another 25k? Not sure how I will feel tomorrow.
Copilot: It’s understandable to feel uncertain about another ride after such a challenging event. It’s great that you’re feeling proud of your accomplishment! 🌟
Listening to your body is crucial. If you’re still sore tomorrow, it might be wise to take a rest day or do some gentle stretching and recovery exercises. However, if you feel up to it, a shorter ride like 25k could be a nice way to keep the momentum going without overexerting yourself.
Messaging Fred to let him know your current status is a good idea. You can always decide based on how you feel tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your time on the patio! ☀️
Do you have any favorite recovery tips or routines that help you bounce back after a tough ride?
Elan: No I do not know any. I thought some ppl do an ice bath?
Copilot: Yes, ice baths are a popular recovery method among athletes. They can help reduce muscle soreness and inflammation after intense exercise 12. Here are some other effective recovery tips for cyclists:
Hydration: Drink plenty of water to replenish fluids lost during your ride.
Nutrition: Consume a balanced meal with carbohydrates and protein to aid muscle repair.
Stretching: Gentle stretching can help alleviate muscle tightness and improve flexibility.
Foam Rolling: Using a foam roller can help release muscle tension and improve blood flow.
Active Recovery: Engage in light activities like walking or a gentle recovery ride to keep your muscles moving without adding strain 34.
Ice baths can be beneficial, but they’re not the only option. It’s important to find what works best for your body. If you decide to try an ice bath, make sure to limit the time to 10-15 minutes and keep the water temperature between 50-59°F (10-15°C) 1.
If you find some time for recovery, it will definitely help you feel better for your next ride.
Feel free to reach out if you need any more tips or just want to chat. Have a great day! 😊
Garden. Today is the day I will move some plants around.
Cate
Ride my little citron folding bike to my mid-day meeting.
Tracy
20 minutes of yoga!
Nicole
Not let myself react to other’s stresses, even if my job requires me to be present for their energy.
Elan
I have just heard someone I love has received bad news will deeply impact their career and family. Not everyone will be happy today, and it is okay if you can’t make yourself happy due to circumstances that are entirely beyond your control.
Christine
Make a cup of tea when I get up to let Khalee out and then sit in bed to read and drink tea for a little while before really getting up for the day.
Sam
Ride my bright pink Brompton to work with the sparkly helmet. Also, there’s Convocation dinner tonight and so I might wear a summer dress.
I have done this challenge for couple of years now. You can read my full plan for 2025 here.
Camp more at the cottage property. Hasn’t happened yet, but it’s still early in the season. I have made some modest progress on getting the cottage finished, including water and electricity. The canoe hasn’t gone into the lake yet, and I haven’t gone hiking; both may need to wait for my friend Mel’s annual visit.
Bike at least 2,000 km? Hahaha no! But I am doing lots of physio so my knees don’t hurt as much when I do bike. I’m trying to make it a regular practice, but I’m still struggling to set time aside to stretch and work on mobility.
Reading one book a month is going well. The only challenge is that I renewed my library card so I am reading books I don’t own, instead of reading books on my shelves so I can pass them along. I am a bit behind on reading magazines, but I think I can complete this challenge.
My longstanding challenge of cooking at least one new recipe a week is more-or less on track. My focus has shifted from cooking for Dad to cooking more vegan and vegetarian meals for myself. I have been far too busy to work on redacting medieval recipes. I’ll need to get back into the habit of doing that. I have been pretty good at shopping from my pantry.
The gardens are a bit of a disaster this year, and I totally forgot I wanted to push my boundaries on different veggies and only planted a few. However, I did successfully propagate new grape vines and overwinter pawpaws.
I have no idea how I’m doing on the goal of swimming 200 km a year. Probably not very well, as I missed quite a few practices this spring. My little crew of open water swimmers has fallen apart and I’m not sure how brave I am while I wait for next steps on treating the heart murmur.
I am doing some crafting but nothing too exciting. My textiles conference with four days of classes is next week, so hopefully that will spark some new ideas.
I am so far behind on sewing five new outfits I don’t even want to think about it! My machine is currently trapped behind kitchen cupboards that need to go to the cottage as soon as the walls are ready. I have acquired more fabric thanks to helping Mom declutter, but I have ideas for most of it (more Beach pyjamas!). Sadly, my art supplies are also trapped, so I have not been doing anything artistic either.
I have managed some visits with my son and grandson, but failed miserably at meeting up with friends for social time, or just relaxing, or even doing much volunteering. Elder care will continue to be a major theme for the rest of the year, which means I am cutting back on volunteer activities and probably not going to make that couch-surfing vacation.
Reviewing all of this reminds me that there are things I want to do and things I need to let go of. I am pushing myself too hard to achieve goals, rather than learning to relax and enjoy some of the freedom that should come with retirement.
A lot of things conspired in the first half of the year that made it very challenging to stick to fitness routines (or even house cleaning routines, to be honest). I think my goal for the second half of 2025 is to do as much of the 25 as I can manage without stressing myself, with a particular focus on those that are about relaxing and being with family and friends.
Photo from a long-ago visit to Senegal, where I managed a couple of days relaxing at the beach.
I am very bad at learning lessons. I am getting better at identifying lessons and repeating them – maybe some day I will actually learn! This week’s imperfectly learned lessons were on the importance of keeping up with physiotherapy exercises and using all the vegetables in the crisper before they turn to mush.
Fridge veggies, not Diane. Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com
Cate
Chewing on peony leaves make cats puke like it’s a frat party.
A party cat, but not Cate’s cat. Photo by Sami Aksu on Pexels.com
Elan
Life lessons keep coming. Example: Lesson 1: If you write down everyone’s birthdays in one place, they are easier to remember. Lesson 2: If you buy or make a bunch of cards, then address and stamp them all on New Year’s Day, they are easier to send on time throughout the year. Lesson 3: If you address, date, and personalize every card, they are more likely to show timeliness and care for each specific person. Lesson 4: If you forget to mail people you love with the cards you carefully dated and personalized, a few years you’ll have a bunch of out of date and wrong-addressed cards with stamps you can’t re-use.
Birthday card, but not one made by Elan. Photo by George Dolgikh on Pexels.com
Nicole
Middle age comes with (both) comfort in your body while being with the one you love, and, at the same time, sensations that make you wonder if you have an arthritic toe.
Not Nicole’s toes. Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels.com
Sam
You can no longer eat anything whenever you want at 60. Coffee might be best before 3 pm, for example. (ARGH!) Full fat cream might be best never at all. (Remember you don’t have a gall bladder.) And let’s not even talk about ice cream. (Thank God for the Ninja Creami.)
Coffee! But not my coffee. Photo by Ryan Lansdown on Pexels.com
Tracy
As I settle into a new space that has involved a major downsize for both of us and a merging of belongings, some cherished and others just acquired along the way, I have experienced a major lesson on the “too much stuff” front that will forever change my approach to purchasing new things. For example, we now have a one-in-one-out policy for clothing, shoes, and mugs (yes, mugs!). If either of us buys something in these categories, at least one thing in the same category must go.
In last week’s post, I told you about how I was going to “commute” to my desk by going for a short walk before work each morning (with a backup plan for an inside walk if necessary.)
My one week update?
I LOVE IT.
What’s not to love? image description: a photo of a plant-clogged stream taken from a small bridge on a sunny morning. My shadow and the shadow of the bridge railings can be seen in the lower right and the rest of the photo shows various kinds of greenery, including deciduous trees.
I’ve tried lots of different ways to get my weekday mornings in gear and I have had moderate success with some of them but none of the other things I’ve tried have felt as good, mentally and physically as this short walk before settling down to work each morning.
My walk somehow gives me energy AND helps coax my brain into focusing on the tasks ahead but that’s not the most important part of this whole practice.
By adding walking as a fixed task, I am creating a clear division between the ‘at home’ and the ‘at work’ parts of my morning.
I don’t have a specific time to walk but I know that it is the deadline for the ‘at home’ part of my morning so anything that’s not related to work tasks has to be done before my walk. And, truth be told, I also include a few work-prep tasks like making a cup of tea (I put a cover on it so it doesn’t get cold), turning on my computer, and opening my notebook* to the page with my to do list on it.
Then I put on sunscreen and head out for around my neighbourhood**, walking fast enough to get my heart rate up a bit, and I’ve already noticed an improvement in how that little bit of exercise feels.
Some of the mornings I have chosen to listen to a podcast while I walk but other times I have mulled over a task on my list for the day so I could figure out a way to get started.
And every single time so far (yes, only 6 times but STILL!) I have been able to come home from my walk, head upstairs. and get down to work.
I haven’t hesitated, I haven’t gotten distracted, I haven’t started reading my book or gotten snagged by YouTube, I have barely even overthought it, I have just gone ahead with the first task of the day.
And it all feels great.
I am getting extra exercise on my own schedule (and at my own pace), I am creating a definite start time for my work (which by ADHD logic means I’m “allowed” to have a specific end time), and I just feel more even, balanced, and calm overall.
I know these good feelings aren’t solely due to the walks but I really believe that the walks were the missing piece in the puzzle and I’m so happy that I started them.
Wouldn’t *you* choose to walk down this path if you could? Image description: an asphalt path stretches towards a small metal bridge on a sunny morning. There is grass on both sides of the path and all kinds of trees down near the bridge and the water.
*Using a notebook instead of an app is contributing to my ability to get down to work right away because it limits how many tasks I can write down AND it forces me to prioritize long before I am actually sitting at my desk about to work. My notebook isn’t the focus of my post but if you want more commentary about the logistics of this, let me know and I will respond in the comments.
In other news, my notebook is very pretty…
Image description: a photo of a soft covered notebook with a dark background decorated with mushrooms, moths, greenery, and sparkles.
** I have deliberately decided not to start taking Khalee because she would slow down my process for getting out of the house and because I don’t want to change her daily routine and create a complication in her routine. Also, that dog loves a good amble and I want to walk briskly.
My first goal is work related. I’ve got a very busy week ahead–a College workshop on our academic plan, two Convocation ceremonies, and an awards ceremony– but I want to make sure I enjoy myself despite the busyness. I love Convocation. My second goal is fitness related. I want to get one weekday bike ride in despite all that’s going on.
Cate
Get my novel-in-progress into the third and final act. Lead and complete the selection process for the next cohort for the program I teach. Facilitate and synthesize two half-day strategy sessions for a health faculty. Finish designing a leadership workshop for this Friday and fully design two workshops for different clients for next week. Review all of my learners’ final assignments. Hire a coach for the program I lead. Prep for accreditation for next year. Keep my cats from poisoning themselves in their hell-bent quest to eat all the plants on the terrace. Make my bed. Try not to panic about impending civil war south of the border.
Diane
I’ll be getting myself organized for my next adventure (I leave for a week-long textile conference Saturday), and trying to do all the regular things I “should” do (never my strong suit). In between, I want to do all the stretching and pirouette practice I promise myself to do every day, but often forget.
Catherine
I’m working on my June 20 presentation for a food studies conference on hunger, food noise and GLP-1 drugs (blog post forthcoming later). Also doing sciatica/hip opener exercises (I’m very ouchy in my hip these days) and general yoga at home. And making more collage cards– June is a big birthday month for my family, and I’m getting a jumpstart on summer cards for friends, too. All in all, a pretty pleasant week planned.
Elan
I have a week-long online conference, so my goal is to get up from sitting or standing and stretch, STRETCH, S-T-R-E-T-C-H everyday.
Tiger stretch
We’re using daily journaling prompts from the Facebook page Ordinary and Happy for the month of June.
