fitness

How do you fill the March sadness void? Here the Fit Feminist Team is trying new things

March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 Sam B11 Comments

Sometimes McSweenys gets it just right. Take their March Sadness story. “The only way to play is to pick your saddest seeds and take solace in knowing all of this is temporary. There are no winners. We are all losers until April. But we and our bad skin are in it together. “

Me, I’m buying new plants to fill the void. (One of the McSweeney’s suggestions.)

Image description: A green plant in close focus.
Photo by Kara Eads on Unsplash

But around the blog it seems we are also all trying new things.

Catherine is the new things rockstar, trying Parkour and Ariel Silks. Go Catherine! Go Catherine!

Me, I branched out to Orange Theory earlier this winter and Zwift. (Zwift stuck and OT didn’t but next winter, maybe.)

Cate tried out a local crossfit style gym near her house.

And then Cheryl tried a circus class.

There’s a class I’ve been tempted by at the university’s fitness centre. It seems to involve banging sticks together.

How about you? Anything new on your fitness calendar this March?

March matters

March 5, 2019March 6, 2019 Sam B1 Comment

Last March, exactly a year ago today, I posted to Facebook: “Feeling hopeful. Really hopeful. First time on the spin bike without any pain when pedaling while standing. No pain while using big gears either. Phew. There’s hope.”

This March I’m happily riding, indoors and out, and thinking about training for the summer ahead. March is very important training month for those whose summer activities start in June or so. I’m not racing but I do have a very serious cycling event in June, the Newfoundland bike tour.

viking-trail-tourism-mail-final-960 — Image description: Rust coloured hills, green meadows, cyclists on a blue road. Newfoundland’s scenic Viking Trail. https://www.theloop.ca/10-bike-trips-that-will-make-you-fall-in-love-with-canada/

In order of events, it’s the 5 boro bike tour, the Newfoundland Bike Tour, the 1 day version of the Friends for Life Bike Rally, and then the Tri-Adventure. See here.

Chris Helwig, my former cycling coach posted to Facebook the other day about why March matters for cyclists: “March is here. In my humble opinion this is the most important month of the year for anyone racing road or MTB or even athletes just wanting to ride faster for group rides or in general. This is the month that sets you up for the rest of the spring and summer. Even if your winter so far has been mediocre, having a good volume and quality March can assure you have a great season. So clear your social calendar, dig into those trainer rides during this cold spell and get it done!!!”

There’s still a lot of snow on the ground and it’s cold. I’ll commute to work but training rides are indoors still.

This Saturday Sarah, Ellen and I met up at the Bike Shed to ride for a bit. I think I might just leave my bike there for the month and ride lots.

What’s your plan for the month of March?

aging · disability · injury · monthly check in

Sam’s monthly check-in: What’s up, what’s down, the March version

March 2, 2018March 2, 2018 Sam B

What’s up? Obviously my wonderful holiday complete with swimming and biking.

There’s also our book. That’s exciting!

In the middling category, I was fitted for a custom unloading knee brace. See here for a knee update. I considered flashy red but in the end went with matt charcoal. I’ll actually start wearing it in April and I’ll report back then.

An X-ray showing osteoarthritis of the knee. Getty Images

Knee brace. Bulky but if it helps with pain and lets me hike again, I’ll wear it.

In the bad news dept I’m still driving back and forth to London each week getting the house ready to sell and then looking at houses in Guelph. It’s not really bad news, just hard to get time in for exercise these days. But it’ll be short lived. House goes on the market here in just three weeks. I’m really looking forward to riding my bike in Guelph.

In the meantime I’m still doing lots of knee physio and personal training.

That little taste of riding in French Polynesia has me anxious to get my bike out and start riding.

First up, the Tour de Guelph in June.

My next planned thing after that is the one day version of the bike rally.

On July 29, 2018 I will be cycling 108km in the very first PWA’s Friends For Life Bike Rally from Toronto to Port Hope to raise money and awareness for the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation (PWA).

PWA provides practical support programs and services to people in Toronto living with HIV/AIDS. The Bike Rally is their annual sustaining fundraiser and critical to the agency. Find out more about PWA by visiting their website at www.pwatoronto.org. I’m going to need all the support I can get to reach my fundraising goal and I hope I can count on you. Make a secure online donation using your credit card by clicking on the link to my personal fundraising page below:https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=3883724&langPref=en-CA

Thanks for listening!