route mapper

So, I've done week three of my podrunner twice now... It's not easy, but it's getting easier! I decided to try and find out how far I actually go so I found this nifty website called Map My Fitness where you can create a map of your route and it will tell you how far it is, among other things. I thought I'd share it here...


I know it doesn't look very far, but the map assures me it's 2.82 KM. I'll need to step up things if I'm ever going to do a 5k! But let's give it some time, eh!?

The start and finish are at my house and the route takes me to (and through) Vauxhall Park and back again. Sometimes I deviate a little, but not by much. I imaging that once I'm actually running more (as opposed to walking part of the time) I'll have to go further afield, I'll probably end up going to Kennington Park (which you can see on the far right corner of the map). That's also down the road, but I hate going down the main road so for now I'm sticking to side streets.

I'm also thinking of looking into getting some new shoes. The ones I have are still in OK condition (well they look ok anyway) but I know that every pair of shoes has a life to them, and I've had these for a few years now. I actually bought them in Korea when I started exercising, so it probably is time for some new ones.

I'm hoping to go to one of those stores wherethey assess how you run and help you find the right shoe for your foot. Since I'm flat footed, I probably walk (and run) funny... Will let you know when the time comes!

For now, keep on runnin'!

running, running, running

So, when I lived in Korea I managed to drop (more than) a few dress sizes by getting fit and healthy. I did this by going to the gym 5-6 times a week and following weight watchers online... Well, a year of laziness and bad eating have got me back to almost where I started... so, I'm doing it again. The difference this time is that I won't be going to the gym 5-6 times a week, instead I'm going to run.

I started running last year (before becoming a sloth again) because I got bored with the gym. This posed several problems for me including the fact that I don't (didn't) like running and I didn't know how to run for longer than to catch the bus. So, I downloaded Podrunner by DJ Beatsmith.

Podrunner is music - but the beat and music changes at intervals - so you walk to start, then job when the music changes, and then walk, and then jog... you get the point. It's supposed to help you work your way up to running a full thirty minutes (or 5k) after ten weeks.

I managed to make it about week 5 the first time around - I've just finished week 2. You do each week three times in one week and then move on to the next level. So Monday morning I'll start week three - more running.

So far I'm feeling really good about it. I always get a little high when I finish my workout and it gives me confidence. the other day I actually 'ran' home from work... amazing!

Anyway, hopefully by mid-April I'll be up and running (pun intended!). I'm aiming for July though - just to be kind to myself... That's when I hope to take part in Cancer Research UK's Race for Life. So, watch this space for more on that and my odyssey of learning how to run.

boo-ya!

I have always hated runners. You know, people who run, for fun. You see them on the street, all happy and running. There used to be a Running Room (retail store for runners) down the street from my house and they had a running club that you'd see going down the street with all their gear - special water bottles, the best shoes, and 'running room' t-shirts, ugh.

When I was in high school I would do anything to get out of gym class, ANYTHING. Especially if running was on the menu for that day. We had this giant field with four football fields and a track at one end, it was huge... to me anyway. Once a year we'd have a "fun run" where the whole school would turn out and run around it loads of time. I still don't know if it was to raise money or just for fun, but I hated it.

I think it's always been jealousy of those people that can run. They always looked so healthy and fresh; like they were really having a good time. A couple of months ago I decided (at the gym, which I go to five times a week) to give it a go. I started slowly; a couple of minutes running, a couple walking, a couple running... The first time I ran ten minutes straight I couldn't believe it. Today I ran for TWENTY FIVE minutes!!! without stopping, without losing my breath, without getting a cramp in my side, without any pain anywhere. And when I got off the treadmill I felt higher than a kite!

I'm really proud of myself this week. I've turned my life around in the last five years. I've made a real effort to be a different, better person, and I can see the results of much of that now. I've lost over 50 pounds in the last four years and I don't hate the runners anymore... I just want to be like them! I've pulled myself out of a life ordinary and made it something more.

I just wanted to let you all know that I am really happy and proud to be where I am today and I wish you could all be here with me to celebrate.

**
In other news: I have applied for my Ancestry visa - the one that will allow me to stay in the UK for five years. I have an appointment at the British High Commission in Ottawa on September 15th... so keep your calendar clear, cause I'll be around!

a girl and a bike

The other day, feeling like I haven't been exercising enough of late, decided to go for a bike ride/photo expedition out in the country. I opened google earth to map out where I wanted to go, packed some snacks, and took off into the glorious sunshine.

My route

My goal was to get to Chambly. It's a couple of town over and up the river from here. I approximated the ride to be about 30 KM's. I had all afternoon, so I didn't really care how long it took me.

Mont St. Bruno

A barn

It was incredible to be out in the middle of nowhere with no other people in sight (especially since I must have looked a little goofy all decked up in my winter jacket with a camera hanging around my neck!). The sun was shining; there were big puffy white clouds in the sky; the trees were all changing into their autumn glory; the air was crisp, but not cold, it was a perfect day really.

Trees in their fall colours

Down by the river

I stopped a few times to take pictures. I biked through a field to get to a copse of trees. I stopped along a deserted highway to photograph the freshly plowed fields. I stopped by the river and got stuck in the mud. I climbed down to the rivers edge to photograph the water gurgling over the rocks. Then I came home. I stopped stopping and just took pictures while riding the bike. (Those ones didn't turn out very well...)

More trees by the river

Near the rapids... I think I went swimming here once...

Part of the hydro-electric dam

It was a lovely day and hopefully it will be again soon so that I can do the same thing in the opposite direction!

waegooks vs hangooks

i did something this weekend that i can pretty much say i've never done before. i played soccer - or as many of my friends would call it - football. i played in high school, during gym class, but have never (even imagined) playing it for fun!

saturday night a bunch of foreigners were going to play against the gimhae men's league team. i was going to go and watch, but my wonderful friend, kim, convinced me to play. she was playing, she assured me, and there would be other girls too. so i agreed, thinking it would be a fun and different way to get some exercise. i'm hooked.

the pitch. we rented it for three hours. 7-10 PM.

before we started playing one of the guys came up to me and said "do you even know how to play?" my reply was "kick the ball into the other teams goal and don't touch the ball with your hands." i'm still not familiar with the intricate rules of the game (if there are any) but i think i could be good at it with some practice.

we also made some new friends - from busan, and from france. yes, that's right, france. we met a bunch of guys who are in korea on internships with korean air... it was strange for me to speak french with them, what, with my funny accent and all!! but it was nice to speak it for a bit and to realize how bad it's gotten... i'll need a brush up with all of my french friends when i get home!

who's playing first? not me...! later on you couldn't have torn me off the field!

even though you can't see my face i swear that's me on the right! a little down time... (bill and kim on the left)

we lost every game we played, but that's ok... i was just there for fun and the korean team practices together regularly, so they're really in tune with each other.

team photo - photo d'equipe - the waegooks

after we played 16 of us went for dinner together - all sweaty and smelly - i'm sure the koreans at the restaurant appreciated that! but it was yummy and gave us a chance to talk more with our new french friends.

francois, bruno, mathieu, and arnaud... teddy is not in the picture... sorry!

waegooks eatin' bokumbap (spicy fried rice with chicken)

there's a women's team here in gimhae who play together every saturday and you can bet that i'll be there next week, and the week after, and every week that i'm in korea. anyone back home know of any women's leagues around town??? like i said, i'm hooked.