August

Warning - rambling thought post. Ok, so most of them are but when I have to pick something as broad as a whole month as the title you know I'm going to be all over the place. Read on at your own risk.

So I've haven't been here in a while. 4 days after my last post we left for British Columbia to visit Carmen, Todd and the boys - Cole is 14 now and I swear 2 feet taller than he was when he came to visit us in 2011; Dawson is 10 going on 11 in a few weeks and anxious to visit us next summer for HIS 12th birthday; Brendan is 9 and still as much a pistol as he was the last time Dave and I visited together (4 years ago). They are great kids. Probably the best way to tell you about the vacation is to show you the photos. If you're not family you haven't seen them yet so here is the link. They are annotated and will give you the highlights. I'll give you the same warning I gave the family.... I was a total tourist and took way too many scenery pictures. BC ranks neck and neck with Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the prettiest places I've visited. I'm not a big world traveler (yet) but so far those two get my votes. Anyway, we had an awesome relaxing time.

Carmen and I took a nice hike one day and we (Dave and I) did keep up with 3 out of 4 parts of the arm challenge while we were away. We didn't do the arm curls because we did not want to add the weights to our bag and there really wasn't anything there that worked. But we did dips, pushups and arm punches without missing a day. We switched up a rest day and workout day so we had a rest day on the two days we knew we would be on the road all day. Other than that though I did not do much in the way of fitness. Physical fitness that is. We had major R&R which goes a long way toward mental fitness. And I did keep up the no bread, pasta grains theme of eating. I didn't get as much balance as I might have at home but kept those items out so I'm good.

August in general has been a funky month for me as far as physical fitness goes. This is true going way back to my first year training for a marathon even - 2005. There are a lot of excuses for that.
1. August is typically our vacation month. I get vacation days but Dave does not so August being an off month for softball makes it a good time for both of us to take off.
2. August is ragweed month. As I type I'm in a bit of a stupor. It's either funky feeling because of full sinuses or funky feeling because of meds. If I'd get up and move more - get the blood moving - I'd probably manage better. But it's a chicken and egg thing. Can't get the momentum to move; need to move to get the momentum.
3. August is usually really hot and humid. Kind of lame excuse this month though. Although it was 89 and humid today the rest of the month has been below average temps. I've even needed a jacket a few morning on the way too work.
4. In years that I was training for a fall race, I'd be kind of burned out by now. Obviously that is not an issue this year.

In short, it is the year of the sloth. Thanks Kristi Y. I am borrowing your sloth theme because it so works right now. And thanks to Brian D for reminded everyone that we should "just make sure you have a fitness habit that works for you". With that, I need to regroup.

The one bright spot for physical fitness this month has been the arm challenge. Who would have thought that I would ever do 40 pushups, 80 dips, 110 arm curls and 90 seconds of air punches in one day let alone less than half an hour as I did a short while ago. I do my pushups and dips in intervals. Usually 10-15 at a time with about a minute rest in between. By August 30 we will be at 50 pushups and 120 dips.  I  think for September I'm going to stay at those numbers but work toward doing more in one continuous effort. I wonder if in another 30 days I could do 50 pushups and 120 dips straight through for each?

I need to hit the trails again soon. I really want to run with the trail group but right now I'm afraid I'd just be a heavy ball on that chain gang. Maybe more important, I need to hit the trails again because I really like hiking and running the trails! And of course get the bike back on the road again. Heck, a walk would be a good idea. :)

Yesterday, Dave and I celebrated 14 years married. Where did THAT time go? We are still smiling and moving.

On Saturday we will be going to the more or less annual sibling bbq at my sister Meg's house. I say more or less because this gathering has a history that goes back probably 20 years or so. Either Meg, I or my sister KT hosted it. I don't think we've missed a year just moved it around. It's firmly in Meg's court now I think as we have settled into a routine of Sibling BBQ at her house in August, Canadian Thanksgiving at my house in October and Cookie bake at my brother's house in December. I love that all three events have become family PLUS. If you are in the area you are more or less invited.

Have a great evening everyone.