Sad day for Albany

Today has been a sad day in Albany, the world lost a wonderful inspiring man.

I feel the need to share a little of his story to the world via this blog.... he taught many of us how to live life ... to the full and with purpose .... he inspired the best in all of us.

In fact the comment I made today - is that he even managed to die of cancer well.

Mark started many years ago - more than 20 years ago - as a fitness instructor. From memory he was working as a mechanic at the time and I believe he was a state level aerobic champion. He was a very bubbly person and a great instructor - the type that inspires you to get out of bed on a cold morning at 6am!

Over they years I have known him - he has competed in triathlons, cycling and multisport events. I remember him as a tough competitor but also so encouraging.

A few years ago he changed course - and trained as a masseur. He was a cracking good one too! best in town and one of only 2 I have known with incredible control of his hands. He could give you a really hard massage or back off if he needed too - a talent that is not well appreciated.

During this time he continued to live a full and fantastic life. He continued to work as a fitness instructor (mostly around Les Mills classes) but the great thing about Mark's classes is if he forgot the program he just made it up and kept going - didn't miss a beat... You never knew what you would get and sometimes he intended to change things just to mix things up. It was never same old same old with Mark.

I can remember Mark in his crazy days. One day he commented (never complained) that he was a little tired - that weekend he had completed the Blackwood marathon (multisport event), then come home and run the Port to Point (local 10km fun run) with his daughter and was there bright and bubbly Monday morning for pump class. He ran back to back classes RPM then Body Pump before it was really popular. One wondered when he would slow down (if ever) and always so encouraging.

Then one day, about 20 months ago, he down the beach with the kayaks with his family - and he said to me "Don't know if you have heard, I have oesophageal cancer, stage 4 and there is no stage 5". I was stunned. In hind sight he had lost some weight lately but he looked so well. His plan then was to beat the cancer but as a health professional I knew this was really pushing the odds.

His response to this - organize a fundraiser for cancer council - Bollywood party and planking competition (what else). By the time this came round he had started chemotherapy and it was bighting a bit - but still he was there smiling as always.

He embraced the chemotherapy with vigour, looking after him self as best he could and doing everything to get the best out of the therapy. At this stage he responded well - but not completely. He was still around and kept everyone up to date. When ever he saw people he was smiling and asked how they were. He got out on his bike when he could and he even completed in a couple of events including some kayak events (he figured what did he have to lose).

All through this time - when he was well enough he would come and join in and take a little of his classes - sometimes mid chemotherapy cycle!

I hadn't seen Mark for a while but was pretty happy when I got back to Monday Pump class 4 weeks ago to see him out the front taking the class - I knew things weren't going well - he had run out of treatment options at this stage and he knew he was dying - but he couldn't think of a better place to be than being out the front of a class inspiring other people. By this stage I noticed he was having some trouble swallowing.

It's really hard to completely express how Mark changed so many lives - he lived it the way we all should - He lead by example and inspired other to do what they thought was impossible.

His final months he worked hard to support others going through the cancer journey. He worked with local services to establish a chemo club - exercise classes for chemotherapy patients. he donated his time to this and joined in providing massages at the fitness expo.

I don't know if this is just rambling and makes any sense but the loss of this fabulous man before his 50th birthday makes no sense - He will continue to inspire me to be the best I can be and I hope he inspires you a little too.

New Week New Focus and a new cold

Well it had to happen eventually. It's the winter cold season and although flu is quite rare this year (and I got to see the stats that prove that yesterday) I have a niggling cold. Just a sore throat at the moment and not even that sore more annoying. I don't even feel especially sick or washed out like you can with a cold.

I do however need to get on and train. It's only 11 weeks to the Mandurah half ironman and although I joke that you don't even need to train for them you actually do! Well at very least you need to have an incredible endurance cardio base which I don't have at the moment.

 

Recap time

Last week I was away and I didn't exercise much nor eat clean. The trip home was not good having run the 12km at the City to Surf I was peckish to say the least and had many minties and a cheese sausage. I would have eaten way more than the 955cal burnt during the race.

 

Last week was also about being a better leader but with techniques to be a better me. Now the challenge as always is to practice what you know you should do not what you want to do.

 

How is that going? 

 

I got a new focus last week which I wanted to capture the momentum of and make some changes. Most notably around my home and work life. So tasks I set myself to start working on were

- Set goals at work - TICK

- Eat my meals at the table - TICK

- stop and enjoy my coffee at work - NOT YET due to interruptions

- Focus during my training- 50/50 not training as well as I could with my cold or as long as I should but have managed an hour yesterday of Pump and 40 minutes on the bike today with a run and core.

- be mindful when brushing my teeth - TICK

 

So at present it looks like I am on track for a better week. Snuck onto the scales today and as I suspected they weren't pretty back up to 75kg. Haven't been that heavy for 3 months! Time to get my mojo back.

 

On going promise to myself

The plan for the rest of the week may be a little dependant on this cold - If I feel washed out or sick I will take it a little easy on myself otherwise

- I will drink more water (going to be good for the cold)

- Maximum of 1 coffee per day - then tea only (herbal or Chai)

- Eat minimal snacks (1 piece of fruit and one other bit)

- Eat clean - stick to the plan

 

I'll check in later in the week - see how it's all going.

 

Learning about myself

So this week I have been away in Perth doing a leadership course. I had no idea what to expect from this course and it has been interesting.

This first week has been about us. Who are we, what do we know about ourselves, what sort of a leader are we now and how can we grow and be better leaders, what is a good leader???

For me it was quite a journey of understanding and discovery. Interestingly the mindset lessons which are a big part of the 12wbt program have held me in good stead and helped me with my growth.

Lots of the work this week has been about mindfulness and doing things with purpose.

Or more the point - self control.

This is something we all need to work at, including me.

Other important things I have learnt this week that I need to work at  are:

1. I need to set goals (sounds familiar) I discovered I don't value my achievements as I don't formally set goals or worse I move the goal post when I get close thinking  - that was too easy! As a result I don't reward myself as much.

2. I need to work on building better relationships - deep relationships. I am friendly and I think generally well liked but I lack the kicker of building a strong relationship with people. I am not sure how I am going to do this but I need to work at this better. I guess in part I feel like I end up doing all the work in a friendship (most of the time but not always) and this frustrates me. I need  to be less self focused ! (says she writing a blog that is all about me!) - On a side note last round when the challenge was to hold a 12wbt dinner party I thought - but who would I invite - sad but true.

3. I need to listen more and ask more questions - stop solving the worlds problems and always offering an opinion. Give others the time to find a solution.

Interesting that a leadership course involved a whole afternoon of meditation! but it isn't hard to understand that meditation can help you focus and see the bigger picture (or perhaps the smaller one at times). So I am going to try and focus better on my daily activities.

My commitment for this week (and on going)

* Eat at the kitchen table and taste my food.

* Concentrate on my training and concentrate during my training. Feel the feet on the ground or the contraction of the muscles on the bike... don't drift off and forget the focus of the training effort.

* Be mindful when brushing my teeth, concentrate on the task at hand.

* stop working and enjoy the coffee in the morning. Sit and taste the drink. Then focus on the activity I am doing - avoid going on tangents!

I think this will be enough of a challenge for the week!

Interestingly the importance of goal setting and self control are key to success in the #12wbt program and I am really glad I starting this journey for a better life by applying these mindset lessons to my weight and personal life. Now it's time to apply them other parts of my life - a little at a time.

Time to be a Big girl not a big girls blouse

Challenges for week 2

This week I am off to the big smoke. I have been selected for the emerging leaders in health program and have the first 3 day workshop in Perth this week (I know Perth is hardly the big smoke for many people).

I often don't control my diet well when I am away from home - This teenager left alone with the pantry open! This is exacerbated by my partner (Mr FIFO) who hates "cooking" when we are away - interesting as he doesn't "cook" when we are home either - I guess he figures I need the break.

so the challenges are

1. Long car drive tonight (at a time I would normally be suffering from a major snack attack)

Plan: Eat mini quiches on the trip and take a big bottle of water to drink.

2. Eating out every day will cause me to over eat.

Plan: Booked into an apartment hotel with a full kitchen - So pack the food for the week. So far I have bircher brekky ready to go, and taking the ingredients to make a Korean Omelette for dinner Tuesday night. Wednesday may be harder as Mr FIFO flies in on Tuesday night - but I may send him shopping? Thursday night we are going out for dinner with friends - So this will be a treat meal. I also have extra cupcake quiches as snacks, and some snack balls made. Lunch is catered.

3. Getting in some exercise

Plan: Bike is packed and enough training gear to train daily! I have printed out and laminated this weeks key workouts (as an at home version - no equipment required) and there is always the wall sit challenge to keep me going. I have also planned in my mind when I will exercise and I have packed my bathers for good measure. Sunday next week is the City to Surf in Perth - and I will be running it.

 

So it is time to Grow up - be a big girl - and take control of my life.

Yes I can eat more than I train!

I had an interesting conversation with one of the doctors at work today. One for my friends was commenting on the photos from finale and I was explaining the 12wbt program. Jess was quite surprised

 

"surely you done need to worry about your diet with all the exercise you do!"

 

 

Alas this is not the case. I have done 4 Ironman campaigns (Ironman being an endurance triathlon involving a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and a 42.2km run). Training can involve about 20 hours per week (although normal weeks are more like 16-18 hours for me). I can burn 1000 calories BEFORE I go to work in the morning but despite this

 

I have never lost a kg training for an ironman!

 

 

Seriously - who would think that is possible. This is why I need to do another round of #12WBT, to work more on my self control while I get back into my training....

 

This week my training has consisted of

Monday - 8km run with 10 minutes of intervals

Tuesday - 60 minute threshold test of a computer training on the bike, 4km run then the strength workout from  the program

Wednesday - 4km run then the Bend it like Bridges video (love yoga and stretching)

Thursday - Given Plasma - being a good citizen - so no training today

Friday - Sleeping in the morning but completed the at home cardio workout (man was that hard!)

 

 

Tomorrow I am going to brave the elements and go for a ride  - hopefully for about 2 hours. - Then maybe the Burn and Ignite 700 in the afternoon.

 

Sunday should be the day of rest - but I will train again.

 

 

Food however is a problem --- double lunch on Tuesday (the wrap just was not big enough!), Then Bookclub last night I had 2 wines and 2 slices of cake and I don't want to know how much cheese......

 

Time to clean up my eating act!

 

 

So here was what greeted my on the way home tonight - I added a saying I think I have modified a little but the basis is not new.....

 



Weekly Challenges - Week 1

So there are weekly challenges and then  there are challenging weeks.

This round I am going to have both.

Weekly challenge

This weeks challenge is one I kept up from last round - keep an inspirational board. http://pinterest.com/immeeghan/12wbt-inspirational-message-board/

I am a quote girl - I love them - I love signs and messages - I love the little girl on the ironman course at New Zealand holding a hand painted sign saying "Smile if you peed in your wetsuit" and the guys on course waving the "go random stranger" sign.

Challenges this week

So there are a number of challenges I face this week.
1.Was still travelling back from Adelaide yesterday.
2. Long car trip alone - hence opportunity to snack
3. Short busy week at work
4. Giving blood on Thursday morning - means to exercise in the morning (and light only in the afternoon)
5. Bookclub Thursday night
6. Need to organize some tri club things before the season is here and we haven't done anything.....
7. Tired from a busy weekend
8. Weather is stormy - hard to train outside.

OHH look at that - one big long list of excuses - nothing more

So I am proud of the fact that I have dusted myself off - gone for a run last night - dragged my carcass out of bed and done a power threshold test on the bike this morning (20 minutes of 2% gradient - but new threshold is 186 watts).

Now for Breakfast, prepare lunch and back to the real world.........

 

round 2 finale

Oh what a night.

So #12wbtrad is done & dusted. Last night was so much fun. Finale party in Adelaide. I am so glad I made the trip.

Entry to the night was like a dazzeling circus. Bright spakling lights. I think I looked pretty good. In fact I think we all looked pretty good. Especially the and strong crew. Lean fit and healthy. 

It was fantastic to see the lean and strong who have been my family for the last round represented on screen. Lisa Farmer - aka lisabutterfly - is an inspiration to many and keeps ggrowing (well shrinking really) each round. Kath Tyndale ozgodess has been great support all round and of course gregp who was so helpful when i felt lost this round.

Special mention is also needed for emily who has been so supportive to us bloggers. So proud to have met you. 

And then we partied and danced. If you want to check out the pics we all took get on instagram. I joined for the first time this weekend and it has been fun. Especially when my pic was put up on the screen. 

Sorry about the poor quality. Blogging from my phone is not easy it has a mind of its own!

Great hanging out with royalty!

pre finale & workout

Friday night in #12wbtrad Adelaide

So arrived inAdelaide for the finale and Friday night had arranged to go to the prefinale catch up. What a great night. Meeting people like michelle and bec (from Melbourne), roz from Perth, Sheridan & Emily (who I have been following their blogs) and Kathy tindale who did a great job organizing it all. 

Workout 

then Saturday had trouble finding somewhere for breakfast. Should have just bitten the bullet & got some supplies at the supermarket yesterday. Adelaide is very quiet at 7am on a Saturday in the city....

Then off to the workout. Nice 40 minute walk to the showground in the cool foggy morning air then catching up with the lean & strong crew.  Workout was quite challenging and certainly got the sweat going. finally it was a matter of joining the cue for a group photo with michelle and all the lean & strong pirates.

Early Fitness test

So with the round looming and a busy week planned next week (flying to Adelaide for the best party of the season) I got my fitness test done today.

So Lean and Strong has made me lean and strong but not fast.

1km time trial (on the same course as before) - 4:32

This is 10 seconds quicker than the first test but slower than my best ay 4:24. I also measured the course and it is a little long 1080m but it's the same every time.

I am ready to make a commitment for getting fast - all by myself. Saw this great quote on the internet and had to share

I do lots of ironman and half ironman training on my own, but clearly as Albert Einstein points out, you need to get out of the crowd to go places you don't think are possible.

An another quote which will be my mantra for the round

Free yourself from others - be the best you can be - you might surprise yourself of how far you can go.

Organization - OH NO!

This is my clincher

So the third last preseason task - organize and diarize!

So last round I:
- Got myself a file to keep everything in
- wrote out sheets of my plan for the round
- printed all the work out sheet
- started using my fitness pal and recording my food.

and for the first few weeks I followed it all very well - BUT then gradually the wheels fell off!

 * I printed all the recipes - but didn't always get them in the file.

 * Never looked at my planning sheets - to be fair this was hard to plan this round ... I didn't really know what I was in for and had no idea what goals or milestones to set - I had come from a cardio background and now I was about to spend 12 weeks doing weights!

 * Printed the workout sheets - followed the plan (pretty much every day) to the letter! Sometimes went to the gym and sometimes worked out at home - did most of the final blasts - but definitely noticed my endurance fitness has gone.

 * Managed to maintain myfitnesspal for about 6 weeks (from memory) then it all got too hard, Interestingly this coincided with the stalemate in my weight loss! Surely there isn't a link....

 

So time to get organized!

I need to work on a meal plan (and stick to it)

Friday nights will be make a plan night (starting tonight)
- I have a food planning sheet - that sticks to my fridge
Breakfast lunch and dinner planned  - shopping list written ready for the shop on Saturday.

I have updated my half ironman program from last year - this is going to be my plan for the next 12 weeks (or so) in preparation for the Mandurah half ironman (known as a 70.3). This is what I am going to base most of my training on. I need to make a bit of a plan - mark the red flag days and make some plans for when I am away (which will be a few times this round!!!)

So lets see how I go. I tend to be a chaotic person at times! I gets lots of things done and people think I am organized - but I am not and I need to be