Physical Funness for the Motion Starved

Fit more fun into your fitness while exploring the outdoors.

Tag Archives: attitude


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Is the Universe trying to tell me something?

Not again!

I did it again, sprained my ankle. The same one I messed up a few months ago. It sucks, I’m not a good sick person and I don’t deal well with immobility. I was running on the trail about 2 miles from my car and like the last time, my foot just turned under. Me, my favorite Lululemon togs and a sexy white tank top all became airborne just in time to for a slew of Trail Worker Dudes to witness the calamity. Landing, I slid along the path picking up leaves and sludge turning my white top into a camouflage print. Like I always do when I fall, I screamed. It’s a reflex I have no control over and it does well to magnify the peril. Once on the ground I looked up to see 3 very cute young guys standing about 20 feet away looking at me in shock. They just stood there looking at me with wide eyes. Maybe the scream frightened them? Nobody said a word, they just looked at me. Feeling a bit foolish I let them know that I was okay. ”No worries, I’m fine, this happens to me a lot.” Then one of them said, “Are you sure?” “Oh yea, I’m fine.” At that point they mounted their official vehicle and I was left to stumble back to my car some two miles.  As I dragged my rapidly swelling foot along the trail I began to speak out loud using words that might cause one to assume that I was deranged. Then the tears started to come. Poor me, I fell again! Life sucks, whatever will I do now? I might as well just lay down and die. Poor, poor me!

Everyone has had setbacks at one time or another. The only way to survive is to adapt. So I won’t be able to go for a walk on the beach tonight or run this weekend but I can certainly do plenty of other things.  I’m just going to have to look outside of my little box and find new and wonderful things to do.

It’s important to be adaptable and creative in all areas of life. If one thing doesn’t work then you have an opportunity to try something new.  Maybe my fall today was the Universe’s way of telling me to pay more attention to my bike or to work a little harder on my upper body. My arms are starting to look a little saggy…

I have to look at this as an opportunity and use it to my advantage. Something tells me that if I do this right I’ll be better for having had this little spill. After all, I’m a Scorpio, you can’t take us down, when we rise, we rise up even stronger.


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T-Minus 24 hours

A day at the beach

Happy Friday everyone. For me this week has flown bye.  Lots of family dramarama, this nasty weather and the anticipation of my little stair climb tomorrow has kept things moving at a frightening pace. Maybe that’s a good thing? While the added stress has me a bit put off, sometimes distractions have their benefits. The key is to find my focus on race day.

Anyway here we are, T-minus 24 hrs. In spite of the shitty weather I went for a little run along Baker Beach this morning to loosen up the legs. I must tell you, there’s nothing better than a run along the beach in the rain. Nobody was out, not even the naked guys. I easily found my rhythm and had a fantastic run. I’m ready, I’m hydrated, I’m rested and I’m lookin’ forward to kicking some serious stair climbing ass!

Why am I doing this? I signed up for this event thinking that I might encourage some of you to joining me. I thought it would be a relatively easy goal for anyone to accomplish and because it’s a very good cause. After all, I am rather fond of breathing and I am fortunate in that my lungs are healthy so I wanted to do what I could for the cause, as well as those of you who seem to want to reach new fitness heights. That and the fact that I like doing new and different things and this is something I’ve never attempted. Maybe more of you will join me in the next challenge?

So, there you go — I start climbing tomorrow at 9:00, be a sport and send me some good juju between 9 and 9:20, breath deeply and frequently. Hopefully, this stair climbing business will take me less than 20 minutes; I’ve got shit to do. Kra-zy! I’ll send an update via twitter if you’re interested. Check me @motionstarved or on this site under the photo to the right.

Stay dry and I’ll see you next week, kiss, kiss…

P.s. Weather Lady says the sun is on it’s way back to SF next week! Hang in there!


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Unflappable

Just don't look up!

It’s the week before the big Fight for Air Climb. Yikes, 1,197 steps up 52 floors. That’s a lot’a steps and it’s all taking place in the stairwell of the B of A building here in San Francisco. If I wanted to, I could start stressing myself out by thinking about what’s in store for me this Saturday, but I won’t do that. I know better. Why bother, it won’t make the event any less painful and certainly won’t make this week pass any more smoothly.

Here’s the plan — My training is complete. It takes 3 weeks to reap the benefits of training so there’s no need to go out and hammer out another hard training session. I’ll exercise this week but won’t do anything that might stress my legs. Lots of yoga and easy endurance work. All I can do is trust that I’ve trained well and let my body rest and recover from the past weeks of intense training. I’ll make sure to drink plenty of water, get lots of sleep and eat right, keeping the fiber flowing. I sure as hell don’t want to carry any extra stuff up those steps. Know what I mean? I’ll make sure I have the cutest possible outfit ready to wear. Shoes ready to go and all the information I need to smoothly pick up my race packet and timing chip on event day. Early in the week (today actually) I’ll make sure to read all event info so I know the exact details of what I can, and can’t take with me in the stairwell, where I can park and so on. I don’t want any surprises the day of the event. It’s important that on the big day all I have to do is show up, and race. I’ll get everything done before hand so I can focus only on doing my very best.

So there you have it. I am confident and ready to go, unflappable. On the day of the event I will find a nice pair of buns and follow them up the stairs all the way to victory. I will feel no pain and dance up the steps to the rhythm of my smooth breath.

The best part of all this, when it’s over I get to come up with a new way to torture myself. A new goal, get ready!

P.s. It’s not a good idea to try something new the day of an event. New shoes, new food, stuff like that. You don’t want to find that GU gives you the runs while you’re ascending an indoor stair case or running down the road with thousands of people, same goes for shoes and cloths you don’t want to find out that your new stuff chafes. Stick with what you know works. This is no time for surprises.


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A friend is someone you can depend on

Gracias Skinny!

Meet Skinny Scott, Mr. Skinny, or sometimes I just call him Skinny. Skinny doesn’t mind that I call him that; he knows he’s a little skinny. You should know, just because Skinny is skinny, that doesn’t mean he can’t kick the shit of the peeps down at the dojang and if you see Skinny on his bike and you’re near a hill, you should just get off and walk, cuz Skinny’s gonna mess with you. That’s what he does. He loves to hurt people on the hills, a benefit of being “skinny,” but either way, that’s Skinny’s way.

Anyhow — Skinny is my very good friend, without Skinny there would be no Motion Starved. I would not be here, nor would you. Imagine how life would be… I dedicate today, the last Friday of winter, 2011 to Skinny and to friendship.

The next time you hear from me it’ll be spring. A time for rebirth, renewal and regrowth. An exciting time full of energy, warmth, hope and endless opportunities if you’re open to them. Let us all enjoy this last weekend of winter, rest up, recover from your St. P’s Day activities and get ready, a new season is upon us!

In the spirit of friendship I want to thank all my friends (you know who you are, right?) for their support and encouragement while I venture into the world of fitness and twitter, and spewing my words across the entire universe. I wish us all a springtime full of love and adventure and amazing stories!

Thank you!

Till Monday…

P.s. “It is better to be in chains with friends, than to be in a garden with strangers.”

P.s.s. There’s gonna be a Super, Ginormous Full Moon this Saturday eve, check it out!


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Do whatever pleases you today

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Admit it: drinking green stuff is fun, no matter how old you are. Lets raise a glass today and make a toast to family, good health and good friends.

My Mom is The Sample Lady at a hoity-toity grocery store in Southern California. It’s the absolute perfect job for her, although she doesn’t see it that way.

I’ve never actually seen Mom workin’ her samples, but I have a pretty clear picture of what it must be like to come upon her at her table of petite bites of food. You see, Mom’s not by any definition what you’d call a “people person.” According to Mom, the people who come to her table are all “a bunch of fat pigs.” Most of them, either wealthy housewives or “spoiled brats” from the high school across the street. Apparently more than once Mom has told a greedy customer “you’ve had enough, go away.” While I think it’s pretty funny, I find it especially karmic, it wasn’t long ago when Mom’s favorite Saturday activity to go to Costco for “lunch.” Mom would push her cart right up to the edge of sample table so that nobody could get between her and the food samples. She would sample everything; if she liked it she would sample it again just to be sure. Mom would strategically move from table to table, sometimes picking up her pace if it looked like someone might get there before her. Even then she complained about all the “ fat pigs.” I find it especially amusing that she doesn’t see the irony in this. And they say there’s no such thing as Karma!

I digressed — what I wanted to say is that today Mom is making Colcannon for those brave souls that dare approach her sample table. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes, milk, butter, cabbage and onion. Mom said “I don’t think it’s on your diet Kelley, but it’s yummy.” With that, here’s a recipe for Colcannon, it sounds gross to me but you may like it. I’m gonna celebrate today with a couple of glasses of Irish Whiskey and some green cookies. I know, probably not on “my diet” but WTF it’s a holiday! My advice, do whatever pleases you today!

I leave you with a St. Patrick’s Day Blessing

As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

Cheers!

P.s. I love you Mom!


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Small bits

I made it!

Focus. They say all you have to do is “focus” and you’ll get what you want.

I am gonna let you in on a few tips that help me focus when I am trying to ride my bike, run, stand in Tree Pose or even write.

When you’re distracted you loose your focus. That’s obvious, in order to do what you need to do, you need to give “it” your full attention. Period.

Say you want to, climb Mt. Tam on your bike. To keep from panicking and loosing your focus, break the journey into small chunks. Same rule goes for running a marathon, 5k, or whatever. Break your mission into small, easy to digest bits.

It’s actually pretty easy, just focus on getting yourself to the first hill, or make your digestible bits mileage markers. Take it 5 miles at a time and think only about those five miles. Same goes for riding your bike, take it a few miles at a time. Climbing Mt. Tam with a pal? Concentrate on getting to Mill Valley, up to 4 Corners, Pantoll Station, and so on. You get the picture.

Another thing that helps me through tough workouts or events is not to look too far up the road. If you’re planning to run from The Marina Green across the GGB, whatever you do, don’t look across the bay at the bridge, you’ll surly panic and loose your focus. Remember, small bits!  When you’re done, you can look back at where you’ve been, pat yourself on the back and say, “Holey shit! I made it!”

On to the next…

Couple o’ things I want to mention

  • Sunday Streets begins this weekend – Get out and play in the street! Route goes along the Embarcadero.
  • Every Monday they offer $2 pints and specials on bar food at the Park Chalet. The food’s not fantastic but it’s a great place to hang post ride or run along the beach.

Get my meaning?


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Never underestimate

Friday, March 11, 2011, the day we all waited for the tsunami to hit San Francisco. We waited and waited but alas, like the snow, it never came. A blessing in this case.

I decided in case the 600-mile an hour wave did show up, I would take my stair running workout to the Lyon Street steps rather than to my favorite place, the Baker Beach Sand Stairs.

Off I went to Broadway and Lyon. Clad in my ultra cute Lululemon togs with the purple trim and a too tight Nike tee that showed off my previous days arms and pecs workout. My hair was finally long enough to pull back and I was feeling like All That!

10 minutes of warm up exercises, a mile run and I was feeling like a million bucks. My goal, 5 times up the 286 steps. A goal that didn’t seem too high as it was not uncommon for me to climb more than that in a work out. If I reached today’s goal it would mean that my base was firm and that next week I would be ready to add a 6th round, confirming that I was more than ready for the Fight for Air Race in two weeks.

Up the steps I went. “Push, push” said the voice in my head. Swinging my arms from cheek to cheek I found my rhythm and was doing great. The second time up I took the steps two at a time (that was hard!).

Feeling the burn, but still confidant I noticed a woman who had managed to stay just ahead of me. I wondered when I would have to navigate around her and that annoyed me. From what I could see, she was “elderly,” covered from head to toe in black sweat cloths and a big floppy hat. I waited a second at the bottom to allow her to make some progress, surly she would get in my way at some point, after all I was All That.

About ¼ of the way up the stairs for the third time I noticed “Grandma” slowing down so I made my move and picked up my pace expecting to blow past her. To my surprise Grandma was working me! Sensing me, never looking back she moved faster and faster, matching my gain, toying with me, keeping me just off her heals.

As we approached the last 50 steps the woman started taking two at a time jumping from step to step! In epic fashion neither of us looked over at the other, we were neck and neck now, flying over the steps in unison as we approached the final stretch. I was in shock! Who was this woman? The voice in my head now yelling, “GO! GO!” I made the crossing of the final step first. “You won” the woman said, but frankly I couldn’t see at that point. My glasses were fogged, eyes full of sweat and my breathing so labored that I couldn’t respond. If I won it was by a very thin hair. I walked a few feet to get my legs back but by the time I turned around GM had already started to descend the stairs preparing to come back up again. Ugh I thought!  Not again, I’m screwed!

I only made it back up the stairs one more time (4x’s total). GM was ahead of me the whole time. I didn’t (couldn’t) challenge her.  While my ego was certainly put in check I was very much inspired by this woman.  I’m going back next Friday to look for her. Something tells me she’s a regular, someone who enjoys being fit and enjoys “working over” those whose egos are badly in need of adjustment. A woman after my own heart! All I can say is, YOU GO GIRL!


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Spread the love

I love you!

This photo warms my heart! I love the dogs, they just love, love, love all the time, no matter how cranky you are.

My neighbor is a nasty woman. I’ve known her for 30 years and she’s always been nasty. It’s a shame, there is no visible reason for her to be so nasty but because she’s so mean her life has become miserable. Everything goes wrong for her; she has no friends, can’t keep a job and spreads her nasty attitude so nothing ever changes for her. Guess she never heard that you get what you give.

Seriously, on those days when you’re in an especially good mood doesn’t it just seem like things fall into place? Everything goes right and more often than not the love just snowballs and everything in life seems easy and wonderful.

Since Valentine’s Day I’ve been doing a little experiment.  I didn’t tell anyone, it was my secret. I decided to make a conscious effort every day to take niceness to the next level. All I did was pay a little extra attention to the people I cross paths. I didn’t go crazy I simply paid attention to the people around me. I was uncharacteristically patient and nice while waiting in line for half an hour at the post office. I chitchat with the boy behind the counter at the grocery store for longer than I normally would have and smiled at strangers rather than snub them. Stuff like that.

On my way to do errands the other day I walked past the man who owns the restaurant across the street from my house. He was taking in the “open” sign. For 3 years we have been crossing paths and for 3 years we have smiled and said “hello”. Today when he said “hello” my lips smiled extra wide and I asked him how his day had been going as I had noticed that his restaurant seemed busier than usual.  This small effort turned into 2 hours of chatting, lots of good coffee and a really yummy brunch that my new friend prepared for me in his closed for the day restaurant. More importantly it felt really nice to be nice. I felt good, my new friend felt good and now we are both rolling the Feel Good Snowball.

After my brunch I went home to clean up the garbage that my nasty neighbor had tossed over the wall into my yard. I considered tossing it back over to her side but I couldn’t do it. My initial reflex was to toss it back thinking it would say, “you Crazy Cow you can’t toss trash in my yard and get away with it!” She had made me angry and I realized that she was spreading her nasty–tude and melting my Feel Good Snowball, I wanted no part of it. I picked up the trash, put it in the bin and that was the end of it. Feel Good Snowball still intact and rolling.

Be nice. It’s infectious and it’s fun to see where your snowball will roll, and whom it might roll into.

I leave you with a quote.

If you would like to spoil the day for a grouch, give him a smile.  – Author Unknown

 


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“Why do we do this?”

I’ve been looking through my old race reports trying to find the answer to that question. I remember driving home from many bike races with Penny asking over and over again, “why do we do this?”  The only answer I can remember coming up with was “because we can.” The fact that we could do something that most people didn’t have the nerve to attempt made us who we are. If we gave in and acted “normal” we wouldn’t be the people we are, and in spite of the never-ending torture we had fun, made life long friendships and learned more than anyone can imagine.

This is why I am confused. I don’t understand why so many of you are having a hard time making the commitment to succeed physically. Every day someone says, “I’d really like to loose some/run a/ride a ­­­_____ someday.” Someday? When is Someday?

Let me ask you, every day you have things that you need to get done, correct? You do your best every day to clear your to-do list, you go to work, feed the kids, see friends, laundry… Those things are your priorities, your daily commitments or “goals.” Some of those things are fun and some you do because you have to. Either way you succeed because you’re committed.

Why is it not the same when it comes to achieving a fitness goal? Are you afraid of making a fool of yourself and failing? Are you afraid it will hurt? Maybe you fear that it will infringe on your social schedule or time with your family?

Seriously, when was the last time you heard of someone making a fool out of him or her self while attempting to better themselves? Yep, if you decide to cut calories or train for an event it may cut into your cocktail hour, but it’ll open new doors that will more than make up for the ones it hinders. The pain, yep, pushing your body does hurt a little but it’s not that bad and it really does make you stronger, healthier and hotter!

Maybe you should think of your goal is just another thing on your daily to-do list.

Example; say you sign up for the Fight for Air Climb. With that you know that you need to build your endurance so that you can complete the event, and climb 52 flights of stairs. So, on your to-do list goes the daily tasks that you need to accomplish in order to get yourself to event day. It’s the same mindset you use for making dinner. On your to-do list is the question of menu, shopping list, grocery shopping, cooking and finally achieving your goal of eating dinner. See, it’s easy!

Don’t over think it. Decide what you’d like to do. Figure out the steps to get there. Take the necessary steps and don’t stop till you get there. All you gotta do is commit, focus, succeed and celebrate!


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Feed your soul

Ommmm...

I’m gonna be honest with you, I’m in a bit of a mood today.  Can’t seem to find my rhythm. Not sure why, yesterday I did all the right things, ate right, had a great workout, spent time with friends but alas, today I’m cranky. Maybe it’s the nasty weather or maybe there’s something going on in my head that I can’t put a finger on. Either way I’m reminded how important it is to remain calm and to feed your soul as well as your body.

Life ebbs and flows. If you can remember and trust that than your relationships with others as well as with yourself will flow much more smoothly. Be kind to yourself when the mood calls for it, learn to forgive and be patient allowing for the waves of life to flow.

Just like anything, it takes practice to relax and live like this, but the benefits will expand your life in ways you may never have imagined. Learning to pay attention to your energy and mood is fundamental for achieving your goals. Here are some tips for finding and incorporating more of that flowing ease into your life:

  • Take note of when you’re happy – When you’re happy, life flows. It sounds simple because it is. When you’re doing things that make you happy, you open the way for even more happiness to flow into your life.
  • Pay attention to your aggression level – If you’re fighting and obsessive, you might actually be pushing too hard and pushing your ultimate goal even farther away.
  • Feed your soul every day – Make a point of taking time to get happy. Do something for someone you don’t know · Take some quite time just for yourself · Play with your kids or your pets · Pay attention to your romantic partner · Your friends · Your garden.

Remember, you can’t strengthen the body without also strengthening the soul.

p.s. Thank you Ronald from NC for your “comment” yesterday in reference to my Workin’ off my muffin post.  While I appreciate your offer “to take a ride on… (your construction apparatus?)” I feel that posting such a comment might be misunderstood by the masses. I trust you understand.

p.s.s. I love it when people send me comments. I will post them if I feel they’re appropriate.  Send what you like, either way I am sure to be amused!