To everyone: my very best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!

And if you need some inspiration, here is a link (although probably only Fran will understand it!):

Marathon Man

...a 52-year-old Belgian man who will be running a marathon every day in 2010. His goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle. Anyone can go and run with him on his first few marathon distances here in Gent, then he will be running all over Europe.

Good luck to us all in achieving our personal goals and see you next year!

Corrida: Official time and TV report!

Our official time for the 8K was 52:59! A little better than I thought!


There was a nice TV news report on the Corrida on our local news - here is the link - you might not understand because it is in Dutch but it is a great way to get an idea of what our city looks like and what the race was like!

Leuven Corrida 2009

Our third time running the Corrida here in Leuven - this year it was chilly with gray skies and a bit of a nasty wind but downtown there was a great atmosphere with all the runners milling about. They even had honest to God real porta potties this year! We got downtown just in time to see the start of the 4 K race - here is a short video of those speedy people:

We were able to watch the 4K winners come in at the finish line before we had to line up for the 8K, which was pretty cool - they were amazingly fast! Just as we were about to start our race, it started to rain a little but luckily it stopped quite soon.

This year's course was a bit different, instead of one 4K loop that we had to do two times, it was one big 8K loop, covering some new parts of town. There were four big hills - two of them cobblestoned - and we had to go down two and up the other two. The cobblestones worried me a bit, since they were very uneven and slick from the rain, so I ran very carefully and even walked up the very steep alley that goes along the Saint Damian Church (he is buried right here in our town). But that was the only bit that I walked the whole race, which I am pretty proud about; for the rest of the race we kept up a nice steady pace and I am quite sure we came in somewhere around 55 minutes, but I will have to check the website for our exact time, because the finish line clock read 93 minutes (they start it at the beginning of the 4K and it just keeps ticking!)

Once we got through the finish chute we got our bottle of wine and a sports drink, which I was dying for, and headed home - a twenty minute walk through town, just the right cool down! All in all, it went very well - even though we missed Joy and Patrice running it with us this time!

Later this afternoon we are meeting friends of ours to go bowling and then they are coming here for chili with all the fixings, which I made yesterday. I hope I am not too stiff to bowl! Have a great Sunday everyone!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all things bright and beautiful

tonight

tomorrow

and all year!

The snowy weather, icy roads, and the storm that is expected to pass over Belgium tonight are keeping us from attending the traditional Christmas Eve dinner with the in-laws, so we have made some last minute preparations to have a cozy evening with just the five of us here.

I did manage, with Felix to keep me company, to get to the gym to run 7 kilometers on the treadmill. It has just been too dangerous to even think about running outside - the sidewalks are a mess and the roads are still very slippery. I also ran 6 on the treadmill on Tuesday and both that and today went well, so I hope that I am well enough prepared for the Corrida on Sunday (if the weather permits us to run).

Hope you all have a very merry Christmas, wherever you are!

Cribs was here!

Watch the video below to see what happened when MTV Cribs came to our backyard!

Let It Snow!

We got a big snow storm on Thursday afternoon and evening, and the next day we woke up to 15 cm of beautiful white snow! My two oldest boys, who only had to go to school for the Christmas breakfast and their report cards, recuperated all the snow we shoveled from the driveway and sidewalk and wheelbarrowed it to the back to make a snow slide:

It is still very cold (-8 C) and very slippery outside, so I won't be doing my usual Sunday run outdoors, that's for sure. I am also going to a Raw Food cooking workshop tomorrow with Linda. I may just end up shifting my run to the treadmill on Monday morning...

Christmas Card Run 2009

Like last year, I decided to run a route so I could deliver some Christmas cards to friends in the neighborhood. But because we are having a cold snap (it was -4 C when I left) I thought I would skip the one person who lives a lot further out, and keep it to about a nice half hour, which is what I was thinking I could stand in this cold!

So all bundled up, with my fluorescent backpack for the cards, I started out. At first, I felt terribly cold, mostly my feet, but as I got going it was fine, I was dressed warm enough. If it weren't for my calf which started to hurt towards the turn around, I think I would have run longer and gotten that last card delivered (I had it with me just in case). I didn't have my ipod with me (didn't think it would feel good to have headphones in my ears with a hat and scarf jammed on them) and it was amazingly quiet and peaceful. This with the gray and frosty surroundings, made for a relaxing winter run of just over 4 kilometers and 30 minutes.

And that last card? I guess it will be going in the mail!

Very Briefly

Just a very quick post, as I have to leave soon to pick up my son from school...went to the gym this morning and ran 34 minutes on the treadmill and my calf was okay. It still feels tight but not terrible like yesterday. It might have been the extreme cold yesterday and not really being warmed up. Today I was well warmed up in spite of the cold temps - biked to school and to the gym - and of course, it was nice and toasty warm at the gym. I kept the pace nice and easy and stretched it out very thoroughly afterwards. And I'm using my Oxyflex, Mom!

Just looked online at the Corrida course - instead of repeating one 4K loop twice this year, there is one big loop for the 8K. There are going to be a couple of mean hills on it, and it looks long - but it will be fun to run in some other parts of Leuven we've never run in before. Just hope the weather is decent!

Congratulations Jenny!

I've been wondering all day...and I just found out that Jenny ran a 3:41 time in her marathon today in Dallas - WOW, I am impressed and proud! Great job, Jenny!

By the look of the pictures it was misty in Dallas but Jenny was in shorts and a tank so it can't have been that cold. By contrast, here it was freezing, but sunny. We got out to the lake but had to cut our run a bit shorter than we wanted when I got a killer leg cramp in my left calf. With the Corrida in just two weeks I am a little worried. I must make sure I stretch enough and run enough easy mileage the next 13 days, and hopefully it will be okay.

Just another day at the gym...

No, I didn't trip and fall! Just went and did a Matt Roberts workout and spoke to three of my gym friends. Those of us who are moms are busy being supportive for our kids in secondary school who have exams right now, and going to the gym in the morning before they come home at noon is about the only down time we get. You would think you would be able to get a lot done hanging out at home with studious kids but for some strange reason you just don't. I'm glad I got my Christmas cards done and a translation I promised to do, but I wouldn't want anyone to see how the house looks right now...

So maybe I should have stayed home this morning to clean but it felt much better to run, lift some weights and get on the elliptical. Oh yeah, and commisserate with my gym friends. No one to talk to when you stay at home and clean, is there?

Lost & Found

Was anyone else intrigued by the article in the latest Runner's World about the man who finds all that money on his runs? I have never found any cash on my runs, I think Belgians are too careful with their money to leave it lying around on the street, but today I for some reason (probably that article) started paying attention to what was on the ground. Besides a lot of trash, dog poo and beer cans, I also saw:

• half a cucumber wrapped in plastic
• a child's blue mitten
• a black haired wig
• a slice of salami

Go figure. I did have a great run actually, out and back to Carpetland, which is just shy of 7 km. My first run outside since coming back from California, but today the weather is just about as perfect as you can get here in the winter: 12° celsius (which actually feels just right once you get going), not too windy, not too rainy (just a few drops here and there). The only thing missing was some sunshine. It was actually a great 50 minutes and now I feel good about doing the Corrida later this month, it should go fine.

Happy Sunday!

Interested?

If you are interested in seeing what the workshops I do with my friend Linda are like, take a peek at our blog: http://natuurlijkevenwicht.blogspot.com/ We took some pictures this time, and as you can see, it was a lot of fun! We made four recipes with the group, the energy bars (I shared that recipe here), waffles with dried apricots and pumpkin, corn muffins with sweet potato, and healthy brownies. The participants also went home with a 22 page recipe and information booklet, and all the extra goodies.

Now it's time to coddle my children since they will all three be studying for exams this weekend. I am planning to make some date bars (a new recipe I got from my mom which I plan to healthy up a bit - if it turns out good I will share it with you).

Ups and downs

Lily just left a comment that she wished she could tap into my energy - she was feeling the winter doldrums. Honestly, today, I wish I could too! My energy really flows with ups and downs, I have always wished I could have a more consistent pattern of energy. But it is not to be, and I have to learn to accept it and go with my own personal energy flow, and not feel too bummed on those inevitable days when I just don't have it.

Yesterday was our last workshop, in the morning, and by the time it was done, I was wiped. We ended up doing 5 workshops for a total of about 50 participants, and they all went really well. But it is amazingly draining. So I didn't do very much the rest of the day, except for the usual running of the house and taking care of the kids. This morning I had to go do an errand at the telephone office, which means waiting in line for a long time, getting a long explanantion about how to get wireless internet installed in our home, biking home with a big heavy box full of modems and cables (you should have seen me balancing it!), and then opening the box to find the lady never mentioned that if you have an alarm (we do) that the technicians have to come and do the installation for you. So then I had to phone and was told they will call me to make an appointment, next week sometime.

And honestly, every last drop of energy I still had is now gone!

But tomorrow is another day, and I plan to go to Zumba class (and hopefully NOT fall on my butt) and be a bit perkier than today.

PS: Kilax is giving away a signed copy of Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer at her blog - this is a book I really want to read, and hopefully go to see the author speak at a MO lecture in Gent in January. Check it out!

Happy Monday

Happy Monday...because I am finally pain free. Last Thursday night my shoulder and neck seized up and I was in a lot of pain through Saturday, when the massive amounts of ibuprofen I was taking finally started to work. The pain even kept me awake at night on Thursday and Friday, I only slept better again on Saturday night. Luckily I have an appointment with my osteo next week, it still feels like something needs sorting out. But at least the pain is gone.

It felt SO GOOD to get to the gym this morning and get on the treadmill and just run. Felix was with me (a day off school) and he snagged one of those bikes with a comfy seat and its own TV, and I got a treadmill right behind him. I was raring to go and did a nice easy 5 kilometers in 34 minutes, taking a short walk break at the top of each kilometer. By the end, I felt happy, perky and my brain/pain fog of the last few days had lifted - YES!

You truly don't appreciate the ability to exercise, run, walk, move...until you have been out dealing with some kind of physical limitation. Boy, do I feel grateful today.

Healthy Sweets to Share

Our third workshop last night went really well! Everyone is enthusiastic and seems to enjoy rolling up their sleeves and baking. I promised to share some of the recipes, so here is the first one, which has been a big hit with our participants:

Healthy Energy Bars
(Inspired by a recipe in Runner's World Magazine last year, this is a great stand-in for those high quality all-natural energy bars that cost so much at the health food store, easy to make and delicious too!)

1 cup dry oatmeal
1/2 cup dry unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup raisins or dried currants
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 T ground flaxseed
3/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup good quality natural honey (best if cold processed, unpasturized and unfiltered!)*

Mix the first seven ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. In a small saucepan, gently warm the tahini over low heat for a few minutes until it is slightly melted (take care not to burn it). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly for a minute or two. Then add the honey to the tahini and stir until well mixed. Pour tahini-honey mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with spoon until a sticky ball forms. Wash your hands, roll up your sleeves and form bars, balls, or patties (be creative!) with the dough by pressing it well. Refrigerate several hours to firm the bars up and enjoy! These keep very well for about two weeks in the fridge.

*a note on honey: why cold-processed unfiltered honey? Pure, natural honey has tons of vitamins, minerals and hormones produced by the bees that make it naturally antibacterial and antiviral. But heat will destroy these healthy qualities. Most honey available in supermarkets has been heat processed and is nothing other than sugar with a honey taste, which is a shame, and a waste of the incredible work of the bees. Treat honey with respect and never heat it over 100°F! If you use it in tea, wait til your tea is nearly lukewarm before adding your honey. If you prefer not to use honey for ethical reasons, you can easily substitute brown rice syrup for a less sweet bar, or agave syrup for a much sweeter bar (you may need to reduce the amount to 1/3 of a cup in this case, as agave is very sweet), or maple syrup for a maple flavored bar (I would also use a bit less, since maple syrup is more liquid than honey).

Exercise is Medicine

Our first two workshops went really well, we have a third one tonight and then two more next week. The topic is using healthier ingredients for baking and one of the things we mention to our participants is the positive effect that regular aerobic exercise has on the body's ability to process sugars and how this is hugely beneficial for the pancreas and preventing diabetes. I think nearly every workshop topic we have done the past three years has included exercise as one of the things that can help.

I got a taste of my own medicine today as I woke up with that fuzzy, wooly feeling between my eyes - sinuses blocked, sneezing, feeling cotton-headed. I thought of taking an antihistamine, but decided I would wait til I came back from the gym, maybe it would be better. So I headed off to the gym, did one of the Matt Roberts workouts (three cardio intervals, plus resistance exercises and abs), and guess what? My sinuses are clear! Ha!

To all the friends and family running Turkey Trots today - Good Luck! And to everyone, a very Happy Thanksgiving (the one holiday I really miss)! Enjoy the good times together!

Just one of those days...

Can I just say, I have always had a hate-hate relationship with the grapevine. Today, the first song in Zumba class and there goes the damn grapevine move - I somehow tripped over my shoes and fell right on my behind. Doh! I felt really dumb but got back up and kept going, finished out the class. It must have been one of those days because not only did the teacher call out the wrong instructions more than once, but both straps on her tank fell down at the same momemt during a shimmy and she flashed the whole class with her sportsbra. I was relieved it wasn't just me! All I was hoping for was to get back home again without crashing my bike.

I made it back in one piece, but the computer has been acting up, not wanting to cooperate at all. And darn, my ankle that I twisted thanks to that grapevine actually really hurts! I guess it's just one of those days. Time to hide out, ice my ankle, have a cup of tea, and let it pass. Tomorrow better.

No time!

No, that is not my excuse for not exercising, it is my excuse for not blogging! Things have been a bit hectic since I got back, we had the last part of our middle son's confirmation this weekend and then my husband has been getting ready for his trip to Japan - he leaves today so I am hanging around the house in this morning while he is getting everything packed, and in the meantime I am trying to get some things done for the workshops next week. I have been so TIRED...I have always heard that each hour of time difference means one day to get readjusted, and in my experience, it seems to hold true. So that means it should be another two days before I feel fully back to normal.

My exercise plan for the next three weeks is to get to the gym three times during the week and do a Matt Roberts workout (I am doing the ones from the first month of his "weight loss" program, Fran!), and run a longer distance on Sunday. We are all signed up for the Corrida at the end of December, we will be doing 8 kilometers, so I know I need to get my running in - one of the biggest benefits, for me, in being signed up for a race!

Linda and I have had great response to our workshops again this year, three of them are sold out, the fourth one is almost full, and we added an additional session, which is already half full! The topic this year is "healthy baking - how to make cookies, waffles, cakes and such using healthier options for sugar, flour, butter and eggs". We are going to have the participants roll their sleeves up and make some of the recipes, it should be fun!

Back home and finally functioning!

Thanks to my two great travelling companions, with whom I had a blast:

And congratulations to Mary and Brad, whose beautiful wedding was the high point of the journey! Being able to celebrate the special day with them and seeing family that I hadn't seen in so many years was such a pleasure.



I've been back home in Belgium since early Tuesday morning and today am finally starting to feel a bit back to normal. I was so glad to see Stefaan and the boys again, and happy to find that they also had a great time last week on their "guys only" trip. I headed to the gym this morning and it was good to see familiar faces and energize myself with some cardio and a few resistance exercises. I'm not sure what I'll be doing the next few weeks as far as workouts, since I will be very busy with my workshops coming up, but I will certainly have a plan figured out by Monday to get me through til the beginning of December.

Coronado Island to Carlsbad

Off to a good start - a morning run on the beach is the best way to wake up in the morning.

Yesterday when we finally tore ourselves away from the Coronado, we headed up to Bilboa Park, where we visited the rose and desert gardens, the Timken Museum of Art and met a beautiful white cockatoo named Jojo who was being "walked" by his owner. Jojo was very friendly and even came to sit on my arm and make my acquaintance!

Then we headed north up historic highway 101, passing the coastal towns of Mission Beach, La Jolla, Del Mar, Encinitas before arriving in Carlsbad, where the wedding will take place on Saturday afternoon. We were invited to the rehearsal dinner and it was great to see cousins I probably hadn't seen for about 30 some years! The wedding couple, my cousin Brad and his fiancee Mary seemed very happy to have everyone there for them. A lot of the wedding guests are staying at the hotel, so after dinner a few of us had a glass of wine together in the hotel bar and caught up on old times.

This morning Mom and I got up early along with my cousin Tom's oldest daughter Kelsea and crossed the road to check out the beach, which is wild and rocky at this point of the coastline. We scrambled down a cliff and took a long walk along the beach, picking up pretty beach rocks and watching the surfers along the way. Today we're planning to do some more exploring around Carlsbad and then go back to La Jolla in the afternoon to see the shops, caves, coves, and sea lions!

Palm Springs CA to San Diego CA

A beautiful drive from Palm Springs down through southern California to the San Diego landmark of Coronado Island and the amazing Hotel del Coronado. We were lucky enough to have an ocean-front room in the original 1888 building, what a treat! I was thankful that we were not in the famous haunted room, because I don't think I would have been able to sleep! There is lots of history here, including the filming of the Marilyn Monroe comedy "Some Like it Hot" in 1959.

We walked on the beach yesterday when we arrived, had some California wine on the patio as we watched the sun go down, and then enjoyed a delicious dinner at one of the restaurants. We still went to be early (that time change is a killer), which meant we got up early again, but by the time the sun came up we were ready to get out and run on the beach. We went north up the beach all the way to the Navy base, and then back, 2.5 miles total. By the time we jogged back to the hotel, I had a bunch of shells in my hand - not too convenient when running, but what an opportunity!

Today we head up north to Carlsbad, where the wedding will take place, and on the way we are going to stop in La Jolla to see the sea lions.

Albuquerque NM - Palm Springs CA

Because of the time change we have been getting up really early, which makes it easy to get a workout in. On Monday we were at the hotel's little workout room by 5:10 and we both ran 3 miles on the treadmill and then did a few resistance exercises with the weights. Then we did laundry, had breakfast and headed west. Our first stop after getting into Arizona was the Petrified Forest National Park, which was fascinating. Not only the beautiful petrified wood, but also the painted desert, the old ruins of pueblos, and petroglyphs (ancient drawings on stone) were there to see.

Then we pressed on to Sedona, arriving just in time for the gorgeous sunset on the red rocks - amazing. We stopped in town for a fabulous dinner at Rene's, where I had at least three vegetarian/vegan main courses to choose from - what a treat! I decided to be decadent and chose the Seitan and Tofu Wellington, which was delicious with a glass of Pinot Grigio from Oregon - mmmmm. I was glad I had worked out in the morning, I felt I had earned the right to enjoy such a yummy dinner.

Our next hotel was in downtown Phoenix. We got there well after dark, so were unable to discover how pleasant and new the city was until the next morning. First thing we did, though, was hit the gym at 6 am, which was a real treat, since hotel guests were allowed to use a full service health club adjacent to the hotel. We both nabbed treadmills and did 3 miles again. After showers and breakfasts, we headed to the Heard Museum, which has an incredible collection of Native American art, historical artefacts and history. I loved it.

For lunch, we had a special place we wanted to try - the Pane Bianco eatery, which is owned by the Pizzeria Bianco people - you may have seen them on Oprah a year or two ago when Gayle was reporting on the best pizzas in America, and they were one of them. Unfortunately the pizza place doesn't serve lunch, but Pane does, where the bread for the sandwiches is made with the same dough as the pizza crust, and they serve their own homemade mozzarella. Yum!

Then it was time to move west again, into the desert for the trip over to California. The desert is beautiful in a barren and desolate sort of way, I am amazed by the long stretches of just nothing, nothing, nothing. We arrived in Palm Springs, found our hotel and relaxed outside in the warm evening air with a few glasses of wine. This morning, up early AGAIN, mom and I decided to take our workout outside and did four miles, all the while enjoying the beautiful vistas of mountains in the distance and the palms and cactuses close by.

Dallas TX to Albuquerque NM

Our first day on the road, and the most miles of all the days we have planned. It was a beautiful sunny day, that gorgeous blue Texas sky smiling down. The driving was easy and since we took turns it never seemed very long. I enjoyed the scrub and brush and the subtle fall colors on the trees and long grass. Notable stops: Cadillac ranch - ten Cadillacs buried front down in a row in the middl e of a field; Midpoint Cafe in Adrian TX, the exact halfway point on the old route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles, and the most delicious piece of blueberry pie, still warm from the oven. Then I was excited to cross the line into New Mexico, a state I have never been to before. The sun was brutal as we headed west into the sunset, but the sky behind us was gorgeous with stripes of blue, pink and yellow, and bright white harvest moon. We arrived in Albuquerque, found our hotel and headed to Old Town for an authentic Mexican dinner - yum!

Happy Halloween!

The 10K race wasn't in our stars today, so we will be running at the trail at Allie's soccer field in a little while - it is a crisp and sunny beautiful fall day. I am in my running outfit and feeling a lot fitter than I did at 2:45 this morning when I first woke up - oh jetlag! I will be ready for a nap this afternoon I think but we need to get ready for our road trip to San Diego, which starts tomorrow.

A HUGE congratulations to Jenny and Mark who both ran PR's in their half marathon this morning - Jenny also placed 2nd in her age group and Mark placed 3rd in his Master's age group - WOW - I am sure proud of my fast sister and speedy brother-in-law! I envision both of them running Boston this spring! Be sure to check their blogs (on my blogroll at left) for their race reports later today.

Landed!

Wednesday morning I still got my last workout in at the gym, but things were so hectic that I never had a chance to blog before I left. I had a smooth flight from Brussels to Washington, the flight from Washington to Dallas was very bumpy and came in two hours late, due to tornados in Louisiana. But it was all worth it to be welcomed home by Mom, Dad, Christy and Allie, where there was a delicious vegan birthday cake waiting for me - Pumpkin Crumb Cake with Pecan Struesel from Veganomicon - mmmmm! And some very nice presents too!

Today will be a lazy day and running some errands, tomorrow (weather permitting) we'll be running a 10K in Las Colinas and watching Allie's soccer game.

More craziness

No concerts this week, just lots of crazy errands. So to save time, I walked Felix to school, ran home (I always put my workout clothes on when I get up on days I plan to work out, so I have one less excuse not to get it done, so I had my running shoes on already!) and immediately started doing my usual Monday workout at home, modifying here and there for the gym machines I didn't have. I couldn't believe actually how much of sweat I managed to work up! It still took me 80 minutes, but at least I saved the get there and back time, the locker room time, and the chit chat time!

Now I am off to get some things taken care of - why oh why do I always think I will have plenty of time and leave everything til the last minute???

Just make it four!

Friday night we were at the Frank Vander Linden concert, and the second song starts and my phone starts vibrating - holy crap, my first reaction is that the kids are calling and something happened, like someone decided to climb on the roof, the TV exploded, the hamster escaped or something disastrous (we were a ten minute walk away from our house, just so no one thinks we are totally irresponsible parents!). I don't dare to get up and leave to answer it, so once it stops vibrating I look to see who it was, and to my great relief, I see it was a message from our piano teacher Pieter - phew! The funny thing was, it was a message to invite us to see his band perform on Saturday evening because they made it to the semi finals of the Nekka competition, a pretty prestigious competition for pop and rock bands that sing in Dutch. Another concert to be added to this crazy week - why not? Just make it four!

Luckily I could then relax and really enjoy Frank Vander Linder, who was great. Just him and his guitar, and his beautiful songs. It was a small venue, and at the end he sang his last song standing on a chair two feet away from us. Wow! We even bumped into a couple we know, parents of one of Felix's friends, and went out for a drink with them afterwards. It was a very nice evening.

So last night I took my two oldest boys to see Pieter's band, Levien, compete in the Nekka competion. It took place right downtown in the beautiful city theater in Leuven, so it was easy for us to walk down to (one of the great things about living in Leuven - we walked to every concert we went to this week). He had told us he was playing second so I was thinking we could just see him and then head home again, but we were having such a good time seeing the different groups perform, that we stayed to see all ten of them. It was great to see Pieter behind the piano, we were very proud! Levien's songs were excellent, if you click on the link above you can listen to them. They even have their first song being played on the radio here! Each band got to perform two songs, and they were all very different, and all very professional artists. I think it will be difficult for the jury to choose the finalists, but of course we are hoping Pieter's band makes it - the winning group gets a record contract!

Luckily it was time to change the clocks last night, otherwise it would have been harder to get up and get to the lake to run at a reasonable hour, after our two late nights. But we did and it was well worth it, as it was perfect running weather. I was determined to run 10K, since the plan is to run a 10K race in Texas next Saturday, and I wanted to get the distance in my legs at least once before I leave. It went quite well, even though my legs felt tired towards the end, but it reminded me of my Monday workouts where I have to get back on the treadmill for those last five minutes of fast running after doing all those lower body resistance exercises and my legs feel so shot! Doing those five minutes on Mondays, and telling myself that I CAN do it even though I feel tired has been great training for pressing on in spite of having that feeling in your legs that they are made out of cement! We ended up doing our ten kilometers in about 70 minutes, nice and easy with regular walking breaks. I really wonder how I will feel next Saturday with jet lag and time change, but I hope I can get a good time. We shall see.

And now I need to go get a shower and lunch so we can go to our last concert of the week - number four! - but the lucky thing is, we only have to cross the street to get to this one - it is at our neighbor's house, will be cello and piano, and is being held to raise money for a charity. Should be a very relaxing end to a wild and crazy week! Hope you all have a great Sunday!

Crazy culture week

Why does it always seem like special events seem to be clumped together, instead of nicely spaced out? By Sunday I will have been to two musuems and three concerts, aside from my usual daily life and getting ready to leave on top of that.

The Nouvelle Vague concert was a blast! Neither one of us were expecting them to be so good live, but it was a very entertaining evening. I loved their version of "So Lonely" by the Police, and Stefaan got a huge kick out of hearing their covers of the Dead Kennedys, Bauhaus and the Sex Pistols. Here is another link to them singing Love Will Tear Us Apart.

Yesterday Kristel and I went into Brussels to see the Magritte musuem. It's a permanent new museum that just opened this summer, but I had two free tickets that expire the end of October, so I really wanted to go before leaving. We really enjoyed it, the musuem is incredible - well organized in chronological order, with lots of information on René Magritte's life and times, his wife Georgette, their group of friends, and most of all, his beautiful works of art (see above). We ended up having lunch at one of the most spetacular views in Brussels - the Musical Instrument Musuem's Café on the 10th floor, where you can see all the Brussels landmarks, including the Atomium from your table. It ended up being a great day out.

Today I got off to the gym in time to do my upper body weights before the Zumba class, which seems to be getting harder everytime I go - the teacher keeps on adding steps and variations to the songs. Well, at least it won't get boring!

Tonight Stefaan and I are going to concert number two for the week to see Frank Van der Linden, a Belgian musician who used to front the group "De Mens" but recently released a solo album. Stefaan actually purchased the CD (a good sign) and played it a ton this year, so most of the songs will sound very familiar! Here is a link to one of his new songs, Nachtwaker.

Finally!

Yesterday my friend Catherine and I visited the Rogier Van der Weyden exhibition at the brand new art museum here in Leuven. We couldn't believe how busy the museum was, but the exhibition was well worth braving the crowds - there were several incredible paintings there. Rogier Van der Weyden was one of the so-called Flemish primitive painters in the 15th century, but his work was anything but what you would call primitive - on the contrary, it is exquisite.

So today, finally, I got to get one of the Wednesday workouts in from my Matt Roberts program. I had missed the first two weeks with Felix always being home sick. The first part of the workout is a 26 minute HIIT run, which went really well - it felt good to run. Then there is a circuit of 9 resistance exercises, alternating upper and lower body, which you do twice. After that another 11 minutes of cardio intervals, which I did on the elliptical. Finally 6 ab/core exercises, which are also done twice. Phew! It was super busy at the gym because they had a group of students who were learning how to use everything.

Tonight Stefaan and I are going to see Nouvelle Vague in concert here in Leuven - he surprised me last night when he came home with two tickets! Nouvelle Vague is a French group who do covers of 80' new wave and punk songs in bossa nova style - really eclectic and fun. Here is a link to them performing "Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes - remember that song? They have three albums out, with things from Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, the Sex Pistols, etc.

Now I am off to plant the tulip bulbs that arrived last week from the Netherlands - Dad ordered us a selection when we visited Keukenhof in May and there are 120 of them in the box! Thankfully the weather is really nice today, perfect for being outside in the fresh air.

Boo-day!

My mom always made the coolest birthday cakes!

Briefly...

Just a quick post as my trip to San Diego is soon approaching and I have LOADS of things to get done...

Yesterday we braved the very cold temperature (I had to get my winter running tights out for the first time this year, wore three tops, and wished I had brought gloves - that's how cold it was!) and headed out to the lake to run 7 km in about 45 min. It was a beautiful morning and it felt good to get out - but BRRRR! Oh well, that won't keep me from getting my runs in, since I have got a race with Mom and Christy on Halloween (we haven't decided which one yet) and the Corrida coming up. There is nothing more motivating to me than being signed up for a race!

Felix is finally back to normal, so my goal this week is to finally get all three Beach Body workouts in for the week! I headed off to the gym this morning and got my Monday routine done. It did feel hard, but I just kept telling myself to keep going, I didn't want to break my promise to myself to get it done. One of my gym buddies, Vera, said it looked like I was doing a hard program. It really is. But I felt so good once I finished.

Now it's off to do other errands and chores. Have a great Monday!

It's Corrida Time!

Just hanging out with Felix again today. It was rainy and cold this morning so I opted to do some yoga while he took a hot bath.

On the up side, I just checked the DCLA website and it is time to sign up for the Corrida here in Leuven at the end of the year! Woo hoo! This year's race will take place on December 27 and as always, you can run 4, 8 or 12 kilometers right through the center of town. It's a great time and if things are the same as in the past, every runner is presented with a bottle of wine as they cross the finish line - definitely my kind of race! Stefaan and I are going to do the 8K again this year.

Update

Good news - the blood tests don't show any bacterial infection, no low iron or other problems - that is quite a relief. The doctor says he is simply fighting a virus and just taking a long time to get over it. She prescribed some vitamins and time.

So he is staying home again today and probably tomorrow. I was supposed to spend today in Brussels with a very good friend - but she is coming to me today instead, and while Felix rests we can chat. My friend is bringing homemade soup, I'm going to make some vegetarian couscous and I made healthy supperfood muffins for dessert. The sun is shining and my house is clean. I even got a big portion of my workshop text written early this morning while Felix was still sleeping and the other boys had left for school. What more could I ask for? It's going to be a good day.

Catching up

I guess I forgot to blog on Monday - I had a doctor's appointment for myself and then I biked on to the gym and did my Monday "Beach Body" workout which went well. I know I got back a lot later than usual - around 1 pm, so that must be why I never got around to blogging.

My youngest came home Monday afternoon sick AGAIN. He just collapsed on the couch and stayed there the rest of the day. Not at all himself. So yesterday I took him in to the doctor again. This time they took some blood to see what is going on. We find out later today. I am kind of worried but trying not to dwell on it. I am keeping myself busy by going crazy cleaning the house, stripping all the beds, disinfecting all the doorknobs, etc - I am feeling like there is some virus or something we need to get rid of! Luckily it is cold but bright and sunny and I have been able to air out all the rooms really well.

Yesterday Felix had a really high fever the whole day but this morning he seemed a bit better. I remembered how yucky I felt last week when I didn't get any exercise, so this morning I dug out an old TaeBo tape - the advanced class! - and put it on. Remember TaeBo, the kickboxing workout with Billy Blanks? Phew, I forgot how hard some of those moves were! Especially the series of donkey kick variations at the end - my end was burning! Felix was wondering how old that tape was, so he looked on the box while I was sweating away and told me it was from 1998! Older than him!

Six on Sunday

We had a lazy Sunday morning, I made French toast for everyone, and then, since it wasn't raining as we had expected, and the boys wanted to play tennis, we headed out to our big park to run around the lake. We ended up doing six kilometers in about 40 minutes. The temperature was just right for running, but by the end it was getting kind of windy so we went to find the boys at the tennis courts and headed home.

And sure enough, it is raining now. Hope the weather is a little nicer the next few days, I have a couple of outings planned. One will be to Brussels to visit the new Magritte musuem with a good friend. I am just crossing my fingers that my middle son, who has been feeling sick this weekend (sore throat and fever) will be better by then!

I haven't been especially "good" the past few days on my healthy eating plan, but somehow my weight has seemed to stabilize at a new lower weight than it was a the beginning of the summer. I am wondering if I am starting to get to the point where I have built up enough new muscle to tip the scales a bit in my favor. That would certainly be nice.

What I learned today

I've known this for a long time, but today this hit home for me in a huge way: I need some exercise and fresh air every day or I feel like CRAP!

Yesterday, I just felt terrible - sluggish, down in the dumps, stressed out, worried, nervous, and edgy. I wasn't a lot of fun to be around and I found myself reaching for "self calming" foods (starchy carbs) which tend to reinforce the sluggish feeling and make me even more stressed about not sticking to my healthy eating plan.

This morning my son went back to school. And as I biked home from taking him, in the very chilly (gloves necessary!) morning air, I realized that was what I had been missing - getting out of the house every morning, moving and breathing, and waking up my body. I had been cooped up for three days and the only outings were by car, which drains my energy even more.

So with a huge sigh of relief I headed off to the gym for Zumba and upper body weights. Boy, Zumba class was a killer today, but I was so happy, even though it was tough, to be there again, alive and sweating.

And now I feel calm again, a bit tired but in a good way, ready to move forward and try to make the most of each day. And next time I am stuck at home I will put on an exercise video or take a quick bike ride around the neighborhood or walk to the store - anything to make sure I don't get in that slump again!

Bummed to Blessed

I've been feeling bummed with my son still sick. It makes me feel bad to have him feeling bad, I get buggy being in the house all day, and feel stuck. Luckily he's finally starting to do a bit better today but I couldn't leave him here to go to the gym, so I was feeling bummed about that too this morning. Then the phone rang, and it was my friend who recently lost her brother and so we were able to have a long talk, and I felt blessed to have her as a friend, and I told my son it was thanks to him that I got to catch up with her, because otherwise I would have been at the gym and missed her call.


Sometimes all we need is a change in perspective.

Charmae just awarded me with this:

Thanks, Charmae!

When I accept this award I have to:
Copy these 35 questions and change the answers to suit you then pass it on. Once you have filled it out ~~~ be sure to pass it on to 6 of your favorite bloggers and alert them that they have been awarded!
1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your hair? curly
3. Your mother? fun, amazing and inspirational
4. Your father? the best photo editor and technical advisor ever and an all around great guy
5. Your favorite food? real food: tofu; junk food: potato chips
6. Your dream last night? none
7. Your favorite drink? Earl Grey green tea and Spanish red wine
8. Your dream/goal? lose these last stubborn pounds and get in the best shape of my life
9. What room are you in? home office
10. Your hobby? used to be knitting, now I guess it's blogging and going to the gym!
11. Your fear? Heights
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy and healthy
13. Where were you last night? at piano lessons and then home watching Lost with my kids
14. Something that you aren’t? unreliable
15. Muffins? superfood muffins with spinach
16. Wish list item? new laptop
17. Where did you grow up? mostly Mentor, Ohio and Geneva, Illinois
18. Last thing you did? had a cup of coffee and read the new issue of Runner's World that just came in the mail
19. What are you wearing? yoga pants and a long sleeve tee, flip flops
20. Your TV? we only have one small one, in the living room, it's off right now
21. Your pets? a little gray hamster named Bubbles (belongs to Felix)
22. Friends? dear to my heart
23. Your life? lucky
24. Your mood? was bummed but now feel fortunate
25. Missing someone? Johan - miss him every time I sit at the piano
26. Vehicle? 1999 Toyota Picnic
27. Something you’re not wearing? Socks
28. Your favorite store? Dille & Kamille
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When was the last time you laughed? last night with the boys
31. Last time you cried? this morning
32. Your best friend? I don't have one best friend, but several who are very dear to my heart!
33. One place that I go to over and over? the gym
34. One person who emails me regularly? Linda
35. Favorite place to eat? Lukemieke but I don't get to go there very often

The six bloggers I am passing this award onto are: will be announced as soon as my son has a turn on the computer because he is nagging me like crazy at the moment and I can't think!

Right On!

One of the blogs I enjoy reading, Skwigg, had this to say about the "ideal program" for losing weight and being healthy and fit:

"You can fiddle with details but the basic formula never changes. Whether someone is primal or vegan, low carb or high carb, a gym rat or a weekend warrior, a raw foodist or a Weight Watcher, if they are healthy and fit, do you know what they have in common?

• THEY MAKE HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES
• THEY CONTROL PORTIONS
• THEY EXERCISE"

She is right. That's really all there is to it. And once you find a program, philosophy or system that you enjoy and that enables you to do those three basic things healthily, you're on your way.

New Week, New Program, New Motivation!

Felix is better but I still kept him home today because he sounds like he stayed up all night drinking whisky and smoking cigars - talk about a gravelly voice! Luckily for me both his big brothers have a day off school today, and so I felt okay leaving him with them so I could get to the gym.

Today was the first day on part 2 of my Beach Body program (it's from the Matt Roberts book "Fitness for Life Manual"). The workouts in this phase build on the first phase, adding additional minutes of cardio, and additional reps, but the exercises themselves don't change that much. I actually felt really good today and was raring to go. I think that might be because we took yesterday off - we both had run on Saturday and we had to go out to the in-laws, so we decided not to run our usual Sunday run around the lake.

The Monday workout is basically four short high intensity cardio segments, and between each of them you do four resistance exercises, alternating upper body and lower body, so you can move from one to the next without resting. I am telling you, I was just dripping with sweat! The last resistance segment has you doing squats and leg presses and I really needed all my mental strength to then get on the treadmill and run at 85% mhr! My legs were burning but I kept thinking, you can do this for 5 minutes, you can do it, you can do it, it's only 5 minutes! And I did, but boy was I glad after that - I could lie down on the mat and do abs and stretching.

The book says this workout should take 55 minutes, but it took me 80! I did talk to a friend of mine for about 5 minutes after my last cardio segment, but for the rest I moved pretty quickly between the different exercises. Go figure.

In any case, it was a great start to the week - I feel good and motivated to complete the next 3 1/2 weeks on my program before I head off to the States. I am also excited because Mom and Christy and I are most likely going to run either a 10K or a 5K on Halloween together! They have lots of races to chose from in Dallas, and I think there are at least three that looked good. I always have a great time doing races with my mom and sisters, and knowing we are going to do it will give me some extra motivation to get my longer runs in on Sundays the next few weeks!

Sluggish Saturday

Felix is not really feeling too much better today, unfortunately. Our doctor thought it could be some kind of seasonal allergy but I am thinking more and more that it is the flu. We'll see how it goes this weekend, and see the doctor again on Monday if he does not improve.

Am I sick too? I don't know if I am. Everyone keeps saying there is so much going around right now. But I do know it was hard, hard, hard at the gym today. I felt tired, weak, and my head was all blocked up. I was having the most difficult time with my interval run on the treadmill. I was thinking too, it might just be from having two very quiet days with no activity that made me feel so sluggish. And sometimes getting some exercise actually makes you feel better. I decided to do the amount of time, but just go easier on the speeds. I ended up doing 3.9 km in 26 minutes, which in retrospect is not bad at all. It just felt super tough.

Then on to weights. Ugh. I had to really push myself to keep going and finish the whole circuit. But it was my final workout of the first part of my program and I hate to not finish things, so I kept going. Then it was onto the elliptical for 10 more minutes of cardio, that went okay because I could see the light at the end of the tunnel! Boy was I glad when I could finally lie down on a mat to do abs and stretching.

The thing I kept thinking was, the days when it feels really hard are the days when you make a lot of progress. Plus you strengthen your "determination" muscle! And like Marianne Williamson once said, if you want to be a disciplined person, practice being more disciplined. I guess that is what I did today. And, oh yeah - I do feel better!

Frumpy Friday

In the middle of the night, Wednesday, my youngest got sick, and after cleaning him up and getting him back to bed, it was 3 am and I just could not sleep. I was thinking about how I was going to have to call the doctor and get an appointment, how the doctor would most likely give my son Thursday and Friday off school, how I was then going to have to call Linda to change our meeting on Thursday to plan our workshops (would have to be at my house now and later than planned), call my other friend to tell her I was going to have to miss the seminar we were going to on Friday, and besides all that, call the school. Then when my monkey mind was done figuring all that out, it was just getting started! On it moved to other topics, all of which I had absolutely no control over, just worries and ruminations about things coming up, but they continued to tumble through my head like clothes in a dryer. AAARRRGGG!

I hate when I do that, and I cannot, absolutely cannot, seem to shut it off! So the result was, I got no sleep and was a wreck yesterday. And since Felix is home today, we both slept in a bit, are taking it easy, I am catching up on some work, he's chilled out watching our old home movies - he loves watching himself as a baby! Sometimes it's good to have a quiet day and on the up side, I get to hang out with one of my most favorite people in the world. I am bummed about missing the seminar I had planned to go to today, it would have been really interesting, but...oh well. My friend promised me she would take notes.

The good thing is, since I knew I was going to attend this, I had already planned to do my normal Friday workout on Saturday morning. And so I might be a little bit more tired than usual, but I will get it in tomorrow.

Hectic Wednesday

It's Wednesday and that means I only have the morning to myself, since the boys are all home from noon onwards. It sometimes feels like a huge sacrifice to devote nearly all that time to getting to the gym, doing my workout, getting home, showering (and shaving!!), and then just having enough time to get a warm lunch on the table. But then again, sometimes it feels like the best thing I could be doing with my time. Because when I get back and have that weary feeling in my legs and arms, I feel like I have accomplished a lot already and anything else is a bonus!

Today was the last day of the first half of the Matt Roberts Beach Body program I've been doing. Everything went well, I like to push my limits on the last day I do a program workout, so I increased my speed on the treadmill and ended up doing 4.1 km in 26 min. I also increased the weights on the resistance exercises, even though that meant I could not complete all the reps for a few of them. I was just dripping sweat and out of breath the whole time, even on the weights.

I took a look at the book this afternoon to see what I will be doing the next four weeks - before I hit the beach in San Diego! Umm...it looks pretty tough, especially the Wednesday workout. The intervals are increased in time, the resistance exercises are increased in reps, and there are new ones added in. The book says the Wednesday workout should take 70 minutes, start to finish, but I know I normally take a bit longer than it says in the book - so that means my Wednesday mornings are going to be even tighter. I may just have to swap days and put one of the shorter workouts (only 55 minutes!) on Wednesday.

Aside from that, I feel excited to change things up. I already wrote my gym days in my agenda, so I don't accidentally schedule something and have to poop out or reschedule. So far, everything fits...even on Wednesdays!

Doh!

So...I am at the gym this morning, going about my Monday workout (short bursts of cardio interspersed with resistance exercises) and I sit down on a bench, in front of this big mirror, to do triceps extensions. And I suddenly realize that I only shaved one armpit!!! One is smooth, one is looking kinda, well ... furry!

My pre-menopausal brain fuzz was literally visible in the gym mirror. Help!

Indian Summer

We have been having the most beautiful Indian Summer these past few days, and even though it is very chilly in the morning, by mid afternoon it warms up to a very pleasant temp and the bright sunshine is so pretty filtered through the changing colors on the trees.

I felt like it had been a long time since I had done my neighborhood route, which includes a lot of hills, which we don't get at the lake. So that's what we did this morning, enjoying the fall flowers, pumpkins, horses in their paddock, the fields, the fall colors...it was a pretty run.

Hope everyone has a peaceful and happy Sunday!

Confession

I did not run yesterday. I was talking to my dad Tuesday evening and telling him about how my osteopath "fixed" my hip, and he said I might want to give the readjusted muscle some time to heal or rest or cool down before subjecting it to the one thing that I know for sure makes it hurt. Since Dad is an expert on chronic pain, having dealt with it himself for many years (he was finally forced to give up golf because of it), his words of wisdom made sense to me. So yesterday I walked Felix to school, I biked to the store and back, I baked muffins and made soup, but I did not run. And my hip still feels really good. No pain. Bliss.

Here is some food for thought from a fascinating book I have been reading, from a chapter devoted to the importance of muscle for women:

A woman's need of muscle is practical...by owning muscle you can keep the bone you have from departing, for muscle yanks on bone, and the mechanical action goads the bone to turn over, to be replenished, rather than to stagnate and gradually dissolve...Even a bit of fat can be accommodated on a sturdy frame. The dangers of body fat are exaggerated. Fat ipso facto is not a bad thing. The problem for most overweight people is that the extra fat makes movement harder and more unpleasant, and so they tend not to exercise, and muscles must be moved to remain engaged. But if a chubby woman remains active, she may prove surprisingly strong. Overweight people not only have more fat than the slender, they often have comparatively more muscle. When you gain weight because you're overeating, you put on
three quarters of that weight as fat but one quarter as muscle. Fat people are so cowed into self-loathing that they don't realize the potential they carry. If they choose to exercise their submerged muscle on a regular basis, they'll be able to beat the sprat out of any thin ones who call them pigs.*

More power to the "surprisingly strong active chubby woman" (me)!

* Angier, Natalie. Woman: An intimate geography (1999), p. 293. Thanks to Cassandra for suggesting this read!

Taking Care

Yesterday was my cardio-resistance interval workout, and as usual, my right hip started aching after I finished the workout and was still aching when I got up today. I have had this hip pain for a long time, remember back in May when my doctor told me I probably had bursitis? I have just been living with this chronic pain ever since the first half marathon training program, sometimes taking anti-inflammatories, but mostly just hobbling around after runs or workouts.

One of the consequences of this has been that I cut way back on the distances I run, since the longer the run the more annoying the pain afterwards, or so it seems.

Today I had my bi-annual visit to my osteopath. I have been seeing her for several years now, ever since she was able to radically improve severe problems I had with my neck and shoulders. I go twice a year for a "tune up"! So today I was telling her about the supposed bursitis and she set to work on my hips, lower spine and tailbone. She must have done something to get the kinks out because since I left her office, I have been pain free! Boy, I wish I would have mentioned it to her sooner. In any case, I am very grateful and curious if there will be a difference after my next workout, tomorrow, which includes a 26 minute interval run.

Carpe Diem

As we were leaving to run this morning, I grabbed my phone and saw there was a message from a very dear friend of mine, someone I've known for 20 years. The message said her brother died suddenly yesterday at the age of 45, from a heart attack. I am so sad for her and all her family, especially her brother's wife and little daughter. My heart goes out to them - please keep them in your prayers today.

I couldn't stop thinking of them as we ran around the lake...it is a beautiful day today, the sun was shining and the air felt good on my arms...I was thinking how fortunate I was to be there, breathing and moving. How we must not take anything for granted, and how we so often do. My friend's loss reminds me how fragile life is and that we must make the most of every day.

Zumba

Well, I didn't make the mistake this time of doing heavy lower body weights right before this class! I got in to the gym at 9 and did a circuit of upper body weights before Zumba started at 9:30. As always the class was quite full (but not as full as the classes in the evening, from what I hear). I always worry about bumping into someone! What a workout! The room is pretty cold, but by the first song I am sweating like crazy, and by the end, I feel like I have worked really hard. I also felt today like I am finally starting to get the hang of the steps.

I have to say, the feeling I have after the class reminds me of how I felt when I was taking Tai-chi: you are so focused on remembering the routine or following the steps, that you don't have time to think about anything else (like, what am I going to make for dinner, what do I have to pick up at the store, what time do I have to take the kids to piano, what are we doing this weekend, etc, etc, etc). To me it is like a kind of active meditation, and my mind feels like it took a little vacation for an hour!

Back to Normal

So it's back to normal schedule this week, which means today is the day I try to get lots of stuff done around the house. It has been a bit strange not to be going to the gym nearly every day, Tuesdays and Thursdays feel like a "vacation" in an odd way! I have that "sea of time" feeling, which is actually not true, because the day still flies by.

Yesterday I went to the gym for my Wednesday workout, which is actually quite rigorous. I was just dripping sweat through the whole thing. It starts with a 26 minute interval workout on the treadmill, in which I cranked out 3.8 km, then I do seven resistance exercises with high reps, repeat those, and then do 10 minutes of intervals on the elliptical, to finish with some ab exercises. Phew. I felt tired the rest of the day, and I didn't even bike over to the gym (took the car because I had an errand to run just after - Wednesday is a tricky day because the kids are out of school at noon).

I am looking forward to Zumba tomorrow, I missed it last week because I was busy getting everything ready for my friend's visit.

Blast from the Past

I had a wild and wonderful weekend, which is why you haven't heard from me since last week. My high school friend Rebecca took time out of a business trip to London, to come to Belgium for the weekend to see me. We hadn't seen each other in 22 years! Can you believe it?

I was excited and nervous as I waited for her train to pull in at the station, and all of a sudden I saw her further down, we recognized each other immediately, ran over and both of us said at the same time: "You look exactly the same!" It was the start of what would turn out to be the funnest weekend I've had in a long time, non-stop talking and laughing (my voice is still hoarse). We had a lot of catching up to do, but it felt like I had just seen her last week.

We spent all day Saturday showing her Leuven, making sure she got some chocolates and even more important, waffles - two kinds of Belgian waffles! The warm ones that are gooey and filled with hunks of sugar (Liege waffles) and the light and airy ones topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar (Brussels waffles). Mmmmmmm!

It was so wonderful to see her! What a let down on Monday morning, and of course, after all the chocolate and waffles comes the day of reckoning - back to the gym it was even though I didn't feel like it at all. But I did feel better to have gotten it done, and now it's back to a normal week. Bah!

Busy Wednesday

Just a quick post as I have a busy day ahead - have to start getting lunch ready for when the boys come home and then we have their activities and homework this afternoon.

Went for my Matt Roberts workout to the gym. My friend S had emailed that she would be there, too, so I got on the treadmill for the first portion of the workout, keeping my eye out for her. The first part is a 24 minute cardio interval, switching every two minutes between 70% mhr and 80% mhr. Since I never use a heart rate monitor, I always go by perceived exertion and the numbers on the treadmill! So I kept alternating between 9 km/hr and 9.5 km/hr , and the last interval I kicked it up to 10 km/hr. I ended up doing 3.8 km total and was dripping with sweat. S came in and waved when I was about 2/3 done, so when I finished I went to find her. We decided to have a drink at the bar first and catch up on how things had been going since we last saw each other.

The second portion of the workout is seven resistance exercises, which I had to do one set of each (high reps again) and then repeat them all. They were: chest press, leg curl, one arm raise, lunges, lateral raises, leg press, and triceps overheads. The lunges killed so I cut back to just 12 reps, with no weight. But all the other exercises went fine.

The third part of the workout was another 10 minutes of cardio, again with intervals. I was starting to get short on time, so I decided to bike home - which takes about 10 minutes and has hills to make it hard - and finish the last portion of the workout, abs, at home. They were: reverse curls, basic curls, plank and side plank. Uh, finally I was done.

Unfortunately, my right outer thigh is KILLING me. I don't know what I did to it, but I am kind of worried. I don't think I have ever had anything hurt this sharply after a workout. Sore, yes, but real painful like this, no. So I put some Oxyflex cream on it after my shower and I think I will take some Vitamin I (as Alexandra in Canada calls ibuprofen!) after lunch and see if that helps.

Sweaty Monday Morning

We've got a couple of nice days coming up this week and the sky was beautiful as I headed to the gym this morning. I did have to wear a fleece and a jacket over my sleeveless running top, funny to think just a few weeks ago I was biking at the same time in the morning with just the top. How quickly the temperature can change.

Today was my first "real" workout on my new program. It starts out with a 5 minute cardio warm-up, then 3 minutes at 80% mhr - I did this on the treadmill, starting out by running at 8.5 km/hr and then bumping it up to 9.5.

Then I had to go and do four resistance exercises: chest press, lunges, lat pulldown, and leg curls. Just one set each, but high reps - 16.

Then it was back to cardio for 4 minutes at 85% mhr - I did the bike and I was sweating like crazy.

Then, four more resistance exercises: this time it was push ups, leg press, single arm row, and power lunges. Again one set of 16 reps each. I am just dripping with sweat as I move from exercise to exercise.

From there, another 5 minutes of cardio at 85% - the elliptical this time. My heart rate was pretty high already, I didn't have to push it that much to get it up in the right range.

Finally one more foursome of resistance exercises: triceps overhead, leg curls, reverse flye, and finally squats. From there I went back to the treadmill for my final cardio interval of 5 minutes. I put the incline up a little and set the pace to 10 km/hr. I felt like I normally feel towards the end of a HIIT run - really warmed up, really sweaty and just at the brink of not quite being able to finish unless you really give it your all.

Finally - done running! And last but not least three ab exercises, for each one set of 20 reps. And then stretch. Oh yeah - and then bike home. I almost forgot about that dang hill I have to get up - ugh!

I felt like I got a great workout, although more for the lower body than for the upper body. We'll see how Wednesday goes.

Easy like Sunday morning

Oh man, my legs were still killing me yesterday (Saturday) and to make matters worse, my back, neck and chest were sore too. I almost felt like I was coming down with something, I kept having that where you alternate between being chilly and then being hot and clammy. Of course that could just be the combination of hypothyroidism (cold) with perimenopause (hot) - I swear half the time I just don't know WHAT the deal is anymore! So after we got back from piano lessons and Felix's badminton training, I decided to have a quiet Saturday afternoon, took some painkillers and settled in with a book and a cup of tea. But I felt like a little old lady all day, shuffling here and there.

This morning I still felt bad, but decided some exercise would probably help me feel better, but I did not feel like running outside in the chilly wind, so I went to the gym and did 40 minutes on the elliptical, which I figured would be a bit gentler than a run. It actually did make me feel a lot better and I am looking forward to getting back to the gym tomorrow for a full Matt Roberts workout - without a Zumba class first!

Have a great Sunday everyone!

My legs are killing me!

I was not sure what it was going to be like, doing a Zumba class and then following it up with a full body resistance work out...

The Zumba class was very intense. Lots of high intensity stomping, lunging, and all those dance steps (mambo, chacha, etc) - I couldn't believe how much I was sweating. But it's fun, the music is great and the class flies by, mostly because I have to really concentrate to keep up with the moves. Our teacher finishes the class with a segment of ab work and then a cool down. By then I felt I had got a pretty good workout in - but I still had weights to do!

I worked through the Matt Roberts program, alternating upper body with lower body moves, but I could really feel the Zumba in my legs, and by the end, they were shot. I still had to make a detour to the library to pick up a book, and then home on my bike... oh, help! Just one more bike journey to go today, to pick up Felix at school - I hope I can make it. I'll make sure to leave in time so I don't have to go too fast. Did I mention that it's raining?

A Fresh Start

September always feels like a fresh start - the boys headed back to school on Tuesday, their sports activities started up again, and we are back into our normal routine (well, almost!) I have had almost a week of "active rest" and have not been to the gym. Time for a fresh fitness start as well, then!

Since I will be heading to the California beach later this fall, I decided to follow the Matt Roberts "Beach Body program" from his book "Fitness for Life Manual". This program always seemed like a tough one to me, but now, having done Body for Life, it doesn't look so daunting anymore! It consists of three workouts a week, all including cardio intervals and weights, always alternating an upper body exercise with one for the lower body. He calls this peripheral heart action training and the idea is that this works the heart harder as it has to pump blood to muscles at both ends of the body. You also don't have to rest between the different exercises, which keeps your heart rate up throughout the workout.

I am going to go to Zumba class once a week and I am also going to keep running, the longer run on Sundays and then one short run during the week. I really want to run the Corrida again this year!

I'm going to give it a go and hope to further improve my fitness, strength, weight and well being!

BFL Results

First of all, a big thanks to everyone who has commented here in the last 12 weeks and yesterday (I love the image of a whole field of orchids, Katy!) - your encouragement and support has meant a lot to me!

It feels a bit weird today, not having to go to the gym. But I got up and my first item of business was weighing and measuring! I did not end up like one of those before and after pictures in the BFL book; I had a rough time, especially at the beginning, figuring out how to fit the food guidelines into a mainly vegan diet. So my weight loss is not what you could call spectacular: just under 6 pounds.

But I am really happy with my other indicators! My BMI went down one full point, as did my Waist to Hip Ratio (you can figure all these measurements out for yourself at http://www.bmi-calculator.net/ ). I only took body measurements starting the sixth week of the program, but in the last six weeks, I lost 4 cm in my waist and and 4 on my hips, 1 cm on my thigh, one on my upper arm, and my back/chest measurement got 2 cm bigger (ahem - I was noticing my bras were fitting completely differently!). Not only that, but all of my clothes fit better and things that were too tight to wear comfortably are now fitting great. And I will need to chuck some things that are too big and don't look nice anymore.

Physically, I feel amazing - a lot stronger, especially in my upper body, in which I had lost a lot of strength the last ten years. Pulling the window shutters up in the morning, hauling heavy things like suitcases and baskets of laundry up and down the stairs - it has all become a lot easier. I feel firm and toned, and can't help admiring the little hills and valleys that have appeared on my arms and legs!

On a personal level, I am reminded of Marianne Willamson's advice: "If you want to become a more disciplined person, practice being a disciplined person." For me this is just one more step up from doing those half marathon training programs: with those I had the fear factor of not being able to hack it on race day to propel me forward; with BFL all I had was my own desire to finish and of course, not wanting to have to say on this blog that I didn't finish! Being disciplined and keeping promises to yourself is definitely something that gets better with lots of practice!

BFL Day 84: DONE!

Just 84 days ago I started a program that I had always considered way out of my league. Just like I never thought of myself as someone who could run (before completing two half marathons!), I also never thought of myself as someone who could follow a serious weight lifting program. And so now I have proven the contrary to myself.

It was a nippy 13° as I headed to the gym for my final workout this morning - lower body weights. It was a beautiful morning and I decided to bike a bit further along the canal to give my legs a good warm up. By the time I arrived back at the gym I had been cycling for a good 20 minutes. I really wanted to push this last workout and my plan was to increase the weight on every exercise. This is the highest weight I did for each:

• Leg press: 110 kg
• Squat: 11 kg
• Leg curl: 30 kg
• Lunges: 6 kg
• Angled calf raises: 9 kg
• One leg calf raises: 7 kg

Then it was those last ab exercises and before I knew it, I was DONE! Wow. What a great feeling to have set out to accomplish something and then really follow through and complete it.

I headed home. When I got there a surprise was waiting for me: a beautiful orchid (see pic!) and a card of congratulations from Stefaan and the boys. I just love orchids and this one is a beauty - what a treat!

Today I am going to bask in the feelings of accomplishment, tomorrow I will take my final measurements, take stock of what I accomplished and lay out my new plan for the next two months... full report to follow soon!

BFL: one more day to go!

It was just 15°C when I passed the Stella brewery on my bike this morning...brrr! I can really feel the season is starting to turn and fall is in the air. Thankfully it is still beautiful and sunny with a gorgeous blue sky.

I decided to do the HIIT run today and the lower body weights tomorrow, because I wanted to be able to really push hard for both workouts and if I did the weights first, the HIIT run would be really tough the next day. So tomorrow is my last day of BFL!

It felt like a long time since I had been on the treadmill and as always, that makes me feel doubtful about if I can do it or not. I know it's silly! But it's like I have to re-convince myself that I am capable each time I get back on. So I got started and I was determined to finish the workout with a bang - it was going pretty well and I felt good, so on the last interval I pushed the intensity up a notch for each minute. I kept telling myself this was the last HIIT run! I finished in 26 minutes, doing 4.3 km total. Phew!

I was thinking to myself as I headed home, how I used to be so intimidated about going to the gym on weekends, because I always had this idea that it would be so busy, and how I have finally gotten over that, and don't even worry about it much anymore. It reminds me of so many small hurdles I have gotten over in this fitness journey. When I think back to the person who was so scared of running, sure I was going to fly off and hit the wall behind me if I dared to put the treadmill up too fast... Truly, if I could come this far, who know where I will end up?

Running with Bears

It was just too nice of a morning to go to the gym and run indoors.

So Stefaan decided to join me so we left and did a big loop that took us to the lake where we normally run on Sundays. When we got there, we soon noticed about eight very tall and muscular guys from the Leuven Bears basketball team had also decided to run outdoors - they were doing loops around the lake as well! Go Bears!

We made a pit stop in the bathroom and then headed back home, passing through the park where they have the Finnish running track. This was a great way to end the run, because let me tell you, that track gives you a good workout! With about a kilometer to get back home we took it easy the last bit for our cool down. We ended up running 7.7 kilometers total and it took us just about an hour.

Now I just have two more workouts left to complete my Body for Life Challenge: a lower body weight session and a HIIT run. I can't believe I will be done with this by Sunday morning! Wow!