The Gun Show

The only thing that this post has to do with fitness is that it involved E, whom I met at the gym many moons ago.

When you spend a Friday afternoon with one of your girlfriends, normally it involves lunch, shopping maybe a glass of wine.  Spending a Friday afternoon with E involves none of the above; instead she took me to the gun range!

I was all smiles leading up to this, peeking around corners with my finger gun, kicking in virtual doors with my finger gun as well as the classic holding my finder gun to my lips and blowing on it.  I was a little disappointed to find out that I was not allowed to wear heels to the gun range, because in my fantasy I was wearing my really cute black suede boots, funny I don’t recall any of the Charlie’s Angels wearing sensible shoes…well may be Sabrina but I think she drove a Pinto too.

With my wardrobe completely rethought, I met E (who was wearing very cute flat black boots, she has done this a time or two before) and we headed out on our adventure.

So about this gun range, it isn’t an ordinary open to the public kind of place, it is a “training facility” and my first experience shooting a gun would be Trevor’s (my instructor) practicum.  The poor guy.

Before we entered the range the gun rules were explained, and my giddiness quickly turned into nervousness.

Rule 1: Treat all guns as if they were loaded. Gulp, I kinda blanked out after the first rule, so the rest of the rules look something like this.

Rule 2: Keep the muzzle (that would be the end of the gun where the bullets come out of) pointed down and away for you.

Rule 3: Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot at your target.

Rule 4: Be sure of your target.

So much for hair, because we were then given baseball hats because sometimes the shell casings fly up and towards your face and they are hot, the hat protects your face.  And so much for wardrobe because if the shell casings fly up and hit your hat, they can also drop down and if your neck/chest is exposed they can burn that too.  I was wearing a good bra too, so the thought of shell casings dropping in my cleavage sounded very flammable.  Lucky me I got to wear the evaluator’s jacket…zipped all the way up.

We got to practice a bit with a pretend gun.  I did not need to death grip the gun either, in fact my grip should be similar to the grip that I squeeze a peach with to determine its ripeness…Trevor was trying to relax me I think, and what relaxes a girl more than squeezing peaches?  After our practice the range became “hot”.  We put on our protective eyewear and hearing protection and out came the real guns, mine would be a Smith and Wesson MP90.  Trevor explained how to load the gun and also told me that if at any time I became tired or no longer wanted to shoot I was not to put the gun down, but instead I should say, “take it” (Breathlessly? Forcefully?  I’m not sure it really mattered) and he would.

Trevor hung my target and set it across the range.  It made a really loud noise and I practically jumped out of the evaluator’s jacket!  He then handed me the gun…holy crap I am holding a gun…I am sure that the only way to describe my facial expression was stunned virgin.

The first shot was fired from the stall beside me; I screamed.  At this point Trevor had to be thinking that he would receive an automatic fail.  As any good angel would, I pulled myself together and fired my first shot at the target…holy crap, I just fired a gun!  Although I did hit the target, I did not hit the silhouette on the target, oops I hit the innocent civilian.  I re-positioned, re-focused and fired again, this time hitting the target, ahhh hell yeah!

It’s amazing how quickly one can go through a clip.  We went through the unloading and re-loading of a new clip and I was good to go again.  I was really starting to get the hang of this, and yes, shell casings were a flying so it was a good job that I was redressed!

By the third clip I was getting a bit cocky, aiming for the head on my target, you know, mixing up my shots a little, Trevor even called me on it!  And then it was over.  Out of bullets Trevor “took it” and the range returned to “cold”.  I was a hot mess, my hands were shaking, I was in an all out sweat, and I liked it!

Trevor rolled my target up for me as a souvenir, debriefed my on my experience and of course we took some photos!

Thank you Trevor and all of the staff at the JI for an afternoon that I won’t soon forget and a special thank-you to E for helping me cross off another item on my bucket list, I so wasn’t ready to jump out of a plane this year.

Ironing The Iron Mountain Movement Way

This post is not fitness related, unless of course you iron your running socks.

There was a point in my life when I wanted to be Martha Stewart (Martha Stewart in the early years, pre conviction, back in the 90’s when Martha Stewart Living was a weekly half-hour syndicated show maybe even until it became a weekday hour long show, when she was just pretentious, not bitter yet). But I am not crafty, I can’t sew, don’t have a room dedicated to either. I do however have a kitchen and did receive the Home Economics Academic Award two years running and I love to cook, but the thought of de-boning a chicken or making gravy using the contents of the paper sack found inside the turkey or foie gras gives me the heebie-geebies.

So I moved on to somewhere between Morticia Addams and Carmela Soprano. I work, I cook when I can, I clean more often than I would like to and I don’t iron. If it won’t de-wrinkle in the dryer or requires any major pressing I either don’t buy it or it goes directly to the dry cleaner.

True story, I was attempting to iron a few years ago and my daughter actually asked me “what is that?” I am ok with my lack of domesticity as is my family and I know that I am not alone. But some are not, including the older generations and that can-do-it-all/know-it-all acquaintance we all have, you know the one “you don’t do what?” as she is looking down her nose at you. If you have never run a marathon, you should if only for this situation. I know that I have only done one, but my response to Bitter Betty is now “I run marathons”, which inevitably stops her dead in her tracks, she may be a domestic engineer but can she run 42.2km’s?

So lately I have spent a little quality time with my flat iron, life in the fast lane. Not only have I learned how to curl my hair with it, I also found out that you can iron your clothes with it! Where have I been? I give you Exhibit A:

Now I haven’t tested it on fine silks, anything too expensive or anything Lulu, and it would not pass the Grandmother/Monster-in-law test (there is my disclaimer), but it does do the job for those little touch ups on an item that I would normally re-hang in the closet.

Oh, I know you’re going to try this one!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Over the past 9 years, the spin area at the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre has gone through many changes.

We started in the middle of the weight room and pretty much annoyed everyone who wasn’t taking part in the spin classes.  While participants in the class enjoyed a view of the pool the instructor bike was in direct line of fire for anyone falling off the treadmills.  Back in those days people still used portable CD players so when there was a tumble, the CD player would also fly, I often thought I should be wearing my bike helmet to class.

All that changed when a partition was constructed, the spin bikes were turned in the opposite direction and moved to what is now the stretch area.  Most gym users were now used to our schedule and us and if they didn’t like the noise they now either brought their own noise or worked out when we weren’t using the bikes.

A couple of years ago, the spin area moved to the back of the weight room into what was the old stretch area.  From the instructor’s perspective this was fantastic.  We were contained in our own area, the music as well as our voices was directed away from the weight room and noise complaints were reduced.  Instead of a view of a wall, participants had a view of the weight room and its goings on.  One problem, weight room users felt like they were being stared at and spin class users felt like the same.  Can’t we all just get along?

The Leisure Centre re-opened from its annual shutdown this week and unveiled some new changes to the weight room.  The weight room supervisor’s desk has now been moved back to it’s old location making it more visible and opening up the weight room allowing the machines to be spread further apart.  The stretch table (which I have never seen anyone actually stretch on, it is mostly used as a bench to sit and chat or pose on) has been moved into the stretch area thus opening up the spin area.  The trees have been removed, and the bikes have been turned so they now face the mirror, hello posture check!  The corner fan has been replaced and another floor fan has been added.  And thanks to Laura, the spin bikes gleam!

May there be peace in the weight room.

Tuesday

How can something hurt when you walk but not when you run? It seems to be a bit of a pattern for me lately…maybe it’s this whole aging thing, I don’t recommend it!

I met Conny bright and early this morning, left my aches and pains at the side of the road and ran one of the most fantastic loops of Hayward Lake to date. The sun was shining, the air was warm, the pace was right (except when running through the construction zone on the dam, it quickened to the point that I felt a little left behind), the trails were peaceful and the water was a degree or two above refreshing.

Ahhhhh, I love summer runs.

Whistler Warrior Dash Recap

Warrior: a person who fights in battles and is known for having courage and skill

Dash: to move with sudden speed

Add in a kilt, a mini sombrero, velour leopard print cut off pj’s, 11 obstacles, a lotta mud, several flesh wounds, a nasty bruise, an eye full of mud, 2 trips to the medical tent, loud music, furry Viking helmets all around, oh and a mountain climb, sound like fun?  It was the most fun I have ever had in an afternoon!

We converged on Day Area Parking Lot 2 and made our way to Whistler’s (as well as British Columbia’s) very first Warrior Dash.  Emotions ranged from nervous to excited, I was a little disappointed that I had not opted for a costume (next year will be a totally different story) especially when we joined at the gondola line-up to take us up to the tube park where the race was being held.  There were Smurfs, ninjas, uncle-daddies and auntie mommies, but policeman in bootie shorts was my personal fav.

The line-up and the gondola moved very quickly and we arrived at our battleground in no time at all, and made our grand entrance to “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” (the Quiet Riot version), how fitting.  The venue was absolutely massive, tents everywhere, a beer garden, huge main stage and of course the Warrior start line.

Racer check-in was well organized and we breezed through.  The first wave of racers was already coming in covered in mud, and I couldn’t wait to get started.  The racer bulletin from Friday night had suggested we allow 2 hours to complete the parking, upload and check-in process.  Originally some of our group were to start in the 1:00pm wave and the others in the 1:30pm wave, but we were done in just under an hour and decided to join an earlier wave.

The anticipation and the energy at the start line was crazy.  In front of us was the steep hill that we had to climb; I was told that when it rounded the corner it just kept going so I was prepared for a good 20 minute grind.

At 12:30 our wave went out and charged the first hill.  As I was racing with Heckter, my plan differed a little from the others.  We hung towards the back of our wave and hiked the hill at a steady pace.  It was tough but completely doable and we hit the top in just over 15 minutes.  There was a bit of a bottle-neck at the first water station but the sun was hot and we decided to wait in line for a little hydration.

The first obstacle was not too far away.  It was a series of 4’ walls that you had to climb over or crawl under.  I’m not sure if the last wall was slightly taller than the previous or that my shoulders were being worked in way that they hadn’t before, whatever the case the last wall required a little more oomph to get me over.

A quick run down the hill and we hit the second obstacle.  At first glance, it just looked like you had to run through a mist of water, but when you actually ran through it, the mist was actually being blasted at you and you couldn’t see at all for about 10 seconds, we called it the blinding water and of course the ground was full on mud.  I liked this one, and it completely cooled you down, very well placed.

From here we made our way to the tunnel of terror.  You had to crawl under a series of 2’ ish beams.  I entered in on my hands and knees but after the first rock hit my knee I quickly developed a new strategy, kind of a side scuttle on my hands and feet.

After the tunnel of terror we made our way up and over another little hill and down to the great warrior wall.  It was similar to climbing a 12’ wall ladder with every second rung missing.  There was even a rope to help you if you needed it…we scaled it.

A second and less busy water station was just steps away, and we took in a little more hydration.

From here we made our way down a very slippery downhill section that lead to a 35’ slip and slide.  The marshal said that we could go headfirst or on our butts, I followed Hecktor’s lead and went head first and as soon as my body touched the plastic I knew that it was a HUGE mistake.  I made it about half way down and my hipbone went over a rock SMF!  I jumped up in sheer agony and hobbled down the rest of the slide.  The girl behind me must have followed the same line because she did the same thing.  I think that if I were by myself I would have had a little pitty party at the side of the trail, but I put on my brave (grimacing) warrior face, clutched my wound and made my way up the mountain bike trails towards the next obstacle.

We called this one the low cargo net.  Still smarting a bit from the slip and slide, I navigated this one very gently holding onto the middle beam and stepping sideways.  It was all good until I had to climb out of it, I think I left some profanity on this section of the course.

Next was walking the planks.  The planks were narrow a little wobbly and about 5’ in the air.  This obstacle was a combined effort from Hecktor and I; you have got to love teamwork.

By this point we could hear the band playing on the main stage and we knew that we were close, and came upon the cargo climb.  Note to self for next time to climb in the centre along the beam, the ropes are way less wobbly.

As we rounded the corner we could see the spectators who were cheering us on as we entered the last stages of the dash.  Up another wall, and into the homestretch.

We jumped over the two rows of fire, they were small but hot!  With less than a minute or so from the finish line we were completely soaked but still fairly clean…but then came the mud under the barbed wire.

I am fairly certain that this was manufactured mud, it was the consistency of pancake batter, the kind of batter that has been left on the counter too long and then mixed with little tiny rocks, it felt like it could harden and solidify at any minute.  At this point I was glad that I wasn’t wearing a knee length kilt.  I managed to climb under the first few rows of barbed wire without having to completely submerge myself in the mud, but the last one made sure that nobody was coming out clean and I had to climb through on my belly!  It wasn’t easy climbing out either but once I was out there it was merely steps to the finish line.

What a total rush! I was absolutely filthy, I had even forgotten about my battle wound for a few minutes but once I remembered it I couldn’t wait to show it off.  Turns out I wasn’t the only one!

By the time I finished taking a few pics I could feel the mud starting to harden so made I my way up to the wash station.  Here it was all very civilized.  We lined up and one at a time we took our turn standing and turning from front to back as many times as we could possibly stand whilst being blasted/power washed with ice cold water from a fire hose…oh and it did the job too.

Once we were relatively clean, on came the furry Viking hats.

Our timing chip also doubled as a free beer ticket.  I don’t think that I was meant to ever get a free beer, because although I did remember to bring my ID this time, the line-up was insane and we were all hungry so we decided to head back down the gondola in search of a patio.

I’m not sure what visitors to Whistler must have been thinking as there was a sea of furry Viking helmets roaming though the Village….VICTORY!

A big thank-you to the race organizers, course marshals, volunteers and first aiders – job well done, and congratulations to all of the warriors, big and small.

Who should do this event?

• Anyone with a basic level of physical fitness.

Would I do anything different?

• Dress in costume.
• Not go head first down the slip and slide.

Would I recommend this event?

• Abso-freaking-lutely!

Check out the rest of the pictures

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Potlucks are great, because everyone has their own thing at which they rock.  Liz brings the romanoff potatoes, Kathy brings her basket cinnamon buns (the batch needs to be tripled next time), Chris makes a mean veggie chili, you can always count on Shannon for the simple syrup and/or x-rated delicacies…and it’s not a party without jojos!

Me, I make chocolate covered strawberries; somewhat healthy, oh so good and made in less than 10 minutes. I do have to confess that I borrowed this recipe from my friend Nadine, but added my own twist (although not that original of white chocolate drizzle).

You will need:

• Strawberries
• Milk chocolate melting wafers from the bulk food aisle
• White chocolate melting wafers from the bulk food aisle
• A small plastic bag
• 2 bowls (medium and small)
• 2 spoons
• Cookie sheet
• Wax paper
• Clean hands

Here we go…

Disclaimer: The amount of wine that you have consumed before or during the making of these chocolate covered strawberries can and will effect the consistency of the dipping and drizzling chocolate.

Mud Sweat Beer

Mud, sweat, beer and a viking hat…how can you go wrong?!  I’m not sure how you would train for this baby, I don’t really know if you can and I am soooo in! There is even a half price race entry on Groupon today ($50 value for $25).

Here are the event details if I have got you thinking:

• Saturday August 6th, Whistler Blackcomb
• 3.07 hellish miles
• $50 CAD until 11:59pm* on Sunday, July 10, 2011
• Waves of up to 500 participants will start in waves every 30 minutes from 11:00am – 4:00pm
• www.warriordash.com

I don’t think that I will be buying a pretty new outfit for this one.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Flash Mob

Check out the flash mob from last weekend’s San Diego Dodge Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon…

If there is another planned for Seattle, could someone please send me the choreography video? I am Dance Dance Revolution champion at my house.

Hey, Where’d All the Water Go?

This morning at Hawyard Lake…

Thinking that a loop of the lake may be out of the question after all.

End of the World Run

I had big plans for my end of the world run tomorrow. Since I am avoiding hills right now my run was to include the ocean and blue skies. Plans change and so does the weather, so I ran this morning instead. And if this morning’s run is in fact my last, I couldn’t have asked for a more lovely morning or nicer shoes!

Ooooooh Yeaahhhhh (that was for you Macho Man) my new Salomon XR Crossmax shoes. This wasn’t a retail therapy purchase either, I really did need new road/side of the road shoes, really, and I am assuming that the world will not end until at least after the Vegas ½ marathon.

photo source: Shopstyle.com – Salomon website didn’t show my exact colour combo.

I wasn’t entirely sure of them at first; the back height of the shoe didn’t seem as tall as my Wings. Once I stopped comparing them to my Wings I found that they did have that same Salomon fit that I love, and they were less bulky. They are keepers.

Oh, and my IT band felt great  .

Wishing you a safe and fantastic Victoria Day long weekend. And hey, be on the lookout for wildlife.

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