Feb 27 Colony Farm 18 km

Yesterday we did a shorter walk thru Colony Farm and Poco North Trail... in total about 18km.

Colony Farm has a huge history here linked with a main psychatric hospital named Riverview. It was a real going concern for a long time.  From a farmers perspective it has been left dormant and unworked since 1983 but from the Provincial perspective it has been turned into Park.  A cluster of buildings still continue to be used to house Forensic Psych patients.
  I have found these links that gives a lot of the history and many pictures.
http://colony-farm.blogspot.com/  and an article on the "now" is at Colony farm Hidden oasis

So with that said...
My day started out with a relatively sunny outlook -  NOT.  The rain had been a torrential downpour between 5am & 7am.. the weatherman said it was to get better as the day progressed but I made sure I dressed for the worst.

Arrived at Colony Park around 7:45am... the rain still doing the soaker thing. Some of the walkers use latex gloves over their mitts to keep the hands dry.

The group shot... a few are still on holiday but should be back next week which means the walking pace will speed up more when our fast walkers come back...

Once we reached 0.6km we stopped for some warmed up stretches - not sure why I was making that funny face! LOL  oh yes, I had my walking poles today - had a major hill to climb and thought they would come in handy!

Our photographer can capture some pretty nice photo's - thought I would share this one as I think it deserves a frame!

We were told "chin up!" from the photographer. LOL it was said to eliminate any double chins.  Actually what it was really for... if we were wearing a hat it would shine light on our face for the camera so it would show  up our face.  hehe

Diane and I didn't listen too well LOL  She waved and I nodded.

One very important item on our walks - especially walks at this length - are washrooms.  We always look at our directions and note where the next bathroom will be.  Sometimes they aren't much but I tell yah, when you have to go you don't care what they look like as long as you can use it!   these ones were at the start of our walk.

Todays walk took us thru a lot of different terrain and landscape

paved paths

under bridges

gravel walks... I don't have a picture to show it but we also crossed a busy highway, walked alongside apartment buildings, houses ...and thru the grounds of Riverview Hospital before returning to our vehicles

Here we have made it to our turn around point... 9 km to get back - I was lagging again... they had to wait for me to catch up to take the photo - we held up our poles and they wanted me to walk thru the middle but I barely had the energy to lift my poles - or maybe I wasn't in the mood...  I am having issues with myself always being in the rear, last one and not able to keep up... but I try to keep reminding myself its a marathon not a race!

I carried my poles most of the way.. mostly using them on the hills... on the way back I started to use them a bit more.  You see they tend to bother my shoulders so I am trying to slowly break into them.  The first time I used them the whole time I got a major migraine - not being a fan of migraines I have realized I really have to take it slow and let my body get used to them.

This day was somewhat difficult on my body again although nothing near as painful as last week.  This time I struggled with the falling behind... throughout this walk I had convinced myself I was going to quit - couldn't do these Saturday walks anymore...I wasn't going to go and do the marathon in Vancouver Washington - I have yet to book my hotel room... Then after I convinced myself to quit - I then convinced myself that I can't be a quiter - I have to finish what I started - I will feel so good once I have completed it.  But then the negativity would plow thru my thoughts and I would think - its a 5 hour drive one way, gonna cost me $500 for hotel, its April and we will be in the fields farming, hubby will need me (he won't be going with me) - who really cares if I do a marathon?   

Yes, I have been battling with this decision.- back and forth, back and forth...  If the marathon was closer maybe I wouldn't have such an issue - but its not just distance and where... its can my body do it?  I seem to be getting weaker instead of stronger, slower instead of faster... it bugs me big time.. I AM the youngest in the group and I can't keep up!  Crazy... still deciding...

February 20 Mud Bay 22 km

This particular day I had to be up by 5am and have our guests from Luxembourg at the airport to check in for thier flight by 7am (an hour or more drive depending on traffic)  I hadn't worked the night before (usual shift being 4-midnight on a friday) cause I knew this day (saturday) would be tough.  BUT I was scheduled to work 4-midnight this day!

This was the hardest walking I have ever done BUT it was the most beautiful day!
I wasn't feeling 100% when I arrived and it was an 8am start as we were doing 22km and like to meet everyone for lunch by noon.  We have actually started a staggered start... as it takes longer for marathoners so we start an hour earlier than half marathoners and the 10k'ers start half hour after that.

So this day I am wearing my knee brace as my knee seemed to be giving me a very rough time over the week.  I knew the trail would be flat which I felt was a big bonus but in the end I think I over compensated with the knee brace and did more harm than good .

Group photo

the weather was great - it was cold starting out but the sun warmed things up really fast.  No hats really needed today unless you were trying to keep the sun out of your eyes.  You can see some frost on the ground and fog over the water but that disappeared quick.

Some of our beautiful scenery

Along this route we were being watched very closely... there were so many eagles!

One thing about these long fast paced walks... when you get 11km from your vehicle... you still have to go 11 km to get BACK to your vehicle... My knee brace was giving me grief - when I was sweating my brace would slide down about half an inch - twice I stopped to adjust it as it was causing blisters around my knee cap cause it wouldn't stay in place.  I have lost weight since I bought it and am wondering if that is why it was sliding so much too.  stopping to do anything is not a good option with this group if you don't want to run to keep up... In this case I had to keep every bit of energy into thinking about anything other than getting back to the truck.  Once one starts to "want" to be back the trail gets VERY long.  My thoughts drifted to the farms we walked by and the manure smell from them spreading on the fields...to the eagles in trees or on power poles watching me walk by and me making sure I wasn't in any line of fire... I kept the group within sight but I was definitely slowing down and in a lot of pain.  I ached from head to toe!  I've never felt this way on a walk before.

Here is a photo of Diane and I about a km away from the turn around point

I DID make it back to the truck and I DID complete the 22km - So I am told I would have completed more than a half marathon.   Upon finishing I was DONE!!!  I didn't go to the lunch as it can take a very long time for orders and it was an hour drive home (approximately) - I went directly home, carefully crawled into a hot tub with epsom salts... dragged myself out half hour later and flopped into bed for an hour and a half nap... crawled out of bed and dragged myself to work.  When I got home that night there was no need to do anything to "wind down" I flopped into bed and slept like a log!

Not so good but I'll take it

WI this week wasn't fun - one because I had a bad week food wise and two I gained a little over 2 lbs.  Yeah, not happy.  I have fallen into a pretty good grumpy depression.  I had to get a grip and get my water in - that I am finding, is very hard.  Having to drink 3-4 litres a day...and keep track - I guess I am getting tired of the "discipline".  Getting bored with the food - I am not a cook - I hate cooking - I like fast... with my food plan I can't be fast - everything has to be made from scratch.  There are things I have to eat that my family won't so I am making more than one meal at a meal time.  It is a whole new way of eating and cooking... and when one wishes someone else would take over the meal planning, cooking, dishes... yeah I seem to be fighting this whole thing... I know it has done me a world of good but it is a lot of work and planning.  I have to get my mind set on doing this and stop sabatouging myself - my feelings are real but I have to fight to stay positive.
I'll do it... its taking longer than I would like... but I will get there.

Not bad... Oh yeah its Good!

After sts one week then gaining 0.4lbs the next, struggling with panic attacks.. this week I dropped 3.6 lbs.  WOW! 
How did I do it?  I tried to stay as close to my personalized program as possible (yes, I had 3 heart chocolates on valentines day AND I had a piece of chocolate cake for my mom's birthday). BUT  I increased my water intake (doctors orders) and I have been getting more walking in.   The increasing my water is helping flush my system and I no longer get those panic attacks.  The dr was telling me I was detoxing but not flushing it out which was causing radical bad toxins to float in my body and do nasty things.  I feel  much better now that I am drinking more. 
Yesterday I gave blood too - try to do this regularily - next appt is in April.  I met another WW gal at the hall and we joked on "amazing what one will do to lose weight eh?!"  LOL  I asked her what a pint of blood weighs and she said "16oz"  without hesitation LOL..  She is our receptionist at my weekly meeting - she is the one I go to to weigh me in (there are 3 scales).  I always try to wiegh in on the same scale all the time - although I have weighed in on all of them and they are the same. 
So here's to another week... will see what it brings

Pitt/Maple Dyke 22 K today

Well, I guess its not today.. it was Saturday February 13th.  It started out as a dry walk but became very windy and the last 4 KM it was raining (spitting heavily). 
The trail was beautiful - walked thru farm land - and a whole bunch of hunters were out and about looking (and shooting) at geese.  Later in the morning many were out walking thier dogs - tossing balls for them to catch.  All dogs were cute and well behaved.   along this walk we saw a field of Herons - I counted several times and kept getting a different number but there was at least 14 or more!

Cranberry and blueberry fields

Dairy farms all along - hard to see in this photo - my camera does not do well with zoom so you mainly get a peek at thier fields.

this was truly an uh oh!  this fellow had his whole "house" on a barge.. his van, shed, home everything and it has had a "spill"  More than half of this barge is under water.

Its cloudy and windy but there was still beautiful scenery... looking at these mountains you now know how warm it is here.. nair a patch of snow to be seen.

Here is a portion of the trail we walked (a wee portion) I am awaiting on some more photo's - soon to arrive - to prove I was there! LOL

Last wednesday

It was a weigh in day for me... only 2 more days and I will be weighing in again - where did this week go?
I gained 0.4lbs last week - not bad considering.  Seem to be getting better on the controlling myself and staying on the Naturepaths program she has personalized for me.   i did have a couple of chocolates for valentines this week - other than that I have been pretty good. 
I have been having trouble with the "shakes" she wants me to drink. They are a meal replacement but they make me ill; really nauseous.  She tried to change some ingredients in it but I don't think she is changing the right one... I told her what I think is bothering me but so far she ain't listening.  She isn't going to be happy  when I tell her that with the changes I still feel nauseous when I drink it. 
Other than that - all is going well - I had to increase my water intake as I wasn't getting enough and it seemed to be a big reason why I was getting those panic attacks.  Her theory was I was detoxing but not flushing it out so all these toxins were radically floating around in my body causing havoc.   So far so good now that I am chugging more water.

Well, its time to report my walk on saturday -

Should have been 16 km in Burnaby

Yes, I should be posting my 16 K walk in Burnaby today... from Saturday Feb 6...
On the friday @ 5am I woke up with a headache and I was so tired... we had herd health and I had the Sears repair guy show up to finish repairing my dishwasher.  Went out for a farm staff lunch as usual but decided when I got home I had to lay down as my head wasn't getting much better.  After an hour it was blooming into a migraine.  I am trying NOT to take any medication (heavy duty stuff) so decided to go and have a hot shower.  After my shower I rubbed a topical anti inflamitory onto my shoulders, neck and temples.   In doing this it helped keep it at bay so I could do my 4pm to midnight shift.
I knew that going to the walk on saturday would be pushing my body too far... I would surely have a full blown migraine if I did.  So I stayed home. 
The silly thing is I tried to sleep in and I woke up at 6am thinking if I am going I better get up (had to be at the skytrain no later than 8am) but knowing I would suffer later I forced myself to stay put.

No excitement, no drama, no pictures... Sorry.
Next week I have given my shift away and I have company coming from Europe - hmmm, maybe they will join me on the walk... its off to Maple Ridge.

WI and Record

This week I knew was a bomb.  I really struggled with many things and many aspects.  Emotionally, physically and mentally.  In trying to keep positive today I knew I hadn't lost anything - at WI I STS.  I am okay with that.  I didn't gain even after such a horrible week.  I am starting to get my head around the fact that the numbers on the scale aren't everything...its how I feel, do my clothes fit better...
Even though I STS I needed something more.  I needed to see some sort of #'s that would give me a positive outlook - so I decided it was time I measured myself again.

Jan 14                                Feb 3
Neck 15                              15
Bust 44                                41
Waist 38                             36
Hips 41                               40
R arm 12 1/4                      11 3/4
R thigh 23                           22

Total loss 7.5 inches
That.... my friend... made my day and week!

Bear Creek Park 13 Km

January 30 was a wet day for our walk.  It was wet but not really cold if one dressed right.  It was also a less Km walk - giving us a break before the really loooooong ones! 

Group photo!  I wore a different coat this time... thinking it would be a better rain coat than my running room one.. well I was wrong - it must not have the "protection" on it anymore.  Will have to spray it.  None the less it kept me warm.  I am the one in the center with the colorful coat (yellow hat, purple, turquoise, red pockets)   

In the parking lot waiting for everyone to show up... or 9am which ever came first.  See the lady in the white coat?  She is shorter than me but can she ever motor!! There is no way I can keep up with her - and it is known by all that she is actually holding back so others can keep up with her.  Don't know how she walks so fast and she looks so relaxed and natural!

Walking thru Bear Creek Park - don't get much time checking it out but it was a beautiful start (and end) to our walk.

 

Walking along the powerline trail... which was most of our walk.  Cars were very respectful in letting us cross the road when we arrived at the "unlighted" cross walks... honestly I wouldn't have minded waiting a minute or two for a vehicle so I could rest up before continueing :)

I used some walking sticks this time - It gave a better workout (upper body) but left me with one heck of a migraine later! Even with stretching and an epsom salts bath... I went to bed that night at 8pm with a hot water bottle and muscle linoment.

Not too sure...

Not too sure how my week will be... I went off the wagon last wednesday to friday (some of saturday)... its tough when you go somewhere and they are serving... literally serving your plate and hand it to you.   Requests are nil. 
I have jumped back on again and hopefully I can keep the weight going in a downward slope. 
One thing I did find out tho... I have been reacting to one or some of the supplements that the Dr gave me.  I finally started doing some research -
this is what I found.. Green Tea (camellia sinensis) leaf can cause panic attacks - it can cause trouble sleeping, restlessness, tremors and mental/mood changes.   
Green tea is in 2 of my supplements... I have discontinued their use - one I don't think I need anyway.. never made any difference when I was on or off.   But the other I may in time try to introduce it back... but key words "in time".   I understand that healing sometimes means you have to go backwards before you go forwards but there are certain things that I feel would be more detrimental to my healing and my families wellbeing - and that is panic attacks.
With that said I had a good 13 Km walk a couple of days ago - pictures & post to be up soon.