Go Girl!

Fair warning, if reading about bodily fluids turns you off, then stop NOW!

Still with me? Today's topic is about wee (pee, #1, seeing a man about a horse, going to the loo, finding the WC, voiding, urinating....)

Still, still with me?

While at Camper's Village purchasing boots I also bought what I consider a required necessity for the Kilimanjaro trek - a "Go Girl", which is a brand name for a female urinal. Another brand name is the "She Wee".

I have been carrying the little tube with the Go Girl in my coat pocket since March 22. I keep forgetting to do something with it. My 16 year old son found it in my pocket and was totally grossed out. That's not easy to do with today's crop of teenagers. He can kill cyber beings with wild abandon but the thought of his mother peeing standing up is just too much!

Today I decided to "get down to business" and actually try the darn thing out. From the online reviews I gathered it's important to do a bit of practicing ahead of crunch time.

Not being very brave, I decided I would try it out in the shower, where any unfortunate happenstances could be washed away without much effort. So, having to "go" just before I was going to get into the shower spurred the thought it was finally time to try the Go Girl out. I eagerly ran down the stairs to get the thing out of my coat pocket (yes, I was naked, sorry for the visual).

First thing I learned - its hard to open the darn container when you have to go! Eventually I read the label which is clearly labelled, "Open here". The pink silicone funnel is soft and pliable, and aptly labelled "up" at the wide open end. Did the company learn the hard way that some people will try to wee into the narrow end of the funnel?

Appropriately applied to the correct anatomical area while standing in the shower, I patiently waited for the fun to start. Let me tell you... after 45 years of peeing while sitting down, it's pretty hard to get started standing up! Eventually my brain convinced my bladder it could do its job while I was standing, and..."success".

The thing works great! It comes in its own little container, is soft,and makes a nice seal around the important bits.

I think, weather permitting, I might sneak out into the back yard and see if I can write my name in the snow!

Post note: Even though I actually CAN refold a map, I can't fit the darn thing back into its package!

How The Mighty Have Fallen!

Once a week I'm supposed to do a work out that is NOT walking. In other words, I need to mix it up a bit.

Today was mix it up day. The last time I tried this I thought I was going to die on the elliptical. Today I went on the spin bike.

Let me digress a bit. In 2007 I bike commuted to work 60 km a day. I was pretty fit and really enjoyed riding my bike. In 2009 I entered a two day bike tour and 5 miles in I crashed and broke my thumb requiring surgery and effectively ending my season. The next year I barely rode at all due to a back injury and eventually sold my road bike to my sister who could love my bike the way it deserved. Its safe to say I was used to a fair amount of saddle time.

Today I got on the spin bike and almost immediately realized my who-haa has lost all the bike callous it had. Ouch! I persevered for 12 minutes. My who-haa had gone numb, which I was effectively ignoring, when my left quad seized up and refused to turn the pedals anymore.

Searching for something else to do, I decided on rowing. I own a rowing machine and I used to regularly row hard enough that my machine was almost floating in a huge pool of sweat. I hopped on that machine and got going. Wow, made it a whole 3 minutes before my back decided in no uncertain terms that I would not be rowing any longer.

Now I was out of non walking options except for the elliptical, which almost killed me last time. Ha! It wasn't so bad and I wasn't even close to red lining.

So, it smacked me pretty loud upside the head that I used to be fit and now, not so much. Also, just in case I hadn't realized it, my body spoke up pretty loudly that I'm getting a bit decrepit.

Hmm, I'm still going to the gym tomorrow, decrepit, fallen from magnificence weaknesses and all! Come join me at 5:30 am and you can lap me on the track too!

PS, if you consider only role models get imitated, an older gentleman has deemed me worthy. He was going around the track in hiking boots this morning. Maybe next week he'll man up and add in a back pack and trekking poles!

Unique Among The Rabble!

I am becoming more unique by the day at the gym. Today I did my hour walk in my hiking boots, with a back pack on and using my hiking poles. Its safe to say I was the only one there with any of that gear on!

However, the regulars have gotten used to me, so its only the new people who stare slightly too long when passing me as I do my laps.

I am up to two sessions a week with a one hour walk and two to three sessions of 45 minutes on the treadmill, set on "muscle toner" program. I think that's marketing's way of saying "make your ass smaller" in a politically correct way.

I am walking in my hiking boots but am not convinced they are the right ones. They felt okay on the treadmill but during today's walk my toes touched the edges. I stopped at Wholesale Sports and tried on all of their offerings, but didn't find anything comfortable.

Through the program we are being hooked up with a dietician in training if we want, which, of course, I do! I had to fill out a three day diary of everything I ate. I wasn't supposed to change the way I eat but truthfully I found myself choosing not to eat some things because I didn't want to write them down for the dietician to read (Mini Easter creme eggs come to mind). I sent my stuff in so will keep you posted on how that goes.

I read a blog on the net from another woman named Cathy who climbed Kili in September. She was a Brit raising money for a charity close to her heart. I did not read far enough back to see what her training was like but she had a hard time. She eloquently spoke about how physically and mentally hard the climb was. I think I will be as ready as possible a girl from the low altitude, flat prairies can be, but I'm a bit scared about the mental pressures I'll be facing. When faced with a tough day will I want to quit? Stay tuned and I'll let you know.

Catching Up

So, its been over a month since I posted last. Do not fret fair readers (all 2 of you), although I've not been blogging, I've not been just sitting around.

I have been working out pretty regularly each morning, getting up around 5 am to get the workout done before going to work. I am now up to walking between 45 and 90 minutes about 5 days a week. Some are with poles on the track and others are on the treadmill on the "muslce toner" program.

Had my first meeting with Breanne who gave me the group workout program on March 13. The strength training portion consists of squats, plank/pushups, one legged bent dead lifts, bicycle legs and supermans. On the very first day I injured my back. My chiropractor (whom I call Mouffassa after the Lion King) says I have very weak hips and gives me clamshells to do instead of the dead lifts.

One night I have bad liver pain, faint and cushion my fall to the floor with my face. Notably my left cheekbone. That sets me up for a fantastic black eye. However, on a positive note, the fall got rid of my liver pain.

We had a night at Camper's Village to learn about hiking boots, day packs and other important gear. I translated "other important gear" into the "GO Girl" urinary aid for women - which basically allows you to pee standing up without having to take all your clothes off. This I view as a necessity. Apparently you need to practice before using it and I've been too busy lately to think of it. Will update you when I get around to attaining every camping girl's wish. I did also come away with some hiking boots. I have worn them for two treadmill workouts and so far, so good.

I went away for a few days to a conference in San Francisco. Did you know SF has hills? And I don't mean the puny hillocks that pass for hills here in central Alberta but heart pumping, calf stretching, thigh burning HILLS! It was all downhill to the conference but way, way, uphill all the way back. Climbed so many hills I almost felt righteous eating some Ghiradelli chocolate!

Now the conference is over and I'm back home, getting back into working out regularly and eating better (or at least, less chocolate).

Monthly summary:
After one month my black eye is almost gone.
I haven't lost any more weight, in fact I seem to be bouncing around a lot.
I have gone down two pants sizes and am getting closer to another size down.
I need more socks to wear in my hiking boots.
I am going day pack shopping next week.
Aches and pains: my hip and knee are good, the top of my foot is aching (might be some extensor sheath irritation). My shoulder is bugging me, my pushups are still at the beginner level.

Stay tuned - this month's group meeting is for a talk on mental toughness!