Category: Free Inquiry

One of the things I’ve been conscious to do in order to keep active in the last few months has been to find the opportunities to get exercise in different places. While staying up until 10 30 to play a hockey game that doesn’t end until midnight isn’t ideal for me these days, doing so is fun and good for me in the long run. It’s sometimes hard to find time during the day to exercise, so  on days like that one must sacrifice some sleep! I’ll remember playing the game that night for a while, but I’ve already forgotten the sleep I didn’t get.

Below: about to hit the ice way past my bedtime

Another good idea when trying to stay active with a tight schedule is to hit two birds with one stone (or if you don’t like that figure of speech, pet two dogs with one hand) by combining social outings with sports! I’ve always loved playing squash, not only because it’s great exercise but also because it provides a great opportunity to catch up with old friends. Bookend your game with a delightful steam room session at your local YMCA for the ultimate experience!

Below: me and my game-face ready to squash it up against Kurt, a nice fellow I hadn’t seen in some time (not pictured: genuine smile)

Well, fall is definitely here. All it takes is one look at the forecast (or out the window) to realize that. While I wouldn’t trade the weather in Victoria for the climates found in the rest of Canada, I’m still allowed to complain about the rain. The dark dreariness does affect my mood a bit, and it certainly doesn’t make my continuing my goal of riding my bike to and from school every day any easier. But I’m committed, so have done what it takes to ensure that I have as little reason as possible to resist the urge to hop in that all too inviting car. The first thing I did was buy a waterproof backpack from MEC. It wasn’t cheap ($150), but I needed a new backpack anyways so that made it easier to part with the cash. Next, I was forced to get new bike tires. I’d had a bad rash of flats over the past few months and the old tires weren’t getting any newer, so I splurged on some nice Kevlar (yes, like the bulletproof vests) tires that I was told wouldn’t be leaving me on a rainy roadside anytime soon. I then borrowed/blatantly stole rain pants and a rain jacket from my mom. She is 5’5” and I’m 6’2” but somehow they fit me just fine. I’m not gonna question something I got for free. However, if she ever needs this stuff back, MEC sells rain pants for around $70 and jackets for around $170. Not cheap, but with the amount biking saves you on parking, gas, and other unforeseen expenses, spending that amount really is a good investment. If you’re serious about incorporating ways to stay in shape with a busy schedule, you’ve got to be prepared. So, while preparing to bike in (almost) any weather Victoria throws at me has forced me to part with some cash, it’s been well worth it so far! See below for proof that I actually did acquire all this stuff that makes me look very cool:

One thing to remember (that I forgot on October 18th – see below) is that the weather changes very quickly in Victoria, so pack some rain gear in your backpack! My jeans were wetter than this picture gives them credit for (thankfully I was heading home and not up to school).

Also, here’s some classic Guns N’ Roses to help get you through those rainy November (and October) days:

This October, I completed the fitting number of 31 activities on my Strava app for a total of 228.5km (from running and biking).  That wouldn’t be a lot for some people (some crazy person on Strava biked over 5,000 km this month), but considering my usual tally for October would be in and around zero, I’m pretty happy with that. Overall, I’m proud of myself for sticking to my goal of riding to school every day. The past week has been beautiful (albeit a bit cold and dark) so riding hasn’t been much of a chore, but there were a few doozie days in October where I seriously considered hopping in my car. But I didn’t, and I think the motivation found in the app and in the public nature of this inquiry are the reasons why.  So what I take from this is that if you want help incorporating fitness into a busy life, use apps on your phone and make yourself publicly accountable! I look forward to continuing this inquiry in November (I just bought some new bike lights because daylight savings is just around the corner and it’s about to get real dark).

Also, Happy Halloween – here’s me as a Minion (thanks Anna).

Today I had the pleasure of taking part in my first spin class, put on by one of my lovely classmates at UVic’s CARSA gym. I had always been curious about what a spin class would be like, but had put attending one off until now because I’d heard horror stories from my friends about how tough they were! However, because my free inquiry projected is directed towards finding time to remain active with a busy schedule, I have been doing a fair amount of bike riding lately. This meant I felt a little more confident that I would be physically up to it when the idea of having a cohort spin class came up. It was hard work, but I really enjoyed it. I liked how we were pushed to work hard, but that it wasn’t a competition and everyone was simply encouraged to do their best. The bikes, all very modern, were also very fun to work with. This is something I would definitely like to do again! The group aspect really convinced me to make time for this great activity on a day that I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and would in all likelihood have not made the time to exercise.

As I’ve continued with my goal to incorporate fitness into my busy school and family life, I’ve had to re-imagine the way I look at working out, specifically running. In the past I’ve been of the mindset that, in order to “count”, a run had to be at least 45 minutes. When you factor in preparing for the run, stretching, and other factors, this meant that a workout would inevitably clock in at a little over an hour. This may not seem like a large amount of time, but with a finite amount of precious time per day do any number of things, it is a fairly significant chunk for me. This has become especially true since I’ve become a father, as I need (and want) to be around the house more in order to help out. In previous years, if I didn’t have an hour to dedicate to exercise I would forgo it entirely. This led to me losing motivation because of a deteriorating level of fitness, which would predictably result in me abandoning exercise until my next heart-felt (and ultimately doomed) resolution. This time around, however, necessity has pushed me to look at running from a new perspective. Every run doesn’t need to be a long one – it’s just not possible. It’s all about finding the little windows of time available to at least work up a bit of a sweat. What matters is getting out there to get the heart rate up and to keep your body used to the idea that it is a physical machine. Using this perspective, I’m not allowing myself to go long enough between runs that the idea of running begins to seem like a foreign concept.  Even with a 20-30 minute run, I feel healthier both mentally and physically, and that’s proof enough for me that a “micro-workout” is still valuable. The American College of Sports Medicine would agree, as they recommend that adults should accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity 5 days per week OR engage in 20-minutes of vigorous activity 3 days per week. In order to integrate fitness into a busy life, sometimes what’s required is a change in perspective. If this change is one that enables you to meet your goals – even if those goals are not as lofty as in the past – I see nothing wrong with that. 

Below: a Strava snapshot from one of my runs around Beacon Hill Park

I’ve been attending the University of Victoria to various degrees since 2005. Yes, writing that does make me feel old. But that’s not the point. The point is that, as someone who has lived in the Beacon Hill area for most of my life, I’ve always thought of UVic as being somewhere that I could get to quickest from home by driving a car. So when I decided to start biking more as a means of integrating fitness into my daily life, I decided to see if driving to UVic really was the quickest option. From my house, it takes about 20 minutes, give or take, to get to UVic. Once I added the time it took to find parking, pay ($9 a day currently), and walk to whatever building my class is in, the total commute time from door to door was approximately 30 minutes. During the first week of class this year, I timed how long it took to bike to school and the result surprised me: door to door – and with no charge for ‘parking’ my bike – the commute took me 23 minutes. The point of all this is that not only is biking to school good exercise (thanks largely to that damn hill on Foul Bay Rd.), but that it is actually much quicker than driving – by about 7 minutes! A car might often seem like the quickest option, but with a bike you get to bypass a lot of traffic and congestion, especially in towns like Victoria where there is a huge amount of construction going on. And you generally go just about as fast as car, at least in the city or on downhill sections. So, I can now kill two birds with one stone: I can take the quickest, and cheapest, means of transportation to school, all while getting in a decent workout. What a fun, practical, cost-effect, and ‘green’ way to integrate fitness into a busy life!

All through my adult life, the same thought has gone through my head when I encounter transitional periods. At the turn of the calendar year, or the beginning or end of a school year, for example, I always say to myself “Now is the time when I’m going to get fit – starting now, I’m going to make exercise a priority in my life.” The story never changes. It’s not like the importance of staying active for both my physical and mental health is lost on me – staying active makes me feel better in every conceivable way. However, while I am initially motivated to stick to my periodic resolutions,  I inevitably abandon them in fantastic fashion as life begins to get in the way.  I develop bad habits and end up suffering as a result. Today, I immersed in what is probably the busiest time in my life – I am a full-time student, a husband, a working drummer, and a new father. Life is pretty crazy. While it might not seem the like best time to change old habits, I am finally starting to realize that life is never going to slow down to the point where I no longer have excuses ignore my health. So, I’ve decided to think about how I can incorporate exercise more into my busy schedule. I’ve decided to bike when before I would have hopped in my car. I’ve decided to see the value in 15 minutes of exercise (every run doesn’t have to a long one). I’ve decided to use Apps, such as Strava, to help motivate me. I’ve decided to say yes to invitations from friends to be active when before I would have chosen the always enticing option to “just take it easy.” There may be more I can do to integrate fitness into my life, but that is in part what I’m setting out to discover here with my free inquiry. I want to be the best version of myself for my family, and I can only be that if I take care of myself. So, let’s see what happens!