It was a good week despite the very cold temperatures. I would definitely prefer a more consistent winter. I'm not a fan of the temperature fluctuations we have been having. My first five Canadian winters were spent in Edmonton, where it gets cold and then stays cold all winter. Sometimes it was a little too cold, but I would take that over the melting-freezing cycle we are currently in.
Runs
Tuesday 6:45am -26ºC 39 minutes. I wore my balaclava. It doesn't make an appearance very often but when it's this cold it is nice to be able to pull something over your mouth every so often. My fingers and toes were cold for the first half of the run. I just wore my usual running gloves and light socks. I've forgotten how to run in the cold!
Thursday 6am -24ºC 58 minutes. The novelty of cold weather running was wearing off slightly. I considered going on the bike trainer instead but had planned to meet Tyandra. I knew she was really busy at work so was expecting a cancellation text from her. She was expecting one from me due to the cold, but since neither of us sent them, off we went. I was better prepared this time and wore mitts over my gloves and warmer socks, and had a great run.
Sunday 10:30am -15ºC 52 minutes. It was beautifully bright and sunny, a welcome change from running in the dark.
You would think that after a run in -26ºC, the first thing you would want to do when you get home is jump into the shower. Not a good idea, numb legs in the shower sting like crazy. I wait about 10 minutes and then have a nice long sting-free shower.
Weights
I did 3 weight work-outs, again all less than 25 minutes. This week I am definitely going to fit in 4 workouts.
Bike Trainer
No bike trainer again!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
Science Centre - Colour Tunnel
Finian loved this colour tunnel at the Science Centre. He sat for ages fascinated by the colours - waiting for green to come again.
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| "Hooray - Green!" |
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Family Fun - Week 3
Our New Year's resolution was to do at least one family activity or outing, just the five of us, every week this year. This is week 3 of family fun.
On Friday, the kids had a day off school as the teachers had a professional activities day. The PA days in our district rarely line up the PA days in Toronto, so it's a great time to do something crowd-free in Toronto. We went to the Ontario Science Centre for this PA day last year and purchased an annual family membership which was expiring on Saturday, making Friday the perfect opportunity for family fun at the science centre.
Fiacra and Finian enjoyed making paper airplanes, having them blown up the tube, and then trying to catch them as they came down.
The kids enjoyed the bird-related activities. Based on our combined family weight, we would need an eight metre wing span to fly. Connell came close to injuring himself trying to beat Fiacra's number of wing beats per minute. Fiacra was pretty pleased with his 73 beats per minute until he saw that hummingbirds range from 30 to 90 beats per second!
Each time we have gone to the science centre, the kids have spent quite a bit of time at this ball track, waiting for the balls to pop out so they can feed them back in. Finian was fascinated by it.
We spent a lot of time blowing bubbles using our hands. The bubble solution was great, making strong, long lasting bubbles.
Our membership has now expired. Next time we go, we will get another annual membership - it works out to be about the same cost as two single visits. When we have a membership, we are definitely inclined to go more frequently. We also have a membership for the Toronto Zoo and in the past have had a membership for the ROM. We are due a visit to the ROM, it's been a while. Family fun for another day!
On Friday, the kids had a day off school as the teachers had a professional activities day. The PA days in our district rarely line up the PA days in Toronto, so it's a great time to do something crowd-free in Toronto. We went to the Ontario Science Centre for this PA day last year and purchased an annual family membership which was expiring on Saturday, making Friday the perfect opportunity for family fun at the science centre.
Scenes From the Science Centre
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| Maybe this is why Fiacra brings odd stuff home from everywhere we go |
Fiacra and Finian enjoyed making paper airplanes, having them blown up the tube, and then trying to catch them as they came down.
The kids enjoyed the bird-related activities. Based on our combined family weight, we would need an eight metre wing span to fly. Connell came close to injuring himself trying to beat Fiacra's number of wing beats per minute. Fiacra was pretty pleased with his 73 beats per minute until he saw that hummingbirds range from 30 to 90 beats per second!
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| Our family's wing span |
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| Bird Boy |
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| Finian through a bubble wall |
Our membership has now expired. Next time we go, we will get another annual membership - it works out to be about the same cost as two single visits. When we have a membership, we are definitely inclined to go more frequently. We also have a membership for the Toronto Zoo and in the past have had a membership for the ROM. We are due a visit to the ROM, it's been a while. Family fun for another day!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Fitness Goals - Week 2
Another good week last week!
Runs
Tuesday 6:45am -10ºC 37 minutes. Did my usual 40 minute route but I'm doing it faster now.
Thursday 6am -10ºC 52 minutes. Ran with Tyandra, my favourite run of the week. There was a fresh layer of snow on the ground.
Sunday 8:30am -17ºC 48 minutes. It was very windy! The wind was head-on for the first half of the run, boy, I was looking forward to the turn around point.
Weights
I did 3 weight work-outs, all less than 25 minutes. You can squeeze a lot into 25 minutes! I think I will increase to 4 work-outs a week.
Bike Trainer
Did not make it to the bike trainer again. I think it's because I don't have a definite time set aside for it. I need to look for a time slot!
Midnight Conversation With Fiacra
"I had a terrible nightmare"
"Oh no! It was just a nightmare, not real. Let me fix your pillows and you can go back to sleep." (His pillows were all bunched up behind his head.)
"I have to use a pillow, Dad said it's dangerous not to."
"I'm just going to fluff them up, you can still use them."
"And now I can never go to the library again."
"Who said you can never go to the library again?"
"The kids."
"Well I'm sure you can. Sit up and I'll fix your pillows."
"It's not a pillow - it's an ivory headrest!"
"Well there you go - that's why it looked so uncomfortable."
When I relayed it to Connell, he laughed and said it was all from the book they are reading, The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan. Too funny!
"Oh no! It was just a nightmare, not real. Let me fix your pillows and you can go back to sleep." (His pillows were all bunched up behind his head.)
"I have to use a pillow, Dad said it's dangerous not to."
"I'm just going to fluff them up, you can still use them."
"And now I can never go to the library again."
"Who said you can never go to the library again?"
"The kids."
"Well I'm sure you can. Sit up and I'll fix your pillows."
"It's not a pillow - it's an ivory headrest!"
"Well there you go - that's why it looked so uncomfortable."
When I relayed it to Connell, he laughed and said it was all from the book they are reading, The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan. Too funny!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Fitness Goals - Week 1
Last week was pretty successful - I did 3 runs, and 3 weight workouts, but didn't go on the bike trainer, groan! It was a fairly busy week, along with the kids' usual activities, I had my book club on Wednesday night and a full day in Toronto with friends on Saturday (what a fun day, thanks girls). Unfortunately, that's all it takes to miss a workout. I'm determined to get them all in this week.
Runs
Tuesday 7:40am -10ºC 33 minutes. Tempo run with some hills. I ran a little later than I normally do and was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise. I also saw more runners than I usually do - do runners not get up as early as they used to?
Thursday 6am -5ºC 62 minutes. Ran with Tyandra, the time just flew by.
Sunday 9:30am 9ºC 52 minutes. Met some friends by chance and ran with them. We were having a brief hiatus from winter. I ran in half tights with no hat or gloves, so nice.
Weights
I am still refining my weights workout. I would like it to be no more than 25 minutes including set-up and tear-down. I need to fully inflate my new stability ball and incorporate it.
Bike Trainer
All set-up with a fan trained on it and now just waiting - for me!
Runs
Tuesday 7:40am -10ºC 33 minutes. Tempo run with some hills. I ran a little later than I normally do and was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise. I also saw more runners than I usually do - do runners not get up as early as they used to?
Thursday 6am -5ºC 62 minutes. Ran with Tyandra, the time just flew by.
Sunday 9:30am 9ºC 52 minutes. Met some friends by chance and ran with them. We were having a brief hiatus from winter. I ran in half tights with no hat or gloves, so nice.
Weights
I am still refining my weights workout. I would like it to be no more than 25 minutes including set-up and tear-down. I need to fully inflate my new stability ball and incorporate it.
Bike Trainer
All set-up with a fan trained on it and now just waiting - for me!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Family Fun - Week 2
Our New Year's resolution was to do at least one family activity or outing, just the five of us, every week this year. This is week 2 of family fun.
For this week's family fun, we went to see "The Rise of the Guardians". This was Connell's first time going to a movie theatre with the kids. We had heard great reviews, lots of our friends have seen it.
We went straight after school on Friday. Initially Fiacra didn't want to go and he kept repeating "I don't want to see that movie". Finian, getting worried we may not go, countered each one with "I want to see movie on big screen". Eventually, after a short endless drive we arrived, and Fiacra jumped out of the van, happy to be there.
I wasn't sure how Finian would handle the big screen and the volume. It took him a little while to get used to it but then he liked it and talked non-stop. Fiacra and Ailbhe loved the movie. I thought Santa was great in it.
Finian, it seems, held some candies in his hand for the whole movie, and was thrilled afterwards when he noticed that his hands were green, his absolute favourite colour.
For this week's family fun, we went to see "The Rise of the Guardians". This was Connell's first time going to a movie theatre with the kids. We had heard great reviews, lots of our friends have seen it.
We went straight after school on Friday. Initially Fiacra didn't want to go and he kept repeating "I don't want to see that movie". Finian, getting worried we may not go, countered each one with "I want to see movie on big screen". Eventually, after a short endless drive we arrived, and Fiacra jumped out of the van, happy to be there.
I wasn't sure how Finian would handle the big screen and the volume. It took him a little while to get used to it but then he liked it and talked non-stop. Fiacra and Ailbhe loved the movie. I thought Santa was great in it.
Finian, it seems, held some candies in his hand for the whole movie, and was thrilled afterwards when he noticed that his hands were green, his absolute favourite colour.
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