Joyous Pants

Just in case you have been wondering "How on earth did Sharni deal with it when her crankiness expired at midnight?"

I thought I would put your mind at ease.

I am wearing my joyous pants today.

They were quite easy to squeeze into despite being up at Dawn's bottom.

To ward off the crankiness I did 20 minutes flat out on the treadmill.

I wanted to stash up some endorphins in order to defend against Cranky Pants trying to sneak back in.

He is a sly bugger.

And, obviously, a bloke.

In the process of treadmillin' it I learnt something about myself.

Come to think of it, since I took up the fitness thing I have been learning a fair bit about myself.

I haven't been on a treadmill since the days of gym in Sydney - long ago...

Today I ran 2.1 km on it, non-stop.

Big deal? ha! Probably not to the fit among you but I have never thought of myself as someone with any amount of physical ability.

My realisation was what I ran non-stop is equivalent to what we have to run with the PT at the park.

Though with him it is around the oval 5 times - which seems more daunting

Each time I have to do it I claim "I can't do it - it is too far" and end up walking half of it.

Good Morning Epiphany!

I can do it!

I did it on the 'mill - so I can do it in the park.

It was actually pretty easy. I could have gone faster than I did.

I am fitter than I realised.

My mind just needs to get on the same page as my body and stop with the "I can'ts..."

Oh it is nice to be back in my joyous pants.

So nice.

When the teacher is not looking

Tonight after training I began to realise the way you train when the trainer is away gives insight into what kind of a person you are.

PT has been away somewhere so Cowboy and I were business as usual even in the rediculous heat that has struck the one horse town.

Tonights session really showed how different the Cowboy and I are.

Let me illustrate the different personalities at play here through what happened tonight.

PT normally makes us run (or for me run/walk/run/walk) five laps of the oval.

Tonight I walked, jogged for a few metres, then walked hmmmmm say 3 or 4 laps.

Cowboy ran without stopping - 5. Exactly 5.

(important note: this followed a 12 hour working day where he was mustering or drafting sheep or other such cowboy lingo)

Then after the laps are completed we are to commence our individual routines.

For me this is 5 sets of ab crunches interspersed with oblique kicky things (not technical name)

I do this like a pro.

Actually to toot my own trumpet I am really getting good at these - despite, dear people the fact that my stomach muscles were cut open merely 10 months ago.... to reveal the Prince.

Sorry, off the subject to gloat.

So anyway the Cowboy is off to the grandstand doing squats and other such things to make him into a bulk of a man , or to do something for his knee which is dodgy.

He does it without taking a rest, a breath and I did not hear so much as a whinge about how hot it was, or the flies.

Maybe he was complaining and I just didn't hear him over my own complaints.

No, I know he doesn't. He just isn't the type.

I have not met this type of person before.

One who doesn't complain.

Cowboy is sort of a superhero.

We have to do 5 sets of everything.

So then there is me - running up and down a step for 25, then knee lift thingys for 25.

After about 3 knee lift thingys I decide poetic license is allowed with routine so I stop and go for a little stroll to the duck pond instead.

Meanwhile Cowboy is nearly having a cardiac arrest from the intensity he is building with his routine.

I leisurely stroll back and collect the weights from the car.

Admittedly, I then went on to do 5 sets of 25 weight thingys pretty well...

THEN.... Cowboy does his with much heavier weights - even with his little pile of rocks to count how many sets.

As for me I say to myself 1 set, 2 , set - Cowboy will say "How many are you up to?"

and I will say "This is my last"

I know I am only cheating myself.

I'm all about the shortcut, wagging, making it easier on myself - getting away with it when the teacher is not there kind've thing.

This is why we pay the trainer though.

I know this about me.

This is why we have hired help.

I was always the kid in class that wanted to do something naughty if the teacher had to go out for a bit, and there was always a Cowboy in the class that went on with their work.

Because their motivation and work ethic was so much better than mine.

Cowboy impresses me so much.

He is driven to achieve what he sets out to and never ever takes shortcuts.

If he says he is going to do something, he does it- no matter who is watching or who isn't.

He is true to himself, doesn't make excuses or EVER complain - I am absolutely baffled by him - but in awe.

I am an excuse making, whingy machine who is always thinking "How can I get out of it?" and then complain because the muffin top is not decreasing at the rate I desire.

Just writing that makes me feel like I am being hard on myself because I have been doing well - but just trying to illustrate the differences here.

Tonight I learnt what character traits come to the fore 'when the teacher is not looking'

it seperates the women from the Cowboys... that is for sure.

Buns of Steel here I come

Me to Cowboy just then: "In the not too distant future I will have buns of steel"

Cowboy: (pause) Cracks up

I mean it! I think the endorphins and sense of achievement from week 3 (or 4?) of our personal training is starting to kick in!

We ran 5 laps of the oval today.

Yes 5 (which is apparantly 2kms - that is big-time to me who hasn't run since Grade 6) and that was before launching into the maniac repetitions of weights and ab crunches and other such things I had never before in my life encountered!

Although my falubadas (that bit under your arm that dangles like Grandma's when you touch it) are still gracing me with their presence, I can feel a bit of a muscle coming on.

Now if you stood me next to Madonna, it would probably look about as toned as an elastic band (NB would prefer this look than above!) - but for me - I think PT is starting to leave slight evidence!

As you know I'm not doing it for vanity (well not completely) but it is nice to feel I am getting results for all the effort - and let me tell you it is EFFORT.

Tears come out when I run the first lap.

And as I run I mutter to myself in a defeating, whiny voice "I can't do this" - well actually "I (puff) can't (pant) do (puff) this (pant) "

I could probably do it if I didn't use all my energy on these sentences that no-one but me hears!

Cowboy usually laps me which fires me up and then I launch into a sprint for 20m- which is totally counterproductive!

But I do not want to be lapped!

Twice anyway...

Cowboy takes to the challenges well, but he has played football all year and is used to physcial work. He is a farmer. He helps me out when he sees me struggling, tells me to focus on something else instead of the pain... it works for a bit.

I have a massive psychological cross to bear with this physical excertion.

It is true. If I could just drop the 'this is so hard' mentality - I could run a lot further,

Realising this in itself is liberating.

PT is GREAT for Cowboy and I's relationship too.

We leave the Prince with his Grandies and afterwards we are high on endorphins and actually have massively long conversations.

PT for Mayor I say!

If I ever try and stop this - please remind me of this post .

I would love to hear how you cope with the psychology of pushing yourself physically?

What tricks do you use to keep on going when it HURTS?

pics are not my own:

found picture here and here

October Octivities

I am glad my blog feels like it is evolving. I am enjoying interviewing interesting people - and that way you don't have to read about me non-stop. But just in case you need to know what I have been up to. In one word: Parks. In many words :

....Stoked I was interviewed and featured on Blog This think I picked up a couple of new readers from it so thank-you!

Personal Training - yep still on the go - Cowboy and I are off again tonight.

I can do step ups onto that grandstand like it is anyone's business.

Still killing me.

When does fitness and hotness kick in? I am hoping soon.

The Prince? well he is hilarious. He does a few cute new things.

Raising arm up in the air like He-man whenever I say "Light"; shakes his head really cutely for no apparent reason at random moments ;dances when I put music on - he bobs up and down and waves one arm in the air like he just don't care.

The swing at the park?

He's not sure what to make of it.

I was expecting shrieks of glee - but instead a strange vagueness takes over.

Oh and he yells at people whenever I go anywhere like when I walk into a shop "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" until the shopkeeper or whoever looks at him.

Very loud.

Right now is tapping ceramic vases and yelling "dada dada dada" ooh hang on must retrieve said vases.

What else I hear you ask?

Well I am going to write a kids book.

Inspired by a lot of people including Tania McCartney (who incidentally shares my birthday) and has a series of children's books.

If the stars have anything in them and being on the cusp of Aquarius and Pisces means Children's Author - then woohoo!

I have asked my friend Lucia who is an amazing artist if she will illustrate.

She said yep. She is about to have 2nd baby - well end of year so better get her .... now.

Lu, if you are reading this? I'm serious.

Oh and I'm in week one of my seven week Writing Meditation course....

Lots of Octivities. (are you sick of people doing play on month words? Ocsober, Movember etc.. if so, apologies for introducing Octivities)