My Journey With Health And Fitness – Packing Appropriately

I didn’t think I would have time to post today as I am currently facilitating a labour course. Add to that the fact that the room the course is in did not seem to have wifi access. However, the wifi has started working and I have a bit of a break while my co-facilitator takes over for an hour.

I had a whole plan for working out this week. Given the plantar fasciitis it seemed a great opportunity to give my foot a break by doing an hour swim each morning using the indoor pool (I am at a hot springs resort so the pool is fabulous). However, when I checked in on Sunday I learned they had changed the indoor pools hours so that instead of opening at 5:30am it is now 6:30am. Unfortunately that time didn’t work for me since I still would need a shower, breakfast and to be in class by 8:00am. And no, there isn’t time during the rest of the day/evening to go for a swim.

Hmm, I decided then I would have to do an hour walk though fortunately I had brought my good shoes and ankle brace. And so up at 5:00am yesterday and out the door by 5:15am. I knew it was going to be below freezing so I had a warm coat, toque and gloves. No problem I thought. Wrong! With the windchill it was actually -13 Celsius. It was bloody freezing! Within 5 minutes tears were streaming down my cheeks and so that walk last exactly 30 minutes. I tried again after lunch but the wind was making it brutal so checking the weather before bed I decided there was no way I was going for a walk first thing this morning (though I did get in a 30 minute walk at lunch).

So, why couldn’t I just go to the gym? Well, I did not pack for that. I have absolutely no workout clothes with me other than my runners/brace. It would have been simply to just throw a pair of shorts and tank top into the suitcase just in case but no, I figured the original plan of swimming combined with the back up plan of walking should have been enough but apparently not. Moreover, I really don’t have sufficient cold weather clothing to do more than a 30 minute walk without being beyond uncomfortable.

Next time I plan on packing appropriately for all possible scenarios. Yes it might mean a bigger suitcase but it will be worth it.

Oh, and tonight I finally have some free time so I am going into the outdoor pool. Ok, it is really just a giant hot tub heated with nature hot spring water but in my head I am going to call it swimming.