Getting Moving

Well, I never would have guessed that I would get my morning exercise today by shovelling the driveway after 2-3 days of solid snow that took us by surprise! What a strange winter and spring it's been! It felt like spring in February and now winter in April... ??

What I've been wanting to write about for a while is exercise... there are actually two things that have always been important to my days ever since I was young... being physically active is one, and having quiet time reading my Bible is another. Ironically, those are the two things that since having kids have been most easily squeezed out of my days. I fight to make room for them, at times unsuccessfully, at times finding a good groove - which inevitably is only temporary...

Focusing on exercise here... I have always been an active person... enjoying down hill and cross-country skiing, rowing, swimming, canoeing, I discovered Ultimate Frisbee in my university days and even tree planted in the springs during that time, and I am one of those people who actually truly does enjoy running. That would be the one physical activity that I long to fit into my weeks the most at this point in my life. I do Pilates once a week which is like physio therapy for me, but I really can't wait to get running again.

Though I love to be active, to feel alive with my heart pumping fast, I find it difficult to schedule exercise into my days on a regular basis since the kids... I'll have a few months where I get into a groove and find the perfect time slot to make it work in my weeks, but then summer comes, another baby comes, I go back to work or go on leave... at some point my schedule always changes and it takes me a while (sometimes a LONG while) before I can get into any sort of groove again. Last year back to teaching, with an added commute, and pregnant, I never did succeed to slide that in. I love being active when I'm pregnant, so I was really missing it! Exercise is always there in the form of carrying laundry and kids up and down the stairs and running around with the kids. Exercise for sure... But not the peaceful, ME-TIME runs I love.

In the winter it's particularly tough to get out with the kids when it's 20 below and the wind is fierce. But this winter I did get into a bit of a routine. I've been making a point of getting out to the bus 10 minutes early in the mornings with the girls (mainly because we never knew if it would be early or late! now it's just a habit to be on the early side). This has allowed the girls to run and play in the snow and burn off some energy before my eldest jumps on the bus (because let's be honest, I'm not the only one who needs to fit in exercise!). At times in the winter we'd stay out a bit longer after the bus to shovel the driveway so I can get moving too (today was a deja vu!).

I also found a great bargain on a running double stroller on Craig's List back in the fall, and it's been AMAZING! I've tried to carry on our morning habit of getting out early for the bus for the afternoon drop off, but making it out even earlier so that I can fit in a brisk walk before the bus. Now that the weather's nicer (not counting the past 3 snowy days!), my 3-year old Emma wants to bike, thankfully she's fast, so I can get a decent walk (at times a jog!) in there still! With my babe's morning nap getting shorter, I'm also finding that I have a bit of time to play with before lunch, so when it's nice we try to get out to the park for Emma to run and play. I'm hoping that as naps continue to settle and the weather keeps getting nicer and the ground dryer, that I'll be able to get out even longer and actually get to the trails so that I can start running again. Just hoping that Emma will be content to sit in the double stroller! At the end of the day, she's usually tired and in the winter would fall asleep in the stroller, so it could work out! Here's hoping...

Of course, with the arrival of summer and school ending... I don't have a triple running stroller... nor would my 6 year old want to sit in it anyway! So again, barely into a running routine, I'll be struggling to fit it in again! And she's more tentative on her bike, so here's hoping she becomes more comfortable (and faster!) so that I can at least get back out for good brisk walks with the kids on their bikes!

Honestly, I think I just need to be more intentional about prioritizing, planning ahead and seizing the opportunity to get out and get moving when the weather's nice! I suppose the same goes for fitting in my quiet times... planning, prioritizing, seizing the opportunities as they come along! It's not easy when you're tired and have all these little people to worry about to take time out for myself... but I need to. For my health and sanity - which essentially benefits everyone! I just wish it wasn't so hit or miss!

For ideas on getting the kids active when the weather's bad this spring, check out Caroline's Health Nut article in the Winter 2009 issue of Mom's Moments. (it was written for indoor ideas on those bad winter days, but it can easily apply to the rainy spring days!)