Returning to Rangitoto

Walking up Rangitoto had been on my list of things to do for a long time. The last time I walked up I was about 12 years old; so 28 years later I finally tackled it again.

I think that the reason it took so long to return to Rangitoto and walk to the summit was fear. I remember how much I moaned the entire way up to the summit and I was absolutely petrified that I would feel the same, that it would be hard and I would inevitably moan.

Well it turns out that when you tell friends that you want to walk up Rangitoto they will ‘lock-in’ a date with you!

Leading up to the 17^th January 2016 I really felt a huge sense of trepidation and I really considered backing out. Fortunately for me, I was walking with Mark and our friend Janna and I really think that she knew that there was a possibility that I would try and pull out at the last minute. I did not.

The greatest things from the day were:

• Reaching the top without much moaning
• There was no real pressure to get to the summit within a set time frame
• Having super supportive people to walk with
• We took the shorter/direct route to the top and then took the longer way down and around Rangitoto
• Seeing how excited Mark was about walking to the top; he took so many photos

Photo from Janna

It made me sad at how unfit/out of shape I have become and I am trying to get back into the gym again.

Janna suggested that I go back in a year and walk to the summit and see if it is easier and I can do it quicker.

So a huge thank you to Mark and Janna for getting me back there; it only took a few decades!

Stuck

When it comes to exercise and the gym I am stuck. Stuck in a rut. Stuck in a cycle of not going to the gym.

The last time we went was Friday 13^th February a few days before our car died. Every week we say we will start back but it all seems too hard or we have simply fallen out of the habit.

To be honest we were kind of on a downhill slide from last year when the time table changed and perhaps we are bored with the same exercise all the time.

It is time to mix it up.

I am considering a personal trainer and maybe doing some new things to mix things up. This is where I do miss being part of a larger group of like-minded people.

I have always said that there is no point waiting for motivation, you just need to start and push through until things become a habit.

Have you ever been stuck and how did you get things unstuck?

Sun Salutation

It has been a bit of a slow start to 2015 which has been really nice.

I had a whole list of things that I wanted to do (or not do) over January. For the last 2 years I have gone without alcohol, pasta, takeaways, cheese etc. and this year I decided to add chocolate to the list. Suffice to say it is now the 27^thJanuary and I have had everything this month aside from the alcohol. So perhaps adding chocolate was just too much!

When I set some goals for February I am going to be more realistic.

At an Auckland Anniversary Day BBQ yesterday I realised that I am quite happy to go without alcohol in social situations. I went prepared with pre-made soda stream (with a splash of Barker’s cordial as I am not a fan of the Soda Stream syrups) which was beautifully refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Over the weekend I managed to do some exercise as we did not do a carboot sale. So on Saturday I did RPM and then Body Balance with Ally and Maree. I have only done Body Balance once and I forgot how hard it is. I nearly broke my damn toe during the Sun Salutation and then nearly fell over as I was not as “balanced” as I should have been. Everyone else seemed to be in a happy, zen state and I was down the back trying not to sweat all over my feet and hold the poses. Definitely not very zen-like at all.

What I have realised is that my flexibility has really gone south over the years and I would really like to get some of that back.

On Monday morning I did a weight workout with Ally. To be honest it has been a long time since I have even tried to do weights and this morning I can feel muscles that I probably have not used for a little while. Although, I can still walk so that is always a good thing.

Right now I feel happy and a good sense of achievement.