Walking: It does a body, soul, and mind good

Taking a break, Montreal 2013. 

With the advent of better weather (read: not subzero, frostbite-inducing temperatures), I've been logging even more miles walking than usual. There are many studies citing the beneficial effects that walking conveys to the walker (here is a National Post story from last year in this vein). To be sure, I am interested in these health benefits, but often overlooked are the additional positive effects, such as time to clear your head, mull over complicated issues, or even just to be, with no goal required. Of course, having a walking buddy encouraging you to get your shoes on and get outside helps too.

sturdyteam registered for MS Walk 2012

sturdyteam at the 2011 MS Walk

We are once again completing the MS Walk (in Edmonton again this year) to raise awareness of and funds for MS research and related programs. As many (most, all?) know, I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis in 2009. The disease initially affected my vision and balance. I have been on 2 different medications in the past almost 3 years, Rebif and now Copaxone. (both are injectable - I have written about this before). I have also completely overhauled my diet, fitness, and lifestyle. I won't bore you with the details, but many of the links on the side of my blog lead to other sites that are in line with my changes. Things have been going very well with only small bumps in the road (mostly from the medications themselves). I do not know for certain how much of this is due to the medications, other significant lifestyle changes I have made, or just luck. I guess it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Nothing sounds sweeter than people telling me that "they had no idea" that I had MS. I hope to keep it this way. Please consider sponsoring us and supporting this worthwhile cause. 

New Website for Big Coulee Farms!

My friends at Big Coulee Farms have a brand new website! Check it out, and order the most amazing pastured beef, pork, chicken, turkeys, and pastured eggs from them! You'll be happy you did. 

Man's best friend: Icer's

Well, to be precise, Lee Valley Tools Icer's allow this guy to walk his best friend in the terribly icy conditions, thanks to lots of freezing rain we've been getting recently. Luckily, I don't always need to wear these (see below, Oregon Coastline, Summer 2011, somewhere near Lincoln City), but I appreciate them when I do need them.

The tables have turned: Look who's the experimental test subject now

For the past two years or so I have been participating in an MRI study examining the relationships between MS, disability, and iron in the brain. The study was headed up by my neurologist, Dr. Gregg Blevins and Dr. Alan Wilman, both from the University of Alberta. I also participated in the media release: click here to view Global Edmonton's piece.

21.4 minutes or 4 years - you decide

This is my 100th blog post and it may be one of the most important I have written (some might argue that none up until now were important, so at least I am marking the 100th milestone by upping my game). 


Many people feel that they don't have adequate time to eat properly (i.e., eat real, actual food, not the latest cure-all supplement or meal replacement) or to exercise (read: move your body). Well, in a new study reported on today, that 21.4 minutes per day that you save not exercising (they recommend a paltry 150 minutes a week or 21.4 minutes a day) will cost you 4 years that you could have lived. It's your choice: 21.4 minutes per day of some form of activity, or meet your maker 4 years sooner. Moreover, consuming 5 or more servings per day of fruits and vegetables can also add an extra 1.3 years on average to your life. The arithmetic is simple: a little investment now will pay dividends later.

St. Albert Deliveries: Big Coulee Farms

Here is the content of the new delivery leaflet from Big Coulee Farms (BCF).

Please call to order: (780) 675-9458

We are coming to St. Albert Centre parking lot near Hwy. #2 in front of the Bay on the following dates from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. with orders only.

(Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Pork and Eggs)

October: 22
November: 5, 19
December: 4 & 17
January: 7, 21
February: 4, 18
March: 3, 17, 31
April: 14, 28
May: 5, 19
June: 2, 16, 30
July: 14, 28
August: 4, 18
September: 1, 15, 29
October: 6, 20
November: 3, 17
December 1, 15, 22

While product is available.

Please pay with cheque or exact cash. You will be contacted thre Friday before delivery with the amount of your order.

Stand UP!

Here's my most recent "invention" - a stand-up workstation in my departmental office. I have been using this for about a month and really enjoy it. I encourage all to give this a whirl. There have been recent studies related to the perils of all the sitting we do each day (see Mark Sisson's post here, for instance), so, I got off my keester, literally, and did something about it.

 I finally got around to posting this after seeing similar posts on Richard Nikoley's blog on John Durant's blog and with some prodding from one of my students (thanks to AM for that!).

Another reason to *not* sit too much. And here too (and the pressures between work and life).

sturdyteam registered for the MS Walk 2011!

sturdyteam at the 2011 St. Albert Enerflex MS Walk

It is time to start building an increased awareness of multiple sclerosis and to start fundraising again as the 2011 MS Walk is only 2 months away (15 May 2011). This year, we are participating in the Edmonton Enerflex MS Walk instead of the St. Albert MS Walk because of conflicts with the girls' dancing schedules. Like last year, we'll be doing the 10 km walk. Please click here to donate to sturdyteam or our individual members.

I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis in May 2009. I am currently taking Copaxone, a standard MS disease modifying drug (DMD), via daily injections. Before this I was on Rebif for two stints, but it caused nasty side effects so I moved over to Copaxone (Glatiramer acetate is its generic name - Copaxone is the trade name used by Teva Pharmaceuticals).

Although there are many new therapies being researched and introduced all the time (here's a new pill-based therapy introduced in Canada just two days ago), my goal/hope is that research will be directed towards uncovering what causes MS so that people can avoid "modifying their disease" through DMDs and instead live a long, healthy life, free of MS. Here is an example of the direction I think we need to be pursuing more vigorously, especially the dietary suggestions that are in line with a Paleolithic diet (and related to a recent blog post of mine).

100 rep challenge

It's been a long time since I posted. One recent thing of interest (perhaps) is that I stumbled across this 100 rep challenge on the Conditioning Research Blog and decided to give it a shot. So, for the past 3 or 4 days (I'd have to check my log, I don't recall) I have been doing 100 reps, usually 50 push ups and 50 prisoner squats and a few pull ups for good measure (like today). This takes about 5 minutes  and fits nicely into the business that is back to school time and this bodyweight routine complements my approximately one hour or walking with the dogs that I do each day.  My knee is much better compared to how it was in June when I initially noted the pain and scaled back my workouts (no LHT/HIT/SS, LHT, HIIT, sprinting or yoga since then, so now for almost 2 months) but I don't want to be stupid and rush back into everything and re-injure it. Interestingly my body mass is right where it was when I cut back. I am not sure if there was any redistribution of muscle and adipose tissue, but my unscientific assessment (looking in the mirror) tells me that if there is any change, it is undetectable to me. At least I can walk up the stairs now without wincing.

Summer Vacation and Primal Grannie

Here is a recent dessert; blueberries, grapes, walnuts and cream.

We are on vacation for the next little while so my posting will be limited. My knee is healing up, but still a bit twingy here and there. My fitness has mostly been walking and some limited bodyweight exercises. Also of note/interest: My 99 year old grandmother just joined me for a primal lunch of mixed greens, avocado, cold grilled strip loin with apple in a olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing! More posts may or may not follow in the next few days.

Where I'm at

I haven't posted in a while; too busy with work, home renos, and a lack of interesting workouts for the past bit as I am nursing a sore knee. Because of this, I started a new joint formula supplement called SierraSil that is supposed to decrease inflammation by providing trace minerals that we are deficient in. I'll post later on how that works out.

I have received Mark Sisson's "Primal Cookbook" recently though, and tried his indirect method to grill steak (to help keep the free radicals and charring down). It worked great, and had our top sirloin about medium in around 20 minutes. Very tender, too. Unfortunately, the camera was not located in time to snap a photo! Next time...

Here's the deal as usual for the first bit and then the start of recovery week(s?) with mostly walking and swiming:

Monday 7 June: Walk 20 min; Swim 1,000 yds, 20:11
Tuesday 8 June: Walks X 2, 45, 20 min; Walk up 9 flights of stairs to an appointment (maybe the problem with my knee)
Wed 9 June: Walks X 2, 20, 45 min; LHT/Wicked Awesome Dumbbell Workout
Thursday 10 June: Walks X 2, 25 min each; Ashtanga Yoga at University, 50 min
Friday 11 June: Walks X 2, 20 min each; Mowed lawn; Started removing baseboards and acasing
Saturday 12 June: Walks X 2, 20, 25 mins; Remove baseboards and casing
Sunday 13 June: Walks X 3, 20, 30, 20 mins
Monday 14 June: Walks X 3, 25, 15, 25 mins; Painting
Tuesday 15 June: Walks X 2, 20, 45 mins; Swim 1,000 m, 24:15
Wednesday 16 June: Walks X 2, 20, 15 min
Thursday 17 June: Walks X 2, 20, 40 min; Swim sprints (500 yd warm up in 9:57, 6 X 25 yds in 18 s on 60 s gos, 200 yds cool down)

I hope that between resting the knee from weight, yoga and sprinting combined with the mineral supplement, that the pain will subside and I can resume some more vigorous activities. I'll just have to wait and see.

Out with the old

Yummy omelet and mixed greens salad; nasty picture. I think the lens on my Treo Pro has gone south.

Yummy sautéed European wiener (preservative and filler free, from the Grapevine Deli), mushroom and green onion with mixed green salad; amazing picture from my 9 year old's Sony Cyber Shot! I think I'll have to keep using Junior's camera from now on. I haven't been doing my food shots justice.

Excellent bacon and eggs; terrible hazy shot.

Same meal as above, still excellent even with no flash!

Back on track

I have been very remiss in posting these, so for the sake of brevity and catching up, I'll get right to it.

Sunday 9 May

• LHT/Wicked Awesome Dumbbell Workout: 
• 10 X push ups
• One arm (right) neutral grip dead lift, biceps curl up to standing overhead press, Turkish getup, standing overhead press and biceps curl down to one arm deadlift down; repeat on left side
• Two arm deadlift up, lunge left/right, split squat left/right, two leg squat, two arm biceps curl to standing overhead press, biceps curl down, neutral grip deadlift down
• Repeated this X 6, first 2 with 2 X 20 lbs dumbbells and the last 4 with 25 lbs dumbbells; TULs between about 1:48 to 2:00
• Walk, 1 hr 35 min (with > 60 min walking) to the pet store (via Starbucks!) with the whole family on a nice sunny day!

Monday 10 May

• Walks X 2, 20 min each
• Swim sprints; 250 yd warm up in 4:40, 6 X 25 yds in ~ 16-18 s with about 60 s rest between each, 250 yd cool down in 5:14
  
  
  

One way, or another

I started taking Rebif (interferon beta-1a) as a disease modifying drug (DMD) for treatment of my MS in July 2009. Injecting myself thrice weekly was no joy, but then again neither is the prospect of MS progression, so I learned to work it into my routine. Unfortunately, Rebif and I did not agree with one another. I came off Rebif in late November, and then back on it again in January 2010. That lasted only until about the end of March when I came off it for the second time, again because my lab work showed that Rebif was affecting my bone marrow and blood counts.

At this point my neurologist suggested I switch over to Copaxone (Glatiramer acetate) because it is not associated with the same side effects as Rebif (fever, aches, chills, headaches) and because it doesn't typically affect the same things that the interferon was affecting in my lab work. The downside, of course (there always is a downside) is that you need to inject Copaxone every day, not three times per week like Rebif, and Copaxone can cause skin irritation, lipoatraphy (damage to subcutaneous fat so that you develop "pits" in your skin) and it can cause muscle spasms if injected into or too close to a muscle.

I have had few to no skin issues so far, but this may happen in time. On the other hand the muscle spasms have been an issue when injecting my legs and arms because I have almost no fat to inject into (contrary to the training nurse who visited me a week and a half ago who claimed I could use an 8 mm injection depth on all sites - wrongo!). Using the automatic injector (autoject) in my legs and arms also turns out to be a nonstarter and part of the problem because controlling the depth of the injection is tricky. When the spasms start, your muscle dances as if it were hooked to a car battery and feels as if the meanest, biggest guy you know just gave you a charleyhorse. Then  did it again just for fun. The stiffness lasts through the next day.

The support nurse from Shared Solutions (who is very helpful) suggested that I manually inject at a 45 degree angle into my arms and legs to avoid the spasm issue. Two nights ago the injection into my arm was much better done manually than the previous night with the autoject, and involved much less swearing post injection. Other than some burning, all was basically fine. The manual leg injection last night was another story. I did not manage to get it into the tissue at 45 and the muscle was jumping before even half way into the injection. My SO couldn't watch it was so intense. Rah! I sent an e-mail to my support nurse and she suggested to dump using the legs and to use my abdomen as two areas to give me a total of 6 areas (abdomen X 2, butt X 2, arms X 2). Good call.

Spring is here! (For now, at least)

Here's the view from my front window about one week ago.

And here's the view on my walk this morning.

Needless to say the weather has had a hard time making up its mind lately, but it looks like spring is actually here to  stay. I have a fair bit to post about, but for now will just stick to an update on my workouts, post back tweak. I modified my exercise routines and took it easy when my back was stiff/sore and changed my LHT workout to one with dumbbells instead of a barbell. I also took a pass at sprinting on land and instead did a swim sprint workout and skipped my HIIT/Bodyweight workout (lots of jumping around in it). Other than that, and having a couple of extra easy days, all was as normal and now my back is, well, back (to normal). And with no ibuprofen or other meds.

Here's the deal.

Saturday 1 May

• made some vitamin D on the deck
• Walk about 1 hr 40 min to the lake (above, different day) and back

Sunday 2 May

• Walk ~ 30 min
• PM Yoga ~ 25 min

Monday 3 May

• Walk 20 min

Tuesday 4 May

• Yoga, 45 min, Rodney Yee's Energy Balance
• Walk, 25 min
• PM Yoga, freestyle ~ 25 min

Wednesday 5 May

• Walk, 20 min
• Swim, 1,000 m, 21:14 (much better than the last 2 weeks), 150 yd cool down
• Walk, 30 min

Thursday 6 May

• Walk, 20 min
• LHT/Wicked Awesome Dumbbell Workout
• One arm (right) neutral grip dead lift, biceps curl up to standing overhead press, Turkish getup, standing overhead press and biceps curl down to one arm deadlift down; repeat on left side
• Two arm deadlift up, lunge left/right, split squat left/right, two leg squat, two arm biceps curl to standing overhead press, biceps curl down, neutral grip deadlift down
• Repeated this X 10, first 2 with 2 X 20 lbs dumbbells and the last 8 wit 25 lbs dumbbells; TULs between about 1:30 to 1:50; need to keep really slow but a great workout; may need some heavier dumbbells!

Friday 7 May

• Walk, 25 min
• Swim, 1,000 m 21:10 (ish - watch FAIL stopping the timer) plus 50 yd cool down
• Walk, 25 min

Saturday 8 May

• Walks, 45 min, 20 min

That'll have to do for now...at least I am one less week behind. Soon I hope to turn to more posts about what I am up to or thinking about besides my workouts. 

On the lookout for fitness

The MS Walk was a great success on many fronts: fundraising, family bonding, raising awareness and a real sense that people with MS are not alone. And the 10 km walk was a great, relaxing way to spend the morning getting low level cardio the way we are meant to get it.

Here are my workouts for the past week. The only hiccup is a sore lower back that flared up after Wednesday's LHT/HIT session. It didn't happen until later after sitting for some time at my desk. The pain and stiffness in my back has been brewing for a bit and I think it is a combination of poor posture and extended periods of time sitting (especially at my desk in front of my computer) combined with less yoga/flexibility work than I should be doing (my yoga class at the University ended at the start of April and a new one starts in just under 2 weeks) and, possibly, a sight lapse in lifting form. I am more inclined to think it is the posture/sitting/reduced flexibility that are the more likely causes than the lifting, since I have been lifting for months with nothing similar, but have spent even more time sitting recently.
Anyway, I have been taking it a bit easy, as you'll read, to let things heal up. I'll just focus on walking, some swimming and yoga but not pushing any of these activities too hard.

Here's the deal.

Saturday 24 April

• Walk ~ 25 min 

Sunday 25 April

• St. Albert MS Walk 2010 - 10 km, 1 hr 43 minutes
• Walks X 2 ~ 58 min and 15 min (with the dogs who stayed home from the MS Walk - that is them "On Duty" in the photo at the top, not pining for us to return as they stay in their crates when we are out)

Monday 26 April

• Walks X 2 ~ 25 and 15 min
• Swim, 1,000 m, 21:55 (faster and easier than last week)

Tuesday 27 April

• Walks X 2 ~ 20 min each
• Yoga, Rodney Yee Strength and Flexibility DVD (did the "Flexibility" workout) ~ 28 min

Wednesday 28 April

• Walks X 2 ~ 20 min each
• LHT/HIT/SS:
• Bent over rows X 8, TUL = 1:42, 70 lb barbell
• Standing overhead press X 3.5/4.5, TUL = 1:08, 70 lb barbell
• Deadlifts X 5, TUL = 1:20, 110 lb barbell
• Bench press X 5, TUL =  60 s, 90 lb barbell
• Squats X 9.5, TUL = 1:53, 90 lb barbell
• as usual, having a rach to walk into for squats would make it easier to get to positive failure and then unload
• Yoga forward bends etc. to loosen stiff muscles in lower back

Thursday 29 April

• Walks X 2, ~ 20 min each
• Swim ~ 550 m, slow, 13:28

Friday 30 April

• Walks X 3, ~ 20, 20 and 30 min each
• back still a little stiff, maybe some yoga later or else just rest

I was going to add some food shots here too, but I think I'll save that for another post including tales of my first attempt at Thai red curry beef soup with coconut milk and cilantro! Until then.

sturdyteam at the 2010 St. Albert MS Walk

Well, we did it; 10 kms in 1:43, including the girls, sick spouse, and the girls' friend from school (who took the photo above). It started out quite gray and cloudy, but we didn't get rain or snow and they were forecasting both. There were a lot of people participating and tons volunteering. It was a great time and we plan to do it again next year for sure. The last time I checked we were over $3,400 in pledges. Thank you to all who donated! Here is the story in photos.

Morning weather.

Let's do this!

Lots of people up early for the walk.

And we're off!

Past St. Albert Place and the Sturgeon River.

Nice scenery on the walk.

About 3 kms in and still smiling.

We're on the right path at least.

Stroll around Lacombe Park Lake.

In the home stretch.

There it is!

Almost...

Success! Now where's the coffee?

Approval from my former student, Scott, who now works for the MS Society. Irony = lots.

Aren't they cute?

They're the reason why I walk: to find a cure so they don't have to deal with MS.

Work outs of the Week (and a bit)

I have been remiss in posting for a while. The end of the academic term is always busy and this one is no exception. The SO, kids and I are participating in our first MS Walk tomorrow morning at 9:00 am; 10 km and hopefully no rain or snow, or at least not too much of it.

Here's the workout deal for the past little while.

Thursday 15 April

• Walks X 2, 20 and 30 minutes, respectively 

Friday 16 April

• Sprinting: 
• walk ~ 10 min warm up; 6 X ~ 40-50 m @~50% with about 20 s between each; 6 X ~ 50 m @~ 75-80% with about 60 s between each (some of these ended in "tag" with Finlay); walk ~ 10 min cool down (nice, warm and sunny, ~ 18 C) 
• Walk ~ 25 min 

Saturday 17 April

• Walks X 2, 15 and ~ 35 min, respectively 

Sunday 18 April

• HIIT/Bodyweight: 
• 60 s each of: Jumping jacks (X 57), Burpees (X 15), Plank, Triceps dips (X 41), Prisoner squats (X 36), Wall sit, Side plank (left side), Lunge jumps (X 78), Side plank (right side), Wall sit (no push ups this time b/c of stiff lower back and tweaked right wrist) 
• Walks X 2, ~20 min each 

Monday 19 April

• Walks X 3, 20 min (kids to school), 50 min (from department around Hawerlak Park and back) and 40 minutes (very warm and sunny 20 C+) 

Tuesday 20 April

• Walks X 2, ~ 20 min each 
• Swim, 1,000m, 25:10 (slow!) 

Wednesday 21 April

• LHT/HIT/SS: 
• Bent over rows X 6, TUL = 1:23, 70 lb barbell 
• Standing overhead press, X 3.25, TUL = 1:07, 75 lb barbell 
• Deadlifts, X 4.5, TUL = 1:05, 110 lb barbell 
• Bench press, X 3, TUL = 43 s, 100 lb barbell 
• Squats, X 11, TUL = 1:43, 80 lb barbell 
• Walk ~ 20 min 

Thursday 22 April

• Walk ~ 35 min 

Friday 23 April

• Yoga - Eoin Finn Daily Dose of Bliss, 42 min 
• Walks X 2. 25-30 and 35+ minutes 

In virtually all cases, unless I am at work, all of my walks are with my small furry partners, Libby and Finlay, pictured at the top of this post. Finlay is hidden under the comforter behind Libby.

2010 MS Walk - sturdyteam

For those who don't already know, I was diagnosed last May 2009 with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. Things are going pretty well for me and my family all things considered, but there are many others who are considerably worse off than me. Not to mention that it would be excellent if future MS treatments didn't involve injections and the associated side effects. Please consider donating and sponsoring us while we walk for the cause.

My SO, kids and I will be participating in the St. Albert 2010 MS Walk as "sturdyteam". The plan at this point is that we'll be doing the 10 km version (at least I hope we will) this April 25. You should be able to pledge online through this link. You are also be able to join our team online if you are so inclined.

I apologize for the short notice. I'll be better prepared next year and get this arranged earlier. The link below should take you to our team page.
link to "sturdyteam" on MS Society Web Site