RUNNING AND REPAIR

I have long been obsessed with ultra runners, having first read Born To Run and Natural Born Hero’s by Christopher McDougall, as well as Scott Jurek’s Eat and Run. I listened to a number of inspiring Ultramarathon podcasts, so riveting that I still remember where I was for some of the inspiring and sometimes crazy interview.  

Recently I have fallen into some other resources thanks to YouTube’s algorithms that have kicked me back into training videos on running, like the Running Channel and an Australian group of trainers for runners over the age of 50.

The biggest change in philosophy that I have adapted is that running needs additional strengthening to stay uninjured. What I used to do was just run, with a few sparse activities as “cross-training”. Being younger, I mostly got away with it, but I did stop running a couple of times from a self-diagnosed meniscal tear in my right knee. I stopped for a prolonged period of time after the marathon in part because I wasn’t prepared for the down side of the marathon. 

What I learned watching those videos is the concept of zone 2-3 training. The concept is basically that when you push your body to its limits, you can avoid injury if you spent a large part of your training in a low impact zone instead of pushing your limits constantly. Here is a nice summary of the concept:

The basic proportion is 2/3 1/3,  with the goal of building endurance by staying in the cardiac aerobic zone of 60-75% of maximum heart beat for 60-75% of the activity.

DROID

Growing up, Star Wars was a family favourite, especially with my two brothers owning many action figures that I still remember. 

R2D2 

ADVICE TO LOVE BY

Romance Movie on Global Freeplay

1. Signal interest - flirtation, intention

2. Connect meaningfully - life goals, dependability, humour

3. Demonstrate worth - share dreams, crack defenses, respectful

4. Establish trust - consistency, reliability, openness

First date

Movie, Coffee, Picnic

Second date

Leave comfort zone, physical activity

Third date 

Discover new things together

Fourth Date 

Show romantic side to partner

Fifth Date

Meet the family

Sixth Date

CHERISH YOUR WILDERNESS AND DATING PERRY

STROM SPA AND FUTURE PLANS

My boyfriend and I went to the Strom Spa located at "Saint Sauveur" (Piedmont), 74 km away, that used to be the Polar Bear's Club. The deal was a good one, but it was a little complicated. We bought gift certificates in advance, which appeared full price for thermal entry fee but only cost $47.83 for a November weekday Mon-Thu.  It was well explained, and extensive. It was also the first time that either of us had taken seriously the spa cycle of heat, cold and relax. 

Highlights for me were the eucalyptus steam room, a hot tub with a grotto behind a waterfall, a cold dip in the river, sitting outside by a fire watching ducks during the daily, watching the rapids from a warm room, and eating a really nice pretty meal in a bathrobe!

It was hard not to be annoyed when people were talking, but it was not easy to be quiet when you had decisions to make. I had brought a book and pen, so we could write in those moments.

It was such a hit, that we had researched prior, so here are the fruits of our search so that we plan the next visit!

Strom St Hilaire 43 k, Ile-des-Soeurs, 

La Source Rawdon 70 k

Mon-Thu 17-20 $42  5h from 10-17 $69 18-21 $52  5h from 10-18. Bring your own robes.

Balnea Bromont 99 k

Forena, St Bruno- whisper baths

Nordic Station Magog

Amerispa Morin Heights

Scandinave Mt Tremblant (old port)

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Montreal

Bota bota

Beaux Reves - ladies (Yo's idea) lunch and yoga Wednesday $99

Spa Finlandais Rosemere 4 hours Mon -Thu $54 Bring robe and towel or pay $10

SLOW PRODUCTIVITY

The Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport

(From Big Think)

1. Do fewer things (at once) - avoid attention "residence" (the cost of task switching)
2. Work at a natural pace (accept seasonal differences) Ed. sunshine, monthly cycles, menopause
3. Obsess over quality (Invest in better tools and create better systems)

Ed. In other words:
Do less, better

Other links: 

Atomic Habits by James Clear
1.Success is an aggregation of small wins
2. First, we make our habits, then our habits make us. 
(Holly Bardutz of Brain Health Institute would say: First we make our brains, then our brain makes us!)

3. Consistency beats intensity.

4. Eliminate friction for good habits. 

5. Master the art of habit tracking.

6. Optimize your work environment.

7. Good habits take time to form.

8. Choose your social circle carefully.

9. Don't fumble hard-earned progress.

10. Make the path of least resistance.

11. Find an accountability partner.

12. Fall in the love with the process.

13. Winners and losers have the same goals.

14. Success is a lifestyle, not an event. Ed. a direction, not an ending

15. Talk is cheap; you are your actions.

16. Good habits take a long time to build.

17. Your identity is your future.

18. Results are a lagging indicator of habits.

19. Trajectory is more important than the current position.

20. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.

Ali Abdaal's How I Manage My Time Without Burning Out

Backlog and Active Projects

Each project has an overhead tax. The fewer active things, the more effective the overhead tax

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

(elephant and rider)

Warren Buffett's 5/25

It may be falsely attributed, but it's probably still true.

1-3-5 Rule 

SPARK 2025 HABITS AND QUARTERLY QUESTS

It is clear from neurodevelopment and behavioural psychology that the only way to change is to overcome old habits and create new ones. Will power is a finite resource that requires a lot of energy. Habits are key to personal growth.

"You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems." - James Clear

Ali Abdaal has a productivity youtube channel with simple life hacks and book reviews. He models a practice of achieving goals that are evidence based on how to achieve good habits. He breaks them down into:

Quarterly Quests, Weekly Reset, Morning Manifesto (Daily Review/Journaling).

This comes from How to actually achieve your goals in 2025 (Evidence Based) that lists the references in the shownotes.

1. WRITE THEM DOWN

Set your goals. This is so simple. Just write them down! He references Jim Rohn and his own book called FeelGood Productivity. The evidence implies an increase of 42% in your likelihood to achieve them. Don't pick too many, though. Write down all of them if you like, but focus on 3-5.

2. REVIEW THEM WEEKLY OR DAILY

The reticular activating system is located at the base of your brainstem, and it determines what information your brain pays attention to. The brain filters out what you are not focusing on. 

3. MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS

What were my weekly goals? How are they going? It can be simply binary - yes or no, or green/yellow/red. Consider a visual with small steps e.g. word count. Monitoring goal progress has a modest impact on performance.

4. VISUALISE OBSTACLES

Mental contrasting goal setting by Gabriele Oettingen: 

WOOP 

Wish, Outcome (Goal), Obstacle (feelings like demotivation, time restraints, interpersonal resistance), Plan (to address the obstacles)

What could go wrong? What to do about it?

5. TIE THEM TO AN IDENTITY

Doctor, Entrepreneur, Author, Husband, Healthy, High Performer, Voter

"The strongest force in human personality is the need to stay consistent in how we define ourselves." 

Tony Robbins

Slow Productivity

Cal Newport

Who am I by achieving my goals?

Identities:

Sane and happy

Mother

Sister

Daughter

Friend

Neighbour

Athlete, healthy body

Doctor

Teacher

Mentor

Partner

Lover

Writer

Mortal

Artist

Art lover

Animal lover

Domestic goddess

Artisan

Hostess

Home owner

Financially Independent

-----------------

For myself:

GOALS:

*Fit back into snow pants (athlete, lover)

*Rehab ankle and restart running (athlete, sane and happy)

*Fix basement (Domestic goddess, mother, sister, partner)

*Teacher/Osler Fellow/Wellness (doctor, teacher, mentor, sane and happy)

*Edit Chateau Laurier (writer)

*KonMari home (Domestic goddess, hostess)

Simplify menu prep

*Seasonal invites

Rehab garden

*Repaint interior (domestic goddess, artisan)

Get ready for girls/guests (mother, sister, partner)

*Return to work

*Synthesize the memories

Quarterly Quests

Solstices: Winter Spring Summer Fall vs. January 1 April 1 June 1 Sept 1 

Meet 3 ring goals daily with stretching, strengthening, and cardio

List and request losses from flood, and get quotes for work on house, roof and floor

Document CME 

List wellness resources

Repaint windows and install curtains upstairs

Weekly Reset

MONDAYS 

First quarter: Jan 20, 27, Feb 3, 10, 17, 24, Mar 3, 10

Repeat: 60 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretching daily

Jan 20

60 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretching daily

List with google doc, then data enter on link given

Repaint dining room and hang curtains

Jan 27

60 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretching daily

Call Darlington, Elder, Bernard

Book Osler

Review CME for 2024

Repaint library and install blinds

Plan for hosting dinner

Feb 3

60 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretching daily

Repaint Kitchen and install curtains

Review finances for 2024

Finish wellness finances

Feb 10

60 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretching daily

Feb 17

60 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretching daily

Feb 24

60 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretching daily

Mar 3

60 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretching daily

Mar 10

60 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretching daily

Morning Manifesto

Workdays and Freedays are different

On free days, plan for 4 hours of concentrated work. Consider a second installment if not too tired or if the tasks vary.

On workdays, get the basic physical in as priority