Not Your Average Ordinary Workout: The Senior Olympics

An unexpected side benefit of attending the Ann Bancroft luncheon (see previous post) was that I ended up in the National Senior Olympic Games!

Standing in line next to me waiting to talk to Ms. Bancroft was an employee of the National Senior Games Association.  The fellow informed me that Minneapolis was hosting the Games in 2015, and that competitors must turn 50 by Dec. 31, 2014 to qualify.

I was unaware that such a thing as Senior Olympic Games even existed!  I used to run 5k and 10k races in my 20s, before giving birth to my first child at age 30, but gave that up due to overstretched ligaments that were causing pain during the high-impact exercise.  Five years later my second child arrived, and with her came added foot problems.  I was forced to (gasp!) begin wearing comfort shoes (how humiliating)!  I spent my 20s in three-inch heels.  But I digress...

Me running Grandma's Marathon at age 22

 In the ensuing 19 years, I've done "maintenance-level" exercise, such as spinning  classes and weight training, to stay toned and feel good, but have not competed in any races. 

But after a week or so, curiosity got the better of me and I Googled the website, http://www.nsga.com/.  I turn 50 this year on Dec. 6th, so I will definitely qualify.  The listings included some "old fogey" sports like bowling and horseshoes, and there were events that were out of my grasp, such as running races.  But then I spotted race walking and archery. 

"Could I?" I asked myself.  I was unsure as to whether I could withstand the training or learn the proper form, but my 12 years of distance running and dozens of races had to count for something.  I had even run a marathon!  Race walking would surely be lower impact and seemed within my grasp.

I had tried archery with my daughters at Girl Scout camp, but not other than that.  Unlike the discus throw, archery seemed to pose less of an injury threat.  Then there is the "Hunger Games" appeal and the way that movie has romanticized the female archer as lone hero.  Another appeal was that it is a practical skill.  If our society collapses into anarchy and we end up hiding out in the woods, the ability to shoot a rabbit for dinner would definitely be handy!

So one evening in May, after the rest of the family had gone to bed, I impulsively registered for the 5000 meter racewalk event and the compound bow archery event.  Total cost: $40.  The confirmation email arrived the next day, making it official.  Now I was committed, and my journey as an Olympian had begun!

My first job was to purchase a bow.  I found one on Ebay that turned out to be made for someone much stronger than me.  I could not even pull the bowstring!  No worries, the seller happily refunded my money once I returned the bow.  When purchasing my second bow, I was careful to pay attention to the "maximum draw weight," and got one rated for 25-35 pounds.

My next mission was to get the bow fitted for me and buy some arrows.  I took the bow to Average Joe's Archery in Coon Rapids, MN.  The staff there treated me very well, expertly assembling the pieces, fitting it to my strength and arm length, adjusting the sights, cutting arrows to the proper length, and even coaching me on shooting techniques.  I happened to visit during their "Customer Appreciation Days," so ended up getting free shooting practice on their range as well! 

Now I am in practice mode, refining my technique and aim, and learn how to score my "ends" (groups of arrows).  The Minneapolis park system has four free archery ranges that I have been regularly visiting.  I've enjoyed meeting other archers and learning all kinds of helpful tips from them, including their favorite archery shops and ranges. I consistently group my arrows at the nine-o'clock position, so I plan to head back to Average Joe's for another lesson on technique, and buy a few more arrows to replace the ones that mysteriously disappeared in the woods.

The racewalking practice has been a "long, winding journey" as well.  I found a book called "Racewalking Clinic," which has practice drills specific for the race walker.   I have also watched a few YouTube videos.
My technique has been inconsistent, as I don't believe I completely understand it.  I want to "get" the form one hundred percent before I start adding speed, but now that there is only one month before the race, I need to start adding speed!

Shooting pains under the toes have been cropping up during my fast-paced three-mile walks. Last week I made the mistake of going out for a race-walk without first warming up or stretching.  After a half-mile the foot pain was so great I had to hobble back home. My wonderful husband David (who happens to also be a massage therapist) informed me that a muscle underneath the calf, not the toes, are the source of the problem, and that I can prevent or reduce pain by massaging this muscle.  Check.

I also got in to see a podiatrist, who chided me for not warming up or stretching, and recommended that I add long compression athletic socks (I am really a fogey now!) as well as replace my "Smartfeet" shoe inserts and wear pads under the balls of the my feet.  Check.

Today I emailed the organizer of Twin Cities Race Walkers, and asked about their twice-monthly meetups in Como Park.  If I can meet even once with this group to learn their techniques, I believe it would be tremendously helpful. 

With one month left before the competitions, the pressure is mounting.  But I am excited to see how far I can go with my two new sporting endeavors!  So, dear readers, what have you done for your body lately?

Ann Bancroft and thoughts about life

Today I had the opportunity to hear arctic explorer Ann Bancroft speak about her adventures.  What a treat!  The setting was the tame and sedate Edina Country Club -- a far cry from the frozen tundra where she earned her claim to fame.

Although her famous trips via dogsled and the one on foot with Liv Arnesen while dragging a 267 pound sled happened several years ago, she is preparing for another trek commencing October 2014.  This one will include six women, one from every continent in the world.  Truly a global, multicultural event!

Many people have read about Ann's adventures, or perhaps heard interviews with her, but sitting eye-to-eye with her at the front table in a room full of 200 people and hearing her recount her stories "live" really let me understand what it was like.

Most fascinating for me was that as she spoke I imagined metaphors for trying to accomplish anything in life.  She talked about how she had to persevere with hours of hard work to reach her daily mileage goal, and that reminded me about persevering and never giving up on my goals.  She talked about her and Liv becoming discouraged midway through the trip, and how they made silly videos to buoy up each other spirits.  I thought about how my family and I joke around, and encouraging others I come in contact with each day, to keep their spirits up so we can get through tough times and achieve our goals.  She spoke of making her treks educational, so that kids around the world could learn from her experiences.  I thought of how important it is to give back to others and think beyond my own selfish needs. I saw pictures of her out in all that nothingness for days on end, and thought about how we can make meaning out of life even when all around us everything looks bleak.

After the meeting I shook Ann's hand and thanked her for her excellent talk, and was impressed with her air of happiness and absolute self reliance.  What a great role model and reminder that anyone -- and especially women and girls -- can accomplish what they set their minds to.

Thank you, Ann, for talking to the Bloomington, Eden Prairie, and other Twin Cities Chamber of Commerce members today!
Read about Ann's upcoming trek and her charitable foundation at http://www.annbancroftfoundation.org

Setting the eagle free; the eldest child heads off to college

I haven't contributed any posts in months, mainly because I wasn't sure what to write about, and don't want to bore people with mindless drivel.  But last month my eldest child headed off for college, and I feel like it's time to sort out for myself what the heck just happened.

Recently I read an excellent Star Tribune piece by a father whose daughter just started college, and what that meant for him.  It really summed up the parental role -- doing that to the best of your ability, and then being willing to step back and "set your eagle free."  He didn't use that metaphor, but basically, you have an 18-year period where you are more involved on a day-to-day basis, and then at some point, you stop the constant coaching and nagging and taking care of their day-to-day affairs, and say, "Ok, now you do all of that.  I hope you were paying attention."

As parents, I think we get lulled into thinking our kids will be kids forever.  After all, we have 18 years to raise them.  Tons of time, right?  So I think we adopt "parental habits," or ways of relating to them, and then when the kids want to strike out on their own, those habits no longer appropriate and we have to regroup.

Tiernan being my first, he is the one who has taught me the most about being a parent.  My "chickens started coming home to roost" when I would get feedback from teachers about his role in bringing his classmates together to work as a team.  While I cannot take all of the credit, -- he has had a number of remarkable mentors, both inside and outside of the family -- it was direct feedback that all of the time I spent working with him and teaching him what I knew was having an effect not only on him but on other lives he was touching.  I don't think the next statement can come off as anything but sappy and self-satisfied, but here it goes anyway:  It is splendidly gratifying to see this happen!  I didn't coach anyone to say those things about him; it's just what I heard and observed happening at his school community, the neighborhood and elsewhere.

During Tiernan's last summer at home, as he got ready to "take flight" for his college dorm room, knowing his days at home were numbered made me realize that my parenting job -- for the early years -- was ending.  The conversations we had were more thoughtful, and he began asking more pointed questions about choices I had made and was making about my own career and life path.  I tried to answer him candidly, as I felt that I had lacked mentorship in my teens, with the parent I lived with working full time and constantly harried, and an alienated relationship with the other one.

The day before Tiernan left for college, as we sat down for dinner, I mused, "This will be your last dinner at home with the family."  Never again will the dynamic be quite the same; the banter will change without his funny quips, intense questioning and deadpan expressions.

The following day we drove Tiernan 100 miles to his college on the prairie and  moved him in to his brand-new, LEED-certified dorm room.  We moved in all of his stuff while he checked in, and I hooked up his computer, and David made up his bunk bed -- final caring gestures.  To Tiernan's credit, he did not scold us for lingering and fussing over where all of his stuff would be placed.  He even restrained himself from rolling his eyes at our enthusiastic introduction to his roommates!

Finally, it was time for David, me and Tiernan's two little sisters to pile back into the car and drive back to Minneapolis.  We each gave him a hug, and Tiernan even kneeled down on the floor to make it easier for his littlest sister to hug him.  "This is it," I thought.  I was the last one out the door, and Tiernan stood in his doorway and watched as I walked down the hallway.  I knew he would see my face in profile as I turned the corner to walk outside, and I was determined not to reveal a sad grimace.

As we drove alongside the cornfields and ponds, and the sky darkened into night, the "pile of bricks" finally hit me in the chest:  I realized he was gone.  He will most likely come back and visit, and might even stay with us over the summers, but we have just closed the door on the growing-up years and now the eagle is set free.  I hope we have taught you well, Tiernan.  Now we will stand back watch your flight trajectory, and we will rejoice when we see you soar.

Qualities of a good editor

So you've written your first novel, or have hashed out your college term paper and now you would like a pair of expert eyes to look it over.  How can you tell if the editor you are thinking of hiring is a good one?  The answer lies not only in technical skills but in how the two of you mesh as a "working team."

Before you hire them, ask them about their background.  What is their education and training?  What jobs are they currently doing?  How long have they been editing? Can they tell you a few examples of work they have edited and people they have worked with?  Can they show you any samples?

Secondly, what are their interests?  Do they seem like a scholarly type who likes to read, or a writer who takes great pleasure in being a wordsmith?  If they do not show any of these qualities, you may want to run as fast as you can in the other direction!  If they only seem tepid towards language and communications, you may want to be cautious about hiring them.

Lastly, but no less important than the first two, how do the the two of you get along?  Do you feel like you can communicate your ideas comfortably with this person?  If you disagree with something they cut out of your paper, will they get offended or uppity when you protest?  If there is going to be a lot of friction when they are working on your paper, this irritation will sooner or later have you avoiding having them work on any more of your writings!  Do you like the person?  If their personality is at odds with yours, you will be uncomfortable spending time with them, and won't want to hand over your hard-earned money.

I don't mean to go on and on about the feelings part of the writer-editor relationship, but it really will undermine everything if something is not right.  I have had people not hire me after they have talked to me for a while and described their project.  I am willing to bet it was for a "feelings" reason.  Did they dislike the tone of my voice?  Did I state an offensive personal belief or value?  Maybe I was too liberal-minded, or prettier than them and they were feeling insecure about it.  Who knows?  It may not have been a rational-minded reason, but it was enough of a reason that they never called me back.

On the other hand, there are people who have hired me because they appreciate my hunger for knowledge, the time I have put into getting good at writing and editing.  Or they like that I am still easy to talk to enjoy sharing a joke once in a while.   There are those who have said, "I can call you any time about anything and you are ready to work on it right away."  One person said, "I can't thank you enough for all you've done."  This is starting to sound like a commercial for me as an editor, but I am just trying to show you that there different clients feel comfortable with different personalities, so keep on looking for an editor that you feel comfortable with, and you will be sure to find the one you "click" with.

Why my cats hate each other

After continuous cat ownership since age 10, I am developing a theory that it's a mistake to have more than one cat. I believe this because cats like to rule their territory, and every time they see another cat, they feel it is a challenge to their supremacy. One of the worst things that hurts their feelings is the insult -- the absolute humiliation -- of being forced to share the love and attention of their owners. Purrcilla we have had the longest, and when David's cats, Schlepp and Schmuck, died, we ventured to the humane society and replaced them with two new cats. Purrcilla was furious, as she felt that her home was finally really "hers" without having to share it with other cats. One of the new cats Suki, has taking a liking to hanging out in Grandma's apartment, and will swat at Purrcilla if she sees Grandma petting Purrcilla! Mystic, our black Persian, loves to slowly creep up to Purrcilla, crowding her space and trapping her in various spots around the house until she hisses and tries to get past him. He will keep this up for hours, following her through the house. Purcilla's solution is to stand by the front door and turn her head to look plaintively at us, as if begging to go outside. Poor Purrcilla. Once out, she will stay sometimes stay out for days on end when the weather is warm, just to get away from "the freaks" (other two cats). Suki is just plain wigged out by any amount of activity, feline or human, and will actually hiss at us if we are moving around too much and she feels she is trapped. Late at night, as David and I are winding down for bed, she will start to whine in a strange cackling way, as if to tell us, "Go to bed already, and snuggle with me!" Despite their personality quirks, after 16 months together they have created some semblance of peace, staked out their personal territories for napping and hanging out, and usually do a pretty good job of pretending that the others don't exist.

Going to N'awlins!

I can't believe it, but it's true. I'm traveling to New Orleans to play my saxophone in the Mardi Gras parades next March! I never intended to go. In fact, I had pretty much decided not to, but got talked into it. It all started when I decided on a lark, to play with the Edison High School Alumni Marching Band in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Minneapolis in March 2010. I had so much fun that I also played in the Aquatennial parade, the Northeast Parade and the St. Anthony Villagefest parade. In late summer, talk began circulating about how the band had been invited to perform in several Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. Playing in town was enough excitement, I decided. I didn't need to add the expense and separation from family of flying out town. However, prior to one of the performances, a flute player named Kim approached me and asked if I was planning to travel to New Orleans. I said "No, I've already been to Mardi Gras," Kim said, "Do it for the band. We really need woodwinds." I was taken aback by this, and went home to think it over. Next thing I knew, I was buying a plane ticket, and planning to go after all.

The folks back home can watch us live on the telly. We'll be featured on the 5 o'clock news on KARE-11 in Minneapolis on Saturday, March 5th. Wish me luck as I practice and prepare for the trip of a lifetime!

Please donate to Hooved Animal Rescue Benefit

As a volunteer for the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation, I am seeking donations of baked goods, money (to purchase baked goods), and silent auction items for an upcoming fundraiser. A bake sale and silent auction will be held on
Saturday, Nov. 20th from Noon to 4 p.m., in conjunction with the Sunrise Equine Veterinary Services’ (North Branch, MN, sunriseequine.com) Annual Open House and Client Education Day.

All bake sale and silent auction proceeds will benefit the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue (mnhoovedanimalrescue.org). All are welcome to attend this free event. There will be educational programs about horse care, door prizes and refreshments.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

• Drop off baked goods (pies are especially popular at this event) at my house on Nov. 18 or 19.
• Mail me a check, and I will use the money to buy high quality baked items at A Baker’s Wife pastry shop in South Minneapolis.
• Mail or drop off silent auction items at my house. Must be received by Nov. 19.

My address is:

Janet Lenius
910 Main Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413

Donations are tax deductible. I will be dropping off all items at Sunrise Equine on the morning of the event. Please call me with any questions at 612-331-5175. Thank you in advance for your donation!

— Janet Lenius