Good evening friends!
I am in the home stretch of the first week of the 8 week program. The workouts are great so far. Definitely can be done by people of any athletic level as you simply adjust your pace to one that is comfortable.
Since it's been so cold and snowy I took my workout to the gym again. The workout consisted of alternating sets of running intermixed with kettle swings. While I would have preferred to do this one outside (as I prefer all of my runs!) I managed just fine by bringing a heavy dumbbell with me to my treadmill and stepping off after each run to complete the swings. I finished with some stretching and a rest on the massage chair. :)
My meals today were kept simple. A recipe Sharny shared as part of the program is one for egg pies. Very simple and easy to make in muffin tins and absolutely delicious! I use turkey bacon and then mixed in some mushrooms and herbs into the egg mixture. Each one has about 93 calories!
For lunch I had a grilled chicken breast with a spring green salad and vinaigrette, and more chicken for dinner but this time with steamed green beans. It was a hectic day and I wasn't able to pull out fish, but I love having spring greens with a couple tablespoons of sunflower seeds on them, so yummy. If you're interested in seeing more about my food choices you can find me on myfitnesspal as jfaure23.
Tomorrow is going to be a good challenge as the final workout of the week is to complete a 5K! I'll let you know how it all goes. I will also provide my end of week one weigh-in. I was hoping to take measurements but I cannot find my tape... I'll try another look tomorrow so that I can at least get a reading though a bit late.
Til then, sleep tight!
Peach
Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
Ready to try something new in 2018? I am... welcome back, friends!
It's been a couple of years since I've last posted. Big changes have happened in my life since then, but mostly the arrival of a new beautiful baby. This brings our family of five to a family of six! And, I might add, though I'm still outnumbered at least I've got a girl going to bat with me!
After bringing Madeleine into the world just about nine months ago I was certain that I would be able to lose the weight as efficiently as I had with Geoffrey. Remember that? I did the body revolution program by Jillian Michaels early in 2012 (read back on my blog posts) and ended up losing just over 20lbs in the 90 days.
Since the summer, I've been doing a variation of different activities including running, Jillian Michaels, calorie counting, volleyball... the blend of activities wasn't working for me. I gained up to fifty pounds each pregnancy and this one was no different. The difference lay in the fact that at eight and a half months post-partem I had lost only ten of those extra pounds. Each pregnancy before I was back at pre-baby weight by six months! Something has to change.
So here I am in the new year, feeling a bit down on myself, and realizing I am going back to work in just TWO months, and still cannot fit even remotely into my old work clothes. I need to do something. As I'm thinking these thoughts and scrolling Facebook I come across a post that I think I've seen before but didn't pay any attention to. This time I was paying attention because the woman in the picture looked like me, well, at least a version of me. Body fat percent hanging around the 45% mark, about my age, has six kids (she has me beat there!). But the image is what caught me. Here I am, apparently struggling to get my body to adapt to what I need it to do, and another woman was in the exact same situation and look at her now! She looks fantastic. Did I mention six kids?
Check this out: http://sharnyandjulius.com/fitmum
I was hooked from that image on and signed up for what I hope will be one of the best decisions I've ever made regarding my health. Sharny, that's her name, is the woman behind the Fit, Healthy, Happy Mum program. She managed to lose all of her baby weight in eight weeks using her program and she's sharing it with us. But she also provides an amazing support group. For a small charge you are given a lifetime access to the program so whether it takes you 8 months or 8 weeks (or 8 years) to complete, that's up to you. :)
I found the posting on Friday morning while M napped. By 10:30 I was registered and couldn't get enough of the supportive videos and information regarding nutrition. With this plan, it is 80% what goes into my body and 20% exercise. But the meals are wickedly simple and repetitive so to make it easy to adhere to.
The formula is basically a keto diet, focusing on (very) low carbs and then filling in with proteins and fats. As you walk through the program you are given information about the program and an opportunity to provide your current weight and BMI along with your goals. Based on the information you provide, they tell you what your daily caloric intake should be to achieve your desired weight in the time frame chosen. Though that is somewhat separate from the 8 week plan. The 8 week plan is fairly well guided with predetermined exercises each day, with one or two rest days, and flexibility in meals though the rules are NO carbs, NO sugar, NO alcohol, NO dairy, eating most calories by 2pm and a small dinner by 6pm. Like Sharny says, "It's only 8 weeks. Think of how good that drink will be in your bikini!"
So here I am, embarking on this new adventure. I am more hopeful than I've been since M joined us that I will finally be able to lose my weight and keep up with these kids!
The stats:
Starting weight 199lbs
Goal weight 175lbs (for the eight week program)
Goal weight 141lbs (to achieve ideal body fat percent)
Since being on the plan for four days, I weighed in this morning at 195lbs. It's progress and is the lowest I've been since this time last year so am grateful. And excited for what's to come. Please join me on my journey.
It's been a busy day, we hosted a wine tasting at our home this evening (which doesn't do much good for the diet but I watched what I consumed) and is about time for bed. I hope you are are dreaming big and stepping small towards making your dreams a reality.
Nighty night,
Peach
PS - I'll post some before pics a bit later in my posts...
After bringing Madeleine into the world just about nine months ago I was certain that I would be able to lose the weight as efficiently as I had with Geoffrey. Remember that? I did the body revolution program by Jillian Michaels early in 2012 (read back on my blog posts) and ended up losing just over 20lbs in the 90 days.
Since the summer, I've been doing a variation of different activities including running, Jillian Michaels, calorie counting, volleyball... the blend of activities wasn't working for me. I gained up to fifty pounds each pregnancy and this one was no different. The difference lay in the fact that at eight and a half months post-partem I had lost only ten of those extra pounds. Each pregnancy before I was back at pre-baby weight by six months! Something has to change.
So here I am in the new year, feeling a bit down on myself, and realizing I am going back to work in just TWO months, and still cannot fit even remotely into my old work clothes. I need to do something. As I'm thinking these thoughts and scrolling Facebook I come across a post that I think I've seen before but didn't pay any attention to. This time I was paying attention because the woman in the picture looked like me, well, at least a version of me. Body fat percent hanging around the 45% mark, about my age, has six kids (she has me beat there!). But the image is what caught me. Here I am, apparently struggling to get my body to adapt to what I need it to do, and another woman was in the exact same situation and look at her now! She looks fantastic. Did I mention six kids?
Check this out: http://sharnyandjulius.com/fitmum
I was hooked from that image on and signed up for what I hope will be one of the best decisions I've ever made regarding my health. Sharny, that's her name, is the woman behind the Fit, Healthy, Happy Mum program. She managed to lose all of her baby weight in eight weeks using her program and she's sharing it with us. But she also provides an amazing support group. For a small charge you are given a lifetime access to the program so whether it takes you 8 months or 8 weeks (or 8 years) to complete, that's up to you. :)
I found the posting on Friday morning while M napped. By 10:30 I was registered and couldn't get enough of the supportive videos and information regarding nutrition. With this plan, it is 80% what goes into my body and 20% exercise. But the meals are wickedly simple and repetitive so to make it easy to adhere to.
The formula is basically a keto diet, focusing on (very) low carbs and then filling in with proteins and fats. As you walk through the program you are given information about the program and an opportunity to provide your current weight and BMI along with your goals. Based on the information you provide, they tell you what your daily caloric intake should be to achieve your desired weight in the time frame chosen. Though that is somewhat separate from the 8 week plan. The 8 week plan is fairly well guided with predetermined exercises each day, with one or two rest days, and flexibility in meals though the rules are NO carbs, NO sugar, NO alcohol, NO dairy, eating most calories by 2pm and a small dinner by 6pm. Like Sharny says, "It's only 8 weeks. Think of how good that drink will be in your bikini!"
So here I am, embarking on this new adventure. I am more hopeful than I've been since M joined us that I will finally be able to lose my weight and keep up with these kids!
The stats:
Starting weight 199lbs
Goal weight 175lbs (for the eight week program)
Goal weight 141lbs (to achieve ideal body fat percent)
Since being on the plan for four days, I weighed in this morning at 195lbs. It's progress and is the lowest I've been since this time last year so am grateful. And excited for what's to come. Please join me on my journey.
It's been a busy day, we hosted a wine tasting at our home this evening (which doesn't do much good for the diet but I watched what I consumed) and is about time for bed. I hope you are are dreaming big and stepping small towards making your dreams a reality.
Nighty night,
Peach
PS - I'll post some before pics a bit later in my posts...
Monday, 19 January 2015
Two week update
Here we are - two weeks into my new regimen.
So, you know how fitness experts say that if you want to get fit (or feel better or lose weight etc) it's all about the lifestyle change, more so than it is about your day to day activities. I am a great example of this.
Two weeks in, started off strong and I followed my meal (and cheat) plan almost to a tee. I've been eating throughout the day consistently 300kcal at each 3hr interval. Trying to prepare a blend of foods so that my total daily caloric intake is comprised of 50% carbs, 30% proteins and 20% fats. Is this ever hard to accomplish! There is just too much fat in food, at least the food that is already prepared for us. I started strong, but then it turned into... "Okay, I'll have my cheat meal on Thursday evening instead of Friday evening, and on Friday evening I'll go light on the Crown and Diet.". What the heck?! Yeah Jess, you know that's not going to happen. Then I couldn't squeeze in my exercises on Friday. Then, I just felt so fed up and lazy I 'almost' didn't do Sunday's workout. I say almost, because it was THAT close. But I did end up doing a Jillian Michael's level 7 of Body Revolution.
So here's the deal. Working out and exercising is not just going to happen. It's got to be penciled in and you've got to want to make the change. It's not about doing it when it's convenient or when I feel like it. It's ALL the TIME. And if it's not all the time, it's at least scheduled in and I'm aware of it for the remaining hours of the day.
Overall, my last two weeks have been okay. I haven't weighed in yet today as I didn't make it to the gym, but was down 3lbs last week and many inches all over. I will keep it up. No confusion. I know what I am doing this for. No more excuses. I just wish there was someone there when I woke up in the morning waving a flag of victory saying 'Today is a new day and you've got this!'. I must be dreaming...
Nighty night all, tomorrow is a new day so face it strong!
Peach
So, you know how fitness experts say that if you want to get fit (or feel better or lose weight etc) it's all about the lifestyle change, more so than it is about your day to day activities. I am a great example of this.
Two weeks in, started off strong and I followed my meal (and cheat) plan almost to a tee. I've been eating throughout the day consistently 300kcal at each 3hr interval. Trying to prepare a blend of foods so that my total daily caloric intake is comprised of 50% carbs, 30% proteins and 20% fats. Is this ever hard to accomplish! There is just too much fat in food, at least the food that is already prepared for us. I started strong, but then it turned into... "Okay, I'll have my cheat meal on Thursday evening instead of Friday evening, and on Friday evening I'll go light on the Crown and Diet.". What the heck?! Yeah Jess, you know that's not going to happen. Then I couldn't squeeze in my exercises on Friday. Then, I just felt so fed up and lazy I 'almost' didn't do Sunday's workout. I say almost, because it was THAT close. But I did end up doing a Jillian Michael's level 7 of Body Revolution.
So here's the deal. Working out and exercising is not just going to happen. It's got to be penciled in and you've got to want to make the change. It's not about doing it when it's convenient or when I feel like it. It's ALL the TIME. And if it's not all the time, it's at least scheduled in and I'm aware of it for the remaining hours of the day.
Overall, my last two weeks have been okay. I haven't weighed in yet today as I didn't make it to the gym, but was down 3lbs last week and many inches all over. I will keep it up. No confusion. I know what I am doing this for. No more excuses. I just wish there was someone there when I woke up in the morning waving a flag of victory saying 'Today is a new day and you've got this!'. I must be dreaming...
Nighty night all, tomorrow is a new day so face it strong!
Peach
Saturday, 3 January 2015
Oh boy, here we go again!
Tomorrow morning I start a new seven week program (to greatness). Ha! I shouldn't laugh, but I need to think of it as something great because all great things take work and this will, too. I am confused in life. Am I doing what brings me meaning in life? I look at my kids and I am proud (and also think to myself that I need to instill a few more 'value' traits... but don't we all in this age of micro and data?). What about my career, my day-to-day? Does it bring value? Exercise often brings focus and that is a secondary (hopeful) result of this seven week kick.
My new program consists of eating a lean diet (limited fats) which differs from my previous diets which were more balanced with 40% Protein, 30% Carb and 30% Fat through three meals and one snack per day. My new program will be five 'equal' meals per day with majority lean proteins and veggies (I think is 60% protein, 20% carb, 20% fat). I'll know more when I start tracking on myfitnesspal.
My workouts will be six days each week. Two workouts will be hour long classes at the local gym (motivation in large groups is awesome!). Two workouts will be combined treadmill and resistance training for a total of one hour combined. The last two workouts of the week will be split with a 30 minute cardio in the morning and a strength training in the evening. Saturday is my rest day.
I will do a cheat meal every week and I have chosen Friday night to be it. The night before my day off in order to maximize my enjoyment and appreciation of rest days. :)
This will be a challenge as I am looking to gain lean muscle and lose fat, ideally 15 to 20 pounds.
All I can say at this point is wish me luck! I hope you are all doing well on your journeys to health and happiness.
Nighty night,
Peach
My new program consists of eating a lean diet (limited fats) which differs from my previous diets which were more balanced with 40% Protein, 30% Carb and 30% Fat through three meals and one snack per day. My new program will be five 'equal' meals per day with majority lean proteins and veggies (I think is 60% protein, 20% carb, 20% fat). I'll know more when I start tracking on myfitnesspal.
My workouts will be six days each week. Two workouts will be hour long classes at the local gym (motivation in large groups is awesome!). Two workouts will be combined treadmill and resistance training for a total of one hour combined. The last two workouts of the week will be split with a 30 minute cardio in the morning and a strength training in the evening. Saturday is my rest day.
I will do a cheat meal every week and I have chosen Friday night to be it. The night before my day off in order to maximize my enjoyment and appreciation of rest days. :)
This will be a challenge as I am looking to gain lean muscle and lose fat, ideally 15 to 20 pounds.
All I can say at this point is wish me luck! I hope you are all doing well on your journeys to health and happiness.
Nighty night,
Peach
Sunday, 12 October 2014
'Twas a Glorious Day!
Great day today, unexpectedly.
It was an early start with a hockey game at 10:45, game being half an hour away and needing to be at the arena an hour before. With all three kids in tow we left the house at 9:06. I, as usual, wanted to stop at Tim Horton's for a fresh coffee for the rink which adds a few minutes to our commute.
Snce it is Thanskgiving Day tomorrow, the kids (and Paul) encouraged me to prepare my regular Thanksgiving Day dinner. This means we needed to get groceries, and what better time than while Isaac is getting dressed for hockey! After dropping Isaac and the jersey's off (Paul manages the away team jerseys) we headed to the nearest President's Choice to pick up a turkey and other odds and ends. My thankful dinner of giving is fairly hefty: an 18lb turkey (with fresh gravy), breakfast sausages, oven-roasted potatoes, mashed carrots with brown sugar, mashed squash with brown sugar (looks great together in a dish -- remind me to Insta that tomorrow! @jfaure23), traditional stuffing, cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls. Each and every item is made from scratch with the exception of the dinner rolls... and is absolutely fantastic!
So we arrive at the grocery store, and I am immediately impressed by the dim lighting (untraditional), smooth flooring with squeaky clean shopping carts (untraditional) and an abundance of fresh produce and staff. In the butcher section there was an entire refrigeration unit dedicated to dried beef roasts. The baking department had layer upon layer of fresh, sweet looking deities. The shelves were stocked and clean. Employees were everywhere ready to assist. A two piece string band was there as well, playing in front of a display of a hundred or so perfectly piled pumpkins. I mentioned to Paul about five minutes into our venture that I thought we needed to move in order to be closer to this grocery store. They even wooed the kids with fresh crepe and smoothie samples. Best shopping experience ever. Turns out it was their grand opening (who knew!?). Paul and I are now committed to sourcing out each and every grand opening event there is. Plus 10K bonus PC points for spending $100... that's $10 savings! So impressed.
We arrived back at the rink five minutes before game time. The game was close, point for point. Each time was terrific at delivering offence and with taking the puck back on defense. Closely matched, the game was 2 to 2 as we entered the third period. A quick goal in the third gave us a lead, which we managed to keep for the rest of the game. This means that for this tournament we are 2 wins, no losses. Isaac received an MVP for his goal-keeping for the game, and the team solidified their place in the finals. Very proud!
Following this we headed to IKEA as little Geoffrey is now wanting to sit at the counter with his older brothers. This means, we need a new stool. Also, Isaac has been using the same dresser I've had since I was a young girl and is getting tough to open. We decided we would get him a new one (nice parents we are). Shopping was excellent as we got what we needed, had a delicious IKEA restaurant lunch of meatballs and pasta then headed home for naps.
At home Isaac helped peel the many dozens of apples we have while I made pie crusts. The idea is to prepare apple pies that I can bring to friends' houses for dinner, or when hosting other dinners. We also had a wonderful chat while we prepared the food and it was very nice.
All in all, it was a superb day. Sure the kids still fought, and there was still lots of work to be done, but it was certainly enjoyed by all.
Nighty night,
Peach
It was an early start with a hockey game at 10:45, game being half an hour away and needing to be at the arena an hour before. With all three kids in tow we left the house at 9:06. I, as usual, wanted to stop at Tim Horton's for a fresh coffee for the rink which adds a few minutes to our commute.
Snce it is Thanskgiving Day tomorrow, the kids (and Paul) encouraged me to prepare my regular Thanksgiving Day dinner. This means we needed to get groceries, and what better time than while Isaac is getting dressed for hockey! After dropping Isaac and the jersey's off (Paul manages the away team jerseys) we headed to the nearest President's Choice to pick up a turkey and other odds and ends. My thankful dinner of giving is fairly hefty: an 18lb turkey (with fresh gravy), breakfast sausages, oven-roasted potatoes, mashed carrots with brown sugar, mashed squash with brown sugar (looks great together in a dish -- remind me to Insta that tomorrow! @jfaure23), traditional stuffing, cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls. Each and every item is made from scratch with the exception of the dinner rolls... and is absolutely fantastic!
So we arrive at the grocery store, and I am immediately impressed by the dim lighting (untraditional), smooth flooring with squeaky clean shopping carts (untraditional) and an abundance of fresh produce and staff. In the butcher section there was an entire refrigeration unit dedicated to dried beef roasts. The baking department had layer upon layer of fresh, sweet looking deities. The shelves were stocked and clean. Employees were everywhere ready to assist. A two piece string band was there as well, playing in front of a display of a hundred or so perfectly piled pumpkins. I mentioned to Paul about five minutes into our venture that I thought we needed to move in order to be closer to this grocery store. They even wooed the kids with fresh crepe and smoothie samples. Best shopping experience ever. Turns out it was their grand opening (who knew!?). Paul and I are now committed to sourcing out each and every grand opening event there is. Plus 10K bonus PC points for spending $100... that's $10 savings! So impressed.
We arrived back at the rink five minutes before game time. The game was close, point for point. Each time was terrific at delivering offence and with taking the puck back on defense. Closely matched, the game was 2 to 2 as we entered the third period. A quick goal in the third gave us a lead, which we managed to keep for the rest of the game. This means that for this tournament we are 2 wins, no losses. Isaac received an MVP for his goal-keeping for the game, and the team solidified their place in the finals. Very proud!
Following this we headed to IKEA as little Geoffrey is now wanting to sit at the counter with his older brothers. This means, we need a new stool. Also, Isaac has been using the same dresser I've had since I was a young girl and is getting tough to open. We decided we would get him a new one (nice parents we are). Shopping was excellent as we got what we needed, had a delicious IKEA restaurant lunch of meatballs and pasta then headed home for naps.
At home Isaac helped peel the many dozens of apples we have while I made pie crusts. The idea is to prepare apple pies that I can bring to friends' houses for dinner, or when hosting other dinners. We also had a wonderful chat while we prepared the food and it was very nice.
All in all, it was a superb day. Sure the kids still fought, and there was still lots of work to be done, but it was certainly enjoyed by all.
Nighty night,
Peach
Monday, 26 May 2014
For the love of the game
That is not your son or daughter
Out there
Playing hockey on the ice.
That is an athlete.
You are not a parent,
You are a spectator.
You do not call the game,
The referee does.
An individual trained
To make the calls
And
Who has probably been to more games
Than you.
A professional.
Even if you don't agree.
You don't lead the team,
The coach does.
Another trained individual.
Enjoy the game as it is being played
For you.
Cheer for your team.
That is an athlete,
Not your son or daughter.
Thursday, 6 February 2014
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
How often do we go through our day with blinders on. Surviving by going through the motions. It takes something out of the ordinary to jog us into wakefulness. Often, those 'somethings' come in good, bad or ugly form.
Today I was aware. I had one of those days where I was focused and events turned out as expected, smooth even. Work that I handed in came back with positive comments. Conversations that I had with other moms were engaging and I was able to reconnect again. I was on my game during volleyball, getting all of my serves over the net and my hits found the back corner.
But today I also witnessed three other events: one good, one bad, and one ugly.
Good events seem to come at unpredictable moments. A random email with important (but good!) news. Bumping into a good friend while shopping. A random act of kindness by a complete stranger. Sam, one of my volleyball friends, a hot mama who just earned herself a Harley, was in England this past summer. While at the Writers Festival she found a misplaced cell phone. It wasn't security coded. She scrolled through the contacts list finding the single word, "Mom." Calling it, she spoke to a perfectly wonderful woman who was thrilled to hear that a Canadian had found her daughters phone. An hour-long train ride later, Sam returned the phone to the mother who would never forget the kindness of a complete stranger.
Bad events can be unpredictable, but they often build up over time. One can almost sense when a bad event is about to happen. Think back to a time when you were face-to-face with a bad event. Remember your thought processes. Didn't you say, "You know, I knew something like this was going to happen, I could just feel it." Looking back over the day and the week there were moments that were bad but none unsurmountable. The worst events are those stories I read and hear about in the news. There is an overload of negative there. I avoided a bad event today when I was cruising at the speed limit and a car crossed in front of me. If I hadn't been paying attention I would have crashed into the passenger side. I had time to brake and even then narrowly missed him. My bad event had a happy ending.
The ugly moments are the shockers. The moments that make you want to run to your friends and ask them, "What just happened?" They are confusing and often leave witnesses dumbfounded and seeking answers. I had an ugly moment today. As we do after every game in our league, the teams shake hands (or at least hand tap). It's a common courtesy extended by teams and individuals the world over. It's a gesture of thanks for sharing in the sport. Today I witnessed a move not yet seen in all of my years on the court. A member of the opposing team clearly and deftly raised her hand above and away from one of my teammates' own to avoid shaking with her. It was a provocation as there had been no encounters or bad exchanges during the game. We did win, and we had great energy doing it. We were supportive of one another when a mistake was made. We did not acknowledge the faults of the other team and we encouraged back and forth play (who wants to play a one-sided game, anyway?). It was a close first match, a less-close second, and another close third. Was it just poor sportsmanship? Unfortunately, unless that player comes forward we may never know. It hurt my teammate and will probably be on her mind until she can reason it out.
I'm putting the question out to you: Avoiding a hand-shake is certainly an unsportsmanlike behaviour, but is it tolerable? Might it just be that one players' way of dealing with a loss, and taking it out on one of our players? Might it have been an oversight, she just didn't see the hand? What do you think? Do you have a story of unsportsmanlike conduct? Share it with me.
Today I was aware. I had one of those days where I was focused and events turned out as expected, smooth even. Work that I handed in came back with positive comments. Conversations that I had with other moms were engaging and I was able to reconnect again. I was on my game during volleyball, getting all of my serves over the net and my hits found the back corner.
But today I also witnessed three other events: one good, one bad, and one ugly.
Good events seem to come at unpredictable moments. A random email with important (but good!) news. Bumping into a good friend while shopping. A random act of kindness by a complete stranger. Sam, one of my volleyball friends, a hot mama who just earned herself a Harley, was in England this past summer. While at the Writers Festival she found a misplaced cell phone. It wasn't security coded. She scrolled through the contacts list finding the single word, "Mom." Calling it, she spoke to a perfectly wonderful woman who was thrilled to hear that a Canadian had found her daughters phone. An hour-long train ride later, Sam returned the phone to the mother who would never forget the kindness of a complete stranger.
Bad events can be unpredictable, but they often build up over time. One can almost sense when a bad event is about to happen. Think back to a time when you were face-to-face with a bad event. Remember your thought processes. Didn't you say, "You know, I knew something like this was going to happen, I could just feel it." Looking back over the day and the week there were moments that were bad but none unsurmountable. The worst events are those stories I read and hear about in the news. There is an overload of negative there. I avoided a bad event today when I was cruising at the speed limit and a car crossed in front of me. If I hadn't been paying attention I would have crashed into the passenger side. I had time to brake and even then narrowly missed him. My bad event had a happy ending.
The ugly moments are the shockers. The moments that make you want to run to your friends and ask them, "What just happened?" They are confusing and often leave witnesses dumbfounded and seeking answers. I had an ugly moment today. As we do after every game in our league, the teams shake hands (or at least hand tap). It's a common courtesy extended by teams and individuals the world over. It's a gesture of thanks for sharing in the sport. Today I witnessed a move not yet seen in all of my years on the court. A member of the opposing team clearly and deftly raised her hand above and away from one of my teammates' own to avoid shaking with her. It was a provocation as there had been no encounters or bad exchanges during the game. We did win, and we had great energy doing it. We were supportive of one another when a mistake was made. We did not acknowledge the faults of the other team and we encouraged back and forth play (who wants to play a one-sided game, anyway?). It was a close first match, a less-close second, and another close third. Was it just poor sportsmanship? Unfortunately, unless that player comes forward we may never know. It hurt my teammate and will probably be on her mind until she can reason it out.
I'm putting the question out to you: Avoiding a hand-shake is certainly an unsportsmanlike behaviour, but is it tolerable? Might it just be that one players' way of dealing with a loss, and taking it out on one of our players? Might it have been an oversight, she just didn't see the hand? What do you think? Do you have a story of unsportsmanlike conduct? Share it with me.
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