Running and the joys...........

Well, I did a road run tonight and am a little let down by my performance. I managed to run that 2.5 miles on the treadmill nonstop the other night and had to do intervals tonight. Guess I know what I need to work on.
I will definitely have to hit hit the road more and not the treadmill as much. I was about the same distance tonight as on the treadmill.
More work. Work, work, work. Everyone work!!!
:-)
Till next time y'all
ttyl

Hey hey hey

Hey there. Lol. I am getting lazy already. Well, I only have a moment as I slept in this morning. Sunday I went to the treadmill again and RAN 2.5 miles. Pushed a little at the end but came out feeling on cloud 9.
Yesterday I went to the gym and my reps went down from 15 to 12. My weights are all up too.
Anyways, off to work I go and I will try to add some more later after running tonight.
ttyl

Friday

Hey there, just wanted to drop a quick line. I skipped out tonight at the weights. My back is still a little sore, so this is my night off this week. lol. I will hit it tomorrow night and see how it is. I am on a good road and want to maintain the increases in weight that I have been adding. We shall see.

Just a quick not for my mom. Hi mom. The test on Monday wasn't really what I was expecting. Basically, if you have a general knowledge of comprehension, grammar, vocabulary and punctuation, there isn't a whole lot of studying. The vocabulary surprised me however. There is now way to truly be ready for that unless you eat, sleep, breath, etc a good thick dictionary. They even threw in English Literature words. That was fun.
With the "police" skill side, again, there isn't a lot of studying that I found that I could do. The available study material on the web was very generic and I guess it is more to open your mind to puzzle solving and looking for logic and at a scenario logically. I think that is why I don't have a "solid" idea as to how I did. I think I passed, but I am not really sure. I will have to wait for the marks and see. Then it gets fast for a while. I will be doing the physical in about 7 weeks, the interview after that, then the background check and polygraph and so on. the background check is apparently akin to hitting the brakes in a car. We shall see.
Anyways, that is it for now
ttyl

Some good news though.....or a bad scale

Lol. Oh yeah, according to the scale there, I am down about 6 or 8 pounds. Good and bad as I thought that muscle weighed more than fat and some of them are definitely getting firmer

Stupid coveralls

OK. I do my weights last night and feel awesome. I increased the weight in just over half of my exercises and afterwords was worried about feeling sore and crying. Nope, I felt great. Some of my muscles felt fatigued but nary a sore spot. Cool. No I can jack everything next time and feel really good.
I get to work this morning, all is well and perfect. I am getting set up and then have to get my coveralls on. No problem, been at it for years. Lol. As I am shrugging into them I feel a "feeling" in my lower back that I get when I know it is going to hurt for a day or three. WONDERFUL.
I went to the gym for some cardio tonight and that went well. Did about 5 miles on the recumbent bike and then a quick 2 min. hard run in the treadmill. No worries. My back is a little stiff and achy, but now I have to take it easy with my weights. GRRRRR. Lol. Oh well. Still got time to get to where I need to be.
Off to bed. ttyl

humph

Of all the things to do. lol. I will have to be careful with my cardio tonight. I was putting on my coveralls at work this morning and I hurt my back a little. I hope it is only here tonight and gone tomorrow. I have to do weights tomorrow and don't want to shy off of what I am doing.
Oh well. We will see, one way or another
ttyl

Guess what? More weights tonight

Yay. I am so excited. Just got back from the gym a bit ago and actually feel really good tonight, just a little stiff but not to bad. Must be working. Guess that means I have to start increasing weight. Oh well. Little bit of pain...lotta gain.
Now if I can get my cardio stronger, in a shorter time. I may have to run the PARE in as little as 7 weeks and my endurance isn't there yet. Should be OK by then.

Oh yeah, I think Jodi is getting a little excited too. She has noticed a few bumps here and there that weren't there before and a little more firmness in places too. HEHEHEHEHEHE

I guess my form will change quicker than I thought
Off to bed y'all
ttyl

Two down and only a lot more to go

Wrote and passed the RCMP Aptitude test, I think. lol

Oh yeah. lol. Did you all notice that hot and sexy double chin? I would like to know who had the audacity and nerve to give that to me and when the heck did they

More ouch.

Hey there, thought I would add some photos that my 7 year old took of me today at the gym working out. :-) Then you will know that I am serious. lol

Feel the burn on your end??? I did!!!

Enjoy and I will see ya all again soon

I am SO excited about my workout tomorrow

Hey again from the wonderful world of pain. Hehehehehe. I am still stiff and sore. I had to go to the gym and run on the treadmill today. Like last weekend or maybe 2 ago when we got about a foot and a half of snow...we have another foot on the ground. During last week we were up in the teens for temp and it was all going away and now it has been snowing since yesterday and is supposed to continue on til Monday. When I may just have to drive from Calgary up to Red Deer to make it in time for my test.
Anyways. I am a little disappointed with my run. I only did about 3 kms, although, I think it was a little more run than my normal pace. I guess I measured the distance on my block wrong and maybe it is not a whole km after all. Oh well. I do know that cardiovascularly, I will be ready for anything that depot can throw at me. :-D
I may never have full use of my arms again, but I will be ready. lol.
Anyways, I am relaxing with a couple beers, my wife and a..................................................................................hehehehe. Movie
ttyl

Hmmm. Yep, still ouch!!!

I did back to back weights and did my third one last night. Man, even muscles that I had that I thought I used regularly hurt. lol. She did give me a weight break until Sunday though. It would normally start up on Monday, however, that is the night of the RCMP aptitude test.....GULP.........I am a little nervous about that. I think I should get through it though. Then it will be the big push to the PARE. Speaking of which..Rose, my trainer said something that almost made me cry on the spot. Next month I will be starting push-ups and such. In conjunction with my running.....she is going to take me to the hockey arena(at this point, I looked at her quizzically) or the fair ground grandstand(at this point, I knew EXACTLY what she meant and I think i actually sobbed momentarily). STAIRS! Not just any stairs, arena stairs or grandstand stairs which are notoriously steep. Lord have mercy upon my lazy, lethargic soul. lol.
Anyways. Today my but and legs protested regularly in perfect concert with my still very sore arms. Yesterday and today was my triceps screaming loudly, until the rest moved in. lol

The weather is bad here. It is snowing heavily(it's not July yet. lol)so I guess I will have to postpone my cardio. lol........NOT!!!!! I have to go to the gym and hit the bikes and treadmills etc.
Oh well. No pain, no gain
Talk to ya all later

Double ouch

LOL. My trainer wants to kill me. I did some more weights tonight and she put me on my but big time. Man am I out of shape. lol. It will be fun to get to where I have to go

OUCH!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh!!!!! I did my first weight session tonight. By first, I mean ever. lol. My trainer has me doing mostly upper body and arm stuff with a little leg and back too. My arms feel like over stretched rubber bands and I am sure I will be rather sor tomorrow at work. I know that down the road I will feel better and healthier and stronger.......WATCH OUT BABY...hehehehe. I am not going to type this for long as I am having trouble moving my arms.

Just keep running

lol. Yep, that about sums it up for now. Did my 5 kms today. Tomorrow I start weight training with my trainer at the local college gym. I am a little worried. I have been doing heavy things most of my life, however, the past few years have been a little lacking thanks to the weight of steel. 1 sq. ft. of 1" plate weighs about 4o lbs. The sheets I move are 32 - 50 sq. ft. lol.
I am now only a little worried because, aside from a little stiffness and achey, I feel fine. I guess I will know by the end of the week if I can still walk or not. lol
That's it for now. I get to go and eat. YIPEE
later

Just a little background on us. lol

Now, I think, that I have a moment of relative solitude. lol. Jodi is in bed and her kids are at there fathers this weekend. My 2 daughters live on the west coast and my son is visiting his mother.
I think that it wouldn't be to much to give you a little bit of a background on us and what has been happening over the last little bit.
I am not looking for sympathy by telling you any of this. I just want you to know that, I don't think, life is supposed to be a perfect "bowl of cherries". The things most cherished in life are not achieved with out effort and purpose.
Here goes:

I first met Jodi officially in July 05. She had actually been stalking me since about May, so I guess it was inevitable that we would meet. I guess she actually liked me prior to meeting me and had been dropping all kinds of hints and saying things to try and make me jealous and such. Lol. Me being a man, caught nothing at all. Go figure.
I will say that our first meeting was a little tense at the beginning. Jodi had a couple girlfriends over and was a little choked at one of them, because this girlfriend did herself up and, now that I know her, was probably trying to weasel in. Jodi hung back in the background. I was there to see her and do have some manners. lol. It obviously paid off, because now, here we are. hehehe.
If you are good at judging pictures and dates, you will probably figure out about what time Connor came into being. hehehehe.
I am not saying that to say at all that we got together for him and not us. That wouldn't be true. We are both out of divorces and have kids. We wouldn't use another one as an excuse.
Anyways...on with the story. I can't say, or wouldn't admit to "Love at first sight", however, we meshed right away and started dating as much as we could. I started coming to her place every weekend(at the time, Zach and Jenny were living with their mother). Jodi was going to college in the hopes of attaining a psychology degree. She was doing this pregnant and with 3 other crazy kids at home. I was totally supporting her in this endeavour. It was tough work and unfortunately she had to give it up. She ended up getting ill for most of the pregnancy and couldn't do the commute to school or stay in class so she had to quit.
You will have to forgive me but I am terrible with story dates and will leave most of them out, or just get them wrong. lol.
Connor was born in March of 06. I think, although Jodi would never admit it, the pregnancy was extremely hard on her. Not only did she have a new boyfriend, 3 kids of her own and had to drop out of school, but she was living with her mother and undergoing major life changes and rediscovering who she was. By the way...she has turned out to be an all around AWESOME lady, wife and mother.
Anyways, on with the show. We were going great and definitely developing intense feelings for each other, although we would never admit the "L" word. lol. I moved in in May after Connor was born.
That is when the fun started. hehehehehe. Jodi's kids were willing to give me a chance, I think. However, they were not pleased(from the start) that mom was seeing someone other than their father. James and I have the biggest challenge together. He really wants to support his dad, which I totally support for all of the kids. The conflict there is that he likes me a lot, but doesn't want to "commit" to a deeper relationship with me yet. He is an awesome kid and is turning into a strange teen. lol. He is at the age where he thinks that all the girls think he is James Bond or something. lol. I am looking forward to him growing up and seeing what he will turn into. James and Zach are now getting along really good too. Zach has been living with us for 2 years now. Jennifer Leigh(Jodi's) is coming around too and starting to let me in to her emotional life as well. She definitley doesn't like being told what to do....especially by me...but she is 11 going on 16 and thinks that the world should revolve around her and her alone. lol. Pretty typical, I think.
Then there is Ricky. We are developing a pretty cool attitude. Both him and Jenni call me dad unless they are mad at me or not happy with me. lol.
Anyways, onto Ricky. He is Jodi's "special" child. I don't say that to try and single him out from the others, but he is. He has always been slight and frail looking, except as a baby. When he was a baby, he didn't move around a lot, never very active and always quiet.

By the way...When you read this Jodi, if I miss something or said it wrong, please correct it.

Anyways, when he was 3 Jodi and her ex started to take him to doctors and such and try to figure out what was up and if anything was wrong at that time. The long and the short of it is that, at that time, they didn't find out a lot. I think they found some "structural" concerns with him, but nothing major at the time.
Since I have known him, he has always been as active as he can. He gets tired easy and tries to get out of work with it. He has never been a big eater and at times, my bird would eat more than him. We always used to argue with him aobut needing to eat and so on and so on. lol. I will get to the point of that in a minute. lol. At the time, we did nag, because we never understood what was wrong.
Anyways, try to shorten this a bit. lol. We took him back to a clinic in Edmonton where he had gone as a toddler and had them look at him again. We had no clue what was wrong, Jodi had her suspisions and so on. The doctors looked again and figured it was all structural and away we went. They set up an appointment with a Pediatrician for us and we went to see her. Both of Rickys legs turn slightly to the right below the knee. She sent us to rheumotology at the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary. To a Dr. Lakonia. He is about 200 years old and has hampsters growing out of his ears. He is an "old school" british doctor. Ricky was not having a good day at the time. His stomach was distended a bit, he was lethargic, pale and looked sick. The Doctor immediately picked up on it and said that he wasn't thriving. I am very thankful that Ricky had a bad day and we saw this Dr.
After the first time, when Ricky was 3, there was nothing conclusive so Jodi just had to go on and muddle through. She always new something was wrong, just not what.
Dr. Lakonia got the ball in play immediately and we have been back and forth for different test...none of whitch have to do with his "structural" or neurological challenges. We went to GI to try and see why he wasn't eating and see if they could figure it out. He knew that Ricky didn't need his department so he was setting up orthepedics and got us into Endocrine(something to do with bones and such). We were looking at about 6 months to a year to get in to some of the departments. We have been to all but Neurology in the last 6 months. lol. We see neurology and back to GI next month.
Basically, by total fluke, we have found out that Ricky is definitely a very "special" boy. None of what we have found out has been related to his fragility and structural stuff. For the most part.
We have found out that his small and large intestines are absolutely messed up. His small intestines are in the position of a surgery that is performed to correct a more serious issue that people have. His Large intestines are "draped" together on his left(?) and his appendix is located just above his groin. This isn't as serious as what else we found out though.
With Endocrine, they decided after the initial exam to do a bone density scan. These are very routine and normal. Anyways, the results of that showed that Ricky has osteoporosis.
An average child will have a score of 0 or 1. Ricky is a -4. The doctor phoned Jodi with the results, usually they would book an appointment to go over the results. We have had to mostly shut him down from most physical activities. They don't want him riding a bike, playing sports, climbing of playground apparatus and so on and so on. Pretty much any activity that an average boy wants to do, he can't. It has been toughest on Jodi and Ricky is pretty stressed by it too. The biggest concern is actually not a full break of the bone. "Micro fractures" can develop more and can cause a lot of pain. More like splintering than breaking. That doesn't mean that it is unlikely for a full break at all. That can happen easier with him than not.
Needless to say Jodi is borderline unglued and will never admit it. Ricky is very concerned as well. Yes, I am too. I have had my hidden moments of fear, not knowing the future, fear of losing him and so on. I will deny that if questioned. lol. Jodi has experienced all of these and on top of that, being a mother and not being able to fix her child. It has been a challenge. Jodi had no real answers for 5 years and now all of this has been dumped on her in the last 4 months or so. It has been like a heroin trip

I am saying all of this so that you know where we are coming from and what we are up against here. Yes, there is more. lol. One thing that I want to say upfront and I know that Jodi will agree with this is that, yes, this is an immense stress on our marriage. It is also a test of sorts. Our marriage is stronger than I can say. I know that we are going through an immensely tough time right now, but I have absolutely no fear that we will come out in the end, regardless of the end results, stronger and still married to one another. I truly believe that we are soulmates and mean t to be.

Anyway, we still have to finish finding out what is totally wrong with Ricky and go from there. On top of that, we have the other kids as well. They are all feeling scared about Ricky and are still at the age that they can't deal with all of the emotions involved and are acting out a little more than normal. They have had to deal with what we have had to as well. We are all adjusting to it. The kids are turning the corner and starting to treat Ricky better and so on.
Next.....there has been the finacial side of things. lol. We both had debt coming in of some sort or another. All was good and we had no worries at all. Then, somehow, the bottom dropped out. lol. We have no clue when or how or what actually happened, but it has been a tough ride. We did have to get a loan to make sure that our wedding went off, again, we weren't worried at all. All was good. Jodi was in a Florist program and had a job when she got out. No problem. Then, she had to quit her job. She has had some health/dental issues that have come up and pretty much stopped her cold for a while. lol. There have been childcare issues, bill issues, loan issues. General financial crap issues, running kids around issues. Recently we have had vehicle problems with both of our cars. Mine were fairly minor. Our mini van was recently condemned. That gave us the stress of making doctor appointments. I have said from the start that I will be there whenever. The initial plan was to go to "major" appointments and then Jodi would go to the minor treatment ones and so on. Now we had to look at me going to all of them. I live an hour away from where I work, so I would have to book the whole day off and lose my wage. We have been on the fastrack for that so I have missed a lot of time. Then I got a bad bug and was in bed for about a week.
That is the long and short of it. I think we are being given all the challenges that could happen over the total life of an average marriage in a short time to make sure that we have what it takes. lol. I KNOW that we do and so does Jodi. We will get through it all, but it is #&%^$@ tough to say the least.
Anyways. That is what we have on our plate for the most part. On top of that, I want to join the RCMP and Jodi is totally supportive of that.
My wanting to join the RCMP was a snap decision too. lol. Thought about it about 3 weeks ago, talked it over with Jodi. Everyone in the family is supportive and excited, so here i am.

The way a lot of things are working out in the past 3 weeks, both Jodi and I think that this is the road we should be on.
Yesterday, someone gave us a mini van. Didn't cost us a thing, just a thank you. It is a year newer than ours with about half of the mileage. Our finances have been working out a bit, although we have had to make a SERIOUSLY MAJOR decision in regard to that. That is still working through, but is looking positive and slowly better.

Everything has seemed to point us on the road to near uncertainty and the RCMP. We are totally looking forward to it and scared to death at the same time.
My wife says that she likes adventure and so on. I don't know how ready I am yet, but I guess I will find out soon enough. I think that I can do it and become a regular member of the RCMP.
That is what is exciting me.

I don't want sympathy from anyone. That is not my intention in writing this. This is my public diary and I think it is fair to tell you where I come from and who I am and what I am facing. More importantly...what my family and I are facing and where we are going and what we are going through to get there.

Talk to you later

And now...the piece-de-resistance...and the reason you will all probably run screaming. lol. Here I am, fresh home from work and getting ready for my first official run. lol

This is Jodi
She is my true soulmate and the reason that I breathe and can attempt to do what I am accoplishing. She is my strength and gives me the belief in me that I will need to join the RCMP. She is absolutely the best friend and lover that a man can hope for and I would be able to do nothing without her beside me through all of this and over the next year or so.
I love her with every fiber of who I am
Thank you Jodi

Here is the reason that Jodi and I breathe and exist.

l to r: Zach(my 12 yr. old), Connor(our surprise. :-)), Tyralea(my 16yr old), Jennifer-Lea(my 10 yr old), Jennifer Leigh(Jodi's 11 yr old), James(Jodi's 12 yr old), and Ricky(Jodi's 8 yr old)

Run Forrest Run

Well, I think today would actually qualify as my first real official run. lol. I am starting with intervals, so I guess it was my first official walk/run using the fartlink technique. From where I live to the end on my street and back is approximately one kilometre. I just did 5ish kilometres total and I survived. I may just make it through this next 12 weeks. My trainer wanted me to do a 1 min. run to a 1 min. walk. It is to much to concentrate on with breathing as well so I gave up counting minutes. Currently, I am using fartlicking, or guesstimating. Our street is broken into sections by cross streets. I walk one section and run the other. They are all different lengths so I get different durations of walking and running. It worked good and I feel GREAT. I am getting pumped about the RCMP and know that I will be physically fit for it. Of course, if I get accepted. lol
I will be posting some "before pics" right away too

Well, this will be a little shorter for all of you that are reading this. lol
Today was an excersise day off. I did some studying for my aptitude test. Did a grade 9 level math entrance exam from the apprenticeship board, which is supposed to be the level the test is at. I got about 85%, my wife couldn't count how many i got wrong and originally gave me 83%. lol. I don't feel so bad then. Anyways, I am ready for that part of it. Next I have to tackle the logic part. Soduku puzzles can help for that as well as logic questions. I am having a bit of trouble with those. It would be nice if they weren't so confoundedly written. lol. Guess that takes the logic part out of it then.
You know the type...there are 9 players in 2 groups, 5 and 4 respectively. the starting line-up has 3 of the 4 fastest skaters who are.......a will start if d does. c will not start if d does. the 4 fastest skaters are......Who will start? etc, etc, etc.
C'est la vie.

I can almost taste how bad I want to get accepted

Oh yeah,
This is supposed to be my trip to a buff bod too. I could have read my previous posting, but, the heck with that. lol.
I have started running and biking for cardio. OMGosh, am I out of shape. I have done two days of biking, and that was OK. I tried running today for the first time in almost an eternity. The last time I really ran was with my dad when I was 13, I think. Man, did it hurt. lol. I am doing an interval thing of 1 minute walk:1 minute run. I stopped trying to actually mark the time and just guesstimated distances. Anyways, the first minute run wasn't to bad. Definitely got my heart rate up and breathing. lol. Foolish me thought that the minute walk in between would be good to relax a bit. Yeah, right. Man, oh man. By the third interval i think I gave up swallowing my spit and it was flying everywhere out the side of my mouth. At first my I tried to regulate my breathing and shortly gave that up too. lol. My plan is 3 sets of 4 weeks each. This first 4 weeks is going to hurt I think. My trainer said that I will be in pain and suffering and that if I am flopping into bed by 8:30...enjoy it while I can.
RCMP Depot will be fun, but not a stretch for length of day. Currently, I am lucky to be asleep by 11:30 or midnight and am up by 4:30am. I will LOVE sleeping in until 5:30 or 6am at Depot. lol
Oh well. Off for now

Here goes

Hey anyone who has the fortune to read this.
My name is Sean Sutton and I am 38 years old. I am currently living in Olds, AB and have been married for 8 months no. Yes, it is the second one for both my wife and I. We have combined two families. Jodi, my wife, has 3 kids. 12 and and 8 year old boy and an 11 year old daughter. I have a 12 year old son, and a 16 and 10 year old daughter. We also have a 2 year old son togehter. Yes, that is 7 kids. However, only 5 live with us in Alberta. My daughters live on the west coast.
I am currently working in a welding shop in Calgary and have for 5 of the last 6 years. I am getting bored at work and have looked at changing over the last few months. Mostly looking at the education route and getting into something via university. That will take 4 to 6 years and I am not getting any younger.
Then the out of the blue solution came to me and I saw that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are looking for a lot of good bodies. The more I checked it out, the more I like what I saw. I think that my wife was flabbergasted to say the least. lol. However, she, along with almost everyone else that I have talked ot thinks that it would be good for me and that I would be good for them as well. lol. Go figure. Even my 10 year old daughter said that she has always pictured me in a policeman's uniform.
I went for a career presentation with my wife and have decided to go for it. I write the aptitude test on the 24th of this month (AAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH). If I pass that, I am of to the physical testing and further interviews, polygraph, probing background check and so on and so on and so on. lol. It will take anywhere from 6 months to a year I figure. The Constable that gave the presentation said that some people can make it sooner than the 6 month mark so we shall see.
Anyways, I am and have been an inactive person for years. I smoked for about 23 years or so and managed to give that up for a year and a half so far. I am far from good shape.
The past 2 days plus today have marked the most active that I have ever been. Yesterday and the day before I biked about 8 or 10 kms(give or take) and today I ran and walked for about 20 - 30 minutes. OMG, I have a lot of work ahead of me.
I have hired a personal trainer who is writhing me up an intensive 12 week plan. I will do weight training for 3 days of the week and running/biking 3 days of the week also. up to 45 minutes each session. It is going to be one of the hardest things that I have ever accomplished in my life. I am very pumped and terrified at the same time. lol.
We shall see what happens. My goal is to pass everything first time so that I can get it over and done with.

I figured that I would start a blog to keep a diary of my progress for all to see and that starts today. lol.
Feel free to read along. I will start to post pictures later in the future. Maybe a few before and after shots soon. That should scare some of you away first off.
ttyl