As some of you know, I’ve been working on losing some weight and getting back into shape. It’s a typical story: boy is single, boy gets in shape. Boy meets girl, boy marries girl, fitness goes out the window, especially with all the ‘sympathy eating’ during girl’s pregnancy. Believe it or not, this was me just five years ago:

Slowly, surely, I became this:

*May not actually be me

So, understandably, I needed to do something about it. In addition to joining the gym at the Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke, I met up with Michelle from MIJO fitness at a Sooke Chamber function. Michelle told me about her FITCamp program and I was intrigued. One of the things I’ve always hated about working out is the routine. Doing the same exercises and running on the treadmill gets excruciatingly boring after a while, and it’s easy to lose interest. Michelle promised that I wouldn’t be bored and that I’d get the best workout of my life.

She was right.

The fresh air alone is invigorating, and fall temperatures are perfect!

MIJO FITCamps are held outdoors at various parks and public facilities around Sooke (and there is a separate program in Colwood/Langford too). I arrived last Tuesday evening at Journey Middle School not really knowing what to expect. It started out easy enough, a short jog around the parking lot to warm up. Then it got serious. Michelle put us through our paces with some tough circuit training. There were giant step-ups, long jumps, and push ups followed by more running. And then stair climbing, squats and rows, and more push ups. And more running.

Giant steps

By 30 minutes in, I’m sweating profusely and I’ve already drank all my water. What’s next? More stair climbing, some stretchy-tube lat exercises, and – you guessed it – more push-ups. Finally we’re done – cooling down in the evening air and stretching our tired muscles. I felt amazing after the workout and couldn’t wait for the next class.

Michelle briefs the group on today's boot camp

Some things I noticed about the bootcamp. Every exercise Michelle had me do seemed a lot easier than it actually was. I would think ‘no sweat,’ and sweat I did. Michelle knows how to make her students really work. There are lower-impact options. Michelle makes sure that everyone can participate and offers alternatives to all the exercises to ensure that no one is left out or unable to perform the training. And finally, I was the only guy in the class! Why more men don’t take advantage of these classes, I really don’t know. It was fun, the fresh air was great, and it’s much more interesting than slogging away in the gym. And let me tell you – I haven’t ever been that sore the next day from a gym workout.

If you’re looking for a challenge, and something different than the ol’ gym routine, contact Michelle and sign up for FITCamp – you’ll be glad you did!

PS – if you’re not following me on Facebook, you’re missing out – like What The Sooke?! on Facebook!

Ed Macgregor Park

Some people would think that a tiny town like Sooke – with a population of around 10,000 – wouldn’t have much of an arts and culture scene. Those people would be very, very wrong! Since moving to Sooke four years ago, I’ve come to appreciate and take pride in our thriving arts community – from photographers and painters, to potters and glassworkers, Sooke’s art and culture scene is really first-rate.

One of the true gems of our small Island town is the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra. That’s right, a symphony, in Sooke. This wonderful group of performers was formed in 1997 and, led by Norman Nelson, now performs 12 concerts per year in the region, plus their ever-popular summer Fling concert, held every July in Ed Macgregor Park.

This year’s event, the eighth annual, will be held on July 19th at the park, beginning at 2:30. The gates will be open at 1:00 to allow concertgoers to arrive early to stake out a good spot on the lawn at the park.

I attended for the first time last year and was really moved. You definitely don’t want to miss this fantastic free family event. It’s a pops concert, so there will be something for everyone and you will probably recognize most of the music, even if you’re not a huge classical music fan.

See my post about last year’s event here, including some video of the event.

More information about the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra can be found on their website (which doesn’t appear to have been updated in some time).

Parking can be a bit of an issue, so try and walk or carpool. A reminder that you can walk from downtown Sooke to Ed Macgregor Park along the Sooke Marine Boardwalk, which has an easy ramp from the water up to the park, so you may choose to park at the opposite end and walk there (about 10-15 minutes walk). My office (Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty) will also offer up our parking lot for concertgoers.

Here is a map showing the concert, parking, and boardwalk:

View Larger Map

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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