Frenetic Friday

I'm tired before I even get to the gym. When I get to the cardio area, all the Precors are in use but a few of the LifeFitness are free so I clamber up and discover to my disgust, that both sets of handles and the screen are completely covered in droplets. I'm not sure droplets of what but I'm thinking sweat, sneeze and other bodily fluids. I have no choice but to disinfect the entire machine with the spray bottle of bleach water and then wipe it all down. I even spray my hands just for good measure. I hate the LifeFitness machines. This one makes my ankles and knees ache slightly as I slog through a course on Level 1. Eventually, I see that one of the Precor's has freed up and I'm immediately on it, never mind the 6 minute investment I made on the LifeFitness machine.

45 minutes and I'm telling myself I'll be lucky to get anything over 4 miles so I'm pleased with 4.92 miles, but this was hard going. Back and Biceps today. I'm doing reps because I want that good feeling, that endorphin rush. I'm feeling a little less tired but wonder if it wasn't a mistake to add a beaten egg to my 5-minute oatmeal and freeze-dried mango cubes this morning. During cardio, I felt a little full and it was distracting even though I'd eaten my standard breakfast at least an hour before I arrived at the gym.

Today's Total Workout:
45 min = 4.92 miles (I'm not going to count the 6-minute LifeFitness session)
Seated Cable Rows: 12 @ 90 / 5 x 12 @ 105 / 12 @ 90 lbs
Lower Back Extensions: 2 x 25 @ 90 lbs
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Lower Back Extensions (again): 2 x 25 @ 97.5 lbs
Lat Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 / 4 x 12 @ 105 lbs / 12 @ 90 lbs
Reverse Grip Bent-Over Barbell Rows: 15 @ 65 lbs / 5 x 15 @ 70 lbs (I borrow 10 lbs worth of magnetic discs from the front desk so I can use the 60 lb bar instead of struggling with the 70)
Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs
Concentration Curls: 3 x 12 @ 20 lbs (the last 4 reps of the last set required assistance to squeeze the curl)
Reverse Grip Barbell Curls: 3 x 20 @ 40 lbs (if I did it once I can do it again, so I upped the weight)
Flat Bench Twisting Sit ups: about 150 (at least my underwear tag didn't bother me here like the way it was scratching my lower back during cardio!)
Lower Ab Kick Outs: about 100
Mat Stretch (didn't add planks, push ups or any yoga positions. yet.)

I see R and he's been chatting with J so I'm not sure if I should even say Hi. I know J has sporadically been trying to catch my eye without seeming too obvious. I recognize a lot of regulars in the gym today. Eventually, before doing Abs and Mat Stretch, I do walk up to R to say Hi and How're you feeling? He seems surprised, probably because I've pretty much ignored everyone for the last several days. (People have told me that I'm intimidating when I work out. It's probably because I'm so intensely focused on what I'm doing. I can push a lot of weight. And I can do a lot of reps. At least that's my opinion.)

He's better. Not 100 percent but better. His sciatica is gone, but his back is off so he's not doing core today. "Are you getting another shot?" I ask him. He's not sure if he should because he's just starting to feel better now. I tell him I just wanted to see how he was and have a good weekend. He smiles and says Thank you as he puts on his hoodie to leave. I don't look around but I can see a lot of the regulars staring because, damn she don't talk to nobody. Even J has an odd, almost stricken, look to his face but I don't acknowledge him. I can't. I'm headed off to Mat stretch. Ugh. I glimpse Mr Pajama Pants as I leave the work out area. He's got an odd look too. Time to shower and dress, and hopefully everyone'll be gone by the time I get out to my car.

The scale reads 109 lbs. Last night, I had deliciously salty home-made pulled-pork with BBQ sauce on a potato roll. My fingers aren't swollen today and I feel really good as I leave the gym. My home scale reads 107 lbs and I'm not concerned. My lats are a tad sore. The fact that I can actually feel my lats has me completely excited. Still I'm torn between wanting to be bigger and stronger, and not being any heavier. I look at Rene Marven and think I don't want to look like her. She's impressive at 5'2" and 136 lbs (actually, she probably weighs more competing as a heavyweight) but there's a hardness to her features now that she didn't have 3 years ago. I like the way I look now. Even with the silly hair cut.