Monday Madness

Before 5/11 and After 4/12

The sun was shining this morning so I had no clue that there was another winter storm making its way toward the northeast. Having had the past three days off, and yes, the Verizon tech finally did show up and complete the 4-plus hour installation process on Friday, I was certain that today was going to suck eggs. I even parked halfway to the supermarket because I knew I'd have errands to do before my 2 pm eye doctor appointment with the glaucoma specialist.

I nod Hi to Rene Marven on elliptical #1 and then clamber on #3 with my iPod turned up. Madison Rising is singing The Star Spangled Banner, which you might think is a weird tune to put into a cardio mix, but you have to hear it to understand. I don't bust much of a sweat today, even with a decent 199-207 SPM pace, and I've forgotten to apply lip balm or swig any water so I don't develop any stitches, but my lips are so dry they stick to my teeth.

Image from Bodybuilding.com

M is on the Smith doing Inclined Bench Rows so I resign myself to free bench pressing, which is not very satisfying because my hands and wrists will give out before I actually push any substantial weight. I do a few sets while keeping an eye on the Smith. After M is done, another guy does a few sets of dead lifts, and then the station is free!

Today's Total Workout:
35 min = 4.14 miles  Yippeeee!
Flat Bench Press: 25 @ bar / 12 @ 65 lbs / 12 @ 85 lbs / 2 x 12 @ 95 lbs
Smith Bench Press: 12 @ bar / 25 @ 95 lbs / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 10, 8 @ 145 lbs / 12 @ 125 / 25 @ 105 lbs I start to feel lightheaded during my heavy set which worries me enough to cut my set short; besides my wrist and right palm hurt from the free bench sets so they're done for now.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Lateral DB Raises: 6 x 12 @ 20 lbs
I stretch between sets by plopping myself into the Inclined Bench and crossing my arms in an awkward asymmetrical hug; I can feel pecs flex and stretch.
Rear Inclined Seated DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 22.5 lbs
I really should up the DB to 25 lbs but I'm too lazy today
One-Arm Tricep DB Extensions: 12 @ 20 lbs / 2 x 12-10 @ 22.5 lbs My left wrist and thumb start to fail during the last set so I abandon the idea of using a heavier DB for now
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
I look up and people sitting in ab stations facing me are just staring stupidly; less staring and more reps would probably benefit them
Lower Ab Kick Outs: 100
Ab Crunch Machine: 75 upper
Guilt for slacking over the last three days makes me do a ton of abs today but I'm also buying time to rest my triceps before going heavy on the Press Downs
Tricep Press Down: 3 x 12 @ 50 lbs
Torso Twist: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs (much much better to do these AFTER doing Press Downs)
Mat Stretch

In the locker room, B gives me a belated birthday gift of a scented candle and holder, which was very sweet of her. I feel as if my birthday were a million years ago even though it's not even been a week. I don't see too many other regulars today except for the creepy ones like Hannibal Baggy Knees and PJ Pants. I read in the NASM online magazine that "50% of all adults joining an exercise program will drop out within three to six months." It's only the 3rd month of the year.

The scale reads 110.4 lbs which is good considering I completely slacked for three days, and drank lots of Angry Orchard hard cider. I really like their Apple Ginger flavor but since each bottle is 210 calories, it's not a beverage to drink mindlessly. I'm out of sangria, which truthfully, can be drunk like fruit juice, not that anyone should. I don't have any white wine either so I'm contemplating using sake in the mussel garlic & butter sauce I'm planning to steam for dinner tonight. I'm hoping they'll be less sandy than the littleneck clams we get from the supermarket. Fish Guy wasn't much help today as to whether they'd be sandy since he doesn't eat clams or mussels. I haven't seen him at the gym lately either but I don't say anything to him about it.

My glaucoma doctor doesn't have good news. He's labeling my right eye with acute advanced glaucoma and recommends skipping over the laser procedure, going straight to actual eye surgery (trabeculectomy). I'm not at all happy. Apparently I have advanced glaucoma for someone so young. 53 is young for glaucoma, because it's usually the elderly who are diagnosed with it. I'm bumming. My doctor says I might suffer from blurry vision for a while afterwards, and no heavy lifting or anything with impact. However, I can use the elliptical, but not do yoga or pilates. That seems kind of odd. Meanwhile, I'm trying to psyche myself up that the surgery, whenever it gets scheduled, will be successful and I'll have one less thing to worry about. It seems so horribly ironic: With 20/25 vision, I don't need glasses to see, and I can still thread a needle to mend things, but I might go blind because my relatively low eye pressure is damaging my optic nerve.

Like Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say: It's always something.