Monday is Always a New Start

It was pouring when I got to the gym this morning. I was hoping it'd cool off a bit because the entire weekend'd been a scorcher. I found another broken robin's eggshell while walking the dog. It must be the season! Besides the requisite classes my son has to attend, we did enjoy visiting the Kiwi Summer Camp (they've installed a new Zip Line) as well as a visit to Johnny Gelato. Their pistachio ice cream is the best I've ever eaten, softly beige and incredibly nutty without any trace of artificial green or red coloring. I also tried Jäegermeister for the first time. It was oddly reminiscent of anisette and prune juice, but with a kick.

Figuring that I'd be stiff and creaky after two whole days of limited activity (walking across a field and standing in the blazing sun shooting video doesn't really count), I punched in program #6 gentle hill. It actually didn't feel too bad today. Tomorrow I'll do hill #5 and save the intervals for the rest of the week. The gym was icy so I'm glad I had my hoodie on. The Smith still feels sticky and heavy but I'm resisting the urge to complain. It's enough that the women's locker room quiets down when I enter. Mo grouses she wishes they'd do that when she enters because she has as little tolerance for the cackling as I do. I tell her she just doesn't look mean enough. LOL!

My elbows are still sore but now where near as bad as last week so perhaps a bit of rest was good for them. B comes over while I'm benching and tells me that her elbows are killing her too. Perhaps it's just a plight amongst middle-age women although I do see a few guys with their elbows wrapped as well. Bad joints are bad joints.

Today's Push Day Workout:
35 min hill #6 = 4.09 miles Yippeee!
Smith Bench Press: 15 reps @ bar / 12 @ 95 lbs / 10 @ 115 / 8 @ 135 / 3 x 6 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 22+5 @ 115 lbs I was pretty pissed at myself for not being able to get a complete 25 reps without having to set the bar down and rest for 5 seconds before knocking out an additional 5 reps.
Cage Stretch & Kicks
Seated Rear Inclined DB Raises: 6 x 15 @ 25 lbs
Lateral DB Raises: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
Lateral DB Raises SuperSet with One-Arm Tricep Extensions: 3 x 15 @ 20 lbs
Flat Bench Twisting Sit Ups: 125
When I get up I see PJ Pants sitting expectantly at the station across from me. He's been sitting there the entire time I've been doing sit ups, waiting for me to flip around and do lower ab kick outs, as if it was a private lap dance. I'm so annoyed that I stare at him for a second and then walk three stations over to the Ab Crunch instead. He slinks away disappointed.
Ab Crunch Station: 100
Torso Twist Machine: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Tricep Press Downs (I was debating whether I should do these or kick backs or close grip benching. These might be the most benign regarding my elbows. I'm a bit worried that I just did Torso Twists and I hope that I haven't sabotaged myself because the Press Down seems to be a whole body exercise, at least for me. However, I was able to do a burn out, drop set so my worrying was silly.): 12, 12, 10 @ 50 lbs / 10 @ 40 / 12 @ 30 / 20 @ 20 lbs
Mat Stretch (not as good as last week but not horrible)

When I walk into the locker room I see that my face is sweaty and puffy. The scale reaffirms this with a reading of 111.8 lbs. I'm toying with the idea of raising my cardio back to 45 minutes but not only do I hate cardio, I hate the idea of spending so much time here at the gym even though I do love working out. I have other things to do!

Walking around in shorts and a tank top all weekend, I got to gauge people's reactions to my physique. I'm not a big person but apparently I'm intimidating, even when I don't mean to be. Men seem to be either intrigued or embarrassed. Women run the gamut from plain scared to envy to admiration. I'm glad my husband finds me sexy although the only person I'm doing this for is me.