Maybe It Was the Butt-Ugly Shorts

It was a tad warmer today but I still got off to a slow start. I'm not sure if tourists from the City have begun their annual crawl through the exurbs yet, leisurely driving the speed limit and peering at the changing autumn leaves. Leafers or leaf peepers are what we call them. We know them by the brake lights that come on at every curve in the road, at every large vehicle passing in the opposing lane. Makes me wish I had a big-ass old fashion truck with a cow-pusher bumper grill on the front. Or maybe everyone's in a Benadryl® haze, driving medicated and stupid. Can I blame the golden rod and ragweed now?

Cackling emanates from the locker room and I brace myself for the crowd of women screaming salutations. Zumba and spin classes are happening within moments of each other. It's surprisingly humid and warm in there, adding to my discomfort. Today is Leg Day and I'm hoping my favorite elliptical is free. It is and I feel very lucky because the other two are occupied. I pull my hoodie down over my eyes, turn up my iPod and punch in Interval 7. My glutes are sore but eventually everything loosens up and I start to relax. I make my quota and I'm extremely happy. I could walk away now and just do weights. But I don't. Instead, I blot my face with my sleeve, gulp some water and punch in another 30 minute session at Hill 5. It's hard to keep my pace over 200 and halfway through the program, I'm struggling to keep my pace over 185. I just miss 4 miles, but the total is more than eight and a half so I'm feeling pretty good. Maybe it's the butt-ugly running shorts.

Butt-ugly running shorts

I've forgotten how desolate the free weight area can be on Wednesdays but I like it better. As much as everyone disparages Smith machine squats, I do them because they don't hurt my elbows the way a free standing Olympic bar does. Of course, first I manage 25 speed squats with just the bar, butt to heels. I get 12 reps for each set, upping the weight each time until I've hit my maximum weight. I can't get to parallel at this weight: there's a weird crunchy popping sensation in my lower back that still unnerves me but I finish the set and then drop plates after every set. Then another 25 heel to butt speed squats. Sweat is running off my nose when I finish.

Afterwards, I try to get my form correct for doing Dead Lifts with just the bar. I hit myself in the knee and decide, Heck, I'm just going to do Stiff-Legged Dead Lifts and see how it feels. Just the bar is easy. It is after all, less than 45 lbs due to the counterbalance on the Smith. Then I add 25 lb plates. It's decidedly heavier but my back doesn't complain. I add another ten pounds to each side. Still doable. Moment of truth. I add another ten pound plate. It's heavy, but I can still do 12 reps. I think this is the heaviest I've done but now's not the time to push my luck. The drop sets are easier. And although I'm a bit tired, I feel okay. Again I think, maybe it's these ugly shorts.

The Cage Stretch feels good. I've peeled my hoodie off and left it draped over the railing of the cardio area. It's too heavy now to drag around with me as I make my way to the Seated Leg Curl machine. I know I've done 120 lbs but I can't quite remember how many sets. Because I'm a bit burnt from the SLDLs, I know I'm not going to get much more than a few. The Seated Leg Extensions are another matter. I start at 75 lbs because I remember doing that weight. For every 12 rep set, I up the weight another plate (15 lb increments) until I'm at 120 lbs. I don't even want to attempt 135. Not today anyway.

I do a few crunches just to warm up my core, and then I'm done. I head over to the Mats and do my Mat Stretch. I glance up and note that there are more bodies in the free weight area. It must be the lunch time crowd. I've been ending my Mat time with a few lower back stretches. I don't actually feel anything when I do them, but the fact that I can do a few SLDLs is encouraging.

The gym scale reads 108.8 lbs today, and I'm starving, but distracted because my new cell seems to be defective. We'd upgraded our phones after my husband dropped his one too many times and shattered the screen. Nevermind that the ringer had an agenda all its own. So we have new old phones (not the latest greatest version) but new enough. Today my phone finally recognized the wi-fi signal in our house, but then it lost the ability to use the 4G network. So it's basically just a camera at this point. A camera that can't make calls, or send texts or emails. Maybe it's these butt-ugly shorts.

Leg Day Workout:
35 min Interval 7 = 4.69 35 min Hill 5 = 3.97  Grand Total = 8.66 miles Wahoo!
Smith Machine Squats: 25 speed squats with just the bar (butt to heels as fast as I can go) / 12 @ 95 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 12 @ 155 / 12 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 95 / 25 speed squats again
Yes, it's a Smith so detract 15-20 lbs from the above weights for a more accurate assessment
Smith Machine SLDLs: 12 @ bar / 12 @ 95 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 135 / 12 @ 115 / 12 @ 95
Same goes here too regarding actual weights moved
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips and Calf Raises and Side Kicks
Seated Leg Curl: 12 @ 90 lbs / 12 @ 105 / 3 x 8 @ 120 lbs
Seated Leg Extension: 12 @ 75 lbs / 12 @ 90 / 12 @ 105 / 3 x 12 @ 120 lbs
This is heaviest I've ever done for Leg Extensions
Mat Stretch with 10 Wide Legged DBPUs, 3 rolling push ups, walk hands out to regular stance for 10 DBPUs, splits, lower back stretches, etc.