Paying the Piper

Today is Tuesday, Back Day and again, it's uncharacteristically chilly for September. Forty-four degrees this morning, and I again don gloves to walk the dog. I'm resisting taking out heavier jackets. Resisting swapping the screens for storm panels. Resisting the inevitable truth: Winter's coming. It's not White Walkers that I fear, or the drudgery of shoveling the driveway and 2-hour school delays due to inclement weather. It's getting sick. I hate getting sick. Since I stopped commuting to the City some two plus years ago, my health has been greatly improved. Less stress. Less money, but less stress. So why do I feel as if my eyes are burning? That's usually the first sign for me that I've become run-down. That the sniffles, congestion and then an unruly cough lurk in my foreseeable future. Sigh.

My husband assures me that it's allergies. On his drive to Boston, he says he can feel the allergens accumulate as he approaches the New York area. Apparently there's less pollen in Boston. I'm not so sure, although lately my eyes water as if they've been poked with a stick. There's ragweed everywhere. And a stray dandelion on my walkway. That's why I workout at the gym. Inside. With filtered, conditioned air. It's a beautiful day and with the exception of the chatty ladies who take classes, the gym itself is fairly empty. Just the way I like it! I punch in Interval 7, pull my hoodie down over my eyes and sing along to my iPod. Eventually I warm up.

Still, I feel tired. Perhaps I haven't fully recuperated from yesterday's workout? Maybe it's the bee bread I added to my oatmeal this morning? I'm not at all convinced that it's really good for people, even if it's great for bees. My elbows are achy and sore when I awoke this morning. Yesterday wasn't really an elbow-intensive day. Uh oh. My grip isn't strong today either. I manage to do Wide Grip Lat Pull Downs but I end with only one heavy set. Saving my grip strength for the DB Rows and Close Grip Pull Downs. After a Cage Stretch that did not leave me sweaty and breathless (either it's too cold in here or I really am getting sick), I wander back to the Cables and Free Weights. I pass the Nexersys stations and wave at the gal I spoke to last week. She's really much bigger than I am, so if she's having problems with the Intermediate level, well...

M, the Mayor and a few other people are chatting in front of the Pull Down so I use this as an opportunity to change my routine. I like One-Arm DB Rows, just not sure if they like me. Again, I'm good with the lighter weights, but my grip fails during the last two reps at 50 lbs. Still, I AM stubborn. Because I'm pissed at failing, I add another set. Of course. Because that's the adult thing to do, isn't it? The Mayor, 7-ft Tall Dude and a few other guys are also on the benches by the DBs. Mostly they're staring up at the TV, shaking their heads, because the Giants are failing abysmally. Changing the routine means doing Lower Back Extensions next. With the seat belt, I can up the weight again. It makes me giddy.

I don't do much abs today because they're uncharacteristically sore. My abs are sore? They're sore, oddly enough, from a Mat Stretch move: with legs splayed apart, plop body forward until chest & face are on the mat in front (I put a towel down just for this). Then roll your body back and upward, starting with the hip, stomach, upper abs, chest, neck and finally head. It should have a puppet-like look to it, like a doll being pulled up by a string. It's apparently a killer ab workout as well. Who knew!

Last are Close Grip Pull Downs. I'm usually better, but today I have to concentrate really hard on using my lats to pull the handles down until they kiss my chest. My biceps are burnt. Between sets I see a skinny, half-shaven guy with enormous headphones on. He's alternating benching with flyes. I have trouble taking anyone seriously who has those kind of headphones on because I don't believe you can really workout in them. I can also bench more than he can, but he's probably just starting out. I don't feel much energy for the Mat Stretch but I do it anyway. If anything, I'm cold and starting to stiffen up so my splits are tighter and more difficult. I can see that it's bright and sunny through the plate glass windows so I hurry to shower and change. The gym scale reads 110.4 lbs.


Back Workout:
35 min Interval7 = 4.53 miles Yay!
Wide Grip Lat Pull Down: 12 @ 75 lbs / 12 @ 90 / 10 @ 105 / 10 @ 112. 5 / 8 @ 120 lbs
Cage Stretch with BW Heel Dips & Calf Raises and Side Kicks
One-Arm DB Rows: 12 @ 40 lbs / 10 @ 45 lbs / 4 x 8 @ 50 lbs
Lower Back Extension: 25 @ 105 lbs / 25 @ 112.5 / 25 @ 120
Torso Twist Station: 2 x 25 @ 50 lbs
Close Grip Pull Downs: 12 @ 90 lbs / 10 @ 105 / 3 x 8 @ 120 lbs
Mat Stretch with 10 DBPUs & 3 rolling (I'm discovering that doing this with my legs wide apart is causing my sneaker to rub a scab into the inside of my ankle so I'm going to have to do something else), splits, etc. 

On my way out the gym, a guy stalls in the doorway to read the Blood Drive poster, and my finger gets wrenched because the ring is caught inside the metal molding of the door. That's so freakishly peculiar that I'm at a loss as how to extract myself. I need to disengage from the door frame! I didn't think there was any space to get caught there, but having such tiny fingers and jewelry means anything's possible. When I get to my car, I wrestle my ring off before my finger starts to swell, which it does, and apply the cooler pack from my protein drink. Thank goodness tomorrow's Leg Day! Won't need to grip anything too hard. And maybe I'll get warm.