When I turn my iPod on, the battery icon ominously drains from a quarter charge to nothing. WTH? I remember charging it sometime mid-week, but maybe that was last week? My new phone doesn't have any tunes on it because it's incompatible with the version of iTunes on my laptop (which is on borrowed time) where all my music is stored. Uh oh. Well, the iPod hasn't displayed the Red Low Battery Warning yet, so I figure it's like the gas tank: when it's on E, there's probably still a gallon or two you can use to get to a station. I figure I might have enough to get me through my workout. I'm feeling lucky.
There's a gal on my favorite elliptical so I trudge over to #3. I'm so tired that I seriously consider doing only one cardio session. Interval 7 seems much harder than it should even though I've dropped the resistance down. I don't even make 4 miles and that's disappointing. I've been preoccupied with last night's Cub Scout meeting. A boy there will be undergoing brain surgery yet again to remove a recurring tumor. He's barely taller than my son but he's two years older, thin and pale with wisps of what's left of his red hair. He had surgery this summer but it's grown back. I read in the local paper that he was born with a benign tumor in his lung that necessitated partial removal of the organ. This child is genetically predisposed to cancer. He's the eldest of five and they are all at the Halloween party/meeting. What touches me most is the blonde boy who accompanied him to every game and table. Taller, thicker, healthier, I watch him watching his friend. No doubt this is his best friend. I feel as if I'm already grieving for him and that's not fair so we all smile and applaud when he's given a special Hero award for bravery. What do you do when you absolutely know the light at the end of the tunnel is a freakin' freight train 'cuz you can hear it coming, feel the roar of its engine as it barrels down the track? You soldier on.
The Cage Stretches feel a bit stiff today but I'm not concerned. I'm already eyeing the Nexersys stations. I strip off my hoodie, wrap my hands and wrestle on the pink kickboxing gloves. My knuckles are still bruised afterwards, but at least there's no blood and no blisters. I decide to take it easy and only do 7 rounds of Follow Me, and no sparring. By round 3, a guy I've seen at this station earlier this week has taken a position at the adjacent Nexersys. Thank goodness there's two. I'm getting better at this, although I'm still frustrated at having the warning buzzer sound at every other cross punch I throw. When I'm done, my clothes are plastered to my body and I have to wipe my face to see clearly. I grab all my gear and head to the Mat to do my final stretches. I like doing the plank after the Dive Bomber Push Ups. I just wish it wasn't so boring. When I'm done with the Mat Stretch, I click on my iPod to lower the volume and the Low Battery warning comes on. Wow, that's timing!
The gym scale hovers between 108.8 and 109, then settles on the lower number. It's never done that before. Hmmmm. While I'm in the locker room, peeling my clothes off so I can go shower, the gal I saw at the benches yesterday, waves at me. I say Hi to her. Then she gushes, "You are absolutely amazing. You're so inspiring!" I thank her and tell her that I figure most people are just intimidated but that they shouldn't be. "Oh yeah, that too," she admits. I tell her there's no reason to be, I'm just plugged in and doing my routine so I don't really see or hear anyone else. "Oh, I know that! That's what I figure but I didn't want to bother you when you were working out!" I tell her I've notice her too, mostly because she's using real weights and not those plastic DBs. "Oh, I use those too for some things. I joined a year ago." I tell her I've seen her working out. She leaves gushing. I'm amused.
When I'm just about finished dressing, a small Latina woman comes in and stares briefly. I nod Hi at her and finish buttoning my flannel shirt. "You exercise a lot today," she says. "Uh, not a lot today," I answer, because I didn't lift any weights. "Other days I exercise more." "You got muscles," she says. "Uh, well, yeah," I answer, not knowing exactly what she wants. Then she points to her arms and says she'd like bigger muscles too. I'm not sure but she might've been staring at me while I punched the Nexersys. (I lose track of all the people who stare while they're on the cardio machines.) I try to think of something encouraging to tell her. "Well, you just got to keep at it. If you get sore, that's okay. If it's not horribly painful, just a little sore, you should still work out. Then you'll get stronger." It's the only thing I can think to say without asking her about a training plan, and knowing that most women give up too soon because of soreness. She actually thanks me as if I've given her something useful. Whoa. Today's turning out to be much better than it started. That's a nice way to end the week.
Friday's Workout:
35 min elliptical Interval 7 = 3.94 miles + 35 min Interval 8 = 4.12 Grand Total = 8.06 miles Yay!
Cage Stretch with BW heel dips & calf raises and Side Kicks
Nexersys Station: 7 rounds Follow Me Avatar, beginner female:
accuracy 75% / strikes 105% / average power 123%
recommendation: add rounds and amp it up a little to go to the next level
photo for stats:
No comments:
Post a Comment