Wardrobe Malfunctions

I skipped yesterday, thinking I'd actually get more work done at home. I also had the septic tank folks coming over to pump the tank and inspect the peat moss system installed by the East of Hudson Septic Repair Program some years ago. Achy joints in my hands and elbows sealed the deal. I dropped my son off at camp and returned home. I did get some work done, but lately it feels as if it takes me twice as long to do something as it used to. Maybe my computer used to be faster. Maybe I moved quicker. Or thought quicker. I'm not sure how to explain this discrepancy except that time seems to pass exponentially faster because I seem to move slower. I guess this is the theory of relativity in action for middle-age people.

I put on an odd assortment of workout clothes: lightweight mesh sports pants, an Avia tank, and an old Avia sports bra. It's a bit chilly in the gym until I warm up. I wanted to wear something that would dry quickly since kickboxing and elliptical cardio both elicit a strong sweat response, i.e., I'm drenched afterwards. The workout was great. My clothes, not so much. The sports bra needed to be readjusted and pulled down at the end of every round. That's 15 rounds of adjustment. The tank seems to look lopsided no mater what I do. Maybe it's me because humans are rarely symmetrical, and I know my left side is bigger than my right. Left trap, left bicep, left pectoral. That'll make anything look askew, but some things more than others. This tank is one of them. Sigh. I'm thinking this is going to wind up in the donation bag along with the sports bra once I wash them.

I used to love my mesh sports pants because they had pockets, and were loose and airy. Now they're a bit too loose and I have to hike them up over my hips at the end of every round. Because I've positioned the wires to my earphones behind my head (to keep them out of the way while I punch and jab), they stick to my back and either get caught there, or hang loosely down the inside of my pant leg. Ugh! What I really need are small, comfortable bluetooth earphones. No wires! But that also means I need a bluetooth iPod. Ugh! I'm not ready for that yet!

I'm actually sweaty from my 5 round Beginner warm up. Or I'm really out of shape! I did have a swim class last night and we "swam" the length of the pool learning the backstroke. I still can't tread water though. And that's the reason I signed up. Now they've emailed me to tell me I should take their new Intermediate Swim for Adults. Uh... Will they teach me to tread water? I enjoy the pool time. The teacher is great. But really, I need to learn how to tread water. I have discovered that it is much easier to swim once you relax and let the water do half the work. Tensing up makes me sink right to the bottom of the pool!

The Intermediate Rounds are okay mostly, except for the few times when the machine goes crazy and flashes commands that don't sync with the lit body map that indicate what you're suppose to do. I only blank the machine a few times today, and do better during the Advance rounds. Second wind? Perhaps. I'm torn between doing the Intervals or Performance program on the elliptical. Twinges in my glute and hamstring strongly suggest the latter because that always helps with my sciatic issues.

I have a lot of moleskin on my feet from last weekend's urban hiking. They help a lot with today's cardio, as I have yet to find the perfect "running shoe", the shoe that makes me say Aaah! when I put my foot in. I check out runningwarehouse.com upon the recommendation of a friend, but can't find any shoes in my size. I have those hard to fit "wide, small foot with tiny heel". She raved about the Saucony's her son got her. He's a track coach. She claims to have wide feet. Or as she puts it, she carries all her fat in her feet. She's a long stringy woman, the epitome of a crunchy-granola runner. Beg to differ, but if she's wearing "wide" shoes, then I have absolutely no hope.

Afterwards, I do a slow, cautious stretch. I feel a twinge in my left hip, right where I imagine the TFL lives. Stretching can do more damage than good if rushed or done haphazardly. I brace myself for hammer grip pull ups because I always expect that these are going to suck painfully. That I won't be able to pull myself up at all. But they don't. And I'm always surprised. Because although I'm tired, that part of my body that actually performs this movement isn't. I count 10 reps, then 20 reps, then 26, finally 30. Then the full extension and 31! It feels fine. I could probably've done a few more. I should've done a few more. But I was so focused on accomplishing 31 that that's all I did. Next time I have to step out of my head for a moment, and see just how many I can actually do. But only on a day like today, where there is only this one set of pull ups. Seriously.

I do most of my Mat Stretch, and then wonder if my right boob is going to fall out of the top of my sports bra when I bend over. The tank is too big. The sports bra is probably too big, but the next size down is too small, and the straps too short. Ugh! But the Mats are offset from the rest of the equipment so it'd be impossible for anyone to actually see anything unless they were standing right in front of me. When I'm done, I notice Frankenstein in the Cybex Pec-Deck staring intently. Yep, creepy. I wonder if guys even realize how creepy they can be? I'll have to ask my husband.

Friday Workout

10 min elliptical
0.83 miles

15 rounds Follow Me
Nexersys

30 min elliptical
Program 3
285 cal
2.53 miles

HGPU 31

Photos for actual stats:

5 rounds Beginner
(great warm up today!)

5 rounds Intermediate
(blanked the screen twice today; this program continues to be erratic and unpredictable — not always a bad thing)

5 rounds Advance
(always a good way to end the session!)