Sometimes They Come Back

I'm still not getting to the gym as early as I could, but mostly because I'm doing chores that I'd rather not come home to once I tire myself out. Like dishes and laundry, and getting the dog's supper ready... it's just a reheat of some leftover chicken, but if I boil it up in the morning, it'll be cool enough to toss onto his kibble by evening. Everything takes planning...

The dog is infinitely better as long as I don't give him anything fatty... like cheese or peanut butter. Sigh. It's bitterly cold, and a good time to try out the alpaca hoodie I bought this summer at a Native American Pow Wow... it has no tags so I'm not even sure it's really alpaca. It could be an acrylic fake for all I know. But it is warm and extremely lightweight. A few nights ago the dog was upset with something just outside our front door. In the dim lamplight, I can see a large dark shape scurry down our walk way and into the woodpile at the end of the driveway. It's most noticeable characteristic was the long skinny stiff tail. So it's not a woodchuck. Or a possum or raccoon. Too big to be a vole unless they've grown to giant proportions. I finally settle on a mole. Because they apparently don't hibernate! And we do have a disrupted front yard that could be the work of moles and their collapsing tunnels. Hmmm...

Today, I have enough time to do both sets of cardio and knock out some weights. My joints are tender though, and I'm careful with my exercises. My left hand is sore from pull ups, and I can feel the inside of that elbow twinge every now and then. When I bench, the left shoulder twinges momentarily as well. Usually it's the right shoulder. I haven't flat benched in weeks now because Inclined Benching is easier on the shoulders. I can't use as much weight either, but it's still a decent chest, anterior delt and tricep workout.

I see a few newbies, and a few regulars. I don't bother with anyone. I wish I could take a photo of myself while doing DB laterals because I can see striations in my delts and chest, and the bi's and tri's look awesome as well. But I have my hands fulls. 25 lbs is the most I'll be able to use because my wrists and elbows won't handle anything heavier. I have to work within my limitations and make the best of that. So I do workouts that might seem perplexing, but they work for me.

There's an oddly familiar face on the treadmill. He used to work at the gym quite a long time ago. I call him Gazelle Boy because he's tall with long thin arms and legs. And he had the perfect gait running on the treadmill. Last time I saw him was a few years ago. He'd hooked up with a hot blonde with a great body, but disturbingly peculiar face. It was as if her lower jaw, chin and throat had been grafted from someone 50 years older. Today GZB is solo, and he's still long and skinny with tattoos covering most of him. I think he must recognize me somehow because he stares just a little, as if trying to remember if he knows me. I do have a lot more hair than I used to, but in general, I'm pretty much the same. Except maybe I've got more muscle. But not huge amounts more.

I don't have time to stretch out, but I snag another set of pull ups before I leave... it feels okay. Tomorrow is Pull Day, and hopefully I'll get to the gym a tad earlier.

Monday Workout
(6.54 total cardio miles)

30 min x-trainer
Calories 144
Miles 3.97
Average Speed 7.92
Average Pace 7:34

HGPU 33
Push Ups 100
Crunches 3 x 50
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Side Planks 2 x 60s

Smith Inclined 45 Bench
Bar x 15
12 x 50, 70, 80, 90
25 x 60 too easy

DB Lat s/s Rev Incl Flyes
25 lbs x 12/15 x 3

Rip Skulls
40 lbs x 12 x 3

30 min elliptical
Program 1
Miles 2.57
Calories 292

HGPU 31