The Virus Takes Its Course

I went to the gym Monday after my son and I spent 3 hrs in the blistering sun doing volunteer work for the local animal shelter. My son needs volunteer hours at a local non-profit to work towards his Citizenship and the Community merit badge for Boy Scouts. Because he's only 12, he needs a parent with him. So I get to do hours of charity work as well. Yesterday we sorted dog and cat toys from the completely inappropriate plushies that are inexplicably donated. Plushies that are clearly for human children but not babies, because they have button eyes and noses (some missing), are bead-filled, or have hard talking boxes hidden deep inside. Squeakers are okay. Small stuffed creatures with button eyes are okay for cats because unlike dogs, they're not likely to mistake these decorations for digestible items. Dogs are great, but a lot of them will eat anything.

We also sort through a bevy of dog coats, sweaters and raincoats, coming across more than one Halloween pet costume. Then we swept dirt and leaves away from the building. My son mused about sweeping leaves off the forest floor. Today an older boy got to do just that across the street, on a trail through a heavily wooded area. A forest really. Some volunteer dog walkers and their charges enjoy this terrain, and the man-size boy volunteer was tasked with raking leaves off the path. It's 83°F today and it's only April.

After 3 hours in the hot sun, I took my son home to cool off. He promptly draped himself over the loveseat and hooked up a video game. I went to the gym, which was pretty emtpy mid-afternoon on a brilliantly sunny day. I managed to log my 6-plus miles, do push ups, core and then delts and triceps. I see a young woman doing bench presses on the breaker bench. But she's not using the standard 45-lb Olympic bar. No, she's got a 30 lb solid barbell. She's at least 5'7 and got maybe more than 20 lbs on me. I think she needs a trainer. I see her looking over at me but I've found it best not to offer any help because it embarrasses people, and then I never see them again. Oh well...

I move my hands closer to the edge of the Stretch Cage so I can actually pop my head up past the roof. I get 26 reps and the elbows don't feel too bad. Yaaay me! But the rash is spreading. Boooo! It's down to my ankle now. Ugh. At least it doesn't itch.

Monday Afternoon
6.37 total miles

30 min elliptical
Program 1
Calories 282
Miles 2.52

Knee-Ins 50
Push Ups 50, 50, 30
Crunches 3 x 50
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Side Planks 2 x 60s

DB Front/Lateral/Rear
15/20/25 lbs x 12/12/15 reps x 3

Rip Skulls
40 lbs x 12 x 3

30 min x-trainer
Calories 143
Miles 3.84
Average Heart Rate 157

HGPU 12" 26 reps