Sometimes You Need to Skip the Baby Steps

I took the car to my auto shop this morning. Apparently the combination "Check Engine light with the disable Traction Control and flashing Cruise control" is a fairly common issue among later Subaru models. I've had Subies since 1997 and never this particular problem. The shop says that the error code tells them it's a solenoid issue. They reset the sensors but tell me that it will eventually come on again, and that I'll need about $600 worth of work and parts to replace the sensor and affected parts. What the heck is a solenoid?! Well, it's basically an electric conductor wound as a coil. Ugh.

The car is totally driveable, and I'm not sure if it's the last oil change (which, granted, was months ago) that caused an oil leak that's freaking out the solenoid sensors. There are a lot of car chat forums that discuss this possibility. But I'm not mechanically inclined, especially when it comes to cars. And especially not ones involving computer chips, as they all do these days. So I guess I'm at the mercy of my auto mechanic. Sigh.

I actually get to the gym earlier than usual, and it's crowded. Ugh. But the noisy cross-trainer I favor is vacant so I do my 35 minute warm up there. I get less mileage today. I'm tired. But I'm wearing my Saucony trainers because I think I might be doing a Pull Day. It all depends on what stations are open. Pull ups and push ups are standard routine today. When I look throughout the free weight area, I see that there's plates on half of the stations, but no one actually on them. Like the lazy MFers just walked away without bothering to re-rack. Ugh.

The Mayor makes a grand appearance today and spends a lot of time gabbing. The haircut suggests he was at a family event. Of course, having less hair just makes his body profile much more pyramidal, and that's not a compliment. I pull the 45 lb plates off the Smith and stake my territory. There are a lot of regulars whom I normally don't see at this time, like M and Skinny J. A lot of guys lose their size if they don't work really hard. Or they get fat.

Yes, that's a 25 lb plate followed by four 10s.
I count the bar as 30 lbs because it's on a Smith.

I decide cut my reps as I approach the heavier sets of RDLs. And instead of inching up with 5s, I tell myself, "Fuck it" and drop another pair of 10s on the bar. I know I've pulled heavier, but that was when I was younger. I haven't pulled this heavy in over a year or two. But it doesn't actually feel that hard, although breathing is always a challenge. Seriously. Maybe I'll cut the reps back even further, and up the weight again. Maybe...

RG BB Rows are standard. Then I decide to up my weight at the One-Arm DB Rows. I always start with the weaker arm first. That would be the left arm. Surprisingly, my right arm gets really tired. Before my left arm. Weird. Weirder is that Spider Grandpa seems to be hovering. Uh oh... I'm bad at determining how old people are. He might not be that much older than me. He might be younger than me. I have no idea. And I don't actually care. Because I come here to work out! 

Tuesday

35 xtrainer
Calories 165
Miles 4.45
Average Heart Rate 149

HGPU 26
Push Ups 60

Smith RDLs
Bar x 15
80 x 12
120 x 12
140 x 10 cut reps purposely
160 x 8 x 3 Yaaaay!

Smith RG BB Rows
80 x 25
100 x 25
120 x 25

DB Rows One-Arm
(Left arm, weaker arm always first)
45 lbs x 12
50 x 12
55 x 10, 10, 8