Fight or Flight Response

Chirping birds woke me while I was dreaming about my parents. Well, not real birds. It's too cold at 36F for real birds to sing as loudly and happily as my phone alarm at 6 am. My parents, dressed as I remembered them from the late 80s in fancy summer clothes, were ascending steps to a vast scenic overlook. At the top, they asked me if I had seen my siblings. No, my sister's in Florida. Not sure where the brother is. Both my parents are dead and have been for several years. Both my siblings are alive and well, and yes, my sister is currently in Florida. 

The dream was not comforting or reassuring because I never dream about my parents. I wonder if it's a bad omen, like the dead coming to speak to you because you'll be joining them soon. Or maybe this is just my anxiety about that upcoming toe biopsy manifesting itself in a dream. What if this is melanoma, one of the deadliest skin cancers? What if this is related to the horrible itchy skin on my throat for the past several years that doctors are quick to blow off with a "take an OTC antihistamine" or "use some hydrocortisone cream." Of course, as an outlier, I could just have a benign striate melanonychia, a band of dark pigment under the nail. Still, that in itself can suggest a melanoma. Ugh. And if it is melanoma, treatment usually involves amputation of the toe to the 2nd joint. Plus all that other stuff involved with cancer treatment. Like I said before, I'm glad it's not my thumb. 

I skipped the gym yesterday, voted and then took my son to see Zombieland 2. It was graphic and comically violent and we had no trouble finding seats in spite of the huge crowd in the ticket area. Most of those families were there to see Arctic Dogs, The Addams Family, or Maleficent (with Angelina Jolie and great make-up and CG effects). I'd still like to see Joker and Terminator: Dark Fate, but that's just me. 

Today is a Pull Day workout and as usual, I feel sluggish when I first get on the elliptical. I'm so grateful that my body responds well to cardio. It wakes me up, makes me limber and warm, brightens my mood and energizes my body. After pull-ups, which I've slowly increased in reps, I do core exercises in the aerobic room. There's a skinny middle-aged woman, a regular, doing weird movements with DBs. Okay, maybe weird is too kind a word. If I was her trainer, I'd correct the sloppy alternating bicep curls she performs while stepping forward and back. Of course, I have no idea what her physiological issues or goals are. So, I keep my mouth shut and pretend I don't see her. I'm just here to do my own thing.

The gym is actually being painted during business hours. It's a bit disconcerting to be dodging ladders and wonder which painted wall or door is wet. I find the Smith vacant and the crowd of Chatty Guys at a bench directly behind it. Time to turn up the volume on my tunes. Initially, I tell myself that I'll just do a few light sets of RDLs to warm up. But since everything feels okay, I wind up adding more weight until I'm at 110 lbs. As long as I focus and take the movement slow and deliberately, I'm okay. It's not 120 lbs. And it's a long way from the 170 I used to pull. But that was a few years ago. Then I knock out the RG BB Rows in quick succession. 

It's my anxiety, the fight or flight response, that's fueling my workout. It certainly isn't caffeine! Anxiety can be channeled to fuel physical endeavors. Luckily, physical exertions provide physiological relief courtesy of those kickass endorphins. It's much harder for me to use this restless energy for more cerebral tasks, like studying grammar. Instead, it's the "escapism technique from anxiety" that has me sit at this blog doing research and pulling graphics. Lucky you. Kidding! 

 

Uh oh, now I've done it. I'm worried I've tired myself out and primed myself for injury on the Seated Cable Row. Again, I have to remind myself to focus and move deliberately and slowly. I can feel the sciatic nerve in my right leg winge a tiny bit. My left hip also complains a little. That just makes me more determined to move cautiously, and I actually increase the weight by 5 lbs with a minor sense of accomplishment. Taking yesterday off really helped. Even the RG BB Curls aren't nearly as painful as I remember. Better, I'm able to knock out a second set of pull-ups after my second round of cardio. Yaaay me. 

The gym is trolling for new members. It seems plenty crowded to me, but affixed to every other wall including inside the bathroom stalls is a blue paper stating that Everyone's a Gold's Gym member in November. It is a cute take on Friends Don't Let Friends Skip Leg Day... but only gym rats would know that one. 

Sunny Cold Wednesday Pull

30 elliptical + 5cd
Program 1
Miles 2.89
Calories 323
HR 147-194 (93)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 25

Elbow Plank 60s
Crunches 60/60
Bicycles 60
Horizontal Scissors 60
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Smith RDL
Bar (35) x 15
80 x 12
100 x 12
110 x 12

Smith RG BB Rows
80 x 25 x 3

Seated Cable Rows
70 x 12
77.5 x 12
85 x 12
90 x 12
95 x 12
100 x 12

RG BB Curls
40 x 25 x 3

20 elliptical + 5cd
Program 1
Miles 2.09
Calories 236
HR 138-192 (90, 95)

HGPU 24

Quick Mat Stretch