Balmy Weather

The sun came out and temps rose into the 40s which is pretty warm for the 3rd week of December in the northeast. I've taken the dogs to the park nearly every morning so they can run around like loonies and play with doggy friends. It isn't all standing around yelling at pups to behave and keeping a lookout for pooping. Because the dog park is on an otherwise unusable tract of severely sloped land, it's quite a challenge to make it down to the fence line where most pups like to leave their deposits. Instead of gingerly picking through ankle-deep leaf litter, we're side-stepping through icy snow, hoping not to faceplant. It's quite a strenuous activity. It's worse when temps warm, the snow melts slightly and then refreezes at night. There have been black ice advisories every morning for the past several days. 

I only give the dogs an hour at the park today because I'd like to hit the gym before 1 pm. I get there a little past noon and it's not crowded at all. Just the way I like it. I have a lot of holiday errands to run so I just do the basics: cardio, core, and push some weights. My right shoulder twinges a little so I'm cautious while doing the Inclined Press. No need to aggravate that old labral tear. Benching always seems to inflame the sciatica though, even if I press all my weight on the opposite leg. My right foot goes unpleasantly numb. Luckily, the discomfort is temporary. 

The gym is only closed two days out of the year: Christmas and Easter. Which means they're open on New Year's Day. And Christmas Eve, which is tomorrow. I need to expand my repertoire because I'm getting bored. Boredom is bad. Maybe I'll venture onto the Expresso Bike if the good one is available. Like all the other equipment, there are only certain models that are suitable for small people with short limbs. 

I admit that I have reservations about stationery bikes because I don't trust the airflow in the space in front of the console. People breathe hard and fast while exercising, which increases the chance of viral particles even through a mask, and especially if the wearer has their mask under their nose. It's probably the same on the elliptical and the step mill, but something about crouching forward while panting makes me feel more vulnerable even though I'm masked. Also, not everyone is working hard on the elliptical or the stepper, whereas Expresso riders tend to be more competitive. 

The infection rates are spiking even in our rural county, so I'm cautious, but I refuse to hide at home. I'm taking vitamins (D, B12, zinc, magnesium) and black elderberry syrup. I've had a flu shot. I wear a mask at the gym (even or especially in the locker room and bathroom), in stores and at gatherings although not at the dog park where we are all outside and spaced several yards apart. I'm wary of the Pfizer covid vaccine because of the sporadic allergic reactions some say are due to nanoparticles. When vaccines are available to the general population, I'll consider the Moderna. 

23December2020
Sunny Wednesday

Precor elliptical
35 min
Program 1
HR 86, 145-192
Cal 321
Distance 2.88

Crunches x 60 x 2
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Plank 60s
Pushups 50
Quick Mat Stretch

Smith Inclined Press
Bar (30) x 20
+20 x 20 mild sciatica
+40 x 15
+50 x 15
+40 x 20