Trade Offs

I just realized that even though I miss the camaraderie of the 10-12 Bark Park crowd (they mostly come at 11, along with the Big Dog who has somehow incurred the wrath of one of my own pups), I don't actually mind being alone in the park with just the pups. After doing my civic part to clean up after my pups, and any errant owners (pups can't clean up after themselves after all), I have time to just sit and stare at the sky through the bare branches overhead. 

Even though the park is disquietingly close to the main road, it is possible to hear the geese flying overhead, and birds chirping and squeaking. Ignoring the roar and fumes of diesel engines, sitting in the Bark Park can be quite relaxing. Other people spend their time staring at their phones, but I'd rather conserve battery life. It's been cold enough to drop battery power 9% in 10 minutes. It's an old phone and although I keep a backup battery (and cable) in my other pocket, I'd prefer to keep my phone juiced for the occasional video or photo. Or text. I've come to miss it when I need to be social, so now I think we shall come to the park earlier, just to have some alone time. Time to just sit. Some might call it meditating, but that seems pretentious. I just like to sit and hear the birds and stare at the trees.

I get to the gym around noon and can actually use the elliptical that has a working HR monitor, even though it's wonky. Or my heart is wonky, ranging from 81 to 185 bpm during the 35 minutes I'm pedaling like mad. The gym is so cold that my fingers go numb before I'm done with core and stretches in the Aerobics Room. I cut my push-ups to 25 reps because I'm concerned about pushing my IOPs up. I should probably stop indulging in that one piece of black licorice I eat daily. 

The Smith machine is available so I do Inclined Presses. Maybe cutting back on push-ups has helped my presses. The left anterior delt is a tad sore but pressing doesn't bother it. If anything, the pressing gets better as the sets progress. I'm not pushing very heavy, but it's nice not to decline too much. Especially since I'm looking at 61 in the next few weeks... I still can't believe it. I don't feel old, except maybe I'm starting to groan a little when the knees complain about steps. Oh well. 

4 March 2021
Arctic Wind Thursday

Precor elliptical
35 min
Program 3
HR 135-185, 88, 81
Cal 316
Distance 2.84

Crunches x 60 x 2
Piriformis Stretch
5 cobra pose (5 sec count)
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Bent Knee Glute Kickbacks 25 x 2
Plank 60s
5 cobra pose (5 sec count)
Pushups 25
Mat stretch et al

Smith Inclined Press
Bar (30 lbs) x 20 reps
+20 lbs x 15
+30 x 12
+40 x 15 +50 x 16, 15, 15