22F is Cold

I moved firewood yesterday and that was my workout for Tuesday. It wasn't a lot of wood, just a wheelbarrow full 'cuz I knew temps were going to drop into the 20s. Today I woke up to 22 F but we still went to the park. No one else was there so the pups were bored although they do like to dig up dirt and eat it (ugh), and stare up into the trees 'cuz squirrels.

The gym is crowded because it's mid-week and it's freezing outside. I'm also late and lucky I've made it before noon, mostly because I get distracted at home. Cardio was good but not great, not where it was last week. But not bad. And pull-ups felt powerful and controlled for most reps. That was reassuring! I even went back for a second set and although those were harder with a lot more partial reps, I still got them done.

I cut crunches from the core routine so it's weird that my abs were sore during Dead Bugs. Unfortunately, I lost count during the last set so I'm not 100% certain that reps totaled 100. I also cut plain elbow planks but kept the bird dogs, walking lunges, and wall squats. But by the time I got to the wall, I could barely stay 60 seconds before I started sliding down onto my butt. So, 60 seconds today. And a set of pull-ups.

Temps should be warmer tomorrow, but at least we didn't get snow. Buffalo got snow. My kid texted that he wasn't planning to go outside into the snow and cold unless absolutely necessary. What about meals? There are food places downstairs in the dorm building. College is so different than when I went forty years ago!

29 November 2023 11:39-1:05
Frigid 22F Wednesday

Precor elliptical #2
Program 1
Time: 30+5 (5730)
Distance: 2.88
Cal: 322
Avg Hr: 161, 199-87

HGPU 18

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 40 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 60s (started slipping down)

HGPU 17

After the Turkey

Nothing encourages you more to go to the gym than spending a holiday weekend stuffing your belly. And Thanksgiving is that holiday. But alas, I also had the annual mammogram right afterward, so that meant an abbreviated workout. My kid went back to school with classmates on Sunday, and texted me along the way so I know he's safe even though a big storm that's battered the mid-West hit western New York. We got a lot of rain and wind, evident this morning at the dog park with downed soggy leaves and a few large branches impressively speared into the dirt.

It's cold and sunny when I get to the gym. It's also crowded with young people I've never seen before. Too old to be HS, so maybe college kids are still here? I get on elliptical #2 while debating how much time to spend doing cardio. I finally decided to stick to 35 minutes but I don't start singing to myself until the last 10 minutes. But I wasn't expecting to do well anyway. I get my requisite pull-up and abbreviate the core workout by skipping a few movements, like crunches, planks, walking lunges and wall squats. Because I still need time to shower and drive to the radiology lab. I get there on time, fill out insurance paperwork, and I'm done in less than an hour. 

It's going to be cold this week so I plan to bring another load of firewood into the house. At some point, my husband will get brave enough to put gas in the new log splitter we bought and we'll split the wall of tree sections into usable firewood. For next year. He wastes a lot of time just drinking and watching movies over and over again while yelling and cursing at the characters. So, I'm very happy when the house is calm and quiet and it's just me and the dogs. Even though I miss my kid, I perfectly understand why he doesn't want to spend a lot of time in the house if my husband plans to be home. My hubs, on the other hand, has no idea why we consider his drunk self obnoxious and unpleasant. Because he's in total denial about his alcoholism.

27 November 2023 11:19-12:25
Sunny Cold Monday Fatter & Slower
(Mammogram appt afterwards)

Precor elliptical #2
Program 3
Time: 30+5 (5680)
Distance: 2.87
Cal: 320
Avg Hr: 154, 202-83

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges

Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper stretch w side bends & twists

Neck stretch / Eye yoga

Tired But Happy

I was too stressed and totally not motivated to go to the gym yesterday. My kid finally got home after close to 8 hrs on the road with classmates. Traffic and weather were both challenging, but everyone made it home safely. But of course, my kid wanted to hang out with a HS friend just an hour later. In the middle of the night, in the cold rain. They left, then returned after 10 minutes and hung out at our house. I put another log in the wood stove and went to bed. It was raining this morning and I didn't want to get out of bed.

But having dogs means you always get up. We got to the dog park later than usual but there was no one there. Because it was cold and wet. But eventually, a new pup showed up to play with them, so that was good. Still, I get to the gym late and the parking lot is crowded, probably because there's no school and the cinema is two doors down from the gym. There's a lot of people at the gym as well, including a woman I've never seen before on elliptical #1. 

I get on elliptical #2 and tap in Performance Program #2. I haven't had the best sleep so I'm prepared to tank this and not be upset. I continue to be surprised when I make it past 2.9 and today is no different. I'm also prepared to suck at pull-ups but I actually manage to complete both sets today. However, my grip has been affected by my wedding band putting pressure on my finger and maybe that's because dinner was a tad salty last night. I'm salt sensitive so I should've ignored the advice to salt pasta water so that it tastes like the ocean (but not the Dead Sea).

Everything is on course, even the Walking Lunges and Wall Squats. My only issue is with some lower back aches being exacerbated by the same-side Dead Bugs. I only do 2 sets of those, compared to 3 sets of alternate-side movements. I knew the same-side could be a problem though. It's one of the reasons I don't do another variation with legs vs arms: that just puts too much pressure on the lower back. The one-leg bridge helps loosen it up but the left lower back gets twingey when I sit at an angle or do other lopsided things. It's very sensitive and I have to be mindful of that. 

I finally read an explanation as to the naming convention of white noise vs brown or pink noise "music"... apparently it has to do with frequency and tones. Click on this link to read the article. I like the brown noise. White noise just sounds like static, but I think that's what my kid listens to when he has the tabletop fan blowing all night...

22 November 2023 11:42-1:11
Sunny Cold Wednesday and My Kid is Home Asleep

Precor elliptical #2
Program 2
Time: 30+5 (5818)
Distance: 2.91
Cal: 327
Avg Hr: 156, 198-87

HGPU 17 (ring causing issues)

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 40
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 42 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s (30s of hell)

HGPU 17 whew!

Monday Before FeastDay

I have 3 days to exercise this week before the annual day of gluttony, i.e., Thanksgiving. My kid is catching a ride home from university tomorrow with 2 classmates, a bit later than I think is prudent (he has an afternoon class). The weather forecast is for rain so I hope that the kids will not encounter any problems on the 6-hour drive. Of course, I'm worrying already.

My husband and I finally put together the log splitter we bought on Veterans Day because Home Depot offered free delivery. But that meant we had to assemble it once we got it out of the crate. It took 3-4 hours and thank goodness we had the assortment of pliers, socket wrenches, and other tools! 

At 27 tons, it should be powerful enough to split all the sectioned logs we've had stacked for the few past years. We're certainly using the wood stove to take the chill off the house since the thermostat is set at 62F because I don't relish big fuel oil bills and the dogs are supremely unhappy when temps are too hot. At the dog park, they're positively giddy and race about when the thermometer sits below 30F. Like it was today. 

I have to stop at the UPS store to return a shaker bottle to Amazon before I head to the gym. Since prices keep rising and CVS hasn't renewed its extremely valuable coupon offers, I've stopped buying my favorite protein drink, Ensure Max 30. Instead, I'm going to dip into my large plastic bottle of ON (Optimum Nutrition) whey protein powder and bring it in a shaker bottle with a separate bottle of water.  

The Amazon delivery came promptly and the only item damaged was the shaker bottle. Damaged right at the pour spout so it's useless because you can't drink out of it, and shaking it would cause it to leak. Totally useless so I've asked for an exchange, but I'm skeptical that the replacement will be any better. So I'm on the lookout for one at the grocery later... Because I'm impatient, and I like having backups.

I need a new shaker bottle because all my old ones (from about 10 years ago when they first became popular) are stained with the stink of grossly fruity pre-workout mix. Not mine either. It's what happens when you have a spouse who doesn't understand the difference between yours and not yours. I've taken to hiding items that I don't want anyone else to touch or use because putting your initials or name on it doesn't mean anything to people who don't read labels.

The gym doesn't look crowded from the outside but there are new people there that I don't recognize. Or maybe it's because I'm later than usual. I get on the elliptical and there's a fellow on the machine next to me. He's still pedaling when I finish so maybe he's doing a full hour? Most folks do less than the 35 minutes I do. Again, I'm skeptical that I'll be making it to 2.9, but I do! I feel more rested when I wake lately and again, it's either because I'm sleeping better due to the binaural streaming music or because I'm waking with the sun already up, or a combination of both. It's wonderful not feeling like I need a nap...

Last night was the first night this weekend that the husband didn't get totally sotted and I could sleep in my own bed. Friday the snoring was so bad from him being drunk that I got up and took my pillow to my kid's room to sleep. I won't have that last resort once my kid comes home for the Thanksgiving holiday, but there's always the sofa.

Pull-ups feel hard and my left shoulder is oddly sore but I can't figure out why. Maybe from wrestling with the log splitter yesterday? Happily, last Friday's Walking Lunges didn't make me sore and now they're a permanent addition to the routine. The 100 Dead Bugs are putting a slight strain on my lower back, especially the left side. The remedy appears to be adding a few one-leg hip bridges after the 20-rep regular bridge set. But damn those Wall Squats. I almost sat down gritting out the last 15 seconds.

20 November 2023 11:47-1:10
Sunny Cold Monday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 30+5 (5834)
Distance: 2.91
Cal: 326
Avg Hr: 160, 200-82

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 40
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 5 one-leg bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 41 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s (30s of hell)

Interval Program Today

I'm not usually sore after the DB Shoulder routine, especially since I only did 2 sets with the heavier 20-pounders. I've done more in the past. Of course, I was younger then. Not that I'm really old, but I'm always taken aback when I see people's photos in the newspaper or speak to folks and find out how old they really are. It's always a lot younger than I thought! People just don't seem to be aging well, or maybe it's just the criminals in the local news? Is it hard living or genetics? Today, I note that my upper back seems a little stiff, but I feel the delts when I'm in the Stretch Cage as I stretch before pull-ups. And pull-ups are hard today.

I was worried about disappointing myself on the elliptical and I did get to the gym late. Again. Surprisingly, the gym is really quiet for a Friday! I can't spend all day exercising so I cut my cardio down to 20 minutes (plus 5 min cool down) and give myself a mental and physical break by selecting the Intervals program. The default settings for Intervals is trough = 4 elevation and 1 resistance, then hill = 10 elevation and 8 resistance. 

The 8 is too hard on my joints, especially my knees so I knock that down to 4, and later, when pedaling backward and feeling my hamstrings, down to 3. The cooldown defaults to whatever elevation was set last with a resistance of 1. I always do my "cooldowns" at an elevation of 7 with a 1 resistance. It's no different today, and I'm pedaling at 170 with spurts up to 236 SPMs. Which is quite different from the troughs where I try to keep myself under 130, and the hills where the goal is to pedal above 150 and more consistently at 176. Because the program doesn't provide for backward pedaling, I change directions halfway through. I can feel my hamstrings at the higher elevation but the sartorius muscle seems fine. It's a good workout and I'm thoroughly warmed up.

I cut another 10 reps from Crunches during the Core routine but everything else is routine. Except for Wall Squats. Because I can't hold the position for 90 seconds. It's probably the Walking Lunges across the Aerobics Room. When I exit, I give a brief thought to a second round of pull-ups, but honestly, I'm done for the day. And the delts are tired anyway. Next week is Thanksgiving and my kid comes back from school on Tuesday. So, I'll probably get a day or two of exercise next week. Probably.

17 November 2023 11:42-12:58
Sunny Friday

Precor elliptical #1
Program Intervals
Time: 20+5 (3734)
Distance: 2.02
Cal: 221
Avg Hr: 139, 200-83

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 40
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper stretch w side bends & twists
Walking lunges 41 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 60s

Apparently Not a Valid Excuse

Imagine my surprise when I woke up yesterday and my glutes and hammies were sore. Not just a little either. More sore than when I did that push-up challenge and got 155 total reps. More sore than I've been in a long time. That was my excuse not to go to the gym yesterday. I did other things. Today, I'm still sore but it's going to be 60F and I need to get moving. Once temps creep up past frost and into the 50s, I spray paint the bottom of my front door. I've been planning to fix the stains that have accrued over the past year, and I've still got some white Rust-Oleum. Then I can leave for the gym.

Tuesdays and Thursdays around noon is a very quiet time at the gym. I like that. When I start pedaling the elliptical, I realize that it's not just my glutes and hamstrings that are sore, but also the left sartorius muscle that originates at the front hip and crosses the inside of the thigh to disappear behind the inside knee. It's sore but it doesn't prevent me from pedaling so I do what I normally do: focus and sing to myself. 

Unexpectedly, I clock my best mileage in years. Which means being sore is no excuse for poor results. Maybe it's because I'm finally getting enough sleep? Or better sleep now that I've been streaming sleep-enhancing videos on YouTube? Some are better than others. There's also pink, brown, purple, and black noise. I guess in contrast to white noise? The videos have the advantage of leaving no sleep-hangover the way melatonin and other "natural" remedies do. I'm not a fan of chamomile tea either...

Thursday is the perfect day to do some weights after cardio and core since I won't have to fight anyone for equipment. The Aerobics Room is empty and I do everything on my list except for the Walking Lunges. I'll do those tomorrow along with Pull-ups. Because I need to leave something on the table for next day. During Crunches, I realize that my abs are sore and I don't think that's from the lunges. Maybe that extra set of Dead Bugs is doing something after all. It's just as well that I took yesterday off. I've read conflicting opinions about abs: some say work them every day; others say they're muscles and need a day off. Wall Squats still have me trembling, breathless, and ramps up the body temp with exertion. All for just holding a pose against the wall! 

It's been a few weeks since I last did DB Shoulders and happily there's no one in the DB area. The warm-up set is difficult, as expected. Moving up to the 10s is easier, and the 20s feel fine. But I'm running out of time so I only do 2 sets at 20 lbs, and I'm fine with that.

16 November 2023 11:40-1:21
Thursday & I Had to Paint the Front Door First cuz it’s 50°F

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 30+5 (5902)
Distance: 2.93!!!
Cal: 330
Avg Hr: 154, 197-87

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 50
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch w side bends & twists 25
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squats 90s (last 30 face flush)

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys
10 lbs x 25/15/25 warm up
15 lbs x 25/15/25
20/15/20 x 25/15/25 x 2

Skipping Mondays

When temps dip into the 20s, I'm still at the park with the pups but not very motivated to change into my gym duds. Yesterday was dreary, and I don't sleep well on weekends. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights aren't at all restful. It's stressful and tense and I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Living with an alcoholic is like that. Honestly, I'm always happier and calmer when he leaves for work on Monday, and not at all distressed if he doesn't come home the following weekend due to work scheduling. I'd rather do errands on Monday, get myself sorted and rested, then head to the gym on Tuesday.

Today is warmer and I'm comfy in my own bed (although I still need a new mattress) when the alarm sounds. I don't know if it's the later wake-up time (no more Daylight Savings Time until March), the binaural sleep videos I've been streaming, or the fact that I've cut the amount of meat I eat during the week, but my cardio has been really good lately. It's kind of freaky. Three days of relative inactivity so I'm prepared to struggle to make 2.8 on the elliptical. 

Imagine my surprise when I make it to 2.9 again. The elliptical console displays SPMs (Steps Per Minute), calories, HR, and Time Passed. The SPM display also toggles between total steps taken and miles. Normally, once I make it to 300 calories, I tap the SPM button and it tells me 2.7 or 2.71 miles. This is usually 29 minutes in and since I don't slow down for the 5-minute cool down that follows immediately after, I have 6 minutes to do another tenth of a mile. It sounds easier than it is. Lately, "300 calories" displays "2.68 miles". Which makes me panic and wonder where I've lost the 2-3/10s of a mile. Weird. And I peddle like crazy and think I'll just miss the mark at 2.88... but I don't? It could be the equipment, but since I used a different elliptical last Friday, and the results were the same, it's got to be me. 

Pull-ups were reliable and only the last rep needed a bit of body English as my knees pulled up to help. The gym is very quiet and there aren't many members. Good for me! I finally remembered to do the added movements to my Core workout with side-bends and hip twists. I even lunge-walk across the room and back after Air Squats. I cut back 10 reps on crunches and add another set of 20 to Dead Bugs. Of course, the hardest exercise is the 90 seconds of Wall Squats. I have to skip the second set of pull-ups because la Grande Dame is in the Stretch Cage like a spider monkey. I'm not waiting around.

I go to the grocery and finally see packages of rambutan. I was looking for those last week. They were cheaper two weeks ago, disappeared last week, and are now a tad more expensive but the package is bigger. The last time I remember having rambuttan was in Hawaii where we bought some off the back of a pickup. These odd-looking fruits resemble floppy sea urchins, and are like a drier, less sweet version of lychees with a thick papery skin, firm white flesh and a pit in the middle. They don't have the same perfumey quality as lychees either. Which can be a good thing. Or not... 

14 November 2023 11:19-12:52
Tuesday Chilly & Dull

Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30+5 (5784)
Distance: 2.90
Cal: 324
Avg Hr: 157, 200-84

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 50
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 26
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch w side bends & twists 25
Walking lunges 38 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squats 90s (last 30 face flush)

Veterans Day Friday

There are a lot of cars in the parking lot today so I'm worried about how crowded the gym is. Someone is pedaling elliptical #1 so I clamber on to #2 which works just as well if not a bit noisier. No one can really tell with the din of the "ambient" music blaring from the speakers. I'm worried that being on a different machine, on a difficult program (because it's mostly flat on low terrain) means I'll be disappointed in the mileage. 

I start singing to myself anyway, the woman on the other elliptical leaves, and I gain another fraction of a mile. Which is great and terrible at the same time. Great because it's been forever since I've made it past the 2.9 mark, and terrible because of internal self-competition. 2.9 has become the new goalpost that I'll have to move past to feel successful.

Pull-ups are good for the first dozen, and then harder to get my nose to the bar for the next five. The last one requires kipping. The Aerobics Room is empty and I follow my routine, but completely forget to add side-bends. I'm also thinking about cutting reps on Crunches and adding another set of 20 to the Dead Bugs. The Wall Squats are slightly easier and I don't start to tremble until 70 seconds in. 

I've already decided to do the Triceps routine but undecided about the second set of pull-ups. Until I see that the Stretch Cage is occupied. I'm happy to nix that second set and just do the Skull Crushers and Rip Skulls. Done.

The husband is back from Boston today and while nothing hurts anymore, his hand is swollen, the ankle is twice the size it was and the ribs sport a deep purple bruise. But he doesn't see this as any incentive to quit drinking. Nope. His take away from last week's mishap is that he should just not trip. Yeah, alcoholics are masters of denial and delusion.

10 November 2023 11:24-1:00
Late Friday Veterans Day & Gym is Crowded

Precor elliptical #2
Program 1
Time: 30+5 (5844)
Distance: 2.91 !!!
Cal: 327
Avg Hr: 159, 195-86

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20/20/20/20 alt/ss = 80
20 Hip Bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 26
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch w side bends
Eye yoga
Wall Squats 90s (last 20 trembling)

Skull crushers / RipSkulls
30 lbs x 12/12 reps x 3 sets

Like a Bald-Faced Hornet

I was surprised with the loaner car I got from the dealership's repair shop. Normally, I wind up with a base model Forester that feels cramped and low-budget. This time, I was surprised by the size of the vehicle. From the back, I can see that it has higher clearance than a normal sedan, or probably even my old Forester, which with its leather seats is a "Premium" edition. 

This loaner is the Wilderness edition and it stands taller and wider. It has weird shiny metal pedals with Swiss cheese cutouts as if it's not quite finished and missing a rubber tread. In fact, this white car with the black trim reminds me of a bald-faced hornet when approached head-on. I dare you to say otherwise. 

The car drives nicely and has a Sirius radio account because it's a "courtesy car" used to drive customers about. (Sirius keeps flashing a warning about bad weather tonight into tomorrow, but the weather app on my phone says temps will rise to the 50s with some showers. Nothing I'd consider alarming.) I sat in a Wilderness Forester at the showroom last winter when my hubs needed to buy a new used vehicle after a tree fell on his car. It was very spacious and I immediately made note of it. So far, my only complaint is about the number of buttons and options on the steering wheel and along the door. Consequently, the buttons for the lock and windows are tiny and feel flimsy. 

Weirdest pedals

The Forester Wilderness is much too expensive to purchase new, and car website reviews say that the Premium edition is a better value (cheaper) than the Wilderness, with better gas mileage, acceleration, and stopping speed. I'll keep this all in mind when I'm in the market, probably in a few years. Right now, my main concern is making sure I don't let dog hair accumulate when I take the pups to the park in the morning. The loaner agreement states they can charge me a $200 cleaning fee if there's smoking or pet fur! I remove the dog hammock and shake it all out after the park. Dog fur is insidious and transfer seems inevitable so I'm trying hard to minimize contact. No word from the repair shop today so I have no idea how long I'll have this vehicle.

I get to the gym late and am surprised that mid-week, the gym's not very crowded. The parking lot is virtually empty. Two old men take up cycling on the bikes directly in front of the ellipticals. One of them, Loud Mouth, must've gotten hearing aids because he's no longer screaming at the fellow next to him. I ignore them, close my eyes, and pedal to my tunes. Two songs in and I start singing along to myself. I'm pretty sure no one can hear me, especially with the "ambient" music blasting. Program 3 has traditionally been a bit grueling and I worry that I'm not pedaling fast enough. Except I'm able to ramp up during the last 5 minutes and actually hit that elusive goal mark of 2.9. Yaaay me!

I'm a bit breathless and very sweaty when approaching the Stretch Cage so of course I wonder if I'm going to be too tired to pull myself up. But that's silly because in my case, strength is something that doesn't wane with cardio fatigue. I get my 17 pull-ups and then head off to the Aerobics Room. I keep reviewing my exercises, wondering which ones I can modify or eliminate to cut time, especially since I added Wall Squats and think I should also try some Side-Bends or Twists since my sciatica has remained dormant for months now. Should I ditch the planks? Are they doing anything for me? I feel my abs during those 60 seconds. Just like I feel my abs when I do Dead Bugs and I attribute that to doing the "warmup" crunches beforehand. And I'm better at Dead Bugs now, being able to switch from alternate sides to same sides without the stumble.

When I emerge from the Aerobics Room, there's no one in the Stretch Cage so I get my second set of pull-ups. I've taken to just letting my legs hang down so I can focus on keeping my body straight and rigid. It's only during the last few reps that my legs start to curl up to assist. I'm trying hard not to resort to kipping. 

I've always thought that dogs recognize the noise of the car and so, don't bark when I back into the driveway. They go nuts if anyone else, including my hubs, pulls up. Which puzzles me when I drive the loaner car home and back into the driveway. Not a peep from my pups. As if they know it's me. The loaner is whisper quiet compared to my jet plane car. How do they know it's me coming home? Are they psychic? 

8 November 2023 11:30-12:56
Late Wednesday With the Loaner

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 30+5 (5788)
Distance: 2.90
Cal: 325
Avg Hr: 155,207-85

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20/20/20/20 alt/ss = 80
20 Hip Bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 26
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch with 5 side bends
Eye yoga
Wall Squats 90s (last 30 trembling limbs)

HGPU 17
 

Bad in a Good Way

I finally decided to sleep in my kid's room last night after two nights on the sofa. The sofa isn't horrible, but it has 3 designated seats so it's not flat. It's not that the bed is unusable but that my hubs has commandeered my pillows and some of my blankets to prop himself up in bed. I was hoping for a pleasant quiet weekend with him out of town working, but that got rescheduled so he came home Friday night and then got stupid drunk. Drunk enough to apparently fall into the stair railing outside and injure himself. And why was he outside? Don't ask drunk people the reasons for doing stupid things.

He spent hours limping and moaning through the house Friday night, my dogs hiding because they can smell the alcohol emanating from his pores as he stumbles and mumbles like an oversized toddler. Finally, he passes out in bed and I sleep in the living room with the dogs. When I get back from the park Saturday morning, the hubs is sober and asking if I can wrap his ankle and his hand which are both swollen and probably sprained. We have a box of instant ice packets (works just like chemical hand warmers except it gets ice cold) and I attach the little bags with ace bandages. I spend Saturday looking for crutches and find only one store (a small private pharmacy that has resisted all the major chains) that actually carries them. Everywhere else offers canes and the ability to order crutches for later pick-up, but that's not what I need. With crutches, he can hobble to the bathroom.

Because the hubs is mostly confined to bed, he can't drink the vodka I find stashed under his desk and pour down the drain. By Sunday, he's able to stand well enough to shower. Today, he's able to drive to work out of town. I told him he's got to deal with his drinking problem. What I haven't said yet is that the next time he takes a tumble he might actually break something, like an arm or leg, or worse. I've read that the weight loss wonder drug Ozempic or Wegovy has the ability to curb alcohol addiction. And that treatment with naltrexone can also be used as treatment. But of course, it's up to the afflicted to agree to treatment... I'm hoping this injury is a wake-up call. But there's no predicting the future.

The bed reeks because he hasn't showered in 2 days, and the sheets are filthy from his wrapped foot not being able to fit into slippers. After two nights on the sofa, I decided to climb into my kid's bed. It's very comfortable because there's no box spring. Under the thin mattress is just plywood, which makes the bed flat and firm. Around 4 AM, I wake up to SNAP WHAP BOP. It's the sound of a mousetrap and when I turn the light on, the little body is still twitching in the plastic snap trap. I'm not leaving a tiny corpse in the room when I go back to sleep, so I grab a dog poo bag, pick up the trap still holding the mouse (a young tan and white pack rat) and take it outside, tossing the little body into the hedges and returning the trap to its spot in the corner of the room. Now I can go back to sleep...

The only place to do Wall Squats

Tonight I'm sleeping in my own bed with clean sheets and blankets and deodorized pillows. After doing a few errands, I'm able to get to the gym for cardio, pull-ups and core exercises. There's hardly anyone there but a few senior regulars and some college girls. Cardio is surprisingly good, maybe because once again I'm singing along to myself. I always worry when I'm standing in the Stretch Cage for pull-ups but they feel okay. Core feels very routine as well. 

I'm considering dropping elbow planks because I'm not sure if they're doing anything for me. (Actually, I'm not sure if crunches are doing anything for me either. I do feel my abs are a bit sore when doing Dead Bugs after crunches.) Especially after reading an old (May 2018) article on the T-Nation site called 5 Redundant Exercises You Just Don't Need. The Wall Squat isn't getting any easier but I grit my teeth through 90 seconds. I'm fully psyched to attempt another set of pull-ups but the Grand Dame is in the Stretch Cage, so time to go... 

Tomorrow I won't make it to the gym as not only do I want to vote in the local elections, but there's dog park time, and then I drop my car off at the repair shop for all the necessary fixes to the engine, brakes, bearings, tire... Oh, but I really want a new mattress. 

6 November 2023 11:33-12:51
Late Monday After a Weekend Bad in a Good Way

Precor elliptical #1
Program 2
Time: 30+5 (5752)
Distance: 2.89
Cal: 323
Avg Hr: 153, 190-84

HGPU 17

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20/20/20/20 alt/ss = 80
20 Hip Bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 26
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga
Wall Squats 90s (last 30 face flush)

Better Than I Expected

I'm not surprised that I'm sore when I wake up this morning, but not sore enough to keep me from going to the gym. Although it was frosty at sunrise, temps start to warm up and I'm pleasantly surprised that gym is mostly empty. It'll be the first non-rainy weekend in over a month and there is a lot of road traffic. There's an old guy on the exercise bike in front of my elliptical, and once he's gone, I happily start to mouth the songs in my playlist. I'm pretty sure no one would be able to hear me even if they were on the adjacent machines, but I'm less self-conscious if there's no one immediately around me.

Other than some minor shoulder soreness, I feel pretty good and the cardio data backs me up. Just shy of 2.9! So close! Just like yesterday. It's rare that I'm good two days in a row though and I worry about whether I can hoist myself up for pull-ups. Pull-ups are actually good and I'm really happy. Core exercises feel routine but this time I manage to do all four sets of Dead Bugs without false starts. The only issue I have is with the 90-second Wall Squats and I find myself twitching and aching to stand up straight after 60. The next 30 seconds have me panting and perspiring! At least I don't limp away.

I head out to the Stretch Cage still wearing my zipped-up hoodie and wonder if I can make more than 12 reps. They're not pretty, but I do get to 15. Done! Meanwhile, I wonder why a package of kiln-dried firewood (.75 cu ft) seems so heavy. I got on the home scale last night and weighed myself with and without an armful of firewood. Twenty pounds exactly! Yet, carrying a 20 lb DB feels a lot lighter. Maybe it's carrying a larger volume in the arms vs. the concentrated weight in a single hand? I don't know. 

I also don't know why I seem to get better mileage when I'm singing along to my tunes. It's not as if I ever exercise without music, and it's the same playlist each time. The only difference might be that when I'm singing along, I'm better able to keep a more accurate pace with the rhythm? Singing while running is supposed to help clear the airways, not that I'm actually running. Or really singing. Again, I have no freakin' idea... I am one of those people who can't sit still at a concert or even a movie about a concert. I'm always bopping in my seat because the music just makes me want to dance all over. Yep.

3 November 2023 11:39-1:06

Late Friday & I’m a Tad Sore

Precor elliptical #1

Program 1

Time: 30+5 (5770)

Distance: 2.89

Cal: 323

Avg Hr: 147, 194-78

HGPU 17 yaaay!

20 Hip Bridges

Crunches 60

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20/20/20/20 alt/ss = 80

20 Hip Bridges

Elbow Plank 60s

Quick Child’s Pose

Cat stretch 12

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Push-Ups 26

Air Squats 25

Upper body stretch

Eye yoga

Wall Squats 90s (last 30 face flush)

HGPU 17

Gonna Feel This Tomorrow

It was 27F outside and I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. But the pups and I went to the park and they were happy to run about in the cold wet leaves. Before heading to the gym, I had to stop by a grocery to buy two bundles of "supermarket" wood, aka kiln dried because even though I have a lot of aged, dry wood, it lights better if there's one piece of oven-dried to start it. 

An elderly woman with a tiny child, a grandmother and tot I presume, asked me if I needed any help as I reached over a bound pallet of the packaged split wood to grab loosed ones at the top. Not that she'd be able to help me anyway since it looked to me that she was actually shorter and older than me. But I'm bad at determining people's ages. And "short" people often turn out to be taller than I am because I'm a big person in my own mind. 

It's kind of chilly in my house with the thermostat set at 62F. I light the wood stove when that starts to drop down toward 60 or lower. In fact, I got so cold that the no-touch instant-read thermometer (not 100% accurate but close enough) told me my forehead was 96.1, the top of my hand was 93.5, and my fingers were so cold that they didn't actually register. Instead, the thermometer says "Lo" as in too low to measure. But I can't find anywhere online to tell me what the temperature range is for these types of thermometers. How low is too low? I have no idea. 

The parking lot is nearly empty and that suits me just fine. I get on my favorite elliptical and pedal furiously while thinking about cheap heart rate monitors. The Consumer Reports lists one that actually doesn't have such great reviews, but it's a lot cheaper than an Apple Watch. The 3Plus HR+ lists for $30 in the magazine, but not in real life online. The tracker's own website lists it for $50, but still cheaper than even an old Apple Watch ($250). 

I skip pull-ups today because not only am I considering restarting my DB Shoulder routine, but my shoulders are feeling a bit off and I don't want to strain them. Not that the DB Shoulder routine wouldn't be stressful, but there are more controllable variables with those exercises than with pull-ups. I could cut reps, change the tempo, lower the amount of weight, do fewer sets. I do fewer sets. 

I also skip Wall Squats since I plan to do those tomorrow along with pull-ups. Of course, I'm assuming that the shoulders won't be sore and everything will be just fine. Because I haven't done this DB routine for months, I start light and slow, with just 2 sets at 20 lbs. The shoulders still feel a bit off though. Guess I'll see how they are tomorrow... 

2 November 2023 11:15-12:47
Frosty Thursday

Precor elliptical #1
Program 3
Time: 30+5 (5760)
Distance: 2.89
Cal: 323
Avg Hr: 157, 196

20 Hip Bridges
Crunches 60
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20/20/20/20 alt/ss = 80
20 Hip Bridges
Elbow Plank 60s
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Fire Hydrants 30 x 2
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 26
Air Squats 25
Upper body stretch
Eye yoga
Skip Wall Squats 90s

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys
10 lbs x 25/15/25 warm up
15 lbs x 25/15/25
20/15/20 x 25/15/25 x 2