Walking in the Wee Hours

It's fairly normal for me to wake around 4:30 AM to visit the bathroom. Usually the dogs are sound asleep in the living room. Last night I woke at 3:30 and didn't really have to pee, so why was I awake. As I trudged off to the bathroom (just in case), one of the dogs ran up to me doing a frantic potty dance. Ugh. I managed to don my boots, flannel pants, headlamp and parka before snagging the leashes. Yes, plural. Because if one pup is going for a walk, then the other one wants to go too. Of course. It's 38F, quiet and dark outside. We're back by 3:45 after a visit up the road to the overgrown roadside flora. Yes, it was messy and I'm glad I didn't wake up to that inside the house. Maybe it was the dog that woke me up at 3:30?

We still went to the park and the dogs got to run zoomies through the crunchy yellow leaves on the ground. I'm dragging because I'm tired. Interrupted sleep does that to me. And probably you too. So, I get to the gym later than I'd like, but at least I get there. It's not nearly as crowded as I expected, but Wind Breaker is on elliptical #1, and #2 is missing the bottom of the "cup" holder. WTH? I get on #3 and I don't hear or feel any clunking, so I'm happy. Although I'm so tired that I don't make it to 2.8, but hey, I showed up. And I got three sets of pull-ups. Between my other cardio endeavors.

Which of course means that by the time I get to the Aerobics Room, I'm ready for a nap. Not really, but I imagine if I closed my eyes and did some deep breathing, I'd be asleep in a moment. It's really only during hip bridges and bird dog planks that I feel my sciatica. It still harasses me every time I stand up and walk after sitting a while. I still have to shake out my tingling toes and forefoot, the numbness gripping my hip and lower calf. Eventually it dissipates. And then I forget I have this injury. At least until the next time. It's become an "inconvenience" and might never go away. Which is annoying, but isn't going to significantly ruin my life. But it does slow me down when I'm trying to shift gears...

Tomorrow I have a dermatologist appointment. I'm shocked I got one so quickly! But I want an actual skin doc to look at what's happening under my eyebrows cause I've known too many people who contracted skin cancer. I personally don't think it's skin cancer, but I'd rather be safe. And if there's a way to remove or at least forestall whatever the heck is happening on my face, well, that'd be great...

When I drove to the gym parking lot, I glanced up at the big sign at the entrance. Normally I can only read the first two movies being run. This theater can showcase 8 films. I'm surprised to detect The Apprentice in the jumble of movie names. Oh, I wanted to see that! And then I remember that today is Tuesday, which means movies only cost $5. While the Joker movie is also still running, and I'm tempted to see Wild Robot because the trailer is so cute, I can't miss this opportunity. There's been very little advertising so this movie might not last past a week's run. I'm disappointed to see only two show times. 

There's an hour between the first run time and when I exit the gym. Fine. I can walk to the grocery to shop for non-perishable items and put them in my car. (I have a really good parking spot and I don't want to lose it.) There's only one couple in the theater watching the same movie as me. As the trailers start, another person enters and sits in the back. That makes 4 of us to see this movie. It got mixed reviews, and a lot of press about how difficult it was to release the film. I liked it.

Jeremy Strong is an amazing actor, and at the end, I almost felt sorry for Roy Cohn. Sebastian Stan was very good too, but I'm not sure about Ian D. Clark as Mayor Ed Koch. I lived in NYC during the Koch years. And I remember the Commodore hotel, because I'd gone to a Star Trek convention there when I was in HS. It was an enlightening film, and also a bit nostalgic, but I'm a native New Yorker: I grew up there.

15 Oct 2024 12:16-2:21

Tuesday — All Cardio

Brilliant Day — Timolol / sciatica

Precor elliptical #3

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5420)

Distance: 2.79

Cal: 306

Avg Hr: 148, 172-84

New FB: 54-132

HGPU 15

Matrix StairMaster (R)

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Minimum 5 minutes

Speed 5 (45-50) / 29-36 (2-1)

Steps 422

Floors 26

Cal 64

Hr 118

HGPU 15

Life Fitness X-Trainer #5

Program Manual L1

Time: 12 (+3min cool down)=15

Distance: 1.25

Cal: 112

Avg Hr: 125-128

HGPU 15

20 Hip Bridges

Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch

DeadBugs 20 x 5

Piriformis stretches

Quick Child’s Pose

Cat stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Push-Ups 25 (minimal tingle)

Arm rotations 20

Air Squats 25

Neck stretch / Eye yoga