Taking It Easy Friday

pockets!

I got a confirmation email this morning about the "Salamander Stroll" scheduled for tomorrow morning. It was reassuring to read an admonishment regarding proper footwear and clothing, long sleeves, long pants, insect repellent and sunscreen, water and a packable lunch with a carry-in/carry-out policy. 

Years ago, I was on a Scout hike where a parent showed up wearing bejeweled, thin-soled sandals more appropriate for the poolside than a trail trek. I don't know what she was thinking. (That family didn't last long in Scouts even though we tried very hard to encourage their participation.) If anyone shows up tomorrow wearing leggings, I'll probably smirk to myself because even though BSA Scouts now sells leggings for female members, I doubt if they're recommended for camping or hiking. But I have seen the Amazon review post of a large woman falling and rolling down a rocky hill and remarking that the leggings were still intact. And then she claimed to have purchased more because they were indestructible. 

I didn't notice any soreness from Wednesday's workout until I reached overhead during Dead Bugs in the Aerobics Room. Those triceps feeling a teensy bit tight. Cardio was fine although the gym seemed a bit warmer than usual. What I didn't expect was my fingers to be sore and tired, and that reduced my rep count down by 3 on the pull-ups. I got less steps on the Stair Master too, but that's arbitrary since all I do is set the timer and the level (speed). The machine itself speeds up or slows down all on its own so the step count will be different. It says my HR is way up there at 169, although not as crazy as the elliptical reading 209. Of course, the FitBit says "Calm the fuck down, your peak HR was only 144 today." That makes more sense. 

I wore new gym pants today, the pants that cost me as much in hemming as it was to buy them (I bought them at a steep discount). I like them because they're soft, drape nicely, have wide legs like palazzo pants, and most importantly, they have pockets! However, I will not be wearing them to go hiking, especially since I'll need to douse myself in DEET or picaridin because it's baby tick (nymph) season and Lyme disease is endemic to the area. Synthetics should not be doused in bug repellent chemicals if you want them to last. 

good lighting

I've become quite enamored of a newly discovered TV program called Your Friends & Neighbors with Jon Hamm. I hadn't actually watched Mad Men when it was popular and have only started the first season, but I know who Hamm is, mostly from his role as Gabriel in Good Omens with David Tennant and Michael Sheen. That was an excellent show and I'm excited to watch Season 3 although it's been abbreviated to a single 90-minute episode. Yeah, I probably watch waaaay too much TV... 

10 April 2026 1:27-3:19

Sunny Friday Before a Hike

Basics w sciatica & allergy

Precor elliptical #1 (2:05)

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5412)

Distance: 2.78

Cal: 306

Precor HR: 150, 209-92

Fitbit: 44-144

HGPU 16 (Tired fingers!)

Matrix StairMaster (R) (2:18-2:31)

Manual timer 11 + 2:12

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)

Steps 586

Floors 36

Cal: 88

Hr 169 (!)

12 Piriformis/Hip flex (2:43)

12 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica)

12 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20 (foot tingling)

Push-Ups 25 (legs shoulder width)

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Muscle Memories

Love pockets!

I'm beginning to think that my body really needs 4 days off to feel recuperated. I meant to go to the gym on Monday but my eyes were so swollen and the rims of my lids burned with every eye drop application, so I called my glaucoma doc and got an appointment for that afternoon. Apparently, having an allergic reaction is considered an emergency. I slotted 30 minutes to drive there, knowing that the road I normally use would be closed due to a drainage culvert being replaced. Unfortunately, the main road where all traffic was being funneled to, was also suffering from road work! It took me 20 minutes just to leave town, and I was really late to my appointment. 

Still residual swelling

The doc said that the latest drop I'd been taking was known for delayed allergic reactions, stating that one patient had been on it for a year before suffering enough to call it quits. I'd managed almost 3 months. Now I have an Rx for prednisolone to reduce the swelling for the next 4 days, then start with another old drug, Travaprost. Except the CVS has the prednisone but no record of the second Rx. Finally, I get a second notice but it's for latanoprost, which is in the same family as Travaprost, but not quite. Ugh. I call my doc's office. Someone will get back to me. But they never do. Never. I'll have to call again to find out if I'm waiting for a new Rx, or if I should use what's been stocked. 

I get to the gym and am very happy to be able to access elliptical #1. Afterward, I get a decent set of pull-ups and don't quite make it to 19 only because my right shoulder is twinging. My joints are finicky like that. I do a few minutes on the Stair Master and realize that the free weight area is really empty. Which means I can grab a bench and the 30 lb BB as well as a few DBs. I haven't done a triceps workout in months and almost forget how I'm supposed to do this. 

Happily, muscle memory kicks in once I lay down and get the bar positioned over my chest. Touch my forehead the first rep, then reach past my head for the second rep. That's a one count. I do this 12 times for three sets. At first, my left elbow clicks and aches a bit but warms up and by the end of the routine, there's no pain whatsoever. I'm really pleased that my sciatica is not an issue at all while doing this. (At this point, I've actually forgotten that I have sciatica! I credit the Step machine for that.) As filler between tricep sets, I grab some DBs and do lateral raises and then seated DB Alt Curls. Kids are starting to filter in but since Spring Break is over, and it's brightly sunny outside, it never gets very crowded. 

BSA pants & belt

The Aerobics Room is empty and ice cold. I know push-ups might give me trouble cuz of the triceps workout, but I make it to 25. Everything else is as anticipated, with Dead Bugs causing my sciatica to flare up, and Bird Dog planks making my foot go numb. I've been taking ibuprofen in the morning before taking the dogs to the park just because the ache when I wake is more than annoying. 

Still, I signed up for a "salamander stroll" through the Cornell Cooperative Extension to explore the Clearpool Model Forest on Saturday. It's a family thing so I'm sure there'll be a lot of little kids. If I'm actively walking through the woods, I should be okay. And because I hate being unprepared, I started looking for my hiking boots today (found them!) and pants that aren't stretchy knit fabric (bad for thorns and brush) that still fit me. 

511 work pants

Digging through my dresser, I found several pairs of pants that I viewed with skepticism, perhaps because I know I've put on some weight (although I've been trying to shed a few pounds). I'm actually really happy and surprised that while none of the pants were baggy, they all fit, as in I could zip up, button the waist and still drop into a squat. 

Even my slim BSA pants fit! Those are women's pants. [The shirt is an XL boys though, cuz the women's shirts are too roomy in the chest and just looked weird on me (back when my kid was in Scouts and I was the Advancement Chair).] Having a good belt helps though, and I still have my BSA webbing belt which is great because it's totally adjustable without the rigidity of notches. I am just soooo pleased! 

8 April 2026 1:04-3:12

Not A Bad Wednesday

Basics w Sciatica & Ophthalmic Allergy

Precor elliptical #1 (1:41)

Program 2

Time: 30 + 5 (5374)

Distance: 2.77

Cal: 305

Precor HR: 153, 188-82

Fitbit: 44-140

HGPU 18.5

(rt shoulder twinge & rt calf throbbing)

Matrix StairMaster (R) (1:55-2:08)

Manual timer 11 + 2:12

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (33) / 1 (29)

Steps 611

Floors 38

Cal: 91

Hr 151

Skull Crushers/RipSkulls (2:10)

30 lbs x 24 reps x 1

S/s with

DB Laterals w/u 10 lbs x 15 reps x 3

15 x 15 x 2

S/s with

DB Alt Curls w/u 10 lbs x 12 ea x 1

15 x 12 x 2 (2:37)

Was not bothered at all by sciatica!

20 Piriformis/Hip flex (2:48)

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (foot tingling)

Arm rotations 20 

Push-Ups 25 

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Moving Forward

Late is better than never and the gym was surprisingly empty for early afternoon. I got on the elliptical I prefer and pedaled until I was drenched. Consequently, pull-ups were so much better today. I probably shouldn't have stopped at 19 but I had already predetermined how many reps I was willing to struggle through. Actually, the first 15 were fine. It was the last 4 that seemed a bit tenuous, but I probably could've eked out another rep. Oh well. 

The free weight area was unusually empty so I took the opportunity to push some weights. It's been a bit since I last did DB Shoulders and the bench that fits me (mostly) was readily available. Eventually, people started trickling in and by the time I got to the "heavy set", I was ready to do more cardio. Which means instead of 3 sets, I just did one "heavy" set and I put quote marks around that term cuz I'm going for reps. 

The sciatica was moderately painful and sitting backward on the inclined bench, even though this is the narrowest bench, put a lot of stress on my afflicted limb. My remedy? Do some Stair Master for a few minutes. My cheeks are bright red. That's not unusual for someone like me, but I'm a bit weirded out that this flush hasn't faded even when I'm not overheated. 

The Aerobics Room is cold and quiet. I do my routine and only skip the Bird Dog planks and Walking Lunges. Dead Bugs exacerbate my sciatica and that numbness and tingling doesn't dissipate. Even during arm rotations, my foot is numb and tingly and the calf is clenched. Well, at least my glute doesn't feel like I've been kicked, even during push-ups. Those were fine. Air Squats were fine. 

My husband has discovered fugly Sumo Oranges and now declares that they are so delicious that he's spoiled to eat any other citrus. They are pricey exotics with 4 fruits ringing in at $11.00. I've never spent that much on just 4 items of fruit, although they are big and juicy, sweet as tangerines but seedless, with a thick peel that easily falls away. It's like magic oranges. 

Meanwhile, I've stopped taking the niacinamide while I'm suffering from this erratic allergic reaction. (I also wonder if this sudden persistent cheek flushing is also part of an allergic reaction.) What if the niacinamide isn't actually what it says it's supposed to be? Ugh. 

I can't stop administering my glaucoma drops so I've been carefully blotting the afflicted areas with Ivizia cleansing eyelid wipes, dosing my eyes with Olopatadine HCl (generic Pataday) ophthalmic antihistamine drops, and gently applying Aquaphor healing ointment. But because this does not appear to be 100% effective, I'm looking at other ocular allergy drops, such as ketotifen fumarate (generic Alaway). 

3 April 2026 2:07-4:11

Sciatica is Still A Bear Friday

More Than Basics w sciatica

Precor elliptical #1 (2:44)

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5422)

Distance: 2.78

Cal: 306

Precor HR: 152, 194

Fitbit: 43-142

HGPU 19

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys 

10 lbs x 25/15/25 (3:02)

15 lbs x 25/15/30 (3:10)

20/15/20 x 25/15/25 reps (3:20)

sciatica troublesome

Matrix StairMaster (R) (3:25-3:38)

Manual timer 11 + 2:12

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)

Steps 576

Floors 36

Cal 87

Hr 119

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Arm rotations 20 (foot tingling)

Push-Ups 30 (legs shoulder width)

Air Squats 25 

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Unanticipated Interactions

It's April and the past week has faked summer with temps hitting the 80s and then dropping into frost. Today, temps dropped 20 degrees within a few hours mid-afternoon. It has also been raining and yet our county is under a burn ban with a drought warning. Weird since there is mud everywhere. 

I've been puzzled by some facial swelling and peeling dry skin near my eyes but not symmetrically. Instead, the upper eyelid of my left eye and just under my right eye have been afflicted. I suspect that it's an interaction between one of my eye drops (I'm on three different ones) and either a new sunscreen (I was testing out two new ones that are both purportedly hypoallergenic), or two new additions to my supplements: niacinamide (in conjunction with calcium pyruvate for glaucoma) and red panax ginseng (for hypertension and cholesterol). 

I stopped taking the ginseng a few days ago but I'm still taking the niacinamide. I'm not even taking the recommended dose because that entails potential kidney damage and needs medical supervision. Niacinamide is a B3 vitamin that is supposed to aid mitochondria (power house of the cell) especially in sensitive nerve cells like the optic nerve. It's also supposed to not cause the dreaded "niacin flush" and yet today, after a vigorous stint on the elliptical machine, my face remains quite red... This doesn't usually happen. 

I'm happy with my Biore sunscreen but it is expensive for such a small tube. After reading sunscreen reviews, I started looking for the Banana Boat Light as Air specifically for my kid with the sensitive skin. Absolutely cannot find it on any store shelf but I don't really want to order a two-pack from Amazon if we can't try it first. I did buy sunscreen from Neutrogena, but it actually stung my face when I applied it. Bought sunscreen lotion from CeraVe, again a reputable brand. I suspect it's not the sunscreen. 

How weird would it be to have this type of allergic reaction from eye drops that I've been administering for months because something changed in my body when I added a new vitamin? 

Favorite old pants

Got to the gym after dropping off two pairs of new yoga pants to be hemmed. I finally found soft silky gym pants that mostly fit, they're just much too long and because they're not a straight cut, I can't hem them myself. The cost for professional hemming is what I paid for each pant, and even that is much less than buying these from a regular retail store. (I'm cheap; I buy my gym clothes at Marshall's.) Thank goodness the leggings craze is over. I hate leggings. They're basically thick stockings and I hate stockings. 

My favorite pair of gym pants is over 20 years old and sadly, the fabric is starting to fray at the waistband. I've made several repairs and the bulk of the fabric is perfectly fine, but once the waistband no longer holds the elastic inside, the pants won't stay on. These are the best pants I've ever owned and sadly, Land's End no longer carries quality items like this anymore. The new pants (one pair actually has pockets) both drape nicely without being clingy. Of course, they're black. It'll be much easier to say good bye to my old standby now. 

I got some new sports bras cuz they don't last forever either. One I bought just because I was intrigued by the one-piece molded neoprene front. No pads to slip into bra pockets. I wondered how comfortable it could be. Also, not horribly expensive. Win win. But what's with the latest sports bra trend -- corduroy texture? I have two pairs from two different brands (and styles) but with the same weird thickly ribbed pattern. 

I got to the gym too late to claim elliptical #1 so I started with the cross-trainer. It made my foot go numb and as hard as I pedaled, I really didn't feel very warmed up. The pull-ups didn't feel good at all and I know it's because I'm better if I start with the Precor elliptical. I did get to the Precor eventually, but only after doing the StairMaster for 13 minutes. 

In the Aerobics Room, I kept waiting for my cheeks to return to normal color, but they never did. I cooled down, but my face didn't. Weird, right?  The FitBit recorded a fairly high HR as well so it wasn't just that my face stayed flushed. Right now, as I'm typing this, my cheeks are still red and I'm not even warm. 

1 April 2026 1:33-3.30

Bizarre Allergic Wednesday

April Fools Basics

Life Fitness X-Trainer #5

(1:35-1:50)

Program Manual L1

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

Distance: 1.45

Cal: 116

Avg Hr: n/a

HGPU 15 (not warmed up enough)

Matrix StairMaster (L) (2:05-2:18)

Manual timer 11 + 2:12

Speed 5 (45) / 2 (38) / 1 (29)

Steps 581

Floors 36

Cal 87

Hr 154

Precor elliptical #1 (2:25-2:50)

Program 3

Time: 20 + 5 (3908)

Distance: 2.00

Cal: 221

Precor HR: 155, 200

Fitbit: 45-177 ?!!!

Skip HGPU 16

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30 (legs shoulder width)

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Sciatic Bear Outta Hibernation

It was over 70 degrees two days ago and perfectly summery. I cut down a nasty ailanthus (Tree of Heaven) sapling since it's a spotted lantern fly host and attractant, smells bad, and was growing much too close to my garage. It took me a bit since I was using a hand saw and I left a good three feet because I wasn't going to lay on the ground to do this. I might take a hatchet or axe and split the remainder to make sure this is a permanent removal. It's the tree in a movie (based on a book) my mom loved, called A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Oh well. Too bad it's an invasive species. I'm probably going to have to dig the roots out... 

My sciatica hasn't improved so I don't feel too guilty cutting my gym excursions down to just twice weekly. I almost didn't make it today and got there after 2 pm. Temps have dropped into the 40s, but the wet air makes it feel much colder. I'm surprised that the gym isn't very crowded, but it IS Friday, and the start of Spring Break for the local schools. 

I have a good "run" on the elliptical, and do even better with pull-ups, gaining a rep. I'm thinking I'm doing better cuz it's the afternoon, even though I'm starving. (I am just not a morning person at all.) Throughout all of this, my right glute aches like someone punched me. Thirteen minutes on the step machine and not only does the glute still ache, but the calf is tight and my toes are numb. I manage almost all of my routine in the Aerobics Room but skip the Bird Dog planks. Between the Dead Bugs and the push-ups, I've had enough sciatic pain for the day. Even Air Squats twinged a little. 

I saw an article about Pistol Squats and immediately reminisced about my 50s when I was stronger, lighter, and had fewer injuries. I remember doing a walking version of Pistol Squats when the gym had heavy two-inch thick mats that unfolded to several feet across. I could only do 3 or 4 per leg but it was still impressive, at least to me. I'd try this movement again if I didn't fear aggravating the already aggravated sciatic bundle. There's no way for me to know until I actually make the attempt, and I'm just not willing to take that chance. Yet. I am my own worst enemy. 

On Wednesday, I had a belated birthday lunch with a friend at a British tea shop two towns over. While I was disappointed that the Coronation Chicken (with South African curry spice) did not appear to have any curry spice, the cucumber salad and homemade zucchini walnut bread were delicious. And then I tried a pavlova, because I'd heard of it but never tried one before. Much much too sweet, but fun to nibble. 

27 March 2026 2:22-4:08

Sciatica is a Bear Friday

Basics w calf & toes sciatica

Precor elliptical #1 (3:02)

Program 2

Time: 30 + 5 (5402)

Distance: 2.78

Cal: 306

Precor HR: 1155, 190-77

Fitbit: 43-112

HGPU 19  Yaaay!

Matrix StairMaster (L) (3:20-3:33)

Manual timer 11 + 2:12

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (38) / 1 (29)

Steps 575

Floors 35

Cal 87

Hr 125

(Right Glute very sore)

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

    Skip Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25 (legs shoulder width while staring at side mirror—slower & more sciatic pain)

Air Squats 25 (sore glute)

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Sciatica is a Bear

I could say sciatica is a pain in the butt too. It's getting progressively worse but still not as bad as it was last fall. I got to the gym late and unfortunately both viable elliptical machines were in use. I decided to give the Life Fitness cross trainer a spin, knowing that it's a poor substitute for the Precor elliptical. Fifteen minutes and I'm barely warmed up, alternating between the stationary and the moving handles so as not to tire my arms too much before pull-ups. 

Pull-ups are fine but the ache from my right glute down through the calf and into my foot intensifies with each rep. The foot is numb as I step off the Stretch Cage and head toward the Stair Master. This machine usually gets my HR up after the elliptical, but the cross-trainer is not quite as effective. (If I push harder to pedal faster on this machine, I wind up with shin splints.) Elliptical #1 is finally vacant so I hopped on that for 20 minutes plus a 5-minute cool down. Finally I'm so warmed up that I'm drenched. 

The Aerobics Room is cold and I get most of my routine done without any issues. It's only the Bird Dog planks and push-ups that make my glute ache and my toes go numb. I find push-ups especially painful as I've slowed my pace in order to correct my form. For some reason, I really need to focus on keeping my head up so my neck is aligned with my back and moving slower is a lot harder. I'm lucky I got 25 reps cuz those last five were quite difficult, especially with my entire right side from glute to toes screaming in protest. I think I might have to put Walking Lunges on pause. It's taken 3 days to get past the soreness and I'm not entirely certain it isn't aggravating that pesky sciatic nerve bundle. 

My only solace is that after years of not doing any bicep curls or rows, I still have biceps. A bit too much subcutaneous body fat, otherwise they'd be more noticeable, but they're overwhelmed by the triceps. I have big triceps, especially for a small woman. If I drop a few pounds and add some curls, maybe I can sport summer arms in a T-shirt... I might be a Senior Citizen but I don't have to look like one. 

24 March 2026 1:49-3:36

Sciatica is a Bear Tuesday

Basics w sciatica

Life Fitness X-Trainer #2

(1:52-2:07)

Program Manual L1

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

Distance: 1.54

Cal: 116

Avg Hr: n/a

HGPU 18

Matrix StairMaster (L) (2:15-2:28)

Manual timer 11 + 2:12

Speed 5 (45) / 2 (38) / 1 (29)

Steps 591

Floors 36

Cal 89

Hr 111

Precor elliptical #1 (3:01)

Program 1

Time: 20 + 5 (3826)

Distance: 1.97

Cal: 216

Precor HR: 147, 179-77

Fitbit: 44-127

Skip HGPU 16

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (sciatica)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25 (legs shoulder width while staring at side mirror—slower & more sciatic pain)

Air Squats 25 (right glute sore)

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Happy Vernal Equinox

I didn't realize that today was the Vernal Equinox until I was informed at the dog park by the only other person with a pup. My dogs were quite ecstatic to have someone to zoomie with considering we've been "solo" for the entire week. Temps have risen to a pleasant mid-50s, and much nicer than the scorching heatwave engulfing the US southwest. It's likely that the area is on fire. Summer will certainly be interesting. 

I got to the gym late but it wasn't crowded so I was quite happy. But by 2:30, the HS kids had all arrived along with early shift adults. I got a decent "run" on the elliptical although my sciatica has been quite annoying. It didn't impede the pull-ups though, so that was good. I even got a second set in! And I added a minute to the Stair Master. It wasn't very noticeable which is promising. Guess I'll add another minute the next session. I still don't quite understand how the machine calculates the cool-down. I set the machine to show me time remaining and when the cool-down initiates, the console displays 2:12. Two minutes and twelve seconds. Isn't that weird?

The second set of pull-ups was slightly less than the first set but I expected that. Then off to the icy cold Aerobics Room. Other people wander in to do some quick stretches or a few DB curls. But no one ever puts their equipment away. It's rude and annoying. My sciatica is back to aggravation level during Dead Bugs and Bird Dog Planks. I do push-ups painfully slow so I can correct my form as I watch myself in profile in the wall mirror. I'm tired and only get to 25 reps. Good enough. But Air Squats were super easy. It was probably a mistake to add a simple runner's stretch to my routine. That's probably what's triggered the sciatica flare-up. Now it'll be weeks again before everything calms down. Ugh. Stupid, simple things like that wind up causing me a lot of pain. I should know better by now... 

20 March 2026 1:42-3:24

Vernal Equinox Friday

Basics w numb toes sciatica

Precor elliptical #1 (2:19)

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5370)

Distance: 2.77

Cal: 304

Precor HR: 140, 184-75

Fitbit: 42-138

HGPU 18

Matrix StairMaster (L) (2:33-2:46)

Manual timer 11 + 2:12

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

Steps 580

Floors 36

Cal 87

Hr 116

HGPU 16

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25 (legs shoulder width while staring at side mirror)

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Sciatic Persistence

The winds have been brutal for the past few days. Torrential rains yesterday. Today was bright and sunny and temps are dropping into the 20s tonight. The gym isn't very crowded and only a few people are wearing some semblance of green outerwear. My sciatica is a bit more troublesome today, mostly a clenched calf and some numb toes. It does not keep me from cardio, or from pull-ups. Actually, pull-ups felt fairly decent and I was happy with the rep count. 

Only one of the older Stair Masters is working. At speed 5, I'm working on my endurance. Today was 10 minutes with a 2 minute cool down, and it wasn't too bad. I'll add a minute each session until I'm comfortable with 15. The Aerobics Room was refreshingly cold and after a few minutes I needed to put my hoodie back on. Dead Bugs were easy but the Bird Dog planks still made my right foot go numb. Push-ups were okay but I noticed that my form really sucks: my head and neck are not aligned with my back and instead lean forward, making my face feel very close to the floor. I'll have to pay better attention next time. 

My kid is home this week for Spring Break. The dogs are very happy but lonely at the park as most of their friends have gone home to the city. It seems that a lot of dog park people bring their "grand pups" to play when they're dog sitting. This week there's no one to play with and the pups are bummed. Meanwhile, my kid made donuts for St Pat's with green buttercream frosting. 

I'm quite excited to discover we have a subscription to HBO cuz that means I can watch some movies on my list, like Death of a Unicorn and One Battle After Another. I'll still have to pay extra to watch Good Fortune cuz that's streaming on a different platform. And unfortunately, I don't have Apple TV, so that means I'm going to have to wait to see the next Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogan flick, Outcome. It looks promising though. Luckily, most trailers stream for free on YouTube. 

 

17 March 2026 1:35-3:13 

Late Windy Tuesday St Pats

Basics w calf sciatica

 

Precor elliptical #1 (2:13)

Program 2

Time: 30 + 5 (5326)

Distance: 2.76

Cal: 302

Precor HR: 151, 188

Fitbit: 42-144

HGPU 19

Matrix StairMaster (L) (2:25-2:37)

Manual timer 10 + 2

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

Steps 512

Floors 32

Cal 73

Hr 128

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30 (legs shoulder width)

Walking Lunges 20 / 21

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Winter's Not Done Yet

snowdrop flowers

So, it's snowing as I'm typing this. It was 80F two days ago and now it's 35 and the snow is sticking to the grass and shrubs, but not the roadway. Temps forecast to drop into the mid-20s so there's the danger of icy pavements. Dogs went to the park this morning and played with a canine pal in the pouring rain. We humans chatted in the shelter of the storage shed at the top of the hill. Yesterday, I found a clump of snowdrops (Galanthus) next to my basement doors. Hadn't seen those before! 

One of my pups came in occasionally to get dried off with an abandoned sweatshirt. People are always losing items at the park and they wind up forever unclaimed: jackets, eyeglasses, travel mugs. Some items are donated, like the portable heater and my electric water bowl, two benches, several metal water bowls, bug spray, first aid kits, pet wipes, assorted toys... 

I did make it to the gym. It was cold inside and not too crowded. Cardio was better than the previous day, but it's always like that. If I can maintain some consistency, I tend to see incremental improvements. Pull-ups were much better today, in spite of the horribly broken amount of sleep I got. I'd wake up every two hours then doze, then wake for a few minutes. It was quite disconcerting and the only thing I can blame it on was the cup of instant coffee I had yesterday. 

I don't normally drink Death Wish coffee but it was in the cupboard and I wasn't in the mood for tea, which has a lot less caffeine. It certainly tasted good.  Instant coffee isn't supposed to have a lot of caffeine either, but I should've paid more attention to the tiny print on the back of the sleeve: 300 mg caffeine. Yikes! No wonder I didn't get much sleep last night. 

And then because it wasn't crowded, I grabbed a bench and some DBs and proceeded to do my DB Shoulder routine. It's been a while, and the right anterior delt has been troublesome. It ached while I was laying in bed last night, and it's not happy when I'm constantly looping the leash over my head to keep my dogs from tangling me as they cross each other while in pursuit of interesting scents on our neighborhood walks. 

While I was quite flushed and sweaty in the free weight area, I soon cooled down and by the time I entered the Aerobics Room, I needed to put my hoodie back on for push-ups and air squats. Bird Dog planks and Dead Bugs are again the only movements that make my right foot numb and tingly, but that doesn't last so it's manageable. Tomorrow I see my glaucoma doc and I guess we'll discuss next steps... I get to see whether the doc thinks the "new" med (Alphagan P) is working. Cuz I really do not want an Ahmed shunt. I really think there's gonna be complications. And pain. 

Saturday is my birthday and I have nothing planned except to drive to the train station with my hubs later that night to pick my kid up (and maybe his roommate) since their ride decided to stay on campus for Spring Break. (That round trip Amtrak ticket is over $250!) Maybe I'll order a birthday pizza like last year: white clam pizza with bacon, spinach, & garlic.  

12 March 2026 1:03-3:06

Rainy Cold Front Thursday

Precor elliptical #1 (1:40)

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5394)

Distance: 2.77

Cal: 304

Precor HR: 153, 182 max lol

Fitbit: 40-135

HGPU 18

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys (slow & EZ)

10 lbs x 25/15/25 (1:57)

15 lbs x 25/15/30 (2:05)

20/15/20 x 25/15/25 reps

Set 1 (2:13); Set 2 (2:23); Set 3 (2:33)

12 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring & foot flexing

DeadBugs 20 x 5 

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30 (so hard after DB presses)

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Early Mud Season?

One does not expect temps to rise into the 80s in mid-March in the Hudson Valley. It's not going to last though and by tomorrow, temps will be more normal and closer to 40F. We're still susceptible to an errant snowstorm though, and historically, we've had snow well into the month of April. I know cuz I remember having to shovel every weekend April 1996. A lot of the snow is gone but big hills of packed snow remain, melting into the roadways and flooding a lot of the parking lots and streets. Mud season is upon us. 

I got to the gym later than I'd like, but still with plenty of time to get my routine done before the place got too crowded. A nice day like today and most people have better things to do, preferably outdoors in the sunshine. I honestly think that the two big snowstorms we just had helped me recover from this last bout of sciatica. Perhaps a combination of forced rest (no gym for almost a week at a time for at least two weeks) and the physiological stress of shoveling and traversing deep snow (you can't actually walk normally) seems to have reset whatever had been ailing me since last September. Go figure. 

I'm not totally cured and there's still tingling and numb toes, but I can walk my dogs and not need to rush them back to the house because my leg and glute ache horribly. Anyway, the gym unfortunately, like a lot of places in March, aren't about to turn their a/c on in the main rooms. So doing cardio was kind of miserable because the ceiling fans aren't enough. It means I get warmed up quite quickly and my face goes beet red. I wasn't focused during the first set of pull-ups and felt quite disappointed in myself. 

Being really spacey today also meant I forgot my water bottle in my car and rather than trek back outside with keys to retrieve it, I bought a bottle from the coolers by the front desk. But I've discovered that I really dislike those sport top squeeze bottles. The cap is conveniently attached to the bottle so you can't lose it, but when flipped open, it stabs you in the face as you drink. And it's hard to know whether you should suck the water out, squeeze the water into your mouth, or just try to pour it. I prefer my old water bottle, a regular bottle with a screw off lid, the plastic stiff enough to hold without collapsing in your grip. 

I got brave enough to set the Stair Master to speed 5 today, but only for 8 minutes plus 2 for cool down. It wasn't too bad, although again, my face turned beet red and sweat literally dripped off my nose. I went back to the Stretch Cage for a second set of pull-ups, determined to do a little better. I didn't get any more reps, but at least I felt my form was better, and that's what counts, right? 

The Aerobics Room was wonderfully cold. No Senior Class on Tuesdays or Thursdays, so the a/c stays on all day! I'm able to do all of my routine and exchange Walking Lunges for Air Squats today. My sciatica does numb my toes during Bird Dogs planks and Dead Bugs, but it's not persistent. 

I definitely feel like I'm finally recovering. Now I wonder if that errant vertebra has slipped back into position, but I guess I'll never know since there's no reason to get another X-ray. I'm tempted to hit the gym tomorrow and Thursday since I have a glaucoma follow-up appointment on Friday. I just wish the gym didn't take up so much time. Cuz exercising also means showering and a lot of skin care cuz I have high maintenance skin, especially in the winter. 

Right now I'm nursing a fissure on my thumb (from the cold dry of this season) that has split twice and makes holding things kind of dicey. It doesn't matter how often I slather it with cream, oils, lotion, petrolatum. It's not in a place where band-aids stay put either. It's no wonder that even on a hot day like today, I wore thin leather gloves to the grocery to handle everyday items. When I get old, people are gonna call me eccentric. I can see it already. 

10 March 2026 1:26-3:16

Late Tuesday Heatwave

Bare Basics 2/3

Precor elliptical #1 (2:03)

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5328)

Distance: 2.76

Cal: 302

Precor HR: 140, 184-74

Fitbit: 44-136

HGPU 16 disappointing

Matrix StairMaster (R) (2:25-2:35)

Manual timer 8 + 2

Speed 5 (52-45) / 2 (38) / 1 (29)

Steps 4246

Floors 2

Cal 64

Hr 132

HGPU 16 try again

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30 (legs shoulder width)

Walking Lunges 21/21

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Finally Friday

It's been raining for the past two days, and we still have a lot of snow. I took a selfie of me standing at the edge of the dog park where the packed snow is high enough for me to clear a 6' fence by 18". Yeah, we got a lot of snow. Dogs hit their 7 year mark last weekend and are a lot less playful these days, although going to the park to run about is a necessity. They also love getting attention from other dog owners, acting as if no one has ever petted them before. Fakers. 

What critter is this?

One of their dog friends discovered "treasure" and ran around with it dangling from his mouth. It's some sort of partial skeleton but we're at a loss as to exactly what sort of creature. Is it a bird? The pelvis seems wrong. Maybe a rabbit or a squirrel? What's surprising is how most of the leg bones are still attached via desiccated ligaments. We (humans) managed to grab the bony prize and put it in a trashcan. Dogs were quite bummed but soon distracted by other things. 

I got to the gym very late today but it wasn't too crowded yet. Eventually the HS kids will show up and overrun the place. Today, I got on elliptical #1. It was set with the pedals at a high incline, so I suspect that Thanos had been using it earlier since he's so much taller than the rest of us mortals. Wind Breaker was pedaling on #3 as always. 

Pull-ups were good until my fingers got tired. My sciatica is still present but a lot less annoying these days. Doing less is definitely working for me. Any excuse not to exercise, right? I feel guilty but not that guilty since my sciatica feels better! The step machines are vacant but I've already done 35 minutes on the elliptical, so I only do 12 minutes there. 

Actually, I wasn't sure how much cool down time the machine applies when I punched in 10 minutes. With 17 minutes, the machine gives me a bit over 3 minutes (3:24) -- I'm not sure how it's calculated. Next time I'll set the timer for 15 and see what shows up during cool down. No second round of pull-ups -- the gym was full of kids and I wanted to hit the Aerobics Room before that got crowded. 

The only movements that were sciatica-aggravating were Dead Bugs and Bird Dog planks. But the foot numbness and tingling didn't last too long. Next time I'll do Walking Lunges instead of Air Squats. I'm sure if I do them more frequently, I'll be less sore the next day. 

6 March 2026 1:42-3:19

Late Rainy Friday

Bare Basics w sciatica

Precor elliptical #1 (2:20)

Program 2

Time: 30 + 5 (5

Distance: 2.74

Cal: 298

Precor HR: 151, 188-79

Fitbit: 42-142

HGPU 18 (tired fingers)

Easing back Matrix StairMaster (L) (2:35-2:47)

Manual timer 10 + 2

Speed 4 (40-45) / 2 (33-29) / 1 (24)

Steps 489

Floors ?

Cal 75

Hr 172?!

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30 (legs shoulder width)

Air Squats 25 (next time Lunged)

Skip Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Change is Good

I got to the gym late and of course elliptical #1 was occupied by someone new. Wind Breaker on #3 so I trudge over to the Stair Master and do 20 minutes there. Just like last time. I'll probably increase the speed next time, but for now I'm comfortable with speed 4. After 20 minutes, I'm warmed up but not sweaty and there's someone in the Stretch Cage. Which means I needed to find more cardio to do. 

Luckily, elliptical #1 has been vacated and I decide to do 20 minutes of program 1. Someone got fed up with the loose plate and just pulled it off. It's laying on the floor between the elliptical and the erg rowing machine. I wonder if the staff will notice. Finally, I get warmed up enough and the Stretch Cage is free so it's time for pull-ups. 

This time I try to flush all expectations from my mind and just do as many reps as I can get. Although the sciatica still nags at me, it's not as intense. It's more of an annoyance and I get more reps before my arms give out as my lower body involuntarily curls to assist. When I drop from the bars, my right foot is numb but not horribly. It's just an annoyance. 

The Aerobics Room is empty and quite chilly, which is fine until I cool down too much and I have to put my hoodie back on during push-ups. Walking Lunges are fine although I expect to be sore tomorrow. The only movement that causes a lot of foot numbness is the Bird Dog planks. Well, that and foot flexes after basic hamstring stretches. 

While temps are dropping into the teens tonight, the forecast for next week is crazy, potentially hitting 70F. In March. In New York State. Maybe we'll finally be rid of all this snow that's melted and frozen into hard slippery drifts. It's definitely Year of the Horse, a very tumultuous and not necessarily auspicious sign. I think summer is not going to be much fun, and will probably make us long for the cold snowy days... 

2 March 2026 1:50-3:26

Frigid Monday (dragging my butt)

Matrix StairMaster (R)

Manual timer 17 + 3:24 cool down

Speed 4 (40-49) / 2 (29) / 1 (21-24)

Steps 840

Floors 52

Cal 128

Hr n/a

Precor elliptical #1 (2:43)

Program: 1

Time: 20 + 5 (3834)

Distance: 1.97

Cal: 216

Precor HR: 154, 198-77

Fitbit: 46-147

(Plate removed)

HGPU 18!

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30 (legs shoulder width)

Walking Lunges  22 / 21

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Doing Less Is Working Better

My glutes weren't sore yesterday, but after a badly needed, late afternoon nap, I woke up with definite gluteal tenderness. Yep, it was those lunges -- the walking lunges would've been worse. Not sure why but standing lunges are somehow less intense. I wasn't all that active yesterday yet both my shoulders were also sore today, and my right elbow. Weird, right? Is it all really DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)? I don't know. 

I got to the gym a tad late cuz I wanted to get there after the Senior class was gone. They take up a lot of parking spots, AND there's not enough hangers in the locker room for winter coats in the coat rack. I guess I should be thankful that there is a coat rack since Planet Fitness doesn't actually supply that (yes, yet another reason I don't like PF). 

The tall, middle-aged guy (who looks like Thanos) is on elliptical #1 and Wind Breaker is on #3, as usual. Luckily, both of the older Stair Machines are working so I decided to do 20 minutes there. I'm still not brave enough to tempt my sciatica with the Life Fitness cross-trainer. Remember, this is the machine that gives me shin splints if I'm on it for more than 20 minutes. Because I'm having some joint soreness, I'm not expecting much from pull-ups. I do manage not to embarrass myself and score 15 reps. Not pretty but I can count them. 

Then, instead of hitting the elliptical #1 which is finally vacant, I decide to just do the rest of my core movements in the Aerobics Room. (I wanted time to take a long hot shower because this cold dry weather has been wreaking havoc with my super dry & sensitive skin.) My sciatica isn't bothering me as much lately. I'm thinking that doing less has been working better than the multiple times a week of physical therapy that just seemed to aggravate the inflamed nerve bundle. 

Maybe after a few more weeks of this half-ass workout routine, I'll be back to "normal" whatever that is. Of course, I'll also be older, and celebrating my 66th birthday. I'm definitely not seeing myself as old, but I did have to buy myself a new pair of readers since an arm broke off and I had to tape it together. But I need a second one for when I'm looking at my phone in bed. A 1.00  is the lowest power you can buy at a bricks & mortar store. Online, you can get 0.5 but those aren't strong enough. Most places carry 1.25-2.50 but those are for blind folks. Seriously. 

I renewed my driver's license online, and that was surprisingly quick and easy, but now the state requires an eye test. Too many blind people renewing their licenses?! Since I see my glaucoma doc quarterly and my vision gets tested each visit, I didn't have any issues. I'm not sure when the state started requiring vision tests for renewals, but they're not wrong. 

We have a lot of elderly people on the roads who shouldn't be operating heavy equipment. One of them T-boned my car several years ago: he literally didn't see me right in front of him. Eight-nine years old with thick glasses and a walker, destroyed the front end of his car (headlamp, fender, bumper) and didn't even realize he'd hit anything at all. 

27 February 2026 1:14-2:15

Late Mild Friday with Sore Shoulders & Glutes

Matrix StairMaster (R)

(1:15-1:35)

Manual timer 17 + 3:24 cool down

Speed 4 (40-49) / 2 (33-29) / 1 (21-24)

Steps 833

Floors 52

Cal 128

Hr 155

HGPU 15 (ugly / sore shoulders)

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25 (legs shoulder width)

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Been A Snowy Week

My car

I haven't been to the gym since last week. But that doesn't mean I haven't been active. What with the blizzard and having to shovel all that snow. It's definitely not the worst snowstorm we've ever had, but since we still had snow from the last storm, this was definitely unwelcome. The snow is definitely deep and I'm more inclined than ever to research a battery-powered snow thrower for next winter. It wasn't just my car, walkway and driveway that needed clearing. 

Dog park gate

Although the parking lot was plowed, all the gates to the dog park and inside the park also needed to be shoveled just to be usable. It was a lot of shoveling. While my back got tired, there was no residual aching. It was my forearms and the weight of the snow-laden shovel that made me sore for more than a day. It made me worry that it'd make pull-ups impossible. But that's me getting in my own way.

Cardio was decent considering it's been a week. I think not coming to the gym was actually beneficial for my sciatica. While I did a lot of shoveling and wading/trudging in knee deep snow, I didn't do much else. Pull-ups felt very decent and I was so surprised that I stopped at 15 reps because that's what I had expected, not that 15 was all I could do. Just got in my own damn way. While the sciatica did get aggravated during the last few reps, it wasn't nearly as painful as previous attempts. Meaning I didn't limp off the Stretch Cage when I was done. But I did do 10 minutes on the Step Machine, still at the lesser level 4 speed. 

Then off to the Aerobics Room for most of my standard routine. Since there were several individuals doing their own thing all over the room, I opted to do standard Lunges instead of Walking Lunges. I'll probably regret it tomorrow but it's good to switch things up every now and then, and I'm getting bored with basic Air Squats. Lunges didn't hurt so I'm hopeful. 

Actually, taking a week off has made my sciatica feel better. My foot still goes numb and tingly when I get out of the car and walk across the parking lot, but my glute aches a lot less lately when I'm standing in line. Maybe wbat my sciatic nerve needs is just enough down time to recuperate without anything aggravating it. Of course, being a total slug isn't in the cards since dogs need walking at least twice a day. 

Started watching an old favorite TV show, Supernatural, from the beginning: Season 1 episode 1. It runs for 15 seasons and I intend to rewatch it in its entirety because its still extremely enjoyable. Meanwhile, I'm a bit shocked to see Ryan Eggold, the hero doc Max Goodwin from New Amsterdam, transformed into a scary psychotic serial killer in Cross, a version of the Alex Cross series by James Patterson. The character Alex Cross is played by another familiar face Aldis Hodge, from the 2008-2012 TV series Leverage, and its subsequent sequel almost 10 years later, Leverage Redemption (2021). 

Meanwhile, I'm still watching episodes of NCIS (season 18). I appreciate shows that are still written to convey messages of morality and patriotism instead of just trying to mind fuck the audience. Watching actors like Mark Harmon and Joe Spano (Hill Street Blues, what a great show!) as they age on screen is reassuring, making it easier to accept that none of us are getting younger. It's a lot of effort just to stay in place! Yes, I still get a kick out of seeing Robert Wagner show up as Tony DiNozzo's dad cuz I remember watching him as Alexander Mundy in a show called It Takes A Thief. It's funny what you remember from your childhood. 

25 February 2026 1:23-3:04

Late Wednesday Post Blizzard

Sore forearms from shoveling

Precor elliptical #1 (2:02)

Program 1

Time: 30+5 (5344)

Distance: 2.76

Cal: 302

Precor HR: 144, 205-76

Fitbit: 45-139

HGPU 15 (could’ve done another rep or 2)

Matrix StairMaster (R fixed)

Manual timer 8 + 2 cool down

Speed 4 (40-49) / 2 (33-29) / 1 (21-24)

Steps 402

Floors 25

Cal 61

Hr 110

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (numb foot)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30 (legs shoulder width)

Lunges 12 each side

   alt with Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Year of the Horse

Yesterday was Chinese New Year of the Fire Horse. It's suppose to portend a wild, unstable and temperamental time. Traditionally, birthrates decline during this period because no one wants to raise a baby under this omen. This past weekend was also Valentines Day, and Presidents Day weekend. And NY schools are closed for the week for mid-winter break, something we did not have when I was a child. Today is also Ash Wednesday. Seems like a lot of events all smushed together in a very tight week. 

The husband and I did eat at a new local Chinese eatery over the weekend and had some tasty tonkatsu ramen with added duck, bamboo shoots, fish balls. Long noodles and dumplings are recommended during New Year sine they signify long life and wealth. But of course, they also taste good. 

Today is the first day I've been to the gym all week, and the week is half over. It's been raining all day and there's still plenty of snow everywhere. I'm later than I'd like and expect the gym to be crowded. It's not. But I can't use the elliptical because a girl I've never seen before says she's going to use it as she adjusts her earbuds and water bottle. Whatever. I don't think she's on there very long but I've already moved on to the Stair machine. Unfortunately, even 15 minutes isn't really enough for an adequate warmup. This means that pull-ups are rather abysmal. Yes, I can get 15 reps but they are rather ugly. My sciatica is not appeased. 

Because the free weight area was unexpectedly quiet, I saw my opportunity to finally do a DB Shoulder routine. It's been months! I'm nursing a sore right shoulder but that's can be adjusted for. The shoulder is most likely due to my dogs on a walk constantly switching back and forth, left to right, right to left and me having to loop the leash overhead to untangle them. It's less likely to trip me up than having to step over and between leashes. 

Once I got the weights done, I went back to the cardio platform and got on elliptical #1. Wind Breaker was still pedaling. I think he pedals for 3-4 hours every day, but I'm not sure what the point is. He doesn't seem to do anything else at the gym. Elliptical #1 is behaving a bit differently: not making the grinding noise on a descent, probably because the machine doesn't seem to be able to make a descent regardless of what the console displays. I chose to do a different program: Intervals for 20 minutes and I didn't feel or see the pedaling platform adjust from level 10 down to level 4 and back up again. I wonder if the other programs are similarly impacted; I'll find out next time.

In the Aerobics Room, a woman has laid out several pieces of equipment: ropes, plates, DBs, step up platform, a jump rope and a mat. I asked her if there's a class cuz maybe I stumbled into an afternoon class I didn't know about, and she said, No, it's just her. Cool. I take a mat to the corner and do my usual routine. My sciatica is still kicking my butt during Bird Dogs, push-ups, and even Dead Bugs. But it's not a surprise, just a resigned disappointment. I'll be so happy when one day I wake up and suddenly realize that there is an absence of pain. It'll indeed be something to celebrate. 

18 February 2026 1:12-3:21

Late Wednesday Cold Rain

Mid Winter Break so HS kids

Easing back Matrix StairMaster (L)

(1:15-1:31)

Manual timer 13 + 3 cool down

Speed 4 (40-49) / 2 (33-29) / 1 (21-24)

Steps 630

Floors 39

Cal 97

Hr 153

HGPU 15 (ugly since I'm not very warmed up)

Incl DB Press s/s Lateral Raises s/s Rev Incline Flys (slow & EZ)

10 lbs x 25/15/25 (1:44)

15 lbs x 30/15/30 (1:52)

20/15/20 x 25/15/25 reps

Set 1 (2:00); Set 2 (2:09); Set 3 (2:20)

Precor elliptical #1 (2:53)

Program Intervals 8/3

Time: 20 + 5 (3564)

Distance: 1.94

Cal: 208

Precor HR: 137, 182max 87 min

Fitbit: 46-147

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 25 (legs shoulder width)

Air Squats 25

Skip Neck Stretch / eye yoga

Ignoring Medical Advice

I planned to go to the gym yesterday but I was so exhausted by the time I got back from the dog park that I canned that idea and went grocery shopping instead. The last thing I need is to ignore fatigue symptoms and let myself come down with another unnamed but persistent illness. The one I got at Christmas that lasted for over 3 weeks was quite enough. Today, I'm still tired but not as much. It seems to take me a long time to get basic chores done, so of course, I'm at the gym later than I'd like. 

Wind Breaker is pedaling elliptical #3 and all the rest are vacant. I get on #1 and proceed with program 1. There's a loud noise outside of the normal clunking and I look down to see that the plate covering the pedal rods has slipped out of place and is banging against the frame. I can reach down with my toe and slide it back into place. Once the program hits a severe incline, the plate slides down again and I have to pause again to toe the plate back into the position. 

While I started off with my quads feeling quite depleted, but by the time 35 minutes was over, I was actually less tired. My sciatica was still upset, as always, and my toes were numb. This got progressively worse when I did a few stretches at the Stretch Cage. Pull-ups were better than last time, probably because it's been literally an entire week since last I did this. There's only one of the two older Step Machines working and luckily, it's vacant. I do 10 minutes there, again, at the slower speed of 4. Because the machine varies its speed, the step count is different than last time, when again, I did 10 minutes at speed 4. 

The gym is getting crowded, especially with HS kids. Maybe I'll do the DB Shoulder routine tomorrow if I can arrive early enough. I've been crunched for time since I started walking the pups in the morning while waiting for temps to warm up a tad. Then I can defrost the car windshield and we can mosey off to the dog park. Also, dog friends don't arrive at the park until 10ish so another reason to wait instead of getting to the park at 9. 

Because my sciatica is abated by using the Step Machine, I decide to give pull-ups another go. I figure the worse that'll happen is that I make it to an even dozen? Am I being presumptuous? The gym has moved the Stretch Cage out from between the Torso Twist and the Lower Back Press. The problem is that people tend to slam the torso machine and that causes it to inch forward until it's literally pressed up against the Stretch Cage. I'm not sure how moving the cage out six inches really helps since the torso machine will still be creeping forward. Until someone drags it back into position. 

I was rather surprised that my second set of pull-ups was as good as the first set. Maybe slightly better. The sciatica didn't hurt as much during this set and I stopped at 15 from fatigue, not pain down my right leg. Then off to the Aerobics Room to do some stretching and bodyweight movements. Dead Bugs and Bird Dog planks are really the only movements that aggravate my sciatica. Push-ups are fine with the legs apart. Air Squats have always been okay. Should I add Walking Lunges? Probably not just yet. 

I did see the Orthopedic specialist with my MRI results. I'd been warned that he's pro-surgery, and while he's soft spoken and not at all pushy, he did state that he could only recommend either a pain management doc for steroid shots to relieve inflammation, or surgical options to reduce the narrowed vertebrae space inside the spinal column. I'm not inclined to do either of these things. Instead, I'm probably going to continue doing what I'm doing to see if I can regain my former exercise routine with less pain. Or I might visit the chiropractor with my x-rays and see if there might be a way get my spine back to a more stable position.  

12 February 2026 1:37-3:12

Late Thursday  

Bare Basics w sciatica

Precor elliptical #1 (2:16)

Program 1

Time: 30 + 5 (5308)

Distance: 2.75

Cal: 300

Precor HR: 145, 200-77

Fitbit: 43-135

Kept having toe the plate back into position after a program steep incline

HGPU 15 (w/ sciatica after 12 )

Easing back Matrix StairMaster (L) (2:28-2:38) right ft numb etc

Manual timer 8+2 cool down

Speed 4 (40-45) / 2 (33-29) / 1 (24)

Steps 401

Floors 25

Cal 61

Hr 129

HGPU 15

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!!!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30 (legs shoulder width)

Air Squats 25

Skip Neck Stretch / eye yoga