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
