More Catch Up

Since the time change, I've settled in to fewer outdoor runs because even with my great reflective gear, it's hard to believe I'll be totally safe in these lonely places after dark. Maybe I'll start running along the highway eventually, getting back to exciting discoveries such as this abandoned vehicle,

 

 

but for now, absent evening runs and a gym membership, I've been making do with rotating the three garage routines I really like (med ball, resistance tubes, boxing, each of which integrates cardio intervals) and daytime jogs whenever I can grab one. Not much yoga lately either, which is too bad because I think it's a great workout. It just doesn't allow listening to science podcasts.

 

Variety tonight though! I tried a workout delivered by the doctor after her Sunday gym group met. It was the Twelve Days of Christmas plus the Six Closeout Sales plus 12 reps of various upper body strength exercises. I enjoyed it but had to modify a little bit. I haven't done many inchworms or bear crawls out in the garage, so I kept those to one lap each during the Six Closeout Sales part of the program. And I started with manageable weights so that 12 reps wasn't exhausting and I had to add reps rather than switch up the weights (cause that's too scary!) Finally I needed a full ab routine because this followed TWO DAYS OFF.  The audio portion was nice but a repeat of research I'd heard about before regarding differences in numbers of specific dopamine receptors in the brains of creative (healthy) persons and individuals with schizophrenia as compared to everybody else. It's always good to hear another podjock's perspective on bits like this. Dope seems to work its way into every conversation these days!

And the doc and I have been "enjoying" this article. It's not news to us, but we wish it wasn't gaining credibility. I wanna wake up to a compelling reversal of the low carb argument. I want those cookies and baguette. But things don't appear to be heading in that direction... Oh, wheat. We hardly knew ye.

 

We have decided that we know too much about all this health junk and that we will one day write a book. Since we still disagree, and many of my favorite ideas are still in the 'crackpot' division, the project might be slow to fruition.

Catch Up

Tonight I did that garage routine centered around punches (with weighted gloves) and kicks. It was fun, and I added a few more ab exercises to it since I'm off the restrictions now.

Yesterday (Sunday) I enjoyed a simple 4.5 mile run and then sat in the woods after dark listening to music. I'm pretty sure I took Saturday off because we had a faraway gig. On Friday, I did the garage routine that mostly uses resistance tubes and the step.

On that beautiful Thanksgiving Day, I went for a run. The weather was so perfect! The only hitch is that as I stepped out the door, they told me the turkey was almost ready and we'd be eating in 30 or 45 minutes. UGH. But I made it in time for dinner (and even a pre-dinner shower!)

I'm sure I didn't work out on Wednesday either, but somewhere early last week I did this routine, which was pretty fun!

Two minutes each of these exercises (medicine ball is involved in about half):
bounding, figure 8 scoop, mountain climbers, split pushup knee tuck, karaoke, balancing burps, high knees/butt kicks, front lunge pass under, triceps press matrix, jumping jacks, superman ball pass, spider jumps, v-sit with side to side, v-sit with ball between feet, scissor jacks, big circles, woodchoppers, standing Russian twists, squat to press, bounding, sit up with ball, Rocky solo, toe touches, squat jumps, suitcase crunch, lunge walk with oblique twist, diagonal crunch, calf raises.

Workouts are for Holidays too!

I am HAPPY to report that I worked out HARD on Thanksgiving. Infinate CU had a FREE turkey day workout which was a P90X workout. Totally kicked my butt but have been so pumped that I can still keep up (still a few modified moves due to the foot). Foot is getting better everyday and made a new friend in the workout world, Mr. Keback Song. Pretty awesome dude. I am in the front row with red hair, all black tank and shorts next to Keback.

Where Have I Been for Two Weeks?

Adjusting to the time change has meant moving the primary activities into my lovely garage, running any day that I can get home before dark, doing yoga when I've exhausted all the other possibilities, and integrating the PT exercises into regular programs. Behold the exotic locales!

I have two current favorite garage programs that I modify a little bit each time I do them. One is with resistance tubes, and the other brings back some boxing moves and athletic drills. I don't have boxing gloves and a bag, so I'm using weighted gloves, which makes mountain climbers and spider jumps a little more comfortable on the concrete floor.

Tonight I did the boxing stuff like this, two minutes for each thing, one time through, after a bunch of PT stuff:
bounding
mountain climbers
hooks, 1 minute each side
grande plie side bends
hooks, alternating
karaoke
knee to elbow, one minute each side
lunge walk with oblique twist
alternating jabs
inner thigh (left), outer thigh (right)
high knees/butt kicks
spider jumps
alternating crosses
inner thigh (right), outer thigh (left)
jumping jacks
roundhouse kicks, alternating
(at this point I took a break and put the garbage cans on the curb)
upper cuts, alternating
that thing where you point one foot out and slap the floor, then the other side (you know)
front, side, and back kicks
calves (only for 1.5 minutes)
bounding
shoulder raises with light weights in three positions
side ab bends
plies with light weights opening and closing at midline and overhead
hip hop pushups

Dr. nln and Her Friend Hott Wendy Go for a Run

Yes, they are still in Australia, but they completed the marathon a few days ago. She can't blog about it yet because she's on vacation or maybe still sitting in a tub of ice, but I know they both finished it and made a few remarks about a hill. Stay tuned.

Still got it!

Today I worked out at Skateland! I can still do all my derby skills and I even raced a few of my leaguemates and a very in shape speed skater. I beat my leagumates and was neck and neck with the speed skater. Had I been at 100% we would not have been neck and neck at all. That feels good, in fact that feels great!!!!I'm still fast! Now it's the regimen of getting back into shape and getting that endurance back. I must do burns...burns burns burns to get those quads in shape!Providing I'm not in too much pain tomorrow I will hit low impact turbo jam (jumping is still kinda painful). I may hit an open skate Tuesday night, more turbo jam, an then Sunday morning I will be going to speed practice. When I have a little less pain in my foot I'm going to start on the Insanity workouts. I WILL be ready for the next derby season!:)

My New Yoga Mat

Because it was Halloween and I'd done lots of PT exercises already, I just did part of the Power Yoga routine and then ate a bunch of popcorn at Argo.

But tonight I was able to get in an hour before sunset, running with podcasts on the science of some supernatural things and then stopping here for planks and more PT exercises.

One Minute at a Time

Sunday = run, cut from 5.8 to 5 miles cause I was late for a very important breakfast date + late evening attempt at "The Maximum Mass Workout" from Men's Health, which I couldn't complete because I don't have all the right equipment, but I did more reps to make up for less weight.

Monday = run 5 miles and jump in the hot tub. The voices in my head from a Neuroscene podcast told me that working out alone is not so great. Now I'm stumped.

Because I wasted the Tuesday sun by harvesting what's left in the garden and hanging around the grocery store, there could be no outdoor run! Back to the garage, working out alone against medical advice (podcast), I did everything here for one minute, except the jump rope warmup (five), and with as little transition time as possible between things.

Twice through, with heavy resistance tube or step where relevant: rows, chest flyes, incline chest presses, wall sit, standing abs (left then right), soccer drills.

Twice through, heavy tube, step: box jumps, lat pull downs, standing back row (left then right), burpees, chest pulls, side plank (left then right).

Twice through, heavy tube, step: box runs, back leg raise (left then right), bicep curls, upright rows, shoulder shrugs, plank.

Twice through, light tube, step: football drill, lateral leg raise (left then right), shoulder press, overhead tricep extension, frogs, supermans (had to be modified due to lower back PT, so I did upward dog type pushups instead).

Back on the wagon!

I am happy...yet...ELATED to report I worked out today. My workout began with tapping the crap out of my foot. Still not 100% so I needed so help. I am a huge fan of KT tape..I have found it to be a lifesaver with every sports injury I've ever had. I taped my arch and my ankle for support and also made sure to wear my arch supports. I then did a 50 minute workout of Beach body turbo jam, the low impact version because I'm still advised not to run or jump. It felt amazing. Doing 20 pushups, 36 crunches, and a pyramid of burns for my quads. 30 to 60 to 90 to 120 to 90 to 60 to 30. My endurance is not 100% but it's definitely still in the 75-85% range which makes me feel a lot better. Building up the strength in my legs is the challenge now. Either of you ladies have some resistance bands I can borrow? Oh...and also..I get to go skating next week... I AM HAPPY :)!

Doll Shoes and Cats

Wednesday was a darn great afternoon for a run, but I wanted to make sure I got here before sunset, so I reversed the usual direction and started here with actual music and a nice chat with my neighbor. On the road, I saw this for the millionth time and finally decided to share the view:

Then I switched to podcasts, mostly about pre-workout supplements but then later about oxytocin and hormones. Always good stuff.

Thursday night's workout started in the backyard with cats and parrot and heavy resistance tube and ended up in the garage with an audiobook and a very suspicious smelling rug (cats!) I did each of the following circuits twice, 25 reps per exercise:

Box jumps, bicep curls, wall sit, tricep dips.
Chest pulls, frogs, burpees.
Upright rows, box runs, plank.
Shoulder press (light tube), side abs/right, overhead triceps (light), side abs/left.
Lat pull-downs, inner thighs, outer thighs.
Incline chest presses, soccer drills (to the box).
Chest flyes, chest rows, football drills (on the box).
Shoulder shrugs, back rows, leg lifts (on hands and knees), fire hydrants, side plank.
That's it!

Bikes and Garage

We went for a nice long bike ride until sunset, and then I still didn't want to go in, so some of this was done in the driveway, some in the garage, some in the yard, and some in the woods. I took two medicine ball workouts (Tar Heels and Shape Magazine) and did 20 of each exercise, skipping the forbidden crunches in each routine.

Jump rope (three minutes)
Big Circles
Jumping jacks
Woodchoppers
Scissor jacks
Standing Russian Twists
Jump rope
Squat to Press
Jump rope
Rocky Solos
Burpees (with the ball)
Power Cross Chops
Mountain Climbers
Figure 8 Scoops
Box Jumps
Split Pushup Knee Tucks
Box Runs
Front Lunge Pass Under
Planks (center and sides)
Triceps Press Matrix
Lunge Walk with Oblique Twist
Some thing facing down on the floor with feet lifted up and arms pushing the ball back and forth

Monday at the Gym

On Saturday, Brendan Goes to Hollywood and I did a mini-workout in the gym at Webb's Roadhouse. They really have one! There are some good pieces of equipment there: med balls, resistance tube, punching bags, floor. We did okay for a pre-gig warmup. No other workout Saturday.

Sunday is of course always Fun Day, so I ran from home to the traditional Brat Pack Sunday breakfast (a 5.7 mile route). Here's a view from the planks later in the day.

With all the rain earlier today, a Monday run seemed less fun than working out with my buddies at the gym. We started with some snuggling in the wet grass and later worked on that 75 minute yoga program, although youtube was acting weird, so it took much longer (all the way past sunset) to accomplish a little less of the routine. Even later, I did a bunch of dumbbell exercises - 8 lbs for shoulder lifts and tricep extensions and overhead triceps, 15 pounds for bench press, chest flyes, lunges, bicep curls, side bends, upright rows, and squats. My workout partners were less interested in this set because they were having dinner by then. Behold the partners:

Happy Friday!

Tuesday and Thursday were mostly 5mile-ish runs and planks in beautiful settings.

BUT TODAY!
Thanks to the overcast and wet sky, I was forced to do some resistance tube exercises in the garage, mostly with the heavy tube. It was magnificent in the garage and so each time I was scheduled to jump rope (no particular timeframe on that activity, just to exhaustion, which varied), I threw in a little bit of organizing and moving boxes and costumes around:

Jump rope
Two sets: 25 rows, 25 chest flies, wall sit (to exhaustion, which was probably 15 seconds)
Jump rope
Two sets: 25 incline chest press, 25 rear leg raise (on the step, each leg), 25 lat pull down, 25 lateral leg raise (on the step, each leg)
Jump rope
Two sets: 25 shoulder press, 25 tricep overhead extension (these are the two exercises that require the light tube), 25 frogs
Jump rope
Two sets: 25 bicep curls, 25 upright rows, 25 supermans
Two sets: 25 shoulder shrugs, 25 chest pulls, planks (two minutes and then six minutes)

Why Shouldn't Monday be a Little Fun Too?

That running around in the country just can't be beat, so I did it again tonight, even though it really was supposed to be upper body night. I learned that there is a strong positive correlation between trust and prosperity among countries (controlled for government type, development, etc.) Hugs!

This is the view from the planks:

I know I'm grounded from crunches, but tonight I pretended that standing crunches don't count and added them to the plank and cobra series. Then I went inside and used real actual weights to do a whole bunch of (probably too much) upper body exercises.

Welcome Back, Slamma!

While I can barely remember the workouts I did this week, I have a feeling there were a few 4.5 - 5.5 mile runs, at least one garage resistance tube workout (with various short cardio intervals on the step), and a medicine ball workout only day.

Sunday is, of course, Fun Day, so it's especially fitting that Izzy's back on her feet, back in action, and back in the house. It probably seemed like forever, but it's over now!

On Friday, I got the sad news that I'll have to refrain from crunches for a couple of weeks. Not too many tears though, because I love the planks too.

Here's the view from the first plank, which followed a 5 mile run/walk/stumble in 45mph wind. After being tossed about for a half an hour, I ducked into this beautiful wooded scene.

Then I just walked for a while and watched everything dancing, then stopped for more planks and cobras here.

I'm Baaaaaack!

So today, for the first time in 2 months I put on my skates!:) I skated around the kitchen a little, not ready for full skating, but huge progress considering just a week ago I was walking with crutches! It actually is less painful skating on my foot than walking. I am definitely on the road to recovery. Being on crutches for a month has given me some nice guns, I can now do 10 pushups more than I could previously and 5 crunches more than. I am up walking as much as I can now although I still have to take breaks because my ankle gets sore. I am doing 3 reps a day of 20 pushups, 35 crunches, and thigh burns (to build up those quads for derby) for 90 seconds a piece. It's not insanity work outs, but it's progress. And yes, when my foot allows it that is next on my list!:)

An Entire Week in Review?

I can't believe I haven't posted since our Monday run.  On Tuesday, maybe I did resistance tube workouts or a run?  I don't think that was a bike ride night though. Wednesday's workout, I don't remember, probably nothing.  On Thursday, I'm pretty sure I did a 4.5 mile run and some ab stuff. I took Friday night off to celebrate Jesse's birthday, and on Saturday I did all the medicine ball exercises I could think of.

On Sunday, I took a leisurely 5.5 mile run and ran into this fellow, who could not be persuaded not to head south across four lanes of heavy traffic away from the big field it was escaping. It refused my glove and plastic bottle, but eventually I got it and carried it back to the safety of leaves.

On Monday, during a different 5.5 mile route, I found a relative of that caterpillar crushed on the side of the road, the south side of the road. I didn't take a picture, but I was kinda sad for it. Later, I went home and did a bunch of ab stuff.

Today I did the following:
- jump rope for a few minutes (until it got boring and I decided to turn off the podcast I wasn't liking)
- 25 bicep curls with heavy resistance tube, wall sit for 1.5 minutes, 25 tricep dips, repeat.
- 25 chest pulls (heavy tube), 25 frogs, 25 burpees, repeat.
- 25 rows with heavy tube, 25 ab crunches (upper and lower) on the box, repeat.
- 25 incline chest presses, 25 each side abs crunches to the side (with light dumbbells), repeat.
- 25 chest flys with heavy tube, 25 box jumps, repeat.
- 25 lat pull downs with heavy tube, 25 inner thigh, 25 outer thigh, repeat.
- 25 shoulder shrugs with heavy tube, 25 leg lifts, 25 fire hydrants, repeat.
- 25 shoulder presses with light tube, 25 knee to shoulder (each side) in plank position, 25 overhead triceps, repeat but change knee to opposite shoulder in plank position.

This didn't take a whole hour, but I stopped because it felt like enough. And dinner was ready.
Happy Tuesday!

Only 10 Miles Today

This is a drop down week.  The past 2 weeks, our marathon training had us increase our mileage.  Today we were rewarded with a decrease in mileage!  We only had to run 10 miles...it almost felt like we were getting away with something.

I say ALMOST, because the weather today was not exactly pleasant for a 90 minute run!  When we started out, it was 45 degrees and raining.  This is quite a change from the blazing heat and humidity we started with in week 1 of training.  I think WS was kind of mad a me for saying I would rather run in a cold rain than on the treadmill for 10 miles.  Don't tell her that for my first marathon I actually did an 18 mile training run on the treadmill!!!

We pulled out our cold weather running gear, which included tights, long sleeve shirts and even gloves!  The first two miles frankly SUCKED.  It was cold, the rain was pelting us and I was tired.  Somewhere around mile 3, the rain stopped and from then on it was actually nice.  We didn't have to worry about getting out of anyone's way on the sidewalk because no one else was insane enough to be out there in that weather!  We did have a couple people honk at us--not sure if it was because they knew us or because they wanted to point out how crazy we are.  Either way, we waved back and kept on running!

The final distance was 10.35 miles in 90 minutes.  So that averages out to 8:36/mile, not too bad!

The Doc and I Saw All of This and More

During our six mile run along the route where I see, but never can quite photograph, herons and butterflies and foxes and farmcats, we spotted many interesting roadside casualties: a doll shoe, all manner of plastic containers, bits of windshield, a banana peel... but we found this to be the standout of the day:

 

We oohed and ahhed at the sunset and before we could decide whether to take a photo or not, the doctor turned around and saw this rainbow all the way across the sky, so we had to take two pictures to get the whole thing. Because who can remember anything anymore unless you upload it to a device or two and then to a blog, which you then post somewhere for posterity?

 

I ran with Lynndi!

Today I got to run with Lynndi!  It was a great run.  We got in six miles and it hardly felt like anything at all.  The miles go by so quickly when you are chatting.  Along the way we got to see a beautiful sunset, an amazing rainbow and lots of random stuff on the road.  Lynn took pictures of all of it and maybe if you ask really nicely, she will share them!

After the run, I did just a little bit of core work.  then I went home to watch Monday Night Football.  My Bears are winning... GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!

oh, by the way, I am now at week 13 of marathon training.  Last Friday we did an 18 mile run.  It was GOOD.  This Friday is a drop down week, so we only have to run 10 miles.  I can't believe we are only 6 weeks away from the marathon.  No, not even six, FIVE weeks away.  Yikes!!!

Relaxing Sunday to Nowhere, PLUS

On Thursday, I did nothing but a 4.5 mile run. Friday and Saturday were full of gig activity and naps. I took the aimless approach to Sunday = Runday, doing a 2 mile run to meet family and friends at the lovely and crowded Curtis Orchard Corn Maze. After a bottle of water and a nice visit, I did the 3.5 miles to home.

I ended up here exactly when the battery on my phone/music/podcasts died, so I laid down in the grass for a while and studied the clouds, then wandered through the woods looking for a particular magical spot. Found, but did not photograph, the place. Maybe someday I'll share it.

Good News, More Good News

First, a summary.

Monday - nice bike ride with Jesse Van Halen, followed with yoga program previously posted.
Tuesday - under such a sad grey sky, 4.5 mile run plus 200 various ab crunches in the woods.
Wednesday - another nice bike ride with JVH, followed with the following exercises, twice through, with15 pound dumbbells:

25 bench presses
25 chest flies
25 skull crushers
25 (each arm) dumbbell single arm row
25 bicep curls
25 crunches on the bench (upper and lower ab)
25 frogs
25 dumbbell push presses
25 dumbbell bent-over rows
25 deadlifts
25 tricep extensions
25 overhead triceps

And now the good news. PT is scheduled to start October 12, X-rays of my back showed NO abnormality, and the pain meds sort of work even though pain returns by morning.

Could Sunday Always be Runday? Please?

I learned some things about yoga during today's run, which took interesting turns and was something around five miles total. I want to like yoga, especially because it might help me with the chronic pain stuff and also make me a wiser and generally better person. I love this Sunday run so much that even if I find out tomorrow it's contributing to the pain and that I have to replace it with something lower impact, I'd still want to keep the Sunday run. I also enjoy stopping for a refreshing sip of paint thinner.

So let me go back in time...

On Friday Brendan Goes to Hollywood and I did the Tar Heels Medicine Ball 200 workout, with cardio intervals plus a wall sit since we had only one med ball. We also installed ios6 and listened to a little bit of Periphery. 

Yesterday I didn't really make time for anything but situps (150) and pushups (75). 

Today there was time and opportunity. This afternoon's strength stuff was all with heavy and light resistance tubes, twice through:

20 Rows
20 side things... (you know, that rotation thing)
20 Incline Chest Presses
20 Chest Flys
20 Lat Pulldowns
20 Shoulder Shrugs
20 Shoulder Press (the light tube)
20 Overhead Tricep Extensions (the light tube again)
20 Bicep Curls
20 Chest Pulls

And an assortment of ab crunches to top it off.

Getting Up to Date

Tuesday's five mile run was fine, no issues, and I followed it with 50 bicycles and 50 penguins. Here is the ominous sighting of the evening, because I suppose whoever left it this way along the shoulder of the highway left in worse shape than the cable:

After that, things got strange, thanks to my old friend, Severe Lower Back Pain. I've reluctantly made an appoitnment with a professional, feeling that if it's DDD again, it could be the cause of my recent tumbles, all on the left side and due to scuffling left foot (foot drop). Or the pain itself could be related to healing the injuries from tumbling. The more I listen to neuroscience audiobooks, the less I understand. Hot tub is a great remedy, but sitting and living are not. Fearing that all this impact can't be helping, I did yoga on Wednesday and Thursday, this workout right here:



And it was surprisingly nice!

However, people being people, I am determined to return to the road, either Friday or Saturday. Brendan Goes to Hollywood is threatening to join me for the Tar Heels medicine ball workout, with cardio intervals added because we only have the one medicine  ball, but if he doesn't, I might just hit the pavement.

Finally, either the yoga got to me or pain causes me to wax philosophical. Here on the eve of the Autumnal Equinox, I'm reading random words of guidance and taking them to mean more than the author probably intended:

Every temptation, every trial and test can and will be overcome in  your everyday lives and living when you seek My help and with your hand in Mine face each one as it comes up, realizing that each one that is overcome and defeated helps you to grow in strength and stature, letting in more and more Light into your lives and pushing out and dispersing all darkness. When a soul has many hardships to overcome, it either becomes hard, bitter, and twisted or else it grows in understanding, opens its heart, loves more, and finds something new and beautiful in the lessons it has to learn along life's path. Never harden your hearts or become resentful and bitter, but see in it a lesson which has to be learnt. Learn that lesson without any resistance and so grow in stature. It is resistance towards life that dehydrates a soul.

I liked it because it's true in the physical world too, every challenge (decline pushups, box jumps, resistance training) we work through makes our bodies look and BE stronger, so even though I feel like I'm dying right now, I have this proof that I'm really not.

What to Do When Children are Sick, Cats are Up to No Good, and Cars are Being Broken Into All Around You

It was not meant to be a workout night. My first plan was to blow it off in favor of rearranging the house, moving furniture, throwing things away. That morphed into resting on the couch, which I quickly countered with an early evening coffee drink (OOOH!) and then burst into action.

After moving a stand, an old TV, two dressers, a bed, a side table, a sofa, and a shelf of DVDs, I got the 'sick kid' call and spent the rest of the night between bedpan and television. All I could come up with to do was this, TWICE through:

25 leg lifts (on all fours) per leg
25 fire hydrants per leg
25 inner thigh raise (on side) per leg
25 outer thigh raise per leg
25 lower ab crunch
25 upper ab crunch
25 bridges

Why We Heart Sunday So Hard

I didn't work out at all on Thursday or Friday, and on Saturday, there was only time for a 5 mile run, WITH pain from the morning's charlie horse!! This makes Sunday ultra special.

After somewhere between five and ten cups of coffee and several gallons of water at OPH (and a little bit of Dutch baby with sugar free syrup), my 5.5 to 5.8 mile journey was sunny and adventure-filled. I took the podcast about parasomnias very personally and then spaced out on the second podcast until I realized I was spacing out and switched over to music for the last couple of miles. Along the way, I bothered a gas station and a clinic for the use of their facilities. I like to run to this water fountain, where the water tastes a little like paint thinner. It's thought provoking.

Once home I put away laundry, watered the stuff in the garden that's already dead, and ate the rest of the Dutch baby with sugarfree syrup while perusing Fitness magazine for ideas. As it turned out, I already knew what I wanted to do and took a heavy and a light resistance tube out to the woods with the following program and more music.

With the heavy tube (it's grey and you can barely see it in that photo),
25 chest press, 25 chest pull, and 25 standing side ab per side - TWICE
25 shoulder lift Left, 25 shoulder lift Right, 25 upright rows, 50 plie bends - TWICE
25 bicep curls, 25 tricep extensions, 25 jackknifes per side - TWICE
25 bent row Left, 25 bent row Right, 50 penguins - TWICE
With the yellow tube, which is the lightest one,
25 deltoid flys with Left foot forward, 25 deltoid flys with Right foot forward, 25 front delt raises, 25 lateral delt raises, and 25 baseball swings per side - ONCE

Now for a shower and some kind of dinner party with friends.

The Great Outdoors

Last night, I kept it simple with a 4.5 mile run around the block and then a series the doc found on fitness magazine online: resistance tube abs workout. The last exercise in that series was alternating side planks, and the tube kept slipping off my feet and threatening to slap me hard, so I did 50 lower/upper crunches instead.

Today I issued this challenge to Josh of Seagulls, but I got it done in 27 minutes so I added on for an additional 11 minutes:

40 reps, then 30, then 20, and then 10, of the following series, using our new matching 8 pound medicine balls:
- offset pushes, rolling the ball from one hand to the other (40/30/20/10 total)
- soccer drill (toes touch the ball, 40/30/20/10 per foot)
- with both hands on the ball, burpees from pushup position through squat jump
- v-sit with rotation
-overhead triceps, holding the ball
- high knees with ball
- woodchoppers (Peggy style)
- suitcase crunches

And here's the stuff I added:
- on all fours, 50 leg lifts per leg
- "circles" standing with ball, 25 in each direction
- 50 woodchoppers (Men's Health magazine style) tossing the ball in the air
- on all fours, 50 fire hydrants per leg
- 25 figure 8s, standing with the ball
- 50 penguins (per side)

I did this out in the woods. I hope josh had as much fun as I did.

It Was Too Beautiful to Go Outside

Well, it was so beautiful that I wrote these ideas for a routine to do in the yard, but then a surprise thing came up, and I couldn't work out until about 9pm, so I set up in the good old garage!

using heavy resistance tubing and a step and a jump rope
5 minutes jump rope
1 minute bent over row, left foot
1 minute bent over row, right foot
1 minute box jumps
1 minute box runs
2 minutes chest press
1 minute chest pull
1 minute shoulder lift, left arm
1 minute shoulder lift, right arm
1 minute box jumps
1 minute football drill on the step
2 minutes hip abduction using medium tubing
2 minutes hip adduction using medium tubing
1 minute box jump
1 minute football drill on the step
1 minute bicep curls
1 minute upright rows
1 minute football drill on the step
1 minute box runs
1 minute bicep curls
1 minute upright rows
5 minutes jump rope
1 minute tricep dips
1 minute wall sit
1 minute tricep dips
1 minute standing side abs, right side
1 minute standing side abs, left side
1 minute standing forward abs, right knee
1 minute standing forward abs, left knee

Going to Work Now...

Friday, nothing.
Saturday, a long fast walk with an old friend.
Sunday, 5.5 mile run and then the Tar Heels medicine ball workout and DINNER WITH THE DOCTOR!

That is all.

Harder than it Looks

Because there wasn't a lot of time and I'm still celebrating the new equipment, I stayed in the yard and did these.

5 minutes jumping jacks/scissor jacks
1 minute wood chopper (the old skool wood chopper) with 8 lb med ball, to the right
1 minute to the left
1 minute box jumps
1 minute soccer drill
1 minute pushups with left hand on the medicine ball
1 minute right hand
2 minutes box runs
1 minute v-sit rotation with med ball
1 minute suitcase crunches
1 minute burpees with the ball
1 minute high knees with ball
2 minutes tricep dips
1 minute deltoid fly, with lighter resistance tube
1 minute front deltoid raise w tube
1 minute jumping jacks
1 minute lateral deltoid raise w tube
1 minute box jumps
1 minute shoulder press
1 minute incline rear delt fly with heavy resistance tube
1 minute v-sit rotation with med ball
1 minute incline read delt fly with heavy tube
1 minute upright row, medium tube
1 minute back extension, heavy tube
1 minute jumping jacks
1 minute supermans
1 minute outer thigh with band
1 minute inner thigh
5 minutes jump rope
1 minute wall sit
1 minute pushups
1 minute crunches (upper and lower abs)

I Know What the Doctor Did Tonight

She did RAMPS at the stadium with Hott Wendy. Unbelievable.

Meanwhile I started to run and then went back home cause I drank too much water too early. Then I left again and did the usual 5.5 miles, some lazier than others. When I got home I experimented with exercises for the (40lb) resistance TUBE that I got myself for Josh of Seagulls' birthday, taking a break to deliver a snack and a cel phone to someone who forgot both.

Here's what I finally accomplished: 4 sets of 10 each of bicep curls, chest flyes, chest presses, bicep rotation curls, and shoulder shrugs.

Then the doctor arrived, and we schemed about core exercises for Slamma!

Getting Caught Up

On Saturday, we just didn't have a lot of time before leaving for the gig, so I kept it simple with two sets of 25 each of:
upright rows, bicep curls, standing abs (knee to elbow, each side),
chest pulls, shoulder raises each side, tricep pulls each side, standing abs (knee to chest, each leg),
squat with shoulder lift (had to bust out a lighter resistance band to stretch it all the way up),
standing back rows each arm, deep plie side bends (elbow to knee, each side)

On Sunday, I ran 5.5 miles in the rain with my shoes full of water and my headphones on the fritz. I found that I could stash my phone and the busted headphones in my bra, speaker side up, and hear the podcast (about brain wiping) as long as I chose side streets where there were fewer cars making splashing sounds as they passed. Running on previously uncharted side streets brings lots of backtracking out of unmarked dead ends, as with any labyrinth, so this was probably a six mile run but easy due to the nicer temp. Because my feet were drenched the whole time, I got blisters in all new places, and then relatedly, my hair was ratted out of control even though it was in the usual pony tail. I really like running in the rain, even with these surprise effects.

On Monday, I shopped for Josh of Seagulls' birthday at Dick's, which means I had to buy some things for myself too. My workout for the day was testing various medicine ball (8 lb) exercises with the birthday boy, getting a foot massage from his bestie, and writing possible workouts which could use the new equipment and be done at home.

Tonight I tried some medicine ball workouts the doctor found for me online - one from Shape magazine (8 exercises) and one from Men's Health (10). After those, I ran 3.5 miles and then did several shoulder exercises with lighter handweights. WHAT FUN! And today I even got to see the Doc!

I saw Lynndi again!!

But this time I saw her on HER turf!  I realized (at 7:30 last night) that property taxes were due today.  Since there wasn't enough time to mail the check, I had to travel to the Brookens Administration building to drop off my check at the County Clerk's office.  While, I wasn't thrilled about having one more item added to my already busy day of nursery rounds, meetings and clinic, I knew I would get to see Lynndi in her office so that made it worth the while!

I never realized just how glamorous Lynndi was when sitting at her desk all day long but such glamor should be shared with the world...or at the very least, with the three people who read this blog:

Those are some seriously bitchin' slippers Lynndi!

Slamma, I am sorry to hear that you haven't been able to workout.  Maybe you need a pair of those slippers to wear during your recovery period!

After I got my fashion lesson from Lynndi, I went back to the hospital for the first of two meetings.  As luck would have it, the second meeting was cancelled so I got to go to the gym over my lunch hour!!  Today was speedwork.  I did a 2 mile warm up at usual speed.  then I did 6 quarter mile repeats at 8.3 miles per hour (with a 40 sec walking recovery between the repeats) and finished with a 2mile cooldown.  I also did some of my ab work.  After that, I showered and went to WORK.  

I have done pretty much no working out:(

I'm sorry to report I've done no working out. My foot issues have been bad and I am scheduled for surgery for September 10. My foot hurts alot and I'm still in the walking boot. I have been keeping up with crunches and push ups though but not much this weekend:( Here's a link to what I'll be having done although I'm not sure where they got the 6 week recovery period from. My doc said 1 month non-weight bearing then another month in the boot again and gradually in a shoe to resume normal activity. I'm unfortunately done with Derby for this season, but hopefully to come back better and faster and tougher next season! http://www.ibji.com/education/patient-information/foot-ankle/kidner-procedure

I Saw the Doc AGAIN...

Ran three miles to the gym, fussing with my phone a lot of the way, since the earpiece seems to have some kind of issue with sweat. I think I would have enjoyed whatever they were saying about fatal brain infections. Oh well.

I saw the doctor's vehicle at the gym, but she was done and in the locker room. I said HEY THERE to a few old friends and worked on: bicep curls, shoulder lifts, upright rows, standing back rows, lateral (shoulder) raises with rotation, abs on that slanted thing (obliques and lats, baby!), pushups on the ball, frogs on the ball, ball passes. It was great fun.

Here is a picture of a hole in the ground that I did not trip on or fall into.

I didn't make it the whole three miles back home, fussing with my phone and earpiece, missing most of the podcast on higgs bosons (I think the jokes were pretty funny: Boson walks into a church and tells the priest 'you can't have mass without me'), because suddenly, a mile from the house, there was the doc in her vehicle saying 'get in.' Which I did. The rest is dinner.

Jumps and Planks, Expanded Version for Masochists

Hey Doc! I'm so glad to see you blogging. I decided to take the night off from running since I was so wiped out last night, so for an easy workout, I did the following. Now I am considering being wiped out again... Here's a kitten just because we haven't really done that yet, and this is the internet.

5 minutes jumprope

elbow plank with left arm/right leg straight out (1 min), then right arm/left leg straight out (1 min), except that I had to go to knees pretty early for each side

elbow plank with knee pulled toward chest, shin parallel to floor (1 min), then other knee in (1 min)

2 minutes box jumps (I thought I would die)

elbow plank with knee pulled across chest to opposite shoulder (1 min), then other knee (1 min)

straight arm plank pulling knees across chest to opposite shoulders quickly (1 min) like Josh does

2 minutes box runs

elbow plank with 'donkey kick' - 90 angle bend, foot facing the sun (1 min), then other leg (1 min)

elbow plank with knee pulled to same side shoulder (1 min), then other knee (1 min)

2 minutes jumping jax/HIIT jax

straight arm plank with knee to chest (1 min), then other knee (1 min)

child's pose (1 minute) - not planned, but OMG

straight arm plank to T (1 minute)

2  minutes scissor jax

elbow plank with right foot out to side and back to mid (1 min), then left (1 min)

1 minute high knees, 1 minute buttkicks

side planks, 1 minute each side

side planks, hip to ground and back to center, 1 min each side

2 minutes squats and squat turns

thread the needle, 1 min each side

2 minute downward dog

5 minutes jumprope

I saw Lynndi!

I ran 3 miles to her house yesterday.

Then we ran 3 miles back to the gym.

Then I broke out in hives from head to toe!  I went home and took 2 benadryl and then slept for 10 hours!!!!

But that was YESTERDAY and this is today!

Today I had my last physical therapy session.  My trainer repeated the strength tests that she did at the beginning of our training sessions 2 and a half months ago.  She was very impressed with how much stronger I am.  She thinks (and I agree) that with a much stronger core that my marathon running will be improved and that my times will be better.  Unfortunately, the marathon I am doing in November is not a flat course in the city.  It is on all kinds of different terrain (beach, rainforest, hills) so my time will not be faster but I think I will feel stronger throughout and I will be able to tell the difference during my training runs along the flat streets of Chambana.

The workout I did today was on the flat belt of the treadmill.  I was a bit nervous after yesterday's hive fiasco (my skin is still sore from scratching those darn hives...and if you didn't already know it, scratching hives only results in MORE hives) so I did speedwork indoors.  I did a 2 mile warm up at my usual pace, then did six 1/4 mile repeats, running each of the 1/4 miles at a faster pace.  Then a 2 mile cool down.  My legs were shot after that workout.  I did a little more core work after running (roll outs on the stability ball, scissors, ball passes, obliques with med ball).  It felt very good and no more hives!!!  

Tomorrow:  hill work...more running ramps at the stadium.

I am hoping to actually see Lynndi again (maybe I will get to claim MY corner of the couch and we can have salads and bad television)!!!

I Saw the Doc!!

She ran three miles from the gym to my house.
We ran three miles from my house to the gym.
She showed me the new ab routine, which requires some equipment. While there, I also did 30 pikes on the stability ball, because I love and miss those so much.
Then I ran (and walked) three miles from the gym to my house.

In the backyard I did the following, 25 each, twice through:
calf raises
side bends with 15 lb weights
squats with weights, first time through at shoulder height, second time through at sides
on all fours, leg lifts (25 each side)
then fire hydrants (25 each side)
lunges with weights at side
suitcase crunches (25 each side)

And finally a 1.5 minute wall sit. I really wanted to do 2.5, but I'm going to have to work up to that.

Sunday Workout - Still no nln or Slamma

After the million cups of coffee, I had a great 5.5 mile run under mostly overcast sky. I am so glad I look down because I noticed this guy right ambling along in front of me (Cecrodia Moth Caterpillar)...

He saw me too, or rather noticed my pink and yellow shoes, because he stopped ambling along and hauled ass toward them. (My cute video of this gigantic caterpillar's race to the shoe has disappeared!)

Then I went to the backyard where a cicada was dying, and I did the following, 2 sets of 25 each:

bicep curls (heavy band);
upright rows (heavy band);
ab crunches (upper/lower) on the bench;
standing back rows, each arm (heavy band);
squat to standing, with shoulder raise (light band);
that side to side ab thing nln does, back and feet on bench (25 each side);
overhead triceps (heavy band);
chest pulls (heavy band);
bicycles (25 each side);
outer thigh lifts;
inner thigh lifts;
pushups.

Saturday Workout, Also in Review

Started with a little bit of Dutch Baby and sugar-free syrup and about fifty cups of coffee.

It was a slightly less than six mile run, but filled with walking/texting breaks due to the humidity. I continue to stop for a $1 bottle of water so that my left hand has something to do other than freak out about the sidewalk. I continue to look down. The audio track was about hugs, and I learned that if you hold that hug for 20 seconds (which is about 17 seconds beyond the average hug length), you can get a nice dose of oxytocin, which has a role in lowering cortisol. I personally don't have a cortisol lowering need, since I rely on coffee to get me any cortisol at all, but oxytocin is very very nice anyway, and this might be helpful info for everyone else. There was no time to stretch or add any exercises because I had to hang out in the hot tub after that run, and then go play the gig in Royal.

Friday Workout, in Review

This Friday's workout wasn't very strenuous, though it was humid and therefore pretended to be strenuous. It looked something like this picture. At least I had workout partners, which is otherwise never the case anymore. Unless you count wildlife.

Talking to Myself, Old Skool Workout

Got new shoes!

We're playing the CrazyK pretty soon now. Maybe I'll even run it if I can figure out how to sign up for a spot right after we're done playing.

It was a little under six miles today thanks to a detour through a field and over to the location of a future gig, the Savoy Orchard Fest. I think this is the right place.

I was sad about it, but I saw a lot of them tonight, the fallen.



And later I did the classics: 25 crunches in table position, 25 tricep pushups, 25 lower ab crunches, 25 regular pushups, 25 (each side) of those side to side ab things (I can't remember what the doc calls them, but she's got a fancy name for em), 25 decline pushups, 25 (each side) bicycle crunches, 25 regular pushups.

So Lonesome I Could Cry

This blog is a lonely place with nothing but me, the blasé resistance routines, average runs, occasional foxtails and banana peels, and frequent tragic mishaps. I guess Slamma is still down with the bones from Mars, and Dr. nln is training for a November race, but I've got my fingers crossed that they'll write to me again one day. Until then...

I downloaded a free timer app (why that took three years, I can't say) and did the following, all by myself in the backyard:

4 minutes jumprope
elbow plank with left arm/right leg straight out (30 sec), then right arm/left leg straight out (30 sec)
elbow plank with knee pulled toward chest, shin parallel to floor (30 sec), then other knee in (30 sec)
elbow plank with knee pulled across chest to opposite shoulder (30 sec), then other knee (30 sec)
1 minute box jumps
straight arm plank with knee to chest (30 sec), then other knee (30 sec)
1 minute box runs
elbow plank with 'donkey kick' - 90 angle bend, foot facing the sun (30 sec), then other leg (30 sec)
elbow plank with knee pulled to same side shoulder (30 sec), then other knee (30 sec)
1 minute jumping jax
corrected donkey kick planks
1 minute scissor jax
elbow plank with right foot out to side and back to mid (30 sec), then left (30 sec)
1 minute squat jumps
side planks, 30 sec each side
1 minute lunge jumps (prisoner jumps)
side planks, hip to ground and back to center, 30 sec each side
1 minute high knees
thread the needle, 30 sec each side
1 minute squat turns
4 minutes jumprope
1 minute downward dog

Oh Hi, Nature. What Are You Doing Out Here?

4.5 miles and then a series of things, 25 each twice through:

standing abs, knee to elbow at side, each side;
(standing) jackknifes, each side;
standing abs, knee to elbows in front, each side;
that twisty standing thing where one knee crosses the opposite elbow, each side;
bench press, 15 pound hand weights;
chest flyes, same (but 12.5 the second time through);
skull krushers, same (but 12.5 the second time through);
bicep curls, 15 pounds; upright rows, 15 pounds;
side bend (abs), 15 pound hand weights.

I think this was someone's tail. A little further down the road was a dried up body, probably not the owner of the tail but maybe its victim. I decided not to stop to photograph the poor guy.

Theme? What Theme?

5.5 mile run (or what?) with this great physical therapy innovation to keep my pinky correctly bent and occupied with something other than fear:

Then twice through 25 each of the following: lying face down with one knee bent to the side and that foot crossing over the other leg (at knee), lift the bent knee from floor as high as possible, everything else stable - each leg; fire hydrants - each leg; leg lifts (hands and knees on the floor) - each leg; frogs; supermans; bridge lifts; calf raises; and a 2:15 wall sit because it's been about a year since I did a four minute wall sit. Here is proof that I really really did it:

But as the post's title suggests, this was a fairly random workout.