Yesterday was a kick ass day in terms of the minimum exercise allotment! I enjoyed a 40-minute morning run and followed that up with 20 squats and 10 burpees. Add in an hour of walking (to & from werk) and conclude with a 90-min bike ride on the paths, and that way exceeded my plans. Not bad for a Monday, hehe.
Unfortunately it didn't help me sleep any better, and I tossed and turned all night, waking hours before my alarm. At the moment I'm feeling kind of exhausted, but the minute I lie down and close my eyes the mood is gone, like a phantom scared away. I started to drift off while reading on the sofa, and hurriedly moved on to a bed to capture the spirit of sleep but nothing happened and after a few minutes I got up (with a loud sigh).
In this state, I might not get around to doing much today. That kind of sucks because I have the momentum of yesterday behind me, and I'm generally on a roll (to trim down my stomach roll!) so perhaps I'll try a routine of weights or body weight exercises later, although experience has taught me that exercise tends to shake me out of a state of sleepiness rather than lure me down into it. I suppose I could drink the lone bottle of beer in the fridge left over from our soiree of two months past, but I prefer to save it. (I don't really know why.) Maybe I'll take on the 6 rounds from last week and see what effect that has. Don't you just love experiments?
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Dreaming success
Weird dreams! Finally my mind led me somewhere interesting last night, and I had dreams about exactly god knows what but they were urgent and colorful, and woke me up at least once. It was great to be released from the humdrumery of deadbeat dreams - waiting for elevators and the like - and free to run around in my head.
After polishing off another crunchy bag of salty snacks from D's care package (gracias!) I did this simple workout last night:
6 rounds of:
Followed by 20 squats with 8 lb weights, and then 10 burpees. All to the soundtrack of the Ottwa-Montreal hockey game as I tried to coax some testosterone from the players into defecting and joining my bloodstream team. As far as I can tell, it was no go.
This morning I headed outside for a 40-minute run in the beautiful sunshine, then another set of 20 squats and 10 burpees in the living room, the cat acting as my spotter. The back of my shoulders have been stunned into a light soreness which will heat up into paralyzing grassfire before long. Burn on.
I sorely (haha) need to get my push up game on. I have always wanted to be able to do 10 full push ups in a row but never could get past 3 or 4, and currently that number is probably more like 1.
Hmmm, this is sounding disturbingly like a plan being broadcast and I'm not really comfortable with that. But there it is. I said it. 10 full push ups by the end of August! That gives me lots of time to meet this goal.
After polishing off another crunchy bag of salty snacks from D's care package (gracias!) I did this simple workout last night:
6 rounds of:
- 10 squats with 5 lb weights
- 10 sit ups with 5 lb weights
- 10 push ups (modified)
Followed by 20 squats with 8 lb weights, and then 10 burpees. All to the soundtrack of the Ottwa-Montreal hockey game as I tried to coax some testosterone from the players into defecting and joining my bloodstream team. As far as I can tell, it was no go.
This morning I headed outside for a 40-minute run in the beautiful sunshine, then another set of 20 squats and 10 burpees in the living room, the cat acting as my spotter. The back of my shoulders have been stunned into a light soreness which will heat up into paralyzing grassfire before long. Burn on.
I sorely (haha) need to get my push up game on. I have always wanted to be able to do 10 full push ups in a row but never could get past 3 or 4, and currently that number is probably more like 1.
Hmmm, this is sounding disturbingly like a plan being broadcast and I'm not really comfortable with that. But there it is. I said it. 10 full push ups by the end of August! That gives me lots of time to meet this goal.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Whose lesson is this?
Last night I walked my flat-tired bike, Betsy - you might have heard about her - a few blocks to the gas station. It was a warm, beautiful evening.
The "compressed air machine" is much more effective than any of the tire pumps we own. I pumped up the first tire until it was fat and beautiful, and then as I started in on the second tire some young bozo appeared, hands in pockets, and looked at me anxiously: "Uh, do you know what you're doing?"
I had a moment in my mind right then, cracked into two distinct sections. First: WTF? get the hell out of here, of course I know what I'm doing, and by the way, did I ask you for help, no I didn't, so go. now.
Second: What do you mean? Is something broken? Amiss? What am I doing wrong?
My facial reaction probably exposed the latter partion of my thought process (goddamit) and encouraged, Bozo launches into an explaination of how to use the adapter I was currently using.
Even as I write the words, I feel the rage. Let's look at what's happening here.
I was putting air in my tire. I was in the middle of performing an action I have done many times before - a simple action. I didn't need help. I didn't even look like I needed help. I was confident. I was not floundering. In the least. I was not hurt. In fact, I was pretty much in my element.
But of course he knows more about this simple task than me - he's a man! And men know. And they always have to help the silly ladies with their stuff. Because. They're men. They know!
I got back to work filling my tire - rather expertly I must say - and when the tire felt right to me, I asked the driver of the truck parked beside me if he needed air, since the machine was already going. Driver said, no thanks.
Turning my attention back to the bike, I twisted the caps on to the valves and informed Bozo, who was still loitering about like a testy raccoon, that I know what I'm doing - look, my tires are full of air! - and I don't need him. Bozo walked away but threw me some parting words: I'm not an asshole, y'know. I used to be a bike courier.
My hero, the bike courier. Because of him, I will certainly unleash a fury of irritation on the next unenlightened bozo who tries to teach me about my bike. God help you, Unknown Bozo. You have no idea you're stumbling into the path of a hurricane. Wish I could help you!
Betsy and I rode off, and spent the next 90 minutes rediscovering spring, the path and each other. No raccoons required.
The "compressed air machine" is much more effective than any of the tire pumps we own. I pumped up the first tire until it was fat and beautiful, and then as I started in on the second tire some young bozo appeared, hands in pockets, and looked at me anxiously: "Uh, do you know what you're doing?"
I had a moment in my mind right then, cracked into two distinct sections. First: WTF? get the hell out of here, of course I know what I'm doing, and by the way, did I ask you for help, no I didn't, so go. now.
Second: What do you mean? Is something broken? Amiss? What am I doing wrong?
My facial reaction probably exposed the latter partion of my thought process (goddamit) and encouraged, Bozo launches into an explaination of how to use the adapter I was currently using.
Even as I write the words, I feel the rage. Let's look at what's happening here.
I was putting air in my tire. I was in the middle of performing an action I have done many times before - a simple action. I didn't need help. I didn't even look like I needed help. I was confident. I was not floundering. In the least. I was not hurt. In fact, I was pretty much in my element.
But of course he knows more about this simple task than me - he's a man! And men know. And they always have to help the silly ladies with their stuff. Because. They're men. They know!
I got back to work filling my tire - rather expertly I must say - and when the tire felt right to me, I asked the driver of the truck parked beside me if he needed air, since the machine was already going. Driver said, no thanks.
Turning my attention back to the bike, I twisted the caps on to the valves and informed Bozo, who was still loitering about like a testy raccoon, that I know what I'm doing - look, my tires are full of air! - and I don't need him. Bozo walked away but threw me some parting words: I'm not an asshole, y'know. I used to be a bike courier.
My hero, the bike courier. Because of him, I will certainly unleash a fury of irritation on the next unenlightened bozo who tries to teach me about my bike. God help you, Unknown Bozo. You have no idea you're stumbling into the path of a hurricane. Wish I could help you!
Betsy and I rode off, and spent the next 90 minutes rediscovering spring, the path and each other. No raccoons required.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Tequila!
There's no chaotic booze here - um, at work! - but it's to celebrate that taxes have been filed before the due date and that is one heady feeling. I started in on the tax duties before yesterday, and then last night I felt I should look things over before I submitted the file. I was treated to some pre-submission excitement when I realized CRA had my previous address and not my current one, and I wouldn't be able to file until that matter was, ahem, addressed. I spent some time waiting on the line. All done now.
Even after that mental weight was lifted and I was giddy with irresponsibility once again I didn't sleep well. I fell into more than a few reality-based dreams, the kind where I find myself involved in banal activities the same as in my waking life: waiting for an elevator, or completing a crossword puzzle. I feel cheated, slighted even, when Morpheus, playing the punishing parent, prevents me from trekking across a Fellini dreamscape at night. As though I am a toddler attempting to stray across a highway. All I want to do is to explore the absurd side of the moon, man.
When my alarm freaked I pushed myself out of superboring dreams and right into my running kicks and tackled the 5k loop. It was warm. I wore my skirt. Last week, I wore substantially more, including a hat and gloves. Spring is like that. Yesterday I did some shoulder work and I still feel a little tender. Love that.
Even after that mental weight was lifted and I was giddy with irresponsibility once again I didn't sleep well. I fell into more than a few reality-based dreams, the kind where I find myself involved in banal activities the same as in my waking life: waiting for an elevator, or completing a crossword puzzle. I feel cheated, slighted even, when Morpheus, playing the punishing parent, prevents me from trekking across a Fellini dreamscape at night. As though I am a toddler attempting to stray across a highway. All I want to do is to explore the absurd side of the moon, man.
When my alarm freaked I pushed myself out of superboring dreams and right into my running kicks and tackled the 5k loop. It was warm. I wore my skirt. Last week, I wore substantially more, including a hat and gloves. Spring is like that. Yesterday I did some shoulder work and I still feel a little tender. Love that.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Exercise?
My fitness goals fell beneath the treads of a tank last week. Things to do and people to see. Now that all of that is over with, I have some space to think about how this week will shape up. I started the day with a 5k run, so things are looking up.
Actually I shelved running for the past two weeks, even going so far as to miss two long runs in a row. Sometimes I can't go running when I think that I should be doing something else. Usually that's school work. It's a type of misplaced guilt mixed with procrastination and a dash of fatigue. Anyway, a couple of long runs should be easy to bounce back from, and anyway I still have time to prep for a marathon this year if I find one. Without considering any constraints, my preference is the east coast race my good friend is training for. Unfortunately the mid-summer trek to smalltown NS might prove too difficult to integrate into my as yet undetermined plans. I'd rather wait for a race that's closer to home.
For the week ahead, I'd like to run on the odd mornings, and tackle two Z-wows on the mornings in between. I have no social commitments or school deadlines this week - what a gift! - so I should be able to go to bed early every night, plus a yoga class! Now that is something to be excited about.
Actually I shelved running for the past two weeks, even going so far as to miss two long runs in a row. Sometimes I can't go running when I think that I should be doing something else. Usually that's school work. It's a type of misplaced guilt mixed with procrastination and a dash of fatigue. Anyway, a couple of long runs should be easy to bounce back from, and anyway I still have time to prep for a marathon this year if I find one. Without considering any constraints, my preference is the east coast race my good friend is training for. Unfortunately the mid-summer trek to smalltown NS might prove too difficult to integrate into my as yet undetermined plans. I'd rather wait for a race that's closer to home.
For the week ahead, I'd like to run on the odd mornings, and tackle two Z-wows on the mornings in between. I have no social commitments or school deadlines this week - what a gift! - so I should be able to go to bed early every night, plus a yoga class! Now that is something to be excited about.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Woozy doozy
I didn't tackle another Z-wow workout this morning after being so dedicated the last two days. This morning I woke up feeling not exactly tired, more like spread too thin after last night's long spin class, so instead I grabbed some hand weights and did a shoulder workout that I have done before. I will try not to judge myself. The day's not over and I can still do a workout later. I have my sights set on #14. It's a doozy.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Step it up
It's Tuesday. Back to work (yawn).
I started my morning with the latest Z-wow, a decent 12-minute workout that targets legs and butt. I don't have them, but I could have used heavier weights for the kettle bell squats -- Z rocked a 20+ pound kettle bell while I dawdled along with an 8-pound handweight -- but even with the lighter weight I felt resistance from my muscles, and plus my burpees are much slower than hers (I can do 5 in the time it takes her to complete 10!). I will probably feel those one-leg squats tomorrow. I hope I do.
Like any machine, my body maintains a collection of strengths and weaknesses that it seems loathe to adjust. Long distances can be pulled off without a lot of prep but my muscles are in need of conditioning. You can't grow when you don't experience stress. One day I'd like to go on a severe camping expedition that tests my muscles with Tarzan-like vine swings over raging rivers, rock climbing and hauling my body up cliff ledges. Sounds great, doesn't it? But for now I will try to commit to completing a Z-wow workout each morning of this four-day work week, plus running and cycling after work. It's a jungle out there and I want to get in shape for whatever lies ahead!
I started my morning with the latest Z-wow, a decent 12-minute workout that targets legs and butt. I don't have them, but I could have used heavier weights for the kettle bell squats -- Z rocked a 20+ pound kettle bell while I dawdled along with an 8-pound handweight -- but even with the lighter weight I felt resistance from my muscles, and plus my burpees are much slower than hers (I can do 5 in the time it takes her to complete 10!). I will probably feel those one-leg squats tomorrow. I hope I do.
Like any machine, my body maintains a collection of strengths and weaknesses that it seems loathe to adjust. Long distances can be pulled off without a lot of prep but my muscles are in need of conditioning. You can't grow when you don't experience stress. One day I'd like to go on a severe camping expedition that tests my muscles with Tarzan-like vine swings over raging rivers, rock climbing and hauling my body up cliff ledges. Sounds great, doesn't it? But for now I will try to commit to completing a Z-wow workout each morning of this four-day work week, plus running and cycling after work. It's a jungle out there and I want to get in shape for whatever lies ahead!
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