The Road to Hell ...

... is definitely paved with good intentions.

For example: I had every intention of being in the pool at the gym RIGHT NOW. However, after finishing up my gamer down in the Springs with an hour's drive still ahead of me ... I just wanted to get home and sleep.

Therefore, today was technically a day off for me. Boo.

I do say technically, though, as I trotted up six flights of stairs TWICE and sprinted halfway around an arena twice getting interviews. Good ol' World Arena ... gets the heart pumping at least a little bit.

And They're Off!!!

The back on the horse theory, I can safely, say, is accurate. Nothing too complicated tonight, just my simple 20 minute treadmill workout of death. I was thinking of doing the 45 minute routine, but due to my fatigue today, I decided to take it easy (somewhat) on myself today.

At the end of it, I cranked out a 2 minute sprint at the fastest speed the treadmill went. I felt so good and my lungs didn't even hurt that much. I think the endurance is being built up real nicely right now, which will be good for multiple reasons later this year.

Got workouts planned for tomorrow and Sunday as well. Going to Denver Sunday night, so I know I'll get some "unconventional" workouts in, as well as hopefully some more running outside. :)

Hooray for free weights!!!

after neglecting the arms for the past few days, I found to my delight that the workout room in Tulsa has mucho free weights. I decided to forgo my usual cardio routine and just hit the arms.

Warmed up by doing a few pushups. I then started off by doing shoulder presses. 3/10. I then did curls, 3/10. After that, did some tricep extensions, 3/10. Tossed away the dumbbells and hit the bench. Warmed up with the bar, then tossed on 45 a side and did a set of 10. I then increased it to 55 a side and did 2 more sets of 10. I finished off the arms by doing 3 sets of lat pull downs.

I watched myself in the mirror and was just amazed at how big my arms looked. Maybe the girl is onto something here...;)

I Hate Mucus

I was planning on going to the gym for a cardio day today but since it's delightful outside (56 degrees, sunny, slight breeze), I decided to run outside instead of on a treadmill. The reasons for this are threefold:
1. Running outside is superior to running inside
2. Treadmills bore the ever-living fuck out of me
3. Most of the running I plan on doing this year (that is, races) is all outdoors
Therefore, I figure while I have the fortune of good weather, I may as well take advantage of it, right?

So I did. After 5/10 jumping jacks and some stretching, I did a 1.26 mile loop - my legs felt fine at several points, but my lungs - and my mucused up sinuses - couldn't take the entire loop running, so I walked some points instead. I'm okay with that though - it takes time to build one's cardiovascular endurance back up. According to RunningMap.com, I did .94 miles before the mucus overtook my sinuses/lungs and I had to walk. I walked until the 1.02 mile point, picked up running until the 1.16 mile point when my asthma kicked in (probably wouldn't have happened had i stopped running that one point. of course, that stretch is the worst uphill part of this route, so you know). Walked until the 1.2 mile point and ran the .06 mile home stretch back to, well, my home.

Still, it's nice that I almost got to the one mile point before I had to walk thanks to mucus. I was deader on Sunday when I ran with Brandon and only did .8 miles ... weirdly enough. Since my family was apparently blessed with the never-ending mucus gene, the mucus will never completely go away (boo!), but hopefully it'll subside enough for me to get back to the point that I was at last summer - able to run 3.1 miles (or marginally more!) without having to stop to hack up a glob of mucus.

Cancellations = workout opportunity

so since my company is retarded and can't keep an adequate supply of tires around, our flight to Madison got cancelled and I got the opportunity to do a workout. As T said, not quite back on the horse, but well on the way...

Our hotel in Memphis sucks and has no weights, so I decided to mix up the cardio a little and do the 20 minute workout of death. For the final two minutes, I ran at 9.0 for the one minute, then kicked it up to 11.0 for the final minute. It's amazing how easy it is becoming to sprint those final minutes out, no matter which workout I do.

I think the workout room in Tulsa has weights. I'm hoping so. I really need to lift.

Back In the Groove?

I think it's too early to definitively say if I'm back on the horse or not, but early signs point to "yes."

In any case, back to the gym today - I'm one-upping the boy here since he's not going to work out today. Ha! Although, it's a hollow victory because he's flying around getting paid instead. Boo.

Today was a cardio/arms day. Skipped my typical warm-up in favor of 20 minutes on the stationary bike (starting that ol' tri training), stretching and then the 20 minute FTWoD which, I might add, was a struggle today for whatever reason. Didn't help that the arch on my lumpy foot was bothering me a tad. Grr.

After that cardio, I did a small upper-body routine. 3/10 lat pulldown, 3/10 seated dip, 3/10 seated row, 3/10 incline seated chest press and 3/5 (so wussy) overhead press. I hate my weak, girly arms. Boo. Oh well, that's why I lift, right?

Feelin good

Nothing too hard today, just my simple 45 minute workout on the treadmill. I was going to do arms, but due to a very large calzone that I ate a few nights ago, I felt like I should get some extra cardio in.

Everything was fine for the first 30 minutes, then I hit the wall and was struggling for about 4 more minutes, but for the last sprint, cranked it up to 8.5 for 2 minutes, then sprinted it for the final minute at 11.0.

After, I stretched for quite a while. No ankle problems, a slight heel hurt, but feeling very good.

Bloggity Blog Blog

Back to the gym today. Would have gone yesterday, but was way too exhausted to think about it. Therefore, back to the grind today.

Started off with my typical 10 minutes on the recumbent bike and stretching. From there, did 15 minutes on the stepmill and 10 on the treadclimber. I was thinking of running, but would rather do that on a day I don't do legs (like today).

Then, lifting! I'm forcing myself to get back into lifting because really, I do like to lift - it just doesn't seem like it lately. So: 3/10 adductor, 3/10 leg curl (hammies), 3/10 leg extension (quads), 3/10 rotary calf machine, 3/10 body weight squats, 3/10 ball crunches, 3/:30 wall sits, 3/10 captain's chair thingys.

Relatively short day, but I'm okay with that. Now to refuel 'cuz I'm huuuuunnnnggggrrrryyyyyy.

With the girl outdoors

So due to my miserable day yesterday, I decided to come out and see T. She and I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and get some exercise outside.

We jogged down to a local park, where she made me stretch, and stretch, and stretch. We then did some calisthenics (ah the glories of my football days) and jumping jacks. After we did that, a couple with some daschunds came by and of course, I had to pet them. We then decided to do some sprints, but after I planted my foot running around a tree, my ankle that I had surgery on back in 1999 was giving me problems. T told me not to do another one, but unfortunately, I didn't listen and again planted the foot which basically caused me to crumple to the ground in pain...

We walked it back to her place, me sometimes needing support from her...as usual, the girlfriend is my rock and my support.

Runnin' With the Brandon ...

The boy came out to see me for a mental health day so, since it's gorgeous outside, I dragged him out to run with me. We ran the 8/10ths of a mile down to Sweetwater Park which, normally, I'd be fine with but since my cardiovascular endurance is the suck ...

Once at the park, I dragged him through some basic plyometric stretches and then made him stretch out really well. We did some jumping jacks and then took a break so Brandon could go play with some dachshunds. After that, we did a few simple sprints ... and had to stop after realizing that neither of us can do cuts around the tree - his ankle and my lumpiness (stupid arch) preventing us. Afterwards, we walked back home.

Short, simple, but enough to get us moving. And injured. But y'know.