7-31-14

After a run on monday, did yoga tuesday, off day wednesday and yoga again thursday, today. I went through a few weeks where I had pain issues in my lower back and hips. Seems to have eased. No pain today and I think my flexibility is gradually improving.

7-28-14

Following a bike ride on saturday I did some strength work on Sunday followed by a short yoga routine in an attempt to give my wife a starter sequence with a little flex, strength and balance all rolled into 15 minutes. Not great but hope it grows into something bigger.

Back at work today with a 3 mile interval at lunch. Time was about 40 minutes flat. A good time given that we were all looking for a relaxed run.

I have added a couple of strength workouts to the weekly mix in an attempt to add some muscle mass. Lost too much strength as I lost weight since the running began in the spring of 2013. Not sure what the  chances are at 65, but we will see. I like the balance of strength, cardio and yoga. Great concept, time to execute.

7-26-14

10 mile bike ride  with wife and neighbors on a local rail trail. Destination was an isolated pond called Moosehead Lake. Pretty easy ride except for my very uncomfortable bike seat and bony butt. Nice to get D  onto her bike. First time in a couple of years. Capped with lunch and an ice cream, and for balance, a stop at a natural food store. A nap this afternoon will cap a great day.

7-24-14

1 hour of power yoga. Must be making progress because it is less painful and goes much quicker than it used to. If only I could get the instructor to leave the AC on...

7-23-14

Went for an easy lunch interval run on monday. Timed in 41:40. Much slower than the  37 min run last week, but after an active weekend, I think it was best to ease through it. Tuesday did the lunch time yoga class. I measure my progress by the fact that it is getting easier to get through it rather than my technique, flexibility or balance showing much improvement. Something good is happening though and I don't want to over analyze it. Took today off. A needed rest after 3 consecutive workout  days.

7/21/2014

45 min. Swim.  Felt fine.  Did the standard intervals, last 15 minutes just alternated beast/crawl to raise the work intensity.  I think I'll do the same as in the fall and first build duration and then later switch to intensity.

7-20-14

Took saturday off except for some gardening. Got back into it today, Sunday. Did some morning strength work, 2 sets each of heel raises, squats, abroller, pushups, dumbell rows and curls to failure. Then in the afternoon a 4.5 mile walk along a rail trail with my wife and a friend. I'm generally happy with my program now except that I'd like to try to put on some muscle weight. Need to stick with the strength work to accomplish that.

7-17-14

Yoga today. Usual solid class. Doing better with Down Dog and the Sun Salutation sequences generally, still suck at balance. Interesting that we had the biggest class ever with  8 people attending during their lunch hour. No more room in the conference room. Good news is that the wellness feeling seems to be spreading and it is only positive. The doubters, usually hard core smokers or people generally suspicious of anything sanctioned by the organization, are becoming fewer and more isolated. I hope we can keep it going.

7/17/2014

13 lb vest

4 rounds

.25 mile dreadmile, 4.1 mph

Pushup burpee jumping pullup, 6

Empty o-bar good-mornings, 8

Hanging knee raises

3 rounds

Upright rows, empty o-bar, 8

Mace bell 10-2, 5 per side

Military press, empty o-bar, 8

Cable crunches, 150lbs, 12 reps

3 rounds

Inverted bosu ball air squats

7-16-14

Did an hour plus of yoga yesterday. Most visible progress is mastering a jump from crow to plank. About the only move I have that none of the ladies can beat.
Today ran the 3 mile interval behind the plant. By myself so I decided to try for a personal best time. 37 minutes flat, about 2 minutes better than previously. So I conclude that there is some cumulative effect from the variety of physical activity I am doing. Also, I usually  bag wednesday after workouts on monday and tuesday due to fatigue. I have been sleeping this week though and felt pretty good so I went for it. Glad I did.

7/16/2014

Got my swim thang on.

45 minutes.  Breast/crawl, breast/crawl, breast/side/side/crawl, for the first half hour, for the last 15 minutes I did breast/crawl, just to push it a little.

I'll probably be nodding in my supper this evening but, who cares.

I was whining yesterday about the humidity and how soaked I was after walking back from the gym, oddly even with the cool pool water I was sweating on my return today.

7/15/2014

 13lb vest

4 rounds

1/4 mile dreadmill jog, 4mph
6 push up burpees to a jumping pull up
8 good-mornings, empty O-bar
8 hanging knee raises

4 rounds
4 squat cleans, 89lbs
15 cable crunches, 150lbs

4 rounds
inverted bosu ball air squats

Spent last week in Seattle at a leadership training.  It was a good experience, good people, and great location.  As with any downtown area there was some sketchiness, but nothing that felt dangerous.  It was too intense to be a vacation but it wasn't work either.  Next time I'll make sure P comes along and we can get a bit of a vacation out of it too.

7.14.14

I went for a solo walk run this morning. When I am alone I do much better at actually getting a workout. I went to the boat landing and back which is just over 3 miles. I will time myself the next few times to see what my baseline is. Today I ran up the hills which is opposite of what I used to do. I need to save a few bucks so I am letting my YMCA membership lapse for the time being. Been swimming in our pool most days/nights, though certainly not as far or for as long.

7-14-14

3 mile interval run at lunch with 2 others. Finished in about 40 minutes even, a pretty good time on a hot, humid day. The key for me is sleep. I hadn't run for 2 weeks but finally caught up on sleep this weekend and felt good. One of the group is struggling. The other two of us stayed with him til the last 3/4 mile then ran hard to bring it home.  It could easily have been faster. But it's only monday...

7-11-14

Excellent yoga session. I've been having problems with my back locking up after some of the arching poses, like bridge and wheel. Went a little easier on those moves today and everything was good. The session went quickly and I felt relatively smooth in my execution. I want to believe it's progress.

7-8-14

Last lunch workout was July 2.  Long weekend at the  new house. AC broke, ran out of water twice and other than physical chores, the only exercise came  from a  2 mile hike in  the  Moorman's River Nature area in the Blue  Ridge foothills on Sunday. Back to work today and into a lunch yoga  session. Good workout.  Went  well until my   back locked up  in bridge. Took  a couple of minutes  to  unscrew it, when I rejoined the flow. The back thing is  new  and  seems to coincide with the purchase of the 2nd house.  I think I store  my  financial angst my lower back. Hoping that more regular use will   get  me  past it. That or fixing the issues at the new house..

Keep on swimming

Back in the pool after being in NY. I am swimming 1800 yards in about 40 minutes. 3 times a week when i can. Going for the distance and observing the time. I do about 900 yards of the crawl, 600 breast stroke and 300 kickboard. I am chunking the workout in 50 yards of  free breast free breast free kick right now for 6 rounds.  I have just started doing the last 2 rounds with 100 free 50 breast 100 free 50 kick...with the aim of all rounds like this by August. I alternate sides for breathing and this feels great. I tend to like twisting in yoga so it makes sense that I do this...at least to me!

7/1/2014

So, for us in Vacation-land, it is HOT.  Which of course is a relative thing, relative to the mid-Atlantic we are a comfortable summer day.  However, given that the high up until this weekend was in the 70's and the nighttime lows were in the 50's the abrupt jump in temperature and humidity makes us whine.

4 rounds

1/4 mile dreadmill run, 4.0mph
push up burpee to jumping pull up, 8 reps
good-mornings with an empty O-bar

3 rounds,

squats, 8 reps, 135lbs
cable crunches, 150lbs, 12 reps

When I write it out it seems so feeble and what I used to do for a warm up.  But, to hell with that, I scratching and clawing my way back up and this is where I'm starting from and that is good enough.