I don't need to pay to play

Last week I decided to commit to doing 60 minutes of some activity per day. It can be anything from brisk walking to swim to bike to run to bike commute to strength to plyos. Just do something. But dog walks, campus walks, and the "usual" day stuff don't count. (swim...hahahahahahahaha). I'd really like to get back to a normal schedule of this on this day and that on that day.

One of my immediate goals is returning to the Thursday morning run in March, maybe next week? I'm thinking about emailing BE to see if he'd be willing to swap Monday bike ride and Tuesday track run, so LA might could join the track run. 

So this morning I got an email from my YMCA (oh, it's been how long since I've been there?) about a SHRED class -- 2x $60 or 3x $90 a week sessions from now until early April. Sounds great, except I'm not on a regular schedule these days. MWF am or pm, or TT am or pm. I could do TT pm while LA is at class? Let's see, calculator says that's 5 weeks and 4 days...recalculate using fingers on a calculator...12 sessions. Yikes, $5 a visit!?

So not likely. But it would give me more motivation? 

But dogdammit do I really need motivation?! WTF? I'm all motivation, just no motion. I'm also no money-vation (new word?) and I'm not willing to pay the YMCA more. 

On that note, I did 3x BSU arms today. Don't feel it yet but hopefully tomorrow. I took advantage of a break in the rain to get a FoPa walk in, 2 miles. So 10 BSU + 30 walk + 20 plyos when I get home and that's my day.

More rain tomorrow, so maybe a Bird ride to complement the run? Because I will run tomorrow, rain or shine. I gotta get Bird re-set-up after he was move to put LA's desk in his corner. I've thought about half converting my old bedroom to a workout room. Haha, fuck you Y I've got my bedroom. Haha. Right. 

What about Bird on the balcony? Eh, if I move Bird I'll miss my TV watching. The only time I watch TV. And SO gave me the GOT season 8 and I've yet to watch it!!
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In other news, my Blog2Print book for 2019 arrived today! Ooooh all slick pages and in color. A quick flip through it reveals lots of mental disarray last year. 2020 can't be any worse, but I can work to make it better. 

Summary of the week - a bike and a 3 mile interval run!

Tuesday RUN 1.65 miles/2.56 in 30 mins in Paducah KY
Thursday RUN 1.16 miles/2.25 in 26 mins in Fo Pa
Saturday BIKE 9.64 miles in about 52 mins, TGP
Sunday RUN 3 miles/4.5 in 50 mins, Grant's Trail


My goal has been to settle into a pattern of working out that I can hold to. I think a Monday, Thursday, Weekend will be good for now. This week was a day off due to travel to GA with LA.

The Tuesday run was with LA around the downtown area, two loops. It's fun to run with him, and anyway isn't that how this whole thing started?

The Thursday run was an afternoon run in Fo Pa from work. The morning just didn't happen for us, and his knee has been hurting. As much as I want to run with him, is it a good idea for him?

Funny side bit -- after the Thursday run my garmin said NEW RECORD!! FASTEST MILE 11:10
Uuuhh, OK.....

My Bring Sally Up challenge continues, and it's improving! I did about 25/30 burpees this week, added bicep curl to the over head press.

I feel weak. Sluggish. Heavy. I'm trying to find a way to get 60 mins of activity a day to build up the body and re-acclimate to working out. Still no swimming, haha.

I'd like to get in a bike ride and trail run this weekend, I'll leave that open for updates:

UPDATES!! WOOHOO a bike ride! Afternoon ride in TGP with LA. Rode to the band pavilion then did a casual 5 mile ride. That took about 22-23 mins, far from the usual BE and I ride but that wasn't the goal today. And besides, it's a nice baseline to build up from, haha.

Sunday a run with LA on GT, his first time there. Was his first time in TGP for the ride too, he has much to see around here yet. All my haunts -- the trails and paths and sights -- I miss them!

Anyway, this run was my first foray into 3 min run intervals. Goal was steady, good form, no rush, and be willing to stop if things start to fall apart. I found that this 3 mins is my current upper limit -- no more increases until this feels easier. The three minutes didn't feel long, but I could feel the muscular fatigue. Wow, this is my long run for now! And it put me super close to my next goal of running the 5K distance. I'm still aways from running that straight through, but that's my goal.

Long Weekend

RUN! Total 45 mins and 3.6 miles of 2.5min each walk/run. Actual run 2.16 miles!

Saturday was a long bitch of a day. Super sick to stomach from sushi rice last night and from the stress of Thursday/Friday. Thursday was when he got news of A2MI (need some code for it...) and that night was rough, my head wouldn't even work. All I could do was count to 18, in groups of three, and even that was a struggle. Friday morning we talked about it, felt much better but the stress didn't come out until Saturday. He was gone with the kiddos and I couldn't keep control of it anymore. I did make it to JM and AM's Mardi Gras housewarming (proud of that!). But what started off as running errands devolved in to M M M M M to the point of being sick overnight. The Crebain was there too, in fact only Balrog was absent from the part. Couldn't sleep, and Balrog tried to make an appearance before I got off the bathroom floor and crawled back to bed. Ugh.

My first errand was a new bullet journal! And I resolved to start on Sunday with positive habits getting checked off. Here come the habits again.

Sunday I was resolved to do better, and did. Up to schedule, a run!, and stayed on task all day. Clean, walk dog, didn't get to lab, but did get through my list and recaulked the tub. Only some M on the chochips.

Monday (today) feeling stronger, positive. But disappointed in Saturday. Rule #4: Compare yourself with who you were yesterday, not with who someone else is today. JBP

I, I Feel Like A Monster

The secret side of me, I never let you see
I keep it caged but I can't control it
So stay away from me, the beast is ugly
I feel the rage and I just can't hold it

It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls
It comes awake and I can't control it
Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

My secret side I keep hid under lock and key
I keep it caged but I can't control it
'Cause if I let him out he'll tear me up, break me down
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

It's hiding in the dark, it's teeth are razor sharp
There's no escape for me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart
No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream
Maybe it's inside of me, stop this monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I feel like a monster
I've gotta lose control, here's something radical
I must confess that I feel like a monster

I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster
I, I feel like a monster

Jesus loves me, this I know...

...for he gives me green to go!

Saturday RUN as 2 min walk/3 min run, 4 times, run=1.2 I think
Monday and Tuesday COMMUTE 9.2 miles total
Wednesday RUN as 2.5 min each walk/run, 6 times, run=1.6 miles

Great run this morning, they're all great really. Even more so when you've been missing out on them for months! LA joined for this Cherokee to Lyon Park to Brewery. He was chanting I guess what I'd call army running songs. (I know, there's a word for it...). I want to be, an Airborne Ranger. Live a life of, sex and danger. LOL. Stuck in my head now.

You'll note, no swimming. I need to replan this. I was thinking in the run today that if this next week or two feels good I can increase to 3x run per week. Maybe Mon, Thurs, Saturday? It fits LAs schedule too I think. I'll build in bike commutes as I can. Swimming? Eh...

I got to commute in Monday morning, then home on Tuesday afternoon. Can't resist a ride when it's cold and dark in the afternoons! The bike feels WEAK. Of course it does! But still. Weak. But I love it. That silver SUV that was always parked in the semi-circle area of TGP with the really expired 4-20-19 temp tags was there Tuesday! Still parked there, still on his phone.

In addition to being weak, I don't have my reflexes yet. My responses feel sluggish too. So a good time to be careful.

My Bring Sally Up "challenge" for February continues. Today burpees. Ugh.

I'm still having the "running flashbacks". They're ongoing. Yesterday in the middle of something else entirely I flashed to a run on the Utica canal path. Prior to that, Lost Valley. I'll be back?

Won't swim (yet) but I'll run

Tuesday SWIM 0
Wednesday RUN 31 mins and 2.4 miles covered, 1.1 miles of running

Yesterday (Tuesday) fell apart for me. My gut has been inching towards its old ways of cramping, bloating, hurting, and messing with my day. Not like 2014/2015 yet. I've been more carefully logging foods trying to find the trigger(s). I'm now eating all sorts of previously-banned shit: potatoes, milk and dairy, chocolate, rice, candies, restaurant foods. But I'm hard-line avoiding things like corn and wheat -- the sure-thing-you're-gonna-hurt foods.

Well in my researching of some of the new candies I've been almost regularly eating I found gluten. UGH. I find it hard to believe this is the source of my issues however. Very hard to believe. BUT?!?!?!  So it goes, along with many other foods that have creeped back in.

Last night after work I came home feeling sick, cold, hungry. And met up with the M. I almost stopped, started, stopped, started. UGH. No wonder I feel sick. No wonder I wake up feeling nauseated, and spend the day pained and cramped.

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Wednesday we woke (we?!?!?! LOL did I just type that?) up to a rainy and snowy forecast, but it wasn't here yet. So off for a 3 min walk and 2 min run session, just 30 minutes. It felt great! Down to Lyon Park past the AB brewery and back. Great morning, calm and cool.

No pain in or after the run. But pain overnight when I'm sleeping, and the occasional pain when I'm just out and about. I'm still a bit concerned about the pain in the pubic bone after riding the bike. Keep an eye on it.

I felt awful again this morning, but maybe more stress than food? I had to lie down in the office at work and get relaxed, like I had to do in 2014. Not good. Gotta get this under control.

First bike commute of 2020

COMMUTE 9.4 miles

Oh baby, this felt great. Helps that it's so warm outside!

Leaving the house was a bit of fun trying to remember all that I need to do for a commute. What gear, the habits, the lights, the order of things. My goal for the day was a 30 min run in TGP but this is a better exchange. Although I do need to get more on my schedule, now three days in a row that I've altered. Either my schedule is bad, or I'm not being diligent and advocating enough.

Things I missed: the fast flight through TGP on the new pavement; hearing my music; the fast section on Manchester where I try to race other cyclists from TGA; the ped bridge.  No traffic issues, so no complaints.

YAY!