2015 Exercise Log/Challenge

[Catrin]

So glad to hear you are feeling better! Today = full rest for me, back to tossing kettlebells around tomorrow night.

I must admit, when I see the rapidly increasing potholes in the area, I am kind of thankful that I can no longer ride...

[Crankin]

I took a full rest day today. I actually got out of work a bit early, but by the time I got home at 5:20, the temperature had plummeted from 50 to 40, it was sleeting, with the sun out, and the winds were about 30 mph, gusting more. Since I intended to take a walk, I'll just double up tomorrow.

[Catrin]

We did a "500 swing" workout tonight, and it did indeed feature 500 kettlebell swings mixed with pushups and other things. Of course there were little breaks, it was a good workout! This is the first time I've tackled this particular workout since my hand arthritis flared, and my hands were indeed a bit sore afterwards. Things seem ok, will see how it feels tomorrow. I pushed the weight up a notch, my hands will tell me tomorrow if that was a bad idea.

Probably a rest day tomorrow.

[Crankin]

I did about 10 minutes of my stretches, 10 minutes on the treadmill, hill walking, and then went to a step and sculpt class. This is my go-to Wednesday activity, if I am not outdoors. It's a great work out and the fitness director teaches it, in a style very much like the one i used when I was teaching. But, I am hoping this is the last one I go to until next winter!
I think my plan of riding outdoors Saturday may be fading. There is going to be rain/snow in the AM and the temperature is not going to be as high as I thought. My original plan of the last weekend in March is probably more realistic. Right now it's 26 degrees, with winds gusting to 40 mph .

[Catrin]

Frustrating, isn't it? I'm looking forward to hiking but who can say when the trails will be dry enough?

My hands did bother me last night but are fine today. I've a couple unexpected breast scans next week, with my high deductible insurance I may need to drop my KB group training. That would be hard, but I've my own KB herd at home and probably 75 workouts recorded, I can make that work if necessary. His main value for me is the combination of a deep expertise and he won't let me hurt myself. We will see how it goes, hopefully no biopsy.

[Crankin]

Praying that it goes no further than the scans.

[Catrin]

Thanks! Last year the radiologists wanted to take it further but my Dr and I thought it premature. I did have a needle aspiration last year. Hopefully there will be good news from the DX mammo and ultrasound if that is indicated.

[Crankin]

I *really* needed to force myself to do anything today... worked a little later than usual, as I had to see a client at the office after I was done at the high school. Normally, I'd have gone out for a ride/walk/hike, but it was so cold and windy that i almost got blown over when I was walking to my car in the school parking lot. So, I did 15 minutes of PT exercises, a 10 minute trainer warm up, and 30 minutes of yoga. Just under an hour.
Weather is looking up after Monday.

[Catrin]

Sounds good Crankin! We did a full Penthalon tonight (6 lifts, each for 6 minutes with multiple hand switches and 5 minute rests). There is a maximum rep# allowed and a multiplier based on the weight used. We will do it again in 2 weeks, hopefully more than 5 of us will play. I am happy with my performance!

[Crankin]

Boot camp this morning. I don't know how she comes up with new stuff... every class.
My weight is really up, and I am not doing anything unusual. I know things will change when I start riding outside, but, I saw the "danger zone" number this morning .

[Helene2013]

you gals rock way too much for me. haha

Yesterday I was able to snail ride (1st ride on trainer) since my knee infiltration on Tuesday. I was to do only 10-20 minutes max on an easy speed/no resistance. Welllllll.... I got in the basement, set everything up, iphone music pounding as if I was in a club and me trying to sing over the speakers. So I do 10 minutes....slowly but surely, increasing speed gradually and trying to increase lightly my resistance. Only 10 more to go. Knee feels good. 20 minutes comes by...I don't want to get off just now...so what the heck! I stay on and start to pedal faster (nothing alarming). Just in the 22-24km/h range but for this, I need to increase a bit my resistance right. !!! Anyway, after 34 minutes I stopped (after a 2-3 minute very slow cool down). I could have gone for much longer but I must listen to Dr and physiotherapist. And you never know how the knee will react afterwards. While going at higher speed, I took the opportunity to work on the push/pull move on pedal which gave a rest to the infiltrated knee. I was wise...playing it safe to stay on longer. hihi

This morning all is good and I can't wait to get back on the saddle. But it is a week after infiltration you can resume and by then, going back on March 30, for the other knee.

By the way, I still can't get used to the black matte colour of my bike. I am not allowed to re-paint it as warranty will be voided. At the cost of this bike, I'm not gonna risk it. Then I tried having stickers made for it but taking too long to get the designer to custom me something that I can bring to a special decal company. Soooooooo... hubby saw the new Amira Expert SL4 Expert 2015 is glossy white... he said to call my LBS to trade in my already too new 2014 (same model) for this one. He said he was willing to do overtime to pay the difference in the trade-off. Probably 1000$. hihi Isn't my hubby a keeper. hahaha But I think it's not a wise move. Spent too much already on bikes. I hate the current look but love riding it. Not all is lost.

[Catrin]

Glad to hear that you are listening to your medical peeps Helene! I am still paying the consequences of not doing that a few years back when I had a neck injury on the trail. You can't repaint your bike because it would void the warrenty?!?!!? That sounds like a strange warranty condition to me, but then again I don't know much about that.

Had my usual Sat AM KB group session. I did some competition sets with the Long Cycle as most of my training partners did work with double kettlebells (2 at the same time). That requires a certain level of shoulder flexibility/functionality that I just don't have. The competition training work I DID do felt great though, and I've been getting a little antsy and wanting to do that so it worked out well. Still some fatigue from Thursday night so I paced myself, it went pretty good!

[Crankin]

You are doing so well with the pacing, Catrin. We all have learned the very hard way!
So, we went x country skiing for the first day of spring. It did snow very lightly last night, really a dusting, but it is now 42 degrees. However, when we got up this morning, the snow was coming down, hard. We got about 2 inches, which has now melted, thankfully. But, right when I was going to get on my trainer and I was canceling my plans to ride outside, I got an email from the touring center that said they groomed most of the trails, so we got ready and left so we could get most of the skiing in before it got too warm and mushy. It was so peaceful and the conditions were really pretty good for spring skiing. Did lots of the trails in the opposite direction, including some ungroomed ones, as well as lots of climbing and descending. It's nice not have the lodge crowded with teenaged ski teams, too.
I have 12 hours left to meet my goal. Not sure if I will make it, but it will be close.

[Helene2013]

You can't repaint your bike because it would void the warrenty?!?!!? That sounds like a strange warranty condition to me, but then again I don't know much about that.

Nope. I called and even spoke directly with Specialized. My frame has a litetime warranty and sanding/blasting it will annul it as it is a modification brought to the frame. So can't do. If my frame was under warranty for a few years, I would just swallow it and get it then. But we all know Murphy's law and the day I get it back from the paint shop, this is when we'd find a crack and would not be able to use that warranty. At $4000 for this bike, I can't take the chance.

[Crankin]

I went to a spin class this morning. Got up and asked DH if he was willing to do a 60 minute trainer workout with me, and he said "no!" He has something going on with one of his toes, and he is afraid the pressure of being in a cycling shoe will make it worse. So, I hauled myself out of bed. It was OK, apart from the constant references to your "run" and "bursts" when she is talking about cadence and intervals. It's cold (25) and windy, but very sunny out, and I wouldn't mind going for a walk or snow shoe later, but I probably won't.