It's not just the Earth's Rotational Axis....

My days really are getting longer and longer.
Issues at work and surrounding work have meant multiple 12-13 hour days for me lately. I'd say I'm exhausted and in need of a vacation but I've realized recently that I am such a freak about "vacations" that I usually don't come away from them all that rested.  I'm going to try. Headed to the DC area this week. It was a surprise present for my Squeeze so he can visit his best friend. His best friend since 6th grade people. That's a long time to keep liking someone. I plan on long walks, possible solo museum trips, some running, podcast listening and magazine perusal while they sit in a corner and act like 5 year olds. I expect pranks. And laughter. And that weird language that only the two of them speak.

Back to the workout log:
Thursday Sept 2: 5k-ish run in 27 minutes and change. Good time for me, a sucky time for most runners I know. Stupid runners with legs that are longer than mine and can turn over fast.

Sept 3NOTHING!

Saturday Sept 4: 2.5 hours of jog-hiking at Pinnacle. Up and over 2x and back and forth to the OT trailhead.
And a couple more hours of trail work. I dug a trench with a pick ax. There will be no dwarf or Hi Ho references.

Sunday 5: we went to the zoo. in memphis. yes we did.

Monday 6: in celebration of Labor Day, I Labored. Not in my own very needy yard but in my neighbor's. Because they don't or won't clean it up. Our front yard looks at their back yard which is wooded. When trees start growing in the street and the water can't get to the drain, I clean it for them. It took most of the day. And all of my energy. But I'm not bitter.

Tuesday 7 back to morning workouts
warm up with CORE and Jump Rope
4 Rounds: 1 min per station, 1 min rest after completed circuit
Single leg plyo jumps 90lb
single leg squat on box
wall ball 15lb
wall sit with 10lb plate
push press 25lb Db

Wednesday got an I don't think so at 4:50 a.m. Tuesday night was unpleasant due to work stuffin.

Thursday 9th
warm up 300 jump ropes, 3 x 12 x 33lb bar overhead squat, 5 x 5 hang clean 65lb, 75, 75, attempt 85, 80
4 Rounds:
Group Hang Clean 10 x in 1 min:  1set x 55lb - 3 x 60lb
1:00 treadmill run 1 x 7.5 mph x 5% incline, 2 x 5.6 mph x 10% incline , 1 x wall sit
400 m backward run
single leg jump on 12" box 10 x ea leg

Friday 10th
warm up CORE
superset 4x:
endurance bench press 10 rep:10 sec hold:10 rep : push up position plank 30 sec
db curl and press 10 x 20lb : overhead tricep extension 30lb to Fatigue (avg 6)
walking push ups, no wts : 1 min plank

BIKES!

Easter weekend 2009 found our little 3some + one at this park for biking, hiking, fishing and egg hunting. This past weekend, just the 2 of us went down there in an attempt to help out a friend who was putting on an adventure race. So the workout for Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th involved a little mountain biking and a little hiking each day. And a LOT of driving. So Sunday the 29th we decided to ride the whole 7 miles of trail at Pinnacle that we've been working for the last several months. I've never ridden the whole thing and honestly- din't think I could. I did. And then some. We had a great time. Those guys that put that trail out there did a great job! Thanks Daron and Joe. : )  I was really fed up with working on it but after finally getting to ride the whole thing I have a renewed energy about it.

Sunday 22nd: 30 miles of road biking with one ride up the little hill at Ft. Roots.

Monday 23rd: Rest

Tuesday 24th:
warm up jump rope...100 push ups...100 sit ups
superset: dumbbell bench press on ab ball  4 x 10 (25-10lb) and push up w/dumbbell row 4 x 25 x 12lb
superset: single arm push press 4 x 10 x 30lb and single arm snatch 4 x 10 x 30lb
last thing: plank walks with call outs by Chris. Plank position, push ups, up-down, walk in plank. ugh

Wednesday 25th: CORE
5 Rounds of:
max pullups (i used a band, max=10)
200m backward run
plate push 20yd? 35lb plate
20 box jumps 24"

Thursday 26th: CORE
superset: bench press 5 x 10reps:10sec hold:10reps and 30 sec of push ups in between each set
superset: standing military press into push press 3sets x8x8 with feet elevated pushups to fatigue
superset: chair pushups:explosive pushup(clapping):plate raise x 25lb  3 rounds to fatigue(failure)

Monday 30th: Rest

Tuesday 31st: warm up w/ jump rope
Partner work- one partner has a set # of reps, the other partner does the *alternate exercise until the other is finished regardless of time/reps done.
20 x  heavy leg press (100% body wt.)      *overhead squat 33lb bar

400m run holding 25lb plate between partners:  20 squat jumps *mountain climbers:  repeat 1x

20 x romanian dead lift 65lb    *wall balls w/ 15lb med ball

200m partner run backwards: 20 squat jump *mountain climbers : repeat 1x

partner curl- both holding a 33lb bar alternating curls 10rep...9rep...8...7..........1 

Wednesday Sept1st: welcome Sept!
warm up 300 jump rope 100 sit ups
superset: 4 x 15 chair pushup:  4 x 15 inverted row
alternating dumbbell bench press on ab ball 2 x 10ea arm x 25lb 3 x 10 x 30lb
6 rounds of :  bench press 2 x 10 x 65lb, 4 x 10 x 70lb and 6 x 10 tire flips

I love tire flips. Don't judge.

Wait, I work out? Really?

Of course I work out- that way I can justify eating steaks, drinking wine, and eating pizza and hot wings. Derr.

There is a serious lack of workout information for the last several weeks. This is a fitness log? Huh?

Sunday 15th- the short, hot, great fun bike ride with Sarah Smiles. It involved a carry a bike over a pedestrian bridge, getting very intimate with my seat when it came loose and tilted in the middle of the ride, and a failed search for breakfast.

Monday got nothin cause I'm lazy like that.
Edit: remembered that I FELT lazy so I walked on the treadmill doing HILLS for about 25 minutes, and did a couple of sprints.

Tuesday- warm up 300 jump ropes
set of push ups: 3 sets, 15 reps of each alternating between chair push ups, feet elevated, chest elevated
5 x 8 single arm bench press, 3 x  25lb, 2 x 30lb dbs
4 x 8/8  military press straight into push press with front plate raises x 10 in between presses
2 x 45lb press : 25lb plate,  2 x 50lb press: 25lb plate
3 x 7:7:7 shoulder complex- 7 front raise-7 lateral raise-7 rotator  10lb for raises but had to go 8lb for rotators

Wednesday got nothin again. See Lazy comment

Thursday- warm up 300 jump rope
1 min each station:1 min rest after all 5 stations complete  4 Rounds (25min)
plate push 35lb
wall ball 15lb
tire flips
squat jump holding 10lb plate
Zots press- front squat then military press while holding the squat-stand holding the press- repeat. Cry.

Friday 20th-
5 Rounds
10 front squats 65lb
20 push ups
30 full sit ups
200m run

finished with 400m warm down jog
added 2 sets of walk the boxes push ups 8,12,18,24 inch boxes lined up-3 push ups on each with feet elevated then back down with chest elevated
2x10x 25lb plate raises in between
2x 30 sec wall sit with 10lb plate overhead.
Then I quit.

Time Management:

During July we had a wedding. And I had a working trip to Montana. And we spent a weekend driving to and from Oklahoma to help the newly-marrieds move. And on 4 weekends we were either picking up or dropping off the small one at a camp an hour or so up the road each way. And I continued to work my usual 10 hour days throughout. I got a little tired. So I tacked on a camping trip to the first weekend in August. Bright idea, eh? I have a sore throat I can't shake, I'm constantly exhausted and my resting heart rate is hovering around 40 beats/minute. I may need a rest. But there is no rest for the wicked?!

The wedding: Perfection. The bride was lovely, the groom was dapper and the reception was absolutely capital F-Fun.This probably deserves a full post of pictures which my SIL julia did a great job of taking. But I don't know where J stored them.

Montana: was spectacular. I can't wait to find an opportunity or reason to return. On each end of work sessions, which were 3 very intense and long days, my boss and I wrangled a day to enjoy the beauty. Before the meeting started we headed to Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. I think the drive might have been as lovely as the caverns.

We were staying in Bozeman, home of the University of Montana at Bozeman. Apparently a few years back the students decided that a hike close by the U needed a monument of sorts. So this white rock "M" was laid out at the pinnacle of this steep trail that can be seen from several vantage points in town down in the valley. I climbed it, as fast as I could, while the boss stayed in the car to take a phone call about her new house. 35 minutes up and back. Must say I was rather impressed with myself : ) We also managed to find that Bozeman is completely and utterly littered with trails. Bikes and pedestrians everywhere with some sidewalks but not many bike lanes. Goes to disprove my theory that people in Little Rock can't walk or bike due to lack of safe sidewalks and lanes. Apparently the trick is to teach DRIVERS to share the road. Sigh.The campus is lovely. I even found that I could share an afternoon respite from mind numbing science to sit with Walt Whitman. Nice.



On the day before departure we rented a car for a trip 90 miles South to Yellowstone National Park. Oh. That's it. Just Oh. Whenever I am in unfamiliar territory I have to wonder, when you grow up looking at this lovliness...do you ever really see it? Do people who grow up here find the same kind of peace and tranquility when they visit the plains, a sandy beach or a flat delta farmland? There is nothing like snow capped mountains or standing at the top of a deep canyon over a waterfall to make one feel small and insignifcant in this world and yet after the initial shock of my own smallness here, I want to climb-scale-run-hop-roll in the snow at the top. That desire is somehow empowering.

Toward the end of an exhausting but sight filled day- we looked out the window of the car as we were driving alongside the Yellowstone River and caught a glimpse of these guys playing in the white caps of the rapids. They are much larger than they appear! We had to stop and take a walk down to see them.

And then out of nowhere, just hanging out on the side of the road as if he was just waiting for some buddies to come by was this fella. Not the biggest bloke we'd seen all day, but one of the mellowest. He just watched as the traffic went by. Don't you wonder what the animals think? Car after car filled with people, just staring at him and taking pictures. I would like to think he is thinking, "what a bunch of morons...don't you know there could be millions of us in your own backyard if there weren't highways and parking lots everywhere?"

July was BUSY. August shows no sign of slowing down. Just this weekend We've done hours of trail work, seen a minor league ball game, gone for a bike ride, had a sweet brunch and shopped at the Argenta Market for T-Bones from Creekstone Farms Humane Processing and had the best chocolate milk ever. No, I mean Ever. J says that in Heaven, this milk is available any time, in unlimited quantities. Thanks Seven Doves Creamery. I gotta go get more milk. I'm thirsty. I think the buck would like some too.

What blog?

A weeklong work trip to Montana.  A weekend trip to Oklahoma. A weekend camping trip to DeGray Lake Resort State Park. And somewhere in between was some trail work, a few workouts, and possibly one or two mental meltdowns. Zombies have no need for blogs. But perhaps when this stupor is over, or regains a slow shuffle, I'll have pictures. Boy do I have pictures.

And the summer is...nearly over

We've been a little busy doing things like this:

And witnessing beautiful things:

And having fun like this:

And there just hasn't been enough time for everything. Blogging is one of those every things.

Before these lovely photos (THANKS! Julia) were taken, there were some actual workout days believe it or not.

Monday June28:

5K partner run. That's right a 5K run holding a 10lb plate between you and your partner. Soon discovered that it was a little easier to let one person run with the plate and switch off. Defeats the purpose but left shoulders intact

Tuesday 29

500 jump ropes

5 rounds as fast as possible for time:

10 thrusters  (front squat/push press 45lb)

5 pullups ( I used the rubber band on the pullups, weakling)

time 4:58

500 jump ropes

CORE at the end

Wednesday 30

short CORE

2 rounds with 3:00 at each station :30work :10rest

plyo board call outs

plyo machine call outs

box jumps

jump rope

jump machine

treadmill fast run

Friday July 2nd

Pinnacle trip with Libi- my neice. That adventure deserves its own post. It'll happen eventually.

Tuesday 6th

100 sit ups

500 jump rope

3 Rounds:

21 sec 21% incline run @ 7mph

400m backward run

21 single leg jump 1 x 75lb, 2 x 60

400m forward run

21 box jumps

21 wall balls 12lb

Wednesday 7th

2.5 mile run in the mid day heat

1.5 hr mountain bike ride- road and Pfiefer loop track in the p.m.

forgot to write down Thursday and Friday oops

Sunday 11th

Trail work and mountain bike in the a.m.

4 mile run/hike at Seven Hollows yeehaw

Tuesday 13th

500 jump rope

100 sit up

5x5 bench press 85lb

5x5 push press 55lb

5  Rounds  of push ups on various height boxes with plate raises in between. It still hurts

Wednesday 14th

CORE+

8 rounds of :30work :30 to transition to next station (not rest according to the Man)

plate push 35lb

tire press (4 per group)

tire flip

box jump

wall sit w/plate hold

Whew. I'm tired now.

Work Out- Catch Up

Tues June 15:
 warm up with tough CORE work
12 x 200m laps, alternating running forward and backward with call outs every 45 seconds. Jump squats, push ups, jacks, or lunges.

Wed:
CORE again
5 rounds:
200m run
50 wall balls (12lb)
50 yd plate push (35lb)

Friday:
CORE
2 rounds:
Partner run holding a 45lb plate between 2 people 400 m
partner curl 30lb bar 10,9,8,7,...1  (1 works while the other person rests passing the weight back and forth)
partner run backward holding plate 200m
partner tricep extension 25lb bell

Mon June 22:
Warm up: jump rope 3 min, 2 x 10 overhead squat PVC pipe *7lb?, 2 x 10 front squat 45lb bar

100 backboard slaps
100 jump rope both feet, 50 on each leg
single leg squat x 50 each leg
plyo jump 10x10 105lb
lateral box jump 3 x 30sec

Wed:
circuit 20sec work: 10sec rest for 4min
jump rope
400m forward run, 400m backward- have 4 min to complete, any time left to rest
bench press x 25lb DBs to 20lb after 4th set
push press x 45lb bar
alternate heavy bag punch and squat jumps
plate push 35lb for 3 min (had to dash, late for the bus)

2 mile jog/walk at 11 a.m. in the heat. Not a great idea.

Thurs:
jump rope 3 min
bench press 5,4,3..1 from 65 up to 95lb
100 chair push ups, set of 20 then sets of 10-15 at a time
curls- 45lb to failure, 35lb to failure, 5lb bar with partner resisiting-x8
2 x 1:00 plank in push up position, 1min rest between

20 oz. curls with Sarah Smiles on the deck at Senor Tequila's. Can you say "negate all workouts for the week"?
Hoping for a little Pinnacle this weekend!