Round 6: Day 76: Run! (the sequel)

I'm starting to enjoy running. I haven't run in a serious way since 1978. Back in those days, we only wore sweatpants for exercise-related matters, and wouldn't be caught dead in a pair otherwise. Now, my kids wear sweatpants to school and for just about anything else you can think of. How times change. Yet, some things do come full circle. I'm starting to get interested in running again, not quite recapturing the form and speed I had as a 15-year old on the high school cross country team, but certainly with a stronger mental approach and most definitely a more informed physical approach to the task.

For now, I still consider running to be a bit of a task. I haven't developed the lung capacity or the willpower to go on an extended run, and, following the completion of a run, I don't really feel that I should have tried to go farther. Hopefully, a P90X-like attitude will attach itself to this form of exercise, and I'll try to push for more, go harder, longer, and be more competitive with myself. For now, I'm following the "forget the rest" part of Tony's mantra, and am just pleased with myself for stepping outside and moving at a faster pace than an amble.

For the last few months, I've been running variations of a circuit within my neighbourhood. When I first started, I couldn't complete the circuit without pausing a few times to walk. Now, with Insanity training, I can run the entire distance. To top it off, I've been studying The Pose Method of Running, by Nicholas Romanov, and have been training in front of a mirror to try to emulate the suggested posture. It can give one a lot to think about during the run, and I've been trying to quiet my mind and focus on a few simple tips to start.

I'm finding this approach to running is meeting with some success. Wearing a heart monitor which gives some level of statistical feedback has been helpful. I'm finding that I'm definitely moving faster, as I've been able to shave off a few minutes during my circuit. Further, I'm not as winded, which is borne out by a lower average heart rate. To summarize, I'm running faster at a lower heart rate and consuming less energy. That's a pretty impressive achievement. My inner cardio-monster is telling me that I should be pushing harder to raise my heart rate, and perhaps attempting to run faster will do that, but the runs are becoming more enjoyable because they take less time, and less energy. I'm feeling lighter on my feet, more balanced, and haven't experienced any joint pain.

There's still a lot for me to learn about the Pose method, including various exercises and stretches to strengthen my body and increase flexibility, but I'm impressed by my baby steps so far.

Bring on Week 12!

Round 6: Day 75: Chest and Back

I don't recall ever having done this workout mid-week. I've always reserved it for a Sunday morning, the day after my rest day, when I can awake in a leisurely way, start the workout when I feel like it, and pause to my heart's content. Not today. I was up at 6:15, and on a schedule. I practically ran through the first round of exercises, moving faster than Tony and the kids, not taking any significant breaks between exercises, and skipping the rest periods that follow every set of 4 exercises. That was tough, but satisfying. The second time through the sequence was tougher, as Tony had warned. I had probably put a little too much energy into the first round, and didn't throw any caution to the wind by conserving for the second time through. Tip of the day: don't do that.

This remains as tough an upper body workout as I have. My pushup numbers are pretty high now, and I'm not sure how many more I can do and still remain consistent through both rounds; however, it seems as if I'm bumping up against a self-imposed ceiling now, and there is an opportunity to squeeze out another 5 here and there. No matter how much one improves, there are still opportunities to do better. Occasionally, over the past few weeks, I've felt that my motivation wasn't as high as I'd like it to be; today, that certainly wasn't an issue. I feel like I've turned a corner, realizing that I haven't hit a plateau, and can still realize positive changes.

I'm looking forward to working harder than ever to make those changes happen.

Round 6: Day 74: Yoga

Sometimes, when you're aging like I am, you wake up with various aches and pains. Some of them seem directly related to exercising, like sore biceps; others seem like time is creeping up on me, shortening my tendons and causing my body to hunch over or prevent my limbs from extending in the nice, fluid way they used to. That's one of the reasons why yoga is so important to me. It stretches and relaxes the muscles which have been working so hard during the daily workouts, and assists in providing longevity to the muscles and tendons which are subject to the ravages of time.

I've said before that yoga is the critical element to success in the other workouts, and I believe that more sincerely now than ever. Not only does it assist with muscle relief, but I've come to really appreciate its impact on my psyche. I'm much more balanced in life, more mellow, more able to handle stress, more relaxed, and more calm because of yoga. I'm able to handle life's curve balls, and can deposit them safely to the opposite field. Breathe. Relax. Be in the moment. Experience the present. Forget about materiality.

Namaste.

Round 6: Day 73: Back and Biceps

Time is fleeting as July gives way to August, and suddenly, it seems like the summer is slipping through my fingers. It's like trying to hold water in your hands. You just can't. And so, I've been busy lately, taking advantage of friends' invitations to do this and that and, as a result, haven't had the opportunity to be near the computer to post my daily workouts. Apologies for the sporadic updates, but if given the opportunity to dip my toe into Lake Huron or post on a blog, well...

So I spent some time on the sandy shores of beautiful, blue Lake Huron recently, and, feeling the energy oozing out of the beauty of the natural environment and a fantastic state of mind from being away from the office, I did my Beachbody workout on -- the beach. Shirtless and virtually shoeless (I did pull on my trusty VFFs), I took to the shoreline for a vigorous run, trying to hit the deepest and softest parts of the beach, just to make things harder and to encourage more sweat. I was really pleased with the distance I ran, extended by the fact that I got confused and missed my path from the beach to the roadway, and ran an extra mile or so as a punishment (reward?). The weather was fantastic, the beach was beautiful and deserted, the wind was pleasant, the view was spectacular. Everything that could be positive from the experience was gleaned.

Oh, and I also did Back and Biceps today. The same old issues apply: lifting heavier on some exercises, lifting lighter on others, and sweated like a pig. My hands were literally dripping sweat, making it quite difficult to hang onto the dumbbells, making exercises like hammer curls a lot more difficult than they should have been, and resulting in decreased reps on some moves, just because I feared losing my grip and dropping a dumbbell on some unsuspecting body part. Better safe than ouchy. But it still was a great and enjoyable workout, and a change from running on the beach. Not a pleasant change, mind you, but a change nonetheless.