Tuesday, December 21:

15:07 rowing on the Concept 2, at 2:24 for 500/m, total of 2,896 m, at 43 s/m, for a projected total of 5,999. Off my game today, and feeling it.
60 minutes of weights
45 minute spin class tonight

Wednesday, Dec. 22:
45 minute spin class at 6 AM, which about six of us showed up for
30 minute Pilates routine on my own

There will be some incidental walking in the mayhem of Midtown as I head to Radio City Music Hall for the traditional Christmas show. Looking forward to the Rockettes' kick line.

My third day of running around in a snowfield. Either on skis or bounding along on foot. I can feel it in my hips. My neighbour stopped his tractor yesterday to offer the use of another field. We're improving bit by bit and it's lovely to be out.

Been on a trip which I knew would unfortunately throw off my exercise plans and it did.

Dec. 16: none

Dec. 17: none

Dec. 18: none

Dec. 19: 44 minutes running

Dec. 20: 30 minutes running

Dec. 21: none

Dec. 22: 60 minutes elliptical

Totals:

17 days
922 minutes

Hi everyone,

I haven't been posting but I've been moving!

December 18
8.25 mile run
80 minutes

December 20
Athletic Yoga

December 21
15 minutes rowing machine
45 minutes treadmill
4.8 miles

December 22
4.75 miles
untimed, but it felt FAST ;)

Anyone have a Christmas day plan? I'm taking the day off :) but my daughter is getting a bike from Santa, so maybe I'll put on my sneaks and run around the neighborhood with her. I will definitely need my exercise up until then -- I am so stressed about getting everything done, I need to burn the edge off my energy!

Thursday, Dec. 23:
60 minutes elliptical, resistance at 8, half backward

My plan? Depends on what I can get away with, without offending my visiting mother. My gym opens at 8 AM on Christmas Day & stays open until 2 PM. I was there last Christmas morning, and I wasn't the only one, naturally. I don't know if I'll go there & do cardio first & we'll open presents later, or the opposite.

My own inclination is to make this a low-key day. I think the local Jewish tradition of going to a Chinese restaurant & taking in a movie or two at the multiplex is a really good one. Makes it all less fraught.

Dec. 23: 60 minutes spin class

Totals:
18 days
982 minutes

Not sure about Christmas..... I think my gym is closed but I'm not sure about that. I'll check tomorrow.

Friday, Dec.24:
This morning, while moving around in my room, I did something -- I don't know what, but it wasn't much, not strenuous at all -- that resulted in my pulling my trapezius muscle. It's horribly sore. So no rowing & no weights.

But I did get to the gym, which was really humming with activity, and put in some cardio time.

60 minutes arc trainer, hill intervals, resistance at 9

This wasn't fun, what with my shoulder being out of whack. The small of my back felt a little stiff afterward.

Damn, a good relaxed morning, gone to waste, because of this sore neck & shoulder.

Christmas Day, Saturday:

The elliptical at the end of the first row of cardio equipment at the gym had its TV tuned into the channel with the ever-burning Yule Log.

60 minutes arc trainer, intervals, resistance at 8

Then home to shower for Christmas Day mass at noon

Merry Christmas, everybody!

Boxing Day, Sunday:

My trapezius still feels off, so all I did today was a spin class for 45 minutes. And there were just three of us who showed up, in addition to the instructor's partner.

Now I'm watching the snow fall hard & fast, and doubting that I'll make it to 6 AM spin tomorrow.

Dec. 24: 60 minutes elliptical

Dec. 25: none-- gym was closed.

Dec. 26: 60 minutes elliptical

I'm not feeling well for a few days and the scale is going crazy. I am praying that it is mostly water retention and not the cookies I ate combined with too large portions. It is actually scaring me as it is higher than I've seen in over 2 years. But I definitely feel swollen too so I'm going to keep on plugging along (and praying).

Totals:
20 days
1102 minutes

Monday, Dec. 27:

Waking far too early, on my exercise schedule, at 5 AM, and staring at the drifts against my building & the snow caught in the window screens, I started to feel trapped & depressed. I knew better than to even try to set out for 6 AM spin class. Also, my trapezius still gives me a twinge now & then.

And I did have work to do, too, when it felt all the world was out on vacation or having a snow day.

But when I did get away from my laptop, finally, around 5:45 PM, and trudged through the snow to the gym, I felt great relief.

60 minutes elliptical, random intervals, resistance at 8, half done backwards, and straining when the resistance hit 11 & 12.

I feel like I'm slacking. Usually I'd do circuit training after my cardio, but I want to baby my neck & back for another day at least.

Dec. 27: 70 minutes boxing boot camp

Totals:
21 days
1172 minutes

This plantar fasciitis business has really put a cramp in my exercise schedule. However, I got an indoor bike trainer for xmas so now I can do lots of biking during the winter!

Dec 20:
- 10 min bike
- 20 min upper body/core

Dec 21: none

Dec 22: 15 min dog walk

Dec 23: 30 min swim, ladders

Dec 24: nothing but cooking

Dec 25: spent the entire day cooking and cleaning, does that count?

Dec 26: none

Dec 27: 35 min on my new bike trainer

Dec 28: 46 min swim, set another new PR for 550 yards (13:22), keeping up with my new standard pace for a mile

Tuesday, December 28:

45 minute spin class

Still feeling badly because I'm not doing weights or Pilates, but I plan to try some Pilates moves on my own tomorrow morning.

Dec. 28: 48 minutes elliptical

Totals:
22 days
1220 minutes

Dec 29: 35 min on the bike trainer, using the "Race Day" DVD that came with it. I did the warmup and half of the race.

Wednesday, December 29:

45 minute spin class

I'm feeling tense & like I've put on a few pounds since stopping Pilates & weights for a week. It's not fun to work at home on the laptop all this week, doing year-end stuff on spreadsheets, to get in my usual time at the gym & also entertain my visiting mother or see that she's amused while I'm working. She needs to go home. And I can't wait till the long New Year's weekend.

Thursday, December 30:

60 minutes arc trainer, hill intervals, resistance at 9
45 minutes Pilates routine on my own

My spirits are improved this morning. The sun is out, the snow is visibly receding, and my mother said she plans to leave tomorrow. I can cope with my life's obstacles again.

Friday, December 31:

15:06 on the Concept 2, 2:26 for 500/m, 2907, at 46 s/m, for a projected total of 5961
60 minutes weights
45 minutes on arc trainer, intervals, resistance at 9

Today, after I finished rowing on the machine, a girl came up to me & started talking & ended up correcting my form, which should make me faster & spare my back. She graduated recently from a local college, where she was on the crew team. She went over a sequence with me. Hard to rethink the order of the moves, which are counter-intuitive. But I am grateful for her sharing her knowledge.

And my right shoulder is pinching me now. I gave it a week of rest. But I still have a nasty twinge.

Dec. 29: 60 minutes elliptical

Dec. 30: none

Dec. 31: 60 minutes elliptical

Totals:
24 days
1340 minutes