Saturday, Oct. 25th:

In which I learned the limits of my leg muscles, after squatting 110 lbs yesterday for three sets of 12 reps. No it's not near my body weight but I'm still getting stronger. But the aftereffects are there, so it was very difficult to do:

60 minutes spin class, race day pace
60 minute Pilates class, with lots of leg work. Lots of it.

I'm done.

Popping in to see what people are doing for exercise these days.
Saef, I can't help myself, I feel like I would be a bad doctor-friend if I didn't give you a caution: you should not do 2 hours of "leg intensive" work (spin and pilates) the same day that you are also doing heavy weight training for the same muscle groups, especially the legs. It's a recipe for what's called "rhabdomyolysis" - a dangerous and painful condition of muscle inflammation and breakdown brought on by over-exercising of large muscles, usually the glutes and/or quads. If you have rhabdo, it will overload your kidneys and potentially put you into (hopefully temporary) renal failure. You can also suppress your thyroid function and increase your cortisol levels (stress hormone) to a harmful range. Please consider doing your Strong Curves routine on alternate days to your spin class, and limiting total exercise time to 90 min. if it's high intensity.

For the record, if it matters at all, I also completed the NROLW program a couple of years back, and recently finished a 12-week cycle of StrongLifts 5x5. I squat 145 lbs 5reps/5x and I can deadlift 175 the same way. But when I stress my posterior chain with the heavy lifts, I don't do any other lower body work that day except walking, and I still sometimes notice slightly darker urine the next day (a sign of myoglobin in the urine) along with DOMS.

Andrea, it's okay: Re-read my post. I did the squats yesterday, on Friday.

I did spin today, on Saturday, and then the Pilates mat work. So it was cardio, and then the body weight mat workout.

It wasn't all on the same day. I was just still sore today from Friday's workout.

No, I promise you that I won't get "Uncle Rhabdo," like the Crossfit dudes who have to get hospitalized. I would quit well before then.

Sunday, Oct. 26th:

Another Strong Curves workout done, once I finally got to the gym, an hour later than usual. I am winding down from handing in the Japan assignment yesterday.

But not all the way, as I am preparing to drive from the office to a city I've never been to & stay overnight for an all-day meeting the following day.

Ran the 5K today and finished in 28:35! It was tough - especially the first mile. I felt like I was going to have a worse time than the first 5K I did but somehow I was faster!

The only bad thing is it was in the low 60s, which was great for running, but afterwards I stayed around to watch the awards and I got really cold. I was soaked and had no jacket (well, I did in the car about a 30 minute walk away!) Now I feel like I got a chest cold. Even though I have heard you can't really get a cold from being outside being too cold, that's what it feels like. So going to rest tomorrow.

Nice time, Sharon! I don't think I've ever beat 35:00 and that hurt! WTG!!! So sorry you may have caught a cold though. I felt like I was getting something Friday evening. A couple Tylenol and a relaxing evening wrapped in a blanket helped quite a bit.

My exercise today consisted of planting a palm, a flat of geraniums and eight cyclamen. I've been monitoring my vegetable garden and an happy to announce that several plants have buds! I am going to be ever vigilant to make sure I know when the frost hits so that everything survives!

YES, SHARON! That is a fantastic time.

Monday, Oct. 27th:

As for me, 45 minutes of spin class, not inspired this morning, woke way too early and with too much on my mind.

Tuesday, Oct. 28th:

Home after a two-hour drive from Hartford Convention Center, changed clothes and went straight to the gym to work off some steam.

Back to Strong Curves workout.


Wednesday, Oct. 29th:

45 minute spin class, difficult because of last night's squats.

And I got a flu shot right afterward. I think I've mentioned that my gym is across the street from the hospital, so nurses and healthcare admins & others use it, and many take 6 AM spin and shower there, then cross the street & start work. A nurse set aside a flu shot for me and gave it to me there. She does this "for the community," she says, so it was free. Really kind of her, particularly because I missed my company's annual Health Fair for Open Enrollment where I usually get my free flu shot.

Thursday, Oct. 30th:

Woke late but still went to gym for 60 minutes on the elliptical.

Unenthusiastic 60 minute Pilates mat class. My interior monologue was self-critical and destructive.

Friday, Halloween

Onto the next Strong Curves workout, which left me shaky afterward. I felt quite done when I left the gym.