It's a hard job, starting threads in an Internet forum, but someone's gotta do it.
So where did February go?


Tuesday, March 1:

15:07 rowing on the Concept 2 for 3,055 meters at 2:25 for 500 meters and 41 s/m, for a projected total of 6,134
60 minutes weights
45 minutes spin class

I ran into the instructor in last night's circuit training class, the one in which a 20-year-old woman injured herself. He said he couldn't sleep all night after it happened. He went to see her today; so did the gym's manager.

From them, I heard more details. It appears that her ankle collapsed & then she twisted her knee. (Her mother has said that she has weak ankles & has sprained that one several times.) The x-ray of her knee hasn't come back yet so they're still not sure what was injured.

I wish her well. I hope never to witness another injury in a class at the gym.

Saef - I had to go back to last month's thread to see what happened. How scary. I know things like that happen - my sister-in-law broke her ankle (about 3 years ago) just walking across her lawn. Stepped in a small hole and down she went. Surgery and several pins.

So this is not a thread I usually post in - I often hang out in the weights and resistance thread because for several years I was doing a lot of lifting. But I have slacked off badly, and I need some accountability to keep me, no, get me back, in my exercise routine.

To that end, I'll commit to a half hour of movement tomorrow. It will either be a combo of elliptical/treadmill or swimming (have to check the pool hours, as there have been HS meets going on lately).

March 1: new month. Badly wanted to skip tonight as Tuesday is always my hard day to get to the gym as I work 7-7 and then have to eat dinner. But I didn't want to start March off with a non exercise day.

March 1: 45 minutes (mostly) running on treadmill.

Totals: 1 day
45 minutes

Thank you, saef.

Pat! Good to see you.

1st March: TM, rowing, yoga/stretching. Nothing much but enough to stretch out after the previous day's weights.

2 March: enforced rest day as I have a telephone meeting scheduled for the time I usually go to the gymn.

March 1: two 8-min dog walks

March 2: 70 minutes UJAM class

Totals: 2 days
115 minutes

March 2:
- 2 9-min dog walks
- 15 min bike trainer

March 3:
- 2 9-min dog walks

3 March: gymn.
TM warm-up.
Squats, deadlifts and single-legged deadlifts.
Yoga and stretching.

Feeling pleased.

Wednesday, March 2:

45 minute spin class
45 minutes Pilates routine on my own

How very, very good it felt, after a tough day at the office, working hard while trying to attain escape velocity from this job before my vacation, to go to the gym & get out of my head & just exert myself.

When I got to spin class, a bit early, to warm up on the bike, there was a guy there, maybe 10 years older than me, in sweat pants & a t-shirt that aren't the usual gym wear (heavy & oversized & cottony for what people wear now). He is a newbie. We chatted before class. He asked me how long I'd been doing spin. He said he's trying to become healthier & has now done four spin classes after just joining the gym. He has trouble keeping up. I wanted to hug him but of course did not. I just said how great that was, and how fast he'll probably progress. I told him how I didn't even dare sign up for a spin class beforehand because all the gears adjusting the fit of the bike had really intimidated me. (I shared my own difficulties, as I did NOT want to sound condescending.) And I talked about how so many people are afraid to even set foot in a gym. I made it clear that I think what he's doing is great. I really, really hope he sticks with it. I hope I come back from my vacation & see him in my first spin class back, and that he'll look savvy. (Or at least be wearing more breathable clothes.)

Thursday, March 3:

60 minutes arc trainer, hill intervals, resistance at 9
60 minutes Pilates class

I'm having one of my extremist moments, wondering if I can get in some cardio at the gym tomorrow morning before the car picks me up at 8 AM to take me to the airport. The gym opens at 5:45 AM. But I know I'll end up scurrying around doing last-minute stuff all morning before I go. So probably not.

March 3: 60 minutes hip hop class

Totals: 3 days
175 minutes

Friday 4th March

Aim: to stretch out my tight muscles after yesterday's weights session.

TM - increased the incline a little after a few minutes, and then again.
Rower - sat behind two female members of the university rowing club. It was fun to watch their technique.
Yoga and stretching - I've added a hip stretch as when the L hip is tight the whole lower back, leg, knee, foot circus wants to join in. The hip isn't always the troublemaker but it certainly can be, it seems.

I'm planning two days rest. I have a report to write (it's the third or fourth rewrite) so I should incorporate active rest (aka brisk walking) every so often.

March 4: 43 minutes elliptical

Totals: 4 days
218 minutes

March 4:
10 min stair climber/elliptical mix thing on "cross train" program
3x10 back extension alternating with
3x10 roman chair leg lift
10 slowly lowering myself tricep dips
3 10 second hangs from pullup bar
attempt at girly-style pushups, but my wrists were unhappy so I only did 5
3x20 leg lifts on the sides, only a 1x10 front, none back because I was in a hurry
stretching

March 5:
10 min dog walk
45 min swim -- first 550 yards in 12:55, a new PR! Then I took a break and did a ladder up to 5 lengths (1 fast 1 slow, 2 fast 2 slow . . . 5 fast 5 slow, 4 fast 4 slow, etc) to make up 36 laps total. Total time 45:41 not counting the break.
5 min stretching

When I was almost done with my swim the pool started getting crowded and a guy came to share my lane with me. OMG that guy was SO FAST. We pushed off from the wall at the same time, and by the time I was halfway through 1 length he had done a whole lap. I watched him swim underwater. His feet were flexible like flippers. Crazy.

I felt better because the two guys in the lane next to me were beginners training for their first triathlons and I could pretty much match them for speed, but they had to rest after each length and I just kept going.

March 5: 60 minute hike

Totals: 5 days
278 minutes